The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-06-02

sold IL. He got 1925 for the cabin and
IL was moved to Deer Lodge. 1t is
| there yet. II you happen to be in Deer
Lodge, walk down past the Scott house
will see the building which was Butte's
first postoffice.
Property wasn't so valuable in Butte
In those days as IL is now. and after
the first postoffice was sold Doc" Ford
had no difficulty in getting another for
the same rent. namely nothing. The
second postoffice was a shanty which
might be dignified with the name of
shack. standing where the upper Com
hination gambling house now is. just
south of Clark's bank corner. 1t was
a two-room cabin. In the back part
Ford had his bunk and a stove where
he cooked his meals. In the front part
he had the postofiice-that Is to say he
handed out the letters there when the
people of Butte came after them. The
boys made the postoffice a kind of
headquarters. They would chop up
wood and supply Ford with it. and i'm
return for that could spend the even
ings sitting in the cabin reading the
newspapers which came to the post
office. II was a kind of a club room
and library exchange for Butte a quar-
ter or century ago. a pioneer Silver
Bow club. Hauswirth's hotel. was con-
veniently near, on the corner where
Clark's bank now stands. and the post
Office adjoined this.
Ford was 20 odd years cid at that
time, and he remained postmaster of
Butte until he died. in 1878. The day
before yesterday his grave in the ceme-
terry was decorated by Joe RamsdeH
Prof. w. Egbert Smith succeeded him
as postmaster in the same place. But
the village was growing and shortly
afterward the postoffice was removed
to West Park street in the little board
building now occupied by Cohn as a
fruit and vegetable market This place
had formerly been used as the Miner
office. but now Professor Smith opened
little stationery store and ran this in
connection with the postoffice. Mr..
Smith made a good postmaster. al
though his salary was only $500 or $500
per year.
rapidly and the sectional rivalry be-
tween the upper and lower parts of
town began. The people in the lower
part of town for a few months paid
Professor Smith a salary to have him
Keep the postoffice down there. his sal
airy from the government being so in
sufficient. After the postoffice had been
there little more than a year the
citizens grew tired of putting up and
the postoffice was removed up Main
street to a small frame building about
where Graves paint shop now is. Mean
while the city was getting a booom,
and before Professor Smiths term ex-
pired his salary was quite respectable
When the shack was torn down and
replaced by the present two-story
building the postoffice remained there
and occupied the larger quarters in the
more pretentious block. Harry Kes-
sler was Smiths partner and acted as
deputy in the postoffice as the business
grew, also taking Smiths place when
he was away. A good many citizens
tried to get Harry Kessler to accept
the position of postmaster. but he
would not accept it. Professor Smith
introduced the box system into the
postofiice, and the people of Butte paid
$3.50 per month for box. Smith was
postmaster a long time, and just be-
fore his term expired the Office had
been moved to the Miners Union hall
building, where ii now is.
Butte's postmasters with their terms
have been as follows: