Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

Our Town 125 and 100 Years Ago - January Part II

JANUARY PART II

As January moved toward February, politics, and science were clashing. In Boston, a woman was removed from the courtroom because the defense council said she might hypnotize the witnesses. The eminent Dr. Berman was summoned from Germany to St. Petersburg to help the Czar recover from severe vertigo. In Montana, the legislature was gearing up for a new session with Democrats in the majority, and overtures to bring members of the populist party to their side were not going well. Under Sheriff Curren, from the Missoula area, returned from Blackfoot country without finding Lou Gorman who was wanted for the crime of "mayhem on the person of Charles Worth." The residents of the Jefferson Valley were more focused on mining news and other local events. The following articles are taken as written from the January 15 and 22nd, 1897 editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr.

HOME NEWS: School Entertainment. The pupils of the Whitehall school will give entertainment in the Band Hall on Saturday evening, Jan. 28, for the benefit of a library. It is not generally known that the creation of a school library fund is commanded by the laws of the state, and the appropriation of this district for that purpose is $50. That sum is not enough to provide the school with the reference books that are essential.

Engineer Haskins did not get to bed very early yesterday morning. He used the family mattress for stuffing in the front of his masquerade suit and loaned the pillows to Charley Parker for a bustle. And maybe the "hog crew" didn't have a time at that ball!

J.P. Deeny has resigned from the office of justice of the peace for this township. The mercantile business is now demanding all of his attention. There is not any great scramble for the judicial term that Judge Deeny has laid aside, but, no doubt, some good man will be found willing to sacrifice his peace of mind on the altar of justice.

There has been an epidemic of colds or grip in the Waterloo district, and among those reported to have been afflicted is Hon. Patrick Carney, A. Anderson, Mr. Norval, and a child of John Bell, Jr. So far no serious results of the disease have been reported, but it is an annoying affliction and seems at times to have some of the characteristics of pneumonia.

The local astronomers have been watching a little black spot that recently appeared on the face of the sun. It is plainly seen through a smoked glass, but after it is seen there is no explanation of the thing. It may be that Old Sol has a wart on his nose and has neglected to take the usual blood remedies incident to the approach of spring. A collection of the causes and effects of that sunspot would make an interesting column. Some persons have predicted all manner of dire calamities, but there is apparently no widespread fear in the exemplary community.

W.W. McCall was hit on the head by a piece of rock, at Lime Spur on Monday, and an ugly gash was inflicted. The rock was thrown by a blast. Though the wound is not considered dangerous, it will lay Mr. McCall off for a few days.

The Mayflower, a few days ago, furnished a specimen that showed $70,000 a ton in gold. And the mining men are talking about it. Major Brooke has gone to Helena. Among other matters, he will use his influence against any female suffrage bills that may come up.

The Engine is Here: Last week this paper asked, "What has become of the fire company?" Since then The Zephyr has found out that the company is active. The chemical engine arrived Wednesday morning. It cost $275 and is guaranteed to do good work and was purchased on the recommendation of the Butte fire chief. At a meeting of the company held Wednesday evening, Joe Morris and T.H. Fox were authorized to procure a location for the engine and to arrange for a fire alarm. If the engine stands the test, it will be accepted.

January 1923 produced some amazing changes for people around the world. A patent for the manufacturing process for insulin was awarded; the first practical helicopter made its first successful flight; the U. S. Army withdrew the last of its occupation forces from Germany after four years; and Jean Murray was born. She would take the stage name of Jean Stapleton and become the famous Edith Bunker. In Whitehall and the valley, there were deaths, disputes, and sports. The accompanying photo is of the girls' basketball team. The stories are rewritten from newspaper notes made by Roy Millegan, Sr. from the January 11, 18, and 25, 1923 editions of the Jefferson Valley News.

January has been a sad month with several deaths to report. George Waterman, who lived here for 28 years and ran a blacksmith shop for a number of those years has passed away in Wilson, Wyoming. He was a native of Michigan. Also leaving us this month is 76-year-old Clare Shaw. She was born on the Isle of Wight and came to America when five years old. Her parents settled the family in Utah. She married Loren Shaw when only 17 and they settled first in Alder Gulch in 1864 then moving to the South Boulder in September of that year. Their union produced 10 children, seven of whom survive their mother.

Our high school girls are showing that they are queens on the basketball court. They beat Willow Creek 25 to 8 and Sheridan 18 to 4. The proud team is composed of Alpha Houghton, Gertrude Tebay, Bertha McArthur, Ida Eaton, Catherine Elmer, Gert Hill, and Marion Mosier. The boys made history by playing in the lowest-scored basketball game in Montana. They played Butte, losing 5 to 3. At the halfway point, the score was 1-0.

If you have an extra $125.00 in your pocket, consider buying William Skakles' yearling Holstein bull, King Piebe Tritonin Monk.

The contest over homestead rights for the David Kunz place has been upheld by a committee in favor of Kunz over Eugene Clark.

With those rare strong winds blowing across the Parrot Bench, the dryland wheat crops planted there should produce well when the seeds land in the Cardwell area.

 

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