The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-09
THE TIDE IS COMING IN.
Men Who Know Predict Lively
Times in Montana in the
Near Future
Nc City In tho Northwest Stands
SO. Well East as Docs
Helena

Only Requires = Little Thing to
start the HALL
'If tho people of Helena would show tn
confidence in the city's future they should
within thirty days there would be \ chang
for the BETTER" said Peter Winnie, Of Don
yer. yesterday. SIN the next ten years." h
continued, 'there will be more money mad
in Helena from the advance in real estat'
values than was in Denver in the same
length Of sims when the population was tn,
same. firmly believe this, and If ! die
not ! would not increase my holdings here
~ ! have recently. Not only that. but l ar
thinking very seriously OF coming here te
locate. ! will remain this time until about
Nov. 1, and then l will return to Denver %
as not to lose my vote. After the election ]
expect to como back. pom an office in Hell
sna and locate. Within thirty days We will
begin work on the line to the university,
and We will also put mp some houses along
that line. In addition We are going TO sub
divide moro of our land in tho vicinity OF
the cemetery into small plats for truck gar
dsnsrs, and there will be big money in the
buslness for the right men. What
We need here, more than anything
else, are the sort of men who will
work gardens OF that kind, either on our
land. their own or that Of some one else,
n confidence among our people. Helena
il to-day the best town in the northwest,
and stands better in the east than any
other city In this section of the United
States. Times have been close not only in
Montana, but all over the west, but better
ones are coming. They may come this fall
and winter or they may come in the spring,
but they are sure to come. The country
has recovered from the panic OF three years
ago, the banks have plenty of money, n
tho capitalists are going to invest it.
TIL building Of the post here, while not 9
very big thing, will nevertheless stimulate
business and give what We most need, con-
fidence. Will not say the building of tho
Castle railroad this rear is al absolute surely,
but / will say that there 10 q strong probs-
bility thst work will begin this season. I
am very we'll acquainted with the negotla-
lions now going on, and the situation is
very encouraging in that direction.
Il notice q great many improvements for
the better since l was hero last. Not much
attention has been paid to them by those
living here, but they struck me at once. and
/ know Helena is growing. There has been
. great change in the appearance of Main
street, due to the number Of new fronts put
in business blocks, and the. great improve
ment in sidewalks rs we'll as on the streets.
There have been new structures pushed
ahead in the business sections. and in a
Dive about own l noticed q number of
new residences, and as many moro in course
of construction. l have also found out. by
inquiry among agents, that there are fewer
vacant houses in Helena now than there
were this time last year. Every city is
cursed with croakers. and men who would
find fault under any ana every condition.
Helena has its proportion OF this sort of
people, but l believe they are grad
ually. though slowly. growing less
in number. 1t is all right for q man to say
times are dull, but when \ man says, as l
have heard some in Helena declare. that
not Only are times dull. but that they are
going to grow worse, he does not know
what he 10 talking about. Helena Is all
right, and a little more confidence dis
played BY her people will have a wonderful
i. Il. Wallace, who was in tho east all
last winter and the past spring and sum
mer, talks even more enoouragingly of the
outlook than Mr.. Winnie. Helena to-day |
is the best town in the northwest" he said
yesterday. II am not saying this in order
to talk, but I know whereof I speak. /
have visited Spokane, Seattle and Tacoma
recently, and in mono of those towns is
business as good Or the outlook as bright
towns people are wiling 10 sac
ritios their holdings. / cannos find
any one in Helena who is willing to do go.
The country was never in a better condi-
tion financially than it ia to-day. Business
has been dull, but these periods of depres-
sion are sure to come. Just before the rail-
road first got to Helena there was quite q
stir. After it had arrived there was an
adjustment of business, consequent upon
reduced freight rates, and the fact that it
was no longer necessary for merchants to
freightinR days. When the people had
gotten used TO the new condition business
picked up again. A year or SO ago another
change In business methods in Helena oc-
Cured. Previously the banks had been
loanlnR money on a mans paper, and in
most cases without collateral. But this
has changed, and now the Helena banks are
doing business 81 they do in the east. Mer-
chants can get all the money they need, but
collateral Is required. This has com
PEELED a change in the methods of many
business men. but they have about gotten
oOWu 30 tue. new way OF DONG tQlng8 and
another period of activity is bound to como
iE tho near future. No city in the north
west is better or moro favorably known on
Wall street than Helena. depended s., 500
the past winter in advertising the city. and
! know that it did an immense amount of
good. Our banks are in splendid condition
and it is only necessary to point to their state
ments to have financial men take an inter-
est IN the city. Communities are a great
deal like individuals. II a man has a emil
he wonders how he can ever get we'll again.
So If business becomes quiet and continues
so for several months the merchants and
tradesmen become doubtful of the future.
Helena only needs Il little thing to start
things up. 1t may be the military post, it
may be the Castle road. or it may be the
Missouri dam. These three will all come.
and any one will start the ball"
Frank Baird, who returned from the east
= few days ago., also conf ms the statements
regarding the standing of Helena among
financial people there. ''Helena il re-
Rarded," he said. ''as the coming city of the
north west, and if We do our part the future
will be all right. The starting Of work on
the Castle railroad will do moro, in my
opinion, to lven things up than anything
else"