Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-01-16

The best attended meeting of bus
mess and professional men and prop
erty owners ever held in Lewistowr
was that convened at the city hal
Monday evening to consider the rail
road situation with reference to Lew
istown. Owing to the annual meet
ing and election Of officers of the Ju
dith club, which was held at the same
time. those interested were somewhat
slow in arriving, but they all arriv
ed in due season
Mr.. Smith States the object.
Alderman Frank E. Smith called
the meeting to order and stated It's
object. It was called by the city coun
Gil at it's last regular session, and al
the request of Mayor Pinkley who
, was kept away through a severe at
tack of rheumatism, he made the an
nouncement. Mr.. Smith said he felt
it was high time that some action
was taken toward securing one of the
roads that contemplated building
across this section for Lewistown. AS
yet, these enterprises were largely
matters of surmise. so far as the
general public was concerned. but it
was reasonably certain that the Great
Northern was going to build from
Great Falls to Billings, and that the
Milwaukee road was going to build
across the country somewhere. He
felt that the interests of this city
would be in jeopardy if these lines
should construct across Fergus, in
this vicinity, without coming to it..
1t would work great injury to it..
He had spoken to many citizens. some
OF whom were not yet awake to the
vital importance of the matter The
citizens should certainly make strong
effort to secure at least one of the
lines. 1t was true they might fail
in the attempt after all, but the very
least they could do was to make an
effort. They could appoint a COM
mittee to go over the whole ground
and secure sucn information as was
available, and ascertain just what was
needed. Some had said the Great
Northern would build spur to Lew
istown. A spur was not what was
wanted, yet there had been no posi-
tive assurance that even a spur would
be built. 1t was to consider all Of
these matters that the meetings was
called, and Mr.. Smith suggested that
1t might be well to effect an organiza-
ton.
An Evidence of Enterprise.
On motion of Tom Stout, Mr.. Smith
was elected chairman, and later W. J.
Edgecombe was chosen as secretary.
In responding to the chairmans call
Mr.. Edgecombe said that the various
reports as to the intentions of the
railroads were so complicated that It
was difficult to arrive at any conclu-
sion. yet he believed that an evidence
of the enterprise and push of the COM
munity would, in itself, be something
that the officials OF the roads would
consider, and he considered this move
ment timely. This was one of the
most favored portions of the state,
so far as natural resources went, and
ali that was needed was the money
to develop them. The way to accom-
plish this was to bring in railroads
and capital. Bert d'Autremont, who
recently returned from trip to Mis-
soula and Butte, stated that wherey-
er he had been, he had heard favor
able comment regarding Fergus couri
ty and LewistOwn. What he had heard
with reference to the plans of the
railroads was conflicting, but he
thought the plan outlined here could
only result in good.
Was Business Proposition.
o. w. Belden was next called upon.
and said that on his recent visit To
Helena he heard much about the rail.
roads. He gathered at Helena that
the plan of the Milwaukee was to
build along the Musselshell and on by
White Sulphur and then to Diamond !
and on to Helena. He had also heard
hat the Great Northern was going to
)uild through by Philbrook The rail-
'oads were cold blooded institutions,
Ind must be approached on the busi-
less side
IF we can show them" said Mr..
3elden, that We can make it busi-
less consideration to come here, they
will come. "He had heard there was
deal on between the Montana rail-
Dad and the Milwaukee by which the
after was to be absorbed by the FORM
#. These things were largely in the
llr, yet ne believed that unless the
'lans of the companies were for trans
Continental lines. and had been al
eady arranged, something might oe
one to improve the situation so far
s Lewistown was concerned, and he
'as with the people in any such move.
Chairman Smiths Warming.
Chairman Smith said the remarks
howed the necessity for action. III
hese lines should build within Is or
0 miles OF the city and not come to
/, it would depreciate the value of
roperty here so per cent.
Charles Morton expressed his strong
esire to aid the work in any way.
hen it had been determined lust
hat was necessary.
Great Northern's Plan Fixed.
Halsey r. Watson said he had it. on
ood authority that the Great North.
ms plans were absolutely fixed, and
nat they could no more change them
lan they could change the direction
the wind. but that something could
cry likely be done with the Milwau-