Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-01-21
(By MRS. M. f. PLASSMANN)

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VVyESTERN cities were under
w discussion by a group of Sc
attic residents, their advan-
tages and disadvantages weighed,
the standard being, as was quite nat
ural, Seattle. AT length Great Falls
was mentioned, when one widely
Travelled man remarked: "Great
Falls! Oh, Yes! THAT'S the town
laid out like a checkerboard." What
else was said IN this occasion | have
forgotten. | was too greatly i'm
pressed by the strangers original de-
scription of the city whose growth |
had watched from its very beginning,
until now 1t has reached the stage
in its development when the begin
ming is becoming largely traditional.
There are others living in Great Falls
besides myself, who came when there was
no city In the mighty bend of the Missouri.
and the eagle still nestled In the tree grow
Ing on the little island at the Black Eagle
falls, yet 1t is painfully apparent that our
memories do not function alike. We are
not always In accord as to happenings.
Then there are the feature writer's, who
doubt the original townsite with log cabins.
There was but one log cabin In early day
Great Falls, and that was on the slope
south OF town. 1T was known as "The
Johnnie Woods Cabin"
Great Falls differs from most Montana
towns in several particulars. Its checker
board appearance was due to a far-sighted
plan, which provided, not alone for its
yesterday, but for Its present and future
growth. The city may spread to the High
woods. but still the avenues will all run
due east and west, and its streets north
and south from Central Avenue. 1t cannot
fail to impress a stranger with the fact
that 1t Is not the outgrowth OF an accident
such as the discovery of gold, later to be
abandoned, when the mines should fail but
a city planned for the permanency its
neighboring water power would surely give
to IL.
Another difference between Great Falls
and other frontier towns lay In the charac-
ter OF its pioneers. These are mainly
young men of education, who thoroughly
understood the possibilities the future held
In store for what was then simply q paper
project. They were willing to cast their
lot with the enterprise with the full ex-
pectation Of being amply rewarded for the
long period Of waiting necessary for its
development.
Their aid IN encouraging the growth of
the city consisted In the money they in
vested In lots scattered over the prairie,
and their ability as advertisers. With a
faith that never wavered, they doomed
Great Falls at a time when 1t took a vivid
ina gination to picture q town, where little
could lie seen except presumption shacks,
dry grass, q few clustered trees on the riv-
err bank, and quantities of underbrush.
Those who have been interested In Am
erican geneaOlogies have not failed to not
ice the numerous families descended from
one OF two or three brothers who came
over. Great Falls shows a similar re-
cord among Its earliest pioneers. There
were brothers William and Siias Beachley,
Herbert and Dell Chowen, Philip and The
dore Gibson, the two LaPeyres. Charles
and WIN Webster, and the Hugs, father
and son. The Jones family also had two
representatives at Great Falls, among the
earliest settlers.
Added to the foregoing, Doctors Sweat,
Fairfield, and Laid, Robert Williams,
Arthur Dickerman, Prof. Morrison, Mr..
Wren were about all, aside from Senator
Gibson and Mr.. Rolfe, who could answer
to the Great Falls pioneer rollcan.
When 1t became advisable to advertise
the town, there were plenty capable OF
furnishing manuscripts, but where should