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ADDITIONAL LOSSES IN PROPERTY TO BE MILLION
Two Men Killed At Kessler Brewery When Scaffolding Falls; Score Or More Hurt About City; Main Shock Lasts Five Seconds; Many Stores And Business Houses Stay Open And There Is Little Panic
Helena can still take it!
This city yesterday survived a third devastating earth shock, nearly as severe as that of Oct. 18 which caused property loss of more than $3,000,000. The tremor struck with terrifying suddenness at 11:37 a.m., the movement lasting approximately 20 seconds.
The quake took a toll of two lives, both workmen on a scaffolding engaged in repairing the Kessler Brewery, a score or more of injured and additional property damage probably approaching $1,000,000. Most of the damage, however, was to previously ruptured structures.
Several of the injured were reported to be in serious condition. Two of them were thrown from a scaffolding while at work at St. Mary's school.
It caught off guard a city lulled into the belief that the worst had passed and that the disturbing tremblings of the earth were gradually dying out. Much of the terror of the preceding three weeks was relived.
Despite that fact, there was little evidence of panic although many women and elderly persons collapsed from the shock and were given treatment at the hospitals. Ambulances were kept busy several hours answering emergency calls.
A large proportion of the stores and business houses remained open yesterday afternoon and served a surprisingly large number of persons in view of the circumstances. Even clothing accessory stores enjoyed good patronage.
Again the main business section of the city, from Broadway north, escaped with slight damage, and the west side suffered the least of any of the residential sections. However, a large section of the business district was roped off as a safety precaution as it was believed that many building copings had been loosened and might fall if another sharp shock came.
Plaster cracks appeared in the Power block and a number of other buildings but these were of minor significance. At the federal building, some new cracks appeared in the plaster of the partitions but it again withstood the shock nobly.
The west side damage again appeared to be confined chiefly to fallen chimneys although the Hawthorne school was hard hit. The upper portion of a gable on the east side of the building fell out and it was reported that there was considerable damage to the interior. The same situation prevailed at the Central school, on Warren street, it was understood, but no definite information could be obtained as school officials made no attempt to inspect the structures yesterday.
City Engineer Oscar Baarson after a flying survey of the city expressed the belief that the damage was largely confined to buildings and homes cracked and weakened by the previous earthquakes, and as more extensive check was made it appeared that this belief was justified. Only a relatively small amount of damage was done to structures that were unhurt prior to Thursday.
Dr. David T. Burg last night announced that he had received a wire from Claire Flint, publisher of the Livingston Enterprise, in Livingston, stating that the Windsor and Lott hospitals had offered several extra beds to the hospitals here, should they be needed.
Dr. Berg also received a wire from the Missoula Hospital association offering nurses, supplies, hospitalization, or anything that might be helpful to the city.
His message to Williams read:
"Another serious earthquake struck Helena today as the temperature stood at six below zero. Two were killed and scores injured and damage of every sort was rampant.
"Necessarily people are in a dreadful state of mind and it is urgent for immediate authorization of transportation to other cities for all who desire to leave.
"Suggest establishment of emergency camps in available buildings in other cities as weather cold throughout Montana."
The following message was addressed by the congressman to Colonel Hooper, Fort Missoula:
"Please take immediate steps to replenish needed supplies in all offices and advise."
In answer to the latter Monaghan was assured by Captain Knutson of Missoula, that 5,500 blankets, 200 cots and tents with stoves would be supplied.
Instead of dashing into the streets to be hurled to the ground by falling cornices, bricks and porches, those suffering the brunt of the second disaster to visit Last Chance gulch remained inside until the tempestuous earth had settled down.
Those on the casualty lists in the hospitals tonight were largely workmen caught in the falling debris of wrecked buildings they were repairing.
Again scores of persons suffered minor injuries and were treated at home, in doctors' offices or applied remedies to care for themselves.
In the first Helena quake the uppermost top of the East Helena smelter stack was knocked off, and yesterday's tremor, while not causing additional loss to the smelter, loosened many bricks and the plant, for minutes, tossed backed and forth. The smelter had been closed down and there was little chance for loss of life. "The plant planned to reopen Monday, and this will not be altered," according to J. D. MacKenzie, manager of the plant.
The tall chimney on the new heating plant was cracked and as a result the heating plant could not be used. Quarters of both the officers and nurses were damaged and Dr. Watts said they could not be entered.
E. J. Decker, superintendent of the West Coast Construction company, contractors of the building, was in the school at the time of the shock. It was through his efforts that the men were kept in place and no injury resulted. "Stay inside," he shouted, as the workers, terrified by the shock, ran towards the door.
The school, greatly damaged by last week's quake, was even more so yesterday. The quick, terrifying shock took the construction unaware. With a great upheaval, it leveled the north side of the building, sending rock and brick far into the lot. Fortunately, the workmen were away from the spot and were not injured.
Great damage occurred at the high school and Superintendent Decker said that it appeared as if the re-construction work this time would have to start from the basement. Giant cracks appeared in the front of the beautiful edifice while at the back on the north side, the building crumbled, roof, stage, walls and all. Archie Bray, Helena building material contractor, was on the stage platform at the time of the quake, and although debris fell over him as the building crumbled, he escaped with but minor injuries.
The Federal Reserve bank at the intersection of Edwards street and Park avenue was for the second time struck and the building was cracked in two places form the force of the shock. Employees of the bank left in an orderly fashion, although at least two of the women workers fainted and were carried out.
With one crash the Woolston well pump shack at the fairgrounds was leveled, catching six city employees beneath it. Through the efforts of Dan Cloninger, one of the six and others, the men were dragged from the fallen shack and taken to safety. While the pumps and shack were said to be completely destroyed, no one was injured. The front gate at the fairgrounds, where the pumps are located, was cut from the ground almost as cleanly as if by a gigantic scythe.
Damage in the Sixth ward, as in the last quake, was especially severe. Holes were knocked in the Northern Pacific depot. Workmen repairing the N. P. roundhouse and St. Mary's school were shaken from the scaffolding and several were injured.
Intermountain Union college, established 11 years ago by a union of Montana Wesleyan college with the old College of Montana of Deer Lodge, saw its three buildings almost entirely wrecked. New holes came in the walls of the gymnasium completed only last winter and Helena hall and Mills hall, classroom and dormitory buildings, were declared unsafe. College officials were to decide today whether to move the institution to Great Falls or to close it. It had been reopened in the First Presbyterian church only Tuesday.
Both the Great Northern and Northern Pacific brought bunk cars and Pullmans to Helena and placed them at the disposal of the refugees. Children from St. Joseph's orphanage in the Helena valley were housed by the Southern Pacific. Shirley Garrity attended to securing Great Northern cars from Great Falls for the homeless.
Temporary housing was necessary for girls at the Florence Crittenton home, at 22 Jefferson, where preliminary examination indicated the structure was damaged beyond repair.
East and west walls of the newer addition to Carroll college were damaged and classes were suspended for an indefinite period. Estimate of the damage there had not been attempted last night.
While Great Falls and Bozeman companies of the Montana national guard were held in readiness to come to Helena to assist, 50 members of the Helena headquarters company continued their patrol of the streets of the Capital City. National guard trucks were pressed into use to move the belongings to the homeless. Col. E. H. Williams, Montana adjutant general, announced that his office is open both night and day for service to Helena people.
The Kessler brewery, home of Loreiel beer, was a mass of wreckage, but 30 men who were working to put it into condition after the October 18 quake, escaped uninjured, with the exception of the two who were killed in the fall of the chimney. Most of the stack fell on the boiler room and late indications were that the plant was damaged beyond repair.
While the tall minaret of the Shrine temple was still standing, much of the upper portion of the west wall and coping around the entire structure was destroyed.
City Engineer Baarson said the clock tower would have to come down as well as the rest of the ornamental stone work around the coping. There was a possibility that the third story might have to be taken off.
Severely shaken and wrenched, the county jail was evacuated and the prisoners were released. About a score of men and women were confined, all on minor charges.
Many chimneys repaired as late as yesterday morning were a tumbled heap of bricks and mortar.
Robert Kerr, Montana Power company manager in Helena, said the work of inspecting hundreds of natural gas services would have to be duplicated to afford the maximum safety.
Army ambulances from Fort Harrison with National Guard attendants assisted in the orderly removal of patients, many of them carried from the building on litters.
Those in offices and stores, however, made a hasty though orderly exit to the street. None was hurt in the jam of Hallways and stairs and immediately thereafter there was a general cessation of business.
The latest quakes came on the eve of Helena resumption of all normal activities including opening of the theatres and movies scheduled for Sunday. The three motion picture theatres had been inspected and found habitable. All suffered some damage yesterday but none were believed as severely shaken as first reports indicated.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
By Quake
Damage To Property In Section Will Be High
Already given a severe shaking in the quake of Oct. 18, Helena's Sixth ward, that section of the city in the vicinity of the Northern Pacific depot, again today was hard hit by the earth's temblors, especially that of 11:47 o'clock this morning.
After a checkup last night, it was thought, however, that this portion of the city was not as badly hurt as it had been on Oct. 18. Residents of the district, while severely shaken, maintained their morale. Many of them thought other sections of the town had been more severely hit yesterday but some additional damage was done.
Property damage in the district, amount of which is still unestimatable, at least will run into thousands of dollars. Nearly every home was rocked by the quake and rare is the building which does not now show further results of the quake's actions.
Many residences were exhibiting much loosened and fallen plaster, while numerous dishes were broke, lamps fallen and cracked and other like injuries to glassware, furniture, window panes and the like.
Chimneys on many residence buildings, including those which had been repaired following the Oct. 18 quake and others which had been uninjured at that time, either were cracked or toppled to the ground.
Mr. Larson also said that the repair work which had been done on the north side of the building, that fronting on Helena avenue, had withstood the shock in good manner and was all right.
Apartments in the structure were not badly damaged, he stated, but some little amount of plaster was cracked. In general the Larson building got a good shaking but withstood the shock very well, he said.
