City of Choteau News Highlights from 1934-35
Teton County Montana
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A 2013 Centennial Project

Last Updated: 02/18/2023 16:36:23

"Summarized from the Choteau Acantha Newspaper with its permission by Nancy Thornton, Choteau, Montana. All rights reserved." Copyright 2013-present by Nancy Thornton. This file may be freely copied for non-profit purposes
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Compiled on April 22-23, 26, May 7, by volunteer Jeanne Anderson. Transcribed with the cooperation of the Choteau Acantha.

1/4/34 Application for airport is sent to Helena. City Council signs five-year lease for 160-acre tract owned by Hirshberg Realty Co. Cost is $125 a year.
Two Choteau banks, Citizens State Bank and First National Bank, now guarantee deposits under new FDIC law.

1/11/34 Airport receives okay of Civil Works Administration. Work started.

1/18/34 Proposed city water works improvement gets PWA approval for $22,000.

2/8/34 Parkway Café opens under new management of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Weaver.

2/15/34 Prominent citizen Dr. Henri Beaupre is killed in auto accident.

3/1/34 Civil Works Administration projects to include recreation building, swimming pool. This construction is in line with a project the Choteau Lions has had under consideration for some time and had started fundraising.

4/5/34 C.W. Burns re-elected mayor in quiet election. R.R. Mellon and L.E. Taylor returned to aldermen positions. Forty seven votes were coast in each ward. Lake of interest and the storm tended to keep voters away.
Closing of J.J. Hannan store leaves prominent business place vacant. Had been in business here since 1910. Relocated to Great Falls.

4/12/34 Dr. Boussard chosen leader of Choteau to succeed Robert Clarkson, who is leaving for Helena.

4/26/34 Grave markers for deceased vets erected, done by local unit of American Legion Auxiliary.

5/3/34 City Council meets, orders call for bids to purchase power grader. Warning sounded to dog owners that licenses become due May 1.

5/17/34 Swimming pool project gets $1,750 federal grant. Will complete cement work and build $1,000 bathhouse. It was made clear that the grant is to be used for material only, not labor.
First National Bank going into voluntary liquidation, announced Julius Hirshberg, president.

6/14/34 June rainfall records broken in downpour, total 3.65 inches.

7/5/34 Fourth of July celebration a huge success. Crowd estimated at 4,000. Among events were horse races, baseball games, parade, Choteau band playing in various places, track and field, wrestling and cash prize drawings.

7/26/34 The “Our Own” Chautauqua planned for July 25-27, ordered postponed by Dr. O'Neill, health officer, because of contagious diseases in the area. Among them are infantile paralysis and diphtheria.

8/2/34 Adams Oil Co. supplies ice to company in Great Falls. Mr. Adams states that he harvested a fine crop and that Crystal Ice. Co. is suffering from an ice shortage, due to high demand.
J.A. Stubjare opens Blacksmith shop.

8/9/34 Bathers flock to new Lions Club swimming pool, which opened Saturdays. A.H. McGinnis, chairman of the swimming pool, announced that 111 season tickets have been sold.

8/16/34 W.N. Scott will open Gamble store on Sept. 1. Will be located in the former Cash meat market.

8/30/34 Hampton Bloom is the new owner of the Cash and Carry store, which he purchased from C.A. Franks. Mr. and Mrs. Bloom, from Bynum, have leased the James residence.

9/6/34 After necessary postponement, the planned Chautauqua was crowned a big success. The three-day event included an “Old Timers' Fiddler” contest.

9/20/34 Among matters discussed at the September meeting of the city council was ordering stop signs at principal Main street intersections. This will necessitate a considerable revamping of the habits of motorists here. Giles Trescott was appointed city marshal. W.W. Smith, owner of the Choteau Creamery, was appointed to the city council to replace C.A. Franks who resigned.

9/27/34 One of the heaviest snowfalls recorded 16 inches in a three-day storm. Temperature dropped to three above zero.

