The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-21
LIFE IN HELENA.
A GLANCE At THE AMUSEMENT AND SOCIAL WORLDS


OF LIFE MAY BE FOUND HERE.
cooked food, a cold and uncomfortable bed
and receive poor service. You leave next
morning with the determination never tc
again visit the town unless necessity COM
pels return. SO you will agree when say
that hotels so a long way toward making
the reputation of a city. In this respec,
hotels with absolutely every modern con
venience. There is the beautiful Broad
water, of which mention will be mad'
later. There is The Helena, one of tn,
most elegant and best appointed hotel.
west Of the Mississippi river. Although
opened but last spring, 1t has become widely
known under the management of Mr.. H. N
| Wiley: late of the Grand Pacific, and Mr.
L. A. Walker late territorial secretary oi
Montana. The Merchants hotel was al
ways favorite with Montanians. The re-
cent expenditure OF thousands of dollart
has made it one Of the pleasantest aud mos!
attractive hotels in the state. The Grand
Central, the most centrally located. under
the management of Reed d Kinda, has
maintained high standard, and if there ie
an old timer in the country who has not
always been we'll entertained by Ed Zim-
norman and Sam Schwab at the Cosmopel-
itan his name is not known. It is useless to
go through with the stereotyped formula OF
hotel conveniences. Swift elevators, steam
heat, electric bells and everything modern
in the way OF hotel furnishings may be
found at these places. The prices are
graduated in scale to suit all but the
charges for the best services are no greater
than in the east The cuisine, the tender
est spot to the travellers heart, is excellently
maintained by reason of easy access to veg
etable gardens in the valley How this city
can support such hotels is frequently
asked. It is because the travel is very
large. Helena as the commercial and trade
center attracts business men from all Sec
| lions OF the state and all tourists stop here
for few days visit on the journey to or
from the coast.
An eastern man may imagine that one of
the dcprivations in Helena will be the lack
of amusements. He will not find half a
dozen theatres in this city playing star
| attractions, but he will find better sources
OF amusement than cities of similar size in
the east. Mings opera house is not exactly
what we would like though il is a comfort
able theatre we'll adapted for entertain
ments. 1t is furnished with modern chairs
and the seating capacity is 1000. Within
g year it will DO one of the finest theatres
in the west. The owner will spend $4,000
on the house next spring, and the work
Will be under the charge Of a famous thea
tire builder. In addition there is propo-
sition now under way to build magniti-
cent grand opera house on lower Main
street. Mr.. AL Hayman, of theatrical fame,
is interestd in the latter project. The en-
tertainments in Helena are many and are
Of the best class. The attractions that play
st. Paul, Kansas City and Denver go over
this circuit playing Salt Lake, Butte,
Helena, the coast towns and San
francisco. Among the attractions last
four nights. Is there another town of
similar size in the country where Juch will
play an engagement of this length? Then
we had the Bostonians three nights, Ru-
dolph Aronson's Casino company four
nights, Nat Goodwin two nights, Sol. Smith
equally good. During latter April and May
entertainments were held at the opera house
on twenty-one consecutive nights. The at
fractions named and many others will re-
turn this year. Mr.. Frohman's Lyceum
companies. and the Madison Square and
are already booked, besides Kilralfy's spec
tacular combinations, Hermann's Transat-
!antiques, The Gaiety Theatre Co., all Of
leading burleSque artists and the big min
strel shows. Emma Abbott and Thomas
w. keene have already appeared in engage
ments OF four performances to great aud
fences. The growing popularity of this
circuit has induced many companies to
abandon less profitable circuits in the east.
There are other means of entertainment.
The course of the Y. NJ. g. A. this year in
cludes the best lyceum attractions. Rev.
Joseph Cook appeared early this season. A
Miner Griswold followed afterward and sew
eral of abe best quartettes chalk takers
and elocutionists have and will appear dur
ing the season. A we'll managed concert
hall and u variety theater are among the
places of entertainment.
The great paradise Of amusement during
the summer months is at the Broadwater.
This resort includes many attractions.
First of all is the hot springs. These are
reached by twenty minute ride on the
electric car. A few years ago it was a rug
ged and barren spot set like an uncut Jewel
between wooded mountains. Nature did
her part and Col. Broadwater did the rest.
lrst of all were springs of bubbling hot
water squirting from subterranean furnaces,
the valley two miles. Here park was laid
OH and then the improvements began. A
natatorium so large and SO imposing in its
Moorish architecture as to bring thousands
of visitors here for the sole purpose of
viewing IT. was constructed Mt ono end.
over a pretty cleft of rocks into
the greatest swimming bath in all the
world. In the winter this is transformed
to an ice rink. Certainly no city in Amer
lea has anything like this great pleasure
palace. During the summer months it is
uAicO All AlAoIuOOlI uuu evening WIFI Hayly
costumed bathers reveling in its limpid
Injuries. A walk out of the natatorium
carries you through beautiful park of
bright 'fiowers, playing fountains, stately
trees, all on background of sparkling
green. Then comes the Hotel Broadwater.
u hotel SO luxurious in its appointments
and in the perfection of it's service as to
cause nine days wonder to tho stranger
guest. It is not too much to say that it is one |
of the best hotels in America. During the |
summer months a military band gives con-
certs in the park and an orchestra fur |
nishes delightful music for dancing within. |
This is The Broadwater, Helenn's great
place OF summer amusement, place SO |
and delightful as to be almost |
beyond the reach of description.
The lover of good sport will linger around |
The grounds of the Montana, Agricultural.
and Mechanical association. Down
IN the valley is the finest racing park west
Of the Twin City grounds in Minneapolis |
while the mile track is ranked by turfnen
rs one of the very best in the land. Two
are held here in july and August |
of each year. The latter is part of the Mon |
lana circuit and lasts seven days. Nearly |
SaO, 600 in purses attracts some of tha best
horses IN the west. From three to five
races are held each day, both trotting and
running. Last season the six hundred yard
record was broken by Bob Wade in a way
that made the spectators hai- raise. Over
500, 600 went in the pool box during the
meeting. The Montana horse has become
famous in recent years and since Spokane's
great victory this state has become very