The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-26
or Vast Importance in the COM
mercial Development of the
Northwest.
Tho Development of a Position
Neglected for Lack OF Or
ganized Effort.
Keystone In the Groat Arch OF Ira flo to
and From the North w 0st and


ktoO6, the deep WaLer poEb ol AIRh AA'oh'-
gan and the terminus of the 500 line. is to
become n mcst important factor in the
commercial DEVELOPMENT OF the northwest.
This important commercial development Is
to be effected by the formation of the
Gladstone company. a corporation with
headquarters at Chicago, and branch
offices in Boston. Minneapolis, Gladstone
and Portland. with n capitalization of
five million dollars and IN ample fund for
development.
Tho Gladstone company includes the
following list of %of1ioera and directors:
Directors. Minneapolis: Thomas Lowry,
president of 500 line; president OF the
Minneapolis Il 81. Paul street railway lines;
Senator w. ID. Washbnrn, president Min
neapolis, st. Pau IL Buffalo S. 2. Co.; di-
rector M. d st. l.. X. Il. and 500 tine; ex-
Gov. John Piilsbury, director of 500 line;
Judge Nj. b. Koon, counsel for 500 line and
Minneapolis u st. Paul railway lines.
Boston: Edmund W.. Converse. ptesi-
dent National Tube works; Horace b. Par
ker. president Newton street railway lines;
A.. Stuart Pratt. Arthur Lincoln.
New Bedford, Mass: Hon. ". W. Grape.
president Flint d Pore Marquette II. II.
CDAC0Nos WILL ~. AASbbous ousuici
Metropolitan National bank; Granger Far
we'll, Sobdell, Farwell & Co.; Lawrence
Williams, VIM. Kent. director American
Trust aud Savines bank; Douglas Smith.
Esoanaba. Mich: Frank II. Van Cleve.
land agent Chicago u Northwestern rail-
road.
Officers: President. Frank Van Cleve,
Escanaba, Mich; vice president, Horace
Parker, Boston. Mass; treasurer. A..
Stuart Pratt, Boston; assistant treasurer.
William Kent, Chicago; Manager. Law
renoe Williams, Chioago; resident man
aRer Gladstone, ]. Frank Collons. Mime
apolis; corporation counsel. Aldrioh. Payne
and Dufues. Chicago.
The Gladstone company will devote itself
to the development and upbuildin1 Of q
shipping point and manufacturing center
at Gladstone, Mich. and to render effective
Its organization and purposes. has already
secured rossesaion OF overv resource that
can be utilized in pushing the development
of the city. or tho capital stock q large
lump has been set aside for the permanent
improvement of the property, to be do
voted exclusively TO such necessary i'm
provements as docks, roads. parks. etc..
etc., while liber O! inducements in stock and
sites will be given to suoh manufacturing
establishments as are prepared 80 establish
active legitimate industrios. This company
may offer exceptional advantages 10 it con-
trols nearly three-quarters of the property
in the business %rortion of the city. with
5000 back lying acres which will
provs available for manufacturing and
residence sections. 1t controls all water
right except those now utilized by the 500
line; ell favorable manufacturing sites and
tho valuable wharf and dock prone ties now
occupied by companies plying
between Gladstone and Chicago, Detroit,
Traverse City and other laks ports. Ia ad-
dition to these properties the Gladstone
compRny has secured control of m ex.
elusive street railway franchise; a commo-
dious bank building for general ofices and
a commodious hotel, which will be fnl nished
and utilized as soon MS possible. The hotel
Is modern in all paiticularsa and ia the finest
in northern Michigan. To assist necessary
financial movements in connection with
the business of the city, the directors have
arranged to establish a national bank
which will open its doors at the earliest
moment.
In construction the Gladstone COMPANY
Is closely akin to the West Superior Land
n Water Improvement company whose
operations have played a most important
part in the growth of West Superior.
The exceptional position of Gladstone as
a commercial and manufacturing center
has long been apparent and only the lack
OF organized effort has hitherto retarded
its rapid development.
olsuutNN hPcA MS thtkH SAtEHI1lEY or
Lake Michigan. Gladstone is the natural
Chicago of Northern Michigan, Wisconsin
and the northwest. The deep water port
Of this Twin Cities and the terminus of the
500 line. il enjoys exceptional advantages
over the ports of Lake Superior. The har-
Dor is pronounced by s,amen as the finest
on the chain of lakes, as a minimum
depth of eighteen feet right up to the 500
line wharves permit the rapid unloading
and lading OF vessels of a dfanght
two feet greater than can now pnss through
the 500 canal into Superior waters. Traffic.
once at Gladstone. is 500 miles nearer the
east than at Duluth and West Superior.
thus enabling vessels in the Gladstone trade
to make throe round trips to Buffalo while
Duluth steamers make but two. Owing to
its southern location, navigation st Glad
stone opens thres weeks earlier and closes
four weeks later than at the Superior
ports. This in itself greatly increases the
yearly carrying capacity Of vessels in the
Gladstone traffic. Insurance rates ure ulso
heavier in tho tenpestuous waters Of Su-
perio-. while heavy tug fees are charged
for directing vssBels through tho 1"5 miles
OF the st. Mnrie's river leading to the locks
rawbhch unknown i'll Michigan waters,
These overwhelming and permanent ad-
vantages in favor of Gladstone have nor
mittsd the establishment of most favorable
rates which are rapidly making this point
the favorable port shipment for Minneap-
oils wheat and flour product. Twin CITY
merchandise and all traffic originating
throughout the entire northwest. The inn
provements of the 500 line Mt thjs point
indicate the interest which its sturdy prc-
tector, the Canadian Pacific. takes in this
port which nature has destined to make
great. The 500 line docks, representing
an investment of one million dollars. in
clude q first oiRss elevator with n capnojtv
OF half n million bushels; Il flour ware.
house of 10000 barrels capacity; an iron
dock 800 feet in length.
10 accommodate the increasing coal
traffic at this point, the 500 line has erected
the largest individual coal dock on the
chain of lakes, and a forco OF men ia now
engaged in doubling the plans to handle
next years traffic. One hundred and forty
four vsssels cleared these docks In 1892.
The Hour dock, proving insufficient is also
being doubled In capacity. Whom finished
10 will store 80. GOO barrels. Seven thousand
one hundred and ffty-ssvau cara of flour
we're discharged hste in 1892. The 500
company IN also preparing to increase the
capacity of the iron dock to handle tho
output which n recent traffic arrange
ment will next year bring 10 the Gladstone
dock.
In addition TO these faci!ities, the 500
line has n merchandise warehouse, through
which enormous qunntitiea of cnstern aud
European merchandise Ia yearly distrih.
used to the northweat aud to tho Pacific
coast. Gladstone is also the division head
quarters of the 500 line, and Il large
amount IL monthly distributed to Gun
ployes at the shops. docks and yards. Ihs
Milwaukee ~ Northern railroad also han