Butler wasn't simply trying to kill McCabe. He was trying to disgrace him and bring chaos to the town. By killing Butler with a single perfect shot McCabe, even in death,has salvaged his rereputation. And just at that moment the town has banded together to save its church. McCabes legend will live on and with it the self identity of the town. Maybe not such a downbeat ending after all.
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Not so sure about the town keeping its identity. When we first see Sears and Hollander they are thanking Sheehan. Sears then tells McCabe they have already purchased Sheehan's property ("The hotel, the livery stable, the whole works") for $1,600. So despite McCabe's efforts, the town was about to change.
shareThe town wasn't really being threatened in any way. The mining company wasn't out to destroy it, they just wanted to own all the local businesses so it would be a company town . All the men were miners for the company already. The company didn't want their wages going to outside people, but instead, right back to the company.
shareThe original screenplay for the film makes it clear that the town did NOT survive, and became a ghost town three years after McCabe's death. The original script opened with a panoramic shot showing the ruins of the town in 1970, with the burned remnants of the church still visible, and then fades back to the action of the movie.
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