The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-27
What tho Past Three Years Have
Proved in Regard to Montana
Resources.
Merchants in All Lines Say That
Trade Has Reached the Turn
ing Point
How 4 visitor, After an Absence of Twenty
Years, Regards the Capital Uity-The
College Question.

than anywhere else between Chicago and
San Francisco, with the single exception of
Denver. 1t is as q Helena banker put it
some months ago. just at the time of the
Barring Bros smash: Montana will feel
the financial stringency less, and will re-
cover quicker than any other state in the
union.'' From 1884 to the latter part of
1890 the city and state were growing at a
very rapid rate. and this despite the fact
that three dry seasons and a disastrous
winter for the stockmen had been encoun-
tered. For six or eight months the state
has been running along on the level, not
going back, however, and from present ap-
pearances by midsummer the turn will come
and the growth will be substantial and
rapid. Not a state in the Union could so
through what Montana has in the
mast three years and still prosper
Is she has. Last year 95 per
cant of what Montanians consumed was
shipped into the state. and thus millions of
dollars were sent away The same was
true of what the work stock consumed. The
surplus hay and grain of Washington, Ore
con. Nebraska and Utah found in Montana
! profitable market. Notwithstanding this
drain there have been nc disastrous fail
ures anywhere in Montana, and there has
been no necessity for the exercise Of un-
usual self-denial in the matter of amuse-
ments on tho part of . majority of the
people.
With the assurance Of an abundance of
feed on the ranges, good crops, successful
quartz and placer naming seasons. there
has been a ~livening up of business in all
lines. The wholesale dealers, particularly,
report q healthy increase in trade during
the past two weeks, orders coming in from
ali sections of the state. For five or six
S %en'A' purchasing in the smallest
sort Of lots, but now they are
buyinp in larger quantities and evidently
preparing for q big trade. With the revival
Of mercantile business there has also come
an increased inquiry for realty. So far this
is confined to property for residence pur-
purposes, though inquiries from outside
Investors are picking up.
That Helena men are justified in the high
opinion they have of their city is proved
every day by the remarks of visitors.
Among these recently was the editor of the
Rising Sun, who tells how the city i'm
pressed him: "The wonderful changes
which have taken place in the state of
Montana within the past twenty years are
nowhere moro apparent than in the city of
Helena, and certainly no one can more fully
realize the extent of such changes than
the person who returns there after
IN absence of that number of years.
The writer Of this paragraph
made his advent in that city in the spring
of 1867. It required thirty-nine days by
steamer to make the trip from Omaha to
Fort Benton, and two days by stage from
the latter place, via Sun River, to Helena.
Helena then, as now, WAS the grand COM
ton which, from her geographical location
and the wealth and enterprise of her citi-
zens, she must always continue to occupy.
He found Helena, at that period, a town of
one-story wooden houses, shanties and
shacks, covering either side of Last Chance
gulch, or what Is now known as lain street,
the principal thoroughfare of the metropo-
lis. The population proper of the City at
that time was probably 1000, but on Sun
lays, which were then the princi-
pal business days, the population
augmented by delegations from
len to five and six thousand. The great fire
of 1869 was supposed to have given the EN-.
bryo city a back-set from which she could
not recover, and a general exodus tool
place of all who could muster sufficient
means to emigrate. But Helena survived
u GuOCA, 0llo luC / IA CAh1SIdbCo q
the time Of the great FIRE, visited that city
q flew days ago, after an absence of twenty
one years, to find it with a population esti-
mated at twenty-five Thousand, and EN-
hraeing within its boundaries all the archi
~tectural, wealthy and refined accessorie
incident to an eastern city of five times it
population"
The committee having in change the fund
n:na e.. A.. l-:Jl:-- &c % fC-,~
college in Helena expect to have a meetin
of the subscribers very soop, and decid
upon what action to take. Nearly all O
the subscribers are said to be in favor q
going ahead with the work of building
college, and upon the church committe
meets in September to canvass the bid
for Helena, Great Falls and Livingston
to let the capital city's bid be the con
pleted building and the $50 acres. Then
the Congregationalists do not accept, le
the building and lane gifts 20 to the churc
that will guarantee to DO the most afte
s~scarirg it. Some of the subscribers favo
this scheme SO far rs the putting up of
building and the holding of the land
concerned, but instead of giving the Con
gregationalists the first choice, no
that that committee has %reiecte
1T twice, they say let ali TT
churches, including the Congregationalist
come in and bid i'll September. Some
these people say that under the c,rcum
stances the Presbyterians, with their collie:
IN good running shape at Deer Lodg
would enter the competition, and if success
full would move to the capital city. {
s. Appleton, one of the committee and
member of the Congregational society, sni
Yesterday that what be most regretted
the matter was the fact that many peop
held the church az a whole Responsible fl
the unfortunate phase the college conte
had assumed 'The church as a whole
he continued, desires the college locat,
at Helena, and it is only local preiudices
two men that have prevented it. When t
matter comes before the society there 10
question as to what its decision will be
There ID a rumor that just before the fiji
meeting of the mi at Butte residen
of that city learned what Helena's cash off
was. The Butte people went to the Llvin
ston committee ana agreed to swell Tia
city's cash contribution by $4,000, maxi
the offer of the Park county town 5000
cash, thus giving them Helera's cash OFF
Helena's donation amounts to $125,0
Great Falls 500 0 and Livingston $40,o
Auction sales as 4 method of DISPOSE
of real estate, seems to bs growing in ia,
all over the country. They are hold reg
larly in every important city in the Unit
States save Chicago, and just now there
Il move on foot to inaugurate these sa
there. The matter has been discuss
by a number of Helena deal
secretly and it is probable Il
in the latter part of t