Our Town 100+ Years Ago: July, Part II

125+ YEARS AGO - July, Part II: Another hot July was ending, and people hoped the fighting in Cuba and the Philippines would also end. Something like Yellow Fever was making our soldiers sick. Americans were freed in a prisoner exchange with Spain. The Hawaiian Islands made the front page on the July 15, 1898 Zephyr in a report on the population – 110,000 people, of which 31,000 were Hawaiians, 9,000 part Hawaiian, 24,000 Japanese, 22,000 Chinese, 15,000 Portuguese, 5,500 Americans and the remainder a blend of British, German, French and Norwegian. A massive fire in Belgrade caused a $20,000 grain loss in the T. C. Power's elevator. In Boulder, citizens finally had clear title to their property when a court case was determined against the Northern Pacific. The following articles are taken from the July 15, 22, and 29, 1898 editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr.

LETTER FROM JACK: Whitehall's One Soldier Boy sends Greetings to Old Friends. Chickamauga Park, Ga., July 1.-Many thanks for The Zephyr; it is the same as a letter from home. It was rumored that we were to leave here at the end of the week, but no definite time is yet set. We may be here all summer, or we may leave tomorrow. The rations are now much better than at first. We have fresh beef and bread and occasionally a little milk in the coffee (if we pay for it ourselves.) This has helped greatly to silence the complaints of the camp. The Montana boys and the 1st Arkansas had a game of ball not long ago. The score was 5 to 2 in favor of Montana, but the game broke up at the end of seven innings. It came near ending in a free-for-all, but the boys, on second thought, remembered they were soldiers and all returned to their quarters. The people of the South are a peculiar class in speech and manner and are small in stature. I know of nothing that you can send me, but as many thanks as though I had received a carload. Give my old girls my best wishes and tell them I expect to see them on my return to Whitehall. I wish I could send you a cannonball that I found in the tree. I also found four bullets and three grape shot and a button after the rain, all relics of the war of the rebellion. - J. J. Hill.

HOME NEWS: The district court jurors will be called on the 25th, but so far as known, they will confine their attention to civil cases. It is strange to relate that last Saturday, there was not a criminal for trial in the Jefferson District court, a condition that has not been equaled within the memory of the oldest inhabitant. That speaks well for the law-abiding spirit of the county's citizens.

A petition is being circulated asking the commissioners of Madison County to have the road repaired between Mammoth and Jefferson Island so that ore may be hauled for shipment at that station. The road is reported to be in such a condition that it is almost impossible to get over it with a heavy load.

Among the Sunday excursionists to Sacry's ranch, last Sunday was Editor James Brown of the Butte Times. He started to tell a fish story at the depot during the stop at Whitehall, but the train started, and it would never be known how many fish he had in his mind or the car.

100+ YEARS AGO - July, Part II: By late July 1924, the war with Spain was fading behind the remaining talk of the end of WWI. The front page of the Jefferson Valley News featured more local news than that of national or international interest. People were informed that Floyd Manlove and Lila Sacry, former Whitehall residents, were married in Long Beach, California. There was a trap shoot at Jefferson Island, and local members of the Girls Club were heading to a camp outside of Sheridan in Mill Creek Canyon. The following articles are taken from the July 17 and 24, 1924 editions of the Jefferson Valley News. The accompanying photo is an ad from 1924.

THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY MISSING SINCE JULY 4: Howard Matthews, the 13-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. R.H. Matthews, who reside on the Flaherty ranch, south of Piedmont, disappeared from Renova during the celebration on July 4th and has not been heard from since. The young man has black hair, blue eyes, a slight build, and a scar on his forehead over the right eye. When last seen, he wore blue overalls, a brown shirt, and an army service hat. His mother will greatly appreciate any information concerning his whereabouts.

Mrs. John Manning was badly bruised Sunday while on her way to the ball game at Piedmont. Her horse fell while turning a corner, turned a complete somersault, and fell on the unfortunate lady. Her right limb and shoulder were quite seriously bruised.

Miss Mary Pyfer returned home Monday after spending a week at the home of her brother Riley on the Pipestone bench. She was caring for her sister-in-law, who had been ill with blood poisoning in her foot. Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Tebay are entertaining the latter's aunt, Mrs. Benson, and husband from the east. W.W. McCall, who has been helping put up hay at F.E. Houghton's, fell from the wagon one day last week and, as a result, had a few days rest while recovering from his sprains and bruises. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Gillespie and his son Raymond motored to Butte Wednesday and combined business with pleasure, shopping, and visiting with friends. Master Fred Stratton can attend school again. He had the misfortune of breaking his arm.

A reunion of station agents was held in Whitehall one night last week. The exact place of the meeting has not been divulged, but it is intimated that the city jail was the favored spot. According to Jimmie Campbell, the only business transacted was the adoption of a resolution asking for poorer working conditions, less pay, and longer hours. Among those in attendance were Crane of Cardwell, Campbell of Jefferson Island, Burns of Piedmont, Collins of Grace, and Brown of Whitehall.