The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-26
THE SOUTHERN METROPOLIS
The Improvement Noticeable
In and Around Dillon.
CITY
The Need of Better Protection for
the Prisoners n a New
Court.House.

Alter an absence of eight month 9. ra
porter OF The MINER last week made omit
an extensive trip through Beaverhead
county, and paid particular attention to
the changes and improvements which have
been made in Dillon and it's ~environs. In
gan it's city existence by the election NJ q
full complement Of officers, from Mavor r.
City Marshal. Since their installation the
Mayor, Is. +. White, ably assisted bv thu
six Aldermen, has labored almost inces
sanity Tor the improvement OF the streets
ana any other changes which would add "a
the better appearance and safety of the
city. The streets have been, during the
summer, thoroughly overhauled and
graded, and the sidewalks on Main and the
cross streets have been brought up t. an
even grade The old sheet-iron stovepipea
nave gwen way to the brick 1ues, and many
other minor changes are noticeable on
every hand. Some Of the tax payers com.
plain OF the attendant expense. but when
they come to look at the ADVANTAGES de.
rived from the outlay all objections are
Withdrawn, and every resident of the city
admits that the changes in the place have
added much to the value and general tone
OF their business affairs.
BUILrING IMPROVEMENTS.
The south side of Main street has re.
ceived an addition to it's business capacit =
In the shape OF three two-story bricks, each
OF which are well built and convenient. The
Dillon National Bank has moved into the
old Thomson q Biven store (the latter
having moved into one of the new bricks)
and now has one of the finest baukinp
offices in the Territory, and although a
comparatively young bank. is gaining fol
itself u large share of the business of the
city.
The Baptist congregation has begun the
construction OF a new church, the founda-
ton having been completed, but the com.
pletion Of the brick work has been post.
poned until the opening OF spring, The new
church will be the finest in Dillon, and will
cost in the neighborhood of 5000.
This summer the Canal Company
completed it's ditch, to the length OF
about twelve miles, at a total cost of SIS :
900, and with it's present capacity OF
$4,000 inches of water, 7 900 acres OF land
CAN be readily irrigated. The land covered
by the ditch is on the bench northeast OF
the city and on the opposite side of the
Beaverhcad river.
Many new and handsome residences have
been erected during the summer, the most
attractive ones being those OF Messrs. Gus
sick. Forester aud McCule. in the western
portion OF the city known as the Orr addi-
ton to the townsite. all these being Of
brick.
JAIL AND COURT HOUSE.
Dillon's greatest need at present is a
more suitable Jail and Court House. The
present Court House is a two-story
wooden building, originally constructed for
a school house, but when the new high
school house vas finished about two years
since, the old one was converted into a
county building and since then it has b en-
used for that purpose. It is too small for
the present needs OF the county and alto
gether out of proportion to the fattering
financial condition OF the neighborhOOd.
The county is practically out of debt and
is well able to afford a much better and
more substantial structure. While this
building might possibly be used for some
time to come, the condition OF the Jail and
its prisoners certainly calls for immediate
action. The cells are good and substan-
tial, but the house enclosing them is a reg
ular tire-trap and causes considerable I'M
easiness among the officers. 1t is a one-story
log house. with neither doors nor windows
which could be used to release the prison
ers in case Of a contagration, and with the
complicated locks attached to the cells.
there would be little, if any, chance to save
the life OF any OF the fifteen prisons at pres
ent confined therein, and furthermore,
there is not enough protection afforded
the sheriff and his deputies from breaks.
It is only a few months since the prisoners
~overpowered the sheriff and locked him in
one uf the cells, necessitating fourteen
hours work to release him in addition to
sending to Butte for keys. Since then Mr..
Jones has. at his own expense, erected q
strong partition in front OF the cells, but
even that is not sufficient to enable him to
safely handle the large number OF prison.
ers. A suitable brick building for both
the iail and Court House is sadly needed,
and in it's present prosperous condition
the county can well afford to put 1T up,
and should do so at once. Should the
present Jail be destroyed by fire by any &C.
cident the officials and citizens OF the
county, particularly the Commissioners,
would never forgive themselves for per-
mitting the loss Of life which would lnev-
itably follow such a calamity.
billions ORE M BULLION SHIPMENTS.
The ;,ost noticeable and marked sign OF
the Improvement and growth of the city is
the rapid increase Of the bullion and ore
shipment from Dillon. Last year (lSS4)
these shipments aggre ga ted something less
than s so, 900, but for the year 1888 up
to the LIST of December they had reached
nearly double that amount, as follows:
Pounds. Value;
Rp1Eon.... 26O,OOO -. 6l,OOO
1,3S5.UOO -. $4,000
Gold dust and Dul- ,o- ooo
rota, $3o1,ooo
Armenia. thirteen miles northwest oi Oil
.l,,,d tho hHlliOn. while q large