Out Town 100+ Years Ago: February, Part I:

Our Town 100+ Years Ago - February, Part I: This week the focus will be just on news from the February editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr. All are taken as written with some edited for length only. The photo is an ad that appeared in several February editions.

News from around the state varied from murder to severe weather and a multitude of topics in between. Some of the headlines were: A HAMMER DID IT, Murder of Henry Dahlman at Boulder by a Man Known as Frank or "Cap" Carson; SEVENTEEN BURNED, Fire in the South Dakota Insane Asylum Relieves the Sufferings of Demented; STORM IN THE EAST, New York City's Poor, Numbering 50,000 Families, are not only Freezing, But Starving. HE DIED A TOUGH, Tom Salmon, Defiant to the Last –The crime for which Salmon was hanged was the cold-blooded deliberate murder, last September, of Superintendent William O'Connor of the Red lodge coal mines; and NEARING THE END, Montana Legislature Gets Down to Business and Settles Several Important Matters. Closer to home, there was more emphasis on the weather and less violent news.

Edward Powell, who was wanted in Granite County for cattle stealing, was arrested in Butte by J.W. Collins, the stock inspector. Powell has eluded the officers ever since the 15th of last October, when his partner, a man named Hillman, was arrested.

Butte had a $20,000 fire Wednesday night, at the corner of Park and Ohio streets. The buildings owned by Case and Courtney and A. Tighe were destroyed, four stores long and 60 feet deep.

The blizzard, which struck Montana last Monday and increased in fury Tuesday, came from the east and lost no time getting here. In Colorado, it was the greatest storm of years, and old settlers say they never saw it beat. Railroad traffic was completely blocked in many parts of the east. So far as learned, the storm is general, and there is great suffering among the destitute of the cities.

A FIERCE BATTLE. Our Boys at Manila Fight a Horde of Savages and Die for Victory. Soldiers from this State Fight Nobly, but Some are Laid to Rest in Foreign Soil. The expected has come to pass, and forty-eight dead and 149 wounded American soldiers lay near Manilla as a result of the battle of Saturday and Sunday between the Philippine insurgents under Aguinaldo.

THE HOME NEWS: W.C. McKaskle of Pony was a passenger for Butte on Monday's train. He said that the election of W.A. Clark suited the people of Pony all right and that the news was received there with considerable rejoicing.

The temperature reached a very disagreeable figure this week. On Wednesday morning it was 24° below; on Thursday morning 28° below. It made a bluff at moderating yesterday.

Mr. Thornley, a prospector who has been stopping at M.T. Carney's in Waterloo and prospecting in Perry canyon, was thrown from his horse as he was coming from work last week, and his right leg broken. It was by change that Capt. T.D. Townsend happened along and saw the accident. The fact that someone happened to see the mishap probably saved Thornley's life, as the day was bitterly cold, and he would most certainly have perished.

The temperature dropped to the low notch of 34 degrees below zero last Saturday morning, and the winter's record was broken. During the late blizzard, cattle huddled on or near the railroad tracks, and an unusual number were killed. Monday night, five heads belonging to John Tebay were killed near Pipestone Springs.

It is common talk that Whitehall has a hop joint running in full blast.

Arthur Judevine, a brother of Walter Judevine, whose death at Lime Spur was reported last week, telegraphed to Undertaker Less on Friday last asking for particulars of the accident. Further than the inquiry nothing has been heard from the relatives or friends. The body was buried on Friday at Whitehall cemetery. (Note: this would have been the cemetery on the hill where the silver water tower is now.) Herbert Judervine, brother of Walter, who was killed Lime Spur on the 6th, arrived from his home at Baraboo, Wis., Saturday morning and arranged to have the body take to Baraboo for final interment.

The matter of a town hall on the north side of the railway track is being discussed among citizens, and it is expected that a project for erecting one may take definite form in the near future.

The Firemen's Masquerade. The attendance at the masquerade ball, given Wednesday night at the band hall by the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company, demonstrated the fact that the old and young enjoy a frolic once a year, at least, behind a mask. Over fifty couples were in attendance and the assembly was picturesque. Matrons in shorty dresses and maids in long frocks, clowns, fairies, devils and the arts, foreigners and soldiers, princes and potentates were all represented. Financially and socially, the affair was a success. The supper at the Whitehall was, of course, up to the usual standard of excellence.

Church Notice. The Christian Church services, which have been held in the Heider building for the past week, closed last evening. Five were added and the church greatly strengthened. A new church building will be erected in the near future.

Summit Valley Gems: The war in the Philippines and the election of W.A. Clark to the senate is the principal neighborhood gossip. The literary entertainment held at the schoolhouse on Friday evening of each week, is progressing nicely. There is a large attendance, and all take an interest, at least all seem to be interested in the Dog Town Meddler. Since the chinook winds of last Saturday caused the snow to disappear in these points, we have the pleasure of enjoying an unlimited amount of winds, similar to the winds of Waterloo.