The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-13
IT HAS GROWN SINCE
Story of the First Theatrical Per-
iOrmance in Billings in 1882
USED A CHURCH ORGAN
Postponing the Show Until Prayer
Meeting Was over Bessie
Louise King the Prima
Donna.
USED A CHURCH ORGAN
Edward A. Bromley in Minneapolis


The removal of the chairs and
other fittings of the Grand opera
house. of Minneapolis. which was al
ways considered one of the handsom-
est opera houses in the county, to Bill
ings, Mont. illustrates very forcihly
how rapidly western towns take on all
the airs that pertain to metropolitan
greatness. | have "A very vivid reccl-
lection of the first entertainment that
was ever given in Billings. not simply
because | was present on that occasion
as were about all Of the inhabitants Of
the town at that time, but because Of
the fact that ! was the impressario of
the occasion.
IL was in June, 1882. one afternoon
as was our custom, we had all gone
down to the old town OF Coulson. which
joined our new town on the Yellowstone
river side-or. rather. to which the
townsite proprietors of Billings had at
tached their town--to await the arriv-
al Of the stage that brought the mail
from Gods country (the Eas). and.
incidentally. from Miles city. As the
stage, a little late, came I'm sight be-
NOnd the cemetery, on the Huntley
road, we noticed that one of the horses
was a little lame. The cemetery. by
the way. was famed as the resting
place of 26 people. all OF whom. save
their boots on" Some of them had
been blown up among the rocks, which
the men were getting out OF the way
of the Northern Pacific railway, that
was expected to reach us in August,
and others had followed the dilatory
practice of pulling their pistols just
after the other fellow had his out
As the stage pulled up at the post
office with Postmaster Anderson at the
door of his little shack Office. ready to
receive the mail, we noticed that every
man inside the stage had a revolver in
his hand lnasmuch as we were a law
abiding community. although our town
was only three months old. we resented
the intrusion of these armed strangers
into our territory and each man of us
began lingering the spot where his
suspenders were fastened i'm the back.
Noticing the warlike precautions, Al
dersOn sung out TO the driver:
What's the matter, Bill2"
Nothing much" said Bill Gidley. on
old ST. Paul boy. by the way. who had
piloted Blakely and Burbanks stages
through the Black Hills when the
Sioux were lifting hair every day along
the route; some galoot tried to hold
US up back there at Pompeys Pillar.
one Of his 45s cut the flank of the lead
err but didn't do any special harm
Scared the tenderfeet inside a little.
however"
BY this time the mail bag was off and
several of the passengers had descend
ed from the leathern-springed vehicle.
one Of them, a spruce young fellow.
asked the postmaster where he could
find the editor Of the Billings Herald
| was pointed out as one of them-mv
partner. Alexander Devine. had gone
up the river to Stillwater-and after
introducing himself, the newcomer
placed a letter in my hands. Ii was
from Mr.. Brown whom I had known
back in the states" through his con-
nection with the Redpath bureau. OF
Boston, as the manager of the Holman
sisters. 1t stated that he was on his
way west to the Pacific coast by stage
with an opera company of six people
and asked me. as a favor TO an old ac-
quaintance. who might be stranded
:, 900 miles from home. 10 make all the
arrangements for the appearance of
the company in Billings. and for the
time being become the manager of the
company. He also stated that there
was a pianist in the company. but no
musical instruments. He would like 10
give three operas i'm the town and had
one or two drops to set the scenes with.
Give an opera i'm Billings, Great
Scott Was the man crazy As /
looked back up the river there came
.
made Of cottonwood that. wnon nret
nailed on. would. If YOU didn't mari i
tight. chase YOU all over the prdfr.. "a
a not day by far the greater uumIer
Of dOmicilos were those commonly
found where the people are of "A nigrI-
tory disposition. and these were not
very clean at thae. \ few dance
houses and gambling saloons were
scattered here and there and OF to the
north. the one redeemiuE feature IN the
landscape. appeared the C0arraga-
tional church. as humble in It's aechi-
lecture as any of m. other unraintrl
and unglazed buildings
After a few minutes reflection. 7 de-
te~ningl 10 help Brown out e.en If
the citizens wreaked their vengeance
eu me the first night Of the opera To
think was no act IN that community.
and i'm a few minutes j was interview
ing Mr.. Mckay. who was hurrying tpr-
ward the erection Of a tWo-stpry build
ing on Billings main street. with the
Intention of opening a saloon so SION
as IL was completed. The carpenters
were pu,tinE on cloth in lieu of plaster
we hadn't any lath or plaster in thar
town-and inasmuch a. the stor, front
was on its way from MinnedDolis. tie
of air through the building
was perfect. ] Induced Mckay. in con-
sheraton II SIS. chen and there uaEa.
to lease me the room, 25Nllo, for three
nights Then 7 started out u find
some chairs. A. the lower end ct town
a hotel was about T. he stared and tie
protector had 90 hard bottom seats.
Tl-s- 7 secured ami addea d very fe-v
from a furniture store.
Then the greatest problem o. an
confru1tsi me. Where could : got "a
piano cor .f Kan. There HaS only one p
each kind within 90 miles. ftra II .h,m
vE= "a CRACKED piano thar rrgs wearing
out its squeaky eNistyuea. assisted p.-
ra~.nualiy toward its demise tr m.
pErr.d heels ~ @stiye gawoyy~. .u q.
dance hall iu CHulsOu. The other was
am organ that had been sent q THO
CH--IeE l..auali-- from .hr .lli.a .f
Minneapolis There was only u-.e -rrn
- that dilemma and ] took IT, had
been elected "a trustee short time I--
fore ~ the Congregational slu~-a and