Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-05-01
''CI{EAT FALLS CITY,
THE PLACE. WHICH EXISTS
ONLY ON PAPER.
a Deceiving Scheme Neatly Devised
to Gull the Public, by a S%wlndIing
Syndicate.
1T SHOULD BE LET 0

NtNtat Aitt. Siiti IL DCiiI1 bOolii
ed by an outfit styling themselves the
Great Falls Improvement company
until they have thoroughly Investigated
the scheme, and satisfied themselves tina
it is what is claimed in the ,e%xtrayagant
and highly-colored prospectus of the con
Germ. It should be remembered that the
TRIBUNE is published within only a few
miles Of the prospective town, and the
writer is familiar with the country sur
rounding the lower falls Of the Missouri
and has no h~esitancy whatever in de
clairing it a fraud of the most approved
style: In saying this, we are melted by
no jealous motive, but with the aim ir
view of saving any would-be investor, his
money.
1t is a we'll known fact that when any
brand Of goods becomes popular, there
are q class of unprincipled persons who
and endeavor to share in the profits of the
rightful owner. This scheme is but a
REPETITION of the above. The Hill-Gibson
syndicate, secured several years ago, all
the land commanding any available
water power frontage on the Missouri
river, between the mouth of Sun river and
the lower falls, a distance of about eleven
miles. A townsite was located at the
head Of the rapids and named Great Falls,
and SO recorded on the county records of
Choteau county in September, 1884. The
beauty Of the location selected, together
with it's many natural advantages, and the
fact that James J.. Hill, was Interested
largely in it, and it was given out that
the powers behind the throne would
in time make it the gratest manufacture
ing, commercial and railroad center in the
Northwest, gave the place Il wide repu-
tation, and people have came from nearly
every portion of the United States to visit
the place, many of whom have located
permanently, while others have signifed
their intentions of SO doing, but hone
have gone away disappointed, and in con-
sequence a lively town has sprung up,
having all the evidences Of ~permanency
and stability. Perhaps no new town in the
country has the wide reputation abroad,
that Great Falls has legitimately gained,
and this fact aroused the cupidity of GER
tain persons, who under the guise of a
legitimate enterprise, are prepretating a
fraud upon the public at the expense of
the fair name, legitimately and honestly
gained b. 4ha 9ouris,sing city Of Great
Falls, and WI are sorry to note that many
Of the territorial papers, ignorantly, per
haps, are adding fuel to the boom by
making mention Of the same, and even
going as far as to say that owing to the
unharmonious feeling existing between
the Montana Central railroad and the
Northern Pacific, that the latter company
intend taking the new town under its
protective and powerful wing and by eX-
tending its rail facilities, build up a pow
erful rival to Great Falls. Now, this may
| appear feasible to those who are ignorant
OF the situation Of the prospective burg,
but We know, and so does Field Engineer
Alexander, Of the Northern Pacific, who
visited the place recently, that such q
scheme would never be seriously consid
cred for a moment by tho n. 2. folks,
when they once become in possession of
the facts. We give the Northern Pacific
company credit for too much sense to
think for 81 moment, that it would enter
tain any such scheme as this.
One clause in the prospectus, which, to
the unsuspecting, is likely to command
confidence, and give it the appearance of
responsibility, is, that the company guar
antees for three years a premium of ten
per cent on capital stock sold, and besides,
give to each purchaser Of M share or
more, a lot for each and every share, in
the toWnsite, This, taking together with
the r~osy-colored tint of the future profits
SURE to accrue, is a tempting bait, and it
is only a wonder if many have not been
~"taken-in." For townsite purposes the
company claim something like two sec
tions Of land, fronting the river, adioin-
Ing the lower falls, while in fact they do
not own a foot Of land suitable for any
purpose whatever. The only land they
have any claim on whatever, is an almost
inaccessible tract Of forty acres. covered
by Valentine script, which they came in
possession Of through an English com
pany, with more money than brains.
The fact is, that#the land on the north
side Of the Missouri river, opposite the
lower falls it, unsurveyed government
land, and upon which they have no claim,
and it is fair to presume, never will have.
They have no townsite plated, nor Il stake
drove to show where the prospective town
is to be located. they simply have nothing
but the name Of Great Falls City, which
theyare Haunting before the public
through the Medium of the large eastern
newspapers. hoping to gain by fraud,
money, from the well earned and
legitimate reputation which the town of
Great Falls has established for itself.
Neare aware anything we may say
Of a disparaging nature regarding this
scheme, will be attributed to jealousy by
the outside world. Yet such is far from
being the case, and. to show our good
faith, anyone interested in the scheme,
in the light of a wonld-be investors, who
will come here, and will investigate the
matter. We MiIl Mace every facilitx In