The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1888-11-22
GREAT FALLS CITY
FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW CITY
COUNCIL,
The Members and Officials Commemorate
the Occasion.
GIRsON'S MAGNIFICENT AID.
DRESS.
he Leader Reporter rSuccumbs--O'Dwyer
Runs Away with the Mayors speech.


The first meeting of the City Council
| OF Great Falls was held in the Probate
Court room last evening.
Mayor Gibson called the Council to Or
der and, after the usual prcliminaries.
addressed the assembled city sachems in
substance as follows:
Gentlemen of the
City Council Of Great Falls:
We have assembled on this auspicious
occasion as the first Council of the City of
Great Falls. The citizens of this incor-
porated municipality have by their gen
erous sutfrages rcposed in us the trust of
framing ordinances and giving character
tothc legal institutes Of one of the most
promising cities ever founded in the West.
DO not misunderstood me, gentlemen.
"The Vest is today almost an undetin-
able word, as applied to the topography
Of the United States. Once it was among
the Allegany mountains. Afterwards it
implied the Ohio region and the great
Northwest Territory, out of which were
carved the five grand States of Ohio. In
diana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Still later the term West became synony-
nous with the word frontier, which so
long designated the Mississippi Valley.
beyond which, according to certain Sen
ator, was desert and barren country, so
absolutely worthless to the National GOV
enment for any purpose whatever. that
every schoolboy recognized the word
"frontiers" as meaning the borders of Il
desert as wild, irreclaimablc and desolate
as the Sahara Of Africa. A few years sub
sequently the flood of emigration from
the East poured its overtlowing tide of
humanity from the crowded marts of the
Atlantic scaboard to the unknown and
untried contingencies Of the "Great
American Desert" But Il moment later,
in the calculation of the higher spheres,
the mighty, NEUROLOGICAL West had for
ever disappeared in the illimitable cx-
panse and unfathomablc depths of the
Pacific Ocean, and there 1t will remain
forever. g
We are here midway between the
oceans. Railroads and telegraphs have
revolutioniZed the commerce and com
munication of the world. We are in the
heart of the gold, silver, copper and
ea(-bcaring region Of the continent We
have ineXhaustiblc grain growing and
beef and mutton producing resources.
Our meadows and pastures are the broad
est and richest that the God of our co,ln-
try has produced upon this little speck Of
his Almighty handiwork. We have with
in hailing distance the most beautiful
Gordon Of natural falls and the most
gigantic spring OF cold water on the
face Of the globe No other spot on
this wide world possesses 50 many rich
resources and attractions combined.
1t has been said that 'the Gods made
this for 4 townsitc.' If 50, We ought to
help them build a town. Shallw do it?
Look at the lovely Missouri sweeping
around us with II gentle curve, cmblema
tic Of the majesty and gentleness with
which the sceptrc Of our government
should he swayed See the mountains
in the distance. teaching us that the
monumental follics that have crushed
empires and cities in the past, should he
far from u.s. Mark the snow-covered
peaks, that wear their caps of snow in
very presence Of the regal sun, admon
ishing us that so should we order our pub
lie as we'll rs our private lives, that no
dark deed or hlemish should dclilc their
spotless purity.
Gentlemen, greet you, one and all,
as the first municipal representatives of
the City Of Great Falls. the promising
metropolis of Northern Montana.
On motion, the council adjourned to
Monday evening next at =. O'Clock. at
which time it is presumablc the various
committees will be appointed and other
important city business transacted.
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