Our Town 100+ Years Ago: December, Part II

100+ Years Ago - December, Part II: In December 1898, winter was officially starting; Whitehall was growing, and Marie and Pierre Curie were discovering radium. The front page of the Zephyr was filled with the delinquent tax list, including names and property, which included multiple mining companies. The state reform school was housing 62 boys and 12 girls, with a cost estimated at $20,000 for the year. The Montana Board of Equalization gave the governor a report outlining a radical change to laws relating to taxation and license laws. Locally, there was more interest in items affecting daily life in our developing valley. Jefferson county had 1,417 children attending school which included 197 in Whitehall, 40 at Fish Creek, and 48 at Pleasant Valley. The following news items are taken from the December 16, 23, and 30, 1898 editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr.

SUMMIT VALLEY GEMS: Finley Rundell is the proud possessor of a new cutter. Everything assumes the aspect of Christmas. A great many of the Valley folks were in Pony last Saturday purchasing Christmas presents. There will be a tree and entertainment at the schoolhouse on Saturday evening. Every Good Templar in Summit Valley attended the lodge at South Boulder last Saturday night. Sleighing was fine, and everyone had an excellent time.

WATERLOO WAIFS: Chas. Johnston of Parrot was through the valley purchasing cattle on Monday. Alfred Hunt is busy hauling timber from Mill Canyon Hills. Thornly and M.T. Carney are driving a tunnel to tap a very rich vein of ore in the Perry Canyon district. The question debated upon by some of the members of our flourishing society last Friday night was, "Resolved, That Jefferson Valley would lose half its charms if the wind was not blowing."

SILVER STAR HINTS: Hon. J. C. Mahony was called away to Virginia City yesterday morning as a witness on the Ennis-Peel murder case. Consequently, there will be no school until his return. A brand spanking splinter new blacksmith shop is being built on the corner of Main and Blackman streets by Louis Mellieur. Mr. Mellieur at present only works all day and one-half the night, but, after he gets in his new shop, if business requires his presence, he will be quite willing to work eight or ten hours after quitting time.

THE HOME NEWS: The Christmas tree for the young people and little ones of Whitehall will be seen in all its gorgeousness on Saturday evening at the M.E. church. A short but interesting program has been prepared, which will precede the distribution of gifts. Everyone is invited to participate. The Christian church of Whitehall was incorporated at Helena on Monday by W. W. Beeman, E. W. Wolverton, Jacob Bondes, and E.R. McCall. The Pony-Norris train remained all night at a point several miles this side of Norris on Friday and pulled into Whitehall on Saturday. One of the cuts was blown full of snow and sand, and it required the efforts of a snow plow, which was sent from Bozeman, to clear the road for traffic. Thomas S. Smith, accountant for the Parrot Co. at Butte, came out from Butte Saturday and, while here, closed a deal by which he became the owner of the J.O. Smith ranch in Summit Valley. Tom is not going to ranch, but he thinks Summit Valley Ranches are a good investment. A Grand New Year ball will be given at Mayflower on the 2nd day of January 1899. Tickets for the dance are $1. Supper 25 cts. Everybody respectfully invited. Sam Wade did not get so far as Missouri after all. He became sidetracked and took the road to matrimony instead of the land of the 'possum. Mr. and Mrs. Wade came immediately to Whitehall and are now guests of the Hotel Whitehall, where they will remain until spring.

Our Town 100 Years Ago - December, Part II: Prohibition in 1924 was not stopping people in the valley from finding a cold beer or a stiff drink. News headlines included a statement by Pope Pius XI on the church's anti-communism stance; in Germany, one serial killer was sentenced to death while another hanged himself in a jail cell; Adolf Hitler was released from Landsberg prison as part of a general amnesty for political prisoners; a fire in Babbs Switch, Oklahoma killed 36 people at a one-room schoolhouse during a Christmas Eve party; and the University of Southern California defeated Missouri 20-7 at the Los Angeles Christmas Festival. People in the Jefferson Valley were getting ready for Christmas and a new year. The following articles are taken as written from the December 18 and 25, 1924 editions of the Jefferson Valley News. The photo is an ad that appeared in the December 25th edition.

BUMPED A PHONE POLE – Chas. Miller, of the Parrot Bench, damaged his Buick car to a considerable extent yesterday morning when he failed to make the turn short enough at the corner of Legion Avenue and Division Street. The car skidded into the big telephone pole at the McKay corner with sufficient force to muss up the front end of the machine, tear down several phone wires, and bend the big timber like a fly rod.

Valley News – Tuesday morning, with the temperature twenty-four below zero, the school bus was not able to make as good a time as usual. Consequently, it was twenty minutes after nine o'clock when it reached the school house, the second time this year it had been late in arriving. Attorney Ike E. O. Pace drove to Virginia City on Sunday. On the return trip last Monday afternoon, he encountered the severe storm between Sheridan and Twin Bridges and came near having to walk to the latter city or seek temporary shelter at some ranch house. (Cardwell) The pupils of Miss McCunley's room tendered her a real party last Friday. A good lunch was provided, and games were indulged in, and everyone was happy. Roy Sparrell is driving the big mining truck at Mammoth again. The Pleasant Valley school is giving a fine Christmas program at the school house on Wednesday afternoon, December 24. Everybody is welcome to attend. Don't forget the Community Xmas tree and program at the Piedmont school house on Wednesday evening, December 24. Old Santa Claus will be there with bells on and will have a treat for every man, woman and child present.

The bursting of frozen steam pipes at the John Crow ranch east of town yesterday morning caused an explosion that rendered Mrs. Crow unconscious and threw her out of the room where she was working at the stove getting breakfast. All windows in the kitchen were broken, but fortunately, Mrs. Crow suffered no serious results.

OVERHEARD by the Office Cat – Tony Block says you have to give some men credit for bringing home the bacon. If you didn't give them credit, they couldn't get the bacon to bring home. Ward King's Ford suffered a nervous breakdown. It's been shaking for two weeks, and it broke down last night. A bootlegger suggests Americans should boost home trade by buying moonshine instead of imported liquor. Murdo Carmichael thinks here is a good chance to die for your country. There are 3,000,000 laws, and Mike Wentz says you can obey all of them and still be an ass.