Our Town 125 and 100 Years Ago - February, Part I

125 Years Ago - February, Part I: February 1898 was not starting well for many people. 600 ironworkers in Newcastle, Delaware were out of work and their families were facing starvation, several store owners were nearing bankruptcy and at least 1800 people were able to, left Newcastle due to the lack of food and fuel. Fire ravaged a warehouse in Pittsburg causing a $2,000,000 loss of property and in Aiken, South Carolina, the popular Highland Park Hotel burned to the ground.

In Butte, Thomas F. Franey was facing death by hanging for a May 1897 murder; but, even though the jurors admitted they knew he was guilty the verdict was acquittal since they were instructed not to return a verdict of second-degree murder. On a more positive note, the school census showed that there were 46,179 children of school age in Montana. Here in the Jefferson Valley, as usual, things were a little less exciting than on a national or state level. The following articles are taken as written in the February 4 and 11, 1898 editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr.

The spirit of improvement and the preparation for spring business is in the air. McKay & Carmichal have been fixing up the interior of their liquor store and adding new fixtures. McDonald & Deeny have a new gold-belted hogshead for a sign and have refitted their place. Jim Williamson threatens to do some ornamenting that will eclipse all that has been done. It will not be surprising to hear that Mayor Murdoch McIntyre of Parrot, has bought a gold hat band or started another earthquake.

Quite a crew of bridge carpenters are at work in the Whitehall yards framing for the big structure over the Jefferson near Waterloo. Superintendent Graham is over on his line pretty often days. The Pony train deviated from the usual routine on Wednesday and made a run to the Jefferson River crossing on the south branch.

Berne Langdon, who was arrested last fall for stealing potatoes from William Pink's place, is again in the hands of the sheriff and was taken to Boulder Sunday. The charge now is stealing a harness from J.D. Jones. Recently Mr. Jones went to the hills between here and Homestake to get out some timber. Getting to a cabin where he intended to stop he found it occupied by young Langdon, and he also found his harness there. He said nothing but quietly returned to Whitehall and telegraphed the sheriff, who sent a deputy over to make the arrest.

Major E.G. Brooke is in Helena this week, making the trip as he has done for thirty years, on horseback. He is at home on the hurricane deck of a cayuse and says that he has not braved the dangers of thirty-five years of frontier life to end his days in a railroad wreck.

Elder Parish baptized sixteen converts at the Pipestone Hot Springs on Sunday last, the occasion calling for quite a gathering of interested and curious persons. The plan to have the baptism at the hot springs this time of the year meets with the approval of saints and sinners alike.

Summit Valley Gems: J.T. Wetzel is busily engaged in hauling wheat to Whitehall. The wheat has been purchased by the J.V.T. Co. The subject for discussion at the schoolhouse on Friday evening was decided in favor of the affirmative. The subject to be discussed on Friday next is "Resolved, That there is more benefit derived from the steam engine than from the printing press." The reading of the "Dogtown Rooster" at the entertainment was highly enjoyed by all.

100 Years Ago - February, Part I: By February 1924, was the world any different or better? In Britain, the government formally acknowledged the Soviet Union and began diplomatic relations. Former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson fell into a coma on the evening of February 2nd and passed away the following morning. Mohandas Gandhi was released from prison after serving two of his six-year sentence for his passive resistance to trying to free India from the British Empire. The Winter Olympics ended in Chamonix, France. The United States Senate voted 47 to 34 for a demand that President Coolidge remove Secretary of the Navy, Edwin Denby from his position as he was under investigation for his involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal. Here at home, events were more focused on day-to-day life. The following articles are based on notes made by Roy Millegan, Sr. from the February 7 and 14, 1924 editions of the Jefferson Valley News. The photo is of the Limespur boarding house circa 1924.

We are proud to have our local National Guard boys in the area. The Headquarters Company hosted a dinner at the Modern Hotel for local businessmen to give them a good education on what the Guard is all about. There were 54 men in attendance. Colonel Williams, Commander of the 163rd, spoke with excellent words about the good things done by those in the Guard. A very special guest at the dinner was William Sheridan, Adjutant General for the Montana Militia and Montana's foremost hero from WWI who was decorated for bravery many times. His inspiring words should encourage more of our local men to answer the call to duty.

With Editor Fessenden down with pneumonia, your guest editor this week is Mark L. Hansen. The edition next week will be handled by the high school English class under the supervision of Miss Lindaas.

Local Bits and Pieces: Tom Greene will likely have someone else open the crate of bananas next time after being bitten on the hand by a large hairy tarantula a few days ago. Tom is doing much better than the now-deceased monster. The Jefferson County Stock Association is now a reality and they will work diligently to protect the interests of local stockmen. Officers for the new organization are Frank Carey, President; William Gillespie, Vice President; Emmett Douglas, Secretary/Treasurer; and the Board of Directors consists of Carey Quaintance, George Franks, William Irvine, Frank Houghton, and S.H. Knowles. The local library is not quite ready to open, in part due to the illness of Mrs. Fessenden; but, C.H. Miller and Sons are building a few more shelves to help display the hundreds of books that have been acquired for our community. A representative from the Butte Library will be helping to catalog the more than 900 volumes. We have three new local deputy game wardens. Frank Westfall will look after the North Boulder, James Widenbach is in the Cardwell area and Lloyd Brook will handle the South Boulder.

Since students are in charge of the paper for a week, we have chosen to add a little humor to the local news. Dave Bryan was trying to find a good fiction book and finally told Miss Lindaas "I cannot find anything to read." She replied, "Have you read Looking Backward?" Dave said, "No, how could I do that?"

The teacher asks her class what tense the statement "I am beautiful." A student replies, "Past."

Sophomore student to a Freshman – "Did you ever take chloroform?" Freshman – "No, who teaches it?"