Got trivia? Writer says Mining City (Butte, Montana) provides wealth of good tales

October 23, 2005

Q. What percentage of Montana’s mineral wealth is concentrated in Silver Bow County, where Butte is located?

A. 70 percent.

Q. There are 250 miles of streets in Butte and how many miles of underground mining tunnels?

A. More than 2,500.

Q. What doctor who spent his life researching livestock

diseases died in Butte in 1914 and had a disease that’s carried by chickens and eggs named after him?

A. Dr. Daniel Salmon,

remembered for salmonella.

Q. After attending a dinner in honor of Copper King Sen. William A. Clark, what was Mark Twain’s opinion of the richest man on Earth?

Answer and Full Story: http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/10/23/newsbutte/hjjeijhgjcghhh.txt

Author Janet Spencer is a self-proclaimed trivia expert. Although author and trivia expert Janet Spencer of Helena composed 1,263 tantalizing trivia questions about Montana, she admits that Butte’s history provides fodder for some of the best trivia questions.

“Butte just has a more potent flavor than any other Montana town, be it good, bad or ugly, it has more interesting tales to tell,” said Spencer, who is the author of “Montana Trivia,” a book that sold out of its first printing of 2,600 copies in less than three months.

The publisher of the book, Riverbend Publishing of Helena, just received a new shipment because of the demand for the book.

“I think people are really into trivia,” said Linda Cauble, spokeswoman for Riverbend Publishing. She also noted that Butte adds to the book with its long colorful history.

“Butte is just so quirky,” she said.

By Leslie McCartney of The Montana Standard

Full Story:http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/10/23/newsbutte/hjjeijhgjcgggd.txt