The Billings gazette. [volume], May 23, 1899, Semi-weekly, Image 1

About The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
'he Billings Gazette.
SEMI I=VWEEKLY.
VOL. XV. BILLINGS, YELLOWSTONE COUNTY, MONTANA, TUESDAY, MAY 21, 1899 NO. 9
Watch for Our Spring Shoes
See Our "Little Giant" Line of
Children's and Boys' Shoes
Misses' and Children's Rubber Boots
ALL SIZES
John D. osekamp
"Famous Outfitter."
PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
JAB. R. GOBS,
LAWYER.
Office First National Bank Building.
H E. ARMSTRONG, M. ..,
PHYSICIAN and SURGEON.
Belknap Block, - Billings, Montana.
DR. J. H. RINEHART,
PHYSICIAN and SURGEON.
Office in First National Bank building, Billings,
Monta
ANDREW CLARK, M. D.
HARRIET FOXTON-CLARK, M. D., C. M.
PHYSICIANS and SURGEONS.
Rooms 6 and 7, First National Bank Building.
Night calls answered at office.
PR. E. P. TOWNSEND,
PHYSICIAN and SURGEON.
Office and Residence on Twenty-Ninth Street
North, two doors north of Cottage Inn. Office
strictly private. All calls will receive prompt
attention. Telephone 118.
. F. GODDARD.
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW.
Office over First National Bank.
T B. HERFORD,
A TTORNE Y-A T-LA W.
Room S, Belknap Block, - Billings, Montana.
FRED H. HATHHORN,
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW.
Office-Room 4, First National Bank Building.
Billings, Montana.
JOHNSTON & JOHNSTON.
LAWYERS.
Room 18. Belknap Block.
C HARLES L. HARRIS,
LAWYER.
Room 12, Belknap Block, - Billings, Montana
J D. MATHESON,
Real Estate and Life Insurance.
Room 12, Belknap Block.
A. FRASER
Notary Public,
Justice of the Peace, U. S. Commissioner,
General Commission Merchant.
Room 3, First National Bank Building, Billings.
ITLE ABSTRACT COMPANY,
ABSTRACTS OF TITLE
To all real property in Yellowstone county,
Montana, compiled by Geo. M. Hays and Austin
North Company. Titles examined and complete
abstracts furnished. Office next north Grand
Hotel. Telephone 123.
4593
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL
... BANK...
OF BILLINGS
-0
CAPITAL, - $50,000
SURPLUS;- - $20,000
-o---
A. L. BABCOCK, President.
DAVID PRATT, Vioe-Pres.
G. A. GRIGGS, Cashier.
E. HIIOLLISTER. Ass't Cash.
DIRECTORS.
A. i. BABOOOK, DIAVID PRATT,
G. A. AGRIGGS, ED. CARDWELL,
PETER LARSON.
-0
Regular Banking in all its Branches.
Safe Detoest Boxes Rented.
Special Attention Given to Collections.
-o
-Dealers n oreign and Dmesti han-
Dealers in Foreign and Domestic Exchange
FIRST NATIONAlI
BANK
-) OF -
BIhlNhGS, MONTANAR
Paid Up Capital, - $150,000
Surplus and Profits, - 10,000
P. B. Moss, President.
H. W. ROWLEY, Vice-Pres.
S. F. MORSE, Cashier.
S. G. REYNOLDS, Asst. Cash..
DIRECTORS:
Chas. T. Babcock,
Jos. Zimmerman,
H. W. Rowley,
G. W. Woodson,
P. B Moss.
Transact a general banking busi
ness. Collections promptly
made and remitted for.
i lin 'z Fu"Ur' '
I i
Sjable Itinen,
qowel and
lopkin
89166. pº
i i.
I BILLINGS
Funituwe & Capet
COMePANY
NEW COURT HOUSE TALK
Matter Being Agitated and Will
Be Considered by the
Commissioners
AT THE JUNE MEETING
Reasons Why Yellowstone County
Should Have a New Building.
Site fir' Same Offered.
V 'or some time past the matter of
erecting a new court house for Yellow
stone county has been quietly agitated
and the commissioners, it is said, will
consider the proposition at their June
meeting. The present court house has
outgrown its usefulness by reason of
the increasing business and is now en
tirely too small for the purposes for
which it was intended. It is also felt
that the time has arrived when the
court house can be advantageously dis
posed of for business purposes, as was
intended when the present structure
was built. If this could be done a new
court house and jail combined could be
built without bonding the county, the
commissioners being authorized by law
to expend $10,000 without submitting
the question to a vote of the taxpayers.
