The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-03-02
CHESTER IS BOOMING.

CHESTER IS BOOMING.
Hundreds Of New Settlers Make It
Important Business Center.
The large. deleg alton Of members of
the Fort Benton Commercial club that
accompanied the campaign committee
on' it's visit to Chester, returned Sun.
day With a glowing account of condi-
lions 10 that part Of Chouteau county.
Hundreds of new settlers have located
in the vicinity of Chester since last
fall, and additions to their number
are being made daily, insuriug to
Chester q rapid growth in population
and wealth and making It q business
center of promising proportions. Doz-
ems of new buildings have recently
been completed, and several others
are in process Of construction, some
intended for residences and others for
business purposes. The recent sale
of q town lot IN the business district
for 81, 500 IL an instance Of the conf.
dence of investors in the permauence
of present prosperous conditions.
The Fort Benton visitors arrived At
Chester early Saturday morning. and
we're warmly welcomed by . bunch OF
locators who thought they we're one of
OF the usual crowds of l~andseekers.
Upon esta blishing their identity. how
ever, they were given as cordial q re.
ception as II they proposed to become
permanent residents of Chester, and
we're escorted to the various business
houses by q committee of the Chester
Commercial club. The Fort Benton
visitors included Messrs. David G.
Browne, T. A. Cummings, Jere Sui
Ivan, G. W. Crane, Frank McDon'
aid, A. J. Schmidt, ]. s. Brown, G.
W. Morrison, H. ]. Wackerlin, D. G.
Lockwood, Alex Barley, w. K. Rar-
Der, E. F. Sayre, Oscar Johnston, J.
]. McGraw, Geo. L. Overield and
Frank J. Curtis.
A public meeting had been called
for 3 o'clock at Weldy's hall, to die
cuss the county seat removal question
and other matters, and at the hour
designated about . hundred people
gathered At the meeting place. The
proceedings were opened by Presiden,
]. J.. DUNCAN, of the Chester Com
mercial club. naming B. B. Weldy "a
chairman OF the meeting, and Mr..
Weldy at once assumed the duties OF
that position. The chairman called
the meeting to order and announced
that the program would begin with q
musical solo by Mrs. Weldy, with
piano accompaniment, q feature tha,
was very much enjoyed by the audi.
ence. After some appropriate intro
ductory remarks by the chairman,
the views of the Fort Benton delega'
ton we're presented in short addresses
by Jere Sullivan and w. K. Harder
who called attention to some features
of the county seal question that hac
not heretofore been presented for the
consideration of the taxpaying resi-
dents of that part of Chouteau coun'
ty. The speakers were given respect
full attention, and at the close of theil
remarks there was an informal dis
cussion and exchange of views among
members of the audience, which con
tributed materially to a better under
standing of the subject. A Telegram
having been received from q delega'
tion OF Chinook citizens, stating tina
they we're coming to Chester on a de
layed train, caused an adjournment
of the meeting to seven O'Clock.
The Chinook visitors arrived abou'
5 p. M, the delegation consisting o.
Julius Lehfeldt, H. j. O'Ranlon. A
W. Ziebarth, L. N. Beaulieu, F. D
Boyle, Mis- Petersen and Jane.
Furchtbar. They we're given u heart!
and noisy greeting as they steppe.
from the train to the depot platform.
The evening meeting was something
OF the nature of q lovefeast, enliveoet
with several musical selections by tn
Prairie Inn orchestra. Charm az
Weldy presented to the meeting u let
ter from A. S. Lohman, of Chinook
in which the writer expressed regre
that be was unable to attend, and CAV
strong and convincing reasons VIII,
the proposed removal of the county
seat should not be encouraged. Tn
rapidly changing conditions sugges
that desirable county sea- location
will soon be available in variou,
parts of northern Montana.