The Anaconda standard., 1899-06-05
Topics Of
The Town

Wind seems to have grudge against
Butte. It is a contrary element if moth
ing more. Time was this winter when
everybody wanted wind to blow the
smoke away. Then 1t persistently re-
mained away. Recently a couple of in
ventors erected a model of a smoke con-
sumer in the Holland skating rink. 1t
appeared to be Just the kind of scheme
required to rid the city of the noXious
fumes. A heavy wind came along ana
blew the smoke and spray pipes down
and demolished the apparatus. 1t would
appear as if the wind were playing the
role of the dog in the manger.
The excursionists who enjoyed Man
ager Whartons hospitality at the Co
lumbia gardens Saturday night saw
strangely beautiful sight on the return
trip to the city. 1t was after rain
storm and the sky was still densely
clouded. 1t was as dark as Egypt is
said to be. Descending the slope from
the gardens the cars take turn so as
to give the passengers fine view of the
city Saturday night being so dark and
the sky so densely clouded it was i'm
possible to distinguish, the outlines of
the hills back of Butte as ordinarily
can be done on a clear night. Thus it
appeared as If the innumerable electric
lights which shone with so much brill
fancy We're myriads of sparkling gems
clustered in a groundwork of black eX-
panse depending from the sky thou
sands of feet above where the average
persons imagination would locate
Butte under the circumstances.
The street cleaning force has carted
Of riPb dirt from the naVp1
streets of this city. 1t was suggested
that this dirt would make excellent fer
tilizer for the garden. 1t was on this
suggestion that man who lives on the
west side had a load of the dirt taken
to his house. He filled a dozen boxes
with it and planted some flower seeds.
No more would have been heard about
the incident if the enthusiastic head of
the house had not come down town the
next day and told about his wonderful
success
"Rich dirt, did you ask?" by way Of
introducing his discovery. well, ]
should say rich. Never saw, anything
like it; never heard of anything equal
to it. 1T is simply astonishing. Why,
planted dozen kinds of flower seeds,
and, no josh, this morning my wife
woke me up with the exclamation that
there was big hill of potatoes in every
darned box"
The ringing of the curfew bell these
nights at 10 o'clock instead of 8, as for
merly, should not be taken as indicat-
irg neglect or Indifference on the part
OF the authorities 1t is law. Ordi-
nance provides that in summer the bell
shall be rung at 10 o'clock.
about the meanest man this side of
Mars is he who will, after the customer
has dropped 70 nickels in the slot ma
chine and got nothing better than skies,
tumble around in the cigar case and
offer his customer three-fora-quarte
punk as a CONSIDER" Thus spoke a
Walkervlle man who came to Butte
Saturday night to see Roland Reed. He
smoked the cigar, drank one schooner
of beer, kicked a hole in his new hard
hat and went home in a hack singing
Just as the Sun Went Down.
Tom Jackman of Council Bluffs, who
passed through this city a few days
ago, wrote to a friend in Butte stating
that he had reached Spokane and that
after he visited that city for a. few
days he would resume his journey to
the Buffalo Hump country. He said
that his streak of luck was still with
him. Since he left Butte, he said, he
had found several hundred dollars. He
went through Helena, but didn't find
anything there, but in Missoula he
found few hundred. He said he pick
ed up a $500 nugget on the banks of
Lake Pend dOreille and had not been
in Spokane Is minutes before an old
| man hailed him and claimed him as his
| long lost son and gave him 1000 for a
! starter. Tom promised to write as soon
| as he reached the Hump.
| All kinds of strange rumors have cir
| culated through the city during the
| past week. from the ordinary suicide
to succession in high office. One rumor
was so persistent as to send an under
taker up to a well-known business
mans house. Upon beholding the vic
| tim of the rumQr sitting in front of a
cheerful fireplace, the undertaken
gasped but soon found breath enough
| to say: -
You are supposed to be dead, so I
came up TO take your measure for a
| casket."
who said I was dead?" asked the
surprised man.
| why, it's reported all over town
| that you blew your brains out with a
| HOWitZer"
We'll, just let the good work go on
| Take my measure and let's see if We
can't make one of these rumors hole
| water"