Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-02-15
A RIVAL OF NIAGARA,
MIGHTY WATERS HARNEsSED
FOR HUMAN USES.

MIGHTY WATERS HARNEsSED
FOR HUMAN USES.
&
Wonderful Resources of New Region
Vast Industries sprInging Up-How the
Missouri's Swift Current IL Utilised
Young and Promising City.
Marvels OF Montana.
Great Falls. Mont. correspondence:
II was not until the return OF Lewis
and Clarke from their remarkable
journey, covering two and a half years,
to the Pacific coast, in the first years
of the century, that any definite knowl-
edge was obtained of the Falls OF the
Missouri. The intrepid explorers spent
many months rowing ard polling their
heavy batteaux against the swift cur
rent Of the muddy river, which became
clearer as they left the bluff deposits
of the prairies and plains and neared
the falls, above which the water is as
clean and pure as its sources OF supply
In mountain springs and snow. We
wish our SPACE would permit reprinting
the long but graphic descriptions given
Of this wonderful series of falls, in
Americas greatest river, around which
the exploring party spent nearly
month. From the highest point of land,
$50 feet above Black Eagle Fall, on
which now stands smokestack 200 feet
high, as prominent an object as the
Washington monument, the top as high
above the furnaces as that noble shaft,
Lewis and Clarke looked for the first
time over the site of the present city,
but then temporarily occupied by a
herd of buffalos, and later, in an en-
counter with wounded ore. Lewis
was chased into the water opposite the
town, where the river is 2,SCO feet
wide, and compelled to swim to the
other shore.
A new edition of THE History of the
Explorations of Lewis and Clarke" has
just been issued under the direction OF
Prof. Elliott Coues, of the Smithsonian
Institution. 1t is a recital of most i'm
portant event in our history, and
brought down to date by numerous
foot notes. 1t is dedicated as follows:
To the People Of the Great West Jefferson
gave you the country. Lewis and Clarke
showed you the way. The rest is your own
course OF empire. Honor the etateSman VINO
foresaw your West Honor the brave men who
first saw your West May the memory OF their
glorious achievement be your precious heri-
tage! Accept from my Leart the undying record
of the beginning OF all your greatness.
According to Eastern ideas OF calcu-
lation, this is very young city, but
undeniably it is one of the most prom
ising in the West, and is bearing out
the predictions of the explorers, that
an important industrial city would
spring up here. The first settler, Hon.
Paris Gibson, an honored and still ac-
tive citizen of the sturdy young giant
with over II, COO population, and as en-
thusiastic over the future as ever, with
much now to back up his opinions and
prophecies, broke ground for the first
house about ten years ago. It's growth
was slow until the first railway, the
Great Northern, reached there four
years later. Now railroads reach out
in various directions.
The reader will naturally inquire
what there is in the Northwest to make
great States and cities. Is not this
country in the American desert the
| school books used to tell about? Yes,
but the desert has since been chased
| hither and thither, until it is now To-
Gated in spots among the lava beds and
high ranges of the far Southwest, and
what there is of it contains borax, salt,
| and resources of value to man, and
there is no such thing as the Great
American Desert"
What made the older States of this
| Union wealthy? Pine forests, iron ore
and copper mines supplied the raw
material upon which Northern Michi-
gan, Wisconsin and Minnesota was
built. Coal, iron and oil made Penn
sylvania great. Corn and hogs brought
riches to Iowa and Illinois. An extract
of corn and rye distinguishes Ken
lucky. Wheat has given prominence
to Minnesota and the Dakotas, and SO
| on through the list.
Montana is new State, and but lit
tie known, except as grazing region
| and producer of precious metals.
| So, 000, coo worth. Hords Of cattle and
| State from the country south as far as
| Texas, to fatten on the ranges for
! Eastern markets. All the conditions
here, grass, water and climate, are
| conducive to the highest development
of physical life. The State produces
horses of large lung power and endur-
ance, much sought after by the War
| Department for cavalry purposes.
Budd Doble feeds his horses on Mon
tana hay and oats. 1t was too far west,
30 stockmen said, to raise wheat, but a
roller Touring mill with 500 barrels
daily capacity, located here, is making
| high-grade flour from native wheat,
| and this immediate locality supports
two agricultural papers.
Those who have not been West have
little idea of the possibilities and ell
| bow room of a State like Montana, a
region larger than all Of New England
| and then with country enough left
| over to include several OF the Middle
| States.
Standing by the tall smoke stack of
the copper shelter, we looked down
on the mighty river, with its rapids
| and cataracts, and saw waters fall with
quick descent, furnishing power to
| turn wheels to'crush ores, to generate
electricity, to grind -four, to make hot
| fires hotter, and agreed with the
builder of the marvellous wheel at the
Worlds Fair, that whore there was
such enormous water power an indus
trial city must arise. The monthly
payroll now exceeds $3.50, 90 for la
Dor, and is to be largely increased.
The electrical energy possible at this
point is beyond reasonable compre-
hension. 1t is already used in multi
| form ways: To refine metals, to run
-, oh;ro-x, orI az ooro tn cnak