Fergus County Democrat., 1912-12-17

Lewistown is the biggest little city
in the United States. This is fact
attested to by the thousands of visi-
tors from all sections of the country
who have occasion to visit the place
each year. What makes it so big are
the boundless resources and great ex-
tent of the territory which it serves,
the progressiveness of it's merchants
and business men, the loyalty OF Its
people and its matchless future. 1t is
the most rapidly growing city in the
state, it's bank deposits are larger in
proportion to the population than
those of any other city in the country,
the mercantile business done would be
a credit to a city three times the size,
and If there is "knocker" in town
he has been careful to keep his
identity hidden.
City That Does Things.
The 1910 government census gave
Lewistown a population of 1898, but
there are fully five thousand people
here now. At conservative estimate.
the population has increased one thou
sand In the past year and the COM
ing year is certain to show get great
er increase. Nineteen hundred twelve
has been year of really phenomenal
development in the city and yet 1t
would be difficult to find anyone here
who has looked upon this development
a. any other than as natural growth
Has Never Had Boom.
Lewistown has attained it's present
growth without ever having had to go
through the throes Of boom with its
Inevitable reaction. Its growth has
been steady, gaining momentum with
the development of the surrounding
country. This is the ideally healthy
way for city to grow. 1t is to be
expected that the town may expert.
ence a boom within the next few
years, but with the marvellous railway
activity and the consequent rapid de-
velopment of the surrounding territory
It will be possible to digest modest
boom without great deal of damage.
Story Of Progress.
During the year there have been
built in Lewistown more than one hun
dred residences, at an average cost
Of more than three thousand dollars
each. It has witnessed the construc-
ton of new $4,000 church, a 5000
public school building, a $4,000 high
school gymnasium, a magnificent new
apartment house with all modern con-
veniences, and more than one hum
dred thousand dollars worth of build
ings devoted to business purposes.
The aggregate cost of the new build
ings erected is more than half mil
lion dollars. The city has spent a
hundred thousand dollars in the re-
building of its waterworks system and
the beautifying of it's streets. Miles
of cement walks have been laid and
thousands of trees planted. All ar.
rangements have been made for the
paving of more than twenty blocks in
the business section and this impor.
tant improvement will be completed
before the end of another year.
Great Railroad Center.
One new railroad has been COM
pleted into the city during the year
and substantial progress made toward
the construction Of another. The rail-
road companies have spent hundreds
Of thousands of dollars right in or
contiguous to the city for terminal
grounds and rights of way. The of.
fetal announcements have been made
during the year that this Is to be q
divisional point on two great trans
continental lines and there are tan.
gible evidences that this Is destined
to become, In fact, the railroad CEN
ter Of the entire state of Montana,
with great round-houses, immense
yards, shops and other accessories of
leading railroad town, including a
great payroll, which shall steadily in
crease as time goes on.
Also Commercial Center.
The coming of the railroads insures
for Lewistown a high position among
the commercial centers of the north
west. The trade of the Judith Basin
alone will be sufficient to build here,
within the next five years, a city of
ten thousand people. But with such
transportation faculties as the city
shall possess, there will inevitably be
established big wholesale houses and
branch houses who, from this point,
will be able to ship, to the best pos
sible advantage, their goods into
every corner of Montana. This will
mean scores of hign-salaried man.
ayers and hundreds of clerks and
travelling representatives shall make
their headquarters here. 1t will mean
millions invested in warehouse facili-
ties and great numbers of new resi-
dences and vast increase in asses
rot ~0l1