Miles City Irrigating and Ditch Company

[[24 Jul 1889]] Dr. G. W. Ellis of Philadelphia was in the area visiting the "National Park" and being an investor for 3 years stopped by to see how his investment was doing. Similar projects have done well and it is a little disappointing that this one isn't finished to full length yet. He will inspect the full length and carry his report back to other eastern investors. After the inspection, he met with several people and it was discussed that while the part completed so far is satisfactory, it primarily transports water through a narrow valley to the reservoir at the south end of the wider Miles City bottom where the real benefit would be realized. While it would only take an additional 10% of what has already been spent to extend the ditch and gain a 500 fold increase in usefulness. To extend the ditch would cost an estimated $10,000 and the investors have offered to put up half of this sum if the enough other Miles City residents would invest the other half, but as has been so often the case for the entirety of Miles City's history, they balk. While it is true that the residents are not as wealthy as the eastern investors and the current local economy is bad (due to the cattle losses from the recent severe winters), the increase in property values would be worth it. The eastern investors have become discouraged over time and are more of mind to let the enterprise be sold to recoup what they can of their investments, rather than throw more money into the project.