The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-25
MONTANA ON WHEELS.
John Gilman's Plan for Advertising
the Resources of the Var
.ious States.
A Train ofTwenty-One Cars to pe
Carried, All Over the
Country.
The Expense to the State to be But SMALL
u. l.3u |, "a
The Expense to the State to be But Small
the Promoter Furnishing the Cars
and Transportation.

John Gilman, of Worcester, Mass, whose
visit to Helena was mentioned IN yester-
days INDEPENDENT, gives some oetalls u
his plan to advertise the resources OF inc
different states. He has already secured
twenty-one cars from the different RAILROADS
of the country, the Union Pacific furnish
ing six of them. OF these six one IS allotted
to Montana, one to Colorado, one to lcaho'
one to Wyoming, one to Oregon and one 10
Kansas, The Central Pacific railroad fur
nishes three and the balance comes from
Eastern roads, including the Rock Island
The Northern Pacific has not as yet taken
part in the matter.
The original design was to start the e4-
hibition on wheels on It's travels IN oeptem-
Der, but the various states winch nave
agreed to take part have not yet succeeded
in gathering full exhibits, SO the date OF
starting has been changed to May l, 1881.
Colorado is away in advance OF the other
states, and has her exhibit all ready. At
the last session of the legislature OF that
state an appropriation of $4,000 was made
for an exhibit of the Centennial states re-
sources at the Texas fair. In furtherance
of this, Mr.. F. v. j. Skiff, of Denver. an old
time newspaper man, was appointed at a
salary of $500 to see that the state was Well
represented. So we'll has he succeeded, that
Colorado will send thirteen cars of exhibits
to the Texas fair, and still have one lett tor
John Gilman to take over the country,
Idaho is also making preparations to have
a good exhibit, both of her mineral and ag-
ricultural resources, and will undoubtedly
be all ready by May. Wyoming has agreed
to take part in the exhibit, Washington will
show what sorts of fruits. cereals, timber
and minerals she can produce. Oregon Wall
make a speciality of grains and fruits, while
California will fill three cars, one with ma
tive wine, one car with fruit and one filled
with general display.
The idea is to exhibit the cars at all the
large cities in the country, and arrange
ments are making to take the exhibit across
the water, returning IN time Tor the worlds
runs two exhibits, the first the productions
of the states, which are 80 located at eacf
| CITY that the public may conveniently in
spect them without charge. The second ex
hlbit is made up of live stock. Dates arr
made at various places, the coming OF the
stock exhibit taken to the fair grounds
10 the latter an admission fee is charged
but exhibitors have the privilege of buying
selling or exchanging stock during the ex
hibition, while on the last half day of tn
fair an auction sale is held. The big breed
erS IN the mlQQl6 WeSJ uilV0 lOuuu VAlb
very good way to get their stock on tn
) market, and no difficulty is found in secu1
ing enough entries to make good show
1t is on the latter feature that Gilman I
;. Co. make the money.
4 According to Mr.. Gilman, the entire o.
: pense to any state making an exhibit
S1OO, which is used in advertising. AS
rule, states making exhibits send ma
with their car, to answer inquiries. and
this is done, he estimates it will cost S2,O0
9 Gilman Il Co., furnish the cars free al
free transportation, while the state collec
the exhibits, arranges them in the car, al
t. gives it to the exhibitor to keep for o.
& year, at the end of which time it is to be
turned. Changes may be made in the
hibit at any time.
Mr.. Gilman says that on former VII
l. here he talked to Gov. Toole about the n;
T. ter, and the latter expressed himself
, much pleased with it. The design is
~ make the affair one of the whole state
70 Montana exhibit.
e. Montana shonld certainly be able to ma
Or az good an exhibit as her sister state
De Idaho. and the question arises will we
IN it, or can we afford not to do itI An inv
ce tigation of the feasibility of the matter a
its cost, with the advantages to be recel>
may result in good to the state.