The National tribune., 1901-06-27
4 Talk With the New Montana Senator.


The Hon. Paris Gibson, the new Sem
ator elected to succeed the Hon. Tom
Carter, of Montana, has been East to at
| tend reunion of his class at Bowdoin
College, in Maine. In conversation with
a reporter for the Portland CMe) Press, he
said:
Not long after finished my studies as
| BOwdoin, l went West, there to live
ever since. | first went to what is now
known as Minneapolis, and after remain
| ing in that city for little over 20 years
L went IC Fort Benton, which at that time
was only trading post in Montana. Then
l went to Great Falls, and founded that
| city, which now has a population of about
10000. In this city is located the Boston
& Montana Copper Reduction Works. The
town was established in 1888 and 1884,
and up to that time it was entirely unoccu-
| pied James j. Hill, of the Great North
ern Railway Co., was my partner. The
| town made no special progress until late
IN the Fall of 81, when the Great North
ern pushed its way through to the Falls
of the Missouri. Since those days it has
been growing rapidly, until now it is the
second town in the State. 1t has n month
ly pay roll of about S350,000 There is a
tremendous energy from the falls of the
| Missouri River, which has $4,000 horse
power. 1t is surrounded by great mineral
u
and copper producing country, it is also
rich in other minerals. But there are other
| lines of business in which this part of our
! country is to expand within short timej
! steel and iron will be the next leading In
dustries of the State. The people of Mon
tana and of all the Rocky Mountain coun-
try are much interested in the growth Of
their country. They are especially inter-
ested in the reclamation of the arid lands
of the rans-AIisSOuri country, which are
capable of supporting a population Of at
least 50,0O0,0O0, provided that they are re-
claimed by storing the waters that annual.
| ly come down from the Rocky Mountains,
and conducting them over the plains, val
! leys and tablelands of the entire country
during the long summer months. This
great Empire of the Rocky Mountains is
worth vastly more to the manufacturing
districts of New England and the Middle
States than the possession of all the ISL
ands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The wealth of soil in the country west Of
the Mississippi River has been but slight
ly appreciated by the populous States OF
the East. 1t is not a country of shift
| ing sands, as was claimed by Mr.. Web
ster. It's soils are rich beyond those even
of the Mississippi Valley. Every dollar
expended in the reclamation of the arid
lands of our country will bring immense
returns. The entire far West country is
increasing steadily in population and
wealth.
| My last visit to Maine was 80 years
ago." continued the Senator, as he talked
interestedly of his old home. Last Sat
urday l arrived in this State and went to
my birthplace in Browntield. There is
marked change in the towns which has
| been produced ON account of the tourist
travel. What particularly attracted my
notice was the rapid growth of trees Of al
kinds, and l have been, perhaps, as much
impressed with that as anything that I
have seen. The pastures of my boyhood
are now covered with thick forests. The
| lumber business of Maine will always be
great and profitable industry. All of the
cOun- between Portland and the White
| Mountains is one great growing forest,
and the rapidity with which trees grow
! surprises me.
| Portland is the city of my bOyhood,"
| concluded the Senator.