The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-21
WITH MILK AND HONEY.
These Were the Allurements of the
Promised Land Of Olden
Days.

xIUlU1SSO AduO VI VlO0u
Days.
But They Are Not in Sight Com
pared with Those of
Montana.
A Special Correspondent Of the Chicago
Times Grows Enthusiasttc Over
What He Saw.
HELENA, Mont, Aug. 1.-THE possession
of great wealth confers upon the individual
owner certain degree of interest to his
fellow-men, which prompts constant scru-
tiny into his sayings and movements and to
a great extent city or town which con-
tains an unusual number of such fortunate
gentlemen attracts the attention of the pub
lie, as If thereby the secret Of the accumu-
lation might be discovered. To this cause
might be attributed the visit of a cores
pendent Of the Times to Helena, the CAPT
tai of Montana, and given by common re-
port the reputation of being the richest
city, size considered, in the world. Wealth
above the common does not concentrate in
certain localities by pure accident and the
reason why city located in what is looked
upon as an isolated and undeveloped region
should within few years gather within its
confines wealth greater per capita THAI
any of the old and settled communities, is q
question possibly of general interest sug-
costing an investigation and report.
There are many thousands Of people in
the eastern states who are not doing as well
financially as they would wish, and the de-
sire for change is only smothered by the
fear of possibly doing worse. Very few
have the means or time to make personal
examinations Of the advantages of the vari-
GUS sections clamoring for their permanent
citizenship, and an unbiased statement of
the actual conditions prevailing in at least
one may not be unacceptable reading.
Nothing succeeds like success" and sue
cess can be measured in no better way than
by the extent of the money accumulation.
Money is the essence of effort and the
quantity gained represents the RESPONSIVE
ness of the environment to the effort.
man may labor very diligently in one local
ity and meet with but little reward, while
in another the substantial results seem to
flow in with no apparent contributive exer-
ton; hence it follows that those contem.
plating change of residence should first
carefully study the resources Of the section
and their stability, toward which attention
especially is directed.
The three principal primary sources of
wealth are those proceeding from the de-
velopment respectively of the timber, agri-
cultural, and mineral resources of the
country. and in discussing possible results
II is we'll to consider briefly some of the ad-
yantages and disadvantages of each.
With good demand, the markets having q
timber country tributary enjoy on excep-
tional prosperity but that very prosperity
brings about denudation sooner or later,
according to the extent of the demand,
leaving to follow a precarious development
of agriculture among the stumpA as an after
math. Agriculture as generally practiced il
favorable for human support, but as basit
for accumulation of wealth is exceedingly
slow.
Crops succeed one another in annual pro
Rression. varying in quantity and qualit,
; from good to actual failure. Seeds are hope
fully planted, and, fathered by months o.
labor and expense, the harvest is looked K
as source Of financial recuperatlon. 1T I
seldom that disappointment does not step il
as the reaper ceases its clatter, and to def
cheney in yield or price 10 charged another
year Of unremunerated toll. The farmer il
fed ON hopes and fears. He strains his eye
Watching the sky for signs of needed rain O
in dread of another ruinous downpour: ID
shivers with apprehension OF insectuout
visitations between the contests with cor.
porations reaching with greedy hands fol
his scanty earnings. All the trials of tn
cultivator are focused in the adjacent cite
and the resident merchant, Doctor and law
yer have responsive exhaustive fever u
ever agricultural chill.
Turning from aggressive discussions o
well-known existing conditions, it is vel
to search for the causes of the enormou
and rapid accumulation Of capital in min
ing districts, which may be described a
i. The unlimited market for preciou
metals, which absorbs the production, how
ever great.
expended in the opening Of mines and e1
traction of the preoiou6 ores.
3. The certainty that the yield will, as
rune other 81 sa wo rdp shs crop is sure
4. The small bulk Of the product, re1
dering the mine-owner independent OF tn
question Of freights.
5. The steadiness Of the supply of bull
ion, which sprays money With unceasln
All these conditions are found in con
slant state of ebuhition IN Montana. AM
Helena, as the center Of all life and effol
81 tho state, is tho hopper into which th
enormous results are poured.
It il not difficult, then, for an observin
man to realize why Q city with only N,O(
inhabitants, and but . few years growtl
rivals communities in the East numberin
100000 people, who have been adding
their wealth the accumulation OF centuries
nor to understand why it is that men who's
labors in other cities meet with ungenerou
returns have only to stand in Montana so
and pocket deluRe of wealth.
A correspondent of an eastern journa
himself an expert miner, after an exhaus
i've examination of the mineral resources
the mines of Montana, predicts that with
the next hundred years their yield wi
reach an aggregate OF $7,bO.oOO,OOU, a su
SO incredibly vast as to place the predictio
apparently beyond the range OF belief, b.
Investigation develops facts strongly co
roborative Of tho statement. The presel
annual output is in the neighbo
hood of $45,O0O,O0O. and SO rapid
on the increase, BY the ope
ing of newly discovered mines, that 1t WI
touch the $lOO, OOO, 600 mark within fe
years. AS may be imaRined, the produ
ton of such volume Of wealth creates al
maintains in the vicinity condition
financial health extremely comfortable
the comparatively limited number OF ref
dents Who participate in the Distribute
For purposes of easy comparison IL may
we'll to state that the exportable prodr
lions of Montana with not more than ~
600 inhabitants), comprising precious nj
al, oo<<la horaoa ahAAn WOOL. and 0lQ(