Celebrating History-August 18, 1917

Apparently, people were taking it easy either attending the Chautauqua or trying to escape the heat by going to the mountains 100 years ago, as with both last week and this week, there isn’t much news in The Havre Plaindealer. In war news, those who were ranching sheep were encouraged not to slaughter them, but to keep them for breeding purposes; motorists were warned to save gasoline (rationing, anyone? It wasn’t just World War II.); and the Army was assuring draftees that they would be placed where their skills were most beneficial, such as those with training in hospital work would more than likely be working in that field, those with mechanical experience might find themselves working on war planes, etc. Britain was reporting crops were better than last year, but here in Hill County was this piece of news:

“HILL COUNTY CROPS NOT A TOTAL FAILURE
“Yield on Many Farms Averages Ten to Fifteen Bushels
“Hill county is producing some grain to feed this nation and its allies despite the dry year through which it has just passed, and which has been the most severe drouth for a number of years.
“Threshing operations have been in process this week near Grain Belt north of town, with the following results: James Foulis harvested a crop of winter wheat that threshed seven bushels to the acre, and the grain upon his sod summer fallow returned twelve bushels to the acre. Geo. Windecker, in the same territory, had the same average on winter wheat and 13 bushels to the acre on summer fallowed land. Ed. McCandlish, another farmer in the Grain Belt, threshed twelve bushels to the acre on summer fallow. Threshing operations are still in progress in this territory and the yields on all the farms is averaging about the same as in the cases cited.
“One farmer in Havre yesterday reported that his field of rye which he thought would produce not more than three bushels to the acre had returned a little better than ten bushels which at the present market value will give a handsome return upon the hundred acres planted.”

In other agriculture news was also this article:

“HAVRE PEOPLE HEAR FLAX MILL FACTS
“Mr. Andresen Tells Public of Profits to be Expected
“Alfred Andresen, president of the Baker Flax Products Co., of Baker, Montana, made an address before the officers and members of the Havre Flax Mills company at the city hall Tuesday afternoon. He presented statistics prepared by Prof. W. A. Henry, dean of the Wisconsin college of agriculture, Marison, Wis., and presented a scientific article on “Feeds and Feeding”. These showed flax bean prepared under the Brolin processes to have a very high value as stock food and to possess a per centage of digestibility in excess of most other stock foods and to cost only $27.50 per ton as compared with $55 for oats, $39 for wheat shorts, $37 for bran and $57 for barley shorts and bran.
“President Andresen also demonstrated the value of the tow and other products of the mill and in fact made it plain that the stock in the mill would be so good an investment that it was practically all subscribed before the meeting adjourned.
“President Andresen will remain in Havre until the mill is practically ready for operation and stands ready to take any stock that may remain unsubscribed by the people of Havre.”

The flax mill was located near the railroad tracks west of town, close to where the current water treatment plant and trailer park are currently located.

In the Society pages, weddings for Olaf Brandrud and Astril Lonning, S. T. Calkins and Charlotte Sutherland, and Helmer Johnson and Alisa Stjernstrom were announced, along with the following:

“Auto Trip to Park.
“Mr. and Mrs. Guy Hibbs and family left this week for a short outing at Glacier park. They left in Mr. Hibbs car and if the weather permits they will make the return trip in the same manner.

“Bridge Party.
“On Wednesday afternoon Mrs. Frank Jestrab entertained at luncheon bridge a number of friends in honor of Mrs. C. F. Bassow of Fort Benton, who is visiting in Havre. It was one of the most delightful social events of the season.”

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