Old Missoula

In Realty Circles.

The Advancement of Missoula an Assured Fact.

Enterprises Projected Which Will Be Carried Out – Increase in Value of Real Estate.

The “unearned increment,” – a phrase which philosophic writers on economic questions are very fond of using – simply means the increase of value in a piece of property which occurs without any commensurate labor on the part of the owner, and which is due to its favorable situation to adjacent industrial development. Thus, if a piece of ground is worth so much today and by reason of the passage of a great railroad is worth twice that much next month, the difference is the unearned increment. The writers tell us that it is unearned because the owner has done no labor to earn it. Who loses the difference these writers fail to say, but they condemn these unearned increments as illogical and all wrong. This may be true, but it does not alter the fact that it is very pleasant to have a few unearned increments lying around ready for use in case of emergency, nor the further fact that without the assistance of the unearned increment everybody would be doomed to work for wages till ready for the poor house and such a thing as developments of new countries would cease, to say nothing of a decided lull in the marriage license business.

MISSOULA TO THE FORE.

All of this is preliminary to the statement that there are probably more unearned increments in Missoula than at any other one point on the face of the globe. Of course they may be similar snaps in the heart of the wilderness in Central Africa or at the north or south pole, where great mines are perhaps to be uncovered and great industries started, but by the time you find these and develop them the resulting increment could hardly be called unearned. Here in Missoula the case is different. All you have to do is to invest your pile and the coy unearned increment is yours. It is not like gambling either, for in that business you cannot win without somebody loses. The unearned increments in this vicinity have occurred, are occurring and will occur from the successful working of enterprises which make their owners and inaugurators rich. The Northern Pacific railroad has not built its cut-off to the Coeur d’Alenes through any philanthropic tendencies, but to make money, and it is not deterred by the incident that the enterprise is making unearned increments for holders of Missoula realty. A number of such enterprises is what promises enough unearned increments to go around two or three times with plenty to spare. The road in question, to be opened in May, will have the effect of throwing to Missoula a large amount of trade of all kinds which now goes west via Spokane. With the rapid development of

THE COUNTRY’S RESOURCES,

which this road will cause, the trade will be greatly increased over its present volume and Missoula will be right in the path of its travel. The road, although opened in May, will be standard gauge only as far as Coeur d’Alene lake, so that, although it is finally to be widened all the way, the trade will be flowing irresistibly this way before it is undertaken and after the change is made will continue so to flow.

The Missoula & Northern, leaving the main line at Ravalli, will run to Flathead lake, and this is another developing enterprise of which Missoula will get the direct benefit. Up in that region is room and plenty of it for great cities, immense farms and ranches and other enterprises, and these are now being started. One reason why the Flathead country is likely to be the place of rapid development by heavy capitalists is that it will be seen and appreciated by a class of people who have money to invest and know a good thing when they see it. This is due to the fact that the Flathead lake region abounds in game of a sort which will attract large numbers of eastern sportsmen and make of it an attractive summer resort. In this way quicker than any other the fame of the region will go abroad to all corners of the earth.

The electric railroad for the city of Missoula is an assured fact, but Mr. Fairchild says frankly that while the plans are all ready to let the contract within the present month, nothing will be done should the bonds for the bridge across the river fail to pass. That the bonds will pass, however, there is but little doubt. The road when finally completed will cover the city

IN ALL DIRECTIONS,

but the first portion to be built will probably be in South Missoula. The first piece of work will probably be running the line east on South Third street from a point near the river to Garfield street and then south. Another projected line is from the same point to Orange street, then south to Stevens avenue, and along Stevens avenue to Middlesex. Another route is down Myrtle to South Fifth street and then east. As stated before the contract will be let during the present month and work will begin within the next three months, and cars running over a considerable portion of the line before the end of the year. The building of the road in the old town north of the river will probably come last as the distances here are comparatively short. In the old town of course the railroad station will (sic) of the objective point. The road will be so built that extensions can be made to the system at any time as the growth of the town demands.

At the real estate offices business is reported as picking up noticeably and the beautiful weather has done much to increase the activity. The building of the electric road this summer and the putting in of sewers will of course fill the city with workmen and make all things lively. It may be interesting to know, as stated by a dealer yesterday, that during the past two months more town lots have been sold in Missoula than in either Helena or Spokane. Very little, too, of the purchases have been speculative and today in Missoula the supply of houses to rent, and of furnished and unfurnished rooms is not equal to the demand. This is the state of affairs at the very beginning of the season and before business has really begun.

The above article appeared in the Missoula Weekly Gazette on April 8, 1891.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/349598258

An early franchise for an electric railroad was passed by the city in March of 1892. Frank Higgins, George Higgins and W. H. Houston received this franchise. Land was purchased in 1892 to build a dam in Hellgate canyon to provide power for the Electric Light company, but the Missoula river flooded in June of that year, putting these plans in limbo. The river flooded again in 1894, causing a lot of damage.

Missoula had to wait until 1910 for electric street cars to come. Senator W. A. Clark’s new Bonner dam, finished in 1908, furnished electric power for the new rail system.