Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-03-12
Man Who Has Helped Build an Empire

The mark OF the work OF one man is deep
in the state OF Montana. That man is
Paris Gibson. former United 5 ates senator.
one Of the builders of the northwest
Empire" In the battles Of finance and
the struggles against a savage country he
blazoned the way to the victory Of present
fortunes n the Treasure state
Senator Gibson was born at Brownsfield,
Ne. in 1890 was graduated from Bowdoin
college in 1851 and was elected to the legis-
lative assembly Of that state three years
later. In 1858 he came west To Mime apolis,
and. with a partner, built the first mer-
chant flour mill at St. Anthony falls, going
into the venture in the face OF the general
opinion that the competition Of the eastern
mills would prohibit successful milling
operations in the west-and that was the
commencement Of the great flour milling
industry Of Minneapolis. Later. with an
associate he established the North Star
wooden mills. whose products are today
known the world over Mr.. Gibson went
to Montana IN 1879 ard engaged in wool
growing. the region even then being noted
for it's annual output Of horses, cattle and
sheep and high-grade wool But when he
viewed the great falls OF the Missouri
that 90 tumbllng over prec' pitous cascades
| with an aggregate fall OF over 800 feet In
! five miles became familiar with the com
mercial and precious mineral wealth OF
| the neighborng mountains, found that the
bench lands were underlatd with thick
measures Of mineral and looked over mil
! lions OF fertile acres Of the mountain pla-
| teaus that stretch cast over 400 miles from
! the man range and north nearly 20 miles
| from the Bell mountains, he foresaw
great. rich and populous commonwealth az
/ - Fer,V
and the mountain abode Of the wandering
| prospector and trapper
! lie set about securing title to lands that
controlled the greatest available water
| power on the continent and secured ample
room in great elbow of the river for the
/ building Of an Industrial city and CONNER
! cal center. Having taken these initial
steps. he centered his enersies upon secur-
! ing transportation facilities in giving pub.
liclty to the resources that were lying
dormant and Of which nothing was gen.
orally known, and in interesting men Of
msau8 and Of broad and aoprec' alive con-
ception. and made an overland trip to St
Paul. where he represented the natural
wealth and opportunities offered by Mon
tanh, and especially of the great resources
assembled about Great Falls to ]. j. Hill
and with the resiAt that the railway
magnate became interested with Mr.. Glib.
Son in the building of the city Of Great
Falls and in the development of its water
powers and the resources Of it's tributary
country. Today, at 81 years, he has the
satisfaction OF seeing the ground he plated
when there was not one inhabitant covered
with handsome residences and commodious
and modern business structures
Mr.. Gibson demonstrated the faith that
was in him by extensively engaging in
bench land farming, maturing the system
of cultivation that is now called Scientific
farming" which conserves the moisture
and prevents evaporation, and for many
years produced successive and highly pro-
fitable crops OF wheat and the several
varieties Of grain, these proofs gradually