The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-07-16
SATURDAY. JULY III. 1892.
JUDITH BASIN TRADE.

Less than 100 miles to the southeast
of Great Falls lies the heart of a great
valley or basin known since the early
days as TIE Judith basin. Two decades
ago great herds of buffalo and an
telope fattencd upon its nutritious
grasses, while the contiguous mountains
swarmed with stalwart bands of elk and
deer. All this is now changed. Large
herds OF cattle, tiocks of sheep, and
bands of horses have taken the places OF
the buffalo and antelope, and the homes
of hundreds of stockmen and farmers
occupy the rich lands once peopled by
rowing tribes of Indians,
These stockmen and farmers annually
produce vast numbers of beeves and
mutton sheep and wool for eastern mar
kets. while millions of bushels of wheat
and oats and vegetables are raised. In
the absence of railroad transportation
slowly moving wagon trains convey the
wool and surplus grains to railroad points
and beeves are driven to those stations
for shipment where the greatest induce
ment in the shape of low rates and cheap
supplies are offered. Billings and Big
Timber and Big Sandy and Fort Benton
are the objective points of these loaded
trains. Great Falls does not appear to
be in it. to any great extent.
Why is this? Take a compass and
place one prong in the center of the great
basin, as shown upon the maps, and de-
scribe a circle. taking in the places
named and this city will be found within
the periphery, BY all the natural laws
which govern trade between d central
point and outlying places, Great Falls
should receive the lions share of the
Judith basin trade if conditions be ia
vorable. What is meant by favora e
conditions is this: II cattle, mutton
sheep, wool and grains a be iran
ported to Great Falls at less cost than to
other places. and il supplies can be pur-
chased here cheaper the Judith valley
trade would as certainly run to this city
as water runs down hill. But il cattle
men, woolmen and farmers find it more
profitable to take their products to Bill
ings or to Big Timber or Big Sandyor to
Fort Benten than to Great Falls they
will take them there. This is a self evil
dent fact.
Now the questions with Great Falls
business men are these. t,lst: Is the
trade Of the Judith country worth
striving for. Second: If worth the labor
how can it best be obtained with profit
to all concerned. Third: Can it be
obtained by the folding of arms and
doing nothing to divert it to this point.
1t is supposed that men with large
capital invested in stocks best know
their own business. The TRIBUNE will
not dispute this proposition. But 1t will
be pardoned if it make a suggestion or
two.
The trade Of the Judith basin is in
creasing each year. There is a great
big, prolific country which must have
dry goods, and groceries. and hard
ware, and crockery and clothing, and
boots and shoes, and agricultural imple-
ments and numerous other necessaries
of life not counting it's luxuries, which
many of it's people can afford to enjoy
Each year the demand for all these ar,
ticles will increase. The trade appears to be
worth looking after. In view OF these facts
the TRIBUNE would suggest that the
business men OF Great alls effect an
organization with the sole object to cap
ture the trade. 1t would suggest that
they appoint a committee to confer with
railroad officials with the view OF OBJ
tanning the owest possible rates or
their lines to and from Great Falls t.
the nearest stations to the great basin
1t would suggest that il favorable rate'
be obtained they employ an agent o.
agents to direct the attention OF stock
men, woolmen and farmers to tn
schedule OF prices OF such goods as ar
consumed in'their several industries. j
would suggest that these prices b.