Helena Weekly Herald

The West Side.
The rapid progress of the west side of Helena in the building of fine residences and domestic improvements can scarcely be believed except from actual observation and personal inspection. A visit to that eligible portion of our city this morning more than compensated for the trouble of the walk by the pleasure felt in seeing the new buildings and witnessing the enterprise and thrift of those who are improving this portion of our city.
Twenty or more dwellings can be counted under construction in the several additions on the west side. Among the most artistic and commodious is the brick dwelling of Mr. Isaac Greenhood, on Washington Avenue, now nearing completion. The house fronts the east and has a most beautiful prospect overlooking the broad valley and the active scenes around the railroad depot. The contractor for the carpenter work, Mr. Matt Tastevin, has done a fine job, and the contractor for the brick work, Mr. Griffith, after completing the house in the latest style of brick masonry, is now putting into the basement a Fuller, Warren & Co's Ruby furnace.
Mr. Neal, of the firm of Neal & Lawrence, is just completing another fine residence there, near the corner of Madison avenue and Lawrence street, that being higher up on the Mountain side has a grander view and fronts the east.
Another dwelling on Strawberry street, which is nearly finished in all the modern improvements, is being built by contractors Ketchem, Zastrow & Co. for F. A. Golding.
Near by is another building for Joe Moncrief, also a very comfortable dwelling fronting east.
The Mead brothers have each a new dwelling nearly completed on Madison avenue.
Judging from the dimensions of the foundation for the Hauser mansion it will be the most elegant building in the city, and the largest dwelling. The contractors, Messrs. Ketchem, Zastrow & Co. have just completed the barn on the property and it is finished in the latest style of modern architecture, and has red brick walls with Milwaukee brick caps and trimmings. With the fine residences of John H. Ming and D. A. G. Flowree already finished, with other elegant dwellings under contract, there is a decided boom in favor of the west side. The old portion of the city east of Last Chance, and that spreading out towards the depot will have to look to its laurels lest when the building season begins next spring its western rival will keep the advance.