The Anaconda standard., 1899-12-10
WESTERN SPORT AND SPORTSMEN

friends, trusD that the poor patient,
overWoFked postman can now deliver
S. A. to many a door 'twixt Messrs
Currah's excellent repair shop (at the
lower end of Main streeD clear on to
the verge Of the upper portions.
Ihere is great contrast between
Helena and Butte-greater than the ad.
I vantage the latter holds in size and &C.
tivity. Helena lies in a narrowing
SNAPPED gulch, well sheltered by hills
that know the green of grass, having
capacity, If given the chance, of nour-
ishlng trees and lawns (though it cam
not be said that she has been literally
beautified with either). Butte stands
forth-ponderous, gloomy, with a pail
Of acrid vapor belched from tall Chin
neys-upon barren hill. Scarcely a
tree or lawn is found in or about it.
No vegetative soil Is native to the
place. The very air is against the
growth of leaf or blade. All spots are
barren till some mellow soil is carted
in and spread upon it. The city is a
veritable commercial cauldron, kept
perpetually boiling by the giant cruci-
bles that fill the air with biting fumes.
1t seems a spot without one whit of
| beauty; hiding beneath its scared sur
face a curse ITO mans rest and peace
of mind and wearing upon It's face ma
lures most 1lideous curse-sterility.
In such city one would expect to
| find like barrenness of the finer and
more spiritual traits in the bulk Of the
| inhabitants themselves. Such Is the
| case. Denied all the softening infiu-
ences of natural beauty, unable to
creep into shady glens where water
gurgles, knowing nothing of soft grass
beneath their feet nor the song of the
wind mid whispering leaves, they
almost of necessity, it would seem
turn to questionable channels for
amusement and recreation. Butte is
known (and deservedly) as the fast
est city in the West
Such conditions naturally tend TO
drive the lovers of woods and waters
who can afford the change to take a
frequent outing: so that the sportsmen
are many and given wide ranging. Thus
the gun club at Butte is lively, its field
enthusiasm keen and lasting and the
whole effect of it's atmosphere good,
wholesome and inspiring.
From Butte I visited Deer Lodge
(where is located the state peniten-
tiary) and Anaconda famous for its
great copper mines.) At the former
picturesque little town I made the ac-
| quaintance of Walter B. Wiles, who
owns a very pretty water spaniel.
| Girl, as she is called, has eyes that
speak and a tail that corroborates. as
it were. I had the pleasure of a per-
sona1 meeting with Frank Conley, who
owns a kennel of Is rattling dogs, num-
bering eight greyhounds--three adults
and five puppies-and seven stag
hounds. There isn't much show for
coyotes in that Idistrict. His three
year-old staghound, Sally, Is world
beater His pack brought 20 coyotes to
bag last winter. When out with his
dogs Mr.. Conley carries them in a clos
ed wagon, as that not only saves the
dogs, but permits a closer approach
to the running skullser of the sage
brush plains and foothills.
To me there are three things of chief
interest in Anaconda, other than her
staunch, thriving gun club One Is the
beautifully decorated Hotel Montana
(the representative house of the state
and one that takes equal rank with the
Hotel Portland of Oregon's chief city,
and the Knutsford of Salt Lake.; .he
other, the copper smelters; and last,
but not least in love, the Anaconda
Standard. Our western country has
many good papers, but the journalistic
giant just named is in a class OF ltseir.
1t is the sort of paper whose very enc
mics read every word it prints. The
copper industry is the life of the town.
Tn fact. IT is as well known-locally at
least-as the Cooper City, as Ana
conda To those interested in race
horses a very enjoyable visit would De
to the large ranch of very widely
known patron of the track, which IS
located a short journey from Anaconaa.
But as jockeying is not in our proVlhce,
| did not make the trip myself.