The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-08-02

!OnlS 1nell Out mere VINO nave De0n Gra0uate0
from this one university to Justify the formation
Of an exclusive society. 1t would be safe to bet
that us large portion Of the population of Wash
ngton territory are college graduates rs Of the
state CT Pennsylvania. In every one Of these wes
tern towns there Is a society as sensitive Of the
refinement Of life rs any society In the east. A
shrug Of the shoulders is the politest reply that
can be made to the person who would venture to
deny this proposition.
Foreigners will be bound to occupy the fourth
place in the stratcation OF northwestern society
But II they occupied the second, or the first; If,
indeed, they constituted 4 clear majority Of the |
people, as they actually do in certain c0mmuni- !
ties, there would he no cause whatever for ALARM |
Castle Garden receives large body of ignorant !
and vicious creatures from the semi-barbaric |
regions Of Central Europe, but that is not the |
clBB Of foreigners who come into the far west and
set about digging and planting and raising wheat !
and making themselves homes. The bad and !
worthless and dangerous foreigner doesn't
plough. He steps in New York city, or moves In
to the congenial atmosphere Of Chicago and
drinks beer. He has 10 use for the activity of
new countries. There are thousands Of Scaruli- |
navians, Germans, Russians and Swiss III the
two Dakotas and large number In Montana md
Washington. II more OF the same sort want to
come, they will receive cheerful welcome. They
bring wealth and industry with them, and sou
may make sure they are willing enough to leave
behind all that Is offensive to our republican
methods and ways Of thinking. They have had
their abundant full Of kings and standing armies
and hard times. Trust them for knowing when
they are we'll off, and for reaching All accurate
conclusion as to why they are well Of in free
America. Pay no attention to the d0leful old
okor sUho a1xravo ,ol }o01 kaS
Let me urge eastern people that, instead Of
spending their time in schemes to clyilize the
west, they get themselves into the mental humor
In which they can appreciate the west
There are grave problems here-the Indian
question Is one, the silver question is another,
the tariff Canadian reciprocity or annexation the
land and timber questions, all these ore matters
of the highest Importance to the western people.
They need the sympathy and help Of the east In
settling all these matters. They know just what
they want, just what they need. They are neither
Over-greedy nor Over-aggressive. They want
nothing that hurts u single eastern interest l
have often feared lest the next Mason and Dtxon's
line should be drawn down the Missouri river.
This will not be If eastern people will only take
the pains to study and understand western Ques-
tions. 1t is highly to their interests to do so.
Practically all the money that has built up this
country has come from New York city, Boston and
Philadelphia. The financial holdings Of these
three towns In western securities amount to
countless Millions No large enterprise succeeds
without IN appeal to New York. There IL every
serious reason why the east should keep informed
about all that concerns these new commonwealth
and now that they are to be represented In con-
gress by men who c,ll enforce their opinions and
views with votes, perhaps there will be more
general disposition to know what the west Of
today really Is.
Great Falls wildly illustrates how suddenly the
face Of the country changes. Nature has created
few spots more obviously designed for the site Of
1up,nv.,s Town. me river Is there with all
that great river means. The water power Is
there, available easily and to an extent altogether
without precedent. The agricultural country is
| there millions OF acres, much OF which is being
| cultivated without irrigation. The mineral lands
are there, full Of gold, silver, lead and copper.
The timber and the coal are there and what else
| could be required to make u city great and
wealthy? The two upper falls are, OF course, far
| too great for any practical use. Their scenic
attractiveness will be their chief service to the
! town. But the lower falls and the rapids will
furnish at least million horsep power and 1t can
be utilized for twenty miles along both sides Of
the river. Plans have already matured and will
soon be put into effect for the construction of a
series Of locks and dams intended to restrain the
water and turn 1t to commercial account A
wonderful natural curiosity which may hereafter
prove Of the highest material advantage IL the
Giant spring Of the clearest pureSt water rising
among the rocks OH the bank Of the river just
below the Black Eagle falls The spring is higher
than the river, and we'll surrounded by natural
wall OF rock, over which at various points It's
waters tumble into the Missouri. 1t Is believed
to be the mouth OF Il vast subterranean river and
engineers estimate the flow to be equal to that OF
a stream a foot deep and 200 feet wide. The time
will come when this crystal spring, which Is LEST
than two miles from the city, will furnish the
municipal water supply.
The farming region surrounding Great Fall.
extends for many miles toward every point O
the compass. West Of the Missouri is the Sui
River valley, Il we'll watered prairie country
where the soil is unbroken by rocks and the lans
unconfned by hills until the Rocky range, sixt
miles dstant,is reached. Within the basin forne,
by the Sun river on the south and the Teton rive
OIL the north lie 275 GOO acres Of excellent farming
lands. canal Is now being dug which vii
bring water upon every part OF the basn an
will furnish IN interesting experiment OF tn
proposed system Of canals und reservoirs BY whicl
it Is hoped to redeem the entire arid region q
Montana. Lakes have been secured for storag
purposes, and bitches are being run up an
down, around and across the whole valley 7
the east of the city lies the famous Judith basiI
semi-circular valley extending in long. sm00t
slopes from the Big Snowy mountains, which u
ford it II score OF little creeks that feed its mai
river The soil of this valley Is already distiI
gnlshed for its prolnctivelless and It has bec0n
, Il graiIl-raiSing section OF much importance
the agricultural assets Of Montana. North {
Great Falls Is the Immense prairie country unit
. recently held us an Indian reservation. Two veal
ago 1t was thrown open for settlement and In
, mediately the Manitoba railrOad, searching for
- route to the western coast, pushed its line thr
= the heart Of the country, from the Devils Lal
., region of Dakota to Great Falls cOnsiderab
= portion Of the land was promptly taken up
. Settlers but millions Of acres largely unS,lrveyt
!, are still waiting entry, This country IL In F;
q respects similar to that lying north Of In Il
, British possessions, where the No hard Whea
the wheat Of the Red River valley, Is being SURE
and steadily grown. The rainfall comes along
:, that portion Of the spring and summer VIII
- it Is needed to mature the crops, and undonbte
- this vast country will soon be converted into
gralnfled
y, Already the coaliieldS around Great Falls a
Io being developed. They extend along the base
y, the Belt mountains for sixty miles or more a
:, reach westward for thirty miles, through VII
70 is curiously misnamed the Sand Coulee, alnat
h. into the city limits Of Great Falls The coal
a, an excellent bituminous product, and 1t runs
No vertical vein of from six to nine feet IN thit
~ ness between two shale bands About 800 to
=, a day are being taken from one mine owned
- the Manitoba railroad peOpleand their locomOti'