Feb. 11 – On this day in Montana history in 1961, one of Montana’s ugliest and most public fights between a legislator and a lobbyist ended with a legislative resolution that said Sen. William Cashmore, R-Lewis and Clark County, “reasonably believed” he had been threatened and intimidated by James Umber, president of the Montana AFL-CIO. The bitter dispute – that virtually tied up any legislative action for about a week – arouse over a bill proposed by Cashmore that would have required a secret ballot on union strike votes in labor disputes not covered by federal laws. Umber said” it would kill small unions in Montana.”

Feb. 10 – On this day in Montana history in 1873, the first brand under the current state brand registration system was entered into the Montana brand books. It was the Square and Compass registered to Poindexter & Ore in the Beaverhead Valley. It was based on their membership in the Masons.

Feb. 7-- On this day in history in 1890, law enforcement officers were on the lookout for eight Democratic state senators wanted under arrest warrants issued ironically by the Senate itself. Lt. Gov Rickards, a Republican, issued the warrants after the senators boarded trains and went in different directions to keep the Senate from being able to officially organize. The bitter dispute badly divided the state, and centered on whom the Senate would elect to represent them in Congress. (And some people think political partisanship has gone too far today)

Feb. 6 – On this day in Montana history in 1920, Chief Montana Stock Inspector Frank Lavigne reported that in the previous year 182 arrests for stealing walking livestock in the state. Of those there were 135 felony convictions with 37 cases pending. “A number of the horse and cattle thieves arrested were dangerous characters, or what is commonly termed ‘had boiled.’ One man was shot resisting arrest, but later recovered, while two were killed outright,” Lavigne reported.     

Feb. 5 – On this day in Montana history in 1904, consideration was given to give 10 percent of the fines collected from prostitutes to the Florence Crittenden Circle for the care of destitute “women of that class.” It never happened for soon after the group said it would not accept the money gathered in that manner.

Feb. 4 – On this day in Montana history in 1941, things were different when it came to smoking cigarettes.  A column in the Billings Gazette titled “Mind Your Manners” offered some advice. Women were told it was ok to smoke in a store, but not while trying on dresses. “Department stores say a number of dresses are ruined by women who refuse to stop smoking long enough to make their selection.” It also said it is bad manners “to flip ashes on a carpet if you are in a public place.” Like the cigarette ad said, “We’ve come a long way baby.”

Feb. 3 – On this day in Montana history in 1936, a Butte headline noted the “Grim Reaper Calls Man, Wife and Faithful Horse.” For many years a gentle brown horse named Old Doc had pulled James Tallack’s ice cream cart through the city to the double delight of children. Doc had been retired to Barney Salusso’s nearby farm. When Salusso came to town to tell Tallack his faithful horse was dead, he learned that Tallack had died only a few hours earlier. Doubling the irony, Tallack’s widow died shortly after the funeral for her husband.