10/25/34 Mrs. Harold Wheeler has opened a new place of business in Choteau, the “Swagger Shop.” It is located in the McDonald building. It will be stocked with ladies' and children's goods. She will also do dressmaking.

11/8/34 Open house will be held at the library in observance of National Book Week. The Choteau Woman's Club will entertain friends and patrons at tea.

11/15/34 Funeral services were held for Mrs. Roy Inbody. She died in a tragic auto accident in California. Mr. Inbody is in the San Joaquin hospital where he is in full traction to heal a broken leg, and was unable to attend services. As a special condolence to Glen and Lucille and Clark, children of the deceased, flowers were sent from the local schools.
Armistice Day exercises held here on Sunday. Legion speaker makes a plea for national honor and defense.

11/22/34 Roy Inbody dies in hospital in California. End comes very suddenly. He was a victim of the auto accident when Mrs. Inbody was killed on Nov. 5.

12/20/34 Community Christmas tree put up by Boy Scouts. Lights were donated by Montana Power Co. and put in place by Frank Stearns, local branch manager. The Legion and Lions Club gave cash donations.

Compiled by volunteer Jeanne Anderson on May 8, 14, 2013 with the cooperation of the Choteau Acantha.

1/3/35 Chas. Miller announces opening of Teton Dairy.

1/24/35 (Photo) Jan. 31 is date set for birthday ball honoring Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt on his 53rd birthday.
Choteau faces 1935 with bright financial outlook. Cash on hand at the end of December is $17,975.14.

2/5/35 After almost 20 years in the Larson building on 1st Street NW, the Choteau Drug Co. moved “around the corner” still in the Larson building. The space was formerly the J.J. Hannon clothing store.

2/14/35 D.P. Fabrick, member of the State Water Conservation Board, on important mission in Washington D.C. Will try to get Montana projects on preferred list.

3/7/35 Passenger bus and freight truck now operating with daily service by Great Falls Coach lines. Fare from Choteau to Great Falls is $1.20.

3/14/35 J.J. Daley, resident of the Cowgill Addition since 1928, died at 80 years of age. Among survivors was a son, Halvor M. Daley.
Joe Knudtzon is advertising that building materials are now lower than they have been for years.

4/11/1935 The prolonged snowstorm and severe weather that lasted about three weeks and shattered records is now over, with a distinct break now evident. Feed shortage loomed.

4/18/35 Choteau schools closed this week because about one-third of the pupils are out with measles, flu, whooping cough, etc.
Herder lost in blizzard. It is feared that Joseph Smith perished in last Saturday's storm.
Choteau Creamery installs new churn of most improved model. It has the capacity of 200 gallons of cream which will turn out about 1,200 pounds of butter at one churning.

4/25/35 Fire hose used to remove gumbo from Choteau streets. The exceptional gumbo deposit was the result of bad roads in the country and the freezing of large chunks of mud, snow and ice on the wheels and fenders of autos and trucks.

5/2/35 The Arcade, local beer emporium under the management of W.E. Howard, suffered a revocation of its beer license for 30 days. Consumption of hard liquor as well as gambling is strictly tabooed. The complaint stated that these were being permitted.
R.I. McClue, proprietor of Choteau Bakery announces opening of new retail store on Main Avenue in building formerly occupied by George Jackson's barbershop. Mr. Jackson moved his shop to the same location as the New York Shine parlor.

5/9 35 City council sits in annual reorganization meeting. Trescott resigns as marshal. Mayor Burns appoints Tom Neely to fill the position. The following volunteer firemen were approved: J.G. Jackson, chief; Glen Becker, Lee Brown, Clint Core, C.O. Davis, Wm. Gies, Gordon Holmes, Burr Huffman, Harry Moore, D.H. Moulton, Wm. Olsen, Nick Pambrun, A.B. Ramsey, B.A. Roll, Frank Stearns, K.E. Sturgis, John Sulgrove, Jas. Sulgrove, H.B. Swanson, and Gus Thompson.
Country Club grounds improved and beautified. Forty additional trees were set out.

