The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-20
CITY NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Twenty-four Years Ago Last Chance
Gulch Received the Name
Helena.
II Am the Son Of the President
Of tho United
States"
A Helena Core spondent In tho Anaconda
Standard Says Something About
the Helena PostOffice.

the Helena Postof1ice
The chronicles of the town have it that
twenty-four years ago on the Goth of this
month Helena received its name. Here is
the story. ~ meeting Of the citizens of
Inst Chance Rulch for the purpose of nam
ing the town and electine commissioners,
etc. On motion G. j. Wood was elected
chairman and L. Z. Cooper secretary.
After several motions and balloting. the
name of Helena was given to the town and
G. j. Wood, H. Bruce and c. L. Cutler we're
elected town commissioners. and ordered to
lay out tho town and get their pay for the
work by recording the lots at two dollars
each, the proceeds to 90 to the commission
ers for their labor and trouble. They were
further authorized to make such laws and
regulations as may be deemed necessary
to regulate the location and size of lots,
streets, alleys, etc. At a meeting of the com
missioners it was decided that the lots
should be thirty feet front by sixty
feet deep, and that any person might pre-
empt lot by laying a foundation on the
lot, which foundation should hold the lot
ten days, and If a person record his lot at
the time of laying the foundation, then the
foundation should hold good for twenty
days. And 1t was decided that if there were
no improvements made ON the lots at the
expiration of the ten or twenty days, the
lots should be jumpable; but all persons
should record their lots. G. j. Wood was
elected recorder of the town. All disputes
to be settled by the commissioners or an ar
bitration, until civil law 10 established"
Speaking of the Harrison family" said
another of the group, reminds me that
Russell himself is not unmindful of the
prestige attached to the name and is also a
devout believer in it's potency. But he
doesn't always find its mention works.
Last winter was in Cuba at the time Rus
sell Harrison was there and returned on the
same steamer which bore his august per
sonage. At Key West It is the rule to land
the emigrants first and then such passen-
gers as are going no farther, after which all
the rest who care to go ashore to see the
sights can do 80. ! Was one who intended
stopping there for while and WAS standing
by the gangway waiting the debarkation of
the emigrants when Russell Harrison
stepped up to the officer who was present
and in voice easily distinguishable some
distance away said:
"I am the son of the president of the
United States. I want to 90 ashore"
60 In very few minutes you can 60, Mr..
Harrison replied the officer.
but want to 20 now in right royal
tones.
81 am very sorry the officer politely
responded. My orders are strict to permit
sight-seers to go ashore only after the emil
grants and such passengers rs 90 no farther
with US have left the steamer. should like
to oblige you, Mr.. Harrison, but unless you
get permission from some one higher in
authority than it will be impossible
when the scion recovered his breath he
gave Won't to a contemptuous 'huhv turned
on his heel and disappeared. Before he
could find the proper officer all the rest who
wanted to 90 ashore had gone and with
them the need of u special request. Coo
siper in Chicago Post.
The Helena postofice matter has stirred
up additional strife among the republicans.
Col. Charles d. Curtis, who was appointed
by President Cleveland. has made an excel
70 1T postmaster and has held over under the
present administration, says a special in the
Anaconda Standard. Russell b. Harrison,
It is said. has always interfered whenever
Tom Carter or Sanders and Power named q
man to succeed Col. Curtis. The members
of the county republican committee, since
Carter's return, have been endeavoring to
AZ mp the matter. They finally oompro-
missed by naming Moses Morris from among
the host of candidates who are after the
place. Morris is an old-time citizen and
would make good officer. II now turns out
that his chances have been knocked into
. cooked hat. Several members of the
committee urged his claims SO successfully
that Mr.. Carter promised them Morris
should be appointed at once. The INDIE
PENDENT published the news exclusively this
morning. Tho announcement Immediately
created a row among a lot of republicans
who want James r. Walker, nephew of
Secretary Blaine, for the Office. Carter has
now declared that the whole matter must
go over until after election. This does not
help matters any, but has had the effect Of
making Carter some enemies in his own
party who do not think he will have an, op-
portunity to adjust the difficulty after cleo
tion.
twas pretty sight about fouf o'clock
yesterday morning when the fire department
turned out in response to the alarm sent
out from the box at the corner of Main aud
Sixth avenue. The big alarm bell in the
tower on the hill had not ceased striking 33
when the chemical engine and one of the
hose carriages dashed out of the station.
Az the two teams reached the Cosmopolitan
they we're at full speed, neck and neck al
most. with sparks flying from the wheels as
they struck the street car tracks. The
chief was clinging to the rear platform of
the chemical as it dashed ahead of the hose
team below Broadway. The fremen did
excellent work, the only thing rstarding
them being the bursting of a hose. caused
by che strong pressure in the mains. About
15O people turned out but there
was no necessity for their aid. the
members of the department. being amply
able to handle the FIRE. From the south
part of town the flames looked as though
one Of the big business blocks on lowe,
Main street was on IRE. As soon as the
u a u AsI H.