The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1888-03-21
WATER AND LIGHT.
The New Plant Completed and
Steam Turned On.
The Important Event Celebrated by a Grand
Banquet---Interesting Addresses by
Benton's Leading Business Men.


Night is swallowed up in day. While
sun and stars may fail, and the pale moon
hide her silvery face, still will the thor
oughfares Of Fort Benton, obedient to
the command Of mans imperial mind, be
flooded by the brightness Of noontide.
peace has her victories no less than
war" and one Of the greatest triumphs Of
modern thought is now to be utilized for
the benefit of our city. 1t is but few
+ years since that quiet, meditative man
began to think, study and expert
ment with that wonderful element, cleo
tricity. Our readers are all familiar with
his name and his achievements, which it
is scarcely necessary to refer to here be-
yond the remark that when one OF his
apostles, in the person of Geo. E. Wool
ston, some months since, proposed to
place in this town an electric light plant,
our business men with characteristic en-
terprise quickly realized the advantages
to be obtained, and after brief negotiation
closed contract to that end.
On Saturday evening last when the
shadows had gathered and clouds Of omin-
ious import backened the heavens, a gen
tleman without poetic fancy or romantic
bent of mind, said to grim and grizzly
employe at the pump house: "Let her 60
Gallagher" The party addressed obeyed
the command. Then followed the Whir Of
machinery in rapid motion, flood Of daz-
zling light filed the room, and in the
twinkle of an eye
THE CITY WAS ILLUMINATED
As stated in previous issues, there are
five arc lights paid for by the city, three
being located on Front street and two on
Main. In addition all the leading busi-
ness houses are now, or soon will be,
lighted by this means. Some who will
use the incandescents have not lighted
up owing to delay in the arrival Of sappli
ances.
Besides securing electric lights our city
fathers went further and entered into con-
tract for permanent supply of pure wa
ter to be taken from the Missouri river.
AS a consequence, water mains are now
laid throughout the town and an abun-
dance assured for public and private use
at all times and at all seasons. The ma
chinery used at the plant donsists OF two
compound Blake duplex condensing
pumps of a capacity every tWenty-four
hours Of one million gallons, the steam re-
quired being supplied by two steel hange
boilers Of fifty horse power leach, which
rest on brick settings with iron fronts.
The electric light apparatus comprises a
Dynamo furnishing both arc and mean
descent light, and is kept in operation by
sixty horse power automatic engine. AS
already stated everything was in readi-
ness Saturday and steam turned on for
preliminary test. Soon from hydrants
which are located at convenient points
throughout the city, fountains of water
were gushing forth, and shortly after an
amateur company commanded by Mr.. T.
j. Todd attached hose to a fire plug and
taclkeled the proposition. Inch nozzles
were brought into requisition and in a
few moments stream was playing upon
the roof of the Grand Union hotel Other
tests we're made demonstrating the etfi-
cheney Of the system to which in future
we will look for protection from fire.
When the new machinery and water mains
are in perfect working order no town in
Montana will be better supplied with
re-, 1ub+ otn
The events to which we have above re-
ferred mark new era in the history of
Fort Benton, and her citizens realizing it's
great Importance deemed it proper to fifty
commemorate the occasion. Guided by
the social impulses for which they are SO
Justly remarkable it was decided that
A GRAND BANQUET AT THE CHoTEAU HOUSE
should be given. Accordingly magnifi-
cent spread was laid At an early hour
the hidden guests assembled, sitting down
to as sumptuous repast as ever tempted 4
enicurian appetite. or invited "f1ow of
soul.n An hour or more was devoted to
discussing the rich treasures OF the
feast when Mr.. Joseph Baker, who dis
charged with remarkable ability the hon
orous task of toast master, arose and in a
few graceful and witty words called the
company to order. A RIVER Press scribe
at this moment cast his eye around the
generous board and among others dis
covered the following gentlemen present
Mayor Sullivan, Messrs. /. A. Cum
mings, Ben Webster, JOS A. Baker, +. z.
Maclay, FL. G. Mcintyre WI. Minar, >. b.
Mcintyre, Chas. E. Duer, Joseph Sullivan
Chas. E. Miller, DR.. Goodrich, John F.
Patterson, Harry B. Hill, Ii. ]. Wackerlin,
Tom j. Todd, Joseph Hirshberg, Hon.
H.R. Buck, G. e. Ingersoll, j. J. Kennedy,
Geo r Woo1ston r. r. Clark. and |