Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-04-13

( tyred. Places showing the stars and
stripes brought them down to half
mast Business was suspended between
one in the afternoon and shutdown.
Flour Riots Just Over
Virginia City at this time was going
through the most turbulent period IN
its existence The flour riots were Just
over. Tempers were at high tide. But
the death of Lincoln had a Quietlng
influence. To the republicans, the
northerners in the gulch, Lincoln was
a half-god, and with his going they
wondered not only what would be-
come of the south but what Of their
own situation as northernerS. Some Of
them had cursed Lincoln, disagreeing
with his policies, but with his death
they forgot their antagonism and par
ticipated in the show Of sorrow put on
by Virginia City. Many Southerners,
too, recognizing that Lincoln, while
fighting them, was still their best
friend, took part In the ceremonies.
From one In the afternoon on all
business except that which was strictly
necessary was suspended PfoutS sent
word around that there would be
public meeting later IN the afternoon,
and at $3.50 the miners assembled In
Wallace street A committee was ap-
pointed whose business 1t was to erect
a platform for the men who were ex-
pected to speak. This was rapidly done.
BY this time most of Virginia City had
collected miners, a few Indians, Chi
neSe, and the very few women. They
were quiet, all realizing the serious
ness of the occasion. A few drunken
men became boiSterouS, but the SOL
emnity of their companions presently
uuieted them. and they listened in
tently to the speeches from the plat
form
Speeches were given by Chief Justice
HoSmer, w. F. Sanders, Alex Davis, w.
L. Brown and others, including Pro-
feSSor DimSdale, who later wrote q
history of the Vigilante activities.
Dimsdale was a teacher-one OF the
first instructors in Montana. An ex-
oxford graduate, he had come west for
his health.
In the evening there were further
speeches at Nevada City. Professor
DirnSdale spoke again, as did W. F.
Sanders and others. The people who
gathered here to listen were a bit more
boisterous, but, as the Post records IT..
Upon the whole the demeanor Of the
population well became American cit
izens. who mourned the loss of two
men-one of whose places at least can
hardy be worthily filled"
GuIch's SOrrowfuI Day
The day Of the coming OF the news
thus ended. on a note OF Sorrow The
next morning Virginia City and all of
Alder Gulch stirred to its usual life,
though any news coming from the east
was scrutinized with great eagerneSS.
Definite dispatches concerning the
complete defeat Of the south came in,
and Southerners, who chung TO the last
to a hope the Confederacy might win,
were disappointed. The Cleaner, cor
respondent Of the Montana Post from
Last Chance gulch where Helena now
stands, reported: THE news Of Grants
victory and Lees capture frightened
the eve of every Union man, and the
only consolation we have heard meted
out by any southern sympathizer was,
Lee may have surrendered, It Is pos
sible he did, but you never viii hear Of
Longstreet doing the like This think
to be changing the place but keeping
the pain"
Seward, Of course, was not assassin
ated. This was a Geographic error, in
tensified by the force with which
rllrnors ran riot and became as accepted
facts after couple of fepeatings.
Abraham Lincoln Is basely muir
dered." said the editorial of the Mon
tana Post upon that day of April 90,
1855, William III. Seward, his coun-
sellor, rests on the brink Of the grave.
Our heart bleedS as we write; but our
sorrow Is not for these men, but for
the people of America With all his
triumphs garianding his brow; with the