The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-17
BUSINESS IN M|SS0ULA
1t Is the Best the City Has Ever
Experienced.
EVERYTHING ON THE BOOM
Improvement Is Not Confined to Any
One Llne-A Lot of Money Put in
Circulation by the North
ern Pacific.

Missoula, Oct. 16.-That this seasons
business in Missoula is the best that
the city has ever seen is attested by
nearly every merchant in town. There
has been no boom here this year, but
the increase has been a steady, quiet
one, and the balance sheets show that
it has been profitable in all lines of
trade. A Standard reporter has, with
in a week, called upon many of the local
merchants with an inquiry as to how
their business this season compares
with that of previous years, and the re-
ply has been uniform--it is in excess
of that of any preceding year. The
Improvement seems not to have been
confined to any particular line of trade
or to any one class of merchandise
is all along the line. The activity that
has prevailed all over this end Of Mon
tana in mining and numbering and the
successful farming season are given as
the direct causes of the gain in trade
in the city. There has also been con-
siderable amount of outside capital
brought into this and the neighboring
counties in the purchase of ranches
and live stock. AS the winter season
approaches there is the customary i'm
provement in the volume of business.
and all Missoula merchants smile. One
Of the older dealers Of the city said to
Standard reporter Saturday night:
while it Is true that there have been
good many new stores started in the
city within a year, it is also true that
our business has shown a steady in
crease all the seaon. There seems to
be more business in the city than there
has ever been before. We are satisfied
with what we have received and I am
sure we do not begrudge the new
houses the business that they re-
CeiVe'
The Northern Pacific railway COM
ppany has expended a lot of money in
this part of it's territory this year.
There has been vast amount of i'm
provement work done all along the
Rocky mountain division, and Missoula
has been benefited by this extra dis
bursement. 1t has meant that more
than the usual number of men have
been supplied from the stores of this
city, and the removal of the Chinese
gangs from the construction crews has
been of material benefit. The Japs who
have taken the places Of the other ORR
entails prove to be better buyers than
the Chinese. They purchase most Of
their stores from local business houses
and they buy much more and better ar
tices than did their predecessors.
Opinion seems to be divided as to
whether or not these Japs are desirable
from the standpoint of the employer.
One fact is noticeable, they are an I'M
lucky or else a clumsy lot of fellows,
for there are some of them in the hos
pital all the time. The Cinnamon
never came to the hospital for treat
ment. They We're hardly ever injured.
1t is asserted on what seems to be
good authority that Fort Missoula is
soon to have a garrison OF two full
companies. This garrison is to come
from one of the regiments that has
been in Cuba. The men are to be sent
to the northern posts to recover their
health and strength, and two COM
panies of them will come to Missoula.
| This will be something like old times,
though the garrison will be smaller
than the post has always had. 1t is
hoped that this is the beginning of the
| fultillment of the promise that has been
so often repeated, that Fort Missoula
| will have a permanent garrison and
that it will be cavalry. The cavalry is
not yet in evidences, but it is believed
that it will follow. When it comes it
will be heartily welcomed. The post
has been so long without a garrison
during the war, that it's regarrisonins
will be hailed with delight. No positive
information is obtainah BILE in this regard
| panies is supported by semi officia
| statements.
There are other evidences of good
times that are in store for this city
The Standard last week mentioned the
fact that T. c. Coleman has had plans
prepared for the construction of two
rows of modern flats in the centra
part of the city. These flats will con.
tain tenements for 20 families and viii
be built as soon as possible. Bids are
now being received for the excavation
and foundation work, and it is ex
pected that this much will be done
this fall. This will be a new departure
for this city, but the real estate agents
predict that it will be profitable. They
say that there are many small families
that want just such accomoda lions a.
will be furnished by these tenements
and they assert that the flats will b.
fully occupied from the time that they
are finished. 1t is also said that E. L
Bonner will build a fine business blocl
on the corner of Cedar street and Hg
gins avenue in the spring. The plan
for this building have been drawn an
it is said that it will be built early mex
season. A. P. Tietjen will also BULL
on the opposite corner of Cedar stree
and Higgins avenue to join the Pros
perity block. There are also severa
residences projected for the sprini
pullulnS season. most or them In tn
neighborhood of the state university.
The Improvement of Higgins avenu
is attracting considerable attention
There are those who think that tn
plan that has been adopted for the fin
ishing of the street will not prove sue
cessful. 1t is admitted that it will no
be as substantial AS paving would hav
been, but it is the belief of those VIII
| have planned the work in the ctty coun
ell that it will be durable and wi
demonstrate how much good can b
done in street work if it is systemat
cally carried out. If the money that
spent on the city streets is used in
Intelligent and systematic manner, til
thoroughfares of the entire city will b
in first-class shape in few year:
Enough money has been spent upo
Higgins avenue in the past eight year
to have paved it from one end to tn
, other 1t has not been used to goo
advantage however, and the presen
wa 70,