Our Town 125 and 100 Years Ago: April, Part I

125 YEARS AGO - April, Part I: The headlines in early April 1898 were filled with trouble from across the country and worldwide. A lengthy article reviewed the finding of the naval court of inquiry into the sinking of the battleship Maine in the harbor at Havana. Happenings in Butte, as usual, provided many of the front-page articles. Several more victims of the Hale house fire were removed from the building's ashes; Mary Bradley, "a member of Butte's lower stratum of society, committed suicide." A murder trial in Butte ended with the accused guilty and his attorneys facing disbarment for subornation of perjury. An avalanche in Alaska killed at least 69, and 150 more were listed as missing. But here in our valley, life was more at peace and focused on moving the fledgling town of Whitehall into the next century. The following articles are taken as written from the April 1, 8, and 15, 1898 editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr. The ad is from one of the April 1898 Zephyr editions. This business stood where Borden's Corner is today.

VALLEY NEWS – AT IRON ROD: We are grieved that many of our Waterloo neighbors are on the sick list. We hope they will speedily recover. Peter Edwards of Silver Star is hauling ore from the King mine. Ranchers patiently read advice about "this spring and hotbeds and spring ploughing." They wonder, of course, what spring is meant, as here we are still having winter. No one complains, however, because the snow is needed. Local talent will play "A Scrap of Paper" in Twin Bridges soon.

SUMMIT VALLEY GEMS: The horses and cattle on the range suffered severely during the recent storm. And still, the prophets predict more snow. The public roads were never known in the history of this valley to be in such poor conditions. Lee Ketchum and Smiley Morris have located some promising mining claims in the mountains bordering this valley on the south. The public wishes are that the boys may have struck a bonanza.

HOME NEWS: Monday forenoon, as Wm. Winslow and Mr. and Mrs. H.J. Springer were on their way to town, but the team ran away and threw out the wagon's occupants. H.J. Springer was a little bruised, and Mr. Winslow, who was driving, hung on to the team and was dragged a distance. Dr. Davis reports quite a list of sick people. Among them are Miss Mildred Shipley and Miss Katie Yotter, the former at her home in Silver Star. Edward Elmer is also on the list. Among those who have been or are now at the hospital are Mrs. B.C. Leyson, of the Mayflower, and Mrs. Basil Tinsley, of Willow Creek, and William Shanklin and -- Butts of Whitehall. The prevalent grip seems to become serious in many cases, leading to a form of typhoid fever.

Notice has been received that the wages of section men along this portion of the Northern Pacific will be reduced from $1.40 to $1.25 per day.

OBITUARY: MRS. SARAH M. FOSTER Died Yesterday and Will be Buried Sunday.

Just as The Zephyr was going to press last evening, the sad news reached the city of the death of Mrs. Sarah M. Foster, wife of Frank Foster, which occurred yesterday afternoon at her home in Waterloo. The deceased was one of the most highly esteemed women of the Jefferson Valley, and the news of her death will cause a shock of sadness and regret throughout the northern portion of Madison County. She was a daughter of Mr. Dodge, a well-known South Boulder citizen.

As with any year, there was plenty of bad news to report in early April 1924. However, there were plenty of not-so-bad newsworthy items too. Grace Koningen, a Holstein cow at Montana State College, set a world record for milk production. Oil and gas drilling was underway in eastern Montana. Farmer John Linderman drove 100 fat hogs 50 miles to Scobey without negative results and saved $200 on transportation. Burr Winslow, airmail service pilot, set a record for the fastest flight between San Francisco and Reno by averaging 190 miles per hour while flying into a strong east wind. In the Whitehall Valley, plenty of good news was sprinkled with some bad. The following articles are taken as written from the April 3 and 10, 1924 Jefferson Valley News.

Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Beall entertained at a turkey dinner at their home on Sunday, March 23. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Gillespie and his son, Raymond, the host and Hostess. On Friday evening, C.D. Flaherty and Clyde Akin were in Whitehall and attended the Alumni play. Later, they drove down to Jefferson Island and attended the Masonic dance. Misses Edith and Clara Ahl rode down from Cardwell Basin on horseback Saturday and had dinner at the Cardwell school house. The play "Yimmy Yonson's Yob," which was staged at Cardwell Tuesday night by the alumni from Whitehall, was much enjoyed by everyone.

A number of people enjoyed a radio concert at LaHood's store Saturday evening. Mr. Lahood has a first-class outfit, and along with his well-kept store and genuine hospitality, his place is becoming the center of attraction.

Harry Shaw and Geo. Franks are busy putting cattle on the London range. The grass is getting green, and the snow is nearly all gone. Geo. B. Franks was a brief business visitor in Whitehall Saturday. He reports the Herford sale and shows it is being postponed at Dillon owing to the quarantine against cattle in Montana.

MILK USERS: The undersigned has taken over the Sanitary Dairy and milk route. It will be my purpose to put out as high class milk as can be produced. The Sanitary Dairy is equipped with the most up-to-date machinery. All milking is done by electrical milking machines, the milk passing directly into air tight receptacles, thus avoiding the dropping of impurities into the milk. We especially solicit the trade of those on milk diets and mothers desiring clean milk for infants. ROY HIXON. Phone Sanitary Dairy, No. 45-F-2.