The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-20
TEN PAGES.
SATURDAY. AUGUST 20. 1898.
Freight Trains Don't Go.


monopoly in Butte Is serious in its
monstrous undertaking to make that
cfty's principal tho~roughfares a high
way for freight trains. 1t passes un-
d~erstanding; yet. perhaps. the COM
munity ought not TO wonder-men. who.
in a former city council, were reckless
enough TO vote the franchise this street
railway occurred may naturally be ex-
pected-for the pay. Of which wine sup
pers are merely the misleading sign
20 go any length in voting against the
public interest and in putting the city
under the heel OF a d~isreputable cor
poration.
Butte knows what It is TO be cursed
with venal aldermen. Butte is living
this very day under the effects Of the
whitening touch Of former dishonesty IN
the council chamber. Its people drink NTH
and battle in slime because. when the
city had a wide-open opportunity to Sc
cure an abundant supply Of wholesome
NdItTs the ClNs OdhNih bNNoi'N NN
rupt agent Of men who, with hypocrisy
not well cloaked. dishonesty profess an
interest in Butte's welfare. In part.
VIGOROUSLY, the element that is respon-
sible for this foul flow. m1scalled water.
is the element that now proposes, for
the enriching of it's own pocket, to turn
Butte into a freight yard.
Not many street railway s~uperinten-
dents would dare to approach a city
council composed of American citizens
with a proposition so infamous as the
one Mr.. wharton has submitted-there
appears to be no limit to this mans Inn
pudent defiance of public opinion. The
present council includes members who
are comparatively new in the service
and who haven't yet passed muster be-
fore the people of Butte on propositions
OF which Wharton is the tool These
men are therefore not to be condemned
In advance. But common decency holds
it's breath when 1t reflects that this
frelght-car project managed TO survive
one minute in the council chamber.
Proper regard for It's own self-respect,
one would think. ought to have been a
SUFFICIENT motive with the council In
sending the project and its author out
OF the council chamber by the shortest
and rudest exit. And 1t can be written
without reservation that the alderman
who gives his vote TO this project is an
alderman who is willing to rank as a
corrupt. fsithiess and dishonest pub
lie officer in the ton of his neigh
bors and townsmen. A vote for this
outrage Is a vote for which decency
will furnish no excuse.
You could interest capital without
limit In such a scheme ar that which is
proposed. Riva companies would bid
UP to a million dollars just for the fran
chlse to misuse Butte's business thor
oughfares in the manner hat is pro-
posed. The offer never was made, be-
cause. until the ~springing Of the pres.
emit scheme, no man dreamed that q
proposition so shameless and SO malig'
nant would ever presume to thrust IT.
ss'f within the council chambers doors
The franchise TO surrender Butte's pr!n
cipal streets 10 freight-train service
would be well worth a million dollar
10 any corporation that could manage
20 capture It: as for the city and tn
p~ublc-you cannot figure the loss and
damage that would be entsiled, SO in
csiculably great is its total.
The Standard would be glad to Zee
assured that this outrage has finished
its course in the council chamber. 1t il
not well, however. 10 be too bold will
predictions a. to what a Butte board o