Our Town 125 and 100 Years Ago...January 1898 and 1924, Part I

125 YEARS AGO - JANUARY, PART I: A new year has just begun and a new century is just around the corner in January 1898. Unfortunately, miner deaths in Butte and Anaconda were all too commonplace. In London, Ontario, 30 people were killed when the floor in the city hall collapsed under the weight of several thousand who had gathered after election polls had closed. The U.S. Congress was heading back to work with a focus on the Hawaiian annexation question, a contested senate seat for Oregon, and immigration and finances. In Arkansas, a horrific tornado struck Fort Smith, killing at least 50 people, and a fire at the C. Pepper tobacco factory in St. Louis caused a loss of $400,000. The following, more mundane, news from our valley is taken directly from the January 4th and 14th, 1898 editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr.

HOME NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. John Flaherty of the South Boulder, and their sons Will and Charles were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Moore on Sunday last. Peter Rizze of Dry Creek, whose thumb was nearly severed from his hand recently in an accident, is again well and the possessor of two whole hands. Johnny MacFadden will throw the cranberry shooter away, with which he has been doing such deadly work, as he won a real live shooting iron at a raffle on Saturday night. Friends of Mr. and Mrs. S.A. Oliver invaded the parsonage on Tuesday evening and had a pleasant social time leaving behind them substantial reminders of their visit.

C.D. Wilkinson and Weldon Morris are in the Mammoth country. At least Mr. Morris is. Mr. Wilkinson pays Whitehall semi-weekly business visits which results in his spending most of his time on the road.

Jap Jordan returned on Monday from Pony, where he spent the holidays among friends and acquaintances, and reports a splendid time. During the holiday solstice, he was introduced to the festive game of Coxey, played nowhere on earth except at Pony, by Colonel Morris, Colonel Crews, Corporal Wampler, and other citizens who believe that there is nothing like outside capital to help a camp.

The recent fall of snow was quite heavy all over Southern Montana, varying from 3 inches here to 8 inches at places nearer the mountains. Some points report a foot or more.

The county superintendent has apportioned $6,188.88 among the school districts of the county, the ratio being $4.28 for each pupil of school age. Boulder gets the largest sum, with 198 children. Whitehall has 197, Elkhorn 171, Clancy 131, Basin 123. The district containing the smallest number of pupils is Muskrat, with 12. Smith is next with 14.

A necktie and apron social under the management of Jefferson Valley Lodge No. 15, I.O.G.T., will be given at the Band Hall on Saturday evening. Ladies will come armed with basket lunch and wearing an apron to match the gentleman's tie concealed therein.

Now is the time to buy winter underwear. You can purchase it at cost at McKay & Carmichael's.

100 YEAR AGO - JANUARY, PART I: Twenty-six years later, 1924 was starting with optimism that things would be better than the year just passed. The Simon and Schuster publishing company was founded on January 2nd. The stone sarcophagus of Tutankhamun was discovered in his tomb near Luxor, Egypt. Walter P. Chrysler debuted his first car, the Chrysler Six Model B-70 at the 24th Annual New York Automobile Show. Births in the first half of January 1924 included Guy Williams (TV actor and star of Zorro and Lost in Space), Gene L. Coon (TV producer who with Gene Roddenberry developed the Star Trek TV series), Earl Scruggs (musician and songwriter), Earl Bakken (who in 1957 would create the first wearable artificial pacemaker), and French neuroendocrinologist Roger Guillemin, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (still alive in 2023).

The Whitehall area was looking forward to another good year and becoming an even more influential community in Southwest Montana. The following articles are based on notes made by Roy Milligan, Sr. from the January 3, and 10, 1924 editions of the Jefferson Valley News. The photo is of the local musician's group The Blu J's, sometimes known as Tom Greene's Peppers. It included Clyde Akin, Tom Greene, Heinie Mockel, and Miss Thompson or Mrs. Skorheim.

The Whitehall public library is becoming a reality. Nearly 800 books have been collected and now must be classified and arranged by the volunteers on the committee. Thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Lulu Stanely, a large bookcase from "Old Whitehall" has been donated that can hold up to 1,000 volumes. The case was made by the late Reverend Stanley and was brought to the valley when the Stanleys moved here from the Bitterroot. The Stanley family is also donating a large table for the reading room and has given more than 100 books to help fill the shelves.

A large gathering of 24 members of the Stanley, Speck, and King families was held at the old Whitehall ranch on Christmas day, courtesy of the Gaston family who currently own the property. This was more of a farewell party since many of them knew this as their home. The ranch, once the Whitehall stage stop, was made famous by Major Brooke and his wife Rachel during the years they welcomed weary stagecoach travelers. This came to an end as the railroad and autos replaced the horse as the primary mode of transportation. For many years it was the property of Mrs. Stanley's parents. Those attending the farewell party were Reverend and Mrs. George D. King, Mrs. Lulu Stanley, E.C. Speck and family, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Stanley, Mr. and Mrs. Nat Chamberlain, Miss Edith Stanley, Walter (Sunny) Stanley, Mr. Van Cleve Marshall of Pueblo, Colorado, and the current owners Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gaston.

Dan Morrison received encouraging news from Henry Ford about a sample of potash he sent to the automaker. Mr. Morrison discovered the deposit near Whitehall and Mr. Ford is asking for more particulars. According to a representative of Mr. Ford, if found to his liking, they may want to begin a business venture in our area.

Mr. E.G. Molthen, of the Yellowstone Billard Emporium in the Borden Block, has announced that starting Saturday, January 12th, and every Saturday afterward, hot beans, coffee, and sandwiches will be served.

Mr. J. E. Fitch of Piedmont has been awarded the contract to take the mail from Whitehall to Alder three days each week for which he will receive $17.50 per trip.

Since this is a leap year, our office cat has offered the following hints to single men in town on how to stay single throughout the year. The cat is always listening intently to what local visitors to the Jefferson Valley News office have to say and sometimes just has to share them. According to the cat, Frank Greene said, "Wear your Christmas ties all this year, and it will help you stay single." Roy Winslow reportedly said, "Telling all fat girls they are fat and skinny girls they are skinny will keep you single." Jack Potter was heard to say, "Look at your nose until you get cross-eyed. It's difficult but helps you stay single during the leap year." And, Earl Larson reportedly said, "Bobbed hair will catch a man's tie pin quickly. If soft and fluffy, it will catch a whole man."