The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-12-20
An Eastern Youth is FrEky
And Tells Woeful Stories About
Wicked Butte.
But Speaks Words of Pleasantness
About Great Falls.
Democratic Statesmen Down in the
Mouth at Washington.
Somewhat Fresh,

3. L. Cleves, the Chicago Herald cor
respondent, in the issue of that paper for
December IA, has weak joh lot of drivel
Intended to reflect upon the Hon. T. G.
Power, but which is SO utterly senseless
that it fails utterly in its purpose. The
same dudish tenderfoot has supplied his
paper with an article from Butte which
is as far from the truth. 1t says of the
Butte ladies that several of them at a
dinner party lately were conveyed to
their carriages in state of maudlin in
toxication." This is libel upon the lad
les of Butte who are just as refined as
those of Chicago
Should this young penitentiary looking
bird ever visit Butte again he will prob
ably have warm reception. Judging
from the article his time was spent in
the slums and dives of that city. His
description Of Great Falls savors more of
common sense. We print an extract be-
low:
The roadbed of the Manitoba railroad
from Helena to Great Falls, 100 miles to
the east, is as smooth as any eastern track.
The scenery through the Prickly Pear
Canyon is simply magnificent; on the left
tower the rugged, awe-inspiring noun
tains; on the right flow the blue, bustling
waters of the Missouri river, which at
this point in no wise resembles the Big
Muddy that later on pursues its erratic
course through the Dakotas.
Great Falls is only three years old, but
in that short space of time 1t has accumu
lated population of 5000. Every resi-
dent of the young giant is an enthusiast
regarding the future of the city and is
willing to stake big odds that in few
years it will have left Helena and Butte
far in the rear. 1t has magnificent
water power, which capital is improving
and utilizing, while just south of the city
are the famous Sand Coulee coal fields
which supply coal to the cities east and
west and furnish the great smelters at
Butte with most of the coal they use.
Ground has been broken for million
dollar smelter to be erected by the Bos-
ton-Montana Mining Company for the
purpose of reducing the ore and refining
the copper and silver taken from its sys-
tenn of mines at Butte. This is but the
advance guard OF many others, say the
Great Falls boomers and real estate has
been marked up in anticipation of the
"more to follow"
Prices for good CORNERS" are somewhat
fanciful, but the people claim the future
warrants the figures asked. South Of
Great Falls lies the rich Judith Basin
where are located some of the largest
sheep ranches in the state. Sheep have
always thrived in this section and the
wool and mutton shipped east from
Great Falls in the past three years prove
the truth of this statement Far beyonc
is the famous Belt range, rich in gold
silver and copper deposits which vie witt
the sheep and cattle industry in adding
to Montana's wealth. From Great Falls
to Benton the Manitoba road passes thro
a rich grazing country, and even from hi
snug seat in the parlor car one can SEE
thousands of head of cattle in the valleys
and uplands feeding on the nutritious
grasses. AT Benton, the head of naviga
tion and depot of supplies in earlier days
has grown a provident town of 1900 in
habitants. In 1876 the chief export wa
buffalo hides, some 10000 being shipped
east in the fall of that year. Today not /
buffalo hide is to be seen there, but il
place are transported many thousane
pounds of wool yearly, together with car
loads of young mutton for the eastern
markets, which more than compensate TO
the passing of the buffalo.
In her cattle, her sheep, her wool, he
gold, silver, copper and lead deposits
Montana literally possesses mines o
wealth which bespeak a glorious futur'
for the sturdy young state. Last yea
the total output of the mines amounte,
to $4O,OOO,OO0 and yet, as an old-timer ex
pressed it, ''the surface is hardly scratch
ed."