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About The Ekalaka Eagle (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1923-current | View This Issue
The Ekalaka Eagle (Ekalaka, Mont.), 20 April 1923, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/sn85053092/1923-04-20/ed-1/seq-3/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
,• THE EICALAKA EAGLE •!•(!, MUTUAL MOVING INTO THE NORTH RUMORED THAT BIG COMPANY IS BACK OF THE HOGAN DRILL- ING CAMPAIGN Lou Sontag, Mutual Official, is Said to be in Charge of Northern Devel- opment; Pump Test May Start Things. Rumors that the Mutual Oil company of Maine, the dominant Standard Oil subsidiary in the Cat Creek field, will enter the Kevin - Sunburst field found confirmation this week with the arrival of six carloads of casing at Sunburst for the Mutual. Though the statement is without official confirmation, it is under- stood that the Mutual will finance the operation of the leases of Sena- tor T. S. Hogan of Billings. Sen- ator Hogan ban about 1400 &MVO In the center of the field, which he is operating under the name of the Hogan Oil company. Senator Hogan passed through Great Falls recently, en route from Sunburst to his headquarters in Bil- lings. He confirmed the fact that Lou Sonntag, field superintendent of. the Mutual, is now in the field, but gave no comment on the reported deal. It is stated in local oil circles that the coming pump test on the Hogan wells is to be a determining factor in closing the deal. Tankage is now be- ing arranged to pump the wells at capacity for from 24 to 48 hours or such time as is required to fill the 2,000 barrels of storage. The Hogan No. 1 well has never been pumped, though the rods are In place. This well came in on Octo- ber 25, 1922. It flower for several days at the rate of 400 barrels per day. It has been flowing, with occa- sional swabbing, ever since that time, maintaining about 276 barrels a day. The Hogan was for four months the largest well in the field, or until the Ohio Oil company began drilling out the Baker tract. The Hogan No. 2, also on the Helmerichs lease, in sec- tion 22-36-2W., is nearly as good as the No. 1, though its initial produc- tion was not as large. It flowed after It was drilled into the sand, which is 15 feet thick. Arrange 2,000 -Barrel Storage Reports from the field are that 2,000 barrels storage has been ar- ranged for the test. Two 600 -barrel tanks have been erected and enough storage has been released through the sale of crude for fuel in the field to provide another 1,000 -barrel ca- pacity. Cuticura Soothes itching Scalp On retiring gently rub spots of an- druff and itching with Cuticura °int- swot. Next morning shampoo with Cuticura Soap and hot water. Make them your every -day toilet preparations and have a clear skin and soft, white hands.—Adv. Forty-Flve Years in One Store. Charles Hoepfner, employed by the firm of Gans & Klein of Helena, completed his forty-fifth anniversary with that company recently, when he was the recipient of numerous con- gratulations. He was told by many that he is still the \you`hgest man in Helena.\ Mr. Iloepfner began his career with the Gans & Klein com- pany April 6th, 1878, in the days this firm sold bacon and potatoes in addi- tion to clothing. Mr. Hoepfner is a native of Iowa and during the Civil war served with an Iowa regiment in the Union army. In 1866 he came to Montana and for a time thereafter conducted a store at Blackfoot. Ile is one of the old time Odd Fellows of Helena, a member of the Society of Montana Pioneers and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic . Washington—A seizure by Florida prohibition agents of a schooner 16 miles beyond the three-mile limit has been sustained in the Florida courts. Jackson, died in 1846, so that it is doubtful if any man lives today who knew Jackson personally, although it Is barely possible. Mr. Cooney, who came to Montana 30 years ago, has retired from all active business for 25 years. He is practically the last of the placer miners of Silver Bow. For five years after his arrival he mined, first in Missoula and Whiskey Gulch, but later and more successfully above Stringtown, a now deserted village MONTANA MAN WHOSE MEMORY GOES BACK TO THE DAYS OF MARTIN VAN BUREN, EIGHTH PRESIDENT OF U. S. L INKING the beginnings of the government of the United States with the present, and boasting of an intimate personal acquaint- ance with Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States, John W. Cooney, the father of County Commissioner Byron E. Cooney, of Butte, is probably one of the few men in the west whose personal memories reach so far back in the long line of past presidents. Van Buren's predecessor, Andrew secretary of state under President Jackson in 1829 and was appointed minister to England in 1831. First Democratic Vice -President He was the first democratic vice- president