The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-06
REACHING FOR CASTLE.
The business men OF Helena seem

be impressed with the Importance of
doing something toward connecting
it with White Sulphur Springs and
Castle by rail. 1t would certainly be
fortunate for those places il they sue
coed in securing direct railroad commu-
nication with Helena, the temporary
capital, and with Great Falls, the future
seat of government Of the state. Such "a
stroke of good fortune seldom falls to the
lot of towns so long isolated from the
outside world, yet it is within the range
of possibilities that they may thus be
accommodated.
The TRIBUNE will not presume to say
whether the Helena project will mate
rialize or whether it will spend its force
upon paper and end where it began in
words and wishes. 1t will say, however,
there is some exceedingly good leather
among Helena business men and that
they generally got there" in any propo-
sition in which there is money for their
city. They are philosophical. enter
prisirg, energetic and industrious, and
what is more important. they pull to
gcthcr when they do get into harness, as
one man. That they will leave no stone
unturncd to secure direct rail
cation with Castle goes without saying.
AZ to the advantages which may accrue
to them and 10 Castle through such con
n~ection they may properly be left to the
business men of the one place and the
miners of the other to measure.
Helena can never treat ores so chcaply
as they can be treated at Great Falls.
Her fuel must be transported Il long dis
tance and her water is a very uncertain
quantity. The writer has seen dust fly
from the bed of the stream upon which
her smelter is located. What has oc-
Cured once may occur many times here
after. This much IS certain: during or
binary III the Prickly Pear does
not furnish water enough for the farmers
whose rights to it are established, and
during winter the little stream is frozen
to it's bed. Helena wants railroad on
nection with Castle SO as to handle its
ores. What it can do with them nine
months in the year without water is one
of those conundrums which cannot be
satisfactorily solved.
On the other hand Great Falls has an
abundance Of the best %fuel-coal right
at its very doors. 1t can be delivered in
greater quantities at its smelters and at
less cost than fuel can be delivered at
any other smelling point in the state.
Here is one advantage and a big one.
Again it has unlimited watcr-powcr. 1t
can supply enough winter and sum
mer to handle and reduce every pound
of ore Montana can produce. Here is
another advantage not POSSESSED by any
other city in the state. Fuel and water
are prime essentials IN the reduction of
ores, and Great Falls is, above all other
smelling centers in Montana, abundant
ly provided with both.
Furthermore, Castle ores brought to
Great Falls for reduction are carried in
the direction of eastern markets to which
their products must be shipped. This
item of expense in the aggregate would
amount to no inconsiderablc sum each
year. 1t is said that comparisons are
odious," but as smelling points Helena
cannot be mentioned in connection with
Great Falls, hence really no comparison
can be instituted between the W. places.
The one is barren of the first requisites
for cheap and successful treatment Of
ores; the other possesses them in the
highest degree. But with ali these adj
vantages in their favor the business
men of Great Falls cannot afford to re-
main idle or Indifferent in the matter o
railroad connection with Castle. 1t is
well said that: God helps those who
help themselves" The Almighty has
been very generous TO Great Falls; it re-
mains for ITS people to help themselves
to what is placed so easily within their
reach-an immediate rail communication
with Castle. Helena is up and doing.
Helena is in earnest. Let the business
men Of Great Falls work AS earnestly
and the prize is theirs.