Our Town 125 and 100 Years Ago...March, Part I

125 YEARS AGO - MARCH, PART I: March 1899 came in like a lion in weather and news. There were troubled relations between the U.S. and Spain over events in Cuba. On March 8, 1899, the U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to make $50 million available for national defense. Jury tampering was suspected in Wilkesbarre, PA when they acquitted Sheriff Martin and his deputies for the killing of strikers. Russia was threatening to move troops into Manchuria. At Anaconda, Montana, three miners died, and a fourth was expected to join them after they all consumed wood alcohol. The weather in the Jefferson Valley may have been a little blustery, but daily life was more of a gentle breeze. The following articles are taken as written from the March 4 and 11, 1898 editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr.

The Mayflower neighborhood was the scene of pleasant festivities on Tuesday evening when a party of Whitehall friends surprised Mrs. Leyson in honor of her birthday. Mr. and Mrs. Leyson are the soul of hospitality and royally entertained their unexpected guests. Dancing was indulged in and the return trip made by moonlight in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

H.D. Bartlett, known as "Punk" and one of the jolliest fellows when in shape, is wrestling with rheumatism at the Pipestone Springs, and rheumatism seems to have won the first fall.

Dr. Davis is having a fancy picket fence put around the hospital to keep the patients from escaping, and a sidewalk along the front.

Estray Notice: Came to my place last September a red and white spotted cow, branded Circle Dot on the right ribs. Calf 7 or 8 months old by her side. Owner call and prove property. F.F. Irvine, on Delaney Ranch, E. of Whitehall.

New Religious Society Formed: The members of the Christian church, in and around Whitehall, have organized with a present membership of ten and a possibility of twenty-three if all come in. They have chosen the following officers: Elder, Rev. F.A. Parish; Deacons, L.R. Dobyns and James A. Anderson; Trustees, W.W. Beeman, E.R. McCall, E.S. Wolverton, and D.F. Riggs; Treasurer, Mrs. J.W. Deeny; Secretary, A.J. Holloway. Services will be held on next Sunday at 11 AM and 7:30 PM and the same hours on the first Sunday of each month.

Monday night during the storm, lightning struck the big stack at Parrot and inflicted damage that will cost between $2,000 and $4,000 to repair. It is an immense structure, and is notable among the stacks of the country, there being over 1,500,000 bricks above the foundation. Superintendent Schumacher came out from Butte on Wednesday and examined the stack.

100 YEARS AGO - MARCH, PART I: In early March 1924, March was still coming in like a lion around the world. A 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Costa Rica, resulting in at least 70 deaths. Aidan de Brune completed his walk around the perimeter of Australia, which had commenced in September 1921. At the Castle Gate mine in Utah, near the town of Helper, 171 miners lost their lives after two explosions occurred. In France, the franc was collapsing and was 117.60 francs to a British pound sterling. The east coast of the U. S. was hit with the worst Atlantic gale in twenty years. Of course, here in the Jefferson Valley, things were, as usual, more on the gentle side. The following articles are taken from the March 6 and 13, 1924 editions of the Jefferson Valley News. The photo is a local business from that time period.

Items of the Town: Civil service examination for postmaster at Whitehall will be held at Butte on Friday, March 14. Application blanks and information may be procured by applying at the local post office. Mrs. Jack Watson was hostess to the first meeting of the H.B. Bridge club last Saturday afternoon from 2 to 5. Mrs. Wm. Thompson was high score. At the close of the afternoon, delicious refreshments were served by the hostess. The Eastern Star card club met last Thursday evening with Mrs. Jack Watson as hostess. High scores were made by Mrs. Lepp and W.G. Tebay. The next meeting of the club will be in the Masonic Hall on Wednesday evening, March 12. Mrs. Lepp will be the hostess for the evening.

At a meeting of the Whitehall Library board last evening it was decided definitely to open the library to the public on Saturday, March 15, 9 o'clock AM. Library cards will cost 25 cents and will be good for a period of three months. Life membership cards will cost $10.00 and will entitle the holder to all privileges in the library during the life of the member.

C.H. Miller and son, Leonard, returned last Friday from Basin, where they had been employed for the past four weeks on the construction of the 300-ton mill for the Jib Mining company, near that place.

Whitehall High School Basketball Team - Winners of Second Place in District Tournament: Whitehall won this afternoon's game with Poplar. Score, 23 to 8. Keep it up, you fighters.

Sheriff's Deputies Make Liquor Raids: Today Sheriff Mountjoy and his deputies and County Attorney Johnson were over from the county seat and placed under arrest Peter Hart of Cardwell and Eva Thomas, of this city, both charged with violating the prohibition laws. Jack Block was arrested last Thursday, charged with intoxication and fined in the sum of $30.00, which he paid and was released.

Jasper Yotter and Mrs. F. C. Fessenden enjoyed a trip to Pipestone Springs in Robt. Burns' comfortable sedan last Sunday. Both have been invalids for nearly four months, and the trip did them a lot of good.

Murdock McIntyre of Parrot was over to Whitehall on a visit this week and incidentally brought a snowstorm along with him. On his two prior visits, he brought earthquakes.