Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-09-07

pairing Of clothing In the same man
ner as it is done today at most modern
I laundries. Speed was their specially
and laundry sent in the morning was
4 delivered washed and ironed in the
afternoon. This one-day service caused
Billings to be a favorite stopover with
the travelling men Of that period.
/ The laundry had branch agencies
/ in every town east of the Dakota line;
west TO Livingston; on the Burlington
( to Sheridan, Wyo., and on the Cody
branch to Red Lodge.
Another one of the enterprising
business houses in Billings in 1902 was
Chapman's store, owned by F. B.
Chapman. This store made a speciality
of manufacturing saddles and was ia
nous among the range riders Of the
day. Experts were employed to turn
out all types of designs from the most
exQuiSitely carved and handsomely
decorated saddle down to the plain
variety.
Chapman's also carried in addition
to saddles and harness wide aSsort-
ment of bits, spurs and brides. The
steel bits were often inlaid with silver.
There also we're fancy whips and robes
Besides these there was variety of
Indian goods such as belts moccasins,
pouches and war bonnetS. The attrac-
ton of the Indian goods to tourists
apparently was not realized as they
were advertised as very useful to those
who care to wear them"
The electric light and waterpower
plant was situated a mile from the
city on the Yellowstone river. It's
power was obtained from the river by
means of a system Of turbine wheels,
having a capacity of 100000 gallons
daily. The electric light station, run In
conjunction with the water pumping
plant, furnished current for 1900 in
candeScent and rs arc street lamps.
of the three-phase type and one arc
machine.
Beer without BiIiousness"
The Billings Brewing Co. was an
other important business establishment
in the early 1900s. 1t was built of brick
and turned out $4,000 barrels Of beer
annually in kegs and bottles. Their
boast was that the method of prepare
ton never causes biliousneSS."
Officers Of the company were Henry
Of Butte, president; Phil
Grein. secretary and manager, and
Collins West, treasurer They shipped
to Wyoming on the south, Lewistown
on the north, Livingston on the west
and the Dakotas on the east.
L. H. Fenske was one of the pioneers
In the wholesale liquor business, start
LilS Ills GSJdDlLoluAlG1b III 1CoU M1kCu
Billings was still a tent town with
few shacks. This establishment was
on Montana avenue and Twenty
seventh street.
Fenske came up the Yellowstone river
from Bismarck, N. D., with a boatlOad
Of freight. He liked the looks of the
tiny village and unloaded, remaining
IN the town during all its pioneer
struggles.
A. L. Babcock was another pioneer
merchant who arrived at the time that
Billings was a tent city. He established
The A. L. Babcock Hardware Co., which
n 1902 owned the Yellowstone Valley
Touring mills as well as the hardware
store The mills ground $50 barrels Of
,lour daily, running "a hours and en-
1loying from 10 to IL men. Its flour
vas labeled Billings Best" +.
A. L. Babcock was president of the
in 1902 and F. B. Connolly
vas secretary. Babcock, known as
Colonel Babcock, was born in New
York and came west in 1882. He also
brought his merchandise up the Vel
owstone river by boat. In 1902 the
md covered a territory in their whole
sale jobbing business that extended
so miles south into Wyoming. Babcock
vas also president of the Yellowstone
National bank at that time.
Booster Spirit Prevailed
The spirit that Billings shows today I
If looking toward the future was evil
lent in the early 1905 as well. On
Jan. l, 1908, Billings residents were
ookin0 hopefully forward to the open ]
ng of a new modern hotel to be run
on up-to-date principles" The hotel, [
three-story brick building, was built {
~ H. w. Rowley and P B. MOSS, who I
that the hotel would be :
furnished with all the mod
money can buy"
There also was the First National |
,ank of Billings and the Billings State !
,ank as well as other pioneer firms,
that Of Hogue, Robinson g.