Other business establishments along that portion of the street also were shaken but seemed to stand up well under the shock.
St. Mary's Catholic school and church, where two men were hurt, was further demolished on the front side but the interior damage was said to be not much more than before. Some bricks fell from the front facing. The church and school rooms were not greatly hurt. The Northern Pacific depot, only slightly cracked on the outside by the Oct. 18 quake, was badly hit today. That section of the building on the west end seemed to receive the brunt of the shaking and the baggage room and west end of the depot proper showed gaping holes in the sides. Baggage men succeeded, however, in getting out their equipment and stored baggage without difficulty. Portions of the street around the depot were roped off last night.
On the east end of the structure, that part housing the lunch room, the chimney which had been repaired recently was cracked at the chimney of the Coburn Memorial hall. The stone garage building in the 1600 block, belonging to Ora Guffey of the Consumer's Coal company, was badly wrecked. The roof of this structure also fell several feet and much more of the rock walls was torn out. Despite the damage there, Mr. Guffey and his assistants kept open their small office near the N. P. freight house for several hours as it was thought necessary to supply coal to anyone who ordered it, considering the cold weather and necessity for keeping warm.
Part of a wall of a frame structure owned by Miss Anne Rody of 1420 Phoenix avenue caved in after the shake. Occupants of the building had moved out as part of a basement wall had caved in on Oct. 18.
A number of other buildings were damaged to a greater or less extent.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
MANY ONLY SLIGHTLY INJURED
Yesterday's major earthquake, the third within a space of thirteen days, caused the death of two persons and resulted in serious injuries, some critical, to at least nine. Many slight injuries, not serious enough to necessitate medical care, were also reported.
Ed S. O'Brien, 27, of Salt Lake City was instantly killed by a large fall of brick from the stack of the Kessler brewery, where he was working.
Vincent Kennedy, about 24, also of Salt Lake City, died at the St. Peter's hospital a short while after receiving injuries while working on the stack with O'Brien.
Both men had come to Helena with a crew of Brick masons, Monday, from Salt Lake City, and were rooming at 118 North Warren.
Sterret Crum, of 535 Fifth avenue, and Ben Wagner of Billings, who had been residing at 420 Knight street, were shaken from a scaffold on the St. Mary's Catholic school, where they were engaged in repairing damage done to the building by the former quakes, and were seriously injured. They were taken to St. Peter's hospital.
Lloyd Townsend, employee of the Northern Pacific railway, who resides in Bozeman, was taken to St. Peter's hospital after suffering severe injuries of the scalp and shoulder, while working at the roundhouse.
Roy Liebert, fireman for the Northern Pacific railway, who lives at 316 West Spruce street, Missoula, was injured by falling bricks and was admitted to St. Peter's hospital.
William Jean, also a fireman for the Northern Pacific was injured by a fall of bricks and was entered for treatment at St. Peter's hospital.
Three workmen, known as Parmalee, Hartman and Landis, who are employed as repairmen by the Northern Pacific railway company and who were working in the company's yards, received injuries by falling debris and were taken to St. Peter's hospital.
Mrs. Margaret Barnes was taken to St. Peter's hospital following a nervous collapse brought on by the quake.
St. John's hospital was evacuated after the quake as it was feared that another shake might greatly damage the building. Some of the patients were taken to their homes, while others, whose condition would not permit cessation of medical attention, were removed to St. Peter's hospital.
Some of the patients at Fort Harrison and the Odd Fellows home in the Helena valley were also taken to St. Peter's hospital.
Mrs. Arthur Acher, a maternity patient at St. John's hospital, was removed to her home at 833 Broadway.
Mrs. Joe Sanderson, also a maternity patient at St. John's was taken to a relative's home at 117 Pine street.
A Mr. Piper was sent from St. John's to his home at 1516 Euclid avenue.
George Howard, operated on for appendicitis three days ago, was removed to his home at 1418 Phoenix avenue, from St. John's.
John Mahan, city attorney, a patient at St. John's for several days was sent to St. Peter's hospital.
Three patients at the Veterans' hospital at Fort Harrison were admitted for treatment at St. Peter's hospital, following the evacuation of the hospital at Fort Harrison. They included Marcus Frysland, Theodore Funk and A. Dorsey.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
The quake in a nutshell:
Fort Harrison--Chimney damaged and heating plant not usable. Patients evacuated to federal hospitals at Walla Walla and Roseberg.
Intermountain College--All buildings damaged, probably beyond repair.
St. John's Hospital--Badly damaged. Patients all removed.
Carroll College--Classes suspended. Damage is extensive.
Northern Pacific--Depot and roundhouse severely damaged.
Kessler Brewery--Two men killed when chimney falls. Plant probably beyond repair.
Shrine Temple--Minaret still stands. Walls extensively damaged.
High School--More completely wrecked than before.
St. Joseph's Home--Children taken to other places. Buildings damaged.
Crittenton Home--Occupants evacuated. Buildings severely cracked and bulged.
East Helena Smelter--Some damage. Not as extensive as in other places.
Helena Schools--All damaged somewhat, amount not determined. All plans for opening schools next week postponed.
Federal Building--Not severely damaged. Plaster shaken loose.
St. Vincent's Academy--Nearly wrecked. Damaged started Oct. 18 about completed.
East Helena--City hall and grade school buildings must be rebuilt. Extensive damage to business buildings.
St. Peter's Hospital--Not badly damaged. Patients' morale good.
Kessler School--Appears to be badly damaged. May have to be rebuilt.
Good Shepherd's Home--Severely damaged.
St. Helena Cathedral--Little new damage.
State Capitol--No severe damage discovered.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
The big shock that rocked the city at 11:37 was the 570th recorded in the series since October 12, the one that started the whole show. Since that one a total of 132 were recorded up to midnight last night bringing the total to 702.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Bozeman, Oct. 31--(AP)--Its north-south recording apparatus shifted about by the force of the earth shock at Helena today, the seismograph at the Montana State college here showed the quake was slightly less violent than the one October 18, but considerably stronger than the October 12 disturbance.
The machine here fixed the time on the quake today at 11:38:10 o'clock a.m.
Recording sheets showed violent vibration for two minutes after. They lasted for three minutes after the jolt of October 18.
As in the previous disturbance, the seismograph showed unceasing rapid tremblings for about an hour after the main disturbance.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
AND CITY HALL IS A WRECK
Striking with almost equal intensity but of much shorter duration than the Oct. 18 earthquake, yesterday's temblor destroyed the grade school at East Helena, completed destruction of the city hall, damaged chimneys and severely shook already weakened buildings, a check last night revealed.
The school building is almost completely demolished and a hurried estimate put the total damage at $50,000. It had not been used since the major shock of two week ago and now school is postponed for an indefinite length of time.
The city hall was further damaged by the shock and the structure will now have to be entirely rebuilt. The walls cracked and bulged from the Oct. 18 quake, it was believed that the building was structurally sound and that repairs to the top portion would again make it safe for occupancy but yesterday's temblor extended wall cracks into the foundation making it completely unsafe and rebuilding a necessity.
A close investigation revealed no injured persons and only a few old buildings further weakened by the quake. Most of them had already been knocked aslant by the tremor of the 18th.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Completing the ruin created during the first big quake, homes on the east side of the city again suffered severe damage. Some of the badly weakened structures completely collapsed while others, left with gaping cracks, had walls and chimneys demolished. The Zimmer home at 565 Fifth avenue, known in the old days as Uncle Sam's house, was further wrecked. The round cupola on the northeast corner, weakened by the repeated shocks, fell to the ground along with the supporting brick walls.
A house at 20 South Davis, previously uninjured, had the walls torn away on the north and south sides while chimneys crashed through the roofs.
The house at 1317 Ninth avenue, unoccupied, completely collapsed. The roof fell in on top of the crumbling walls. Both east and west walls and some parts of the north wall were previously destroyed. More damage was one to the Hermann and Company mortuary at the corner of Broadway and Rodney streets. Walls previously left standing, and others in the process of reconstruction, were torn away by the force of the shock.
Damage to two brick houses in the 500 block on Hillsdale and considerable brickwork from the west wall of the old Urquhart home at 526 State street indicated that the shocks were felt deeper into the south-east corner of the city than the others.
The Elinor apartments suffered further damage to the top walls in the front of the building, seriously weakening the tower on the north. This was formerly a chemical plant before being converted into an apartment many years ago.
At the home of Justice of the Peace George O. Freeman, 45 South Rodney street, a front porch collapsed splattering wood and brick all over the lot. The house was previously slightly damaged.
The home of the Rev. Charles E. Cunningham, 1000 Eleventh avenue also suffered severe damage to both exterior and interior.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Supervisor Lou Boedecker of the state highway patrol yesterday afternoon issued an order directing that all visitors and sightseers be kept out of the city, and the patrolmen were mobilized to see that the order was enforced.
'"The presence of outsiders here at this time, with no particular business, is a hindrance to the maintenance of order and relief of the distressed," he said. "The confusion is bad enough as it is and must not be added to."
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Scheduled opening of some of Helena's public grade schools, to have been next Monday, was swept aside by the severe quake which struck Helena yesterday, Superintendent R. O. Evans of the city schools announced last night.
Plans had been going forward for the opening of the schools and some repair work had been done.
"There will be no school in the Helena public schools until further announcement," Mr. Evans said last night. "No one has investigated the condition of any of the schools yet but each one will have to be given a thorough check before any attempts at further occupancy are to be made."
Extent of damage to the schools of the city was not available when The Independent went to press. The new high school was most severely hit of all.
Reports were that the Central grade school on North Warren street was badly damaged inside. Much plaster was injured and considerable had fallen, it was said.
In the Sixth ward, the quake helped along the job of tearing down the Bryant school on Boulder avenue. That building was abandoned after the Oct. 18 temblor and made unsafe for further use and yesterday's quake just added to the wreckage there. Much more brick fell, especially on the west end.
