Helena weekly herald., 1888-06-07
GREAT IMPROVEMENTS.
Progress of the Building Boom in the
Grand Avenue Addition---Beauti-
full Residence Sites and
Elegant Homes.

w
personal inspection of the ground one can
form no idea of the vast improvement
made and making in North Helena. A
few years ago there were nothing beyond
the N. P. railroad track but ranches and
country Goads. To-day there are fine
houses, pretty yards and graded streets, so
soon has the Grand Avenue addition
changed from prairie to city. 1t needs but
one glance over the surroundings fiom the
height where Judge Mcconnell and Cover
nor Leslie are putting up their handsome
houses to convince one that some day this
ground will be thickly dotted with the
residences of wealthy Helenaites. And
that some day is near at hand. Already
the blocks are covered with piles of stone,
brick and lumber, marking the sites where
houses are soon to be erected, while
eight new buildings in various stages
of construction employ the mason and
artisan in several different locations.
Last year there was nothing of all this.
These changes have taken place within the
past four months, since Wallace, Thorn
burgh & Appleton, our live real estate and
building firm, have taken hold of the prop
erty. Our reporter visited the Grand Ave
nue., in company with MI. Wallace, q few
days ago, and had an opportunity of noting
the progress of improvements. The addi-
ton is reached most conveniently by driv.
ing out the extension of Main street, which
is developing into
A MAGNIFICENT THOROUGHFARE.
This is now graded from the corner Of
Lawrence street down to and beyond both
railroad tracks, broad. handsome street
with comparatively little grade and large
enough for the traffic of Chicago. It crosses
the tracks over eighteen feet cuts by SUBJ
stantial bridges, which are now in course
of construction. Soon the Jingle Of the
horse car bells will be heard along this
street, for, as soon as the grading and
bridges are completed, the Helena
Street Railway Company will extend
their line down Main street and
through the Grand Avenue addition to the
old flower garden. The W00lston watel
mains will in few months reach to the
addition and then residents of that section
will be happy. For, with all conveniencef
of the city proper, this delightful suburban
location will be the most desirable in
Helena for homes.
Wallace, Thornburgh & Appleton have
begun improvements on an extensive scale
Just across the track and on siding of the
Northern Pacific this firm have q large
warehouse, where is stored an immense
quantity of dressed lumber, sash, doors
etc, from the mills of Minnesota and Ore
gon-shipped here for finishings for the
many buildings they are putting up in al
parts of the city. This lumber is of thu
prettiest kind and surpasses the Montana
product for excellence of texture and sea
soning. For the past sixty day
their receipts have averaged tw'
car loads of lumber day and it is scarcely
unloaded until it is used.
In the Grand avenue addition much o
this will find resting place. Mr.. Wallace
says that by fall they will have put vi
over As new buildings in this locality
Eight are now in course of construction
all of tasty design and modern archi
lecture. The principal of these is Judg
McConnell's new house, which stands OF
an eminence in the most northern part o
the addition, not mile and half from
the postofice. 1t is already inclosed ant
rooted and shows the proportions of
handsome two-story dwelling. The sit
upon which it stands commands
magnificent view, embracing al
the surrounding country. Governo
Leslie will build just next to this hous
in short time, and, no doubt, other resi-
dences will follow, as it is lovely site TO
dwellings. People are awakening to th'
attractions of the Grand Avenue, and lot
in it find ready sale. Since Wallace
Thornburgh took hold Of it they have solo
over 100000 worth of property in ii
though the season has just opened. Th'
city is growing that sway rapidly, and i
will not be long until there will be an un
broken stretch of houses from lower Mali
and Rodney streets to Judge McConnell'
residence. With the Improvements to b.
made this year, notably new buildings
opening streets, street cars and waite
works, the Grand Avenue by fall will b
one of the most populous additions to tn
city.