The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-10-13
MONTANA'S PARIS.
The Enterprising and Beautiful Capital Of
Progressive Territory.

The Enterprising and Beautiful Capital Of
"a Progressive Territory.
To the younger generation Helena is
Parisian-like centre which he hopes
in time to see. Capitalists may make
their money at Butte or elsewhere, but
are moderately sure to spend it at
Helena; and the miner or ranchman is
never so happy as when he finds him
self in what, without question, is the
metropolis OF the Territory. | know
of no city in the extreme middle West
that could so well satisfy one who had
learned to appreciate Western life as
Helena. Its climate, its surroundings,
even its society, largely composed Of
Eastern and college-bred men and
young wives fresh from older centres.
are delightfully."- prominent features.
The city has population of nearly
fifteen thousand, and considering it's
great wealth, it is not surprising that
it should have electric lights, horse
car line, and excellent schools.
Thanks to the railways, which have
had and are continuing to have so inn
portant an effect upon the country
overlooked by the Rocky Mountains,
Montana's isolation is now q thing of
the past. Two railroad routes connect
it with the East and Pacific West, and
there is still the Missouri, navigable
from St. Louis to the great Falls, within
easy reach of Helena.
In 1890 fheN ~ TInIOnn
entered from the General Government.
In a period of seven years the placer
claims near Helena yielded 500, 900, 900,
and although far removed from the
outside world, the city, as a mining
centre, was of great Importance, and
may be said to have enjoyed an unin-
terrupted period Of success.
Helena, regarded from local stand
point, is the geographical, commercial,
monetary, political, railroad and social
center of Montana. Its trade is larger
| and more extended than that Of any
other city or town in the Territory,
and therefore its commercial suprem-
acy is unquestioned. The Helena
banks, rich in deposits and many in
number, may we'll entitle the city to
its claim as the monetary center. The
terminus of the lately completed Mani
toba system, and having the Northern
Pacific as an outlet to the east, west,
and south, it has several branch roads
to the important mining camps Of
Wickes, Marysville, and Rimini, and
is promised others which are to aid in
developing the rich districts scattered
about the surrounding country.
Helena, in the truest sense Of the
word, is cosmopolitan. Let one walk
the streets at any hour of the day or
night, and he will be sure to notice the
popularity. Crowding the sidewalks
are miners, picturesque in red shirts
and top boots; long-haired Missourians,
waiting, like Micawber, for something
to ''turn up;n ranchmen. standing be-
side their heavily loaded wagons; trap
pers, tourists, men of business. China
men and Indians, Germans and He
brews, whites and blacks, the prosper
Gus and the needy, the representatives
of every State in the Union, English
men and Irishmen, all make Helena
their home. No traditions, no old fam
lily influence, no past social eminence,
hamper the restless spirit of the busy
workers. There is long list of daily
visitors, and the city is never without
its sight-seers. Invalids seek it for its
climatic advantages. EdlOardS Rob-
ertS, in HarDerS Maqazj1le.