Reports on other schools of the city were vague and unconformed, but it was assumed that each was damaged to some extent.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Much damage was done to the five-story brick building at the corner of Logan and 13th in the big quake yesterday when the west wall of the building, now being used as a liquor warehouse by the Christie Storage and Transfer company of Butte, collapsed with a large portion of it burying one of the company's large trucks beneath the debris.
About $20,000 worth of high grade liquor was said to be stored in the building at the time and three employees are reported to have had narrow escapes from death under the falling material.
The building formerly housed the U. S. veterans' administration headquarters here before that unit was moved to Fort Harrison structures. It has a long history and was commonly called the old Whitmer building, housing a blacksmith plant and wagon repair depot. Previous to its being used by the veterans' bureau, it was used as a storage warehouse and sales room by the T. C. Power Motor Car company.
The truck was released from the mass of debris covering it, but will doubtless require a complete rebuilding. Damage to it was estimated at $500 by the owners.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
With part of the chimney toppled and considerable damage done to the rest of the building, the Kessler brewery plant west of the city was near a mass of ruins as a result of today's quake.
Thirty feet of the tall smokestack toppled, killing two men who were working on top of it. About 30 other men, the repair crew which was working to get the building back into condition after the October 18 earthquake, escaped uninjured, not one being struck by a flying brick or otherwise hurt.
All, of course, were frightened, but things remained orderly. The large Northern Pacific locomotive being used to operate the brewery plant until repairs could be finished on the damaged boiler room continued to function perfectly.
Much of the brick and timber on the south side of the building were torn and damaged. The office was hard hit and the warehouse and bottling plant were further damaged.
Estimated loss was at first set at $75,000, but this was only an estimate. Later it was indicated that the brewery might be damaged beyond repair.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Algeria Shrine temple, one of the most beautiful buildings in the entire northwest, suffered further damage from the quakes yesterday with the havoc more widespread than before.
The entire upper portion of the west wall of the building fell to the ground in a solid strip. This left an opening of from two to four feet between wall and roof which, fortunately, is swung from steel girders with arched supports under the auditorium roof.
The decorative coping extending around the building was almost totally destroyed, dropping to the ground and breaking to bits where it fell.
To estimate the damage in dollars at this time would be impossible, as engineers for the purpose were not available. The west wall was not previously damaged on October 18, when the east side of the building seemed to bear the heaviest part of the shock.
It is believed that the damage will be confined largely to the outside of the building, as the interior construction was largely hardwood and steel. Plaster damage will doubtless constitute the largest part of the interior damage to the building.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Intermountain Union college is face to face with either closing the institution or moving to some other city, President Jesse W. Bunch said Thursday evening.
President Bunch left last night for Great Falls to see what arrangements could be made to open the college there at an early date, possibly day after tomorrow.
A long distance telephone call from the Methodist and Presbyterian boards in Chicago last night advised Mr. Bunch that the college should use its own judgment as to continuing operations at some other city or definitely closing the institution.
The college buildings were severely damaged by the earthquake of October 18 and yesterday's severe temblor completed the wreckage. Helena hall, where classes are held, is apparently a total loss as the upper floor partitions have caved into the class rooms. The large double doors at the south entrance to the chapel have been twisted completely off their hinges.
Damage Great
Mills hall, residential dormitory, appears to be structurally sound but the damage to the inside walls, partitions and plaster is great.
Another portion of the west wall of the new gymnasium folded in during yesterday's quake and the east wall is reported to be unsound.
During yesterday's quake classes were being conducted at the First Presbyterian church and no students were injured by the further wreckage at the college plant.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
The brand new police station took a kayo punch on the nose yesterday when the front of it melted into the street with the quake.
Not as if that was alone enough to discourage the police, the building front dropped on top of the prowl car, leaving it in a state of "shock" from which it will be a long time recovering.
Police had been using the vacant lot between Main and West Main street as their headquarters until the past day or two when they moved into the building next door to the A-A garage.
They moved out in a hurry yesterday.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Montana's state capitol, which to date has stood up against the upheavals of the earth, again presented a solid front and although the building was rocked like a trundle bed, it survived any considerable damage and after the tremors has subsided, a cursory investigation revealed that it stood as before--a solid piece of workmanship, according to Walter A. Small, custodian.
When the shock struck the statehouse, the buildings rocked and swayed. Employees left in an orderly manner and there was no confusion or congestion, according to the custodian.
The building, however, did not present an impregnable front. Many of the walls received minor cracks and plaster from the ceilings fell from the building. Structurally, the custodian said, there appeared to be no damage, and he, like others, said, that the latest quake was not as severe as the one of last Friday night.
Custodian Small inspected the building from the basement to the fourth flour. "Although there were some cracks and some plaster down the building suffered no damage," he said. There were no broken windows and the state building evidently weathered the shock in tip-top shape, the custodian said.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Lewistown, Oct. 31--(AP)--The earthquake shock which shook Helena was felt by most people here this morning at about 11:40, and was classified as more distinct and of longer duration that any so far felt in this city.
However, not the least damage was done.
The chamber of commerce will meet tomorrow to consider extending an invitation to Helena to have the inmates of some of its homes, including the orphanages, sent here to be cared for temporarily.
The temperature here at 6 p.m. was six below zero.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Frank Walker, executive assistant to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the man between the President and the Relief, the Public Works, the Works Progress administration, telephoned at midnight to James Rowe of Butte, his assistant, to inform him that Harry Hopkins, head of relief work agencies, was "squarely behind the people of Helena, and would be on the ground with men and money immediately.
Mr. Walker, formerly of Butte, asked Mr. Rowe to go to Helena at once and inform him of the needs and every reasonable demand would be met. Mr. Rowe telephoned The Independent that he would start for Helena immediately, leaving Butte shortly after midnight, and would be in Helena early Friday morning.
Frank Walker had a conference with Harry Hopkins immediately after learning of the second major earthquake in Helena, and assured Mr. Rowe, that simply EVERYTHING would be done to aid Helena and her people.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Great Falls, Oct. 31--Great Falls residents today hastened to extend offers of aid to Helena residents affected in the latest severe earthquake.
Community chest workers, assembled this noon to report progress in the annual solicitation of funds for welfare work, on receiving reports from Helena immediately voted to sent $1,000 to the Red Cross at Helena for use in relief work. A draft for that amount was sent airmail to the Capital city this afternoon.
The Great Northern railway here sent train coaches to Helena for possible use by those unable to heat their homes.
At the suggestion of the Helena Chamber of Commerce, the Great Falls chamber advised Great Falls residents having relatives, and friends in Helena, to invite them here until such time as their affairs returned to normal.
The Cascade County Medical association offered the use of its member home for any Helena people who might desire as well as their professional services. Dr. C. J. Bresee, president of the local group, wired the Helena Medical association to that effect.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
Montana national guard companies of the 163rd infantry at Great Falls and Bozeman were held in readiness last night to come to the aid of quake stricken Helena if necessary, Col. E. H. Williams, adjutant general, announced. Meanwhile 50 members of regimental headquarters company of Helena patrolled the streets and guarded property, as they have been doing every night since the October 18 shock.
Yesterday a detachment of 12 men put the national guard trucks into use moving the homeless and injured to new residences and hospitals. Twenty five trucks were kept busy all night moving whatever was needed.
[Helena Independent; November 1, 1935]
BAN IS AGAIN PLACED ON ALL PUBLIC GATHERINGS
Emergency Reconstruction Committee To Make Systematic Study Of Requirements Of Stricken And Homeless Citizens; Those Needing Aid Will Be Directed To Proper Agency; Federal Money Is On Way
Helena cast a wary eye over its shaken properties today, and, while counting three major quakes and hundreds of lesser ones within the last few weeks, it steadfastly went ahead making the necessary arrangements for a complete and scientific survey of the damaged areas of the city.
The ban against public gatherings of all kinds was placed in effect again by order by Commissioner of Public Safety A. M. Shellady as an emergency measure. It will not be lifted until assurance of safety from earth shocks is had.
Governor Frank H. Cooney declared yesterday that the needs of all Helena people made destitute by the quake would be taken care of and that he had received a wire from Aubry Williams of Washington, D. C., assistant relief director, allocating an additional $100,000 to Montana for the month of November, for earthquake relief.
"This was not solicited but came out of a clear sky to Helena," the governor said. He said that everyone in Helena in need of food, clothing and shelter would be adequately taken care of and no one would be in want.
Montana's junior senator was in New York City when he heard of the quake and of the plight of the orphans at St. Joseph's. He immediately contacted Mr. Rowe, donating the Boulder Hot Springs for their care. While the youngsters are at Boulder, the orphanage will be repaired and placed in shape for occupancy, Mr. Rowe said.
Mr. Rowe reiterated his statement made earlier in the day that the government, while not expected to remedy all of the city's ills, would see that no one was in want during the emergency crisis.
A comprehensive survey will be started today by a special committee named yesterday to learn the actual needs of the community. Members of the committee include Hugh R. Adair, Quay Painter and Brian O'Connell.
This committee has prepared questionnaires and blanks which will be distributed today in the quake areas of the city. It is the hope of the committee, Chairman Adair said, to ascertain actual needs and conditions and to help Helena citizens in reaching the proper agencies for assistance.
The committee will work as speedily as possible and the survey is expected to be completed shortly, Chairman Adair said. From the survey the actual needs of the citizens will be determined and the committee, acting through the regular city reconstruction setup, will be able to direct those in need to proper relief channels, such as the American Red Cross, Reconstruction Finance corporation, Federal Emergency Relief administration, Federal Housing Administration, and those connected with slum clearance projects.
Thursday's quake, while not as severe as the previous ones, put the city on its tip-toes and practically everyone was in a nervous state of mind. The national guard and the Montana highway patrol readily came to the front and soon after the city was rocked by the last severe quake, there was adequate patrol in the city.
