The Kevin review., 1926-08-19
LAST CHANCE
CONTINUED from Feature Page)

NC0ASAAaO0 AiOAA Ecdbure Pagel
capital up to Helena, the county town Of
Lewis and Clark county. After the wagon
boss had loaded his teams he left When
the train reaches Helena, it is hoped that
mass meeting will be called. when Souire
Wade can deliver an Grafton on How He
Done IT."
The Montanian, another Virginia
City publication, giving an account
of the same piece of news said The
property was loaded into prairie
schooners.
This train of Colonel Broadwater's
Diamond "R" company experienced
hard trip. 1t passed Gaffney's on
the Sth and travelled by way of the
Crow Greek divide. 1t was at
Radersburg on the 18th, and, after
battling heavy roads, reached Helena
on the 14th. The valuable Territor-
ial property was at once stored in the
Blake building on Broadway. Colonel
Galloway, the then acting governor,
Governor Potts being absent from
the Territory, arrived in Helena on
the 18th, and thus was the capital
moved from Virginia City to Helena,
just eight years after the battle had
begun.
An appeal was taken from the de-
cision of the territorial supreme
court by the Virginia City faction to
the supreme court of the United
States, but on motion of r. T. Mer-
rick, this was dismissed; and the
curtain was rung down on the scene
of hostilities, leaving Helena quite
secure in her new acquisition
The Election of '92
The controversy over the perman-
ent location of the seat of government
did not, however, close until after
Montana had been ushered into
statehood. Following the constitu-
tional convention the question again
was presented, and was only settled
after free-for-all fight in which sew
en- cities participated, and which de-
veloped into one of the most hum
orous campaigns in the history of
the commonwealth. Incidentally, at
this time, Helena came very near to |
losing her costly priced possession,
for her final majority over the city of |
Anaconda was but 1906 votes.
The question, which arose in the
constitutional convention was refer
red to the electors at an election held |
in 1892. Old Virginia City had been
forced out of this running due to
her geographical location in relation !
to developments which had taken |
place in the intervening years, but |
six cities entered the race against |
with the following result:
Anaconda, 1913; Boulder, 295;
Bozeman, 1855; Butte, 7,752;
Deer Lodge, 983; Great Falls, 5,042;
Helena, 14,010.
The final question was then re-
,erred to the general election of
1894, and with the panic of 1898
having served to dampen the ardor
# financial supporters, this final
,ampaign was comparatively tame.
This final contest came on Novem-
)er 6, 1894, and the result was:
Tor Anaconda, 25,118, and For Hell
ma 27,024. A provision in the state
made the winner of this
onteSt permanently the capital of
1ontana, providing that two-thirds
majority of the voters of the state
would be necessary to move the seat
f government.
Thus, today, we find, majestic on
he sloping rise that leads up Helena
fountain, Montana's imposing Capt.
OIL. From it's windows, there opens
p view that is unexcelled in any
ountry or cline. The skyline is 4.
orizoned by the beauteous ranges of
he Rockies. In the valley of the
foreground the man-made business
1structures rise from the very (
round where John Cowan first un-