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

125 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER - PART II: There were plenty of headlines in the Jefferson Valley Zephyr for the second half of September 1897. Dozens were killed and at least 185 injured in a Colorado train wreak; tensions were high between police and strikers at a mine near Latimer, Pennsylvania; the entire state of Mississippi was quarantined due to an outbreak of yellow fever; a tornado struck Port Arthur, Texas resulting in at least six deaths; and the Never Sweat mine in Butte was the scene of multiple fatalities. The following articles are taken as written from the September 17 and 24, 1897 editions of the Zephyr.

HOME NEWS: Judge M.L. Lott and J.R. Comfort, two of Twin Bridges' most prominent citizens, were in Whitehall Tuesday evening, and went to Helena where they are attending the Masonic conclave. J.M. Moore departed on Tuesday night for Helena to attend the Masonic Grand Lodge to represent Mystic Tie Lodge of Whitehall. His son, James, and Arthur Needham accompanied Mr. Moore and will enter college at Helena. John Wiant and Miss Amelia Barkell of Iron Rod were married at Twin Bridges last week. This paper noted the arrival last week of Charles Ezra Perrine from his hunting trip. Since then Col. Johnson, J.F. Faulkner, and Fred Warren arrived. They say that Perrine lit out for town when the snake bite remedy gave out, though snakes were not at all thick on the top of the Tobacco Root range. The boys all report a fine trip with plenty of game.

The Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone Company has signed a contract with the Parrot Company to construct a line from Butte to Gaylord and from Gaylord to the head of the ditch. The line will be in readiness for work within thirty days.

For Stealing Spuds: Last Friday night six sacks of potatoes were stolen from the ranch of William Pink, just west of town. Constable Dobyns traced the potatoes to the Langdon place and placed Verne Langdon and Louis Caldwell under arrest. Monday they were arraigned before Justice Noble and entered a plea of guilty and received a sentence of sixty days in the county jail. Monday night they were paroled until the next morning, when Constable Dobyns expected to take them to Boulder, but they skipped. There is no jail here, the commissioners refuse to pay officers for guarding prisoners and there is a very good chance of their getting away at any time. Unless the constable desires to sleep with prisoners handcuffed to him or sit up all night without pay there is little show to keep them.

LOST: Between my home and that of James Hancock, or between the last-named place and Fish Creek cemetery, on the 12th, a small pocketbook containing $50 in bills; one $20, two $10, and two $5. Liberal reward for return of same to B.H. Hunt, Gaylord, or the Zephyr office.

100 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER - PART II: Headlines from the second half of September in 1923 had different names and places; but, were things really that much different than 26 years earlier or from headlines today. Governor Walton of Oklahoma declared "absolute martial law" for the state in the fight against the KKK. Twelve people in a German town lost their lives during a food riot. In Berkley, California, 584 houses and 56 other buildings were destroyed by a fast-moving wildfire. Jail cells in Chicago were filled after a citywide raid of speakeasies resulted in 600 arrests. Wyoming was mourning the loss of 30 lives in a train wreck caused by a washed-out bridge from flooding of the North Platte River. Country music legend Hank Williams was born and would die just 30 years later. The following articles of local news are based on notes made by Roy Millegan, Sr. from September 20 and 27, 1923 editions of the Jefferson Valley News. The photo is of the 1923 WHS boys basketball team in their "fashionable" uniforms.

Our local gal, Eula Houghton, was the "there is no doubt" winner of the Princess for Jefferson County at the county fair here in town. She received 105,900 votes. Second place went to Josephine Tidball with 55,800 and third to Nina Larsen with 40,500. We do not know who stuffed the ballot box, but there are no complaints about the very worthy winner.

The county is getting a knockout and a solid pin when it comes to prize fights and wrestling matches. By law, 50 percent of the total net receipts from the sale of tickets must be paid to the county treasurer within 24 hours as a tax on the events. But protest not, for this money is going for a good cause. Our fighting men who became disabled during the great World War have a home thanks to this money supporting and maintaining the facility.

There are plenty of school items to report. Student totals are reported as follows: Whitehall High School at 110 students; the elementary has 159; Pipestone, 6; Homestake 11. The Bone Basin school is looking for a new teacher and we understand that they want a homely, good-sized, middle-aged teacher and that no flappers need apply. The Parrot School will no longer need a teacher now that the consolidation with our Whitehall school has been approved. Glen Stevens will serve as president of the student council with assistance from his other officers: Lawrence, Vice President; Dave Bryan, Secretary, Esther Hill, Treasurer; and Henry Mockel and Frank Borgrink as cheerleader and assistant cheerleader. Whitehall graduate Hugh Mosier has finally made up his mind on what to do with furthering his education. He will be heading to Stockton, California to pursue a degree in journalism.

Long-time Whitehall builder and businessman, Richard (Dick) Common has passed away in a most devastating way. He was found dead in his building on Whitehall Street by Mr. P.F. Clausen, who was attempting to deliver beef from the Earl Tuttle ranch to the meat market there. He and Mr. Covert alerted Marshall Waldo who broke down the door but it was too late to save Mr. Common from his self-inflicted injury. Mr. Common was about 78 years old and had come to Whitehall from Michigan. He held a number of jobs over the years, sometimes working in Butte, but he was best known for his bricklaying ability and his brick-making business just west of town. He built the three-story building on Whitehall Street in 1908, operated a business, lived there, and rented out other business space. His only known family is a brother who lives in Detroit.