The same attachment of national guardsmen which has been on duty since Oct. 18, is still working and others will be added if needed, Col. Williams said. The adjutant general also said that there are 24 trucks, two station wagons and one ambulance ready for action. During the last few days these machines have rendered valuable service in Helena.
He said that 200 tent stoves and 1,000 pieces of pipe have been secured at Fort Harrison, and that if circumstances warrant it, tents will be thrown up for the shelterless and the stoves installed.
Local peace officers were aided again by the Montana highway patrol, and men were called in to Helena from other sections of the state, according to Walter Beck, assistant supervisor.
Those first recruited made a hasty survey of the city, traveling to those places where they thought damage might be worst and where they could be of immediate assistance. Headquarters of the highway patrol at the capitol will be kept open day and night while the emergency condition exists, the assistant highway chief said.
While federal relief agencies are not to be expected to take care of all damages in the city, there will be sufficient assistance to take care of those in need and those made destitute by the earthquake, it was revealed yesterday at a special meeting of the local reconstruction committee.
In other words, the federal government will take care of people on relief, the American Red Cross of destitute people not on relief, and the remainder of Helena citizens must take care of themselves, either through private financing or through loans from the Reconstruction Finance corporation or the Federal Housing administration.
"We are primarily interested in whether food and shelter needs are being met here," Mr. Rowe declared. "We appreciate the distress of the situation. I talked on the telephone with Mr. Walker, who conferred with Harry Hopkins and later authorized me to take care of any distress in this emergency."
"A survey, not completed, of the damage done by the shocks of Oct. 18 showed," Mr. Baarson said, "that 278 homes were seriously damaged and 701 partly damaged, a total of 979 that suffered more or less severely from the quake. In addition 18 business houses and apartments were badly damaged and 59 suffered minor damage in the same disturbance.
"It is a fact, however, that in the business district all buildings of good construction are still standing and virtually intact," Mr. Baarson added. "Of the 18 business houses and apartments badly damaged Oct. 18, several should have been condemned years ago."
Mr. Baarson reported that of the buildings heretofore granted certificates of occupancy without conditions attached, not one was more than slightly damaged by yesterday's severe shock.
"This may be attributed to the fact that the brick was not properly bonded," Mr. Baarson said. "The absence of ties was the main reason for the wrecking of a number of such structures. This must not be taken to mean that brick structures, when properly built, are not safe."
Mr. Baarson suggested that possibly a community chest, with proper distribution of money made available, would be the best way to solve Helena's relief problems. He asserted that the government and others might be asked to contribute, and the cash used by various organizations along their particular lines of work. This suggestion, however, was not approved.
Tom McCabe, head of the county relief organization, reported that most of the patients at the wrecked county hospital are at the federal transient camp at the state fair grounds and the Odd Fellows' home. The Salvation Army, through the courtesy of the Farmers' union, has taken over the Green Meadows farm warehouse for the sheltering of the homeless, he said.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
Pres. Roosevelt Issues Order
Hyde Park, N.Y., Nov. 1--(AP)--Federal agencies were directed today by President Roosevelt to extend immediate relief in the Montana earthquake.
Informed at his family home of the new tremors, Mr. Roosevelt directed the Red Cross, the army and the Federal Relief administration to send representatives immediately to Helena to provide aid and report on conditions.
The president acted on word received by telephone from Washington that many families were homeless in a temperature of six degrees below zero and that temporary shelters for victims of recent quakes as well as federal housing facilities for the homeless were endangered.
It was announced by Stephen Early, a secretary, that Mr. Roosevelt has sent requests to Admiral Grayson, chairman of the American Red Cross; General Craig, chief of staff of the army, and Harry L. Hopkins, relief administrator, to have representatives get together at once in Helena.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
Helena high school's new half million dollar building suffered loss far more extensive than at first believed, it was revealed yesterday when four army engineers made an inspection of all public school property. Damage to the building as a whole will be 75 per cent or more, the report indicated.
This fixes the actual loss at $360,000 or more, as the actual construction cost of the building was $464,000. The report, signed by Capt. C. H. Chorpening, in charge of the engineers here, states that the entire auditorium wing is virtually a total loss, that the main class room section between the two wings is 75 per cent wrecked and that the damage to the gymnasium wing is between 15 and 25 percent.
It means virtually reconstruction of the entire building in the belief of City Engineer Oscar Baarson, to whom the report was submitted.
Following is the complete report of the inspection of the school system:
Memorandum to Oscar Baarson, city engineer, Helena.
Additional damage done by earthquake of October 31, 1935, (inspection made forenoon, Friday, November 1, 1935).
Gymnasium Building--With the exception of a few additional bricks loosened and fallen to the ground from the chimney, no further damage is evident.
Central School--Further damage exists at the rear parapet over the center entrance.
The parapet over the front entrance on the east has collapsed, destroying the penthouse on the roof and some of the roof construction.
A further general shattering of non-bearing partitions exists to the extent that several are bulged and out of plumb.
Additional plastering has been loosened and some fallen.
Kessler School--Fractures of main walls have been increased in size. A large amount of additional stone has fallen from dormers and copings. Stone above the entrance has fallen through and destroyed the outside platforms and steps leading to main entrance. The upper portion of the chimney has been seriously fractured.
New Helena High School--The east half of the auditorium, together with the entire portion of the building which lies to the east, is entirely wrecked. The west half of the auditorium is so badly shattered that it is believed it is virtually wrecked.
The entire classroom or central section, including the center tower, has been shattered to such an extent that it is believed to be 75 per cent wrecked. The gymnasium section has been damaged between 15 per cent and 25 per cent.
Broadwater School--Further fractures of chimney at roof line, but no additional cracks in mason walls. Some additional fallen and loosened plaster.
Emerson School--Only one additional crack in masonry noted on the exterior of the building, not serious. A small amount of cracked and fallen plaster.
Jefferson School--A few minor additional cracks in masonry and some additional cracked and fallen plaster.
Hawthorne School--General further weakening of all parapet walls above the roof, and a small amount of additional fallen and cracked plaster. Stack appears to be undamaged.
Bryant School--Building further shattered above the first floor line, and many additional walls fallen. Building is now a total wreck.
C. H. CHORPENING,
Captain, Corps of Engineers.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
PRESENT SERIOUS SITUATION
For the second time in as many weeks, Montana's Capital city gritted its teeth and paused yesterday to face the stark reality of a truly desperate situation, and at the same time to launch new plans for rehabilitation and reconstruction.
It found itself facing zero weather with hundreds homeless or temporarily without shelter.
It found itself facing the huge task of providing homes for scores unable to replace their destroyed dwellings.
It found itself facing the staggering financial task of healing the deepened scars of its property damage now believed to total nearly $4,000,000.
And it found itself facing the problem of soothing nerves worn to the ragged edge, of relieving the strain of the tension that has shackled all in the city, and of maintaining its past high morale.
Plans for reconstruction were under way again yesterday, but this time the program will proceed more slowly and cautiously, partly through plain necessity and partly through the desire to be sure that the earth has ceased its plain and fancy contortions in order that the job will not have to be redone.
Rebuilding and general rehabilitation activities will be retarded materially, for the present at least, because of a lack of engineers to carry on the inspection work that is so necessary.
Today City Engineer Oscar Baarson will be left with but one regular engineer inspector. Captain C. H. Chorpening and Engineers H. H. Dunham, A. H. Buckley and G. B. R. Gloyd of the U. S. engineering corps left late yesterday afternoon to return to Fort Peck. It is possible, however, that they or others may return later.
These four men are among the principal engineers on the huge dam project and their chief, Major Larkin, felt that their services could not be spared any longer at the present time. He likewise expressed the belief that the services of the engineers could be used to better advantage two or three weeks later after the earth movements have definitely settled.
"I am sorry to see Captain Chorpening and his aides leave," said Mr. Baarson, "because they have rendered invaluable service during a period of great stress and need. I certainly hope they will be able to return later."
At this time, the city engineer has the services of only one full time assistant, W. M. McClean, Helena contractor. Sigvald Berg, supervising architect for the Federal Housing administration, is giving time when he can, but his regular duties prevent him from assisting as much as he would like.
In this new emergency, City Engineer Baarson turned to the local emergency reconstruction committee and urged them to conduct a campaign to raise funds for the employment of additional engineers and the payment of their expenses.
All of the schools of the city were inspected and several of the principal buildings that are subject to general public use. The downtown buildings examined were found to be in good condition. Additional inspections will be made as the city engineer can get around to them.
In the meantime, the city began to pick up the threads of normal business activity where it left off Thursday noon after the third terrific shock in the current series. A survey of the situation revealed many significant things.
The total of homeless in the city last night stood at 450, a check of all institutions revealed, but of that number only 235 were actually earthquake refugees, dependent on outside help for shelter.
The others, inmates of various institutions and college students, had taken up temporary abodes in homes in the city or nearby.
Last night many persons who had no homes were quartered in the Green Meadow farm warehouse and about 100 orphans from a home in the valley were cared for in coaches on railroad sidings.
Sixty evacuated the Florence Crittenton home and 29 residents left the Odd Fellows home in the Helena valley for their home lodges.
From the Montana children's home 24 children evacuated and were stationed in private homes in nearby towns. The 85 residents of the House of the Good Shepherd were quartered in the T. C. Power residence and food and clothing was supplied by the Montana relief commission.
Ninety Intermountain Union college students will be moved to temporary quarters in Great Falls next week.
Relief agencies indicated that double or triple the present number of refugees could be cared for if necessary. Nearby towns were offering homes for the Helena destitute.
On the tops of several taller buildings in the business district, workmen at sundown were hammering away at ornamental copings, overhanging ledges and brickwork to avoid possible future weakening and injury.
The business district failed to reflect the terror that emptied it yesterday.
While there was plenty of sidewalk and shop room for all who ventured downtown, one failed to see the apprehension and fear of past days and most places were operating normally. However, numerous places of business were closed, particularly in those areas where weakened walls or store fronts threatened collapse under another vibration.
