Celebrating History: Historic buildings and 'The Social Whirl'

Emily Mayer

There were a few entries regarding buildings in the January 9, 1915 issue of The Havre Plaindealer. For this second in the Year of the Buildings series, we find two entries regarding the Hill County Courthouse:

GOOD PREMIUM FOR HILL COUNTY BONDS

Entire Issue to Bonding Firm of Portland

Bonds for the building of the Hill county courthouse were this week sold to the Farris and Hargrove company of Portland, Oregon. The amount of bonds sold was $127,000, and the above firm took the entire issue, paying a premium of $2,225, the highest of any submitted, one each from Chicago, Minneapolis and Spokane.

Attorneys for the bonding company will at once look into the legality of the issue, condition of the county, etc., and if their report is favorable, the money will probably be paid over to the county within a month or six weeks.

It was thought that those interested in the location of the court house would be heard at the meeting this week, but the question did not come up for consideration. Nothing will likely be done on this matter until the final disposition of the bonds.

In the Plaindealer's "Of Local Interest" social pages column, we find this entry:

F. F. Bossout returned home from a business trip in Helena. Mr. Bossout will leave for Chicago within a few days on business connected with the building of the new court house. He will be accompanied by J. T. Berthelote.

Joseph T. Berthelote was a Hill County Commissioner at the time, and his name is found along with Ever Nielsen and Abraham Crosson as Commissioners and Frank Bossout as architect on the big metal plaque on the wall in the lobby on the first floor of the Courthouse.

Also in the Plaindealer, we find, complete with misspelling:

ARRANGING FOR REMOVAL OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Preparations are now being made for renewal of the public library to the new building on Fourth avenue and early next week the public reading room will be located in the new quarters. Difficulties of a minor nature have been encountered this week, but it is expected these will be satisfactorily arranged before the end of the week.

The public library at the time was located in the 1908 City Hall building, then located on the northeast corner of First Street and Fourth Avenue, razed in 1971. They were moving into the then-newly built Carnegie Library, located four blocks away to the south. Incidentally, Frank Bossout was also the architect for both the 1908 City Hall and the Carnegie Library.

The Social Whirl

By ARSEE

New Years Dinner

Mrs. Florian Carnal delightfully entertained at New Years dinner, at the Hotel Diner. A crystal vase of cut flowers formed the centerpiece and covers were placed for Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Carnal, Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Sheehan, Mis Ada Card of Seattle and the host and hostess.

"Cover" is another name for place settings. It means the entire place setting area including dinnerware, flatware, stemware and napkins. At the time, the Havre Hotel had a diner as part of its facilities, and many people chose it, along with the ballroom, to host dinners rather than hosting them at home.

In The Hill County Democrat's issue from the same date, we find this entry in the Real Estate Transfers column:

Ever Nielsen to Roman Catholic Bishop of Great Falls $200, lots 5-6 blk. 2. Neilsons Second Add. To Box Elder.

If you recall, in last week's column, the Box Elder Valley Press announced the Catholic congregation was more than likely in the beginning stages of building its own church in that community.

In the Hingham Review's January 8, 1915 issue, we find in the "Local News Items" social pages:

The new school building will be ready for use in about two weeks. The furnace has not yet arrived.