Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-01-13

4 -
needed for a Thanksgiving dinner wert
stacked up on the tables until It LOOKED
like they intended TO feed an army
I must have had about four helpina.
as did everybody else. It was 4 req
meal and / hated TO think Of eatinn
another breakfast like the one We had
that morning. so when no one WA
looking I stuffed all the chicken and
biscuits I could into my pockets. The
rancher himself was at the door col
Letting, and when asked him how
much he answered six bits. gave him
a dollar and told him to keen the
change, because 1t was worth It. When
got back on the train took the
biscuits and chicken and wrapped
them in newspapers and put them
away, Nobody even suspected that I
had them.
Il was in the washroom the next
morning combing my hair when the
drummer came IN. Watching his ex-
preston in the mirror I asked. How'd
you like to have some of that chicken
for breakfast this morning7
I'd give $40 for another meal like
that he answered
j Well I'm going TO have some /
told him as I started for my seat
You are like HIP he hoIlered
after me- Where in the blazes do YOU
/ think you're going to get it?'
Il went back to my seat and spread
the stuff out on clean newspaper.
When the drummer came he Just stood
there with his eyes bugged out
Come on said. Pile IN
I'VE divided it between us and there
never were chicken bones that were
picked any cleaner. When the train
stopped for breakfast about a half
hour later we just had q cup Of coffee
I'VE reached Dillon in time for a
late lunch. The scenery had changed
We were In the mountains now and
there was other game IN sight besides
jack rabbits. The mountains In the
distance made the country seem more
like the way had imagined Montana
to be. We crossed an occasional little
creek where would have liked to stop
to fish for a while
I'VE we're to reach Butte In the eve
ming, but several miles out of Butte
the track hadn't been quite finished
yet, and when the train hit one of
these spots the grade began to Slide.
Section crews were called and they
fixed 1t enough so that the train was
able to pull over it slow, but most of
us walked at a respectable distance
behind the train until it had passed
the bad place.
1T was almost midnight when we
finally reached Butte, and it seemed
wagon was down to meet the train. /
asked an old man with a one-horse
cab if he had room for two people
He nodded, so I got the drummer and
we instructed him to take us TO the
best hotel In town.
Il can't remember the name of the
hotel any more but they claimed 1t
was the best and newest hotel in town,
which was probably true as it was
so new that it hadn't been finished
yet. The partitions were of rough lum-
Der and the rooms poorly furnished,
but we slept well nevertheless.
In the morning we had breakfast
together In the hotel dining room, but
The drummer seemed in a hurry and
left the table before I did. When (
finished I went to the desk and asked
FOR my bill. The clerk told me that
5he drummer had paid my bill and
didn't owe them anything. That
must have been the reason he was
n such a rush at breakfast
I bought a cigar and started out Y
20 look the town over 1t wasn't much /
# a town, built as 1t was on the
hillside among the mines. but 1t was {
he smokiest and dirtiest burg that {
had ever seen. A thick smoke, that S
,ept me coughing continually, hung I
'ver everything and made 1t impos- I
ible TO see any distance. I wandered {
Town to the flats where they were
to be smelling ore and from \
vhere all the smoke was coming. Here
he smoke was worse than uptown and
made me sick and my eyes water.
there were long piles of cordwood, as a
Ugh as a man, slowly burning, and :
Tagonloads of ore were driven between Z
hese piles and the ore shoveled onto .
hem. The heat from the fire burned :
he rock and melted the ore. It was (.
crude method but 1t worked after
fashion, and then wood was cheap
hue to the heat the horses used on
he job didn't last long and all OF !
hem had their hair singed-on some =
them 1t had been burned clear !,
own to the hide. =
II stuck around Butte for a couple =
days but couldn't get used to the z
noke. SO I decided there wasn't any =
Sc of looking for a job there. I took = =
ne stage for Deer Lodge, intending Il
} go on to MiSsoula and the coast, -
fter Stopover OF a day or so In
eer Lodge. Deer Lodge at that time
as much more important town =,
IAN it is now. The business places .
ere small log cabins with enormous 4.
Use fronts. There were board side =
alkS but the streets were Just dirt v
,ads and the wind could kick up q =
Ice dust storm in a hurry. When I -
epped off the stage there / met q y
an whom had known in Ohio. He =
as firmly convinced that Montana -
I'D great future and as he was work. =
q for the stage company he promised 9.
e that he would get me a Job with Z.
lem If i STAYED awhile I Wantad RI AZ