On Main street the coping of the Martha hotel had loosened and this was segregated by the commissioner of public safety. The Great Northern and Northern Pacific railways suffered alike in damage to their depots, both of which were evacuated and roped off.
Both buildings had towers housing huge timepieces the giant hands of which hung in amusing positions yesterday. One face read one hour, while the others registered still a different time of day.
The same was true in the cracked tower of the Lewis and Clark courthouse building where the clock cheerfully chimed the hour of 9 at three o'clock in the afternoon. The building was severely cracked October 18th and was again badly rent yesterday.
Buildings at Intermountain Union College, Carroll college, St. Vincent academy, and St. John's hospital, stood in awesome darkness tonight. All were abandoned and several may never be rebuilt. In the Helena valley a half dozen institutional structures had been evacuated.
A row of business buildings from which the fronts had been shaken and rebuilt in the past 13 days, stood intact while just across the street the Northern Pacific depot gave the appearance of having been hit by a nine inch shell. A great rent appeared in the mid-upper structure and one end was knocked out of a one-story wing.
Passengers on incoming trains crowded to the windows for an eager view of what the quake had done. Crowding the platforms at the same time were scores bound for varied points until the earth had settled once and for all. Some carried pets, some carried bedding rolls, babies were many, and children pressed their faces close to car windows to bid their stay-at-home fathers goodbye.
With the entire station roped off and well policed, including the dining room section, a railway diner was shunted to a nearby sidetrack to serve steaming food to workers.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
According to the number of buildings damaged by the large earthquake Thursday, Helena's East side and Sixth ward bore the brunt of the seismic shock.
The major portion of the property damage received by these sections was to buildings which had been injured to some extent by the previous crumblers.
As far as could be ascertained, there were no demolished structures either on the East side of in the Sixth ward which had not been affected by the former jolts.
Damage done to buildings not previously injured consisted mostly of cracks in the outside walls, loosened coping and plaster cracks.
In the Lennox addition dislodged chimneys and interior cracks constituted most of the damages.
A stack on the Northern Pacific lunchroom, rebuilt since the large shock of October 18, was shaken lose from its base, but did not fall down. It will have to be rebuilt, however.
Considerable additional brick veneer on the St. Mary's Catholic school was dislodged, and the scaffold from which two men were hurled and injured, was torn from the side of the building.
Three brick houses on Boulder, Nos. 1719, 1723 and 1727, which were badly shattered by the former large shocks, were completely razed by Thursday's roller, and several men working on the structures narrowly escaped being buried by falling bricks. The houses were formerly occupied by Robert Connell, T. E. Barclay and Charles Purdy.
The Elmer Harris home at 1518 Boulder avenue received nearly as much damage from Thursday's shock as from the earlier hard one.
Badly crumpled by the shock of October 18, the home of J. W. Wilson at 1502 Boulder was leveled by Thursday's quake. The home had been completely renovated and refurnished about the first of October, it was said by friends of the family.
A part frame and part brick house at 1424 Boulder, nearly collapsed by other shocks, crumpled to the ground as Thursday's jolt shook the structure.
Much additional damage was done to the already ruined National Biscuit company's building on Boulder avenue. The top floor of the structure crumpled to the third story, and large sections of the remaining walls were shattered.
A finishing touch was put on the K. P. hall on Helena avenue, the structure now having both ends crumpled by the repeated jolts.
Curt's Grocery store, the front of which was deposited in the street by the major shock, received additional damage to the walls and interior.
Christian Rickert's home at 1400 Phoenix, slightly damaged by earlier quakes, suffered additional injuries as the last shock loosened a section of the brick work on the west side of the house.
The Lee home at 1113 Phoenix, irreparably shattered by earlier gyrations, now feebly stands on a small remaining portion of the walls.
The front end of the Capital Commission company's warehouse and office building had just been boarded up after being shattered by the shake of October 18, when Thursday's crumbler tore out the entire rear end.
A huge section of brick work on the front of the national armory building toppled to the ground, and the already crumpled rear end was further shattered.
The Leo M. Goldberg fur warehouse on Helena avenue, badly cracked earlier in October was shaken sharply, suffering severe injuries to the front of the building.
The Miller apartment building at 649 North Ewing street received great additional damage, a large section of the brick work on the north wall being jarred off. Gables on the front of the structure were cracked and suffered the loss of some bricks.
A stucco residence at 317 Thirteenth street, which had been badly crumpled by former jars, received severe wall injuries.
A large brick house at 669 North Rodney street received structural damages from the shock of October 18, and was devastated by Thursday's shake. The front end of the building collapsed.
The stone residence of Mrs. Elizabeth Goede at 1222 Ninth avenue, which was so damaged by the former major shock that it was being razed, was leveled to the ground.
A brick house at 1317 Ninth avenue, formerly occupied by Mrs. Jennie B. Williams, crumpled by earlier quakes, was demolished by Thursday's temblor.
A brick residence at 403 Montana street, which had suffered slight damages from the pervious Friday's shock, was badly cracked when Thursday's shaker shattered the rear wall, depositing the loose bricks in the back yard.
A large additional portion of the brick veneer was dislodged from an apartment house at 415 Eighth.
On Eighth avenue three brick houses in a row, 418, 420 and 422, were cracked and twisted, suffering severe damage, after being badly jarred by former jolts.
A brick apartment house on the southeast corner at the intersection of Sixth avenue and Davis street, apparently unhurt by the many tremors prior to Thursday, was considerably damaged as a large section of brick work was torn from its west wall.
A brick house at 539 Fifth avenue received huge wall cracks after passing through previous shocks seemingly unscathed.
At 565 Fifth avenue a residence which had been badly damaged by earlier shocks received large cracks under a tower on the south wall, and the tower crumbled to the ground.
At 1021 Fifth avenue a brick veneered residence suffered the loss of the veneer on two sides.
A dwelling at 826 Fifth avenue, damaged by the large quake October 18, was transformed into a feeble hulk.
Scaffolding and brick work on a residence at 1051 Sixth avenue were toppled out of place by Thursday's shake.
The Mix apartment house at 911 Sixth avenue escaped serious damage during the former shocks, but Thursday's jolt caused large cracks to appear on all sides of the structure, and caused the walls to sag.
Lehman's market on the corner of Hoback and Sixth, badly twisted and loosened by earlier jolts, suffered the loss of more bricks from the coping on top of the building, and a more severe bulging of the west wall.
The front end of a dwelling at 734 Sixth avenue collapsed during the heavy crumbler Thursday, after sustaining major injuries during former shocks.
An apartment house at 715 Sixth avenue received another severe jolt Thursday and suffered additional damages to both side walls.
A dwelling at 538 Sixth, badly jarred by shakes earlier in October, had bricks toppled from its walls, and was badly twisted.
The brick veneer on a house at 553 Breckenridge, loosened by previous jolts, fell down in great pieces as Thursday's temblor rocked the structure.
The city garage at 801 Breckenridge, somewhat damaged by other shakes, received large cracks throughout the building.
The roof of a grocery store at 627 Broadway, repaired after being damaged by bricks falling from an apartment house next door, was again torn open as more bricks were hurled from the apartment house coping.
Across the street and east from the Eleanor apartments, two small brick structures, nearly leveled by the former hard shake, were left standing on shattered portions of the remaining walls.
The front of a house at 414 Broadway, apparently not seriously damaged by earlier tremors, received large cracks, and the loss of some bricks.
The walls of the Herrmann and company mortuary, on the corner of Rodney and Broadway, were cracked, the brick veneer having been mostly stripped off by previous shakes.
Dwellings at 304 and 317 Broadway, sadly twisted and cracked by October 18th's rumbler, presented badly shattered fronts.
Pat Heaney's apartment at 112 South Benton survived the former shocks apparently undamaged, but Thursday's temblor cracked the front of the structure, hurling a large section of brick work to the ground.
Another section of the mangled city hall dropped to the ground, leaving the walls of the structure in a badly weakened condition.
The rear wall of the old Davis Clothing company building at 100 South Main street fell out, and the south wall was left badly sagging inward.
A chimney on the Eagles hall building, spared by other jars, was shaken to such an extent that it was necessary to remove the still intact top of the chimney to get at the badly twisted base.
A large section of the coping on the top of the Harvard apartments at the corner of East Sixth and Warren street fell into the street, barely missing a car parked there.
More bricks fell from the top of a building located at 110 East Sixth avenue, the side of which structure was badly damaged by former shakes.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
Shelter Is Provided For Over 1,000 Homeless
Resources of Helena's two railroads, the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific, were placed at the disposal of relief agencies in response to the general call for aid for the quake homeless. More than 1,000 persons can be housed in heated cars and coaches rushed here Thursday night and Friday morning.
Brown Brothers Lumber company and other firms have donated coal for the refugees and piles have been placed beside each coach, it was stated yesterday.
The Great Northern has seven steam heated coaches, five cabooses, two bunk cars, two baggage cars and other equipment spotted in the yards near the depot. It is estimated that approximately 600 persons can be accommodated there.
At the Northern Pacific, 11 outfit cars and about 15 regular coaches were made available as shelters. They would house 500 or more persons, it was estimated. The railroad was prepared to bring in additional equipment if it was needed.
Although the depot structure was badly shattered, temporary emergency arrangements were made to carry on the regular passenger, freight and express service.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
With quickly returning confidence, Helena residents have again set about reconstruction work and repairing its damage, as evidenced by five building permits taken out Thursday and Friday.
They are as follows:
Max Behman, repair of brickwork on store at Sixth avenue and Hoback street, $1,000.
Glenna E. Purdom, 1312 Wilder, remodel apartment with outside entrance, $300.
Otto Mattson, 585 Highland, general repairs to brickwork at 300 Chaucer and 587 Highland, $200.
