The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-05-12
BUTTE AND VICINITY.
Correspondence Neu NORTH Fess.

Correspondence Neu NORTH Vest.
BUTTE, May s.-One week ago to-day it
was decided by q majority Of the voters resi-
dent In Butte to intrust the management OF
city affairs for another year to the persons
nominated by the Democratic convention.
The names Of these officers you have pub
lished. In three out Of the four wards the
Democracy elected aldermen. In the First
ward the vote was tie, but was determined
by lot in favor Of George W. Newkirk, SO 1t
may be said the Democrats made clean
sweep. Their success is attributable to two
prime causes : First, the apathy of the Re-
publicans, and. second, the untiring, per-
severing efforts of tire Democrats. Some
little fight was made by the Republicans, but
1t faded into insignihcance when compared
with the resistless energy with which their
opponents worked during the entire day.
The only qualifications an elector was re-
quired to possess were his being a citizen
and over twenty-one years of age. 1t was en-
deavored to arrange 1t so that but property
taxpayers should vote, but could not be
made to " stick" as it were. As q conse-
auence everybody voted that felt disposed to
do so.
1t Is generally conceded that the men
elected to Office are competent, honest, and
will creditably discharge their duties. This
is all that is necessary, and their party affila
ton should not enter into question. No sal
airy attaches to any electoral municipal office,
| and the only wrong which could be inflicted
upon the city would be the appointment to
Office of men who are unfit for the position.
Really, it seems as though the Legislature
had erred in passing charter for Butte like
that under which it is incorporated, and
mixed up the offices, making elective those
| which should have been appointive, and
rice rersa. The police magistrate, city attor-
ney, marshal, and treasurer and assessor are
| all appointed by the mayor subject to con-
firmation by the council. The Office of city
| attorney is worth $500 or 5000 month, am
| told. The marshalship comes next, then the
police magistracy, with the treasurership
| fourth, and worth $500 or $1,000 per year.
| So it will be seen that the voters and tax
payers of the city should have something to
say in regard to whom shall be the lucky
ones for luck 1t is, as aside from the mar
shalship there is little or no work required
| save trife in the clerical line.
Arrests continue to be made occasionally
| or less frequently for the crime Of opium
smoking. Although law was passed at the
last session of the Legislature, and a city ord
| nance has been passed in addition, making
/ 1t an offensc punis BILE by fine and impris-
| onment to smoke opium or be a party to fur
| nishing 1t to others, lovers of the pipe wish
ing to enjoy that dolce far niente SO pleasant
| to Its devotees are afforded as much pleasure
| as ever. 1t is only when careless through
continued uninterruption that an opium
| smoker gets arrested. No law has yet been
framed authorizing forcible entrance into q
dwelling, even though it be known that the
place Is frequented by persons addicted to
the pernicious, soul destroying habit in ques-
ton. Smokers can and do 60 to houses in
l Butte and are furnished with pipes and
opium. The officers know this, but should
| they make descent on the premises, all the
implements of the trade could be hidden
before an entrance could be effected. And
so the evil does and will continue to exist.
None but those who are its victims indulge
| In the habit, and to them alone Is given the
| open sesame.
Speaking of crime which should be pun
ished, there might be mentioned the one in
dulged in too frequently in this place, of
shooting. Your correspondent was an eye
witness Of shooting on the LIST inst that for
| cold -blooded, hellish brutality is probably
without parallel in Montana. About p.
m. my attention was directed to five men sit
| ting alongside of saloon just off Broadway.
They had bottle of whisky and were drink
| ing quite frequently. In a few minutes two
of them walked off about fifty yards and be-
| gan fighting. A third stood near them, d
| fourth went int the saloon, and the fifth
pulled his "gun an English bulldog, Of
the pattern used by Guiteau-and commenced
shooting. The pugilists Immediately ran,
but the man who stood near was selected as
target and received the fourth shot through
the chest The cowardly cur vino did the
shooting started to escape and threw away
his pistol, but was arrested. He coolly de-
MED his crime, but was jailed, nevertheless
Directly in range of the shots were four little
girls playing in vacant lot, and special
providence alone protected them. The bet.
ter class of citizens here are becoming dis.
gusted at the frequency of this sort of thing,
and win put an effectual dampener on some
of these bad men" with guns"
| q. UPPER.