Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-03-14
Jim tGlPs Railroad Brought Hope of Wealth to
Montana Hamlets; Lots Sold Like Hot Cakes
BY WHCHEY

Over 50 Year, ago = great mAgi-
clan ruled In northern Montana.
HIS domain was that section Of
the state which b now traversed
His name, . household word, was
James J. Hill, premier railroad
builder Of his time. When he
smiled. robaSt towns sprang into
being; when he frowned, saGebrush
grew on sites that sought his
town-creating favor.
It was in the golden days when Hill
was spending millions in the construc-
ton Of a railroad across the western
half of this continent and. incidentally,
Montana.
The railroad magician had but TO
touch some spot with his magic wand
and indicate that 1t was his will that
the place pointed to was to be town
or city. and the investment public,
watching his every movement. would
do the rest. Townsites would be plot
ted, lots would sell like hot cakes,
realty values would soar and business
houses would spring into being over
night. They were great days and many
fortunes were made by those in favor
OF the railroad builder. to whom 1t
was all game.
stock Fattened on Range
Before the coming of Hill and his
navvies and the railroad that they
built, Northern Montana was range
country. The only industries of any
consequence that flouriShed In that
section of the state were those of the
fockmaster and the cowman. Vast
herds of cattle and countless flocks
OF sheep graZed and fattened on the
open range. To take care of the physi-
cal needs of these men little settle
ments had come into existence in the
north. With the prospect of railroad,
every one of these hamlets had, in
the minds Of the traders and store
keepers who made up the scanty pop
ulation, the possibilities of metropoli.
Men who had gone out into the will
derness and had proved up on land
adjacent to these hamletS saw dancing
before them the phantom of hope ana
quick riches. Hill was the overload Of
the destinies of these places. His will
was law with the Great Northern, and
when he would put his finger on the
map of northern Montana and say, in
n voice that reached from st. Paul
to the coast. build town here" the
thing was done, and the hopes of cen
tiers on either side of the chosen spot
vanished into thin air.
Great Falls Is Monument
In the matter of city making, Hills
greatest achievement is Great Falls.
IL Is q growing monument 10 the SOUL
Of the empire builder that has passed
and to that of his associate. Paris
Gibson. that will last for all time. In
this case there were no rivals. 1t was
natural that Hill and Gibson should
pick site for city at the confluence
OF two large rivers, with almost un-
limited potential waterpower possible
tiles from the falls of the Missouri
river. and other natural advantages.
The story of how Gibson, the boyhood
friend Of Hill. induced the railroad
builder to make the long journey over
land. look over and approve of the
site selected for the city of Great
Falls, and start building his railroad
towards it. is an old one and familiar
to the average Montanan.
This building of cities and towns had
its tragedies and heartburnings. as
well as its triumphS. Here is one of
them. The late Robert Mains learned
from what he considered inside sources
Of information that Hill had picked
a spot near the town Of Lehman, a
few miles west of Chinook. for d.
vision point. So he went to this section
and bought up all the land around the
settlement for song.
Refused WhistlinE Post
Then Hill had to come to him to
negotiate for the purchase Of the
TOWNSHIP. Mains was obdurate and
asked what the railroad builder con-
sidered a prohibitive price. Hill de-
cided to teach Mains, and all who
might aspire to follow his example, a