Our Town 125 and 100 Years Ago... June, Part II

JUNE, PART II

June 1897 was a busy news month, especially the second half. In Missoula, a large stable owned by the Higgins brothers was burned by an arsonist resulting in the death of five horses and a young 16 year- old practice boy. In the Big Hole Basin, William Christenson, a wealthy landowner known as the terror of that country, was shot by Sheriff Smith when he tried to escape justice. Outside of Montana, Mason City, Iowa was struck by a cyclone that killed several people and left a destructive path at least a half-mile wide. The Connecticut River was flooding, causing at least 20 million feet of logs to be washed away and a dam to fail. Hawaii was about to be annexed to the United States through a treaty agreement. Here in the Jefferson Valley, there was plenty of news as well, although not as dramatic. The accompanying ad is from the June 25, 1897 edition of the Zephyr. The Butte business was trying to convince Whitehall people to bring their wagons over the mountain for some great deals. The articles are taken as written from the June 18 and 25, 1897 editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr.

HOME NEWS: Friday was payday at Gaylord and some 200 men were made to feel better on receipt of the "root of all evil." Mrs. Leyson and her sister, Miss Redwyn, from the Mayflower, spent several days at Pipestone Springs this week. The Whitehall Cornet band gave an open-air concert on Sunday afternoon, which was enjoyed by all who remained in town. A petition has been sent to Washington for a post office at Mammoth. There are fully 100 people who would be accommodated by an office there and the number is rapidly increasing. The Haynes Palace Car will be at Whitehall from June 21 thru 23. This modern Photograph Gallery on wheels affords the public an opportunity of securing high-class portraiture at moderate prices. This is the twelfth annual tour of this now-famous Studio and the fact that it visits the same town each year is evidence that the work and business methods are satisfactory to all patrons. The sheriff of Madison County arrived in Whitehall Friday and arrested Frank Hillis, charged with indecent exposure at Pony on Tuesday last. Hillis is a resident of Mammoth.

Crescent club members are wearing pretty new pins in the form of a crescent enclosing a wreath and the letters C.C. The club is a model institution in every way. It is composed of members of the sterner sex just entering manhood. Games of the milder sort only are engaged in and rigid rules are enforced in regard to language, conduct, etc, in the club rooms.

Mrs. M.L. Wade, well known in this locality where she formerly lived, died at Bozeman on Wednesday, and the news of her death was received in Whitehall Thursday. Under the arrangements decided upon the body will be interred here, arriving on this morning train, and the funeral service will be held at 10:30 at the Methodist church, conducted by Rev. Kincaid. Mrs. Wade was the sister of John Wolverton and Mrs. E.G. Brooke, of Whitehall, and had a large circle of friends in this vicinity.

The sudden disappearance of Al Livingston, formerly a stage driver and well-known in Whitehall, caused some uneasiness among his friends last Saturday morning when the news became known. He was seen on Friday evening at about 7 o'clock near his home, on the Butts ranch, just west of town, but it seems that he did not get home. It was feared that he had met with foul play and on Saturday a vigorous search was made, even to the examination and dragging of the creek. He walked all Friday night and the stage overtook him south of Iron Rod. He went on to Dillon, and though he told no one where he was going, it is thought that he was heading for Idaho. His wife is here.

By late June 1923, the world was still facing political challenges, crime, natural disasters, and changes in technology. Lou Gehrig made his first major league baseball appearance. In Brandenburg, Germany, rioting was taking place due to the cost of goods from hyperinflation. Northern Ireland declared Sundays would be "dry" and no alcohol would be sold which sent scores of people across the border to the Irish Free State for a pint. Mount Etna erupted and destroyed several towns. Henry Ford ended the idea that he would run for president when he said, "I am much too occupied with my own affairs to become the next president and I do not intend to run." The first refueling of an airplane took place on June 27 when U.S. Army Air Service Lowell Smith and his co-pilot Lieutenant John Richter took off in two planes from Rockwell Field. A hose was lowered from one DH.4 to another and the fuel tank was refilled.

Here in the Whitehall Valley, the news was focused on a sensational murder that would make headlines across the state for several years. The following articles are created from notes made by Roy Millegan, Sr. from June 14, 21, and 28, 1923 editions of the Jefferson Valley News.

A group of our young patriotic boys is heading to Camp Lewis in Washington for a two-week encampment. They will be given a proper send-off and welcome home. You know them all: First Lieutenant William Lowry, second Lieutenant T.E. Devore, Sergeants Charles Baker and Hugh Mosier, Corporals E.A. Harden, Allen Murphy, Craddock Leyson, and Privates John Duke, C.D. Flaherty, Sylvester Woolverton, Frank Wilson, Egbert Fox, Fred Dorhofer, Will Flaherty, Berger Erickson, Harold Donohoe, George Davenport, Rily Pyfer, Arthur Needham, Lawrence Young, Delmar Westmoreland, James Barkell, Will Wolverton, George Wickham, John Micklethwaite, Audmer Borden, Nelson White, Calvin Emerton, Ronald McDonald, Lloyd Lovelace, Bryan Wickham, and Floyd Manlove.

Our community is becoming the place to be for tourists and locals. The new tourist park now has a bathhouse with a shower, toilet, and lavatory. The campsites have a place to cook, the lawn is getting green and fresh cinders are on the road.

The cemetery is being improved and expanded. Long-time businessman Andrew Less has sold his two-acre private burial plot to the city. This expands the two acres already set aside by the city and there are plans to purchase one or two more acres to make sure all local residents can be buried here if they so desire.

A new road from Butte over the hill to Pipestone Springs has been started. If they manage to complete it, many expect a new hotel and sanitarium will be built at the Springs to accommodate all the traffic from the big city over the hill. Will there still be room for people in our valley to enjoy a good swim or mud bath, though?

Do not miss the big community picnic to celebrate our nation's independence from that crazy British king back in 1776. On July 4 th join your fellow citizens at the picnic grounds on the corner of Main and First Street for a barbecue with roast beef and roast pork.

MURDER AT RENOVA: Two Butte hoodlums are believed to be responsible for the murder of Mr. Johnson at his Renova business just a few days ago. Mr. Johnson was killed around 11:00 PM in his bedroom and the cash for the day's sales was stolen. A manhunt has been initiated and the sheriff is confident the murderers will soon be brought in. There is a certainty that the crime was committed by Arthur Hughes and Roy Walsh of Butte. They have stolen from local businesses before, including robbing the Renova store three times, the Johns store at Cardwell at least three times, and stealing gas from the Continental Oil Company here in town.