Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-11-13

! Creator of the universe for His bless
4 ings. The day will be appropriately
observed in private circles in Virginia
( City but no public celebration is
/ planned. Later-Since writing the above
/ the following has been handed to the
/ editor: Let us respond to the call Of
/ President Johnson and suspend all
business. We owe it to the government,
to our brave soldiers, to ourselves and
especially to Almighty God for his de-
liverance from the horrors Of Civil
war and for his blessings to our
mountain home He has given us vast
treasure in silver and gold and crowned
us with prosperity and plenty. There
will be union services In the church on
Idaho street at ii o'clock"
Sing for Governor
In the next issue Of the paper is
found the mention that last Thurs
day was Thanksgiving and there we're
many culinary and festive preparations
for the day. Sleighs were gliding mer-
rily all day and many persons hob
nobbed at the bars. There was a sing
ing party in the governors office"
BY the next year, 1866, the Helena
Herald had been established and the
THANKSGIVING celebration in Last
Chance gulch is mentioned. The paper
was a weekly and was established just
before Thanksgiving. The fireman's
ball was held in Young America hall
on Thanksgiving eve. Mention is made
that the Helena meat markets were
well supplied with elk, deer, bear, sage
hens, grouse and pheasants and that
the price was low. There probably was
not turkey in Montana territory.
The editor, one of the Fisk broth
ers, remarks that there has been four
weeks of baImy Indian summer 1t is |
related that q shower had been given |
for the Rev. A. M. Hough Of the Meth
odist church and that the presents were
valued at $500. A pack train of Is
mules arrived Thanksgiving day from /
Wallula, the head Of navigation on the /
Columbia river. The following notice
appears in local items: "They shall be /
searched out and summarily dealt with 4
See posted notice Of the Vigilance
committee
There is a story Of how the ball at
the Young America hall the week be-
fore was brought to a close at 10 p m,
when all the young ladies put on their
when they found that two young mil
liners of the town, against who, GER
tain suspicious existed of their fair
name and respectable standing in the
community" had been Surreptitiously
introduced into the hall.
The first Thanksgiving proclamation
issued by q Montana governor was in
1867 by Governor Green Clay Smith,
according to inspection Of old records
in the office of the secretary of state.
The proclamation was issued on No
vember IS. 1867, and is as follows:
Whereas the president Of the United
States has by his proclamation set the
18th day Of this month to be observed
by the people of the various states and
territories as one of Thanksgiving and
prayer to Almighty God for His kind
ness and protection to us as nation,
and whereas the people Of Montana
have been very greatly blessed in health
and an abundance of the necessaries
of life, and peace and happiness per-
wade our whole territory, now there
fore I, Green Clay Smith. governor OF
the territory Of Montana, do most
earnestly request the people of this
territory to faithfully observe that day
as some slight evidence Of gratitude
to the creator of all good and ask
for a continuation Of His blessings to
us as a people"
This is the only such proclamation
on record until 1871, when Thanks |
giving proclamation was issued by Gov.
B. r. Potts.
Fight Over Capital
But in Helena I'm 1857 the residents
had little cause for thanksgiving, The 1
Helena Herald reveals. Tt contained |
MANY editorials and stories attacking /
Gov. Green Clay Smith for vetoing /
the capital DIN just passed by the leg