The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-23
BACK FROM THE BAY
DR.. Erne est Crutcher Talks About San
Francisco and the Coast.
MONEY IS NOT PLENTIFUL
He Was Heseiged With Questions
About the Chances Here for
Work-The Gentleman Is Glad
to Get Back Home Again.


to Get Back Home Again.
Great Falls. April 22.-Dr. Ernest
Crutcher returned from a visit to the
Pacific coast Monday afternoon and is
more than ever satisfied with Montana
in general and Great Falls in particu-
lar since his visit west. The doctor
is a close observer and is quick to note
the advantages or disadvantages of the
different points he visited during his
trip. Chatting with Standard repor-
ter to-day the doctor said:
1.-THE weather was disagreeably
windy and rainy during my sojourn in
San Francisco, but j understand 1t
blows every afternoon the year around
down there. The streets seemed
thronged with people and the mer-
chants are offering goods at remarka-
bic low prices to stimulate the trade.
The pinch of hard times was apparent
everywhere, and while the ladies were
handsomely dressed the sterner sex
were wearing out their old clothing. !
was especially struck with the shabby
genteel appearance of the men. In
speaking of 1t to my friends there they
averred that my observations were
correct. Everybody appeared to be
practicing economy in a rigid form.
San Francisco is a city. of lodging
houses and restaurants and these lat
ter are legion. Those who establish
homes for their families generally re-
side in Oakland or one of its suburbs
Room rents are cheap and good meals
can be had for as low as Is cents.
There are not as many empty stores
and residences as three years ago, and
there are several thousand more peo-
pie there than at the beginning of the
hard times. l do not know why this
is. Suicides are almost of daily occur
no Gf
was SGT. OF these "a were consump-
tives, 67 pneumonias, about 40 bron-
chitis and IL suicides. But more hap
py-go-lucky lot of people / never saw.
Everybody seemed jolly, even If some
able-bodied men are working for as low
as so cents day.
1.-THE papers announced my name as
from Montana. AS a result / had a
number of callers seeking information
about this state. understand you
have good times in Montana, what
chance is there for me to get work,
was a question hurled at me a number
of times One man told me he had
been working for the city for 81 day
and saving up money to get enough to
get his family to Montana, where times
were reported good.
Butte, Anaconda and Great Falls
seem better known than any other
towns. The fame of this city is partly
due to the advertising given it by a
firm which has been handling Great
Falls property down there. In the
main their arguments seem quite fair
They point to the fact that other west
ern towns have made marvellous
strides in a few years time, and that
Great Falls, with her splendid re-
sources and backing, must do even bet
ter than any of those cited. For in
stance, Lincoln. Neb., is suggested as
having had $4,000 people in 1880. Lands
4 IL MAY hnr
worth a few dollars an acre. The
growth of the city increased the popu-
lation to $4,000 in 1890, and those out
lying lands had augmented in value to
as much as $1,000 per acre-having been
plated into lots and sold. Spokane is
cited as having but $50 people in $780,
and $4,000 in 1890. The fortunes made
in the rise of property there are too
well known to repeat even to show
there argument. Maps of several west
ern cities are in evidence, showing the
great extent of plated territory COW
cred by Spokane, Seattle, Lincoln, Ia
coma and other places. Then the COM
paratively small area of plated land
at Great Falls. Ergo, this extraordi-
narily blessed town, in advantages and
backing warrants an expectation OF
great growth in values of realty If his
tory is to repeat itself. My candid
opinion is-viewing the career of towns
with only a modest claim to attention
lands anywhere within five miles of
this vast water power must grow in
value within a very few years. / trav-
eled a good deal and my observations
of other towns and the causes that
provoked their growth served to deep
en- my conviction of the ultimate pop
ulous manufacturing center which will
be here at Great Falls"
IF l had time and the Standard had
space. / would like to tell you what !
have learned of the transmission of
electricity over long distances. Sacra-
mento is lighted by water power loca-
ted at Folsom. % miles away. The peo
pie there regard that little power and
it's achievement as a wonderful thing.
1 wish they could see the tremendous
energy going to waste here. Our own
people are lacking in appreciation of
what is in store for their city.
I'm discussing this place with intel
ligent men they seem quite as much
impressed by the investments made
here by some Of the wealthy men of
the world as by what we term her nat
ural advantages. The backing Of
James ]. Hin and his associates is con-
sidered alone sufficient to effect the
building of a CITY, and they think the
simple fact that he lends his name to
and fosters the townsite company is
taken as conclusive evidence that he
has much in store for its good. / con-
fess that this is in accord with my own
views.
Among mining men in California
and Utah ! found the greatest interest
manifested in the success made here
by the Boston & Montana company in
its economical production of copper.
They cannot understand it. and in rec
ognizing it. declare il only question
of fine when other copper makers viii
adopt similar methods. This city can
not ask for greater boomers than these
scientific .miners in discussing the fu-
ture Of iron. steel and copper produc-
ton.
Montana has a fine reputation. II