The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-15
The Wonderful Growth of MisSoula,
the Thriving City of West
ern Montana.
Mention of the improvements this
Year, Which will Reach Two
Million Dollars.
Fine Business Blocks and Comfortable
Residences-The Water Power
to be Utilized.

to-day presents greater evidences OF thfil',
prosperity and progress, or gives more
promise of becoming in few years one OF
the big cities of the northwest, than does
Missoula, the county seat of the county OF
the same name, and the metropolis of
western Montana as her people delight to
term it. Nowhere can there be found
more beautiful location, and the
stranger, looking down on the city, with Its
BACKGROUND of snow-cOvered mountains, itS
hills covered with a carpet of green, the
swift-fowing Missoula river dividing the
CITY into north and south. and row after
row of beautiful shade trees, and remem,
bering the nth mining and agricultural
country tributary to it, cannot help but 1eeI
there is Il great future before 1t.
That the people themselves realize this is
shown by the improvements being made
md the projects daily being perfected to
keep pace with the country,s growth. IL Is
doubtful if to-day there is as great an
amount of building going on IN any other
citv in Montana as there is i'll Mlssoula-
certainly there is no more. The class OF
buildinps. too, is of the best, both tor resi-
dence and business purposes, ana yet t!ie
demand for stores, Offices and homes Is IN
excess of the supply, and everything Is rent
ed before the foundation IS land.
A wear ago what is called South Missoula
did not contain house-now there are at
least seventy residences in this section,
while the value of the buildings now IN
course of construction and those which Will
be completed this season, VIII aggregate az
least $500, OOO The buildings are of the
hest. among those started being that of w.
J. Bickford, which will cost $1,000; John
Cornish, about $1,000: and Judge Knowles
about the same amount.
But South Missoula is not the only por-
ton of the city which IS prosperlng. Maly
handsome residences are gong up III the
the old townsite and north and east of the
CITY proper the same growth Is apparent.
In the business portion of the city hun
dreds of workmen are engaged on buildings
for those engaged in trade: The First Ma
building to cost 100000, which will be de-
voted to the use of the bank and offices. 1T
will stand on the corner of Front and Hig-
gins avenue and on the opposite corner
Hammond and Wagner are putting up a
store and office building to cost $50, 600.
The bank will be four stories and the other
building three. each fitted with all modern
improvements. In addition two other
blocks for business purposes costing about
$4,000 each are under way. Kennedy
Mitchell are building four-story brick no
elsjto cost $4,000, on the corner OF
Main and Higgins avenune. The plans
have been accepted for Catholic church tt
cost $26, OOO and numerous other smaller
improvements demanded by the increase III
business are under way.
The water power of the river which al
vides the city is not to be allowed to go t.
waste, and the lital is ready to develop
it, In connection with this, an oat-mea
and Touring mill will be the first industric
of any magnitude to make use of this chea
power: and that Missoula will have a smell
ter before many months the closeness o
rich mines and superior advantages is suf
ticient guarantee.
Business has grown so rapidly that tn
bridges which heretofore were ample ar
now found insufficient in number and too
small, so the present ones will be enlarged
and additional ones constructed.
The growth of the city has been SO rapit
that the present water mains have PROVED
too small to supply the city, and a force Of
men is now engaged replacing the old one
with those of double capacity.
The city directory has just been COM
pleted and it shows $500 names-estimatin'
three to Il name, a very conservative figure
it shows population of nearly 1000. II
1888 the assessed valuation of Missoul
county was 100000 in 1889 it was 1000,
600 and in 1880 it will be SS,O00,00O. lhes
are figures which cannot be contradicte
and show better than anything else TIL
growth of a portion of Montana of whic
the city of Missoula is the chief point.
There was great fall of snow in th
mountains the past winter. so there will b
plenty of water for irrigation the comm
year. Stockmen, farmers and miners loo
to a prosperous year, and the citizens {
Missoula, while neither expecting nor dc
string a boom, predict good season
business, largely in excess of any preVior
year. Many of the best class of settlers al
coming in 10 occupy the rich lands trib'
targ to the town, and with business on
solid basis and everybody working togethe
there can be no doubt OF the outcome. II
various real estate dealers report an acti'
demand for property, a large number of Il
sales made being to those who desire
build. There is great demand for hous
to rent. which the local capitalists will g
deavor TO meet with good class of bull
ings. Ii.