The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-29
THE WEATHER..
WHAT MIGHT BE.

Helena, May Ios AoUo'
WHAT MIGHT BE
"Others in the crowds were workers
in the cotton factory; in the knitting
mill that has been removed there from
the east; in the three large establish
ments where preserves, fruit pickles and
sauces are made; in the making of fire.
brick, drain-p,pe, jugs. jars, churns
and other coarse pottery; IN the
manufacture Of the best min
ing machinery in the world, which
has been shipped to China and
South Africa, to say nothing OF Mexico
and our own mining regions. Other op-
eratives work upon hosting machinery.
Still others work ct the stock yards
where there are two large packing COM
psnies and where nearly 100000 hogs,
cattle and sheep were slaughtered last
wear. A mill for the manufacture OF
news paper has been in operation TOR a
and three other mills are about to
be erected, the aim being to make book
and letter paper, Manilas, coarse wrap
ing paper, and flooring and roofing pa.
pers. In addition to the twenty foun-
dries and machine shops Of whose work
1 have spoken, there are thirty other
iron working establishments, making
tin and sheet-iron work and wire-work.
In another year a barbed-wire factory
and a wire and nail-making plant will
be in operation. There are sixty brick
making firms. Leather workers are nu-
merous. Paint and whitehead making
are large industries, and eight firms are
engaged in woodworking and the MAX
ing of building material. In a sentence
this busy metropolis is manufacturing
for the vast territory around it, with
$3.50 manufacturing establishments, m
ploying 5000 operatives and producing
annually s46,OOO,000 worth of goods.
The chamber of commerce advertises
the need OF wooden mills, stocking FAC
tories, tanneries, boot and shoe fac
tories and potteries. The natural adj
vantages of the center of a region as
large as the German empire, without a
rival for 600 miles in any direction, COM
bined with cheap fuel, fine climate, un-
utilized raw materials, a good and ever
growing local market, protected against
eastern competition by from 1000 to
1000 miles Of railroad haul-these are
the inducements offered to new manu-
featuring plants"
These are the words written by Julian
Ralph about a town in the heart of the
Rocky Mountains, a town that in 1870
when Helena had BIOS inhabitants, con.
tanned a population of 4,759. a town thai
ten years ago numbered less than 40,
600 people and which, through the
means above enumerated, has added
100000 to her population IN q decade.
All the conditions of soil and climate
of distance from competition, of sur
rounding resources, Of natural advant
ages, made it possible that the town WI
have described should be the Helena O
to-day, but the description We have
quoted is given of another city. What
is the reason, do you ask, that it is the
story of Denver rather than of Helena!
We can answer IN a word. 1t is enter
Observation-Disclosures! Denver
has been made by the people who live
in it. Helena waits for other people tt
make her. Denver capitalists have KEEP
their money flowing in the arteries O
business - building manufacturing
plants, constructing railroads, erecting
fine buildings and identifying ant
adjoining the city. trusting to the growtI
of the town to bring their money bacI
teu-fold in tho future. Helena capital
lists have bought themselves land poo
holding on to their possessions, refus
ing to sell OF to make improvements, @
lent their money out at usurious inter
est. Denver, in short, has seized her or
portunities; Helena has passed hers by
Such, men and brethren, Is the col
truth. You do not relish it, perhapl
but it shall be uttered nevertheless, an
We shall proclaim it through THE INDl
until the niggardly grumblel
who owe all they have to this town al
tired of the iteration.