The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1888-06-20
THE EDITORS.
party Of Distinguished Agricultural Ed
ftors visits the River Metropolis.

Ii was very unfortunate JnaU Ine eAcuF'
sion party Of distinguished editors did not
reach Fort Benton at the hour designated
on the time table of the excursion train,
which was 1:30 p. N. The party did not
leave Fort Assinniboine until 3:55, and
reached here after .. m. This delay af-
forded the citizens of Fort Benton but a
few brief moments in which to extend the
courtesies and hospitalities Of our city, q
fact which seemed to be as much regret
ted by the distinguished guests as by our
citizens.
A committee with carriages met the
gentlemen at the depot and quickly
whirled them to the city, where they
were received at the Grand Union by a
large number Of Benton's leading citizens,
and invited into the spacious dining hall,
where refreshments we're spread. The
names of the party are as follows:
d. r. McGinnis, travelling passenger
agent St. p, NJ. & NJ. R'y, in charge OF ex
cursion; J. Bookwalter, land commission
er st. P. M. & NJ R'y; Hon. Norman j.
Colman. u. S. commissioner OF agrlcul-
ture. Washington, d. G.; G. D. Ladow,
private secretary to Commissioner Col
man, Washington, d. O.; G. ID. Colman,
Rural World, st. Louis, Mo-; d. W..
Wood. Western Rural, Chicago, ILL.,; Mil
ton George. Western Rural, Chicago, ILL.,;
Orange Judd, Prairie Farmer, Chicago
TIL: Wilmer Atkinson, Farm Journal
Philadelphia, Pa; W. FL. Lawrence, Ohio
Farmer, Cleveland, O.; J. B. Connor, In
diana Farmer, Indianapolis, Ind; A. W.
Cheever, New England Farmer, Boston,
Mass; G.. A. Martin, American Agricul-
turist, New York; G. w. Hill, Farmer, St.
Paul, Minn;ssR. Waugh, Northwest Far
mer, Winnipeg, Manitoba; [. c. Wade,
Pres. Dakota Agricultural Association,
jamestown, Dak.;sDr G. J. Alloway, Ter
ritorial Veterinarian, Grand Forks, OAK;
J. H. Stevens, Minneapolis, Mimi; Col.
w. E. Liggett, Benson, Mimi; S. S.
Blanchard, Blanchard, Oak; Ell. G. Hans
brough, DEVILS Lake, Oak; E. FL. Thurs
by. Towner, Oak.
Judge Jno. w. Tattan delivered an ad
dress of welcome, which was rendered in
his usual happy style and applauded to
the echo at every period. The judge, in
the course Of his remarks, gave figures
representing the increase in the taxable
wealth of Montana, as represented by her
various industries, during the last decade,
which fairly took the breath of the atten-
tive guests, who we're SO impressed with
the statements that their note books were
Immediately brought into requisition to
preserve for future reference the remark
able facts givenssby the eloquent speaker.
Hon. Norman j. Colman, United States
commissioner of agriculture, responded
for himself andtparty with brief but
eloquent and telling speech, in which he
referred to the supreme Importance of
the mighty waterway at the navigable
head Of which stood Fort Benton, the fu-
ture commercial metropolis of all this
vast section. This fact alone gave Fort
Benton a commercial supremacy that
could not be taken away from her by any
inland point, it mattered not what advan-
tages it had. He touched, in glowing
terms, upon the wonderful resources of
the territory of Montana, which already
deserved to belong to that galaxy of SOW
ereign states that form the union. Her
bowels were full of gold and silver; her
ribs were Of iron and the remainder of
her anatomy he had discovered was equal
if not more important in point Of wealth
and consisted of grass and coal.
Mr. Coleman's speech was frequently
interrupted by applause. We regret that
no stenographer was present who could
have presented it in its entirety.
After Mr.. Coleman's remarks Judge
Tattan, by request of some of our citi-
zens, also presented facts bearing upon
our agricultural resources which he had
unintentionally omitted in his first re-
marks. On this subject the gentlemen
seemed deeply interested, and when the
Judge told from his personal knowledge Of
the remarkable yields of grain that had
been grown and harvested in Choteau
county, the gentlemen again produced
their note books and preserved the fig
ures. Several Of them then inquired:
Were such yields secured without irriga-
tion?" The Judge replied, "In many
cases, yes" A voice from the guests, who
were seeking all the information they
could get, asked: "Oh, WE'LL but you do
irrigate occasionally in this country, do
you not?"
At this juncture, His Honor, Mayor T.
J. Todd came to the Judges rescue, and
arising, remarked "Yes; and now we
will show you how it is done, and ask that
you will join US. We don't, however, ir-
rigate with waterr'
Here the corks began to fly in very |