The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-05-02
LEADS ALL OTHER CITIES IN
EASTERN MONTANA.
SHOWN BY OFFICIAL RECORD
Assistant Commissioner Of Statistical
Bureau Gives Out Some In.
teresting Figures.

W w.
some of them exceptionally SO, BIN
ings, however, leads all the other
cities of eastern Montana in the way
Of growth and improvements. Not
only has its population increased
ore rapidly than that Of any other
city east Of the Rockies, but in the
past year it has also expended more
money than any of the others for
public and private betterments. This
is the conclusion to which l.. p. Ben
edict, assistant commissioner of the
state statistical bureau, has come af-
ter an official visit to all Of the towns
and cities on the east side.
MI. Benedict returned to Helena
a few days ago and was interviewed
by a representative of one of the
newspapers of that city. He said
Bozeman, Livingston, Red Lodge, Bill
ings, Miles City and Glendive all made
remarkable progress during the past
year, but Notwithstanding the splen-
did showing made by each, Billings
is away in the lead. The aggregate
OF the improvements made last year
in the city, according to the figures
obtained by Mr.. Benedict, amounts
to $42S,7
Billings has had a remarkable
growth" said Mr.. Benedict. Last
year $228,9O0 were invested in resi-
dences in Billings. That is a remark
ably good showing, for it means a
large increase in the population of
the city. 1t is a significant fact that
by far the greater part of this sum
was expended in homes costing $4,000
and less. There was one $25, 1000 resi-
dence built during the year, that of
P. B. Moss; two that cost $4,000
perhaps; two that cost about $4,000,
with one or two costing $4,000 each,
but the remainder were less pretenti-
GUS structures, SO that the grand ag-
gregate means that there vas a very
material increase in the population
of the city during the year.
'In Billings last year business
blocks to the extent of $1,000 were
erected, while $4,000 were put into
public buildings. The new electric
light plant, together with some other
improvements of that character, rep
resented an outlay of $4,000; 100000
were expended on paving, $4,000 on
railroad buildings and $4,000 on
sewers.
Municipal Ownership.
AS the city has the right Of pur-
chase at the expiration of the present
charter of the water and light com
pany, it may not be amiss at this
time to give some of the conclusions
Mr.. Benedict came to in regard to the
matter of municipal ownership Of light
and water plants, a particular object
Of his trip having been to gather
statistics IN this respect. He found
only two cities owning one or both of
those public utilities. Bozeman owns
it's water works, while, Miles City
owns both the water and electric light
ing plants.
''The experience of these cities"
he said, Shows the advantages of
municipal ownership. Bozeman has
owned it's water plant three o. four
years, and the records show that it
saves $4,000 a year through its. own
ership. The water system at Boze-
man is one Of the best in the state.
There is an ample supply Of water
and the quality pf the water is GER
tainly as good as may be found any
where.
.'In Miles City, notwithstanding I'M
usual difficulties that have beset the
city, municipal ownership has proved
a success It is estimated that the
city has been saved $4,000 in the last
six years because of municipal owner
ship. The original company that put
in a water plant at Miles City depend
ed upon a system of wells to supply
the town. The water supply from this
source has never been adequate. Now
liz City, o1ACc WC4ulI1A6 &AO PAOAAe'
has v attempted to declare any
dividends, it's principal object always
having been to improve the service.
It has been decided to take the water
for the city out of the Yellowstone
river, and the plant will be altered so
that may be done. The city will then
hive an adequate supply spf water
assured 1t. R
THE municipal ownership" added
Mr.. Benedict. sis certainly growing.
1t is no longer confined to any party,
for I found in the towns I visited
strong advocates or it in all Of the
parties"
iWt N,S.1, i..1S~h1@ MA>A 1900 ~yA~tEn~- l