If, therefore, the present court house
and jail could be sold for $12,000 or
$15,000, some $22,000 or $25,000
would be available for a new structure.
It is thought the property can be dis
posed of for the figures named and that
a site for a new court house may be
donated. Mayor Yegen, in fact, has
publicly said that he will give $15.000
for the present court house and jail and
donate a block of ground, worth
$2,500, if the commissioners will build
the new structure upon it. The block
is located on the south side, south and
east of Donovan & Spear's, and while
the offer is a liberal one, it is not like
ly the location would be favored by the
taxpayers, it being too far from the
business center of the city. Mr.
Yegen's offer is probably contingent
upon his site being accepted, but if he
is willing to give $.1.5000 for the pres
ent buildings, it is likely that someone
else will give as much, while the com
missioners hope that a site nearer the
business center may be donated or ob
tained for a nominal sum. At least
they would like to hear from public
spirited citizens on the subject.
The county is in good shape to bond
for a new court house, if that course is
deemed advisable. It has not reached
the limit for which it can bond by
$62,000, and the present indebtedness
is in excellent shape. It amounts to
$1.50,500, less $45,000 cash on hand
May 1. The indebtedness consists of
$91,500 worth of 5 per cent bonds, due
July 1, 1918, and $59,000 worth of 6
per cent bonds, due Oct. 1, 1911. The
5 per cent bonds may be redeemed July
1, 1908, and the 6 per cent Oct. 1,
1901. But a new court house can be
built without bonding. The present
structure, it is thought, can readily be
disposed of for business purposes, and
the matter of a site for a new one
should first be determined.
It should be centrally located, of
course, and the commissioners would
be justified in purchasing one before
there is a further advance in real estate,
if land is not donated for the purpose.
The time is coming, without a doubt,
when a now court house will be an ab
solute necessity, even if it is not built
now, and it would be both wise and
economical upon the part of the com
missioners to provide for a ccntingency
that is sure to arise in the future.
Some of principal reasons why a new
court house should be built are given
below, all of which are pertinent and
worthy of careful consideration:
The present courthouse is so situated
that it is impossible to conduct court
in it without repeated and annoying
interruptions from noise caused by
heavily loaded wagons passing on the
streets, people standing in front of the
building and talking loudly, the trains
coming in and going out of the city,
and the continual switching of the
switch-engines in the railroad yards.
The court room is also inadequately
ventilated. The means of heat
ing it, by three stoves, is so poor
a method that to keep the air
in the room pure, or rather from
becoming exceedingly foul toward the
end of each day's session, is an impos
sibility during the winter and cool
months. It needs no argument to
prove to a person who knows anything
about heating large rooms or buildings
oontaining many oflices, that heating
them by coil stoves is one of the most
expensive methods.
The court house was not built with
the intention of its being used for a
mourt house longer than when the time
should arrive that the county would be
Bnanoially able to build for itself a
court house building. For fourteen
years the present building has been
•eed for coqnt7 ofdloes ag the holing
of oourt therein, and at time tine it was
built, in 1885, it was large enough for
the purpose. But the county having
increased in population and wealth
very greatly since that time, has
caused the business of the several
county officials to far outgrow the
office-room assigned to them, and the
vaults have become filled and over
crowded with records and other valu
able papers, which cannot be duplicat
ed, and upon which rests the titles to
the real estate and other property of
the people of the county, so that today
a new and more commodious court
house is imperatively needed.
The county clerk's office is so small
that the clerk has been compelled to
fence off with a counter a small space
for the general public to transact busi
ness with his office. His vaults are
filled upon all their walls and clear
to the top, with files and book racks
full of records, and as the county busi
ness grows it will be necessary for him
in the future, unless his vault room is
enlarged, to pile valuable books upon
the floor of the vault.
The county commissioners are now
confronted with the problem of provid
ing more vault room for the county
clerk. It is absolutely necessary in
order to furnish the proper protection
to the county records and can only be
settled by building a new vault in con
nection with the present one, which
has been estimated to cost at least
$1,500.
