The Bozeman courier., 1927-01-07

with it the plow, the moving ma
chine, the harrow, the binder and
all those other things which worked
together to transform the prairies
and valleys which had been wrested
from the native redman, into gard
ems, fields and meadows.
AS has been true of the history of
the nation, Montana's advance from
the primitive to developed in
dustry and agriculture, has been CO.
ordinate with the development of
transportation facilities. Thousands
of the noble pioneers came West Ov-
er the old prairie schooner trails in
the sixties; but, tens and hundreds
of thousands came when the 'steel
rails" had so magically shortened
the seemingly endless miles.
The Changing Scene
Out along the routes of these arteries of
the nations life, and even ahead Of the
"steel rails, new towns sprang up on the
plains and in the valleys; towns with shin
ing painted houses, churches and Schools
things hitherto unheOrd of in this cOun-
try. The frontier posts faded away. With
all of this, the doctors, lawyers, mer-
chants, and all the accessories and neces-
saries, swept into the settlements. The
color of the frontier became less pictur-
esque Yet, it was we'll, for homeless race
was being provided with a peaceful and
promising habitatiOn, and the interests or
American democracy were being adVanc-
ed.
All Of this followed closely in the wake
of perfected transportation methods. The
coming of the 'Steel rails" transformed
the wilderness to a garden spot The
"steel rails" made history. The story Of
any development generally discloses some
out to do the impossible and by accom-
plishing his purpose, opened the eyes or an
entire world In railroad annals, this man
was James J. Jim" Hill. In the seventies
and eighties when this indOmitable spirit
was planning and building the Great North
ern, his many ideas and plans were seofr-
ed at by the nations most eminent engln-
GERS. Yet Jim Hill did the very "im-
possible things, things his heart was set
upon. And, as a result, today, Northern
Montana is a developed empire, rich in the
fruits of agricultural and industrial enter
prise.
Welcoming the "Steel Rails"
The scene Is the southern bank OF the the
great Missouri river, and the time is the
afternoon of October II, 1887. Here, on the
towns waterfront there were as
sembled the few hundred inhabitants o.
the community to greet the steer 1a,,5 fadls ao
claim. The local editor, in mis- issue o.
that day had voiced the community re
iOicing over Jim" Hills solution 70 LneI
problem Of transportation. Surely 1t wa
= welcome sight to the man who handed
the throttle Of the first locomotive to en-
ter Great Falls. The Great Northern ha'
bridged the gap from Minot to the rams o
the Missouri, on its long trail to Helen'
and Butte.
James j. Hill
AstOr and his contemporaries were Tn
first giants Of commerce who yls1oned an
aDDreciated the unlimited possibilities tina
Law in the development Of the great North
west 1t was Astor and those VINO PAT
termed his enterprise, who opened a gree
highway of travel to Montana through Jh
use Of the steamboats, and the MlssOul
river The prime motive for this early
dav development was the fur trade. Ant
IL was at the time when this mammOt
Northwestern traffic in furs was on .
threshold Of its greatest accomplishment
that James J. Hill was born at the Vfllae
of Rockford, September 16, 1888.
Space does not permit the complete al
story Of this 'empIre builder" ;; yet, IL
n career with which every Montana yOuI
should be familiar, for it Is filled with II
siratiOn for any lad who wishes to succee
At the age OF five years, the boy-Jam'
Hfll-trudged through deep snow and ui
derbrush a distance Of two ana one-na
miles to school, and as soon as he had mac
his letters, he developed an avaricious nal
IL Of reading. He read everything In prh
that came to hands.
On the rough farm Of his father, be w