The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-11
TO ADVERTISE HELENA,
Enthusiastic Meeting Of Business
Men in the Board of Trade
Rooms Yesterday Evening.
Proposal to Raise the Sum OF
100000, to be Used in
Advertising.
Remarks Pertinent to the Subject bv Lead
ing Citizens-A Com mittee Appointed
to Secure the Funds.

rooms i'll the Pittsburgh block at o'clock
last evening. President C. X. Cole called
the meeting to ORDER and stated that it was
not meeting of the Chamber of Commerce.
but simply meeting of citizens for the
purpose of taxi & some action toward call
ing attention to the resources of Helena
and more particularly of the state.
| DR.. c. X. Cole was then elected president
and Il. II. Floy-Jones secretary.
The president, upon taking the chair,
stated the object of the meeting was for
the purpose of devising means for raising
the sum of 100000 for advertising Helena
and the state at large.
| Mr.. j. X. Porter being called upon. stated
that his understanding was that the object
of the meeting was for the purpose of con-
sulting and exchanging views i'll regard to
the best means of advertising Helena. He
said that Colorado, with much less re-
| sources had city of 100 200 inhabitants.
and there was no reason why Montana
should not have greater and Weather
city. The resources of the state were much
greater in both mineral and agricultural
products.
Mr.. F. r. Wallace said that he believed
in advertising. Any kind of store-keeper
who succeeded in business attributed the
greater part of his success to advertising
We are not aware of how little Helena is
east he was surprised at how little people
knew of Helena. AS citizen of Helena
| and real estate man he was ashamed that
the city was SO little known. We must
make known our resources. On a recent
visit to the west he found great life and en-
miles outside of that town lots were selling
at from $40 to $40. Property at
the same distance from Helena could be
bought at the lesser figure by the acre.
There is not said the speaker, Il city in the
union to-day with the prospects of Helena
that can come within 300 per cent of it in
the cheapness of property In other west
ern towns they were plating farms. way
out in the country and selling the lots for
as much money as Helena could get at
present. There were millions of dollars
ready to come here and he knew it. The
people were too much like old foggies. The
city needs some life to show people what we
have got. The town ought to have 100000
inhabitants within the next three years. In
Spokane they have built up a town of 25,-
600 inhabitants, and they say if they had
the resources that Helena has they would
now have double that number.
Mr.. Floyd-Jones said Helena was known
over the world as placer mining camp.
Outside of eastern people, who have actual
business engagements here, little is known
of the city. Cars in two sections
carrying crowds of people passed by
lleleTa uAlly Slmply D6CHUS0 GQey knew
nothing of the city or state. Montana pro-
duces seven times as much wealth yearly
as Washington and five times as much as
like extent of country in the Mississippi val
ley. Yet Washington is receiving much
greater emigration and capital than Mon
tana, simply, because they have spent
money literally for the purpose of adver-
Using their resources. Advertising means
boom. It Is a weli-known fact that the
SIC, 600 900 on deposit i'll this city is based on
the value of real estate Ii we could sell
out from ST., 100000 5i5.To,COO worth of
property, Helena woulu be III a position to
consummate almost any object. + we
could do this the population could be easily
doubled in the state and quadrupled in the
city of Helena. We have employment for
labor and unlimited resources. Then why
does the great emigration pass US by? Sim
ply because we are not known. We want
to build up our state. and there is not
man in the room who is not able to put up
10 per cent of his holdings to accomplish
that end.
Mr.. r. H, Kleinschmidt believed tho city
should be advertised, but 100000 looked
enormous to him. He thought it task a
little bit beyond our reach to raise such a
sum. He thought it was not we'll to have
too much of a boom. Let the people come
in gradually, and there would be plenty of
work for them all and plenty of homes for
them all. If the real estate men will join
together, said the speaker, we may be able
to accomplish something. They should de-
wise ways and means by which sufficient
sum can be raised.
Mr. Thornburgh thought we ought to
have the sentiment of the business men on
the matter.
Mr.. Cory stated that he could do no less
than favor such a scheme.
Mr.. Oscar Bradford stated that so far as
| this state is concerned we have more min
eral, more agricultural land than Colorado,
He believed 100000 judiciously expended
would produce $6, 100000.
| Mr.. Floyd Jones had no doubt but what
| the money could be easily raised, and that
men. Twenty-Five thousand dollars had
been pledged among eight men during the
afternoon. The entire 100000 could be
raised and expended during period of
eighteen months by way of advertising in
ttN standard magazines and newspapers,
Mr.. kleinschmidt thought We ought to
exhibit the products of the state through
out the east in a railroad car. We would
receive immigration and wealth from it,
| Mr.. Thornburgh believed the resources of
the state should be advertised extensively
at the Worlds Fair in Chicago in 1898 and
in home publications at the present time.
This seemed to him the best means of dis
seminating news and information concern
ing the city and state at large.
| Mr.. Il. A. Harlow stated that there was
any quantity OF money ready for invest
ment if the people of the east could only
be shown what they could realize here.
Mr.. 4. Il. Wallace believed in practical
method of advertising. 1t would be good
thing to have our farms occupied. A smart
man should be employed and sent through
out New England who would talk with the
people and bring them here. Thousands Of
emigrants pass by Helena and stop at Spo-
kane Falls, because it is the first place to
stop over. We should have an agent at
Castle Garden and induce thrifty emigrants
to come to Montana.
DIR. Baldwin said the first thing to do was
to raise the money for advertising the
resources of the state in the east and south.
We should advertise the health-giying prop
critics of the climate. The cheap pest way to
advertise was to write articles and have
them inserted in metropolitan and country
| papers. In this way the greatest amount Of
good could be accomplished, as all farmers
read the papers.
DIR. Cole thought if the fact were known
| that the climate was So heaAthfui, that a
mans breathing capacity was increased one
third and there We're no pulmonary troubles
to people who had passed the age of twenty
one before coming here, there would be a
large increase in the population.
MIR. Floyd Jones moved that committee
of seven be appointed to see the business
men of Helena and ascertain what could be
done in regard to the advertising PROPOSE
ton. The motion carried. The following
nominations were made, and the number
Jones, C. w. Cannon, F. II. Wallace, d. A.
| n lnlIc 4 Sow ID