Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-21

W. COOK, pFtSluent OF the CITY council, Il.
w. Eldridge; Councilmen, John c. Bebb,
Peter Shields, Edward Brassey and A.
w. St,ddard; Town Marshal d. j. Kane.
STAGE COACH DAYS ARE NUM-
BERED.
As in the days when all roads led to
Rome, and old Father Tiber swelled with
pride al the big city on his banks, so all
roads in the Judith basin and Fergus
county lead to Lewistown. The county
is named after James Fergus. one of the
pioneers who has served time in the
state legislature, and it was through his
influence that Lewistown was made the
county seat, as the main roads through
the county, north, south, east and west,
radate from the metropolis like spokes
from the hub of a wheel. This illustra-
ton is apt, for all communication be-
tween the towns OF the county ana with
the outside world is by means of stage
freight wagons carrying immense loads
and pulled at times by teams of from
twenty to thirty horses Stage lines
run regularly to Great Falls, Fort Ben
ton, Harlow, Billings and other towns,
most OF them daily, and there are stage
lines between the smaller towns of the
county and Lewistown. These stage
lines in favorable weather often make
100 miles in ten hours.
But the days of stage coaching in the
county are rapidly drawing TO CLOSE.
There is talk of a railroad everywhere in
the country, and down Harlow-way the
people around Garneill and Tibet almost
live on railroad anticipation day by day
from rising to setting of the sun. The
winter of their discomfort" will have set
come their way. The people figure there
that the railroad must come. or ought to
come, through the Gap" to get to Lew
istcwn. and coming through the Gap"
they can't see how it can miss them The
mineral development. and the coal mines
in particular, and the growth of the
stock ana sheep industry are without
doubt bringing the day of the construc-
ton of a railroad nearer to LeWistown.
The Montana Central has made a survey
into the country and the Great North
ern is expected to extend the Belt
branch this way in the course of the not
distant future. The Montana railroad is
said to be only another name for the
Northern Pacific. There is no doubt that
with the coming of a railroad LewistoWn
will grow to be one of the largest cities
of northern Montana and divide metro
politan honors with the city of magnifi-
cent distances over in Cascade county.
RIGHT IN POLITICS.
Fergus county went republican at the
last general election. and it usually goes
that way with about 200 majority. All
the county otficerS-elect are republicans
with the exception of the sheriff. a gem
ial democrat and good officer, who had a
majority of fourteen. The holdover
county officers are State Senator $. S.
Eobson, county commissioners, Samuel
Phillips, D. w. Slayton and ]. l. Corbly.
The commissioners elect, but who will
not take their seats until November Of
next year, are Samuel Phillips, W. t.
Neill and ]. B. Washburn. The new Of
ficers, who will be installed with the
new year are: Representatives w. a.
Hedges and Alex B. Lehman: Clerk Of
Court, Edmund Wright; Sheriff, T. NJ.
shaw: Treasurer. j. NJ Croft: Clerk
and Recorder, G. Nj. Kelly; Attorney, o.
w. Bal1en; Assessor, Donald Fowler;
Superintendent of Schools. Miss f. S.
PEBBLES: Surveyor, George NJ. Stafford;
Coroner, Dr.. 0. F. David Public admin
istrator, w. II. Mcfarland.
E. X. Cheadle, a leading attorney OF
Fergus county and one of the members
/ Of Company I of the First Montana Vol
! unteers. will succeed to the iudgship OF
the Tenth judicial district, comprising
/ Fergus Choteau and Valley counties, on
the first Monday of January.