, 1892-02-05
Work of Raising the SmeIter Bonus
Now Completed.
A Big Mass Meeting Favors the
Transfer of Some City Lands.
Predictions of Great Growth in the
Next Three Years.
A Nine Acre, Half Million Dollar
Smelter Plant.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. INC pihlaiuy WcdbutIs
about 700 people gathered in the opera
house last evening to pass upon the ques
tion OF selling 80 acres Of land to Ben
Blanchard and thus complete the smelter
bonus.
j. Y. Baird as president OF the Board
of Trade presided. He said that the $780,
600 bonus had now been subscribed with
the exception of the SC acres OF land which
the city was TO subscribe. The full pur-
pose of the meeting was made evident in
the following:
Resotued. By the citizens and taxpayers
of the city OF Cheyenne in mass meeting
assembled that it is the sense of this
meeting that the city should sell to Ben
Blanchard eighty acres of land out of
section 80, township IA north. of range &c
west at the government price OF 81. so per
acre.
Resotred. That the honorable mayor
and members of the city council be aud
they are hereby respectfully requested to
sell said land.
Ii was announced that a petition to
the same effect had been circulated during
the afternoon and $50 signatures received
to it. The chair then asked for express
iors of opinion for and against the reso-
luton. After waiting some time and
there being no responses the question WAS
put and carried with a unanimous shout
which fairly shook the roof. This was
followed BY hearty applause, after which
the 18th infantry band, stationed in the
gallery, discoursed some inspiritipg music.
MIR. Baird then introduced Mr.. Blan-
chard 10 a few appropriate remarks. say
ing, among other things. that he was
hereafter to be a citizen OF Cheyenne.
When Mr.. Blanchard appeared IN the
front Of the stage he was received with a
perfect whirlwiud of applause which had
scarcely subsidized when it was taken up
again as an encore aud Continued for over
minute.
Mr.. Blanchard said that he had cx-
pected t. be in Casper at that hour to
meet some gentlemen Interested in OIL de-
velopment In that region. but was delayed
tweuty-four hours to entirely complete what
they all have in view. For the past week, he
said. he and the people of Cheyenne had
stood at the opposite ends OF the string, so
to speak. both pulling in opposite direc-
tions. Tonight their interests were identi-
cal. lie wished now to say that he had
more confidence in the future of the
Magic City than they thought he had and
more confidence In Wyoming, the gem of
the Rockies than he was credited with.
He spent much time 10 investigating the
resources Of Wyoming and the result of
it all was that he was free to say that
Wyoming contained more undeyeloped
wealth than any other two states that he
had ever been In.
They had started in to pull Cheyenne
from 10, 900 population to so 600, and
now that they were all pulling together
the expected result had to come. He
thought they would all admit his PROPOSE
ton had come to them in different shape
from ahy they had ever received. He
had had some little experience in town
building. In one state alone he had
placed $500 families. This is the forty.
fourth and best state OF. the American
union. In the next two years 5000 fam
lilies should be placed in Wyoming ar
they would only fill onc-iouitecnth of H.,
places which could be filed to the profit
and advantage of all concerned.
Som.thipg had been done for Cheyenne
"a sDelter had been secured. but the
people could not even now rest idly on
their oars They must. link and interlace
with the smelter all the various other
enterprises which are ready and should
follow it. He was told they had a noun
tain OF iron a short distance from town
and when he asked what was being done
with it, the reply was Nothing" 1t
was of no advantage until it was utilized.
The people now had one sn,elter secure.
1t would do much good, but two smelters
would double the benefit. There was
plenty of ore. Denver was doubling its
smelter capacity. Many mines in Colo
RADIO we're not operated for lack of smelter
facilities. Why not have a sampliDg
works here2 Then the ore could be sold
to the highest bidder and the producer
thereby benefited.
He predicted that in three years Chey-
enne would have a population of SO. 900
peop e. They might consider these big
figures. but if they took the trouble to 20
over every statement of this kind he had
ever made they would find he had gener-
ally under estimated by 10 per cent. This
would make Chcyenne's population S.
600. but he only claimed 10000. In the
smelter agreement he had promised a
smelter plant which would employ $50
men; there would be nearer $50 or 600
employed. The wages paid would amount
to nearer 81. 600 than 81 900 a day; the
plant and machinery would be double 10
size and quantity to that anticipated,
They had thought there would be 500, 600