The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1888-03-21

what we are about. We have our plans
we'll laid. The eyes of capitalists are
opening to the advantages we have to of
fer, and there will soon be such a wild
rush for first place that the voice Of the
croaker will be forever and effectually
silenced
Mr.. Chairman, we have met tonight to
honor man whose intelligence and
shrewdness have been abundantly proven,
who by being among us proves that he be-
lieves in our future In celebrating the
completion Of his work we are honoring
him. I am glad to join in the hearty well
come he SO richly deserves. Let US appre-
ciate his work; let his strings of steel and
iron that surround our city be the sword
that cuts the Gordian knot of "up town"
and "down town" and cement us together
as one man, and then, whatever is to be
done, let us put forth the concentrated
effort, and it is already more than half
accomplished.
To the suggestive thought, ''The Bar
Mr. Horace r. Buck replied in his usual
sprightly manner and with gratifying en-
thusiasm. He said he had faced many
bars and never yet shed tear. He hoped
to long continue in we'll doing, and had
faith to believe he should face many more.
"Water Works and Electric Lights"
Geo. T. Woolston responded.
We regret exceedingly that owing to
our limited space we are unable to do full
justice to the eloquent words which fell
from the gentlemans lips. He said the
world since recorded time had been stead
lily progressing. Step by step the hu
man family had steadily advanced in
learning and in the requirement of those
arts and sciences which conduce to the
happiness and comfort of the race. There
had been the age Of copper, Of iron, steel,
steam, and now the age of electricity was
beginning to make itself felt in all the ar
teries Of manufacture and commerce.
Street cars were already in operation
whose only motive power was electricity
Day by day new and important discoveries
were being made, and what the future had
yet in store was useless at this time to
conjecture. Suffice it to say that the en-
terprising and energetic men of business
throughout the country were quick to
take advantage of these new agencies
placed at their disposal and utilize them
to the fullest. The men who built up
communities and developed and increased
the trade Of cities were Of the class who
grasped every passing opportunity and
turned it to the best account. He had
visited many towns that hadn't seen a
new dwelling or place Of business erected
in twenty years, where shingles were curl
ing up on the house tops, and invariably
found the spirit of it's people exemplified
in the old fellow who sat on a dry goods
box kicking his heels together, and telling
how many chances to get rich he had al
lowed to slip through his fingers. He
was glad to say he had rot found this to
be the spirit Of the men Of Fort Benton.
They were thoroughly western in enter
prise and spirit. The city had now secur-
ed one Of the very best plants in the
country. Everything in the line Of me-
chanism was new and what was quite as
much to the point it was all modern. In
provements we're being constantly made,
and the machinery at the pump house
was the very best that money could sup
ply. The capacity of the pumps was suf-
fcent to furnish city of ten thousand
people. and he believed from the way
events were shaping the time was not far
distant when Fort Benton's population
would reach that number. Referring to
the surplus in the treasury, which our
statesmen are making such heroic efforts
to reduce, he believed some portion OF it
could not be better employed than In re-
deeming the arid lands of the west by
some practical plan of irrigation, thus
homes to our own people and
to the tens of thousands who were annu-
ally swarming to our shores from foreign
countries He had come to this city
strictly as matter Of profit to himself.
He had, after carefully studying the ma
ture Of the region tributary, decided to
invest money, for the simple reason that
be was satisfied he would not only get it
all back but much more besides. Further
he was prepared to invest still larger sums,
for his faith in the ultimate future Of
Fort Benton had increased in prportion as
his familiarity with the agencies which
tended to her expansion.
Mr.. Sydney Fl. McIntire in eloquent
phrase responded to the toast, "The La
Giles God Bless Them,' and certainly is
entitled to the thanks Of the fair ones of
the city for his effort.
In response to many calls Mr. B. z. Clark
delivered few earnest words on the tar
ff ond i4c nffactc m the wool growing in /