The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-09-02
THE CITY OF BUTTE.
A Few DesultOry Observations Made
During q Recent Visit.

hi the world they should have added
THAT it is the livliest town, of its size, il
the world, mining or otherwise. It is
probably the only place in the world
where money changes hands so rapidly
ard begging is not seen; where mer
make money so fast; where such high
wages are demanded, and as many pros
titutes are supported 1t is the only
place of its size and importance ON earth
with rs inadequate hotel facilities
Among its architectural attractions is
the Silver Bow County court house erect
ed at cost of over $4,000. The ex-
terror of the building is imposing and
massively grand situated upon an emf
neIce its noble columns stand as senti-
nelg overlooking the smoke and din OF
the tsusy city below Unfortunately the
wood used in the construction of this
building has warped and SHRINK to such
a degree as to create comment from
every visitor. As the red sun slowly
sinks behind the western mountains,
that almost encompass the city, strains
of music greet the ear, the numerous
gambling houses throw upen their doors,
and working men, relieved from their
dark, damp cells, hundreds of feet below
the surface, where the sun never shines,
the birds never sing, or the rain never
falls, where the sounds of heavy thunder
and the lightning flashes would be sweet
to the eye and ear, gather in crowds be-
fore the various resorts and the tramp,
tramp, tramp of these hordes unabating-
ly continue until long past the hour of
midnight. The sight of new brick and
stone business blocks being erected, and
the general topsy. turvy condition of the
main streets, does not allow the city to
put her best foot forward as far as APP
pearances go, but must fully satisfy the
residents and give confidence to those
who seek investment Besides its banks,
its fine stores, its handsome and multi
plying saloons, its enteTprising and
thriving newspapers, its mining machin-
cry and reducing works are as hne as
any in the world its opera house is as
| elegant as money can make it, school
property that cannot be replaced for
S50, 900, well equipped fire department,
electric lights, telephone connection with
Deer Lodge, Helena and other points
outside Of the city, gas and water works.
1t has merchants, Sands & Boyce, who
set aside $1,000 every year for advertis-
ing purposes, and citizens, enterprising
and wealthy, who entertain with prodig-
ality of princes and enter into new en-
terprises with the pluck and persever-
ance that characterizes themselves only.
at the head of ever new project calcu
lated to result in the advancement of the
camp, Is iron. NJ. a. eiark, ssVIrtienIsFrr
of great wealth, with mind expanded
and benefited by extensive travel and
/ constant study. Eight churches supply
the spiritual needs of the $4,000 inhabit-
ants. The town has $7,00O,0 900 worth of
taxable property.
From high point on the busy noun
tain sides, the reflective mind has much
to see and comment upon. Where, a
few years ago, the hardy prospector
delved among the rocks of the echoless
hills, giant smelters with towering brick
chimneys now send Volumes of black
smoke toward the blue dome of heaven,
clouding the sun and moon with its
thick PAIL Here are men working with
a windlass by hand; their neighbor with
horse power, and casting its long shad-
ows over these busy men, the steam
hosting works employing engines of 250
horsepower, hundreds of men, using tons
of salt, cords of word, ,-one firm having
constantly on hand $4,000 worth
lime, coke, coal, lumber, etc.,-reaehed
by winding water fumes, serpentine
railways, employing teamsters, horses,
carpenters, engineers, machinists, min
ers, Iaborers, etc. In 1874 the narrow
gauge railway, the Utah Northern,
reached the struggling, struggling town
with its 800 souls, and now the freight
shipments alone from Butte over this
road average 1900 tons per week and
the eminent statistieian. John Reed in
forms us that the cash receipts for
freight during 1884 at Butte amounted
to 5000, 600 and that the value of bull
lion and copper matte shipped from
Butte for the same year amounted to
Sl5.0OOOO0 The mines and mills en-
ploy $500 men and pay $4,000 for
wages and supplies monthly The min
lug district is about three miles square,
having within its limits over 1000 min
eral claims. The daily product Of silver
and copper bearing ore is about 1000
tons, larger amount than California
produces.
During our visit of three davs, a very
brief period to obtain comprehensive
knowledge of the mines, which compose
those that yield silver ores only and
those that produce copper only and
those that yield both, a visit to the
Moulton mine, of which w. A. Clark is
the principal owner, gave us the first
true idea we have ever had Of the pro-
cess by which ores are smelted. We
first visited the lower level of the mine,
500 feet below the surface, and saw the
/ miners at each hundred feet digging tun-
nels in different directions, and at each
level loaded car stood waiting to be
hoisted to the surface, rushing water,
lifted to the ground by Scotch pump of
immense size browns our voices, and as
We rush down to the very bowels Of the
earth the cool damp air penetrates
through our clothing, and there are none
| in our party who do not wish to be
hoisted to light as speedily as possible.
! AS Mr.. Fee remarked, the first visit to
{ I~on II a.