S. Israel, Helena, repairs to brick wall of store building at 6 North Main street, $600.
Roland Eames, 400 North Rodney, remove brick and replace with siding, apartment house at 425 Broadway, $1,231.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
As the number of earth disturbances mounted to 765 in Helena at midnight last night, the city was also visited by its fifth consecutive day of zero weather.
For the fifth consecutive day a cold weather record was broken, as the coldest previous Nov. 2 was 12.9 degrees above zero, and at midnight last night is was 1.1 degrees below zero.
The weather bureau reported that there were 57 temblors felt for the 24-hour period that ended at midnight, all of which were moderate or weak except the one at 5:16 yesterday morning, which was described as strong, and lasting for four seconds.
Between 6 o'clock last night and midnight there were three disturbances recorded, they being at 7:57, 9:49 and 10:02.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
Trustees of Helena school district No. 1 will meet either today or Monday to discuss what procedure they will take in regard to repairing the buildings of Helena's quake torn school system, Chairman E. M. Hall said yesterday. Engineers carefully checked the damage done to the school buildings yesterday and they will have a report for submission to the trustees at their meeting.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
As quakes continued to wreck structures, leaving many people homeless generous offers from other Montana communities were received at different places here yesterday.
In a wire to S. V. Stewart, chairman of the reconstruction committee, J. D. Scanian, publisher of the Miles City Star, extended his sympathy to the people here, and said that $500 would be raised in Miles City to carry on relief work here.
From Kalispell, A. R. Johnson, president of the chamber of commerce, came the word that people there stand ready to do anything that they can to aid Helena. He sent the wire to W. G. Ferguson of Montanans, Inc., who said that the government agencies and Red Cross should be able to handle the situation, but, "we shall not hesitate to follow the suggestion should such a course become necessary."
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
Dillon, Nov. 1--Dillon and other communities in Beaverhead county felt the earthquake temblor which wreaked more havoc in Helena this morning.
Though no serious damage was reported in Dillon, cracks appeared in several buildings.
The shock came at 11:40 a.m., and lasted about two seconds. Local residents disagreed as to whether its intensity equaled that of the quake of Oct. 18.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
Deer Lodge, Nov. 1--Deer Lodge residents were thrown into a state of distress and uneasiness today when the town was again shaken by a heavy earthquake at about 18 minutes to noon. The concern was not so much for themselves as for their Helena neighbors.
Lights swayed, buildings rocked and a thunderous roar as though of a huge truck had rumbled by accompanied the nerve-wracking phenomena.
Deer Lodge people having relatives in Helena were badly frightened and many left immediately to bring them here.
A message requesting accommodations for 75 homeless persons from Helena sent city and county officials scurrying to arrange housing this afternoon, with plans made to use the former high school dormitory, the city hall, and Colbert-Hirst dance hall, but a later message stated that all refugees would be provided for in Helena.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
AFTER HITTING HELENA
Butte, Nov. 1--The earthquake shock traveled at an approximate speed of five miles a second between Butte and Helena according to the experience of W. B. Elliott, general agent of the Northern Pacific at Butte. Mr. Elliott was on the phone talking with L. R. Challoner, assistant general freight and passenger agent at Helena when the quake occurred. There was a moment's interruption on the wire and then Mr. Challoner called out: "We have just had another and she was a hard one."
Within 10 seconds the Metals Bank building began to sway and Mr. Elliott called back to his chief, "We have it over here now."
"It was not more than 10 seconds," Mr. Elliott said, "from the time I received word from Mr. Challoner until I felt the shock in Butte. Estimating the distance between Butte and Helena at 50 miles, as the crow flies, this means a speed of five miles a second or 18,000 miles an hour."
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
Dean S. Carder of the Unites States Coast and Geodetic survey, who is in charge of the seismographs at the federal building, said yesterday that the aftershocks of the major earthquake Thursday were perhaps centered within an area three miles northeast of Helena and about three miles deep.
Carder said further that this area is only the epicenter (the ground over the center of the quake) of the smaller temblors because, he said, that with only one seismograph it is impossible to determine the exact epicenter of the big shaker.
Recordings of the minor shakes are described by Carder as some of the best he ever obtained. He had planned to leave here Monday, but later decided to stay and see if he could not get additional data. Excellent recordings were obtained on the strong motion seismograph here.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
"We're running a bowling alley," explained Manager Joe Melugin of the Brackman store in the N. P. depot section.
"We just pue 'em up and they're knocked down again."
The grocer was referring to the many cans on his store shelves, toppled from their places again and again by the quakes.
It's a good thing no one was using the bathtub in the sheriff's section of the county jail building or another fatality would have been added to the list.
Most of the roof fell through and a number of large stones, part of the high walls of the building crashed through to the bathroom floor. The tub was about half full of rocks weighing upwards of 20 pounds and much plaster and general debris.
Speed as is speed was demonstrated in numerous
instances in Thursday's quake but residents of East
Helena believe all records were shattered by the three
men working on top of the big smelter stack.
With bricks falling around them, the men
clambered down the ladder on the outside of the stack
and reached the ground just a wee bit after the bricks.
There once was a clock on the outside front of
the Hawthorne grade school near the top of the
building. Now there is a gaping hole over where the
clock used to be.
Activity was at a low ebb at the state capitol
Friday, and official business languished. In most of
the offices an emergency had been declared, and 90 per
cent of the help stayed at home. One or two offices
where nothing pressing was on hand closed up to
resume business on a brighter day.
One of the field agents of the land department, probably to show his appreciation of the earthquakes, in the address on a letter he wrote to the field division here, drew the word "Helena" in wavering, shaky lines. "However, the staff in the office, particularly the girl stenographers, believe he doesn't know the half of it.
An observer, after the heavy earthquake Thursday forenoon, said the most pitiful sight he saw was a group of little children with bundles of clothes tucked under their arms walking through one of the residence streets.
Mrs. C. H. Cruttenden was in the midst of midday meal preparation when the quake jarred the house, showering plaster on the floor and over the utensils into which she was about to break an egg. Her husband scraped the plaster off the stove and dishes and she rescued the egg--unbroken.
Frank S. Fusick, navy recruiting officer, is one
man who didn't know there was an earthquake
Thursday--at least for a while. He was just starting
his car when the shake came.
He drove up the street and saw people pouring
out of their houses. "Everybody's crazy but me," he
said to himself. When he got to his apartment he
found plaster on the floor and the rooms disarranged.
"Then," he said, "I decided there must have been an
earthquake.
Roy Leibert, Missoula, and Lloyd Townsend, Bozeman, Northern Pacific employees injured in Thursday's quake, were removed from a Helena hospital to the Northern Pacific hospital at Missoula.
Leonard C. Young, state railroad and public service commissioner, said he has arranged with the Northland Greyhound Bus company to furnish transportation to earthquake refugees without means and who wish to leave Helena for other Montana towns.
Contrary to some people's opinion, Helena is still 4,083 in elevation and the top of Mount Helena is 6,462 feet above sea level, U. S. geological survey men said.
Aubrey Williams, assistant relief administrator,
informed Congressman Joseph P. Monoghan that
"this office has instructed Marvin to immediately put
people to work and grant aid to anyone in need."
If all ordinary means of communication out of
Helena should be destroyed, the army amateur radio
system is ready to handle the emergency, C.
Raymond Stedman, Helena radio operator, has been
advised. Members of the system are listening for
Helena stations in the event use of shortwave radio
becomes necessary.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
* * * * * * * * *
Wanted: Men To Work Without Pay
Commissioner of Public Safety Shellady, Chief of Police Roger Smith and Sheriff Brian O'Connel yesterday conferred with Mayor J. C. Bausch on the subject of securing additional men to patrol the city's streets, and to safeguard against house burglary.
None of the three favored martial law. None of them favored the idea of men giving up jobs at a time like this to do patrol work, free of charge, as the family income would disappear, thereby causing more trouble.
"What we need," said Mr. Bausch, "is a large force of loyal citizens who will work regular shifts, without pay, patrolling the streets. This will save the taxpayers a great sum of money."
When asked by Mr. Shellady where the advantage of saving money could be if the families of the volunteer patrolmen had to be taken care of, the mayor replied, "I still maintain that there are sufficient reliable citizens in this city to make up a citizens' patrol, and I am sure that there are many responsible men in this city who will work a shift each day voluntarily."
The meeting adjourned without further action.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
Among the strange cases growing out of the Thursday quake was that of George Hudson, 439 North Park, who yesterday was found in the hospital. SHH the hospital ward of the Salvation army refugee center at the Green Meadow farm.
A victim of severe shock, perhaps injury, Hudson was found wandering aimlessly about after the Thursday quake. He could not tell where he was or who he was and later was taken to the improvised hospital.
Yesterday, still affected, Hudson presented a pitiful plight as a nurse administered to his wants.
"I know who I am, I know where I live, I'm alright and want to go home," he protested as the nurse and a Salvation Army officer sought to quiet him. Hudson was to be held there for his own well being.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
Despite wild rumors to the effect that the city has "sunk" several feet due to earthquakes, officials said yesterday that the altitude of Helena is still the same--4,033 feet above sea level. It was said yesterday that an East Helena man was spreading the story that Mount Helena had settled six inches. Geologists say that such a settling would cause an earthquake that would make the "October epidemic" look like wrist slaps.
[Helena Independent; November 2, 1935]
REBUILDING OF HELENA UNDER WAY
Rowe Acts
Debris Being Cleared Up By Crews At U. S. Expense
Helena's rehabilitation program, following the weeks of earth disturbances that have destroyed millions of dollars worth of property, was under way yesterday morning.
And Helena people may thank one man, and his able assistants for starting the ball rolling--James H. Rowe of Butte, personal representative of Frank Walker, executive assistant to President Roosevelt.
Before the day was over Rowe had nearly 200 men at work clearing up debris, segregating usable brick from broken brick, and hauling away the refuse.
Handling the job in a systematic manner, Mr. Rowe secured 20 trucks on short notice and had all of them at work by afternoon.
Mr. Rowe's room in the Placer hotel was one of the busiest places in the city yesterday as he generaled operations and gave the entire community a brighter outlook toward recovery.
