Our Town 100+ Years Ago: June 7, 1895

The following is taken from the June 7, 1895 Whitehall Zephyr as it was written. The accompanying ad is also from that edition of the paper.

BOULDER JOTTINGS. The rains of the last few days were just what was needed. The farmers smile all over their faces. Judge Turnely of Elkhorn was in Boulder this week and procured a load of lumber from our new sawmill. The judge looks well and hearty, and is just as young as ever. Gossip says we are to have several weddings soon. The supposed contracting parties wouldn't admit it for a dollar, though.

TWIN BRIDGES. Brief and Newsy Items from Madison County's Enterprising Town. John Woods started his five-stamp mill on Cherry Creek, near Silver Star, last Friday. "Gil" Wheat is as proud of his new post office fixtures as a small boy is of his new boots. One afternoon last week H. M. Wing and E. R. Gay, employees of the State Savings bank of Butte, assumed the attitude of bicycle propellers, and after a journey of about 50 miles over the mountains, arrived at Twin Bridges in 5 hours and 15 minutes from the time of starting.

WHITEHALL. M. C. McFadyen, a recent comer among us, has the building on the corner opposite the Fergus store and has made considerable improvements and established therein a saloon and boarding house. All will find Mr. McFadyen a pleasant and affable gentleman. The Caledonians of Butte will be represented in Whitehall Sunday by a committee with a view to holding their annual picnic here, if all things should prove satisfactory. A monstrous hen's egg was presented to the Zephyr this week by Mr. W. N. Davison of North Boulder; it measures 6½ x 8 inches in circumference; he did not say whether he named the hen MacDuff or not; another egg, not quite so large, is peculiarly shaped being nearly triangular. The same gentleman also left some potatoes here that are monstrous in size; eight of them look as though they would fill a half bushel. All of these are on exhibition in the business manager's office.

A New Discovery. Section Forman Merrit has been out prospecting and struck a vein of ore six inches wide; he brought a sample down to have it assayed, and got the following returns: Whitehall, June 2, 1895 – Mr. Merrit: Your specimen of ore No. 1,479, has been submitted to assay, and shows the following precious metals: Gold, oz:, 0; silver, oz, 0; chloride of clawbars, trace; pyrites of disappointment, 90 per cent; low joints, trace; bromide of handcar; trace; blue vitriol, ½ oz.; value, 6-5/8 cents per ton. Wm. McGonigal, Assayer.

The following is rewritten from notes made by Roy Milligan, Sr. from early June, 1921 editions of the Jefferson Valley News: The Rifle Club has been organized and will follow the rules of the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practices and will be associated with the NRA. The bylaws must be approved by the Secretary of War. Over 20 men have signed up so far. The club will receive two US rifles, caliber .30 and model 1903 or 1917 and accessories; two rifles, 22 caliber and accessories; one outdoor target carrier; 2 indoor target carriers, 1 marking disc and staff, 1 danger flag, and 1 ricochet flag. Each club is issued, on an annual basis, 120 ball cartridges for 30 caliber rifles for each member who during the previous target year qualified as marksman or better. There are also 200 ball cartridges of 22 caliber per member and 100 targets for open range, 1000 gallery targets, 10,000 pasters, 6 short range spotters, 6 mid-range spotters, and 1 yard of target cloth. Dues are about $1.00 per year.

The junior prom was held in the high school gym and it was gayly decorated with streamers to enhance the theme of "The Windmills of Holland." The new scenery just acquired for stage plays added to the celebratory mood. Dancing music was provided by the Whitehall orchestra and at mid-night, dinner was served by the Modern Café. Then, the dancing resumed and continued until 3:30 AM.

Our Memorial Day program was beautiful this year. The Liberal Culture Club made sure that all the flowers were in place. Our afternoon parade was led by our community band followed by the color bearers and guards with National and Legion colors, veterans of the Civil and Spanish-American wars, at least 40 WWI vets in uniform, members of the GAR, and school children. The parade started at the Methodist Church and followed Railroad Avenue east to Legion Park. After an invocation by Reverend Spencer, the children sang Columbia. Mayor Tait officially presented the WWI memorial to the service men of Whitehall. Edwin C. Speck, Commander of the Whitehall post, accepted on their behalf. This was followed by a poppy ceremony with school children scattering poppies on and about the granite memorial while Miss Astrid Sund recited Flanders Field. The keynote address for the day was delivered by Attorney Charles E. Pew of Helena. He is the first State Commander of the American Legion.

A grand wedding was held at Ranchland near Pipestone on June 1st. Isabelle Irvine became the bride of Eugene Tuttle. Little Ruth Irvine carried the ring down the isle and Harry Alley served as the page. The groom is the son of M. L. Tuttle and the bride is the daughter of Mrs. Ed Bryant. They will live in Butte. However, the wedding seemed headed for disaster when a deputy sheriff showed up to serve a summons on Mr. Tuttle, courtesy of his Elk friends in Butte. They helped him "escape" by having cars going in every direction from the scene in an apparent attempt to outsmart the law.