The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-26
BUTTE. lsse-Ise5.


the life of a CITY 10 is comparatively
insignificant period. Yet great Chdnses
often take place even IN - sAloi
length of time. both in the history OF a
man and in the history OF CITY, ana
the past six years in Butte from the
year ISSa 10 the year 1895 have wit
messed changes 50 decided as 10 mark
distinct periods I'm the citys history.
When in the early days of Septem-
Der, 1889, the Standard securel uesk
room in the little office OF the NoSky
Mountain Telegraph company, men
cheul's drug store. in Main street. le"
there were who would venture TO pre-
dict the changes which the standard
would soc in Butte in its life OF q little
less than six years. That period OF
time has seen Butte deNelop rom a
lively mining camp into prosperous
city. Six years have seen the old rung
out and the new rung in. SIX years
have seen the transient replaced by the
stable the fortune seeker replaced by
the citizen. the boarding house in large
measure replaced by the home. Ihese
six years have seen attractive puiiulngs
and substantial business blocks take
the nlace Of The shacks which in 1889
seemed good enough for camp In the
permanency Of which the people were
slow 10 repose confidence. me stand
ards first readers in Butte were people
who in a large measure regarded the
city as a temporary stopping place.
and few yet viewed the place in the
light of a permanent city-in the llght or
the metropolis of the Rocky mount
aims. In the year 1885 the Standard is
read by q population which belleVes IN
Butte and takes pride in II.
Most conspicuous Of all perhaps In
these six years in Butte has been the
DEVELOPMENT of the home idea. The
stoppina places of 1889 are replaced by
the homes of 1885. Tracts Of barren
land in the suburbs have become dott-
ed with little cottages. six years ago
all the territory west of Missouia gulch
was a forbidding waste. scarcely
house was there and only a rickety
wooden bridge connected that territory
with the city proper. Now the section
beyond the gulch has become the chief
residence part of the city, while stone
culVerts cross the gulch at all streets
and an electric car line gives rapid
transit 20 the business portion OF town.
Six years ago there was not an electric
car in Butte. Now electricity has re-
placed the clumsy and dangerous old
steam motor and all sections of the
city are placed within quick reach of
Main street. In six years electric lights
have banished darkness from the
streets Of Butte and with the darkness
have vanished much Of the crime
in 1889 made a trip to the outskirts i'm
the hours of night a matter of peril
In 1889 Butte did not have a sewer or
a graded street. Now miles Of sewers
protect the health of the city's inhab-
itants and thousands Of dollars have
been expended in leveling the hills and
improving the streets. The old water,
the vilest decoction ever offered human
beings to wash in, has been replaced
by an extensive system which furnish
es a large supply Of vastly better
water.
In 1889 there was not a municipal
building in Butte worthy the name.
and the council met In brick shack in
West Park street. In 1895 handsome
and commodious city hall and a pub
lie library building unsurpassed in the
Rocky Mountain region mark the era
of progress, and are shown with pride
by the people of Butte 10 Butte's visi-
tors. Butte in 1889 was destitute of "A
flrst-class hotel Now two hotels of
that class in Butte have become fam
Gus for the completeness of their ap-
pointments and for the care taken for
the comfort of guests. The Silver Bow
club in 1889 occupied dingy and
cramped quarters on the second floor
of an uninviting building. This year
finds the club admirably located i'm
splendid quarters, while a companion
club. the Irish-American. has since
sprung into life. and occupies equally
elegant apartments. and has become a
welcome feature Of life in Butte in 1895
In six years Butte's population has
doubled, its territory has been en-
larged by taking i'm South Butte and
the Parrot addition. and its facilities
for travel have been increased by the
cutting through Of the Northern Pacific
short line. When fire broke out i'm
Butte six years ago. the city was de-
pendent for protection almost wholly
on a volunteer fire department. operat-
ing with insufficient apparatus and an
utterly inadequate water supply. while
the discharglng Of revolvers was the
only means Of turning in a fire alarm.
A metropolitan IRE alarm system and n
trained department now protect the
city from the element which was SO
destructive in Butte six years ago.
Mines which We're but prospectors'
claims in Butte six years ago have be-
come the talk Of the mining world.
There have been other changes I'm
Butte in these six years. Butte in 1889
supported i've variety houses. Now not
one is running. even the Comioue he
ing compelled 20 remain closed for lack
OF business. Patronage Of gambling
houses has diminished 10 % per cent of
what II was six years ago and the
readers OF the STANDARD in 1895 will
soon see the closing forever OF public
v.
In some respects Butte is not so lively
as IL was six years ago. The
streets at night are more de-
serted, the midnight parties OF
saloon roysterers are less numerous.
there is less money blown in" In six
years in Butte the man Of family has
10 large extent replaced the rounder.
The money which the faro banks used
10 have now goes To the savings hanks
The furniture and the dry goods stores
now have the money which formerly
went behind the bar. More ueople are
employed in Butte than Their were six
years ago. The wages rafa Tor ali
classes of labor are just as high in 1885
as in 1889, but the money which used
10 be dissipated in painting Rutte red
IS now in very large measure used in
beautifying homes and in making fam
lilies happy.
In all that makes CITY TRULY ,,ros-
porous and us citizens truly happy.
years. True, the doors Of tn f,o,,io,,e
are closed; the old beer halls are d.
lapidated, the gambling houses are On
nfFls ~ 10 al