under Andrew Jackson, the first democratic president. In 1836 he was elected president, defeat- ing William H. Harrison, the whig candidate, by a vote of 762,678 against the combined whig vote of 735,651. He received 170 out of 294 electoral votes. Even in these days elections wore often too close for comfort. \Harrison in turn defeated Van Buren in 1840, but 'Tippecanoe' died N after serving a month. In 1844 Van Buren failed to receive the nomina- tion. In 1848 Van Buren was the anti -slavery candidate for president on the Free Soil ticket. He ran more on a matter of principle, but it should be remembered that to Lincoln all honors for emancipation are not due. Van Buren's principles were a decade ahead of the public's desires. • \So It happened that in the morn- ing of Illy life, when I was 16 years old and Martin Van Buren 64, was formed a deep and abiding friend- ship which lasted until I was 16 and of which my memories are still very vivid. Like Colonial Days. \One must remember that in the 40a much of the atmosphere of co- lonial life still remained. Railroads were few. We lived 21 miles from a railroad. The president's grounds were 160 acres in extent and his house one of many rooms. There were no kerosene lamps at that time. There were, of course, no bicycles, automobiles, flying machines, tele- phones, typewriters, no postage stamps, envelopes and many of the convenience of today. My father came to America from Droughadea. Ireland, in a sailing vessel i,n 1830. 93 years ago. Ile was natu lized an American citizen at Alba y almost immediately and his naturalization papers written altogether by hand are still in possession of my brother Frank, who lives in Chicago. He is 85 years old. My father was 94 years old when he died. eight miles north of Walkerville on \In spite of the absence of elec- the head waters of Silver Bow creek, bricity and coal oil lamps the presi- technically known as Pilgrim Gulch. dent kept his house brilliantly lighted Boyhood Association with whale oil lamps and myriads of Although he amassed no fortune candles, especially when there was in the enterprise, Mr. Cooney extract- company. In the summer he enter- ed enough yellow metal from the tamed lavishly and notable men came earth to retire and live in ease and from great distances, men who were plenty the balance of his days. Apart nationally famous then but who have from a slight deafness the old gen- since dropped from the public mind. tleman enjoys good health, reads the These parties lasted for weeks and daily papers without glasses and has were often in the nature of political no particular ailments. , conferences. Of the names of visitors \My first recollections as a boy,\ I still remember were the Stuyvey- said Mr. Cooney, \are those of daily Hants, Lodges, Van Rensellers and the association with Martin Van Buren, Clays. Some men who differed with the ex -president, on his estates at him politically were his greatest Kinderhook, N. Y. In fact I was his friends. I remember Henry Clay best, constant companion until I was 16 He came oftenest and stayed long - years old, My father, Patrick Cooney, eat, sometimes a month at a time. was overseer of Van Buren's vast Clay . brought his own colored serv- estate and farm lands, I was born ants,' two of them, when he came. in 1837, the year Van Buren was in- augurated. On his retirement in 1841 Knew Henry (lay he returned to Kinderhook, where he \The arrival of guests was usually died in 1862, and where he is buried heralded several days in advance. in the little village cemetery. They came by train to Albany. The \Van Buren was what would be president's finest coach and four known today as a political boss and horses would be taken out. He would held many political offices prelimin- drive to Albany to meet them ary to his selection as the nation's Though he had his own coachmen chief executive. Ile was a member he would often drive it himself with of a nominating convention at the the coachman sitting behind. lie age of 18, a district judge at 26, then took a pride in what he tailed 'hand - attorney general of the state of New ling the ribbons,' but the coichman York, and also state senator. He always drove back. He had his own held both these positions simulflan- fish pond a few miles away at the eously. At the age of 39 he was Bent foot of the Catskill mountains about to the Uniter States senate, a post- as big as Lake Avoca. Here were tion he held twice and was governor perch, chub, sunfish and pickerel in of New York in 1828. He became abundance, also catfish, the most JOHN W. COOWEY At 843 year. of age Mr. Cooney still takes an sethe interest In affair. and speaks with vivid memory of the days before the chit war. Mr. Cooney Is the father of County Commissioner Byron K Cooney, and llow- ard Cooney of Butte, and Frank Cooney of Missoula, former democratic candidate for lieutenant go‘ernor of