Lost Trail Stories 'Episode #7'

What Would Jesus Do?

Belgium, January 28, 1915 Upon the motion of Eureka Commercial Club member W. A. Mikalson, the secretary was instructed to correspond with the proper railway officials in regard to the removal of the stock yards to a more convenient point on the industry track extension.

Washington, D.C, November 19, 1914


Not a Pretty Picture

January 7, 1915 The members of the Belgium clergy have been informed by the German authorities that their salaries will be paid by the German government, provided they sign a declaration to abstain from doing or saying anything prejudicial to Germany.


What to Do With the Women?

Helena, January 28, 1915 One of the principal questions discussed at the meeting of the county clerks and recorders of Montana was the registration of the women who have become eligible as voters through the adoption of the equal suffrage constitutional amendment. A woman of foreign nativity can register on the naturalization papers of her husband or her father. The widow of a naturalized foreigner can register on his papers. A woman of American birth, who is married to a naturalized foreigner, must register on his papers; the citizenship of the wife follows that of the husband, as long as their marital relationship continues.


Not Much Going On

Helena, February 4, 1915 With over one-half of the working days of the 14th Legislature passes, we find no real legislation has been enacted, except for several appropriation bills. The house has passed a bill providing for a $5 fee for marriage licenses. Much merriment was occasioned by the unmarried men’s concerted action to defeat the measure. Prohibition is proving to be a live issue. The house favors the adoption of a more liberal bill that would allow wine to be used for sacramental purposes. The lazy husbands bill, which was attracting considerable attention, has been killed by the House.


By Hook or by Crook

Eureka, February 4, 1915 Any observer in the basketball game at Libby could clearly see that the Eureka team outplayed the Libby team during the first thirty minutes of the game. But, a few of the Libby people and the referee, realizing the utter uselessness of a square deal to win the game, then turned everything loose to steal it. The main features during the last ten minutes of the game on the part of these people were: holding our players, getting in their way, rushing onto the floor, threatening our players and coach that if they won they would be “cleaned up”, and the ignorant, frustrated referee counting Libby’s basket and then throwing the ball up in the air again. The girls of the Junior class thank the business men for sending them to Libby as rooters. They report having had a good time and that they succeeded in making themselves heard even above the rooting of all Libby.


WW I Update

February 4, 1915 German ammunition works are turning out 3 million shrapnel shells monthly. Russia has informed Persia (Iran) of her regret that Persia should have become the arena of hostilities. Fifty Greek villages were recently laid to ruins by the Turks. A London police court has decided that in England to call a man a German, if he is not, is to abuse him.


Simple Solution

February 4, 1915 It is a fact that many persons stay away from the motion picture theaters because they are troubled with smarting and burning eyes after watching a picture. The fault, however, is with themselves, as the present day motion pictures are practically flickerless. Many person find that their eyes hurt because they become so interested that they stare so intently at the screen that they forget to wink. The pictures are not to blame. Winking lubricates the eye ball and prevents smarting and burning. If people would wink as often in a motion picture theater as they do elsewhere, they would have no trouble.


A Fowl Creation

Eaton, Ohio, February 4, 1915 George White has produced by selective breeding the shortest legged chicken in existence after ten years of effort. The result is a big white fowl that continually seems to be sitting, the impression being due solely to the shortness of its legs. When it walks it waddles like a duck.


Not As Bad As It Seemed

Germany, February 4, 1915 From August until the beginning of December the German army lost approximately 2,000,000 men, and since that time there have been the battles in Poland. Admitting that 500,000 wounded would be able to return to the firing line, the bulletin says the definite loss therefore, may be estimated at nearly 1,500,000 men.


Misguided and Ill-conceived

February 11, 1915 R. A. Beggs, a ranger on the Blackfoot forest reserve (much of northwest Montana), is advocating that the government fill the reserves with goats as a safeguard against forest fires. Beggs declares the goats eat up all underbrush and thus reduce the fire hazards.


Import Restrictions Urged

Helena, February 11, 1915 The Montana State Federation of Labor adopted a resolution requesting the Montana delegation in congress to press the proposed bill to prevent the importation of “gunmen” into the state. The federation also went on record favoring the teachers’ pension bill.


Insist On Neutrality

February 11, 1915 A petition addressed to the American people is appearing throughout the nation, asking that churches and women’s societies, as well as individual citizens insist that the United States observe a strict neutral policy in the present war. The appeal is made by an organization signed “American Protest committee, Berlin, Germany.”


Booze Blamed

February 11, 1915 Baseball apparently forms the most recent recruit to the crusade against alcohol. Connie Mack is quoted as saying that “alcohol inevitably slows a man down. It is not the umpires, but drink that puts the player out of the game.”

Gary Montgomery

About the Author: Gary Montgomery, a resident to the Tobacco Valley for over four decades, has worked in a variety of vocations common to the area including logging, saw mills, Christmas trees, public education, U. S. Forest Service, ranching and operating his own photo processing and printing business. For the last 23 years he has largely written and published a quarterly historical magazine called The Trail and formerly the Tobacco Plains Journal. Along with articles reprinted from historical newspapers, vintage photographs, personal diaries and other remembrances, he has interviewed over 115 oldtimers, each one with his or her unique view of history, both local and international. Montgomery can be contacted via his website: www.thetrailmag.com.

Tags: lost trail snippets Gary Montgomery