Most of the local news in the past couple of weeks centered around the upcoming Chautauqua and candidates for public office. The year 1916 was an election year, too, and many Hill County citizens were running for the various open offices.
Business was also brisk. This article was published in the July 29, 1916 issue of The Havre Plaindealer:
EXPRESS BUSINESS GOOD IN HAVRE
Only Two Offices in State Ahead of the Gas City Office
“No better index of the substantial growth of Havre could be had than in a comparison of the receipts of the Great Northern Express company in this city and at other points. Only two other offices in the state, those of Butte and Great Falls, exceed the Havre office. The Gas city shows receipts far ahead of Helena, the capital, and for the past three months the business in the local office has been greater than that of two companies engaged in the express business at Lewiston. If the same rate continues throughout the year 1916, there will be but one office in the state that shows more receipts from its express business than does the Havre office.
“Because of the rapidly growing business in this city, the Great Northern Express company has determined to place a cashier in the local office, as the volume of business taxes the present force beyond reason. It is expected that the cashier of the Havre office will be placed bout the first of the coming month.”
This wasn’t the only railroad news in the papers. The August 5, 1916 issue of The Hill County Democrat carried this announcement:
RAILROAD MEETING HELD AT AMOS
“The meeting called at Amos on Sunday for the purpose of organizing the farmers in order to get a railroad put through was a success. Over $3500 was subscribed with about 70 or 80 present.
“The meeting was opened by the chairman, Walter Hill, followed by Dr. Livingston and Mr. Conley and Mr. Warren. It was decided to hold meetings at Cottonwood and St. Joseph on Saturday August 5th. The speakers at Cottonwood will be Mr. Conley and Dr. Livingston, while Mr. W. Hill and Amos Harden will address the gathering at St. Joseph.
“The next meeting at Amos will be held Tuesday at 7:30 sharp at Amos Hall. A large number of the farmers have subscribed for one or more shares of stock in the proposed railroad. The price being $100 per share.”
In the middle of the Chautauqua and the Hill County Fair, local labor organizations were preparing for activities for Labor Day. This short article was found in the August 4, 1916 issue of The Havre Daily Promoter:
WILL HOLD MONSTER LABOR DAY CELEBRATION
“The Havre Trades and Labor Council have decided to hold a monster Labor Day celebration in this city on Monday, September 4th.
“At the regular meeting of the Trades council last evening, the whole celebration was gone over in a general way. All the necessary committees were appointed, and now everybody connected with Labor organizations is requested to take part in making this big celebration a grand success-and it will be.”
Here’s an occupation I’ve never heard of. This was found on the front page of the Promoter’s August 5 issue:
EXPERT BEVERAGE ARCHITECT AT THE COLONIAL
“Lawrence Finnigan, of Tacoma, Wash., has arrived in the city and accepted a position with the Colonial in the Masonic Temple.
“Mr. Flannigan is an expert soda fountain man and enjoys the reputation of being one of the finest architects of delicious and cooling drinks in the Northwest. He has been placed in charge of the fountain at The Colonial.”
I’ve heard of a soda jerk, but have never heard it referred to as a “beverage architect”!
Of course, we can’t forget the social side of things. Here is an entry from the Plaindealer’s “Society” column.
Visitor Honored
“Mrs. O. G. Skylstead was hostess to a number of ladies on Wednesday afternoon, in compliment to Mrs. Louis Newman of Great Falls, who is the house guest of Mrs. H. W. Stringfellow in Havre. Bridge was played throughout the afternoon. The Skylstead home was decorated for the occasion in vari-colored carnations, while the luncheon was carried out in yellow. Those present were Mesdames Newman, Stringfellow, Walker of Everett, Koerner, Nelson, Allen, A. J. Broadwater, Gussenhoven, Carnal.”
Louis Newman was one of Havre’s mayors, instrumental in one of Havre’s periodic “clean up Havre” campaigns. The Skylstead home is still standing today; it is now Holland and Bonine Funeral Home.
These articles were published in the Havre Daily News on July 29, 2016 and August 5, 2016, respectively.
http://www.havredailynews.com
