The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-30
BUTTE PUBLIC BUILDING
Discussion of Sites Before the
\ Commissioners.
TITLES MUST BE CLEAR
The Copper and Main Site Had Many
Advocates - Fighting Cassidy
Came Out in, Vigorous
Opposition.

estate dealers in the majority, met in
room 1875 in the Butte hotel last night
to discuss federal building sites and
answer questions of the commissioners.
The room was not large enough to ac-
commodate all those who desired to
hear the discussion, and the meeting
adjourned to the city hall, where about
so or 100 men met
Senator T. F. Courtney advocated
the Leyson site at the corner of Main
and Copper, and argued that this loca-
ton would be favorable to the great
majority of patrons of the postoftice
who do the money order business of
the community. He contended that the
largest business houses in the city were
on Main above Broadway. and he
thought that the future would demon
strate that Butte is growing up that
way. Park street, he thought, was
more of a green grocery market place
and was no index to the future growth
of the city. Propor,ionately, said
he, Park street was as good 10 years
ago as it is to-day
w. D. Thornton, who submitted
bid for the ground on Granite and wy
oming, asked Mr.. Window of the com
mission as ia the requirements of the
government with reference to mineral
rights of the ground submitted. In re-
ply Mr.. Window said that the govern
ment required a full, absolute title to
the ground, with no notifications. Mr..
Thornton then said that under the cir
cumstances the commission would very
probably not consider his bid. as the
title would not be acceptable. How
ever, he favored the location of the
building in the district east of Main
and north of Park. He also believed
that this is the growing district of the
city, The hotels are all in this dis
trict and the largest business interests
are within these lines. 1t would be
a mistake he thought, to put the build
ing west of Main street. He figured
that 80 per cent. of the business was
east of Montana and that this area
embraced so per cent. OF the popuia-
ton.
Police Judge Roberts of Walkervilie
said that his people wanted the build
| ing somewhere near the Miners union
hall, where the postoff1ce used to be.
| ''Since silver fell" he said, 1--WE have
| not been doing as much business as we
| used to do but l predict that II silver
| comes UP again we will be powerful
factor in this camp. We are now at
! election times"
He thought that Mr. Courtney sized
it up about right. In reply to ques-
ton by Mr.. Window, he said that
VAUDEVILLE was a postottice sub-sta-
| ton. ,a
| Mr.. Nice. White said that he had
| gone to the city hall to advocate the
| Site for which he had submitted pld'
but under the ruling explained by the
commission regarding the ute ana
| mineral rights he would waive dlscus-
sion of the merits of his property. He
| would however, look into the matter
| and maybe arrange to give a full title.
| He was of the opinion that the build
| ing should be in the northeast quarter
of the city, that district defined by Mr..
Courtney's discussion. In this dlstftct
80 per cent of the miners live The city
is extending north and east, and here
is the growing population. There is be-
ing discussed to-day the question of
smoke. The court says the nuisance
| must be abated. 1t is now generally
known that most of the smelters that
semi-circle the city on the south on Sill
yer Bow creek have recently been abb
sorbed by the Amalgamated Copper
company 1t has been said that there
are but two ways by which the smoke
can be remoVed-one by building i'm
mense, tall flues, the other by prohib-
ting the operation of the smelters. 1t
is my belief, and this is shared by
: many, that inside of 10 months the ore
now being treated in these smelters will
go to the works at Anaconda. 1t is
natural that workmen should attach
| themselves to the places of their en-
ployment, and it will follow that the
miners will make their homes near the
mines and then the population will in
| crease in the northeast section of the
city In time I believe that Walkerviile
will dsincorporate and incorporate
with Butte; also that CenterVille will
be included within our corporate linn
its. Mr.. Nee. White favored the Cop
per and Main site.
: Ex-Postmaster J. H. Lynch was tbs
: only advocate to be heard in favor Of
r Park street. This street, he argued
was the center of population, north an6
t | south. He did not advocate any par
: ticular site, but favored East Parl
street.
! j. A Murray briefly stated that as
r the government required a title FREE
A | from mineral incumbrance the discus
sion might as we'll cease He didl
n think any site could give the govern
' ment what it required. Mr., Windon
\ stated that in the event of too muci
mineral possibly condemnation coulc
relieve the site of the faint of that arti
Gle.
d "Fighting' Cassidy took up severa
/ minutes with a rather spirited discus
: sion of the merits of most any old sit
: except North Main street. Il say, hol
orable commissioners place that build
ing in the most sensible part CT town
say down at the Clarence hotel in Eas
Park street. Talk about the town goin
g up towards the hill, why inside of
years the center Of Butte's populatio
will be down at the race track. What
the matter with Park street? That
s a boulevard, and the only bicycle stree
! in town, a street where the ladies rid
, their wheels. Put the postofice Their
> Say, Mr.. Commissioners, you would nc
irving
u to Copper street on their wheels to Sc
their mail, Of course not
And then the meeting adjourned.