The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-22

WAR is THE TOWN TALK
Flags Were Displayed and the City Put
on a Holiday Appearancs-Orders
TO b National Guard May
Be Issued To-Day.

couTse Dy the n news was
posted in the Standards window an
hour and a half before it was posted
anywhere else in town and the news
aroused the widest excitement. The
people of Butte long since learned to
expect the straight news from the
Standard first, and they got il as usual
yesterday, and they got 1t all day long.
The Standards special correspondent at
Washington lost n time in transmit
ting the news to Butte n the people
in front of the Standard window got
the news from n to two hours ahead
of the people who read the bulletins of
the other newspaper Offices. As a con-
sequence the crowd kept increasing in
front of the Standard Office all day
long, while there were only a scattering
few in front Of the other newspaper
offices. During the afternoon Chief of
Police Mulholland placed a policeman
at the Standard window to keep a pas
sageway for pedestrians.
AS soon as the news was posted that
Minister Woodford had been given his
passports, the stars and stripes wal
placed in the Standard n and
was greeted with prolonged cheering.
Other business houses followed the ex-
ample and soon there was quite a holi-
day appearance to the town. One could
tell that the war was on without read
ing the bulletins. The excited crowds
on tnt StTttts, the ldlk1HS sTOuDS anu
the flags displayed all showed that the
expected a come at last.
All over town the talk was of war.
There is no doubt that Butte VIII fur
nish It's full share of when
they are wanted. Mayor Harrington
was asked yesterday whether he would
hold their official positions in reserve
for any policeman, fireman or other
municipal officers who desired to go to.
the front, to be assumed by them again
on returning. The mayor did not know
how far his powers in hat direction
might be. but said he would look into
the matter. Alderman Paige said yes
terday that he will introduce a bill in
the mex council meeting allowing any
officials who want to fight leave of alb
sence with pay, their positions to be
returned to them when they get back
from the war.
City Clerk Holland is terribly afraid
that he will not be able to surrender his
5000 a month job for a $13 a month job.
He spent a good share of yesterday in
drilling Assistant Clerks Witty and
OLeary in military tactics n made
them dress shoulder" present"
and bout face" until they threatened
TO resign their jobs.
Mr.. Holland is going to run away to
the war IL the mayor refuses to accept
his resignation, and to guard against
this possibility a policeman has been
appointed TO guard him so he can not
leave town with his companv, -
Col. Harry c. Kessler of the LIST in
fantry. National Guard of Montana
received orders last evening to report
at once" to Governor Smith at Helena.
and left on the 8 O'Clock Great Northern
train for III capital. There was much
excitement at the armory. where Com |
pany G was drilling, and a feeling of
jubilance was manifested among ali the |
members of the three Butte Companies |
81 the or,ora xyha- st hAoaroA nA--.
the colonel Of their regiment had been
mon to the state house by their |
commander-in-chief. as the fact was
construed as an indication that orders
to assemble the regiment preparatory
to the receipt of marching orders
would be issued this morning. Colonel |
Kessler admitted as much to a stand |
ard reporter before leaving last even
ing. He said:
Il cannot state definitely why the
governor desires my presence at the
capital, as his telegram merely said:
Come to Helena at once but i see by
the press dispatch that the Montana |
National Guard has peer accepted by
the war department, and I presume
that fact has been officially commune
Gated to Governor Smith, and that he
has decided to assemble the guard and
have it ready to move when marching
orders are received. 1 therefore sur
mise that orders to concentrate the reg
iment will be issued tomorrow. AT all
events we shall know when tomorrow
comes"
Colonel Kessler was enthusiastic over
what he regarded as excellent pros
poets for Immediate action, and con-
cluded by saying: For my part, 1
hope any Interpretation of Governor
Smiths message is correct and l think
Ii is, for / hardly think he would have
said Come at once unless some very
importanf move WAS contaminated
Colonel Kessler was questioned con-
corning the press bulletin, which stated
the war department had accepted the
Montana Guard and that Montana
would be asked to furnish a battalion
of cavalry as her quota of troops. from
which the inference was drawn by
many that the infantry regiment would
not be called on. Colonel Kessler said
he had no fears that the infantry would
be left out and i'm his opinion the in