The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-16
A PROSPEROUS MINING CAMP.

Neihart People Entertain the Visitors In
Royal Style.
A committee representing the citizens of
iNeihart boarded the train at Monarch. and
during the ride between the two towns,
pinned a badge on each excursionist, at the
same time giving him a ticket good for
dinner at any restaurant or hotel in the
CITY. It was the intention to have a big re-
'%ception at the depot, but the cold prevented
this. SO the hotels were Immediately sought.
Previous to dinner the ceremony of driving
the silver spike was performed. 1t was
done under the auspices of the Belt Mount
ain Miners union, and was witnessed by
about 800 people. The spike was pure sill
yer, weighed sixteen ounces, II was made
from silver taken from various mines in the
district. After this Inner was in order,
and there was no lack, either in quality or
quantity. There are three first GLASS hotels
in Neihart, and a number of smaller ones.
At all the hotels the menu was equal to
that served in Helena on Sunday.
After dinner the formal part of the cele-
bration took part in the Miners Union
hall. This hall will probably accommodate
800 people, and it was crowded to the door.
The Neihart brass and string band, a we'll
drilled organization, was present and
played a number of selections In excellent
style. A. p. Praul was the chairman and
she address of welcome was made by Capt.
D. b. Mcintosh. The captain made a very
neat speech, h%eartll9 welcoming the visit
OTIS and expressing his regret that the ele-
ments did not permit carrying out the pro-
eramme prepared for the celebration. He
concluded with some apt and original
verses, giving the history of Neihart and
mentioning the factors which had made it
what it is to-day. References to Col.
Broadwater, Jas. j. Hill and Secretary of
State Rotwitt brought forth great applause.
The response was made by United States
District Attorney Weed. He said the occa
sion was one in which the entire state of
Montana might tittingly. join in cele-
brating. Il might say" he continued,
that this celebration is in honor of what
is to-day one of the most promising min
ing sections in the state. The completion
of the railroad means cheap fuel, cheap
supplies and a larger market for
your ores and for the products
of your fields and ranges. But
Il few years ago and there was not a rail
way line within & thousand miles of these
treasure laden hills. But railroads Are not
the pioneers of civilization, as has been
demonstrated time and again in the history
of the west. The pioneers Of the Belt
mountains are represented to a large extent
in the men and women in this audience.
This celebration of the coming of the rail
road to Neihart / consider as of more
BlI4JllCHuCt Glit!ll VI otb4O oVobto VA AiAS
character which have been commamorated
at other places. | witnessed the driving of
the golden spike on the Northern Pacific in
1883, when there were notable
men from all over the world. But the con-
ditions of the building of that line were
not the same as were those Whlch brought
this into being. The Great Northern has
been pushed across the northwest by one
man, without city, state or government aid.
And its branches have been pushed ahead
by the same shrewd. business like methods"
Mr., Weed concluded with a glowing per-
Grafton.
Col. Sanders was the next speaker. This
is a Respondent wedding,' he said. "Wher-
ever before was there a bride SO noble or a
bridegroom so worthy of such a jewel? 1T
is good to be an invited guest on such az
OCCASION as this. The completion Of this
railroad means that the people of the entire
state of Montana are made your next-door
neighbours. I see before me tho faces Of
some of those who, twenty-three years age,
were sore at heart because they were SO tar
away from the old home and old friends
and because the journey to old scenes Was u
long and wearlsome one. Some OF you
have waited and toiled here for years, often
with sad hearts and weary in mind and
body, waiting for the shrek of
the locomotive. But it has come
at last, and ! sincerely hope
your fondest hopes may be realized. Years
ago there was a meeting of a few of us who
had become disheartened because we were
80 far away from civilization, and l was
appointed to do, the work of
bringing u railroad into the state
either a line running east and
west, or one coming from the south to the
centre of the territory of Montana. / went
among the people living in communities
which were dying from the need of closer
communication with the rest of the world,
and Itried to give them hope for the future.
Now we nave roads all over the state. But
let US not be content until the iron horse
runs through every valley in Montana and
the shrek of the locomotive is heard in
every settlers home. Without inter-com-
munication We become provincial and nar-