And what we say about the county
clerk's vault will also apply equally as
well to the vault of every other county
official; and all vaults are so poorly
lighted that it is necessary, in hunting
for a record in any of them, to light a
candle in order to get light enough to
find what ia wanted. The superinten
dent of schools, the sheriff, the assessor
and the county attorney have no vaults
whatever, and the superintendent of
schools is obliged to use a jury room
as his office, which he must vacate dur
ing each term of court, while the coun
ty attorney has no office whatever, he
being compelled to rent an office for
himself in the Belknap block. Besides
this, the county surveyor has no office
at all.
The building being fourteen years
old, has reached the point where repairs
have become a considerable item of ex
pense, it being shown by the county
clerk's last annual statement that fuel
and expense during the year ending
November 30, 1898, amounted to
$556.32, and county buildings and re
pairs amounted to $602.22, a total of
$1,118.54. The jail is in about the
same condition as is the county court
.fouse. The county has but recently
completed improvements on it costing
400.
Aside from the question of economy,
the burning of the court house at Red
Lodge has shown beyond doubt that
should our present court house be con
sumed by fire, every record which is
kept in the vaults would be destroyed.
The vaults for the court house in Red
Lodge were built outside of the court
house building, which was constructed
of wood, and connected with the build
ing by steel doors and air spaces, such
as every modern vault has, and superior
in construction to the vaults which
this county has in its court house. The
walls of the Red Lodge vaults were
made fully as thick as the walls of our
vaults and constructed of brick, just as
ours are; and yet when the Red Lodge
court house burned, papers and books
in the vault of the county clerk were so
badly charred upon the outside that
they could not be handled without the
ends of the papers and the covers of
the books breaking off in many cases.
And the wooden frames in which the
papers and books were kept were so
charred by the heat that parts of them
could be taken in the hands and broken
like charcoal, notwithstanding the
building did not fall upon the vaults,
but fell in. Should our court house be
burned, the vaults, being between the
brick walls of the building, all the
woodwork above would fall upon the
vaults and there be consumed; and the
water thrown upon the heated brick
walls would crack the vault walls, so
that the vaults would be little or no
protection for the reocrds, and they
undoubtedly could not be saved.
The destroying of county records
would be of incalculable loss to the
county and would work hardship upon
many of the inhabitants and property
owners of Yellowstone county, who, in
a great many instances, would be una
ble to prove ownership to their real
estate holdings. To replace the books
and blanks would mean an outlay to
the county of something like $10,000.
All these items are worthy of careful
consideration.
The main portion of the city of Daw
son was destroyed by fire on April 26,
causing a loss of $4,000,000. In all
111 buildings, includipg the British
North American bank, were burned.
The news was brougbt down by L. S.
Hame, a son of Mayor Hume of Seal-,
tie, J. Toklas and a third party, who
left Dawsqe on April 27 and smade their
way out by canoe to Lake Lebarge and
then over the ice, having a most peril
ous trip.
- The Nebraska regiment, which has
done gallant work in the Philippines,
has been given a thirty days rest and
has gone into Manila, where they will
remain for that tame,
SCHOOL EXHIBIT DAY
The Billings Pupils Display
Splendid Work in Var
ious Lines.
WAS AN INNOVATION
Gladly Hailed by Parents and Visitors.
Much Credit Due Principal,
Teachers and Pupils.
lliday was a big day in the Billings
public schools and one that will be long
remembered by pupils, teachers and
those who took occasion to visit the
various rooms. It was what is called
"Exhibit Day" and was an innovation
in the schools in that line, and, as far
as is known, was the first incident of
its kind in any public school in the
state of Montana. For some time the
pupils, assisted by the teachers, have
been preparing special work which was
to form this exhibit, there being sam
ples of about everything that goes to
make up their every-day duties. Much
remarkable talent was shown in many
instances and the efforts of all .were
splendid. The children of the various
grades entered into the work with con
siderable zeal and earnestness, each
room wishing to excel the other. Per
sonal invitations were. extended to
many of our people and several hun
dred visitors inspected the work, being
shown through the rooms by the pupils.
All were profuse in their praises of the
children's efforts and were greatly sur
prised at the talent displayed. In sev
eral rooms were pretty window gardens
of sweet peas and other flowers, having
been arranged by the children's hands.
Much credit is due Principal H. M.