The representative of Mr. Walker made it plain that the government was without power to expend any Works Progress Administration money on private rehabilitation, and that relief money could not be used for replacements. However, funds will be available for the aid of public institutions. Mr. Rowe again emphasized the fact that people who are in need of repairs should call the Red Cross or the NRS office at the courthouse. This is the first thing that all of these people should do, he said, so that they can be put on the right track.
Despite the tragedy of the damage done by the earthquakes, Helena people were cheered yesterday as the relief workers energetically began their task of "cleaning things up." Before evening, many of the distressing marks of the shocks, laying like corpses on a battlefield, had been cleared away.
Mr. Rowe said that by removing the top story of the orphanage building, it could be fixed up for use. The children will be taken to Boulder today. For the last two days they have been housed in railroad coaches.
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Rowe, accompanied by Miss Romney and Harold Longmaid, made a tour of the city and the valley to see the extent of damages to institutions.
Mr. Rowe is hopeful that the Montana Childrens' Home hospital, on Helena avenue and Warren street, can be fixed up as a hospital with FERA funds. It is understood that a few partitions can be built, and then the equipment from St. John's can be moved down there. The building, which was never equipped because of a lack of funds, withstood the severe earthquakes with practically no damage, it was said.
There is plenty of employment for Helena men who want work, Rowe said, but when the task of clearing the debris away from the schools and other large public buildings is to be faced, Montana men outside of Helena will have to reinforce the crews already at work. Mr. Rowe emphasized again the fact that people must come to Helena in search of jobs, because when outsiders are needed they will be taken from the registration lists of the National Reemployment Service.
Mr. Rowe is doing everything possible with Washington officials in regard to the high school, and is hopeful that taxpayers will be let off with as little expense as possible. Mr. Rowe expressed the belief that the government would finance nearly all of the reconstruction of the schools.
The representative of Mr. Walker was ably helped in his activities yesterday by F. H. Marvin, state director of the FERA, and Tom McCabe, head of the county relief organization, who furnished most of the men for the cleaning up crews. Both relief and non relief workers were put on the job.
Last evening Mr. Rowe had planned to go to his home in Butte, but the press of affairs here kept him on the job over the week-end.
The work of cleaning up the debris will continue as strenuously today as it did Saturday, and additional men will be put to work, said Rowe. Besides the relief and non-relief workers, men were also drafted from the transient camp yesterday to aid in the operations. With the procedure followed out as started, Helena should have its entire rebuilding program under way in a short time.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
A record of the major and medium sized earth tremors, which have occurred in the vicinity recently, has been kept by a delicate thermometer, which reacts much in the manner of a seismograph, at the Anaconda Copper Mining company plant at East Helena, Superintendent Laist said yesterday.
The marking needle of the thermometer, which keeps a continuous record of the temperature of the plant, vibrates when the tremors shake the ground.
Variations of one quarter of an inch, caused by the larger shocks, are visible in the temperature line, while the larger of the little tremblers cause the needle to vary about one-sixteenth of an inch from its course.
Employees of the plant have examined the records of the last few weeks, and can tell accurately the time of each of the harder shocks.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
ZONE OF QUAKE DAMAGE
Federal And Private Agencies Open Prompt Operations As Federal Funds Pour Into Capital; Committee Is To Make Survey On Monday And Finally Shape Program
Helena's reconstruction program was being organized in a big way yesterday as the different federal and private agencies opened fire with their heavy artillery along several different fronts.
Federal funds were poured in without stint for relief of the distressed, for removal of debris blocking streets and sidewalks and for general rehabilitation.
With the federal emergency relief administrator's personal representative taking complete charge of the situation, as local authorities seemed not to know which way to turn, a great force of laborers and trucks were put to work mopping up after the Thursday's rocker.
Today the Red Cross offices will have a staff of nine experienced persons: Five case workers, two engineers, and an accountant and a director. "We are going ahead with our building program as if nothing had happened," Mr. Transue said.
A check made last night showed that there are now 197 families registered with the Red Cross for assistance, many seeking aid in rebuilding and repairing their damaged homes. "Those desiring assistance are urged to register without delay as the organization plans to close its registration books by November 9," Mr. Transue said.
The survey will be supervised by Chairman Adair, Fred O. Robinson, P. C. Albertson and Tate W. Peak and will be carried on by 75 or 80 teachers available in Helena. The crew will be completely organized Monday morning at 9:30 o'clock at a meeting in the Placer hotel, following which a house to-house canvass will be started in the damaged areas.
The city will be districted and the crew divided into such a way that a comprehensive and systematic survey may be obtained, Chairman Adair said.
While primarily the survey will show immediate human needs, it will be complete enough to help property owners in securing financial assistance for rebuilding and repairing their damaged residences.
Because many of the residents of Helena left the city following the last tremors until the earth adjusts itself and normal conditions return in Helena, the committee decided to complete all of its preliminary arrangements before launching the survey Monday, Chairman Adair said.
Particularly, Chairman Adair asks that all persons whose homes have been damaged, fill out the questionnaires even though they will not require financial assistance in rehabilitating themselves.
"We want to obtain complete data on the damage here," he said, "and even if property owners are perfectly capable of taking care of their own needs we want them to fill out one of these blanks." We want to know just what the picture is in Helena."
One was another suspension in the torturous contortions in the earth; another was the manner in which the preliminary work looking toward rehabilitation and restoration was launched Saturday morning in the face of biting weather and a steady fall of snow.
At the same time plans were announced by Supt. R. O. Evans of the city school system, that barring unforseen difficulties the schools, closed now since the first quakes October 18, would be re-opened on a curtailed basis a week from Monday.
However, in the meantime many repairs must be made and upon resumption of work, classes will probably be held on a half-day basis with both high and elementary pupils using the Central and Hawthorne buildings.
High school classes, moved from the destroyed $500,000 structure opened only this fall, will be held during the morning hours until 12:30 when they would be turned over to the grades.
Many pupils thrown on their own since the first of the series of quakes have found temporary work and classes, particularly those in high school, may be greatly reduced when school starts again.
That the high school may not be used until it is entirely rebuilt was seen in the report of army engineers that the imposing PWA structure was 75 per cent a loss after the tremors of Thursday which pancaked the north wing.
There are approximately 3,000 pupils in the district of which 1,000 were registered in the high school.
Though the city's balance momentarily was somewhat off center following a heavy tremor Saturday morning, confidence was restored as the day wore on and the earth's restless shifting seemed appreciably to lessen.
People at the Green Meadow farm are being fed by the Red Cross and approximately 110 refugees have been quartered in the warehouse. A few have ventured to move into other quarters but the majority of them still remain within the shelter of that place. Mr. Transue said all were being taken care of although the severe tremor of Oct. 31 forced officials to make a complete revision of quake damages.
When the Red Cross starts its building program Monday it will have some 25 or 30 projects already approved as worthy for such assistance. While estimates are being revised because of the latest shock, actual construction work will begin Monday, Mr. Transue said.
There was ample evidence that in the event conditions in Helena should become acute neighboring towns would care for the homeless.
Robert E. Burns of the Manhattan city council announced yesterday that the councils of Manhattan and Three Forks are offering free shelter and food for refugees. Yesterday there came a similar offer from the Red Cross chapter at Deer Lodge and the Rev. A. P. Alton, pastor of St. Paul's church, has offered Coburn memorial hall, in the Sixth ward, a frame structure, for quake homeless. Lloyd Synnes said today that the Shanty, a frame dance hall in the Helena valley, was also available to shelter people. Children from the Montana Deaconess school were housed there for a few days after the October 18 quake which destroyed their building.
J. N. Templer, forest supervisor, said he was advised last night that Major Evan Kelly, regional forester of district No. 1, was sending an additional 250 capox sleeping bags here for use.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
Helena yesterday received financial aid from the government and was able to arrange for its own patrol squadron at the same time relieving the loyal local company of the national guard from further duty on the streets, it was announced by Amos M. Shellady, commissioner of safety. The city's lone prowler car was wrecked when the front of the police station fell out.
Following a conference with J. H. Rowe, personal representative of Frank Walker, executive assistant to President Roosevelt, and F. H. Marvin, state director of relief, it was arranged so that the city could put on five patrol cars and drivers, to be paid by the FERA, Commissioner Shellady said.
Words of encouragement were given yesterday by Governor Frank H. Cooney. Although continuously harassed to call out soldiers from Fort Missoula, the governor declined to make the move, saying, "There is no need of being stampeded into martial law."
The governor said that everything would be adequately taken care of in Helena and no one would go hungry or remain in need. In explaining that there was no need of bringing in regular soldiers, he said that Chairman L. J. Croonenberghs of the highway patrol had ordered in 12 patrolmen, and that they were working in 24-hour shifts and in cooperation with local peace officers.
While the local company of the national guard was taken off patrol duty last night, Col. E. H. Williams, adjutant general, said that a special motor detachment would be kept in readiness until the emergency had passed. This detachment will consist of 12 trucks and drivers, an ambulance and a station wagon.
A temporary barracks has been set up in the basement of the state capitol, which is serving as headquarters for the company. Yesterday many of the trucks were kept busy transferring company equipment from the arsenal to the new barracks.
A survey conducted last night revealed that the city was adequately equipped to meet the emergency. There were more than enough coaches and bunk cars in the railroad yards, families at the Green Meadow farm were comparatively comfortable and no one appeared in want.
Inmates of the Montana Children's home were "farmed out" during the day and were placed in comfortable quarters until the emergency ends and permanent quarters established.
It will be necessary for property owners, in addition to those who hold mortgages on damaged buildings, to sign clearance papers before any buildings will be torn down, he pointed out. These clearance papers must be signed and notarized and may be secured either from City Engineer Oscar Baarson in his temporary offices in the Placer hotel, or from Commissioner Evans.
