Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-04
RETROSPECTIVE,

Another year has rolled into history
While not unaccompanied by events &
startling moment, it has been fraught wit
less OF bitter memories than many of it
predecessors. During its progress tn
world has sustained fewer deaths OF prom
inent men than the couple of years imme
diately preceding. Among the most i'm
p~ortant and earliest in the year was tina
OF Beechsr, whose death after a brief illness
tool from the world one of the most Wig
orous and broadcast intellects of the cen
fury, q matchless pulpit orator. He hal
left his impress on the thought Of the aga
not through his writings but through hi
pulpit utterances, which, falling on thu
ears OF crowded audiences in the chief centr,
OF intelligence in this country, we're listened
to by thousands by whom his Iiberality O
thought and catholicity OF spirit will h.
disseminated among all seets of Christians
Equally important in the years annafl
was the death of Captain James B. Eads
one of the great engineers Of the century
whose name is inseparably linked with tn,
finest bridge spanning the Mississippi, anc
the great work Of deepening one OF tn.
passes OF that river restoring her ocear
to New Orleans. Perhaps he il
most widely known by the ship railway HI
projected across the Isthmus of Panama
an undertaking at first received
with ridicule but now conceded the most
practicable method OF solving the problem
OF taking ships over that neck OF land. II
is more than likely that the project will be
carried into execution in the near future
when his fame will receive another monu.
ment. A poet humorist of national repu.
tation and known to Europe, too, was lost
in John G. SAKE, but the loss OF John r.
Raymond will be regretted by a wider circle
Of admirers to whom the actor was known
in this country and England. In the death
OF ex-Secretary Manning the country lost
an able fnancier and his party one OF it's
brainiest men, but his usefulness was i'm
paired months before his end came by ex-
haustion OF bis powers, consequent upon
too ardent application to his duties.
Among the notable neurology OF the year
were John Roach. the eminent shipbuilder;
Lord iddesIeigh, better known as Sir Stat
ford Northcote, a Conservative leader in
Parliament; General Hazen, "Old Probs;'"
Lieutenant Danenhower, the Arctic hero,
who committed suicide; Vice.P resident
Wheeler, the accompaniment OF His Acct.
dency,' r. B. Hayes; Frederick Krupp, the
famous gun maker OF Germany; President
Taylor, the Mormon fugitive from justice
who died in exile; Maurice Strakosch, the
italian opera impresario; Governor Mar
maduke, Of Missouri, a noted Confederate
leader, and best known OF them all because
he moves among us, one Of natures O
blemen, Colonel J.. &C Thornton, a Mon
tana pioneer.
Thu year has been memorable at home
by many accidents OF an appalling nature,
in which many lives were sacrificed. The
accident on the Toledo, Peoria and War
saw road, in which a hundred lives were
lost by a train falling through a bridge over
the Vermillion River, near Chatsworth,
Illinois, will be memorable in tho annals of
railway disasters. There were several
Others during the year, when the casual.
ties were smaller, but the ~accounts OF loss
OF life equally heartrendipg. Severe gales,
accompanied with much loss OF life on tho
lakes, distinguished the latter part of
October. The sinking of tho Vernon on
Lake Michigan, when all on board were
lost. was another calamity Of national
and the loss OF the Scholtsn
in the English Channel, when 1872 souls
were burriedly sent to their last account
in sight of land, equals in tragic intensity
any previous marine disaster.
The year 1887 vas signalized by
a terrible drouth that spread over
the Lower Mississippi Valley
and was accompanied by forest fires that
destroyed an immense amount OF valuable
property in the States Of Arkansas, Missis- !
sippi and Louisiana. Its close has been |
for extremely severe weather and |
heavy storms extending over the East, and |
as far As Colorado, reaching south to /
Texas in an intensity OF cold never before |
experienced there. Kansas has been the
OF chief suffering from lack oil fuel.
From all this Montana has been happily |
exempt. On the contrary, she has been
with exceptionally favorable
up to the end Of the year.
Abroad, the year has been memorable |
or political crises OF a grave and porten-
'ous nature. As Carnegie said in his New
Year letter, all Europe is q military camp.
The resources of the nations are being
,axed to support vast armies, and tho East
If Europe may be said to be trembling on
he balance between wal and peace. The
,ations there are running into debt for war
material with which to destroy each other,
md should hostilities commence, tho great.
st war of modern times will be begun.
n France, a crisis in the Gov.
rnment which, at another time. would
ave produced a revolution, was avsrted
o avoid missing the opportunity that was
hen in view in the unsettled relations Of
sussia and her neishbors, when Frances
will come. In Great Britain
spectacle is presented Of a free Govern
nent suppressing freedom OF speech and re.
using to listen to the urgent appeal of it's
IRISH citizens for the concession OF rights,
ltnout whlcn they never can be satisfied. |
he European horizon is red with the low
ring prospects OF trouble impending, pres
Mt discomfort and the smar:ing sense Of in
among the masses, received by them
I the bands OF oppressive governing
odies.
In this country the reverse is the case.
'arties have nothing worse to fight about
han how to dispose OF an enormous sur.
las and where to lop of Unnecessary tax
tion. Trade has endured no serious
'verses. The crops Of the past year have
sen unusually fine, and last but not least 1.
in fact most important to Butte, copper
taken q rise and is on the ascending
ale, which means assured prosperity to
le principal mines in this vicinity,
The year 1887 is gathered to it's fathers.
sace to its ashes. The year 1888 has the {
'ards. Hail to the New Year,