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Celebrating History: Good and bad in the news 100 years ago

By Emily Mayer

The Havre newspapers 100 years ago this week carried both good and bad local news. First, the good news.

The Havre Homebuilders Investment Company held its annual meeting, and here is an article on the front page of the Jan. 18, 1916, issue of The Havre Daily Promoter, formerly The Havre Promoter. This was the first time “Daily” had been added to the name.

HOME BUILDERS COMPANY HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the Home Builders’ Investment company was held in the Havre national bank of this city last evening.

The annual report was made showing a most satisfactory condition of affairs of the company. A small surplus was carried to the reserve fund after having paid the ten percent dividend recently declared and paid by the company.

The following officers and board of directors were elected for the ensuing year:

G. A. Hulfish, President; John Mclaren, Vice President; A. L. Ritt, Secretary-Treasurer; L. Newman, of Great Falls, G. A. Hulfush, of Havre, John McLaren, of Chinook, J. A. Wright of Havre, Chas. Lippard of Loma, L. K. Devlin of Havre, F. F. Bossout of Havre, A. L. Ritt of Havre and J. S. Almas of Havre, Directors; J. A. Wright, J. S. Almas and L. K. Devlin, Auditing Committee.

In the Promoter’s “Local News” column, we find:

T. W. MacKenzie and Wm. Kendig left yesterday for Grand Rapids, Mich., where they will select furniture for the new Masonic Hall in this city.

The Havre Plaindealer had this column in its Jan. 15, 1916 issue:

FAIR ASSOCIATION IS IN GOOD SHAPENotwithstanding Heavy Loss Sustained in Past Year

The Hill County Fair and Racing association held its annual meeting and election of stockholders on Wednesday afternoon, January 12th.

The secretary’s report showed that the Fir of 1915 was a successful one in the way of exhibits and racing, but on account of the extreme cold weather, the financial end did not appear as well as it should have. The dates of the fair were originally set for September 13-14-15, but on account of excessive rains, the directors postponed it until October 6-7-8; this postponement caused a great many of the cattlemen and horse men to make the circuit to the State Fair, and they failed to return to Havre.

The election of the directors took place and the following were elected: T. W. McKenzie, president; Lou Lucke, vice president; T. E. McCrosky, secretary.

Directors: J. A. Wright, C. C. Brundage, C. F. Morris, A. L. Ritt, H. W. Stringfellow, E. C. Carruth.

The social gatherings were still going strong. This one made the front page of the Plaindealer:

COSTUMES OF EVERY PEOPLE REPRESENTED

At the Masque Ball Held at Lyceum Last Evening

No more brilliant or enjoyable social event ever transpired in Havre than was the masque ball at Lyceum hall Friday evening, given by Mr. and Mrs. Geo. B. Bourne and Dr. and Mrs. J. A. Wright. The event had been looked forward to with keen anticipation of delight by the bidden guests, numbering more than two hundred, and none was disappointed in their realization. Extensive preparation was shown in the brilliant costumes worn, there being representations of the dress of every nation of every period.

Lyceum hall had been transformed into a veritable Japanese garden, the lanterns arranged in such way as to shed their soft radiance in a manner that brought out the brilliant hued costumes to the very best advantage. In the center of the hall a large May pole, in which hundreds of vari-colored incandescent lamps were used, completed a wall decoration that was at once pleasing to the eye.

The grand march, led by Mr. Arthur Lamey and Mrs. E. C. Carruth, was held at eleven o’clock, and immediately following this the masks were laid aside. It was not until I a.m. that the dancers bade reluctant farewell to the hosts.

However, not all the news was good news. The Plaindealer reported:

BLAZE IN THE YEON BLOCK

Fire from rubbish on or near the furnace used in heating the Pat Yeon block, on Seventh Avenue yesterday morning at 7 o’clock called out the fire department. Only nominal damage was sustained and that fell upon the Lindsey Fruit Co. occupying the store room.

In the Plaindealer was:

The fire department was called out Tuesday night to extinguish a blaze in the rear of the Promoter office. The fire resulted from hot ashes left in the melting room by the “devil”, and was not of serious proportions.

“Long” George Francis had some bad luck, as reported in the Promoter’s Jan. 15, 1916, issue:

GEORGE FRANCIS KICKED BY A HORSE

George Francis, one of the best known horsemen in the state, was kicked by a shod horse at his ranch five miles from Burnham yesterday morning about 10 o’clock and had a couple of ribs in his left side broken. Dr. Williams of this city was summoned and left by automobile, but encountered heavy snow banks and was five hours in reaching the injured man.

Francis was placed upon a sleigh by the doctor and was taken some five miles to the railway station at Burnham and brought into the city last evening. He is in the Williams hospital, where he was resting easily last night.

Also in the Promoter was:

George Francis has commenced suit in the district court against the Great Northern railway company for the collection of $1,100 in damages incurred by the injury to horses while loading them, on account of defective platforms.

Maybe his luck would change if he entered a contest reported in The Hill County Democrat’s Jan. 15, 1916 issue:

$10 In Gold For Name

Mr. Murray having purchased Mr. Ackermann’s interests in the Maco Drug Store of this city the new firm finds itself without any suitable name. So at once a contest was started. To the person who submits the best name a purse of $10.00 will be given. A committee of three Havre business men will decide on the name selected.

 

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