Brayton, who inaugurated "Exhibit
Day," and to the teachers and scholars
who assisted him in so successfully ob
serving it. May "Exhibit Day" be a
permanent feature in the Billings pub
lic schools. In order to give our readers
an idea of what each room had, we give
the following, gathered by The Gazette
reporter:
Miss Hayden's room was very pretti
ly decorated with red, white and blue
bunting, and a stand of beautiful
potted plants. The exhibit was taste
fully arranged on the walls and desks
and consisted of written work in num
bers and spelling; also some drawings
of flowers and other objects, which
were all the every-day work of the
pupils.
Miss Reynolds, primary teacher on
the south side, had her exhibit most
tastefully arranged. There was a large
amount of bright-colored paper work.
A unique idea was shown in the egg
garden which the children had taken
care of. The egg shells had been filled
with earth and different kinds of seeds
planted. These had been watered and
oared for by the children and added
much to the exhibit, as well as teach
ing the little ones abott the growth of
the seeds.
The pupils under Miss Hood have
done some splendid work in both map
and other drawings. The maps show
ing the products of different portions
were neat and accurate, while the
other drawings showed careful work
and a correct representation of the ob
jects drawn. In this room the adult
visitors were asked to register.
A fine collection of stones, which had
been gathered by the children and
SLinton Clothing Co.
* LCLOTHING AND
?URNISHINGS
Everything of the Latest and Nobbiest for
Men's Wear.
HRTS AND CiPs
BOOTS, AND SHOES
The Best Selected Stock in all Eastern
Montana.
The L nton Clothing.g Co
%~~ no n.1 IILI I CII~ .~l .¢o-..
which they had studied carefully, was
found in Miss Carns' room. Here were
also found some very good original
drawings from nature and other ob
jects. The children were given pictures
and they were required to write stories
from the copy, the one writing the best
story to receive the picture. These
prize stories were exhibited and were
very good.
The work in Miss Phillips' room
showed what the older pupils have been
doing throughout the year. The neat
examination papers were displayed.
There was a fine border drawn on the
blackboards around the room, by one of
the pupils, who shows marked talent in
that direction. They had also prepared
some dainty and attractive quotation
books.
The north side primary, with Mrs.
Foster as teacher, showed the marked
progress made by the little ones. The
blackboards were covered with numbers
written with different colors of chalk.
Upon the walls were neat specimens of
figures made with colored paper. The
clay representations cf apples and cher
ries were remarkably perfect. The en
tire room looked very pretty.
The leading features in Miss Pilcher's
room were the excellent writing and
copies of music. On the front board
was an immense quill, showing what
was used by our forefathers for writ
ing. Tiny pieces of music scores were
pasted on another hoard, representing
the fall of music, or music in the air.
There was also a patriotic corner with
Dewey's picture in a conspicuous place.
The drawings of flowers showed a fine
idea of color.
Miss Edwards' room was very neat
and pretty with the exhibit arranged
on the walls and desks. In this room
there were some excellent papers of
music which had been copied from tihe
scholars' music books. Also criginal
compositions concerning different sub
jects. On a large table were placed a
number of relics, showing the interest
taken by the children in the study of
nature.
The exhibit in Miss Crawford's room,
was very attractively placed and con
sisted of color work in abundance and
written recitations. There was a pret
ty Hiawatha corner, in which were ar
ranged a small Indian tepee and numer
ous pictures. The children have
learned Longfellow's Hiawatha and are
familiar with other of his poems, The
Children's Hour. John Alden and
Priscilla. A picture of Longfellow was
also hung in this corner.
THEIR HEARTS BAD.
Northern Cheyennes Preparing to Make
Trouble for Whites.
It is beginning to look as though the
predictions concerning trouble on the
Cheyenne reservation, made earlier in
the season, are about to be verified,
says the Yellowstone Journal. Accord
ing to all reports the Indians are in an
ugly frame of mind and those who
know them best say they would not be
surprised to hear of them committing
many depredations, if not murders, be
fore the summer is much older. That
the fear is not an idle one was evi
denced yesterday when John McKay,
one of the oldest and best known resi
dents of the upper Rosebud, arrived
in the city to consult County Attorney
Porter in regard to taking action
against several of the coffee coolers who
have been killing cattle belonging to
white men.
Mr. McKay was at the agency a few
days before and said that the Indians
were in a hostile mood over the arrest
of the ones supposed to have killed the
beeves and gave it as his opinion that
the matter would not end there, as
both the settlers and the Indians are
worked up over conditions as they exist
on the reservation and a conflict, he
believes, is liable to occur at any time.