"In 1865," comments Mr. Langford, "we note that the principal
restaurant, 'in consequence of the recent fall in flour,' reduced day
board to twenty dollars per week for gold. The food of this restaurant
was very plain, and dried-apple pies were considered a luxury. At that
time I was collector of internal revenue, and received my salary in
greenbacks. I paid thirty-six dollars per week for day board at the
Gibson House, at Helena. During the period of the greatest scarcity
of flour, the more common boarding-houses posted the following signs:
'Board with bread at meals, $32; board without bread, $22; board with
bread _at dinner_, $25."