The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-09
A Rip Van Wrinkle From the
Norwegian District.
FIGHTING A WATER SUIT
Has q Rich Placer Claim but Mines
Enough Only to Pay for Neces-
saries OF Lile-A Stove
Poker VS.. Fists.

the big water suit contention over the
waters OF Willow creek, a venerable old
gentleman. His personal appearance
suggests to readers of standard works
that famous character of Washington
Irving, Rip Van Wrinkle. He is about
six feet tall and wears his snow white
hair quite long. while his beard Is fully
two feet and a half in length, and Is
as white as the snow now lying on the
many peaks of the Rocky Mountains.
Although his hair and beard are those
OF an old man, well on to three score
years and ten. yet his walk and car
rage is suggestive of many years of
healthy outdoor life, while his high
forehead is indicative of frmness and
decision and strength Of will power.
This old gentleman is from that part
of the country called Norwegian, well
known to mining men throughout the
length and Fac of Montana. being
situated on the borders of the counties
or Gallatin and Madison on Norwegian
creek, a branch of Willow creek. 1t is
for the purpose OF indicating his right
to waters of Norwegian creek with
which TO irrigate his ranch and pur-
sue his occupation of mining that this
old gentleman has spent several weeks
in Bozeman. He lives in n cabin on his
strip II land. alone, for he is single.
During the spring or early summer
he mines IN his placer mining
claim ana does n little ranching. 1t is
stated that he owns a very rich placer
mine which, IL worked to anything like
its capacity. would yield untold wealth
To the worker or owner. But wealth il
not what he longs for. all he wants Is
SUFFICIENT to bring him a comfortable
living, and what he needs and desires
during the sunset days of his life. He
goes out when the season or weather
is propitious n washes for gold I'm his
mine and when he gets sufficient of the
golden grains, or dust, he lays down
his implements of labor and turns his
attention to other matters. Should he
by chance get a little too much of the
hlthy lucre, he throws IL back into
Mother Earth once more. as he con-
siders she is a better banker than the
structures of brick. stone and iron,
and she will not leave. as a cashier
does sometimes, for parts unknown
without leaving any address for future
reference for loving and unloving
friends. He figures out how much dust
he wants to run him for the current
year, experience of former years has
given him the exact figures), and then
he goes to work and as he gathers in
his annual dividend" he weighs IL,
and IL he has not enough, yet again he
ulsS untll the required weight rs OBJ
tanned. such is this kindly looking
old gentleman who has seen many
changes take place in Montana,
changes from the days of the cruel In
dian. until the orerunners of advancing
civilization brought news OF the outer
world. changes from the time when n
man took his little strip of and with
out let or hindrance. until the days OF
water suits and irrigation.
There was a slight disturbance on
Main street on Tuesday afternoon at
about 2 o'clock. Two gentlemen agreed
to settle their differences with a stove
poker and fisticuffs. One OF them was
Tom Neves, the well known barber,
and the other a former employe Of Mr..
Neves. The fight did not last for many
rounds. I'm fact il was only one round,
for the stove poker Is a fairly good
weapon of defense or offense. Mr..
Neves had the poker and the other gen
tleman had his fists. and also has red
hair which is indicative OF fire and fight
when its owner Is aroused-and the
poker aroused him, and then nearly
sent him to sleep. After a few hard
words on both sides the fight began.
In a few seconds more both parties
drew blood, a few econds later
both were bruised somewhat. and at
the end of the chapter one, two, three
so 1t is said, the poker was victorious,
but it's holder was somewhat disfigured
but still in the ring. The row was a
family row, but the exact facts were
not obtainable.
The well known hosiery at Logan
has changed hands. the former host,
Mr.. Thomas. giving the reins of office,
bed, board and lodging to w. r. Crow
ley. The present host is a well known
young man of the Madison Valley and
has a number of friends in Bozeman
n vicinity who wish him well in his
new enterprise.
RozRman Is s1Ipnosad 10 haya On
ordinance which requires that the
storekeepers and other citizens clean of
the sidewalks in from Of their places of
business. This applies to Main street
especially. On the south side Of Main
street the ordinance Is not being strict
ly compiled with. and nearly its whole
length is a sheet of ice. This state of
affairs Is dangerous to life n limb.
for the storekeepers and other business
houses do not even take the precau-
ton to sprinkle a few ashes with the
exception OF ". A. Pease. the jewelier.
who has sprinkled a little saw Jus in
front OF his store). \ little work i'm
mediately after a storm would remedy
this evil. and possibly a V the city a
damage suit one of these days. besides
1t is detrimental to business on the
south side II the business men only
knew II.
The Hotel Fransham" has seven
boarders now, and Chief Cook John
Chapman has that many hungry
mouths TO feed. First of all there II
ROLAND T. Sloan. awaiting sentence
for murder in the second degree, his
motion for a new trial was argued on
Tuesday evening and will probably be
decided in a few DAYS. Then there are
two men. Alexander McKillop and Tom
Donally. charged with grand larceny.
for robbin~ an old man named Papgle
while under the influence Of LIQUOR in
Ned Latta's saloon. A coon by the name
Of Anderson. who stole a broom from
Mike Ianghorn's store on Monday
night just to have some one run after
him n who was fined $50 for his
rum. he being on the losing side and
the sheriff on the winning. A man who
stole n macintosh overcoat at Chest
nut. another who took somebody's
watch. both serving their terms. and
one who d~isigured the face OF a saloon
keeper some weeks ago