Recollections of Old Milestown (Main Street)
From birchyHistory
(Created page with "PART I: STORY OF MAIN STREET WHOEVER attempts the story of early days in Milestown, must spin his yarn around Main street, where ninety per cent of the incidents dear to the ...") |
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Another surprise will be, that before this end of Main street was thus cut into, the government maintained a bridge across Tongue river at the foot of Main street. It was an odd-looking structure of home construction, having been built by soldier labor under the direction of Major T. H. Logan of the 5th Infty., who fashioned it after the style of bridges built in India by the British army. It was a success as long as it lasted but was carried away by an ice gorge along about '86. | Another surprise will be, that before this end of Main street was thus cut into, the government maintained a bridge across Tongue river at the foot of Main street. It was an odd-looking structure of home construction, having been built by soldier labor under the direction of Major T. H. Logan of the 5th Infty., who fashioned it after the style of bridges built in India by the British army. It was a success as long as it lasted but was carried away by an ice gorge along about '86. | ||
| − | Next beyond the Diamond R corral looking east, in those very early days, came Major Borchardt's store which was also for a time -- the postoffice. This was at the corner, now the site of the Hyde flats. Major Borchardt was postmaster for a long time and during the greater part of his incumbency, J. B. Collins was his deputy and practically acting postmaster. The Borchardt store was a two-story frame building, but the rest of the buildings up to the Jordan brick, were one-story frame shacks, occupied so variously by the changing population of that day that it will suffice to say that those that were not saloons were vaudeville theaters, and there was one tailor shop. One identity worth mentioning among the occupants of. this section, is John Chinnick, whose saloon -- and also his ranch home, located in the neighborhood of the baseball park -- were acknowledged "hangouts" for all the desperadoes who happened this way. John himself was never misjudged by his fellow citizens. They knew him for just what he was, but in his daily contact with the world he was in many respects a decent sort and always ready and willing to join in public movements. And in those days inquiry into one's antecedents or private business was discouraged. | + | Next beyond the Diamond R corral looking east, in those very early days, came Major Borchardt's store which was also for a time -- the postoffice. This was at the corner, now the site of the Hyde flats. Major Borchardt was postmaster for a long time and during the greater part of his incumbency, J. B. Collins was his deputy and practically acting postmaster. The Borchardt store was a two-story frame building, but the rest of the buildings up to the Jordan brick, were one-story frame shacks, occupied so variously by the changing population of that day that it will suffice to say that those that were not saloons were vaudeville theaters, and there was one tailor shop. One identity worth mentioning among the occupants of. this section, is [[John Chinnick]], whose saloon -- and also his ranch home, located in the neighborhood of the baseball park -- were acknowledged "hangouts" for all the desperadoes who happened this way. John himself was never misjudged by his fellow citizens. They knew him for just what he was, but in his daily contact with the world he was in many respects a decent sort and always ready and willing to join in public movements. And in those days inquiry into one's antecedents or private business was discouraged. |
Main and Fifth with the park -- as now -- at the southwest corner, the northeast corner, now the site of the Olive hotel, was known as the "Charley Brown" corner, where -- in a single-story log building extending nearly, if not quite, back, to the alley, Charley Brown, a character inseparable from the history of early Miles City, held forth, and where in winter time the old-fashioned cannonball stove was surmounted day and night with an immense tin boiler containing a savory "Mulligan," which was free to all who hungered. It was in the rear end of this place that the polls were held in the general election of '82, when many soldiers from Keogh. were temporarily equipped in citizens' togs and voted. If memory serves, there were about 1,700 votes cast by a population of a possible 1,200 men, women and children. It took the election officials five days to canvas the vote, which procedure was in progress, off and on, for all of that period, at a faro table in the rear of the saloon, frequent adjournments being taken to indulge in the other attractions close at hand. It was currently reported, at the time, that the delay in announcing the result, was in deference to instructions from Helena to hold off until it could be ascertained bow much of a Democratic majority would be required from spacious Custer, to cinch the deal. This was the election that had for one of its features the "Wooley's Ranch" vote, a precinct that returned a hundred and odd votes, all of a kind, that has never yet been located on the map of Custer county. | Main and Fifth with the park -- as now -- at the southwest corner, the northeast corner, now the site of the Olive hotel, was known as the "Charley Brown" corner, where -- in a single-story log building extending nearly, if not quite, back, to the alley, Charley Brown, a character inseparable from the history of early Miles City, held forth, and where in winter time the old-fashioned cannonball stove was surmounted day and night with an immense tin boiler containing a savory "Mulligan," which was free to all who hungered. It was in the rear end of this place that the polls were held in the general election of '82, when many soldiers from Keogh. were temporarily equipped in citizens' togs and voted. If memory serves, there were about 1,700 votes cast by a population of a possible 1,200 men, women and children. It took the election officials five days to canvas the vote, which procedure was in progress, off and on, for all of that period, at a faro table in the rear of the saloon, frequent adjournments being taken to indulge in the other attractions close at hand. It was currently reported, at the time, that the delay in announcing the result, was in deference to instructions from Helena to hold off until it could be ascertained bow much of a Democratic majority would be required from spacious Custer, to cinch the deal. This was the election that had for one of its features the "Wooley's Ranch" vote, a precinct that returned a hundred and odd votes, all of a kind, that has never yet been located on the map of Custer county. | ||
