The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1914-05-27
Commercial Club No<es

CIdI CIuO secretary to make
use of the local newspapers for the
purpose of keeping the people post
ed as to what is being done by the
organization. The of
Fort Benton have been generous in
vol %lnteering to afford me space for
Anything l may have to say in this
correction from time to time, and l
shall gladly avail myself of the privi-
lege.
it is most essential to begin with,
that the home people should take a
lively interest in the work that de-
wolves upon the Commercial Club.
That work-briefly stated-is the up-
building of the city along rational
! lines, and the development of the
country back of it. Every good citi.
zen has a personal interest in assist
/ ing in that work.
have been long enough in the city
to observe that Fort Benton has 4
Eoodly number of men of a fine public
spirit who have given time and money
for the common good, and who may
be depended upon to continue to do
so. That is a spirit that is worthy
of all commentator.
Having enlisted the interest of the
great mass of u people-as l hope
to be able to do-and having secured
their cooperation in ways that l shall
suggest from time 10 time in these
columns, the Commercial Club will
be in a better position to interest
outsiders.
That brings me to the chief bust
ness of a Commercial Club-to inter-
est immigrants in our territory and
to attract new industries to our city.
There is no state in the Union that
is attracting more widespread atten-
ton among home-seekers than Mon
tana; there are more people coming
into the state this year than to any
other part of the country.
1t is for us to see that we are not
overlooked, and that we get our due
proportion Of this tide of immigra-
ton. This we can best do through
an efficient Commercial Club that will
take advantage of every opportunity
OF giving wide publicity to the advan-
tages and resources of our CITY and
country.
am proud to have been appointed
secretary of the Commercial Club of
a city that holds such an honored
place in the history of Montana, and
am glad to live in a district of so
much natural beauty. One who has
lived on the bald prairie" for four
years can appreciate and enjoy the
proximity of the Missouri and the
friendly shadow of your trees. While
you are used to these natural advan.
tages and apt, perhaps, to give them
but little thought, l cannot but believe
that these same advantages consti-
tute n of the greatest assets of this
city and will be a large factor in the
future in inducing people to come
here.
had an interview with Mr.. H. 7.
hreuer OF San Francisco, who is put
ting the finishing touches to a hOuse
boat, preparatory to a trip down the
river.
Another gentleman will sail in a
few days in a less elaborate, though.
no doubt, equally seaworthy or rather
riverworthy craft. There are a great
number OF people who would delight
IN Just such a trip and who have the
mears and the leisure to answer the
call of the Wild. ] look to see a
great increase in the number of such
tourists who will make Fort Benton
their starting point, and this move
ment could be greatly helped. in my
opinion, by a little judicious advertis-
ing. Mr.. Breuer has kindly consented
to correspond with me, giving me
some account of his travels, and his
story will have due publicity, with a
view to attracting others to make a
similar trip. There ought to be suf-
flcient bodybuilding going on at Fort
Benton to create an industry of no in.
considerable importance.
In Europe the pleasure of house
boating has thousands of devotees.
For example, there is a muddy little
creek named the Thames that some
OF us have seen. and all heard of, and
there are as many households on it
as there are autos in London.
Jerome K. Jerome has a delightful
book entitled "Three Men in a Boat,
Ito say nothing of the dog,) which
gives some account of the pleasures
of a houseboat trip and which I can
recommend. Which reminds me that
Mr.. Breuer wants a dog on his trip
and would be glad to hear of someone
who would care to part with one.
] W an apology for the frequent
use of the first person singular in
these remarks, which are in a sense
Introductory. In future l shall con-.
fine myself to a simple chronicle of
what is going on in Commercial Club
circles. Meantime ! would like it to
be understood that I am at the SER
vice of anyone in town-whether a
member of the Club or not-in anv
matter of public concern. For in.
stance if you have a distant friend
who is interested in this section Of