The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-31
MoNrANA,s CoUyrERpANES.
An Incident or the Early DAYS In the WeatI
Pillow Shnn mis- Followed.

From the Helena Independent
New light Is being thrown on tho early history
OF Montana day by day, for tho making of his
tory and the recording Of II in times when there
were no newspapers and when the rush for gold
lett little time for attention then to tho desires
OF generations to come were altogether different
matters. Just now there IL in Helena u man
who did more, perhaps, TO advance the early
community in u social way than any other man
who came to the Territory. Ho is Gen. Rod ID.
Lcggat Of Butte, and the distinction he earned
in those days OF struggling for gold and Of sor.
did barter and trade was the rioncGrship
In the importation OF countCrpanCs in.
to the new country. In the beginning of tho
history of the Territory there wore few of the
little comforts of home that make the difference
between n cabin and u house, The huts of the
seekers for the golden fleece were rude affairs,
and their interior arrangements did not be-
speak n taste for articles of vortu. Tho minds
of men then were warped by the prevailing
sentiment. and the Introduction of the counter.
pane. while IL was not in itself u seemingly
important event at that time, was really
tho beginning, of an epoch. White table.
cloths and napkins and lace curtains followed,
as a matter of course when the dormant
finer feelings of the people had been awakened
from their lethargv by the introduction of the
countCrpanC, and it can be said without cNag.
geratlon that the day when the first one was
disposed OF was the beginning of the period that
now mas the homes OF the lCOnlr OF Inc treas
rre state as comfortably appointed and as ar.
tistically arranged as the homes of any people
IN the land. Such is the moving force OF a little
thing in history, and of the Importance of little
things many a volume has been written by pro.
found students OF sociology.
Gen. Leggat built the first building on what is
now Rodney street, in Helena. II WAS in the
spring of 1868, when there was no Rodney street
and the city itself was located far below what is
now that avenue in Last Chance Gulch. He
had brought to the Territory from st. Louis n
large stock of staple merchandise. and after un.
loading it at Fort BENTON had come ON ahead.
while the OK teams ploddcd over the trail. to ar.
range for It's disposition here, anticipating that
II he would Law it, by there would come a day
when there would be n large demand for it, in
which he was subsequently not disappointed.
He found the storage rates were $3.50 a ton
a month. and as he had 100 tons of good
it. was "A considerable item. There were with
him several Michigan men who knew a thing or
two about log houses and their construction
and he furnished them with oxen and had them
builu on the corner of Rodney street, and Fifth
avenue. opposite on Rodney street the present
log structure. where he stored his stock. build.
ing a tent for himself and his men. The tent
Vii wa eomIor1aOiy mrrahEeGi wItn clean wnitt
had been done Gen. Lcggat bethought himself
of he countcrpanes in the warehouse. So he
procured three, and they were placed on the
hunks within.
The weather was warm and the tent flap wa;
open. 1t was not long before that locality, re
mote as 1t was, began to be the centre OF at,rac
tion for many of the ladies who then lived here
and who sadly missed many OF the little com
forts they had been accustomed TO in thcii
homes across the plains. The counterpart:
were tho objects OF their curiosity. it soon az or
ward developed. and those on the hunks in tn,
little tent were the foundation OF more bushes,
than many a lavish window display would be IL
the modern store OF today.
Mrs. James kirE who was one Of the frs,
women to live in Helena, ZONE time aftcrwart
received as IA gilt the first cOuntcrpanc cvcl
taken ont OF the stock. Requests for more cam,
i'll rapidly, and they were taken out of tn
warerooms and placed on sale. Several HUNDRED
We're promptly disposed of at a profit, and til,
demand did not cease even when the las. on,
had been sold. for the news had gone abroad
and tn" orders were By no means confined t.
| the camp itself.