Montana. Here's the Food -Iron Nature intended you to have •Iik K IND and skilful Mother Nature planted under the outer coat of the kernels of her best food -grains a store of iron for human use. Many present- day foods arc robbed of this and other vital qualities in the extra \refinement\ of preparation. Grape -Nuts, that famous wheat -and -malted -barley food, supplies iron, phosphates and vitamin from the natural grain; and in its splendid, well- tif dole sionn011g tad elsollkair MINA ECONOMY sampagehlo of part of • nod fa oallalotst br ,lsriso Is awl I I dais' rounded nutriment and easy digestion it is a wonderful builder of health and energy. There's a delightful charm of crispness and flavor to Grape-Nuts—a welcome serv- ing at any meal. Ready to serve, with cream or milk. Order from your grocer to- day. There are many servings, providing exceptional nourish- ment, in a package of this truly economical food. G rape:Nuts THE BODY BUILDER \There's a Reason\ Made by PolIBMI1 Cereal Co., Inc. Battle Craik, Mich. toothsome of them all. There was great rivalry between him and Clay as to who would catch the most. Sometimes I caught more than either of them. \One of my duties was to provide the bait—angle worms. Once I re- call he notified me to have some bait ready in the morning. I failed to provide them. \Where's the bait, John?\ Oman& ed the president, just before wegot into the conveyance. I sulked a bit. (I was only 10). \You didn't pay me for last Satur- day's bait,\ I said. \But we didn't go fishing last Sat- urday,\ he declared. \I didn't use any bait.\ \No said I, \but you told me to get them and I got them and it rained MARTIN VAN BUREN VIghth president of the United States and one of the countrrys' leading figures In politics and statesmanship in the decade prior to the outbreak of the civil war. In Van Buren's time Issues that reached their crisis in armed conflict were being threshed out on the rostrums of the country. Mr. Cooney as a mere lad knew President Van Buren well. and you didn't go fishing. I did the work just the same.\ Henry Clay laughed long and loud. \Ile has you, Martin. Breach of contract. You're a lawyer. Better pay up. That boy'll be a lawyer when he grows up.\ My customary fee was 10 cents so he paid and while the party waited I got a fresh supply and got another dime. Clay was very generous but not a very good fisherman. Old Fashioned Fishing \During the 11 years I lived there I rarely missed a Saturday I did not go fishing with the president, frequently just the two of us. They fished differently in those days. We used a sinker and float and a long solid bamboo pole and selected a soft spot on the bank until the float went under water. Then we knew we had a bite. Sometimes the old man would doze off until the tug on the pole awakened him. \A hamper of lunch was always packed for these excursions, with several interesting bottles. The presi- dent had his own wine, and cider made on his premises but his whis- key, brandy and fancy table vintages he shipped in from New York. \Dinners wore late and formal at the big house, when there was com- pany. There was plenty of music. dancing, card playing and drinking. Martin Van Buren was no Puritan. Clay's servants were slaves. Van Buren was an abolitionist. He had no slaves and no colored servants. Often heated arguments were held far into the morning on national issues sech as slavery. During one visit one of Clay's valets took French leave. After a week he came back. Freedom was not what he thought it was. The poor fellow had it pretty easy all his life. Ile had never learned how to provide himself with the necessities of life. He came back hungry, Roiled and travel worn and begged to be taken back. Political Gossiping \Often we drove to Kinderhook creek, some distance further than the lake. En route the president would meet many old friends on the road and working in the fields, and would stop to talk. Farmers then oo now, loved to lean on a rail fence ;and talk politics. How disgusted I used to be when these parleys would delay Us until it was high t n i 0 0 0 n. n before we reached our destina- \How often I wished there were no national issues while fine, fat, catfish lurked under mossy banks waiting for my hook. How often I asrew hungry and extracted a sand- : I v: a ft keen e t d h g e e. hamper en route. As a small boy my appetite was always Lost Ills Poke \While not parsimonious the presi- dent was punctilious and careful, though he was a lavish entertainer. I recall once while roaming alone I found the president's wallet in the hrambles where he had lost it. I took It to my father. In addition to papere which I suppose were important. It contained $316 in bills. Father told me to take it to the president at once. Boy like I had visions of re- ward, but the old man only said, 'Goodness, goodness, I never missed it. How fortunate, how fortunate, Thank