The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-09-29
MOVED HOTEL
WITH RAILROAD
Hotel Corrinne Which Followed the Short
Line From Utah Into Montana.
Shipped Into Town ON Box Cars and
Come to Permanent Resting Place:
Once Sheltered Marquis Of Lorne:
Home of Senator Lee Mantle When
He Was a Telegraph Operator.

Dillon, Mont.-One fine morning in
1890 the first train of the Oregon
Short Line drew into Dillon. Joe
Poindexter, now attorney general Of
Montana then a callow youth was
on his way to the Rattlesnake to fish.
He glanced across at the newly ar
rived train land could not believe his
eyes. Loaded on two flat cars was q
two story hotel, complete.
It was the old Corrinne hotel,
which was first built in sections at
Corrinne, Utah, and followed the build
ing of the Oregon Short Line north in
to Montana. It had stopped at every
terminal along the new road, and
finally came to a permanent resting
place at Dillon.
A large proportion Of the popula-
ton Of Dillon, native born, had nev-
err seen a train before. They took it,
after their first astonishment, as a
matter Of course, and would not have
been surprised if the next train had
brought in a small battleship. After
that, all things were expected Of the
Oregon Short Line.
From Corrinne, Utah, to Dillon,
was going some for a hotel. After it
arrived in Dillon, however, it prob
ably came to the conclusion, if it con-
sidered the matter at all in those care
free days, that there was nothing in
a tavern gadding about all over the
country. 1t cut out the rolling stone
idea and began to gather moss and
cockroaches.
AS soon as he was convinced that
it would not go away, Dave Metlin
bought it, and it became the tenn
porary home of many men who have
since distinguished themselves in
Montana affairs. Among those who
shared it's shelter were Senator Lee
Mantle, Governor B. F. White, j. E.
Morse, Senator Jim Murray, ALI
Greater, Bob Dart and a host of 9TH
ers who figured in the development
Of that section of the state. Senator
Mantle stopped there when he was a
telegraph operator, and dignified lat
ter day statesmen like Ernest 0. Sell
way and Frank Eliel used to coast
down the steep slope of the woodshed
back of it, a capital place.
Probably the most distinguished
guest the famous old tavern sheltered
was the Marquis Of Lorne, then gov
ernor general of Canada.
Lorne had been buffalo hunting in
northern Montana, and concluded to
swing down the Idaho way. A num-
erous suite was with him.
Fresh meat was scarce in Dillon
in those days, and the proprietor Of
the hotel, an Irishman named Pat
Doyle, proposed to kill a fat pig that
he had saved up against an emerg-
encX.. He went to the pen to slaugh-
ter the animal and it was missing.
Lorne heard of it. He called his
suite together and with them joined
Pat in search Of the missing dinner.
The porker was speedily discovered
and dispatched, cooked and eaten.
Doyle was for turning the regular
bOarders out into the street, but chas-
ing the pig had given the Marquis an
extensive acquaintance among them
and he insisted on all of them shar-
ing in the feast. His democracy cap
tured the town and when he took
saddle to ride away to the west the
next morning, half the town was
there to wish him a pleasant journey.
In 1902 the tavern was burned to
the ground, and the Metlin hotel was
built on its site.