The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-12-01
The Coming Industrial Center.

1t is conceded, we think, by all I'm
preiudiced persons who are at ali ia
miliar With the northwest that Grea,
Falls will become the industrial center
and consequently the most popular city
Of all this region. Certainly 20 thought.
full person can look upon the cataracts
Of the Missouri river and their auxiliary,
the adj accent coal fields. aud not be i'm.
pressed with the belief that a great city
will be created here. The question nat
ursl.y asked is. Will this growth of in
Iustries and population be gradual or
rapid? We say the conditions are such
that it will be both rapid and substan-
tlal. Never before in the history Of our
country were the causes that produce
rapid growth at strong natural points
like this as great as at this time.
The population of the United States
is not Less than 81 100000. According to
estimates it will be more than 100000
in 1900 and about l20,OO0,OOO in 1910.
OF the European nations Russia alone
srrpasses our country in population;
but twenty years hence we shall have a
greater population than any other civil
lied nation-greater than the population
Of England, France, and Germany COM
blned. Not alone 10 population is our
country rapidly advancing to the front,
but in wealth and the products of its
farms and factories it is leading all other
countries. Never in the history of civil.
lzation has any other country made as
rapid growth IN all that makes a nation
great and prosperous. 1t is fair then to as
sumo that the growth Of cities. especially |
in the west. will be more rapid in the
future than il has been in the past be-
cause Of the greater supplies of wealth
and population to draw from. The over
flowing cities IF the east will yearly con-
tribute greater numbers Of people and
larger SUM Of money to the upbuilding
of this city. SO richly endowed by nat
ure
Minneapolis Increased from $1,000 in
1850 70 more than 100000 in 1890. and
from January. 1890, its increase has not
been less than 10000. The ratio Of
growth il Denver and many other west
ern towns does not fail far below that
of Minneapolis.
In view of the greater sourc of our
country for the building of cities and the
remarkable advantages of our city for
building and maintaining great and va
ried industries, we say that the growth
Great Falls in the next ten years will
be more rapid than was Minneapolis, st
Paul, or any other western city after it
had reached the population We now
have.
1t may be said as against rapid growth
our town. notwithstand it's unequaled 4:
power and it's great coal supply
this part of the country is too thin
y populated to warrant a large city in E
Montana, but it should be borne in mind
that Denver has become an important {
industrial center and one of the great
of the west while Colorado is a {
sparsely settled state. {
The growth of Great Falls so far has I
been rapid and substantial. With a
population Of not more thar 800 in the
Of 1887 it has grown to be a town of I
1900 persons, with a pay roll 10 these I
Of financial depression OF not less I
han 100000 per month. 1t has indus {
rial plants of great magnitude that have
cost many millions Of dollars and which q
Employ many thousand horse power in
heir operation. 1t has unlimited power a
ready to crush and reduce ores, to '
'rind wheat, to operate all kinds of ma
and to transmit power by cleo. ]
richly. g
We say to our readers and to everyone O
Interested that Great Falls is to be the
lsxt great city Of the west, and that it
vill break the record for growth in the v
Iext ten years. r