The Anaconda standard., 1898-12-16
THE sun VISITED BUTTE
A Welcome Guest After an Alb
sense of a Week.
A HARD FOUGHT CONTEST
People Can Now Visit Butte and Do
Their Shopping withou. Any Fear
OF Being Suffocated Ozone
Is Victorious.

The sun paid visit to the earth once
IL smiled as of old and was warmly
welcomed. After week of dense OBJ
scurity. Butte bathed in the sunshine.
The people expanded their lungs and
drank in the great gulps of real pure
air. The refugees came back to town.
the street cars did a monster business.
stores were crowded ard the holiday
trade was on. outside people who want
to be suited on holiday goods can safely
come to Butte now. BY every sign
there will be a spell of good weather.
The sulphurous forces of hell were
not routed and driven i'm confusion from
the valley until after one OF the most
famous and hard fought contests in the
history of Butte. 1t was about a week
ago that the enemy took the city by
surprise. captured it and held it, The
enemy's army seemed larger than ever
before. Its outposts reached westward
to the additions farthest from the city.
IL encompassed Centerville and the
mines on the hill. which IL was very
seldom able to do before. and even laid
siege To WalkerNllle.
No determined efforts was made to
relieve the captured city of Butte until
Wednesday evening. The forces of
pure air formed I'm battle array just
beyond the Big Butte and advanced
on the city. The outposts of the sui
phurous ranks were gradually forced
back into the city. The serried ranks
of ozone moved on and the sitting
ranks Of sulphur fell back. The hated
enemy was almost driven from the
field and above the smoky clouds of
battle one could dimly see the stars,
when reinforccments came UP from the
smelters east of the city, the enemy
rallied and the pure hosts Of heaven
were forced temporarily to give way.
And SO the battle waged all night
long. For a few minutes the pure air
would gain posses of the city. The
disordered volumes of deadly smoke
would go rolling down the hill into the
valley. Then they would reform and
recapture Butte for time. but each
time the sulphurous army seemed
! weaker, its columns less dense, its
ranks less rank Towards morning the
enemy abandoned the field and fled
precipitated by the Pipes tone Pass.
The rays of the morning sun bsthed
Old Glory once more. futtering from
the court house flag staff. and every
body felt happy to see once more the
flag which had been hid from view so
many days.
Too much credit cannot be given to
| ex- Governor Richards for his part i'm
rescuing the beleaguered city. The DID
| governor donned his war paint and
| with the members of his staff, ad-
vanced boldly on the enemy which.
! like the Spaniards, did not even save
| their honor.
How long will the city be safe? That
| can hardly be told. The enemy is like
| ly any time 20 rally and surprise the
garrison once more. But II they are
| kept at bay until after the holidays,
there will be a big rejoice coming.
| w. ii. SWEET. one OF the newly ap-
! pointed members Of the smoke COM
| mittee, came over from Anaconda yes
| terday morning and was in at the
| death. He says he will remain vail
| antly on the field as long as the forces
| of pure air hold the city, but he eN-
| poets to run away again as soon as
| the enemy is seen climbing up the hill.
| ]. II. Harper was yesterday appointed
| on the committee in place Of John Gil
| lic who has been dismissed for cow
| ardice and desertion from his COM
| mand.