The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1927-05-26
CARBONATE

In radiant summer evening a few
months ago, in the dying glory of a
beautiful Montana sunset, | stood on
i the spot where the old town of Car
bonado used to stand. From afar off
came the hum of threshing machine,
and almost in my ear an insect sang
the melancholy tune that tells of au-
tumn's coming. | heard the slow and
heavy trot of an old horse, and around
a bend in the road a buggy came, and
in it woman. Arrayed in calico she
was and sun bonnet nestled in her
lap. Her face was innocent of paint
or powder but the most striking thing
about her was that she was wearing
hair as a great roll of it nestled on
the back of her head. While | yet gaz-
ed in wonderment there came man
from the other direction riding a new
bicycle. His rainment consisted most
ly of pair of blue overalls, high
topped boots and whiskers. Could l
believe my eyes? 1t must be so-and
then | understood. The shuttles of
time had turned back for period of
almost thirty years and I found my
self in bustling busy mining town.
1t was old Carbonate that was but
which now is but memory. Children
were playing in the dusty streets,
people were passing to and fro about
their business and the smoke of the
engines that run the mines were
belching forth black smoke while coal
was being loaded into cars to be sent
out into the great world. A locomotive
whistled and along the track it came
to transport the product that gave
the town its excuse for being. There
was postoffice and school house
and several stores, there were saloons
and dance halls and pretentious resi-
dences, there were streets with ruts
and dust, but, withal, there was an
air of activity and life seldom encoun-
tered in these decadent days.
Passing along the busy street I
stopped in front of George Doran's
livery and feed stable just as team,
arrayed in new harness with varicolor-
ed rings and with tassels on the
brides, started on it's long drive to
Laurel. Just then woman came out
onto her front porch, beckoned to
little boy and shook a bucket that
sounded like it had coin in it. "Hey,
Willie" she said, run down to Jack
Rooney's saloon and tell him to send
me up can of suds." and then she
added as an afterthought, 'tell him
foam won't quench thirst like
nine" Just at that moment man
who had met an accident in the mines
was carried by with DR.. E. E. Doty
leading the way carrying his medi-
cine case From where | stood | could
see the stores that were run by A.
Croonquist, Nose Katzenstine and
Lucius Whitney. Entering the latter
| noticed young man who was
clerking for Whitney putting up an
order for rancher whose purchases
included new boot jack, pound of
Lion brand coffee, coffee mill and
a buggy whip. His name was Billie
Rea and it was rumored around that
Whitney thought so well of him that
he was paying him $500 per month.
In Jack Loves saloon two miners
were arguing the burning question of
the gold standard versus 16 to /. The
bartender to whom the matter was
submitted for decision said he'd give
it to us but he would like to get the
S2.S5 still due him for the drinks.
Croonquist's store carried COM
plete line of everything from dry
goods to saddles and Katzenstine was