The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-12-22

HORT BENTON, the oldest settle
ment in Montana that ever be-
came anything more than a trad
ing post, is the richest own per cap
tia in the United States, and which
means the world. Its bank vaults are
fairly choked with money. They con-
tain enough to give every man, wo-
man and child in this happy commu-
nifty $4,000 each.
Fort Benton was formerly the head
of navigation on the Missouri. This
was in the days when all the west
was young, and the great state of
Montana had not come into being.
1t vas the home of the cattle baron
il the free range days, and is still
m of the great beef producing CEN
tiers of the state. Now the country
side around it is growing wheat, and
lots of wheat at that.
Now Fort Benton is expending a
considerable sum in improving her
self.
Along the bank of the Missouri
where the Indians who came to trade
formerly pitched their tents and by
the three or four portions of adobe
wall still standing that mark the site
of the old fort, a great Nhite way"
has come into existence and is being
rapidly extended.
go New Electrolier Posts
Now Being Installed.
Seventeen el%ectroliers set up two
Or three years g by the merchants
are being refitted for more powerful
lights and 60 new electrolier posts
are being installed. The lighting dis
trict includes all of Front street along
the river, comprising ten blocks. The
lamps are of the same type as has
been installed in the residence and
business districts of Helena, Anacon-
da and Great Falls.
For seven blocks Front Street is
being parked in a manner hat will
make it one of the most attractive
~boulevards in the west. This work
alone, with the planting of grass and
trees and the digging of irrigation
bitches, is to cost $4,000. Hereafter
Fort Benton will have the substantial
the best built portions of any town OF
$4,000 or $4,000 population.
$4,000 Being Spent
For Walks and Curbs.
Nine miles of sidewalk and curbing
are being put in at a cost OF $4,000
while $27,0 900 is being spent for paw
ing and $4,000 for grading The
new sewer system is to cost $4,000
and the street lighting system $4,000
The effulgent light from the score:
of electroliers is reflected from the
waters of the river, which here broad
en- out and flow more slowly and ma
%jestically than elsewhere along tn
upper waters of the Missouri. The
glow brings into relief the grea
bridge that spans the stream at Thu
point and the abandoned steamer
the ''Baby Rose'-that has it's bert
at the bank close to the doors o
one of the towns leading hotels. .
the new .electrplier posts 26 bea1
three lights, II five lights and tn
rest one light of 100 candle power.
New Pavements of Highest
Tyne Used in Montana.
The new pavements are of tn
highest type used in Montana-two
mel Bitulithic on a five-inch con
crete base. Montana materials ar
being used largely in the improve
ments and the contractors and en
gineers are Montana men. All TN
work except the street grading an
sewer system is being done by tn
Two Miracle Concrete corporation q
Great Falls. C. H. Kelley of Kalis
pell is doing the engineering Wor
including the installation Of the sew
er system, while Gerharz, Jaquet
mpa of Great Falls is doing tn
grading. -,
For the last two or three years tn
general stores, lumber dealers, a
ware houses and other mercantile e.
Establishments have carried their GU
toners in the aggregate of betWee
%$5OO,OOO and 100000 The clt
is the geographical center of the Obi
Grass country formerly exclusive]
occupied by stockmen.
Stockraising Is Still
Important Industry.
~Stockraising is still an importal
industry especially in the neart
Highwood mountains and herds
cattle are still driven through II
streets. but now this vast area trip
tary to Fort Benton is being gradua
ly put under the pillow and is produ
ing abundantly
With the automobile and farm il
plement dealers of Fort Benton 1T
not a question of how many sales CO
be made, but of how o they CO
get the shipments in to meet the d
mand. With the farmer it is a que
ton not of how much wheat he n
raised, but of how soon he cap e
the elevator to receive his load.
This flourishing OWN is the dire
continuation of the old trading pc
founded under the auspices of t
American Fur company in 1S43