John H. Durston
1848-1929

Inducted October 25, 1958

When the great copper kings drew battle lines for Montana’s economic and political control, they chose as their swords the pens of the day’s most brilliant newpapermen. Among them was John H. Durston, editor of the Anaconda Standard from 1889 to 1913.

During his 24 years at Anaconda, Durston’s powerful Standard had a profound influence on the history of Montana. He produced a newspaper unmatched in this section of the United States. His stinging editorials were felt as far as Washington D.C., where the last skirmishes of the Montana copper war were fought.

Durston was born in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1848. He attended Yale and then went to Germany, where he obtained a doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Heidelberg in 1870. He returned to his native Syracuse, taught at the university there for several years, then abandoned a teaching career to become editor of the Syracuse Standard. He resigned during an editorial dispute in 1887. 

Marcus Daly, founder of Montana’s copper industry, chose Durston to edit his newspaper. Daly threw open his bank account to Durston and told him to build at Anaconda “the best newspaper that could be made.” Durston brought to Anaconda two editorial associates from the Syracuse Standard, adopted the same name for the new paper, and spared nothing to make it the best anywhere.

Its news section thoroughly covered the state, the nation and the world. Standard bureaus were established in every intermountain town of importance and Standards were sold on newsstands in all major cities of the United States. When linotypes were introduced, Durston had more in operation than any daily in Manhattan. His front pages danced with flashy halftone engravings of local, national and international news events.

With the death of Marcus Daly in 1900, Durston’s mission at Anaconda drew to a close. He became editor of the Butte Daily Post in 1913 and died in Butte Nov. 5, 1929.

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