The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-29

late Saturday and for the Ifst three
days the weather was all that could
be desired; but now-b-r-r-ri 10 de-
grees below zero, a cutting wind and
an atmosphere so sharp that it makes
the nose and ears Jingle in walking
block-makes me wish I was back IN
zion" once more. The cold snap Is
declared by all "old-timers" to be
phenomenal for this time of year, but
that fact does not lessen its severity
in the slightest degree. ora y NY
they say. weather Of this sorl does not
make its appearance until ABOUT lIiS
first of the year, and consequently no
one thinks the present wave VIII
last longer than a few days more
when it will be succeeded by the
s.chinook' and slush will reign su-
preme. I hope they're right.
Perhaps the first thing the tourlsI
notices on stepping into the street Is
the 1O-cent fare eXacted Ior d rue "
any point inside the city limits, a sys-
rem which is not in vogue anywhere
else in the United States on street
raiIways-or, at least, in any other
town Of this size.
The next item 10 the economical tour
list is the high price asked for rooms
1t is impossible to get decent rocvl
much short of $50 per month, the same
SORT of apartment. for instance, that
would rent for little more than half
that sum in Salt Lake City. The land
lords defend their prices on the score
of high rents and by the fact of good
wages being paid all classes Of work
ingmen, and particularly miners and
mechanics. These assertions are true.
however, as a little investigation has
convinced me.
&c Tho Yodufnc houses fIlIl
TO overlooking even now, and am
told that in the racing season, which
occurs in the latter part of the sum-
mer. rooms are well nigh impossible to
obtain at any price, men frequently
paying 81 a night for shake-down on
the floor.
Il would seem to a stranger that. in
view oe these facts. there would be a
building boom. but, while the town IS
progressing in that line at reasonable
sDecd. still there are quite a number
of mechanics belonging to the different
building trades out of work here. One
reason for the "backwardness" of cap.
ital Coming forward" undoubtedly IS
on account of the different unions
here.
An example of this is presented to-
dav in the Murray Opera House. which
only lacks a few days work TO COM
plete the interior. (The exterior IS
llready done.) And yet not a man is
employed on the building, owing to a
boycott having been placed on the
.r-5er AIurray) by one of the various
unions. It seems that he has had
trouble with both carpenters and plas-
tarers and finally, through one of his
contractors. with the Builders and
Contractors union. with the result as
stated. of shutting down all work be
ing done on the opera house
The trouble viii, of course, be event
ually settled, even if the people of
Butte have 10 do as they did in Spo
kane some years ago, where the gen
eral public, including professional men
as well as tradesmen turned to- and
shingled the roof Of one of their public
buildings, which had been bOycOtted.
Tt is fear Of action being taken by the
unions as IT exists here now. which
largely deters capital from doing more
IN the building line.
One of The noticeable features Of a
few years ago has totally disappeared.
I sllude to gambling. Eight years ago
one could pass along the main streets
and in most of the saloons hear the
rattle of the ivory chips, or the drop
ping Of the roulette ball, mingled With
the monotone of the dealers voice ana
nouncing the cOlOrs or numbers, and
this curses not loud. but Deep of the
Unlucly player. Now all has disap-
peared. and if a man wants to tempt
fortune he must go outside the city
limits, the law prohibiting gambling
being merely a municipal one. The
games" are still recognized by the
state, and Montana enjoys the distinc-
ton of being one of the few states,
possibly the only one, in our great
Commonwealth, where gambling is a
regularly licensed business. I under
stand, however, that the ministers,
aided by other sources like the press,
etc, viii make a powerful effort TO
overthrow this law at the next session
Of the legislature.
The police force of Butte present a
picturesque appearance enVelOped in
their long fur overcOats. Instead of
The regulation helmet. however, which
Is worn in most cities. the finest"
here wear a blue cap, very much like
hose worn by cable car men elsewhere.
IN fact. the first thing I did on alight-
irg from the car on my arrival, was
10 inquire the way to the postofice,
and seeing what l took to be a grip
man standing on q corner. I was
somewhat surprised, while asking my
question, TO see his star glistening on
the under coat. his fur overcoaC being
lnbuttOned for the time being.
The Inhabitants of Butte seem almost
20 a man 10 be well up on football.
One might call II the national" game
here. so great is the interest taken in
me games in which the home" team
s concerned The "Buttes'' have ac-
auired quite a celebrated name, and
ustly so. I went out 10 the grounds
2st Sunday TO witness the "Buttes''
rs. "Ames of Iowa" game. The gen
lemen from Montana dallied with the
gentlemen from Iowa and the foot.
BAH impartially for the regulation
period at the end of which the score
tcod 80 to in favor of Butte. and the
: points which the Iowans had scored
o them were won on a .'fuke." which
vas the saddest part of it alto them.
ne same took place on a field covered
~ three inches Of snow, celebrating
III the regular lines of the gridiron
md serving TO keep a couple of young
men with a tape-line "on the jump
ecordingthe various gains and losses.
The playing of the Butte boys was dis
inguished by some mastery work
md, 10 the stranger. they would seem
o be amply justified in their title, the
champions of the middle northwest"
For a few minutes preceding the
anne the shivering audience was
reared TO Slight decoction" of the
celebrated Butte sulphur smoke. or
Eore properly speaking. fumes. and in
consequence the coughing that resulted
herefrOm would do credit to the aver
lge church service on a Sunday morn
ng in winter time. This only lasted a
ew minutes however. and during the
est Of the afternoon nothing occurred
o mar the pleasure OF the contest from
he gpectator's standpoint exceOt the