The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-24
LOCAL ETCHINGS.

At The Broadwater the other n light was g
convivial old-timer who had been celebrat-
ing the conclusion of u profitable MINING
deal and felt very comfortable. In his
wanderinRs about the verandahs he espiea
Colonel Rroadwater. whom he had known
for a quarter of a century, but whose idsn-
tity he failed to fully establish. II shay.
ole man." said he, addressing the colonel,
let's you'n me go to room and
have small (hic) vial. Wha' sayp" "No,
thank you" said the colonel. mot any for
me-" The o. !. braoed himself Mp and fixed
his more or less unsteady gaze on the pro-
prietor of the hostelry. ooh, l ahee," he
said, you're one of these ID stingy ga.
loots from Helena who come out here an
use OF Brody's place an never spen' cent.
I'm onto you (hic)"-and satisfied that he
had crushed his man, the o. I. sailed oil to
find a man from Butte.
~
1t is quite likely that when the Bostonians
come here again Helena admirers of the
famous organization will miss the voices
and the charming presence OF Juliette
Gordon and Marie Stone. Miss Stone has
been the leading soprano donna of this
company since its first organization as the
Boston Ideals, and no singer has been
more faithful to the requirements OF her
position than she. Her retirement from the
opratic stage will be a positive loss to Eng
lish opera. Miss Gordon will go to Europe
this season. She ia young and has some
thing yet to learn, but her many admirers
doubt not but that she will win distinction.
| No announcements have been made by the
management of the Bostonians az to who
! will succeed the two sopranos. 1t is said
that Jessie Bartlett Davis may lead a CON
pany of her own next season. This rumor
goes hand in hand with another to the
effect that Miss Davis has been induced to
remain with the Bostonians by a handsome
increase of salary. The company begin
their engagement in Chicago tomorrow
evening at the Haymarket in Robin Hood.
X.
Mrs. s. H. Davis, who lives at Glendale.
| Madison county, read the articles in The
INDEPENDENT concerning Bill Fairweather
with a eood deal of interest. She is very
much interested in the man whom Martin
| Hotter and several other Montanians met
in San Francisco last winter under the i'm
preston that he WAS the discoyerer Of
Alder gulch. Everybody knows now that it
was Tom Fairweather, a brother of Bills.
who was seen in San Francisco. Mrs.
Davis is Thomas Fairweather's sister.
She writes to Col. Wheeler, of the Montana
Historical society that, she has not heard
from her brother for quite a number of
years. The last time he wrote to her he
was living in Grass Valley, Cal. If any one
knows Tom Fairweather's address Mrs.
Davis would like to have it.
~
Col. Ingersolfs remark o it not be-
ing worth while to answer the Chicago
Methodist preachers reminds me of a some
what similar remark made a few years ago
about Pope Bob" by an eminent divine.
Rev. Thomas Guard, a native of the north
of Ireland and a minister who OBLIGATED IN
the pulpits of the most fashionable
churches of Baltimore and San Francisco,
angered at the repeated attacks on the
Christian religion made by Col. Ingersoll,
announced that he was going to answer the
great intidel. Hundreds crowded the
church., for aside from the interest in the
subject, DR.. Guard was known as one of
the most eloquent pulpit orators of the
day. He delivered a sermon which was
pronounced "a poem in prose-" so beauti-
full vas his language. But he
did not finish the first night,
stating that he would treat the
subject further the next Sunday. On the
following Sunday he tackled the intldel
again, and with the same beautiful o%ratory.
Still he was not satisfied, and took a third
Sunday to finish Ingersoll. At the end of
the third sermon, the gifted preacher, with
all his talents, had made very little impress
sion on the dogmas of infidelity. Pausing
a little, he wiped the perspiration from his
forehead, looked at his hearers %thoughtfully
for a second or two, and then throwing up
his arms exclaimed: But what is the use
of trying to combat such arguments. 1t is
easy to tear down, but oh, how hard to
build up." 1t was a virtual admission of
defeat, and that from one of the most
gifted preachers of the age.
~
Early day stories and "reminiscences are
told by John Potter, Helena's first post
master. The other day heard him telling
of some of his experiences as postmaster
of the city. In 1866 there we're but four
postofices in Montana. These were located
at Virginia City, Bannack, Fort Benton and
Helena. Diamond City, at that time known
as Confederate Gulch, Blackfoot, Lincoln,
Silver City, Montana City, and many other
mining camps, had all their mail addressed
to Helena, and would have their mail
brought to them by stage drivers, who
would charge FL for the delivery of each
letter. Diamond City. at the time, had a
population of at least 1000, and the stage
driver from that city would usually bring
in a list almost as long az the road between
the two places. The Iostoffice was at that
time located where The lNDEPEND-
EMIT building now stands, and
the hill was SO steep that
only by a narrow trail could the office be
reached. Everyone had to take his turn
and no one man was allowed to enquire fol-
more than one PERSONS mail at a time. If
! he wanted mail for more than one person
D he had to step to the foot of the procession
S The stage drivers usually waited until aftel
their lists to some postofice clerk, Away,
paying the clerk ten cents for each lette.
furnished him.
m
picked up an old stage book a few day,
ago, which contained many clippings from
the old Rocky Mountain Gazette, publishe,
in early days by WILKINSON O. Roman
Among other things ] noticed was a repor
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