Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-08-14

A good political boss is one who
can select a candidate that will get
the nomination, and then rustic
enough votes at the polls to win the
office for which the candidate is
running. Bob Heslop, old-time Butte
square gambler was political boss
Of that sort. And it was because
of HesI0p that j. r.. Russell, a for
mer minister, was elected city treas
urer of Butte ON the democratic
ticket nearly so years ago.
HeSlop, just as the city campaign
was warming up, met Russell on the
street, and proposed to him that he be
a candidate at the city democratic con-
vention for the office Of city treas
urer. Mr.. Russell protested that he was
not politician, that ne had never even
attended a political convention ano
that he feared he could not make 8
campaign which would be victorious OF
reflect credit upon the party. he was
finally won over and agreed to make
the race. In his campaign preliminary
to the convention he was advised by
DR.. G. P. Hough, later and for many
years prominent in Salt Lake City, and
by Heslop. They, however, remained IN
the background as much as possible
Russell won the nomination.
Then Heslop and Or. Hough came
votes for him to win the office.
Was Presbyterian Minister
Mr.. Russell first came to Butte, as a
Presbyterian minister to conduct EaS-
ter, services in that city in 1880. He
was at the time pastor in Deer Lodge.
The price of eggs was too high in
Butte at that time to permit Of any
great display of Easter enthusiasm, so
far as the coloring Of those articles was
concerned for mere purposes of show.
Mostly the eggs that the residents OF
the mining camp saw upon that oc-
casion were served up boiled for break
fast. The supply was limited, too.
To begin with, the nearest hens were
in the Deer Lodge valley, many miles
away. The supply was limited even
there, and the rancherS were too busy
to take the eggs to market, and be-
sides, they needed them for their own
use. So beef and beans held forth as
usual on the Easter boards in Butte 81
years ago.
The day, however, was observed as
far as possible with religious services.
There were two churches in Butte at
the time, Catholic church, little
wooden structure where the magnificent
st. Patrick's cathedral now stands, and
the Mountain View Methodist church,
at that time also very small wooden
structure. Services, OF course were held
in both of them. In addition, MIR. Rus
sell conducted services In an old log
house on the site later occupied by the
Good Templars hall. The cabin was af-
forwards moved to the corner Of Galena
and Arizona streets and used as q
blacksmith shop.
Overlooking Audience
The Rev. Mr.. Russell upon that par
ticular Easter Sunday probably had a
little the best of it, from an attraction
People who we're in the
habit Of attending the Catholic church
and the Methodist church went to those
places as usual, as well as many others,
Of course. But there we're enough Pres
byterians in the camp, and others who
had no church utilization whatever, to
give Mr.. Russell an audience greater
than the capacity Of the building in
which the services were held.
Word Of his coming had spread and
elaborate preparations were made for
his reception. The ladies' Of his uenom-
nation who had been instrumental IN
inducing him to make the trip, took