Editing Deer Lodge, Montana (section)

===Frank Conley===
[[File:Frank Conley 3.jpg|thumb|upright|Mayoral portrait of Frank Conley, mayor of Deer Lodge, Montana (with breaks) from 1892 until 1928]]
After statehood, the State of Montana let a contract to run [[Montana State Prison]], which was awarded to [[Montana State Prison#Warden Frank Conley|Frank Conley]]<!--arguably, Conley could be the topic of his own WP article, based on  http://www.distinctlymontana.com/article/16/03/2016/frank-conley-warden-edge  and other soursed--> and Thomas McTague.<ref name = "Edgerton">{{Cite book|last=Edgerton|first=Keith|year=2004|title=Montana Justice|publisher=University of Washington Press|isbn=978-0-29580-003-5}}, p. 70</ref> They held the contract until 1908. In that year, the State took over running Montana State Prison, appointing Frank Conley as warden.<ref>{{Cite news | title = STATE WILL RUN PENETENTIARY, FRANK CONLEY WILL BE WARDEN | newspaper = Anaconda Standard | location = Anaconda, Montana | date = June 9, 1908}}</ref> Conley remained in that capacity until 1921, when Governor [[Joseph M. Dixon]] replaced Conley with [[Montana State Prison#Degeneration of the facility|M. W. Potter]].<ref>{{Cite news | title = A Blow to Montana| newspaper = Helena Independent | location = Helena, Montana | date = April 15, 1921}}</ref> The Governor then commissioned an investigation of Conley's administration. This resulted in the [[MacDonald Report]], which would be used as the basis for a civil lawsuit by the State of Montana against Conley.<ref>{{Cite news | title = MacDonald Report| newspaper = Great Falls Tribune | location = Great Falls, Montana | date = February 22, 1922}}</ref> The year following, [[Montana Attorney General]] [[Wellington D. Rankin|Wellington Rankin]]<ref name = "Steele">{{Cite book|last=Steele | first=Volney | year=2002 | title=Wellington Rankin: His Family, Life and Times | publisher=Champions Publishing | isbn=978-1-88855-010-8}}</ref> sued Conley for misuse of state funds and materials, in the case ''[[State of Montana vs Frank Conley]]''. The case took three months to try and resulted in the State of Montana being ordered to reimburse Conley.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Gov. Joseph M. Dixon's Dirty Deal Discredited | newspaper = Powell County Post | location = Deer Lodge, Montana | page = 1 | date = December 1, 1922}}</ref><ref name = "Karlin 2">{{Cite book|last=Karlin | first=Jules | year=1974 | title=Joseph M. Dixon of Montana Part 2: Governor versus The Anaconda 1917-1934 | publisher=University of Montana | location=Missoula | isbn=978-0-68634-463-6|ref = CITEREFKarlin_21974}}, Chapter 8: THE CONLEY CASE</ref> Deer Lodge City celebrated with a victory party.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Conley Cheered at Celebration | newspaper = The Helena Independent | location = Helena, Montana | date = December 5, 1922}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | title = Friends Gather to Shake Hand of Former Warden | newspaper = The Producers News | location = Plentywood, Montana | date = December 29, 1922}}</ref>

Frank Conley was elected the fifth (1892–93), seventh (1895–1903) and tenth (1907–1928) mayor of Deer Lodge City.<ref>Picture and plaque at City Hall, Deer Lodge, Montana</ref> When he resigned for the last time, an article in the ''[[Billings Gazette]]'' called him 'the longest serving mayor in American history'. Mayor Conley was instrumental in bringing the division headquarters and shops of the [[Milwaukee Road]] to Deer Lodge City in 1910.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Milwaukee Shops at Deer Lodge | newspaper = The River Press | location = Fort Benton, Montana | date = November 20, 1907}}</ref> Over the next decade, he presided over [[Wiktionary:upbuilding|upbuilding]] the town's infrastructure to accommodate the rapidly expanding population. He was also responsible for the building of the City Hall.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}