The commissioner said he had been granted authority to have 100 men in his crew and it is possible that he will start work today with as many as can be mustered, possibly 50 or 60. The men and several trucks will be distributed in the quake-damaged portion of the city.
Labor for the work is being furnished by the federal relief administration. Already the old Capital hotel near the Northern Pacific depot has been razed to the first floor and work was going on yesterday in the tearing down of the Knights of Pythias hall on Gallatin street, also in the Sixth ward.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
With 26 lesser tremors occurring during the day, the earthquake total at midnight, 791. There were three shocks during the day of more than moderate intensity. There was a three second tremor at 6:26 a.m.; another at 10:42 a.m.; and one of two seconds duration at 6:12 p.m. The shocks while numerous were characterized as "moderate or weak" and added little new damage to the city.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
While work plans were moving ahead at accelerated pace, a warning was issued yesterday by City Engineer Oscar Baarson that a new type of "racketeering or hijacking" must stop immediately or drastic steps would be taken.
It came to Mr. Baarson's attention yesterday that a contracting concern, said to be from Great Falls, had been extracting outrageous fees for tearing down chimneys and making repairs.
In one instance, this outfit went to the wife of a Helena doctor and obtained a contract for taking down a small chimney. When the job was finished, the supervisor demanded and collected $60 for the work. At ordinary rates, the cost of this work would have been not more than $4 or $5.
Later she called Mr. Baarson and asked him about it. He advised that payment be stopped on the check.
Mr. Baarson advised all persons to investigate carefully if approached by persons they do not know to perform work. They should have a clear understanding regarding the cost of the work before they permit it to be started, he said.
Helena workmen have not been guilty of this practice, he said, and in fact, have been working Saturday afternoons and Sundays at straight time.
Prospects for relieving the emergency created by the necessity of inspecting buildings to determine their safety looked up yesterday when City Engineer Baarson was authorized by J. H. Rowe and F. H. Marvin, of the federal emergency relief administration, to employ competent engineer inspectors.
Not much inspection work has been possible since the earthquake of Thursday morning, but the army engineers from Fort Peck, before returning to their duties there, inspected the new high school, other Helena schools and several business blocks.
As a result the Power block, the Gold block and the Power block annex, all of which house home governmental offices, have been declared safe for occupancy.
Necessity, in the interest of safety of life and property, of removing as soon as possible all "gingerbread" work, ornaments and upper brickwork that may have been loosened by Thursday's earthquake or the preceding severe shocks was stressed by City Engineer Baarson.
This is particularly important along Main street and wherever buildings of two stories or more are involved. Inspection has shown, Mr. Baarson said, that many cornices, ornaments and bricks are loose and in event of another shake, undoubtedly would fall. This would place people in the vicinity in grave danger.
Property owners and agents for such owners are urged to inform themselves if such conditions exist on their buildings and to remedy them without delay. Yesterday workmen took down certain brick and stone work atop the old National Bank of Montana building as a safety measure.
Food and supplies were loaded in great quantities on vans to be taken to the Boulder Hot Springs hotel, which was opened by Senator James E. Murray of Butte, the owner, to shelter the youngsters from St. Joseph's orphanage in the Helena valley.
Although sixty-five guests, some of them Helena refugees, were registered at the resort hotel, these were advised to move elsewhere to make way for the homeless boys and girls.
Although the weather again interfered with much outside reconstruction, it didn't hamper the efforts of the wrecking crews who throughout Saturday were in action in all sections of the city and in East Helena.
All over the stricken city scaffolds dotted the skyline as masons hurried the repairs of chimneys, many of them shattered 14 days ago and replaced, only to be knocked down again.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
Livingston, Nov. 2--Passengers on train No. 4, reaching Livingston 20 minutes late at 4;05, were still in a state of excitement as a result of their earthquake experience. The train, Conductor Frank Shelver reported, was a few minutes late and was still standing at the station in Helena when the shock came.
Members of the train crew agreed with passengers that for a moment they thought the train would leave the track, so pronounced was the swaying of the engines and cars. There was a considerable crowd of people in the station, waiting to go west on train No. 1. The crowd came pouring out of the station and fortunately no one was hurt as one end of the structure came down.
Most of the westbound passengers in their panic crowded upon train No. 4 and it was more than 10 minutes before the train crew could get matters straightened out to leave.
It was reported that one engine standing upon the N. P. tracks near the roundhouse was derailed.
Passengers said they were looking out of the windows and could see clouds of dust arising over demolished warehouses and similar large structures.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
The old Salvail residence, in which are housed the children of the wrecked Deaconess school in the Helena valley, is but little damaged and perfectly safe for occupancy, it was shown yesterday after an inspection of the structure by City Engineer Oscar Baarson.
According to Miss Helen C. Piper, principal, the children are comfortable in their new quarters, and relatives in other communities who have feared for children attending the school are urged to be now reassured.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
With the courthouse temporarily vacated, Lewis and Clark has the novelty of a "walking district court." Will Whalen, clerk of court, forced to close his offices, carries his official seal around with him and transacts court business at home, on the street or wherever attorneys happen to find him.
Mr. Whalen removed all of the necessary indexes, dockets and record books to his home and has even issued a marriage license there. The intrepid pair who secured the license in the face of all the earthquakes are Joe M. Bowden and Helen Lee Wilcoxen, both of Helena.
Charley O'Rourke, well known auto peddler and former prominent theatrical agent, has not been seen in his favorite haunts since Thursday noon. He says he "hasn't lost anything up the canyon." He spent Friday night in a Great Northern coach and last night commuted to Boulder Hot Springs for the weekend.
George Pauly of the county clerk's staff got caught in a bad way when Thursday's rumbler hit the courthouse. The spectacle of his flight down the corridor was so amusing that County Treasurer Gar Lutey, the only witness, burst out with raucous laughter while the building was still shaking. He had much difficulty convincing the members of his office force that he had not gone hysterical.
A railway mail clerk had just finished his run Thursday and was in the N. P. freight office making out his report when the quake came. Involuntarily he jumped up and started for the door. Three feet from the door, it suddenly struck him that he had better stay inside. He had no sooner stopped than a mass of bricks came crashing down outside the doorway.
Members of the national guard company patrolling the streets yesterday were praising the thoughtfulness of John Byrne of the V. F. W. Friday night when it was coldest, Byrne appeared with a whole flock of sandwiches and several large cans of coffee. The welcome refreshments were on tap all night long at the A-A garage, headquarters for the unit.
To make the last big earth shock more terrifying for Mrs. Lee Goodwin, she found she was unable to get out of the room she was in when the quivering had subsided. The quake had broken the lock on the door and it was necessary to get an axe and break the door in to release her.
A workman standing on the ground outside the Crago Transfer company reported that the shock knocked him flat. Another individual asserted it knocked him off his feet three times as he ran across an open space.
Fifty-four persons sought shelter Friday night in the coaches brought in by the Great Northern, it was reported. More were on hand last night.
A Helena visitor had occasion last Thursday to
drive out into the Helena valley, and on his way out
he drove by the partially demolished Northern Pacific
land office in the Sixth ward. He slowed up to obtain
a good look at the result of mother earth's tremor, and
then continued on his way.
When the large shock came he was still in his car
and did not feel it. He drove back to the city by the
same route he used going out. When he drove up
along the side of the old building he gazed again at
the remains, now leveled. He rubbed his eyes, shook
his head and then decided to change his brand of
liquor.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
200 CARED FOR DURING NIGHT
With every available resource of the Northern Pacific railroad placed at the disposal of Helena people made homeless by the tandom of major quakes, upwards of 200 persons were taken care of last night in the warm, comfortable coaches and bunk cars furnished by the company during the emergency, it was said by Lynn R. Challoner, assistant general freight and passenger agent, and D. M. Driscoll, division superintendent with headquarters in Missoula.
Although through the generosity of U. S. Senator Murray, Boulder Hot Springs hotel, which he owns, was turned over to officials of the St. Joseph's Orphan home as quarters for the 125 children of the institution, they remained in the Northern Pacific coaches last night and will not transferred until today.
"If necessary," he said," we will bring in more coaches, for everyone in need is to be taken care of."
Much of the equipment was brought here Thursday afternoon in two special trains from Missoula and Livingston. A special train of Pullmans carrying CCC boys to Gardiner and Cardwell was made available Thursday and run out on the Fort Harrison spur track and placed at the disposal of veterans' hospital authorities for moving patients.
Despite the damage done by Thursday's jar, there was little interference with rail operations. A passenger car is being used as a station and when the lunchroom is reopened, probably today, the ticket agent will be accommodated in one corner of it. The roundhouse, although considerably damaged, is being used. Power is furnished by two large locomotives. A large crew is busy on the building making the necessary repairs. Two bridge crews were called in and there are sufficient workers to repair all damages to Northern Pacific property.
Mr. Challoner and Mr. Driscoll commended N. P. officers and employees here who remained at their posts throughout the various quakes. George Miner, city passenger and ticket agent, was highly praised as was his entire staff.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
Butte, Nov. 2--Severely rocked in an earthquake Thursday morning the Butte postoffice building escaped with but slight damage. Two partitions in the forest service offices on the third floor were cracked in the tremor, it was discovered yesterday.
Cracks were in the walls prior to the quake, Postmaster Frank X. Monaghan said, but the movement Thursday made the breaks larger. An inspection in other parts of the building failed to disclose any other damage.
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
The matter of installing a permanent seismograph at Helena has been taken up with the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey by U. S. Senator James E. Murray, Postmaster Harry Hendricks was advised yesterday. The postmaster requested such action in a letter to Murray a few days ago.
"There is no doubt as to the need of setting up such an instrument in your city and I am accordingly taking the matter up with the director of the Coast and Geodetic Survey," said Murray. "I consulted with the director several days ago in regard to having his organization send several men to Montana to make a complete survey of conditions, which has been done."
[Helena Independent; November 3, 1935]
Return to Newspaper Summary for Articles 150-199.
Return to Helena Earthquake Summary.
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