The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-16


someone has evidently given the
city authorities a tip concerning the
corporate limits. At all events they
have learned that North Thirtler.
street is NOT the western boundary.
and also that people live beyond TIC
line which seems to have been &C
cepted in the past as the point OF
ILLUMINATION. 1t may be that the
street commissioner has disobeyed or.
ders and out Of the goodness of his
heart given us the benefit of a little
of the money we are compelled to
contribute yearly for maintining the
streets. Whatever the cause or whom
sOeve we have to thank for it, the
fact is that last Saturday the man
who keeps the sidewalks clear of
snow actually crossed beyond the
dead line and for the first time in
the history of the town the cross
streets to the west of Thirtieth street
have been cleared by him. The sur
prise his appearance created was so
great that several fatalities were
narrowly averted and some Of the
women folk who had been reading
war news for a moment thought that
a Jap torpedo boat had come scooting
UP the Yellowstone and cut across
country.
If lie same authority that clean
ed our streets of snow will only re-
member us mex summer, when the
dust begins to blow and occasionally
send a sprinkler our way we will then
sure think we are residents of the
city of Billings and the talk now heard
of an appeal for annexation to Laurel
will probably end" With this the
man from the west end smiled a
grateful smile as he walked in the di-
rection of his home, happy in the
knowledge that he would not be com
PEELED to wade through blocks Of
now up to his middle before reach
ing the place where dinner was await
ing him.
Shreds of gaily colored paper that
once constituted the wrappers of fire
crackers and fragments of a wrap
ped bombs that Uttered the sidewalks
in front of l~aundries and stores pre-
sided over by subjects of the imprison-
ed emperor over whom the old ogress
Isl Ann stands guard reminded the
Mclean man" yesterday morning
that the Chinese new year was here
and that for the next few days his
"Washee man would be a lord in the
dlspensation of hospitality. Because
of their comparatively small number
the Chinese of Billings do not attempt
celebration of the day, or rather days.
for it usually lasts a week or longer.
that marks the beginning of a new
year for them. But the event will
not be permitted to pass unobseryed.
HM& NN'
There will be formal calls and much
visiting among them and quantities
of rice whisky ard the whisky made
by the white mar drank, while ii
will be a very poor Celestial, indeed,
VIII will not have roast pig and fowl.
not to say anything Of the delicacies
inaported from China. to offer to his
callers. One feature OF the Mongo-
lian's observance of the entry of the
new year has never become popular
with his white neighbors. He is re,
CURED to pay all his debts on that
day or lose caste with his fellows.
To do this he will save and squeeze
months beforehand and deny himself
everything but the barest necessities
Sof life.
In view of the awful w~alloping they
sustained ait the hands Of the same
men who are now dealing misery and
sorrow to the Russians tt would be
bat natural to suppose that the sym.
pathy Of the Chinese would be with
the Russ in the war now on in the
east. Such, however, is not the case.
The Cinnamon in this country are
taking a deep interest in the war and
every one Of them is wishing success
to the Japs. One of the s~lant-eyed
cleansers of soiled linen undertook to
explain the situation to q customer a
few days ago. mo, Chinaman no
see Lussian lick Jan. Jap he
Ickee Chinaman long time ago, but
.Chinaman no care TO dat. Now Jap
he fight Lussian to keep him f1om TAX