Celebrating History: Rail accident still making news

By Emily Mayer

News about the fatal accident at Great Northern’s railyards was still making the front pages in the papers 100 years ago. This article was found in The Havre Plaindealer’s March 18, 1916, issue:

STATE COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE ACCIDENT

Dissatisfied With Report Sent in by the Company

The Montana railroad commission will meet in Havre today to probe the cause of the wreck in the Havre yards on March 5 that resulted in the death of two men and the severe injury of a third trainman. Concerning the decision of the board, which was made last Tuesday, the Helena Independent of March 15 said:

Dissatisfied with the report made to them by officials of the Great Northern railroad with reference to the accident at Havre March 5 which resulted in two brakemen losing their lives and a third trainman having his leg cut off, the state railroad commission yesterday set March 18 as the date for a hearing, when a thorough investigation will be made.

The hearing will be held at Havre, and officials of the Hill road and all surviving members of the crew will be present.

The accident happened in a peculiar manner, according to the reports made to the railroad commission. A freight train, east bound, and composed of 33 cars, all connected up with an engine, was standing in the yards at Havre. There were 13 more cars, with a caboose attached, about five car lengths from the first train, and a part of the first train.

A report of the accident was immediately sent to the commission, but it was not satisfactory, and the investigation was ordered.

In much happier news, the Woman’s Club was celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in style as reported in the Plaindealer’s “Society” column:

St. Patrick’s Tea

The seating capacity of the club room was taxed to the utmost on Friday afternoon, when the Woman’s club gave its third silver tea.

The program prepared was one best given this year, and each member was thoroughly enjoyed. St. Patrick was well represented in the decorations, green and white being used. A large basket tied with green tulle graced the center of the tea table, filled with green carnations, and novel candle-sticks, made of potatoes, with green shades, were placed at each side. The same color scheme was in the refreshment course which was served by Mrs. L. V. Beaulieu and Mrs. Clara MaKenzie.

The term “silver tea” was used in the early 1900s as a term for a fundraising event and the term was mostly used by churches and other charitable organizations. Historically, silver has conveyed wealth by being used in coinage, jewelry, flatware or hollowware, and the message was clearly conveyed that those attending were to share their wealth by contributing to whatever cause was being sponsored.

Silver teas could be fancy afternoon tea affairs (not high tea, as high teas are not fancy affairs) or a simple offering of sweets, such as cake, and tea. By the way the article is written, no doubt this was an afternoon tea service.

In reading a great many old Havre newspapers over the years, silver teas were taking place in Havre up through the 1960s, and then sadly fell out of favor in the 1970s.

Both the Hill County Democrat and the Plaindealer ran an article about several people becoming naturalized citizens. Of the names printed in the newspapers, 18 were from Great Britain, 10 were from Norway, five from Austria, four from Sweden, Germany and Russia, two from Hungary and Canada and the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Greece and Montenegro had one each.

In the Democrat’s “Inverness Locals” social page, this little paragraph was printed:

A movement is on foot for the erection of a large hall and store building in Inverness. The Bachelor’s Club is said to be promoting the enterprise. The Independent will probably have more to say about it next week.

Inverness had a large and very active Bachelor’s Club that met regularly and whose news was a regular feature in the Democrat.