The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-05-31
BY B. N.
Publisher The Troy Echo

Publisher The Troy Echo
When the revered President Nc
Kinley called for volunteers to step
out and resent the sinking of the
Maine, the best American blood in
Montana responded and organized
the First Montana at Helena, accord
ing to reports of the war department
at Washington, D. c., the first regi-
ment in America to be mustered in
on that occasion.
Everything was hog wild those
days. Real Americanism was ram
pant. People crowded one another
to get in line. There was no thought
of lodge or church.
Our country is at stake, seemed to
be the uppermost thought. Finally,
members of our company arrived at
Helena, to live in tents and sleep on
straw and submit to quite ordinary
grub, without pang. Rains followed,
as did mud and other distractions,
sandwiched in between military drills
and harshnesses, apart from the for
mer life of most of M Company mem
berS.
Soon the routine paled and Amer
lean pride commenced to assert itself.
Finally a committee waited on me
and said: "B. NJ, you stand we'll in
Anaconda, why can't you tell the peo-
pie of the town that we of M Com
pany have no flag? We are of the
new outfit and have no special rat
ing, as the State Militia only had
nine companies when President Nc
Kinley called us to arms. Write and
tell the people of the old town we
would like to have a company flag"
The men who asked this favor we're
smelter-men-quite free of the con-
tamination of white collar guys.
Please get that thought.
Being a charter member of 239 of
the Anaconda Elks, I rote a few lines
to the secretary, Rod Williams, and
told him what the smelter men said.
Three days later Big Jack Hammill
and two other delegated members of
the Anaconda Elks lodge arrived in
Helena with a beautiful silk Ameri-
a flag for M Company and I had
to go through the narrowing ordeal
ual as prescribed by the Blue Book In
the presentation of the colors to the
After a while, some months, M
Company's flag vas hoisted to the
top of a pole at Caloocan, a few
miles north of Manila, and the Union
Jack hauled down, by one James
Casey of M Company.
While so hoisted it was punctured
Filipino bullets.
A few months later members Of M
commenced to make ready
to be discharged in Manila to enter
various lines of business. So soon
the SIS. Zelandia started to steam
up homeward bound those who had
decided to remain on the island for a
at least, with A~guinaldo and
his neighbors, bethought themselves
If M Company's flag. They came to
he docks and with tears in their
Eyes, asked that we who planned to
'eturn to the best soil and govern
nent in the world, have a are of the
Company flag.
Finally we reached Frisco. Then
arrangements were made for get
way to dear old Montana. At every
top from San Francisco to Butte,
members of the Company piled off
o visit friends, but not before asking {
he standpatters to have a care for
he Company flag. ]
After leaving Portland, homeward
while I was complying with
wishes of J. H. Durston, editor of the l
anaconda Standard, relative to for [
garding three times a day bulletins |
bout our progress homeward, a COM
composed of Jacob Schiffman, s
'om Donnelly and 10 Shifman, called
me as a last resort and stated I /
aust frame up to get the Company q
lag. f
"All right, lads, I will give you a
omething in ID minutes" On time c
hey returned and I read the follow b
plan of campaign to them: f
eve, the members of M Company,
st Mont, U. S. ", do hereby express s
as our sincere wish that M Co. Flag f
3come the life property of the Hearst
brary at Anaconda for all time;
lat it never be used on public occa- I
except of a patriotic nature, and
nder no circumstances shall it be
sed by the state militia to antagOn-
e the interests of the working peo-
OF course the preamble was quite
signed by the rank and
Ie of the Company and the story
spatched to the Standard under =
sndleton, Oregon, date. +
Finally we reached home, Anacon- e
!, and the city-bred librarian of the ,
earst library was more than delight IL
with the purpose. She had q fine pr
ass case made to hold the sacred Ii
lblem and SO far 1 know it is there dr
t. ca
Ten years later while spending my l.,
cation IN Seattle, WASH, / met ia pc
h Schjpnman on tha straots and he Re-
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ncu mo " H"So uiuneT At Lbs noAuo. n
} had been married in the mean