The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-01-06
were told the autumns were dry and
most delightful for the prosecution of
fall farming work, aud this labor extends
through November and sometimes far
into the month Of December,

s1AAouSA NoVemOef ana sometimes fa
into the month Of December.
THE CLIMATE.
AS before stated, the climate of Montan,
is not as severe as many of US in the Eas
are led to believe. It is far more eouabl,
than in Dakota, and this fact is account
ed for by the presence of the "chinook'
winds. These blow from the west and
southwest and come from the Pacific
ocean, and the prevailing wind in Mon.
tana is generally from either of the two
directions named. Often for days at
time the ''chinook" will continue in the
depth of winter and force the mercury
III the thermometer above the freez.
ing point day and nj ght. 1t must not be
understood, however, that Montana has
no cold weather, for the northwestern
invariably bring with them q drop in
temperature that occasions the expression
OF much sympathy ir1 the East for the in
habitant of the Nolthwest. The cold.
however, is dry cold, and one can com.
tortably endure mitch lower degree of
1t than would be possible if it were moist.
wrapped up in furs and warm clothing.
the people experience no Inconvenience
in moving about outdoors in lower tenn.
perature than is ever known with us at
nome. 1t is said the average length of
winter in Northern Montana, IN the Milk
hiver valley and even farther north, is
about six weeks, and II freezing weather
continues eight weeks the natives regard
it as ia hard winter"
AT GREAT FALLS.
We reached Great Falls, Montana. about
y O'Clock a. m. Here our "outfit" was tn
meet us, and from this point began our
long northward journey to the mountains.
After our arrival we were soon pleasantly
located at the Park hotel, very imposing
and comfortable hotel Of modern Queen
Anne architecture, well appointed in all
respects and presided over by most ac
commodating landlord and oblicine
clerks. We were all very favorably i'm
pressed with the natural beauty and loca-
ton OF Great Falls, partly surrounded as
it is by the Missouri river. but more of
Great Falls anon. We will refer to it and
give our impressions Of its present state
and future prospects, later on in our cor
respondence. Two years ago there were
simply few scattering persons and an
open country here, with no city and no
houses. Now there is thriving munich
pality OF about three thousand inhabi
Jants, with several banks, school houses.
electric lights, water system, eto Great
Falls claims the largest Hour mill il
Montana, and one is surprised to observe
;he large brick and stone blocks occupied
)y business firms.
TIE cITY's FUTURE.
Three railroads lead into the city and
is really the natural distributing cen
re of immense mining districts near at
land in the South Belt mountains, and
With the development of the country
here must come prodigious growth in
jobbing trade and all business
nterests of Great Falls. The people. too. !
eem wide awake to the possibilities of |
heir city, and if push and hard work will /!
'uild it up to colossal proportions they
re determined to make Il wonderful
howing for their place duriug the next
ear OF so. Smelling W orks, within few
niles Of the city, for reducing and retin-
ng gold and silver ores, were far advanced
n construction when we were at Great
'alls, and to us seemed one Of the most
avorable signs for the community's fu-
IRE prosperity. When completed and
unning, we we're informed the plant will
ford employment to 1900 men. The
0tal expenditure in the construction Of
ne works would aggregate over $4,000
90, and we were told the establishment
'ould be the largest and best equipped
its kind in the world.