The Ronan pioneer., 1917-02-02
PARIS ClBS0N'S
HOPES REALIZED

PREDICTED YEARS AGO THAT
STATE COULD SUPPORT BIG
INSURANCE COMPANY,
Senator Who Was Prophet of Dry
Farming and Foresaw Agricultural
Development Of Montana Has Won
Another Triumph With Growth of
Rocky Mountain Fire Company.
1t has not been the lot of many
men who have fathered great ideas
to live to see their hopes realized or
on the eve of realization, but such
has been the good fortune of Paris
Gibson, 1.-The man who looked ahead
Years ago Senator Gibson declared
to incredulous representatives OF
the stockraising and mining interests
then dominant that Montana was
destined to become the greatest agri-
cultural state in the union. There
are few who can doubt today that
this is coming to pass. Senator Glib
son was also one of the pioneer ad-
when it was laughed to scorn along
W1lu c4ud1 oull1d6C anu OIACl uOD-
bies."
In his earlier days the senator
lived in the Twin Cities and he con-
structed the first flour mill in Min
neapolis. When Paris Gibson came
to Montana he was the first to con-
ceive the manufacturing possibilities
other leaping water courses OF the
| pnfnrn hn
wont to aver, Montana would not
only be among the great wheat pro
ducing states of the union, but its
. cities would acquire reputation at
milling centers, producing floul
equal in quality to the nations best
The figures issued recently by thu
chief grain inspector at Helena show
this dream, too, is rapidly approach
: ing realization.
Shade of Alexander Annoyed.
The rise of the city of Great Falls
founded by Senator Gibson, to sec
ond place among the cities of Mon
tana, is another of the dreams come
true Herein the senator may be
supposed to have aroused the envy
of the shade of Alexander the Great
who founded the city of Alexandria
the grain emporium of Egypt, for nc
Great Falls man or woman can be
5 found who will admit that Alexan
dria, which reposes alongside the
t sleepy Nile, has anything on Grea
9 Falls, the speedy mate Of the sWif
: Missouri.
r And in this city founded by thu
e senator are the head offices of ye
e another of the senator's dreams, nov
= healthy and fast growing reality
: This is a great insurance company
= one OF the largest in the northwest
: established with Montana capital bu
j. already, within six years OF it's in
n corporation and four years since ]
r began to write policies, doing busi
y ness in five states. This is the Rock
S Mountain Fire Insurance company, o
r which Paris Gibson was the frs
president, and of which he has be
come the chief officer. The volum
of this company's business has in
C creased nearly $2,00O,O00 within tn
. past year. Senator Gibson's conf
dence in the opportunity in Montan
- for a home insurance company wa
y inspired largely by what he had Oh
. served of the fortunes of the St. Pau
'. Fire and Marine Insurance company
- which was reorganized in the earl
u sixties while he was yet residen
- - of Minnesota. At that time Mime
~ sofa had a population of less tha
- $50, 900, but today the st. Paul Fir
!, !, and Marine is one of the big com
~ ~ panies of the west
- Hail Insurance Feature.
n While the Rocky Mountain
known as fire insurance company
large share of it's bushes
n is in hail insurance. In fact, durin
n the past year the hail insurance pai
out far exceeded the indemnity fo
fire losses.
Stockholders of the company ar
to be found in every part of the stat
and they include number of tn
states foremost citizens. Anon
them are Senator r. j. Walsh; w.
Holloway, associate Justice of the 81
preme court, director in 1915 ar
= 1916; C. E. Sprinkle, of Chinoo
one of the wealthiest sheepgrowe
u in the northern part of the state;
f. Lepper of Flatwillow, Ferg1
county; Dr. j. M. Scanland, superb
n: tendent of the state hospital for tf
insane at Warm Springs; John v
e. Blair, president of John w. Blair
20. Co., bankers of Helmville, Powe
ed county; Martin Barrett, pione1
H. ranchmen of Dillon; Dan TeWe
formerly of Butte, now or Ra(
n Track, Powell county, pioneer not
so man; w. r. Worthington OF Glel
". dive, interested in a chain of store
te throughout the state; George n
th Cox, president of the Commerci;
National bank at Bozeman; w.
he Smith, manager of the Montar
ur Flour Mills company; ]. c. Gregor
cashier of the Traders State ban