The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-06
ALL ARE IDLE NOW
Sad Effect Upon Deer Ledge Of GOldbug
Legislation.
THE CHAMPION DISTRICT
About One Million Dollars Tied Up
and More Than Four Hundred
Men Thrown Out of. Work
Because Silver Is Low.

Deer Lodge. May 5.-The Champion
mining district, that gave promise at
one time Of becoming one of the great
est producers of silver in Montana, is
now utterly deserted. save by the night
owl and the ground squirrel. The own
Aers of the Champion mine. the princi-
pal property in the district. have been
engaged for the past week in moving
all their hosting machinery to town.
where 1t is being stored and thus saved
from the corrosive influences of the
mineral and dampness. The Champion
mill. built on the outskirts of this town
at a great expense for the treatment of
ore from this district. was compelled to
hang up its stamps before its merits
were fairly tested. and is now occu-
pied by a solitary Waterman. =
1t is only FIVE years since this camp
furnished employment to 400 working
men and is whistless representing as
many hoisting works. could be heard
any morning on the hill
The people of Deer Lodge, relying on
the future prosperity of'the camp. had
staked their all, having contributed
nearly $1,000.000 in the purchase of
stocks towards the development of
prospects in the district, fully expecting
at the same time that their invest
ments would be doubled in a year; but
at the time when these mines were in
shape to yield to their owners good
profits, the price of silver dropped SO
low that it left them no alternative but
to suspend operations. The citizens are
hopeful. though, and they look forwaSa
to the return of silver mining and pros
perity whenever the country is given
an opportunity to repudiate Mr.. Cleve-
lands theory of sound money"
Those who happened to be up and
around last Thursday about noon could
witness the unusual spectacle of a
house moving up the street. Some
times one sees a man move here, but
a house hardly ever. On inquiry 1T
was found to be the Continental Oil
company's. warehouse. which was be-
ing transferred from the depot to a
point across the river near the water
tank.
Judge whitehill left for Philipsburg
yesterday to attend the district court
Of Granite county, which convenes
there on Monday.
Attorney ]. II. Meyers went to
Helena last evening on business con-
nected with his profession.
"A wild and woolly native of Pioneer,
Whisky Joe by name, became too hila-
rious on Main street yesterday. He
was gathered in by Officer Dave Shelf
field and sent up to hotel Fitzpatrick. 4
Judge Winston came down from Ana
conda yesterday. having business be-
fore the court
Ed Larabie and John w. Nelson took
the morning train for Missoula yester-
day.
Sam Scott came near being badly in
jured while out driving his wild Mon
tana horse. He was on the race track,
and was going at such a clip that he
did not see pole that stood up against
the fence and extended out on the
track until his sulky wheel struck it, !
and then pole, sulxy and driver went
up into the air. Sam came down and
held on his horse. He received pain |
full scalp wound, but otherwise came |
out of it in better shape than the |
sulky. +g-E
oraColonel Bowen and ]. NJ. Shelf have |
returned from a very successful pros |
pecting trip in the mountains near |
Deer Lodge.
>. Attorney w. B. Rodgers has ordered |
a bicycle, which goes without saying |
that his Helena trip was successful.