you, John.' And without look- legpopocket k e Into and went o a it wheepun reading. t r i e t ad inh . is inside \Even in his age the president was an elaborate dresser. The men wore stocks and riding costumes for out- door wear and 'dressed' for dinner, The days of the these -cornered hat were gone, but not aci far distant in the past in the forties. Once in a while you would see very elderly men wearing the old hat and breeches. But those in public life were quite modish. The black silk bell shaped tile or beaver was everywhere on the heads of men of importance. I ima- gine a national convention was a sea of men wearing the Prince Albert or cut -away black coats and a man who didn't carry a stick was no man at all, as far as prominence was con- cerned. What I started to say was that the president had all his clothes, even his shoes, made to measure. \Shirt Off His Back\ \One day he called me into the big house. I was 16 years old then and a big boy. \'Do you think,' he said, 'that shirt would fit you?' \Without trying it on I allowed it would. \ 'Well, here's six of them,' and he handed me the box of a half a dozen. They had just arrived from I New York. \The neck bands were all too small and as the president was troubled with asthma, from which it is record ed he died, the tight neck band caus- ed him untold misery. He had not tried the other five. They wore a bit large for me, but for the next three years I wore the shirts of the presi- dent of the United States with 'M. V. B.' delicately monogrammed thereon. \Of his great love of nature and animals I recall Van Buren's favorite dog, his favorite horse, and his affec- tion for them was great. \One day while going fishing a great snapping turtle waddled across the road. The president poked him with his fish pole just to see the big fellow get angry and snap. .Finally the turtle snapped the end of the president's fish pole and held on like a bulldog. Nothing could induce the creature to let go. \ 'What are we going to do?' said the president. \I got out my jack knife. \ 'Cut his head off,' said I. \ 'Really, really!' said the presi- dent. 'We couldn't do that, it would be cruel. In fact, that turtle was minding his own business when we started to annoy him.' • \Finally he cut the end off the fish pole, a fine pole bought in Albany and very expensive. \The turtle went away carrying the piece of bamboo in his mouth like a cigar. \I was 16 years old when I last saw Martin Van Buren. If I ever go east I would like to go to Kinderhook and look at his modest grave there.. My father left him to take a position with James Frost, nurseryman, flor- ist and seedsman of Rochester, N. Y. The country was growing fast and there was a great demand for seeds. This grew into an enormous fortune - producing business, as well as one of the greatest mail order businesses in the nation. When I grew older I worked for Frost, Peter Henderson and D. M. Ferry, the names of the latter two you will see on seed sold in packages. Their descendants still retain the firm names of their fa- thers. I knew all the pioneers in the seed business personally. \My only profession is that of a florist with its kindred branches. That entails a study of botany and learning the Latin equivalent of the names of all flowers and plants. Lin - fleas is the great authority and I still have three volumes of his given me by my father. An Aristocrat \From Martin Van Burn I learn- ed a love of nature. He spent hours in his gardens which were quite a show place in that section. He loved trees, doge, birds, flowers, and he was personally concerned and deeply interested in the humblest 'of his neighbors for miles around his coun- tryside. At heart he was an aristo- crat. At that time it was not con- sidered a crime for a public charac- ter to have an aristocrtic taste. Ile was the last of that pronounced type. The people, I would not say how wise- ly, began to turn to men who could beat be described by the title of 'com- moner.' Some historians have seen fit to term Van Buren's administra- tion as one of failure. I think, how- ever, that time put a different light on his later political defeat. The na- tion was growing, expanding and de- veloping; so abnormal was the growth that the currency was not elastic enough to accommodate it. As a result the financial panic of 1837 ensued and the ills of his time were laid at his door. It was exclusively a financial' panic. Everybody had plenty to eat and wear, but there were many business failures. \After his first four years, in his second campaign, Harrison's popular vote was 1,276,016 to Van Buren's 1,129,102, which I do not consider in the light of 'an overwhelming defeat' as some historians do, who apparent- ly failed to look up statistics refer- ring to it. I know defeat did not em- bitter him nor did he Cease his in- terest in politics to the time of his death; up to the