The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-15
4 CHAT ABOUT HELENA.
Her Energies VIII DO Exsrted IN q
New Direction This
Year.
Attention VIII DO Paid to Agrl-
culture In the Prickly
Pear Valley.
Abuadant water R0und Below the Coll
The Electric Hailwsy-MK. y.
n. Eallaee Ts!ks.

Tho season is yet early for ascertAining
what the present year MAJ bring In the way
OF new buildings. II IL not likely, however, |
that the building boom which Helena ex-
perienced within tho past two years will
continue in full force. However, n number
Of important building enterprises are on
tapis. The new Jail, To cost $4,000, will
be begun very soon. The plans recently
prepared for remodsIing the Opera house
will probably be carried out. There arc a
number Of large buildings nearly c0mpIst-
ed, which were begun during isst year.
Tho granite walls Of the high school build
ing arc nearly up and when finished this
will be sn imposing structure. The Denver
and Granite blocks ere fast nearing com-
pletion.
The architects Of the city have little to
report. They say it IL too early in the year
70 talk about new buildings. Wallace II
Thornburgh did a business sRgre0ating two
million dollars last year and paid ont for
labor alone *3J0,CO0. They built over sixty
buildings at ar average cost each Of 1900,
and erected several large business blocks
and about eight miles Of street railway.
Mr.. Wallace thinks IL not advisable TO CON
tinue the building boom for awhile. His
faith in Helena IL ms strong ~ ever. They
have brought millions OF dollars to Helena,
'and We can bring four or nye millions
moTe,'' said Mr.. Wallace, but the business
men Of the city do not give outsiders ting
encouragement they should. Mr.. Winnie and
his Denver associates are not at ali pleased
with the treatment they have received.
And in this connection / VIII state that u
meeting Of all the property. owners in the
day and tho result Of the meeting will in q
large measure determine the policy Of the
Denver syndicate for the ensuing year.. II
is our intention to build an electric railway
down the valley. Tie very announcement
Of that has increased the value Of property
property will double in value. In view OF
this We look for some assistance from the
property wners, 90 il is not fair to expect
that We shonld sustain the burden and At
the same time improve other peoples
Sbould Mr.. Winnie fail to secure
some local aid in this enterprise il il very
probable that he will draw ont OF the city
and not do any more until he gets ready.
TO give you IN illustration OF the way some
you a conversation / had with a we'll known
citizen q few days ago. He owns about
800 acres of q north Of the city. He was
asked to give something to aid in tho con-
struction Of the electric railway 40 the road
would run alongside his property and
SAN"bJ 1Sn ~ yNbs =" DH
giveL away thousands OF dollars in this city
and he thought it time TO stop, that he
wanted to keep something for himself. 1
asked him to relate when he ever gave any
that corner lot over there, said he. Three
years ago / sold that for 5000 and to-day
i j. worth 10000 You zoe he gave away
.'Ihs valley below Helena is one Of the
greatest agricultural tracts in Montana,
huf the ranpIa An ptcf ac1f. tn aDyD0ciafn
it. believe that almost. any kind Of fruit
can be raised there, and Eat barley. which
grows to perfection in Montana. can be
raised with great success. Ago beet sugar.
And potatoes. why the fnest potatoes 70 be
seen in the world are raised there. There
is an abundance Of water. Water is found
in great abundance in any part of the valley
at q depth Of from fifteen to twenty-five
feet. In the new cemetery we sunk q well
about eighteen feet and struck a strong
up and after working twenty-four hours
they did not " the water over six inches.
An apathy has always existed about farm
ing in the valley. Those who have tried II
have made a great success. No water has
Mr.. u. ". knight has well
from which enough water is pumped to
flood his farm. would like TO see people
start in to try farming in the valley. in
tend to experiment and demonstrate what
can Do uOue.& II u large uuInD6B OI IhuIileB
will settle down there on small tracts of
from ten to twenty acres, ] have no doubt
that a great quantity of small fruit can be
raised. This would osen the way for q tin
can factory. Three years ago three men
started to make tin cans in Denver. Last
year they incorporated with a capital Of
100000 and during the year turned out
100000 tin cans, and half of them were
sold in Denver. We want to turn Our at
tention now to utilizing the bountiful val
ley below the city and a little spirit Of en-
ergy will fully demonstrate what / have
said is q fact.
II would like to zee somebody sink nm
artesian well down there, and ] Delieve oil
will be found.
I'VE want plenty Of push and energy in
Helena. ] know some men who always
complain Of business being dull even
though they are enjoying q good trade
The nan who 10 cheerful and tells the
truth about his business and always looks
ON the bright side of things. is generally
most successful. Good cBecr and life
make business. II people complain of Gull
times. every body will soon think times are
dull; they will hold on to their money. and
put up with may inconvenience. There is
more money in Helena to-day than there
ever was. Bnt n spirit of activity and life
must be infused before the people will
loosen up and put money into circulation
and assist the town.
"Altogethcr, ] anticipate that this will be
a great year in Helena. There IL bat little
doubt now that We will get q railroad to the
Castle mining district and IL will be built
by the Burlington and Missouri company
from Helena"
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