The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-17
WEhtI4t@ MtNNrE
CITY NEWS AND GOSSIP.
West siders Complain That the Mail
Service Is Away Behind
the Times.
Why tho Burlington Is DESTROYS
of Getting to the Castle
Mines.
How tho Weli-to-do Can Help the I'm
employed-The Drummer Abroad
Again.

EN- ploy ed-Tho Abroad
Again.
The mail service In Montana has becon
very bad recently. The change in time O
the Northern Pacific may be partly respor
sible. but it is not wholly so, in the opinio
of the Anaconda Standard, which has bee
looking into the matter. Through mai
from the east are only half q day iats
u.der the nsw schedule than they wei
under the old. Tha trouble is betwee
Montana points moving westward. tn
INDEPENDENT. for instance. does not now a
rive In Anaconda until six o'clock in tn
evening of the day following its pnblica
ton, or thirty.s al hours after il Is printed
Formerly it was received within twelv
hours at the latest. Letters mailed in Hell
ena for Anaconda seldom O. never reaol
their destination at present under twenty
four hours-thirty-six hours seems TO b,
the rule. the standard says. Mail WIS re
ceived Thursday afternoon postmarkeC
Helena on Tuesday. Letters from Boze,
man, livingston, Billings and Miles City
are from two to four days in tranGit TO Hell
ena and Anaconda. These are not exesp.
tional cases-they nrs OF regular and con-
slant occurrence. Where the trouble lie!
it is hard to say. Wherever the trouble is
it is utterly inc xcusable snd is should be
Immediately remedied. If the proper post
Office officials will investigate the mattei
they will confer u favor upon the people
of the state.
The story published in THE INDEPENDENT
yesterday in regard to the intention Of the
Burlington to come first 10 Helena was
quite generally commented on in business
circles. Chief ElRileee Weeks, of the
Burlington, is we'll known in Montana, and
the announcement made by him is the first
official statement connecting Helena with
the Burlington extension. II. M. Par
chen. referring TO IL yesterday. snid that
the statement that tho ores of Montana
were needed to emelt the Black Hills ore
was true. And the ore needed.H said Ar,
Payehen. "is that Of the Castle country.
They run very high in lead and silver, are
the easiest smelling oras in this portion o,
the country, and are just what are needed
TO mix with the ore in the Black Hills"
The street tax of So, which tho city ex-
nots from each able bodied man between
the ages of 81 and As affords an excellent
opportunity to get a great amount OF clean
ing and brushing up done before snow dies
The law provides that the tax may be paiC
in cash or that ID may be worked cut OF
ths streets By one days work. The maj
who owes 1t doesn't have to work it ont i,
person. either; he can hire a substitute
The street commissioner always has NOR,
mon looking for work under him than tn
money allowed his department. will re'mi
him to put on. Men who have the stree
tax to ray and are either too busy or hay,
nc inclination to work il out, can easil'
find a substitute who is willing to make s.
by applying to tho commissioner, who vii
md one in short order. Theirs i.
plenty of work to be lone to put the city
IN good clean condition before cold weathe.
comes, and By such a plan rs suggested the
street force could DE augmented very mate
rally. Many taxpayers have been employ.
ing substitutes for some time to work ont
their street tax. and there is no doubt
but that more would be doing the same
thing had they known they could.
For three OF four weeks the travelling
salesman has boon an almost unknown
quantity in the cities of Montana. When
the crash came a couple of months ago that
much maligned but really good fellow, the
Drummer, wns abroad in the state, calling
on his customers. retsueding them that the
fall trade was going to be out of sight and
in consequence sending good orders in.
But when the ranio was at its height the
eastern houses called in nearly all their
men, and since then the only mon on tbs
road have been those who a-o looking after
collections or keeping posted on the general
situation. But the change has come. and
the last four days has brought to Helena
more travelling men than the were In the
whole state two weeks ago. The hote!
keepers are looking happier. the porteIs are
beginning to lose flesh, and the bell boys
have been provided with o new lot of nitail.
ers for ice water. P.o6ably 1t Ia the com
ing of the Drummer that has c2nsed many
heretofore long faces to broaden out and
almost smile. because no one can look or
feel blue" very long when the Drummer is
around. Ii he goes into c town where every
merchant 10 complaining of dull times
no has only to make the rounds and
every ono feeis better. He 10 full of husi-
ness himself. in q hurry. asirs things up,
makes the expressmaa and ths hackman
hustle. persuades every man he meets that
his town is the liyslieat in his section Of tho
country; tolls the man who is about ready
TO advertise 4 closing out sale that In an
other town things are 30 duh that not a
travelling man gave himself has RtopDed
there in a month, and that his adyices fro M
the 'houae" are that the prospects arc for
the bigRest trade this season the house has
ever known. He starts business In the
billiard room, throws dice with the bar
Keeper, tips the waiter, kicks over Lia room,
cusses the postmaster, givea ali HE custom
era who want 1t an extension, and when he
has succeeded in getting everybody awake
and fully persuaded taut the bottom Is still
there, lie gets an order, leaves o cGll for the
1850 train and the next morning leaves the
town. having put moro lie into it than the
Oldest inhebitant supposed ii possessed.
The Drummer is all night and his getting
down to business again is a sure Indication
that the turn of the tide has como.
II had n good joke with Mayor Curtin
when he was inauguratel the frss time
said Joseph Horsky. speaking in 4 crowd at
the Board of Trade oorns recently. when
he got through speaking went up and
congratulated him and told him l hoped