Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-07-03
THE PRESS GANG. "
How the Moulders Of Public Opin-
ion were Received and Enter
tained at Missoula.
Something About the City, its
People and Possessi ons-Nu-
cleus of Great Community.
THE ESCAPE OF THE EDITORS

Some Recoliections Of the Raid Of theSews-
paper Men ON the Beautiful City of Mis-.
soula,
The lines OF the press gang Of
Montana fell in PHEASANT places when
they were summoned this year to the
annual gathering at Missoula. As
rule the moulders of public opinion in
this territory belong to u class who are
able even under adverse circumstances s
to enjoy themselves; their profession
gives constant exercise 10 this happy
faculty, and be who does not possess il
fails ia the most fundsm. Il al require
ment of the order, but at Missouls, no
previous training OF the art was requi-
site. The goodly people Of that -four.
ishiug city had, uuder the guidance OF
brothers Stevens, OF tue Item, and
Spaulding, of the MissoulIan, made
such complete arrangements for the
entertainment Of their gursts, that at
no time outside of the hours devoted
to the business OF the association, was
the old gentleman with the scythe
permitted to depress the visitors with
a sense OF nothing 10 DO.
Though seen, We were told, at a dis.
advantage, through suffering from an
extended drought, Missoula appears TO
be, ia truth, the garden city OF Mon
tana. Every door yard lie ablsze with
countless varieties vi IiJh hued flowers
and where the premises were exten-
sive enough, fruit trees Of every vari-
ETY. adapted to northern climate
flourished, those not yet In season giv-
ny promise of most abundant yield,
while the cherry trees, the only ones
in season, were literally bending under
the weight of ripe and rosy fruit,
which was free as water TO visitors.
Missoula Is located at the head Of q
broad valley surrounded by pine hills,
or mountains as they are called, but
whose altitude scarcely entitle them
to the name. The altitude OF the city
Is about 5000 feet, nearly 1000 feet
higher than Miles City. The soil is
not promising TO the eye, being about
nine paris OF small Loulders to one OF
earth aud the profuse results attained
in the culture of fruits, flowers and
agricultural products is therefore sur
prising, but water, the powerful ally
OF the tiller of the sell is here in abun-
dance, and through Typographical
conditions 80 sIbseryient to the will OF
man, that it is conducted everywhere
aud made to fructify this apparently
barren soil until on every spot where
IL is used, vegetation is almost rank In
its growth. Rattlesnake creek, ,
mountain stream, Is captured In al
its strength and beauty as it rollick
along on the foot hills, and yielding /,
the immutable laws of hydraulics |
enters subterranean pipes and !
theme forth servant Of the people
yielcing its crystal wealth at the turI
OF every faucet, lending its enormOu
and never wesrying strength TO tn
running OF machinery aud falling il
gentle spray on the luxuriant foliag
of well kept doDr.yards. A small por
ton o. it-scarcely enough to b
worthy OF mention-fouud its wa
down the outlets of the press gang, til
venture being made mainly TO con
vince the people of Missoula that III
visitors had full confidence In the IN
tegrity Of their hosts and were nC
afraid to tackle anything that was pC
before them-even water. Missoula
one of the few towns In the territor
that does business on more than Oh
street. Here there are several stree
Of equal consequences as trade avenue
, and equally well improved with han,
some buildings. The city just now
enjoying building boom somethin
similar 10 that experienced in Mil
City in 1850, and 1t is no dIscredit
Missoula to say that they are no
p building a number OF business blocl
that will compare favorsbly with n
best buildings We have here. III
Hotel Florence is u three story bril-
= building occupying about 900 fe
}; square, with q capacious annex &
Q roomlng surplus guests. II was bui
for n hotel and contains all the mo
modern OF hotel accessories except 9
elevator. II has very imposing froI
entrance, lobby and office, a graz
stairway, and what ia more to be a
"a preoiated, II Is kept In style fully
accord with lts outside appearance
Nothing that could be done for q
comfort and convenience Of the new
paper men was overlooked or negle'
ed, and the remarkable facility wi