The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-09
The CLUBS or MONTANA
Well Known Social Organizations Of
the Great Mining State Of
the Union.
The Oldest ID tho Montana, Of
Helena. Which Has Inter-
tanned Thousands
Resorts sf Ctubmen " butte, Mtssoula,
GrsAt Falls, Miles City, Living
st0n and Helena.

$500 @AASt - W INV sA
terest OF clubs, and which has oficas In
London, New York and Chicago, has the
following in the May number: People Of
tho east, who know Montana only as an Inn
mense tract Of mountainous and desert
like country, in area three times that of
New York state, and with q population Of
only 152, 600, and who read about her great
mines. her miners, her cowboys, and her
viRilantes-the latter only relics of by-gone
days--naturally form vague ideas of the
social qualities of her people. True il 10
that here, like other new states, society Ia
OF the salmagundl order; but how can it be
expected to be otherwise in a country where
the poor man Of to-day il the millionaire Of
Tomorrow. and whore the poor ptospector.
never known to have more than q grub
stake and 4 few holes in the ground
awakes in his rude cabin some morning to
find himself tho owner Of millions? Yet
the aesthetic easterner who visits the cities
Of this undeveloped state finds unlocked
for social features, and generally leaves
with his ideas greatly changed and the i'm
preston that the dteary west il not void Of
pleasure Or people Of high social alta in
ments.
Butte, the greatest mining camp on
earth, has three clubs, any Of which would
be highly creditable to an eastern city Of
5000 people. The Silver Bow club. the frat
organized in Butte, and the second in Mon
tana, was organized October q, 1882. On
this day Judge Stephen DsWolfs, H. w.
De Witt, W. l.. Ho1e, and 4 few other jolly
good fellows, as we'll as representative men
Of the city, met, and the following unique
agreement in the handwriting Of Judge
De Wolfe was signed, and is still preserved
az the only written evidence of the first
movement toward tho organization Of the
Silver Bow club: sWe the undersigned,
residents Of Butte City, hereby agree to
form q club to DO known as the Silver Bow
club, to have for its object the social enjoy
The clubs first president was W.
A. CLARK. the millionaire banker. also
president of the Montana consti-
tutional convention. who served as
the presiding officer Of the club for q num-
Der Of years. The membership is o ITO,
among whom are half q dozen millionaires.
The apartments Of the organization are
richly furnished. and its treasury contains
nearly half a hundred Thousand dollars.
The present president is g. II. Palmer, who
has filled the office since 1890. MI. Palmer
was born in New York in 1841. was gradu-
ated from the university of Michigan in
1868 and from the mining and engineering
department. Of the same institution in
1866. He went from the copper Fields Of
Michigan to Butte in 1888 lnl became the
general manager Of the great Boston d
Montana Mining company. MI. Palmer ID
a member of u number OF we'll known east
ern clubs.
''Ihe Orc Plata club was organized BY q
number Of young men desiring a social o.
m rI1Atlnr uyifh ii, H1Nnl ~ ! TIM
elegant rooms of the club were formally
opened on Feb. + last. The membership
nuMbets 140 and is chiefly composed of
professional men and men in the mining
and commercial business. John 4. Cowan
Is the president, q prominent young capt.
talist. He is also president of the Butte
Rod and Gun club, which also has a good
membership m suatalns elegant and com
fortably furnished rooms.
"lhe Progress club was organized the
latter part Of 1891, and it's splendid apart
ments were opened with u grand reception
in January. 1t Is the pet of the Hebrew
residents of Butte, and although it's MEM
hundred. on it's roll are nearly a dozen
seml-millionaires. II. L. Frank, a leading
business man, is its president, and it's fut-
ure without CUB will be as prosperous az
it's name Indicates.
MILES City has the third Oldest club in
Montana. 1t was organized SEPT. 4, 1884,
its promoters being mainly wealthy CATTLE
eastern clubs. 1t has been highly prosper
GUS since Its organization. There IRE few
citios in the east or waat of 5000 population
that have such Il prosperous club Many
army officers at Fort Keogh arc members.
Thousands of clubmen from all parts of
the world have visited Yellowstone park,
and will remember Livingston and the
hospitality of the Livingston Grub. This
club was incorporated in 1889. Hon. J. H.
Savage was its first president. It's present
quarters are richly furnished and the club
is in n highly prosperous condition. The
present officers are: President, Il. G. Day;
vice president, Hon. Frank Henry; secretary
and treasurer. Chas. Connop. The mem
bership numbers eighty. Mr.. Day, the
president, is a native of Cynthiana, Ky: a
graduate Of Washington and Ice university
of Virginia. He was admitted to the bar at
Cincinnati in 1887, in 1890 removed to Liv-
ingston and ia a member OF the law firm Of
Savage q Day. The vice-president, Hon.
district of Montana. III. success of tho
club ia in a great part due to the untirinc
zeal of Mr.. Connop, its secretary. He is a
native of Devonshire, England. and a era-
duate of Winchester college.
"lhe Montana club, of Helena, is the
Oldest in the state and will soon build a
magnificent clubhouse, costing upwa d. OF
$50. 600. The club is ~well-known in Europe
and the United States by thousands who
have been entertained in its roomy n
elegant quarters. Great Falls and Missoula
also have clubs. respectively the Rainbow
and the Gate City"
Butcher II Eradley's low prices for hosiery,
ribbed swiss underwear, oorsets and notions, are