The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-02-23

Never has it been possible, nor will IT
ever be in the future, for any industrial
center to surpass one situated close to a
we'll located water fall as a motive power
for manufacturing. On the contrary,
experience haa shown that in sections
dependent solely on coal their fuel is
ant to be subject to the control OF trusts
and combines. as also in lapse OF time
the exhaustion of the coal deposits IN
the immediate vicinity.
A town or city located at a good water
power is like a house built on a rock
its foundation is secure and never fails;
the storms of coal strikes and the treach-
erous tides of monopoly can not prevail
against its motive prwer.
Three elements go to make up a great
manufacturing center-large and cheap
supply of raw material, cheap motive
power. cheap and adequate transporta-
ton. Few places in this country pos
sees all these requisites.
Again. a successful manufacturing
CITY must be in the middle Of a section
rich in varied and extensive resources;
and it must be in a section that can feed
its population cheaply and furnish raw
material in abundance. 1t must be a
railroad center, for the short hau OF
f,od supplies and raw material. land the
l,ng haul Of manufactured products IN
nure to the benefit Of the railroads and
them to assist in the erection
of home industries. In the stress OF
modern business competition 1t Will not
nav to ship raw materials any great
distance except to be worked up with
other raw materials produced at the
pint selected, or because t~ransportir 6
the raw materials that distance motive
power is found cheaper than at the point
Of production. 1t is a we'll verified tact
that as fuel is dear or subject to the
control of trusts and combines or the
disastrous effects of strikes the advan-
tages of water power become more and
more attractive to industrial capital.
In reviewing the above requisites we
assert that Great Falls possesses all the
above requirements. Built, as she is, on
the banks of the majestic Missouri, own
ing the most stupendous water:power on
the American continent, ;as the Electric
city of Montana she has the cheapest
motive power to be found in the west
As regards large and cheapssupply of
raw materials, she has no peer in the
northwest. Planted, as Great Falls is,
in 2 section Astounding with agricultural
and mineral wealth, it is mans W
fault if these treasures of nature are not
taken advantage of which Providence
has SO beautifully bestowed.
A wise, discerning eye some few years
ago grasped the possibilities oil Great
Falls. and the iron horse was hurried
over half a continent, building his road
as he came as fast as human energy
could do it. 1t came, and from a quiet,
stock growing and agricultural section
there is now heard the whistles OF the
locomotives over half a dozen railroads,
tle thunder of the mighty Missouri
rolling over the gigantic dam, thereby
turning thousands OF wheels in enor-
NOUS snelters. mills, and ~founderies,
furnishing electricity for the largest cleo
trolytic plant in the world, whirling
electric street cars for miles away, and
lighting a whole city. This, too, being
the result of only three years endeavors,
utilizing only an infinitesinal part OF
the available power. Then what shall
be said of the future? just this, that
the future destiny Of Great Falls is so
vast, so grand that the effects of it will
be felt throughout the west.