Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-04-25
Interview With President Collins on
Things in General.

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Things in General.
Hon. T. E. Collins, president OF the
First National bank, was asked today by
a Tribune reporter his opinion of the
spring outlook.
"The spring. he replied, "has opened
well throughout northern Montana. The
cattle have passed through the winter in
prime condition and will yield good re-
turns when the shipping season comes.
OF course prices are still low at Chicago,
but they cannot remain 50, for the depres-
sion is due to the drought and other eX-
ceptional causes which compelled farm
ers in Iowa and elsewhere to send their
stock to market. The large receipts nat
urally reduced prices, but the demand for
meat continues large and must result in
fair prices for the stockgrower. AS you
may see the stockgrowers who met at
Miles City the other day are all well
pleased with their prospects"
"What is there new regarding the
sheep industry" ~.m
"Sheep as well as cattle have come
through the winter without loss. The
northern Montana companies are on a
firm basis and making good profits. In
dividuul owners make the same report
regarding their business. All expect that
the price Of wool will remain firm and
that it will find ready sale, for the count
~ continues prosperous and the consump
ton of wooden goods is increasing There
is money in sheep despite the influx of
people, which is reducing the area of the
ranges"
"What is the general state of trade, Mr..
Collins?"
"The spring has been backward, east
and west, but so far as Montana is con-
cerned the business houses are in sound
condition, collections are moderately easy
and the demand for goods is likely to be
brisk as the season advances. The de-
posts in this bank are larger than they
were a year ago, and our general business
is much greater. In the east money is
easy but the bank clearings for the first
quarter Of this year show decided in
crease in the central western and north
western cities. This is due to the rapid
growth of the new regions of the west"
Regarding the mining industry in
which Mr. Collins takes special interest
he said:
81 look for rapid development in the
Belt mountain region, as the result of the
extension of the Montana Central road in
that direction this summer. 1t is the lack
of railroad communication which has
alone retarded the growth of that rich re-
gion. 1t was so in Butte where only two
mines of any account were worked be-
fore the railroad came. The great subse-
quent development is due largely to such
facilities. With the great smelter here
and Il railroad direct to the mines, gold,
silver and copper deposits of Barker, Mel
hart and Yogo can be worked to advan-
tage when the ore is low grade as we'll as
when it is high. All these places will be
busy camps, because the mines are such
that they may be worked on their own
account by small bodies Of men. Colo
mel Broadwater knows fully the import
ance and resources of these camps. | am
convinced he will leave nothing undone
to promote their speedy development for
they will provide immense traffic for his
road"
The talk then turned to the opening of
the reservation. Mr.. Collins said:
81 regard the opening of the reserva-
ton as an event of the greatest Importance.
1t adds practically to our available terri
tory about 100000 acres Of rich land,
we'll watered and level as billiard table.
This region is an extension of the far
famed wheat lands of Dakota and is great
ly superior to the bad lands of the upper
Missouri and eastern Montana. 1t is also
part of that vast productive country of
which Great Falls is the metropolis. That
country is large enough to raise all the
wheat produced in the United States and
part OF its crops will yet be reduced to
flour here at Great Falls by means of our
limitless water power ....-..-..