The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-21
MORE MONEY FOR HELENA
Congress Furnishes Abundant Proof
that Four Hundred Thousand
Dollars is Little Enough.
The Chief Financial Commercial
and Political Center OF the
State.
A Building 125x1OO, Three Stories High,
II Needed, and will Cost the Sum
Originally Asked.

WASHINGTON, April 2O.-[Special. Car
ter's bill appropriating 100000 for public
building at Helena was cut down to $685.
600, although it passed the senate at the
former figure. The house committee in re-
porting the bill at $125,OO0 show the neces-
sity for larger appropriation in the follow
ing report:
Helena is the capital Of Montana. and is
the chief financial, commercial and po-
litical center of the state. The population
is about 10000.
There are five banks in the city, with an
aggregate of capital, surplus, undivided
profits, and deposits of about 100000.
There are five commodious public school
buildings, ten churches, two hospitals, and
number or private institutions of an edu-
cational and charitable character in the
city. The water works consist of about
thirty miles of pipe and cost about $780,
600. The sewerage system has cost about
$25O,OOO.
The business blocks of the city have been
constructed of brick, marble and granite.
and range from to Z stories in height.
The courthouse, erected at cost of about
$500, 200, is one of the handsomest public
would be creditable to much larger city.
The city has completed lines of electric,
motor and horse railway cars. and iran
chises have been granted for the building
of additional lines. The city is lighted by
electricity and gas. 1t has three daily news
papers, l tri-weekly, 6 weeklies, semi
monthlies, monthly, and quarterly, pub
locations. Three transcontinental railroads
are completed to Helena and branch rail
roads center at this place.
In 1889 the total business of the Helena
postoffice amounted to 81 ,O81, 1912, there
having been sold at the office over 1, 100000
stamps, and other postal supplies in pro-
portion. In addition to the postofRce, the
United States land Office, the collector Of
internal revenue, quarter-master and pay
master U. s. army, the surveyor general of
railway mail service, United States district
attorney, United States district and circuit
courts and the United States marshal's Of
fee are all located in Helena.
The government actually pays annual
rental for these various offices at present,
1886, exclusive of q place for holding
court, and the additional rental necessary
to be incurred Immediately, under existing
law, will raise this rental to $4,000.
The supervising architect of the treasury
informs the committee that a building 125
by 100 feet, three stories high, is required at
Helena, and that such building would cost
$500, ZOO, and the member from Montana
expresses the opinion that the necessary
ground would cost $4,000.
The committee recommends that the bill
pass with the following amendment
In line IL, strike out the words ''four
hundred thousand dollars" and insert in
lieu thereof the words zone hundred and
twenty-five thousand dollars;'' which said
sum is hereby appropriated for said pur-
pose out of any money in the treasury not
otherwise appropriated"