P a g e 2 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed, leading to the decline of the Hecla mine and the town of Glendale. The stores in Hecla and Glendale eventually closed and were torn down, but the Melrose location lived on as the Melrose Mercantile Company. Lloyd Wilhelm remembers visits to the Mercantile at the age of eight. Before Melrose residents had electricity, he said they would gather at the dance hall once a week to watch a movie. The movies were typically a series in which the story would continue the following week. Rather than the endless movie previews we see in today's theaters, attendees were treated to some news before the movie. There were benches to sit on, but, as Wilhelm chuckled, "most of us kids lay on the floor." Wilhelm recalls the big red roll of paper, which the grocer would use to wrap purchases and then tie them up with string. In those times, you didn't have to worry about choosing "paper" or "plastic" to bag your groceries. He also remembers the big cookie jar on the counter, always filled with fresh-baked cookies for purchase in bulk quantities. James "Jim Eighorn" also penned his memories of visiting the store in his youth to listen to the old timers tell stories, many of them being embellished upon. 1886 APR 24 Lewis Morgan is standing in back of store with beard. Melrose Branch of the Hecla Mercantile & Banking Co. The bank building has not been built yet which helps date this image. Photo Courtesy of Glendalemontana.com Hecla Mercantile and Banking Company. Pre 1888 A.R. Gates, of Helena, and Henry W. Kappes have bought out Armstrong & Losee and N. Armstrong & Co. The Hecla Mercantile and Banking Co. has been organized for the purpose of buying out Gates & Kappes, (formerly Armstrong & Losee and N. Armstrong & Co.,) also Henry W. Kappes at Hecla and Gaffney & Purdum at Melrose. The Hecla Mercantile and Banking Co. has paid up capital of $100,000, and the officers are H. Knippenberg, president; A.R. Gates, vice president; George B. Conway, secretary and treasurer. The directors are H. Knippenberg, A.R. Gates, Henry W. Kappes, Wm B. Gaffney and Thos. Sappington. The following order, issued at Glendale, is self-explanatory: “To HECLA EMPLOYEES: The employees of the Hecla Consolidated Mining Co. are hereby notified that every man always had, has now, and will continue to have full and perfect freedom to buy all his own and family Photo Courtesy of Glendalemontana.com
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