Daily Yellowstone journal., 1885-07-07

Of their country for the public enter |
tainment, Oh, that these needless |
sacrifices could be averted and a call |
made for volunteers, but the commit !
lee Of gentlemen who arranged this
programme would not otherwise be |
appeased, and so, in company with |
my friend, am here. We need not |
wander far from home to-day to find a |
theme of interest. Twice in four years |
have stood upon platform erected
in this park on such occasions AS this
and each time the multitude before
me has a tale OF progress. In that
short time have | seen a gathering
composed of hardy men-men who
were pioneers. Here too, then, but
few ladies came and children fewer
still. No words of mine can describe
the advance; IL is apparent TO every
one who will look around; see what
now is and reflect upon what then
was" Then graphically describing
the old-time features in comparison
with the present the speaker said;
The buffalo hunters have gone aud
over the prairies where their mission
was death now roam the merry COW
boys whose mission Is life. Where
the one destroyed for the hope Of gain
the other rears for profit. When the
old buffalo, weary from his last chase,
faint from the dropping life that stain
ed his pathway red, laid down his
tired form TO rest for the last time, saw
the great sun in all bis glory sink be-
low the western hills, when he gazed
with fading sight upon the old famil-
lar scenes and the bleaching bones of
his own kind gone before, when his
last gasp followed the last glimmer Of
departing day-there gambols the
the young calf and plays the Lleating
lamb, there, lolling In the summers
heat, Craze the fattening herds.
Where the Indians tepee stood by
some lonely bar on the banks Of some
sluggish steam, where he trapped the
beaver and stalked the deer, never
dreaming of the destiny in store for
him. now stands the hardy settlers
cabin, aud round about IL roll and
play his happy, laughing children.
(Applause.) What an exempiification
of the doctrine of the survival of the
fittest? II is the giving way Of ignor-
ance, superstition and inertia before
the rising tide of progress, and who
knows that IL will not continue in its
course until it shall have reached that
region In Asia generally supposed 10
have been tue cradle OF the human
racer" Mr.. Burleigh In this eoDnec.
ton, upheld the dominion of mind
over matter, argued for education and,
rejecting upon the fact that many OF
our old land marks have gone up
this year in a chariot Of fire. he said
1--WE have hitherto bad a town OF
wood. frail and evanescent in its
character, but now on all sides we hear
the ceaseless noise of the hammer aud
saw, we see the flashing of the trowel
as its busy sides are turned to the sun,
we see the smoking lime:.as 1t runs
into mortar and we see the solid piles
of iron and brick and glass as they
slowly rise into buildings. These
things show investment, investment
shows confidence. Here, too, from a
wide and fertile country, along the
paths of nature and.of man comes a
constantly growing population 10
trade. Our merchants are prosperous,
our doctors are gentlemen of leisure
for this, too, Is n country OF health,
our cattle nHd sheep aud horses are
healthy, our people are healthy
Those who come remain, those who
go return. Under all thess conditions
therefore. our town and county anC
territory must prosper. Lat us all
help In the good work with a littl,
more public spirit, perhaps, than W,
have hitherto shown and make Mon
tana great; make her respected amonl
the sisterhoOd OF states she II soon Il
enter and make Miles City the flower
on her bosom. the pride Of her people.
(Applause.) Another gener.
alton will witness growth and devel-
opment far more wonderful than any
thing the past has seen; In II we are
to be actors, and when we leave the
stage our children will follow us. It
behooves us to lay the foundations
broad and deep that the mighty struc-
ture Of statehood TO he reared upon II
may endure forever"
The speaker then extended hearty
welcome TO those about him from neal
and far and resumed his seat.
Mr.. Burleigh's remarks were re
celved with marked attention and his
references 10 our town both past, pres
ent and future were loudly applauded.
Following him, Capt. Edmond But
Ter Of the Fifth infantry was intro
duced by the president and at once
claimed the attention OF the audience
by his pleasant and genial manner.
He said:
Ladies and gentlemen; while we
glory In the progress OF our whole
country since the Fourth OF July, lII0
we take n particular and peculiar In
tsrest In a certain portion Of II OF es-
pecial importance 10 US which did not
make Its first move on the way oil
progress until more than one hun
dred years later-Miles City and Its
vicinity, 1876, may I've said 10 have
been the beginning vf our new era.
A few years ago this thriving, grow
ing city had neither an existence nor
A name. The coming event had not
even cast Its shadow before II. A few
years ago, when I, with others whom
see about me, first came up here, sill.
ence and solitude felgued In this
now busy, bustling spot; few wear,
ago we made our first camp In yon.
der angle, with one flank resting or
Tongue river aud the other on the
Yellowstone. We would not, In those
days, N going as FAR a. what IL now
the busiest part Of the city-the bani