6/6/35 City, Legion, Lions and citizens cooperating on project of new hardwood floor for the park pavilion. Hopes are to have it completed for big July 4th celebration.

6/27/35 Choteau golfers host 35 Conrad golfers. There was no contest as the occasion was meant for a mixer for enjoyment and fellowship.
J.C. Penney picnic brings 110 employees to Choteau Sunday in the city park. They came from Great Falls, Conrad, Shelby and Choteau.

7/4/35 Among bills allowed at the regular meeting of the city council were expenditures in connection with the hardwood flooring in the Legion pavilion. Material $239.98, Labor $100, freight, $20.55.
The city ended the fiscal year with a cash balance of $17,897.05, an increase of $3,611.15 over last year. This was in addition to buying a $1,600 street grader and maintainer. Noted that the mill levy for the past year was 32 mills as against 29 mills the year before.

7/11/35Two-day July 4th celebration goes over big, with ideal weather conditions prevailing and many program features offered, visitors shown a good time. One of the main features was the first-time fireworks display on the night of the 4th. Another was the two-day parade.

7/18/35 City water department report is very pleasing. Profit during year $2,120.35 as compared with loss of $148.66 last year. Plant is valued at $51,000.

8/8/35 Mrs. O. Hansen, proprietress of the Parlor Shoppe, announced that she will move her store to the Hodgskiss building on Main street. The new location for the ladies' ready-to-wear store is one door north of the Gamble store.

8/15/35 Prominent citizen George Miller succumbs at family home. He was 77.
City to refinance its water bonds. Move will save taxpayers money, councilmen aver at meeting. With this move, the city will have an indebtedness of about $15,000.
Mrs. W.R. Weaver and Clyde Kraber have leased the Choteau Hotel from their mother, Mrs. Emma Thompson. This includes the beer parlor and dining room.
Mrs. J. Wilson Moore to open high school dormitory. It has been closed for the past three years. Mrs. Moore said she hopes to render a service to parents outside of Choteau who desire to send their children to high school here.

8/29/35 C.O. Johnson buys S and B; Johnson's Food Market is new name. Clerks in the store are George O'Hare and Richard Stephens.
The new tennis court, sponsored by the Lions Club, opened. It is adjacent to the swimming pool.

9/19/35 Golf tourney in progress. Interest seems to have dropped. This year there are but two flights in the annual championship contest at the Choteau Country Club.

9/26/35 Seven planes at local airport Sunday. Skyriding was popular. The “Three Musketeers” put on their show.

10/3/35 Prominent Choteau banker, merchant and citizen Edward J. Hirshberg, 55, died on Monday.
Deputy Sheriff Julius Olson died in the Choteau hospital following a shooting by an unknown assassin. Manhunt for suspect has produced no results.

10/10/35 Bert Bolland, suspected slayer of Deputy Sheriff J.B. Olson, ended his own life.

10/24/35 Choteau feels Helena earthquake Friday night. No damage done here, but shock was severe and citizens nervous.

11/14/35 Armistice Day celebration here rated highly. Plaudits go to school children who present play “America Remembers.” Citizens cooperated with Legion to make observance a success.
Plan crash kills Walter Chalmers. Pilot John Mamuzich sustained a fractured skull, broken right leg and other injuries.
Local bank and newspaper will receive contributions for Will Rogers memorial fund. the fund is to be used for the “benefit of mankind” of which Rogers was a benefactor.

11/21/35 Local fur business will be resumed as market has improved. W.E. Pinnell and Morris Talifson will conduct the business under the name of Pinnell Fur Co.

12/12/35 Sponsored by the Boy Scouts and with donations from the Lions Club, the community Christmas tree again adorns the courthouse square. Prompted by a desire to beautify the town and make it look more “Christmasy.” many pine trees now adorn city sidewalks.

Copyright 2013-present  Nancy Thornton  All Rights Reserved