The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-07-04

and l am sure that no other man among
railroad magnates had SO strong a belief
in the great possibilities of this region
adjacent to the Rocky mountains.
Within a year and a half from the
time I first visited this place 1900 or
5000 acres had been acquired, Drin-
cipally by script, and during the sum
mer and fall of 1883 a surveying party
organized, and under the direction of II.
p. Rolfe plated the present TOWNSHIP of
Great Falls. / named the town Great
Falls because, all things considered, ]
thought it the most appropriate name
for a city to be built at the cataracts of
the Missouri. My wife suggested the
name of Hilton. in honor of Mr.. Hill,
but, when this name was submitted
for his consideration, he objected
to its adoption. The laying
out of streets and the manner
in which they are designated
was done by myself after careful
consultation with Mr.. Rolfe, who at this
time and for some time afterward was
the surveyor and attorney acting in our
interest.
much of the winter of 1892 and 1883
was spent by us in examining the lands
from the mouth of Sun river to the lower
falls. This winter will especially be re-
membercd by Mr.. Rolfe, Mr.. Vaughn
and myself as one of great severity and
we certainly shall never forget some of
our long tramps through the snow and
the nights of shivering and aching that
we experienced when in camp. On the
first day of June, 1884, Mr.. Hill. ac-
companied by Col. Broadwattr and Mr..
ID. G. Shepard, visited Great Falls for
the first time. The rainy season had be
gun, the river was already high and the
whole country was covered with a rich
growth of green grass. Mr.. Hill, who
was in a great hurry. put the day in, Wis
iting the Sand COulcc coal mines, the
Giant spring and the various cataracts
Of the Missouri. 1t was upon that day,
in my judgment. that he determined to
push his railway line through Dakota
into Montana and thence on to Great
Falls, Helena and Butte. | think the
whole of this grand railway scheme. which
has been executed in such a master
ly manner, was evolved from the brain of
Mr.. Hill on that beautiful June day; GER
tain it is that the plans outlined at that
time have since been executed. almost to
the letter.
No especial effort was made to invite
settlers to this place during the two OF
three years succeeding the plating of
the town. and in fat, the city of Great
Falls dates it's beginning from the
completion of the Great North
ern railway, which took place,
l believe, in October of 1887.
Since then the growth of the town has
been remarkable, not SO much in popu-
lation as in the establishment of impor-
tant industries at the falls. the cOnstruc-
ton of a dam across the Missouri river,
the opening up of adjacent coal mines
and the construction of railway lines in
to neighboring mining districts, thus
making them tributary to the city of
Great Falls. 1t has been the established
policy Of the Great Falls Water Power
and Townsite company to spare no pains
to place on a solid foundation various in
.ustries at this place, which shall en-
ploy large bodies of men. This company
believes that a sure and substantial pop
ulation must follow the establishment of
such industries here, the two pow
agencies being our vast
water power and our coal. These
will, before the expiration of many
years, bring a hundred mills and
shops to Great Falls, and around these
varied industries will be gathered "A pop
ulaiion greater than car be found in any
city west of st. Paul and Minneapolis,
excepting in that place, where shall
the future great city of the north
crn Pacific coast"
Mr.. Gibson delivered his narrative
very carefully. At its close his eyes
twinkled as he told of President Hills
first visit. Central avenue had been
ploughed to show where it was. The
two gentlemen were strolling along and
finally reached the point where the Park
hotel now stands. AS they looked off to-
ward the river, they noticed a herd of an
telope watching them. quite a city,
Mr.. Hill, lust see the antelope"
This then brings the city up to the be-
of 1888. What it's progress has
been since then is well known. East and
west, north and south, its manufactures,
It's schools, it's papers and people are
known. 1t is "A very promising eight
child, and when it reaches a
majority will doubtless be not the me-
Of Montana, but Of the great
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