Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-18
IN Ear Lay Narrative Of Great Falls As Related bu Pioneers
OF This Region and Sketch OF Life Of Senator Paris Gibson
Details Told BY William Albrecht First Furniture Mer-
chant in Great Falls Of the Earlier Stages OF This
When Everyone Struggled to Keep Alive

Wnen EU(
BY BOB WARDEN
In the days when the abbreviation Of
Montana was IN r." instead Of
''Mont.," and conditions in Great Falls
were quite similar to those in Stanley
cartoons, 1.-THE Old Home Town,
there were few people here, but those
few looked forward to as great future
as we now do for the city as is shown
in the prophecy of the former Great
Falls Water Power & Townsite Co.
The 1887 city directory says the popu-
Iation of Great Falls was 100 on July
Is, 1885, and more than 10 times that
two years later 1900 on July 10,
1887. An official census of this city
taken in March 1898, accounted for
10000. In the latter directory the pop
1S0697 gives the population of Great
Falls as 1920 and of Cascade county
10000 persons and the directory Of
ulation of Arlington, Belt formerly
called Pittsburgh, Cascade, Cora,
Evans, Geyser, Hardy, Kibbey, Log
ging Greek, Mid-Canyon. Millegan,
Monarch, Riceville, Sand Coulee, st.
Peters, Sunnyside, Sun River and
Truly also is given. Sand Coulee then
had population Of 800 and Belt, 700.
In the Great Falls directory Of 1887,
there were 40 advertisers. In 1898
there were 429 names in the classified
business directory, and in 1869,
there were SO advertisers and 518
names in the classified list
Assessed Valuation Grows.
In 1889 the assessed valuation of
Great Falls was $1,688,OOO and ST.
850,22O in 1892. Thus with a growth
in population nine times that in 1887,
the assessed valuation was nearly six
times that of the same year before In
1895, the assessed valuation was &c.
$50, 1888 and the rate Of taxation, 10
mills on the dollar. The bonded and
floating Indebtedness then was $780,
S17.84 and from 1896 to 1899, the fol-
lowing table of expenditures was ex-
acted:
Ordinary and departmental
Genera, Improvements,
sewers, parks, paving,
Special improvements,
sidewalks, lateral sew -..
ers, ETC., ............... 1O7 1926
4oLdi ......... .9IUA,U5U.O-
In 1895 100000 was spent for the
erection of public school buildings. 1t
was then boosted that Great Falls had
a modern school system and system
of qualifications that made the ped
agogical staff rank with the best in any
locality. Professor s. d. Largent the
present superintendent of city schools,
was listed in the 1896 directory under
the title as principal of public schools.
The board of trustees in 1895 COM
prised Ransom Cooper, chairman,
Charles H. Redpath, Oliver NJ. Holmes,
B. ]. Boorman, George A. Poole, 8. B. {
0. S. Warden and A. r.
Garfield, clerk. 1t met twice a month.
In the same year there were 80 bust
ness blocks registered, the Columbus
hospital, 26 secret societies, three mil
tary organizations, clubs, % labor
lnions, halls and IA churches.
Direotorys Preface.
The following is the introduction to
he city directory of 1887. Several in
eresting facts are revealed and it
'hows what the people thought of
Great Falls that day.
Great Falls, the future metropolis
t the northwest, the city of wealth and
plendor, is situated In Chouteau
ounty, Montana, on the Missouri river,
t point ITO miles almost directly
orth Of Helena, and is in the very
cart of the richest grazing and agricul-
ural lands of the country.
"At the first view of the beautiful
one experiences a thrill of
eight and gazes with awe and admir-
tion at the unbounded regions of
'ealth, while the weary emigrant as
9 slowly traverses the country in his
eavy wagon, is filled with glowing Wis
ms of prosperity hitherto sought for
vain. The river at this point, bound
e the city on the west, is, lined on
ach side with beautiful shade trees
I'd fine velvety grass which renders 1
a perfect garden Of nature. This is
vided into drives and parks, where
easure seekers may pass many !
ppy hour. Beyond this the land rises
| a gradual slope to the business por-
IN of the city where block after block i
magnificent stone and brick build (
81 are being erected.
When We take into consideration d
at two years ago this city was merely IS
little settlement, the growth and i!
ogress it has made is surprising, we n
mot say wonderful" for what is "a
ere to wonder at after considering n
. unparalleled advantages the sur n
anding country offers which is daily h
ticing enthusiasts to it? n
Early Industries. II
Already there are two saw anu II