time of his death he was a big man in political coun- sel. Pioneer of Abolition \In 1848 when neither Zachary Taylor, the whig nominee, nor Lewis Cass, the democratic, would openly espouse 'abolition of slavery,' Van Buren ran independently on a free soil platform—on the platform that 'congress could no more create a slave than it could create a king.' I have always contended that his un- successful bravery In this paved the way later' for Abraham Lincoln, the first of the republicans. When I hear republicans boast of Lincoln's eman- cipation platform I want to tell them that he inherited most of it from hie democratic predecessor. I met Lin- coln several times and shook hands with him but not in any personal or intimate way, but just as you might t c o h d a a n y ce to meet President. Harding \Lincoln was the sixteenth presi- dent of the United States and as I said Van Buren the eighth. There were only 26 states in the union in Van Buren's time. \Van Buren and Roosevelt were the only two presidents to claim OTT ROMNEY, WHO IS STAR COACH WILL HELP WITH BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB ACTIVITIES DURING THE SUMMER Is Graduate of State College, But Won His Laurels as a Physical Di- rector on the Outside; CliMP8 In Many Counties, Among the many \specialists\ who will help with Boys' and Girls' Club camp activities this summer, no person sent out by the Montana Extension Service will be more en- thusiastically received than will Coach Ott Romney of MOBtlialli State College. Coach Romney has been engaged by the extension service to supervise physical edu- cation in these junior camps for farm boys and girls of Montana. Coach Ott Romney, who will look after boys' and girls' camps this summer, Coach Romney is one of the best known athletes and physical culture directors of the northwest. Ile grad- uated from Montana State College in 1916 after a career as a wonderful athlete for M. S. C. Later he was in Salt Lake where he made an out- standing reputation as an athletic coach. Last fall he was induced to return to Montana to coach athletic teams and direct physical education at his own school. \We want the best leaders we can possibly get for these camps; that is why we engaged Coach Romney\ says Charles E. Potter, state club leader. \The boys and girls of the farms, we know, will come in con- tact with a famous athletic director who knows how to teach proper phys- ical health for young folks. While the idea of play is strong in these camps, the idea of general physical education is emphasized more. Coach Romney will contribute wonders to the health possibilities of hundreds of young people of the state through these camps.\ Camps will be held some time be- tween June 1, and August 15 in these counties: Raven', Gallatin, Big Horn, Valley, Yellowstone, Richland, Flat- head, Fallon, Fergus, and Judith Basin, Roosevelt, Madison and Lewis and Clark. Dude Ranch to Breed Dogs Raising of pedigreed German po- lice dogs will be a new activity of the Deer Creek dude ranch, according to Barry Williams, part owner, who was in Billings recently on his way from New York to the ranch near Cody, Wyoming, with six of the celebrated animals. He was accompanied by Freddie Sayles, owner of the Irving- ton, N. Y., kennels, where the dogs were reared, and who will have charge of the ranch kennels, and by Tyler Bronson, noted golf player, who will spend the summer at the Cody ranch. Dutch lineage. Mrs. Van 13t yen died before I was born but the pOsident's sons lived in the vicinity, John Van Buren being a prominent attorney. An Educated Man \I often wish I had been older when I spent BO much time with Van Buren no I could have learned more from him in a political and historical way. Ho was highly learned and had traveled abroad. His message to congress when he called a special session to consider the financial panic is said to be a splendid treatise on the topic and an excellent liter- ary effort, \When we left his employ for what my father considered greater opportunity, he sent our family in his coach to Albany and my last memory of him was his picturesque figure on the big driveway and his parting advice: \ 'John, always do what you think is the right thing and when you are an old man you'll have no regrets.'\ Mr. (7ooney lives with his son at Lake Avoca in Butte. He attributes his long life and good health to his outdoor life. He is an inveterate smoker and has drunk liquor in mod- eration since the days when people made It for themselves. Tie has lived to see days when the people are again making it for home consumption. SILVER BLACK FOX RANCHING IR the most profitable of all live stock in- dustries. R• eau supply purebred regls- • kored stefk tress pet whiners. Hlulleet pelt vaisees prelnie b rat /TINA fill\ Basch plane and after valuable laterusa- ilea. Correopeadblnee Invited. MONTANA SLIMIER BLACK POI CO. Klee•abs, Meataaa
