Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-09-06
By EDWARD b. REYNOLDS

Of the century progressive business
men of Montana were predicting
growth for the little town of Bill
iings. In these last 40 years Bill
lings has more than fulfilled their
prophecies and is now the metrop-
oils of eastern Montana, holding
full rank with Butte and Great
Falls as the leading cities of the
Treasure state: Census figures for
1910 show Billings, third largest
city in the state, to be Montana's
fastest growing city.
Billings owes its position to its pro-
gressive citizens, who are known
throughout Montana for their willing
ness to go whole hog when backing
some project, that will mean the i'm
provement of their city,s status. This
lve-Wire tendency and enthusiasm.
coupled with the farsightedness of its
pioneer citizens who chose the location
Of the city, has meant much to Bill
lngs.
Today Billings is one of Montana's
most modern and beautiful cities. Its
stores carry the latest and most COM
plete stocks with the result that it
draws customers from a tremendous
trade area. 1t also Is one of the most
important stopping places for tourists
to that section of Montana and reaps
q great deal of profit from such
sources.
Important Wool Market
At the turn of the century Billings
was rated as the largest primary wool
Shipment of wool from Billings exceed
ed 1900, 600 pounds. The preceding
year the shipment was even larger.
However, in 1902. two million pounds
Of wool that was formerly shipped from
Billings was shipped from the Bur
lngton warehouse on the Cody, Wyo.
branch. Statistics for the three years
up TO and including 1902 show that
there was no other place that handled
50 much raw wool as was handled in
Billings. Today Billings remains the
important wool center of Montana with
almost half a million pounds of wool
sold at one auction alone at the first
Of August, 1910.
In the early part of the l900's large
numbers Of cattle were trailed to Bill
NngS from south of the MusSelshell
mountains to be shipped TO eastern
markets. Each year. too, large numbers
Of cattle from Texas and Old Mexico
we're trailed into the area surrounding
Billings to be distributed on the ranges
tributary to the town.
Pioneer farmers and ranchers at that
time were 1. D. ODonnell of the Hes
Der farm. w. o. Parker and Charles
King. c. M Blair was one OF the prin-
cipal sheepmen. The Custer Sheep COM
pany and the Snidow Sheep company
also handled large numbers OF sheep.
Each of these three outfits shipped
more than 100000 pounds of wool in
1902
Was Lively in 1902
An early day writer describes Billings
In 1902 as follows:
billings, the county seat OF Yellow
&c
lies: and thriftiest city of its size in
the state. 1t has population OF nearly
5000 and Is steadily growing. Its build
tgs are largely OF brick and stone and
have a substantial, modern appearance,
while the streets are broad and clean
and well kept. A modern electric light
station and water power plant keeps
the town we'll lighted and adequately
protected from fire Commercially, 1t
Is the largest trading center in Eastern
Montana
The town derives its patronage from
rich agricultural district and draws
trade from $50 miles north and fully
the same distance on the south, and
about rs miles east and west.
1T does not depend upon any one
Industry and is rapidly coming into
Prominence as a iobbing center.
The principal lines Of industry. are
the growing of wool, mutton, and beef.
Great stretches of wonderfully rich
grazing land lie on every side OF the
town, and any number of the most Ter.
tile farms in the state can be found
within few miles of the city.
The town Is built on an undulating
plain between high sandstone bluffs,
ana the great Yellowstone river, which
rises in the famous Wonderland flows
through the valley, watering the whole
Of eastern Montana and turning north
empties into the Missouri.
The portion of the Yellowstone val
ley Of which Billings Is the center has
the finest climate in Montana. The
Japan current, or equatorial river in
the Pacific, IS felt over the entire
state. There are occasional cold spells,
which rarely last over three days, when
The mercury drops lower than 20 de-
grees below zero, but in the dry air 1t Is
not felt so severely as zero weather in
the lake or Atlantic coast states, and
perature falls below zero in Montana.
The recorded mean temperature in
Montana is 48 degrees. The average
rainfall is 20 inches. The snow fall is
less than in New York or Ohio, except
IN the mountains. A day when the sun
does not shine is a rarity, and build
ing operations and work in the open
ar can be carried on in every month.
The elevation of Billings above the sea
level is 3,112 feet. The climate is un-
surpassed for healthfulnesS.
Had Modern Facilities
Billings contains the improvements
and advantages usually to be found in .
cities of $4,000 inhabitants. She has a
line modern sewerage system: water
works, with capacity of 100000 gal /
ons day. and IA miles of mains, cap
able of supplying a population of 5000
With pure, wholesome water; an electric .
lighting system, with night and day
circuit for light and power: local and
ong distance telephone exchanges: the
'est equipped fire department in the
n the northwest. 1t possesses the free
nail delivery, and the first rural free
delivery to be established by the post