Celebrating History: Sewage, SIDs and Prohibition

By Emily Mayer

Regular readers of this column may recall that the City of Havre found itself in hot water over the dumping of raw sewage into the Milk River.

The city was being sued by the State Board of Health and Montana State Attorney General Sam Ford for doing so. When the case was called, it was decided to submit questions to a commission of experts, approved by the State Board of Health, and allow the panel to investigate the sanitary conditions of the community and determine a solution. Havre was not the only bad player in this scenario, our neighbor to the east, Chinook, was also in trouble for the same act. The special commission made its report, and it is both scathing and lengthy.

The entire report was published in the October 18, 1919, edition of The Havre Plaindealer. The solution was to build a sewage treating plant, and the special commission’s “recommendations” left no wiggle room.

The state was telling us to build this necessity-or else!

The following week saw the Havre City Council approving special omprovement districts, one for road grading on First Avenue between Third and Fifth streets and Fourth Street between First and Second avenues; and sanitary sewer lines from 13th Avenue to the east boundary of Devlin’s first addition and also west of Third Avenue south to Eighth Street.

The courts weren’t doing that great, either, especially when it came to Prohibition. This article was on the front page of the October 25, 1919, Plaindealer:

ARGUE FOR DISMISSAL BLIND PIGGING CASES

Favorable Decision Would Mean Dismissal Of All But Two Of The Cases Remaining

To Be Tried

Next Monday trial of the remaining of blind pigging cases is expected to be resumed with a question to be decided which would eliminate 59 of them. The point was brought up, when the time came for passing sentence upon the only person convicted in the first nine cases tried. The attorney for the defendant at that tie presented that the information in the case failed to state sufficient facts to constitute an offense against the laws as alleged. As all of the informations in the pigging cases are similarly worded it will mean if this position is sustained by the court that al but two of the cases set for this term must be dismissed as well as the case in which a conviction was secured out of the first nine tried. Although no decision has yet been rendered by the court on the point all of the attorneys for the defendants appear little concerned and declare that there is no doubt as to the final outcome if it is necessary to go to the supreme court of the state.

A blind pig, or blind cat or blind tiger, is another name for a speakeasy. They got their names because the saloon operators would charge to see an animal, such as a pig or a tiger, and patrons would receive “complimentary” alcoholic beverages. A blind cat or tiger was a term also used where the seller of the alcohol was unknown. Patrons would put their money in a drawer or on a rotating shelf, with the seller being behind a wall or door, unseen and unknown to the buyer, then providing the patron with whatever beverage they desired.

With Halloween coming up, several Havre hostesses were entertaining parties in various locations throughout town.

The Royal Neighbors will give a dance Halloween night which will be a masque affair and will be held at the Lyceum Hall.

Miss Dorothy Loranger Little Hostess

In honor of her eleventh birthday about twenty girl friends of Miss Dorothy Loranger’s were bidden to help her celebrate last Saturday at her home on Third ave. The hours of the festivities were from three to five o’clock and during that time merry and many were the games enjoyed by the youngsters. The Loranger home was tastefully decorated in Halloween fixings and the long table where the older children sat for refreshments as well as the smaller tables used by the little tots had as their centerpieces large basket of fruit tied with huge bows of black and yellow ribbon, while a birthday cake and twelve candles occupied one and on the long table from which was served fruit jello, cake and grape juice.

Rev. and Mrs. Christler and Mrs. Gourley were also asked in for refreshments.

Halloween Party at Lewis Ranch

Misses Adelaide Lewis and Josephine Broadwater entertained fifteen of their young friends at a Halloween party at the Lewis Ranch last Saturday evening. The guests were taken out in two motors and were received by cheerful spooks and made to feel delightfully at home in the house decorated in real Halloween spirit. Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Broadwater served a most acceptable luncheon after the young people had spent a couple of hours in time honored Halloween fortunes and ghostly games led by Miss Elmer. The decorations on the table and throughout the house were artistic and beautiful and reflected much credit upon the young hostesses.

Happy Halloween, all!