New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-21
XXVIII.
THE MODERN MINING CAMP.
BUTTE AND IT'S PECULIAR MIXTURE OF
MANY ELEMENTS.
THE ANACONDA COMPANY MINING AT ITS
HIGHEST STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL ODDITIES


| rrRoM AsrArF CORES poxDENr or THE TRIBUSK.l
| Copyright 1889: By TIE Ner- York Tribune.
Butte, Mon, July 7.
| Butte is the evolution Of the old mining camp.
| 1t is Virginia City enlarged modernizcd, supplied
| with motor railways, electric lights, telephones
and all that can render mountain life comfortable.
| 1t is city builded on HILL many hills, more than
| Rome car boast OF. 1t has no type. IL is OF
| itself and by itself. When you see Butte, you
| see what YOU never saw before and never can see
| again. You may not like Butte you may think
| you wouldn't care TO live there. You may object
to its manners, or its morals but You will certainly
admit that il is the most remarkable place " on
the footstoo,.7 Fancy lot of frame-hOuses,
mostly one-storicd, enough OF them to accommO-
date $4,000 people. squatted on the side Of the
mountains, miles af board walk stretching up and
down two or three dozen streets: fancy great
throng of human beings plungng along every
thorou ghfarc at all hours OF the day and night,
for apparently, only a small proportion of the
people of Butte waste time in sleep; fancy men in
plug hats and huted shirts, men in blue hlOuscs
and bananas men in black slouched hats and
trousers that time has forgotten TO recall men IN
other things don't know the names of and never
saw except in Butte; fancy Americans, fancy Ger
MANS fancy SwedeS, fancy negroes. fancy Indians,
Bowery. fancy Shanty Town, fancy Bcacon-st.
fancy Methodist camp ground-iumble them all
together, and you will have something that is in
q measure suggestive of Butte
Butte has delightful society, capable of salts
flying everybody's taste. If You prefer refined
and cultivated people, cOllege-bred and broadened
by travel, they are there and happy TO know you
II you like plain, common, everyday folk, whose
hearts are better than their manners, they are
numerous, apt to he rich and sure to be friendly
If YOU enjoy gamblers and thieves prizc-fghters
and sporting-men generally, they are as available
ticks in a pine forest There are people who
say that Butte is the wiclcdest place in the
world. | doubt it. / doubt if anything happens
in Butte that doesn't happen contemponneously
in Boston. The only difference is that they are
more candid in Butte than in Boston.
The gambling houses of Butte have their
doors wide open, without even so much as
a wicker screen to shield their careless players.
Over their doors is n sign-hoard. with the words
conspicuously lettered, Licensed Gambling ST.
LOOM" which means that they are sure of being
let alone in the orderly conduct of their swindles
without Paying blaclSmail money at police head
quarters. Enter such place and You see every
body. Mr. Jones, lawyer: Mr.. Smith, banker;
Mr.. Brown, miner street falSir " dropping on
with the communitys pains and aches on the
street corner beyond; two or three women, likely
20 be French or African a heather so, silent,
patient but usually lucky, all hudded in a lump
watching the mechanical movements OF the long
bearded, elderly chap lie slides this card that
way, and that this. There are no " side DOORS"
no alley entrances in Butte. The sun is permitted
to shine through clear glass windows upon the
unjust as well the Just A mining camp
and when sees Butte he sees the greatest
mining camp on earth is a place where everybody
makes money fast. where prices are high, profits
large and gold in plentiful circulation. Naturally
enough the loose and the vicious are attracted
to such place. But, while they make themselves
more conspicuous here than in sedater and slower
towns, they hold the same outcast relation 10 life
That They hold the world over. They the
same poor, miserable, fashy wretches. They are
under the same social ban, the same police re-
siraints, and they come TO the same lamentable
ends.
IL Is said In circular recently issued 10 attract
permanent immigration TO Butte: We have
seven churches the pride and glory of people
This is all true. The people of Butte are proud
of everything they possess They are proud of