Our Town 100 Years Ago: November Part II

NOVEMBER, PART II

In November 1896, the elections were over, and people were able to focus on other concerns. In the West, flooding in the Coeur d'Alene area was of great concern with 100 cords of wood floating in the lake and train travel interrupted. In Cheyenne, Wyoming, Poison, Murder, and Arson Case was a headline. A well-known saloon keeper, John Mollberg, was charged with murder after putting arsenic in Moses Reeder's beer. Reeder knew who had burned down a competitor's saloon the day before it was to open. In our valley, the weather was a lot like this November, mining was going great guns, and the Gaylord stack was starting to tower over the valley floor. The following articles are taken as written from November 20 and 27, 1896 Jefferson Valley Zephyr.

Home News: Arrivals in Whitehall are apparently on the increase, and the number of Butte visitors who drop off for a day shows that the big camp is watching things in this vicinity. The shipment of ore from the Mayflower is averaging three to four carloads a week, and, although little publicity is given to the results of the smelter runs, it is fairly certain that the ore is maintaining the high standard that gave it such a high reputation. Let Knight and Jesse Johnson was down from the Cedar Hollow mining district on Tuesday, and report work in that now famous district as progressing nicely. The owners of the claims in that locality are certain that there are mines that will rival the Mayflower in the production of the yellow metal.

Next Sunday the Butte football team will meet the Ames college athletes, and it said that the boys of the Smoky City will have their hands full if they win. The well-posted sports claim that Butte has no snap in the coming game.

The Whitehall Cornet band has announced a grand ball for Thanksgiving evening, November 26th. Good music is assured, and an unusually good time may be counted on.

Work is progressing fairly at Gaylord, though the weather of the past two weeks has not been favorable to construction. High winds have interfered with the work on the big stack. The big stack is now 125 feet high, and each good day has added two feet to the big affair. The workmen are still working inside the big concentrator, and some other inside work is going on.

The Teacher's Institute: The annual institute of the teachers of Jefferson County, which closed its session on Friday, was a very successful meeting. County Superintendent Bagley presided and Professor Holloway, principal of the Whitehall schools, was chosen as secretary. The studies and instructors were as follows: Arithmetic, J.W. Skelton of Basin; geography, Miss Lilian Carey of Lump Gulch; general work, Prof. Jonas Cook, principal of the Boulder schools; history (methods), Mrs. Chas. Henry of Radersburg; penmanship, Professor Engeihorn of Helena; physiology, Floyd Bralliar of Wickes; primary work, Miss Beatrice Devine of Whitehall; reading by the synthetic method, Mrs. R. P. Myers.

The Zephyr is glad to announce the convalescence of the members of the family of B.H. Hunt, who has been afflicted with diphtheria. The disease in its most malignant form attacked eight members of the family and resulted in the death of one child (Alta May, 8 years old). It is now stated that the disease has been conquered and that all are on the road to recovery.

The snowstorm that struck this region on Friday left the heaviest coating of beauty that this valley has seen for several years-that is what the older inhabitants assert. The crop of Thanksgiving turkeys this year was exceedingly fine and placed the Jefferson Valley birds on a par with the daintiest of poultry products. The demand and the turkeys were both excellent.

By November 1922, people in the Jefferson Valley were settling into the idea of a long winter. Outside of Montana, the Ottoman Empire came to an end with the abdication and departure of the last Sultan; Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon became the first people to enter the tomb of Tutankhamen in more than 3000 years; two 23-year-old graduates of Yale University incorporated Time Inc. for publishing a weekly news magazine to be sold across the U.S. The accompanying photo is Whitehall High School and Gym as it looked in 1922. A fire later in the twenties would cause extensive damage and give the rebuilt high school a different look than the gym.

The 7th and 8th-grade students who are members of the Civic Club are busy promoting the addition of a skating ring in town. With the basement of the sugar beet factory just sitting empty, they had their eyes on using it for a great rink; but, it ended up a thumbs down when they were told the ice would not be good for the concrete floor. For next year, our local Legion post is considering taking on a big community project. They have a site near the Morrison home that they say would be a great location for a swimming pool and rink.

If you like ice cream, save your pennies and head to Whitehall Produce. They have vanilla at $1.40 for a gallon or just $0.45 for a quart. Neapolitan will cost a little more so savor every lick. A gallon runs $1.75 and a quart $0.55. Making your own ice cream? Check with the new owner of the Sanitary Dairy.

J.F. Donohoe with help from misters Harold and Heber will be producing milk and cream. Mr. Myers also has a dairy but has the added service of raising prime livestock including thoroughbred hogs, cattle, and horses. On a sad note, we have lost a dairy producer, at least for a while. The first-class dairy barn at the Franklin-Clover ranch (also known as the Gordon-Campana ranch) was lost to fire this month.

Whitehall will be featured in the next quarterly issue of Western Tourist. A photographer was in town recently to show some of our best features like the schoolhouse, the old Whitehall area, our paved streets, the creamery, and the new city fountain honoring our local veterans.

If you see a stagecoach being driven through town with loud trumpets blaring from it, come to the Yellowstone Theater to find out why a commotion is being raised. Hollywood will be in town promoting the production of a movie about the vigilantes and the planned filming in Virginia City, Bannock, and Deer Lodge. We are not sure why they picked Deer Lodge. Seems like our area communities are a little closer to the action carried out by the vigilantes just a few decades ago.

We have one less bank in town. The Whitehall State Bank has purchased the First National Bank. The State Bank will buy all of the bank stock and take over all the assets and liabilities.

The refined Noble-King residence at the edge of town, along with 20 acres, is for sale. It is an excellent opportunity to take a step up in your abode, provided you have the money to pay for this fine home and land.