The Colored Citizen

Our Guests Wild With Enthusiasm—Crowds Bands, Flags and Fireworks.

The hospitable arms of Helena have been stretched wide open during the past few days and have received in their tender embrace, as only Helena knows how, the many thousand visitors who have been our honored guests.

Never has this lovely city looked fairer. Bedecked with flags and lavishly displayed bunting our massive business blocks were a picture pleasing to the eye. Our well-paved thoroughfares have been crowded from morn till night with gay throngs of lovely women and gay gallants, while elegantly equipped vehicles bore hither and thither their fair occupants. At convenient corners sweet music has been discoursed by the crack bands of this city and state.

All has been an enchanting whirl of pleasant excitement. Citizens have vied with each other in the endeavor to best treat our honored and welcome guests. Nothing has been too good for them. The keys of the city have been theirs—Everything gratis with a hearty will. As for our guests, words have been inadequate to express their admiration of our fine, massive and modern business blocks, our well-paved and clean streets, our excellent street car service, our model fire department, our efficient police force, our lovely residences with beautiful lawns, fountains and surroundings, the Broadwater hotel, park and natatorium, the commanding surrounding hills, the level out-stretching suburbs, the stately trees and foliage of our resident streets, our well sprinkled business thoroughfares, our lovely stores with tasty showy windows and well-stocked shelves, our substantial church edifices, our modern and elegant school buildings, our massive, elegant and modern court house, our impregnable and castle-like jail, our wholesale and retail business houses, our elegantly furnished banks, our commodious and modern hotels, our well-appointed restaurants, our gaudy and tasty sample rooms, our well-lighted streets, our pure and unlimited water-supply, our excellent telephone service, our conveniently-located and well-kept postoffice with its most efficient postmaster and assistants, including an unsurpassed carrier service, our home-like boarding houses, our capacious auditorium, well-appointed opera house and numerous halls, our public library, our club house and club rooms, our hack and cab lines, our progressive and solid business men, our efficient mayor and city officials and the general good feeling and princely hospitality of our citizens one and all. "Give us Helena for the capital," was on the lips of all.