Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-07-10
Widest Night Helena Ever Saw Followed W. A. CkS Election

The widest night that the city
of Helena had ever seen before
or since, was that Of Jan. IL, 1901,
following the election of William
A. Clark, Butte mining magnate
and banker, to the United States
senate. Liquor flowed. Bands played.
The town was wide open and every
thing was free. w. A. Clark paid
the bills. Right willingly did he
strip the greenbaclxs from his roll
of millions, for it had been eleven
years from the time he first as
pired TO represent Montana in the
United States senate until he finally
achieved his goal.
In the meantime he had gone through
bitter campaigns; spent money IKE
water Victory had seemed within his
grasp upon occasion but each time until
the last final effort something had
happened to whisk the honor from
him, So when the legislature finally
elected him after days Of balloting, he
loosened both his purse strings and his
personality and told the boys to go
to it, And how they did go.
Senators were not elected by popular
vote then as now, but were chosen by
the legislature. The Montana assembly
that winter was meeting in the old
Helena auditorium. The present state
house had not yet been constructed
at that time.
The election occurred during the
afternoon. Early that evening Charley
Clark, Senator Clark's Oldest son,
rounded up bunch Of Clark's hench-
men and sent them through the city
arranging with all the saloons to serve
drinks free to all corners during the
night. The bars at the Grandon, Hell
ena and Grand Central hotels were
practically purchased outright. Cham
payne, cigars, beer, whisky, everything,
was as free as air.
Band Furnished Music
Clark telegraphed to Butte for the
Boston 81 Montana band, predecessor
of the present Anaconda Copper Mines
band, and the most noted musical ag-
gregatiOn in the northwest at the time.
It took time to get the bandmen to-
gether in Butte and to arrange for
their transportation to Helena, but
proof that no time was lost is indi-
Gated by the fact that it arrived in
Helena by special train at 1890 o'clock
that night.
1t played all over town, up and down
main street, on street corners, in front
of the hotels and saloons.
Then Charley Clark organized
parade in which the populace, as many
of whom were intoxicated by excite I
ment as by liquor, Joined Wholehearted- /
ly. The procession formed at the old
Helena hotel and headed down the
hill toward Main street. Far out in
front of it went eight cOstumed min |
strel cake-waIkers, stepping high, wide |
and handsome to the cheers OF the /
multitude. Then came the band. 1t /
was followed by an open hack in which +
rode Senator Clark, former Governor I
Sam T. Hauser, Lieutenant Governor I
Frank Higgins and Walter Cooper.
AS the parade stepped down the /
street to the lively music Of the band, I
the horns and drums were at times
drowned out by the roar of bombs,
fireworks and firecrackers which were
popping on every side. Hundreds from
the crowded sidewalks cheered other
hundreds in the line of march. From
the open carriage Clark bowed and
smiled. waved his hat, his hands Down
Main street to Sixth the throng went,
and then up the hill to the Grandon
hotel. There the newly elected senator
made speech.
From there the parade turned back
down the hill and went to the Lambs
club on Main street. From there,
Charley Clark. thinking to get his
father and his friends into the privacy
Of the Montana club, then as now the
most exclusive mems social organiza-
ton in the northwestern states, headed
the hack in that direction and told the
to that effect The specific directions
in those days were give EN- the
leather" for it was before gasoline and
the evil smell of automobile exhausts
we're general
The band was left playing In front S
Of the Lambs club. But the strategy
didn't work The crowd deserted the
1and and followed Senator Clark's
lack. When the senator and his friends
arrived at the Montana club, before /
hey could alight and get inside the S
mob was up with them, swept aside the