Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-06
Butte Ladies Feel They Have
Been Mistreat.d.
SILVER BOW COUNTY SHIELD
The Triumph of the Worlds Fair is
Badly Handled atthe Omaha
Exposition.

The magnificent gold, silver and cop
per shield, emblematic of the industries
of Silver Bow county, that attracted so
much admiring in the women's
department of the Worlds Columbian
exposition and won fame for itself in
the award of a medal by the commits
s%ioners. is home once more from a trip
to the Trans-Mississippi exposition at
Omaha.
And such a Homecoming! Battered,
bruised and soiled, like a flag that had
passed through the Santiago campaign.
1t was to have been cherished and pro-
tected during its residence in Omaha, but
it's appearance now leads one to believe
that it was allowed to indulge in a life
of dissipation and disorganization. 1t
left Butte a bride, and returned a bag
gard, world-worn woman.
Last April w. H. Sutherlin of White
Sulphur Springs, who had charge of the
Montana exhibit at Omaha, eagerly
sought the permission of the Butte ladies
to exhibit the shield, and finally obtained
their consent with the provision that the
shield was to be we'll cared for and re-
turned to Librarian J.. l.. Davies, the
custodian, in as good a condition as it
was at that time. Miss Southmayd came
to Butte to complete the deal and she
went from here to Anaconda to get the
order of delivery from Mrs. White. presi-
dent OF the association owning the shield.
Upon her promise to see it we'll cared for
it was packed and taken to Omaha.
From that day until yesterday nothing
YVES heard from it excepting that one
person brought word that it was being
sadly neglected.. 1t arrived at the library
yesterday in a dilapidated condition. No
packing had been used in the box and ono
OF the silver plates upon which a mining
scene IS engraved, was entirely free from
the shield and rolling about in the bot
tom OF the case. One of the Jewels, a
Montana ruby, that had been set in the
center of the silver bow was gone and
another slightly smaller had been knock
ed out and was found in the bottom of
the case. The Bitter Root flower made
from Highland gold was broken off and
that too, was found in the bottom of the
case. The shield was much furnished
and showed a total lack of care.
That the ladies of the Butte branch of
the Worlds Fair association were indig-
nant to find their treasured shield in his
condition would be expressing it mildly.
They think it is a breach of faith and feel
IiuSll u a. tilc treatment lIpy nave re-
celved. The intrinsic value of the piece is
about 81, 500 but its associations make it
of priceless value to the ladies. There is
no question but that it can be cleaned and
repaired and although this fact carries
much consolation it does not remove the
bitterness from the CUP.
The shield was one Of the offerings of
the ladies of the Butte branch of the
Worlds Fair exposition association of
which Mrs. White was president. 1t was
made of Silver Bow products and most
If not all of the material came from Butte
and its immediate vicinity. The mould
ing of the solid silver bow across the face
of the shield, the engraving, the setting of
the stones. and IN fact, all the mechanical
and artistic work was lone by Mrs. Fran
els. The shield which forms the back
is of native copper: the bow is
solid silver and is, or was set with large
rubies; the border and the bit
ter root flower We're solid gold from the
highland district. The work is a triumph
from an artistic standpoint and beauti-
fully emblematic of the products of Sill
yer Bow county.