Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-09-29
AMAZING
OF TREASURE STATE IS
ASTONISHING COUNTRY

40 1OO1N l. N
by Seth II. Maxwell, State Commissioner of Publicity
The late John X. Toole, addressing the Missoula Chamber of
Commerce in that city a short time before his death, said:
What is most needed is some sort of industrial survey for Mon
tana."
That remark started a movement which opened the eyes of the
men of affairs of the Garden City. Never, until the cold hard facts
stared them in the face, had they realized what lay before and about
them.
No citizen of Montana yet realizes what lies before and about
him. This state, which is destined some day to rank not lower than
fifth in population; which possesses area that makes it third in rank;
which probably will always lead in mining; which even now vies
with any in agricultural; with natural power resources that may
rank it first, within fifty years, in manufacturing this state is only
scratched and very few have learned much from the scratches.
There are 93,5S6,640 acres of land in Montana-665 square miles
more than Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware and Maryland COM
bned.
Ninety one per cent of the farms of the state are operated by
their owners-a feature in which Montana leads the entire union.
There are nearly 10000 farms of which 40 per cent or more are
lrrigahe. And this year, when all the land was complaining or poor
crops, Montana's were equal to, if not above, the ten year average.
Even when the population of Montana was so light that it might
have been one big family, the distances were os magnificent that resi-
dents of a given section rarely knew anything about the others.
Today, with development going on at an amazing rate. even men
of affairs cannot keep pace. An editor of more than statewide rep
utaton, who thought he had kept pretty close tab on Montana, had
occasion, not long ago, to make a tour of the state. He came home
and wrote a column of big items of whose very existence he had been
ignorant.
Montana is the last of the public land states. Even now, less
than one-eighth of the tillable area, it is estimated, is under the pillow.
The population at present cannot be far short of three-quarters of
a million people. The state will some day support ten millions. For
there are still no great cities. A community which has practically
all its development before it is surely the land of opportunity A
list of basic industries not yet represented in Montana would fill a
column.
Wages in Montana average the highest in America. Butte
leads the entire world, except a few obscure frontier towns. We
have no restitution and almost no resident poverty.
1t was only yesterday that the chamber of commerce, CONNER
chl clubs and like publicity and explotive agencies of Montana
could have been counted upon the fingers of one hand. Today, sur
very the amazing galaxy of live organizations, in charge of energetic
and capable men, whose sole purpose is to acquaint, first ourselves
and then the investing world, with our possibilities.
Dillon, in Beaverhead county, has a thriving commercial bureau.
Hardin. in Bighorn, boasts a chamber of commerce. Chinook, in
Blaine, has a commercial club. Broadwater has organizations for
publicity in Townsend, Toston and Radersburg. In Carbon, Red
Lodge, Fromberg and Joliet are represented on the list.
Cascade contributes one of the most powerful commercial clubs
in the northwest, under the able direction of A. J. Breitenstdn,
formerly secretary of the Montana state fair; and in addition in
this county, Cascade, Simms and Gilman have clubs. Fort Ben
ton, in Choteau, and Miles City and Ismay, in Custer, are represent
ed. Glendive and Circle, in Dawson, are alive to the issue and sup
port chambers. Anaconda, in Deer Lodge, has a business mems as
ISOLATION. Baker and Ekalaka, in the infant county of FaIon, are
in line with clubs. Lewistown, metropolis of Fergus, has a power
full chamber, and KalspeIL, Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Poison,
all in F1athead, are organized. Bozeman and Three Forks, in Gal
latin, and Drummond and Philhpsburg, in Granite, have chambers.
The comparatively new counties amaze by their enterprise in
this regard. Here is Hill with clubs at Joplin, Havre and Chester.
Jefferson, an old county but only lately coming into its own, is r
ganized at Boulder, Whitehall and Basin. Helena, of course, has a
powerful club and Augusta, also in Lewis and Clark, is represented.
Twin Bridges, in Madison, and White Sulphur Springs, in Meagher,
have come forward with clubs. Superior, in Mineral, is not outdone.
Missoula boasts a chamber as strong as any in the state, under
D. D. Richards. Roundup and Milestone, in Musselshel; Living
ston, Clyde Park and WilsaI, in Park; and Deer Lodge and ovando,
in Powell, have not neglected to form associations to advance the
communities. We find clubs of chambers in Hamilton and Darby;
in Ravali; in Plentywood, Outlook, Medicine Lake, Culbertson,
Poplar, East Scobey and Westby in Sheridan.
Butte boasts perhaps the pioneer organization, under 9. H.
Austin.
In Saltwater, Absaroke, Park City and Columbus are organized;
In Sweetgrass, Big Timber; in Teton, Conrad, Choteau, Waller and
Cutbank; in Toole, Shelby. Valley county amazes-it has clubs or
chambers in Glasgow, Nashau, oswego, opheim, Hndale and Glen
tana. But Wibaux is represented with a flourishing club in the coun-
ty seat, of the county name; and Yellowstone, closing the list, comes
through with chambers at Billings, Huntley, Laurel, Broadview and
Comache.
We all want to know what in Montana; what can be our share
and our proft-in developing it; and how to do it.
SNAKE BITE WITH VETERAN WORTH MILLIONS