The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-21
TOPICS OF THE TOWN
The Sight of Snow Makes the
Weather Cooler.
A FEVER Of CURIOSITY
Base Uses to Which the Good Templar
Fountain Was Put-A Sure Proven
ton of Mosquito Bites Discov-
cred by Mssoulaus.

to travellers as they alight from the
overland trains for turn up and down
the platform during the stay of the
trains at Missoula These passengers
are tired and dusty these days when
they reach here and the green trees
of the city and the pleasant outlook to-
ward the mountains across the river
give them sense of relief When they
catch a glimpse of the Bitter Root
mountains and Lolo peak, with the
snow still lingering upon them these
passengers almost invariably enthuse
and eXclaim that it is cool and pleas
ant here. There was large westbound
train yesterday and some of the pass
engers came near, getting left while
they We're out in the yard east of the
train looking at the snow on the noun
tains. But they had much to say about
the sight of snow in July and when
they entered the cars again it is likely
that there were some remarkable en-
tries made in the note books that these
people always carry. AS matter of
fact yesterday was the hottest day that
Missoula has seen this year and the
depot was about the hottest place in
lO"U, OUT tne TACT tndl tTeTe was snow
in sight made the tourists imagine that
it was cool&all of which is an argument
in favor of the theory of the Christian
scientists.
There was a little incident that took
place last night on Higgins avenue that
illustrates the base uses to which ex-
cellently intended institutions may be
diverted When the Good Templars
placed the water fountain on the ave-
nue. they did it with the best of inten-
tons. 1t was to furnish refreshing
drink to man and beast and was to
keep man away from the places where
there is sold beverage that is not so
good for the system as the water that
flows from the pipes of the fountain.
Last night a man came along past the
fountain carrying tin bucket. He had
all of the appearance at the time of a
man who was chasing the can" That
was the impression obtained by those
who happened to be watching him, at
least, and when he stopped at the foun-
tain and filed his bucket with the cool
water that it furnishes, the onlookers
felt that they had deeply wronged the
man. He carefully rinsed the bucket
and then soused it again and again into
the basin beneath the pipe. When he
had done this, he carefully filled the
vessel and continued his walk down
the avenue. He crossed the street and
walked toward the nearest saloon. still
carrying his bucket filled with water.
When he reached the saloon door, he
poured out the water and went inside.
He soon emerged with something in
the bucket that was covered with white
foam. He had used the water from
the temperance fountain to cool his
bucket for receiving the beer.
One party that went fishing Saturday
night and Sunday had plenty of bites;
but they We're not bites of the trout.
Neither We're they bites of that which
''biteth like a serpent" Nor yet We're
they the bites of the mosquito. They
were bites, though, and plenty of them.
They were the souvenirs of a night
spent in an infested bed and from the
number of the bites that have been re-
ported, the bed must have been very
much infested. The continued scratch
ing of the members of this party has
excited suspicion ever since they re-
turned and at last they have related
their experiences with the bugs These
are the most interesting and entertain
ing fishing trip stories that have been
related this season and these boys can
give accurate descriptions of more
styles of bugs that any man in the
country. They had a good time, but
very exciting one. The optimist of the
party, between scratches, has stated
that none of the members of the party
were attacked by mosquitoes and he at
tributes this fact to the incubation of
the virus of the bugs during Saturday
night. He says that this is a sure pre-
tentative of mosquito bites and then
he scratches again.
This party is about the only one of
all those that have left Missoula this
month that has not had battle with
the mosquito With the characteristic
trait that has made her famous-that
of doing well whatever she undertakes
Montana has this year made a record
in the mosquito line that will stand
for years. New Jerseys pets are as
far behind Montanas product as an
eastern race horse is inferior to the
splendid stock that is bred in Montana.
The Montana mosquito of this month
and year, as found in Western Mon
tana, is a hummer. His hum is note
of warning that is soon followed by the
sinking of his artesan well-borer. His
touch is delicate but penetrating and
he never let's go. He is nimble and ac-
tive and a man must be a quick hitter
to land on his solar plexus. He plays
no faVorites and he respects no cOndi-
ton. He is the only real thing in his
line. His season is short and he is even
now withdrawing from the scenes of
his midsummer revelry, but his season
has been as brilliant as it has been
brief and, while he will not be missed
with regret, he will be long remembered
for the enemies that he has made.
Dan Ross has returned from a de-
lightful camping trip and has resumed
his labors in town. He had a pleas
ant time and was sorry to be COM
PEELED TO come home. He was fortunate
in finding a place where there were no
mosquitoes, but he had a hard expert
ence in getting home. He was at the
head of Flathead lake and undertook
to come home by way of Kalispell. He
had hard ride to that city and found
that his train was late. After a wait
at kalispell, he boarded the train, at
midnight, only to find that all berths
were taken and ne had to sit up all
night. He stopped at Sand Point and
crossed to the Northern Pacific, only
to find that this road had a late train,
too. He waited five hours for No.
and then rode six hours in the dust and
heat TO get home. He was a dilap!dat-
ed looking individual and received