Celebrating History: Setting aside land for Rocky Boy

By Emily Mayer

The newspapers in Havre 100 years ago carried several neat articles.

The Havre Plaindealer’s April 1, 1916, issue had a good-sized article announcing that the secretary of the interior favored increasing the amount of land for Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. The amount announced in the newspaper stated the legislation, crafted by Sen. Meyer, set aside 30,900 acres for Rocky Boy Reservation, 80 acres for a reservoir site for the city of Havre and 10,240 acres for Beaver Creek Park. However, Secretary Lane was favoring more of the former Fort Assinniboine Military Reserve be set aside for the Rocky Boy reservation.

J. K. Bramble, owner and editor of The Hill County Democrat, continued his ranting against high school students dancing and the Casey brothers.

In the Plaindealer’s “Society” column, we find the following gathering:

Auction Bridge

Auction Bridge was the diversion on Wednesday evening when Mrs. O. G. Skylstead entertained a few friends. Two tables were in play and at the close of the game a dainty refreshment course was served. The guests included Mesdames Griggs, Grimmer, Benson, Lange, McClintock, D. S. MacKenzie, A. J. Broadwater.

The Skylstead home currently serves as Holland & Bonine Funeral Home.

The Havre Daily Promoter carried several local news items of interest. The March 28, 1915 issue had the following article:

ST. MARKS PEOPLE HAVE LAUNCHEDD BIG CAMPAIGN

For the third time in the history of St. Mar’s church a unique building campaign has set forward the construction work of that church.

The first one was “Big Lift Week”, the second effort was called “Heave-Over-Week”, which was last spring, and through the latter campaign a great advance was made in the walls of the super-structure.

But this spring’s campaign is to be more unique still.

“Finish-Her-Up-Month” will be the slogan for the work to begin in April toward completing the new church.

St. Agnes Guild at its meeting last evening at the home of Miss Alene and Flora Kirby gave impetus to the spring’s campaign by getting behind it with a resolution to push the work of finishing the building.

The granite walls of St. Mark’s church are more than two third laid and, with a united effort of everyone, it will not take much money or time to complete them.

Miss Estella Spooner is the treasurer of St. Agnes Guild, and Mr. Joseph Allen the secretary of the vestry committee of St. Mark’s parish. Either of these persons will receive subscriptions for the “Finish-Her-Up-Month” campaign, or offers of contributed labor.

The members of St. Agnes Guild and their friends will meet in social session at the chapel of St. Mark’s church on Monday evening next April 6, at which time plans will be furthered to stimulate the interest of “Finish-Her-Up-Month”.

The Promoter’s March 30 issue had these two columns:

WILL BUILD ADDITION TO GRAND HOTEL

Miss Theresa L. Harrington, proprietress of the Grand Hotel, one of the most modern and palatially furnished hotels along the main line of the Great Northern railroad, will, with the opening of spring, begin the work of putting a third story upon the hotel and will make a number of other improvements in the building.

The architects are now engaged in the work of getting out the plans.

In addition to the enlarging of the facilities for taking care of many more guests by the addition of some 25 guest rooms, the lobby of the hotel will be enlarged and modern sample rooms will be added for the accommodation of the commercial men, who make the hotel their headquarters while covering the territory of Northern Montana.

In a large number of the guests rooms that are to be put on there will be installed private bath rooms in connection with the sleeping apartment.

Mill Will Open Soon

M. S. Williams of Williston, vice president of the Havre Mill company, is in the city for a few days assisting in getting things ready at the mill for the opening that will probably occur about the first of the week. At least that is what they now plan upon and unless something unforeseen occurs the mill will begin Monday in converting wheat into flour.

Most of the machinery is already installed in the mill.

The Grand Hotel was located on the north side of the 200 Block of 1st Street. The US Bank building now occupies the site. The mill was located on the north side of the 100 Block of what is now 2nd Street West. Residential housing now occupies that site.

In addition to business and church activities, residential housing was also being constructed at this time 100 years ago.

Every now and then, I run across an entry that goes in the “For Pity’s Sake” file. This one ran in the Promoter’s April 1 issue:

Will Prosecute Trespassers

Chief William McKennan yesterday announced that the city authorities would vigorously prosecute all persons who trespass on lawns or upon the boulevards of the city.

The chief said this would apply to delivery men for the stores and to mail carriers who are particular offenders in violating this city ordinance.

Let’s hope that one was an April Fools’ Day joke.