The Mountaineer is 114 years old and faces changes, which should be evident to all. The Havre Daily/Chronicle has decided it will no longer print the Big Sandy Mountaineer nor, for that matter, its own paper. It will be outsourced as well. Bozeman will be printing the Mountaineer at almost two times the cost I previously paid. We still need to find out the timeline, but we hope it will be similar to what we are doing now. The format has changed because of the paper's size, so please be patient with us as we learn how to format this paper. We do have someone who has stepped up to help with ads, hoping to have more ads to help pay for the cost of the paper. I've heard some comments that there are too many ads in the paper now. However, we can only absorb more costs by increasing ads.
Robert Lucke wrote the Mountaineer's history, which I partially include here. Changes have always been a part of the Mountaineers' history.
We will never know all the history of the newspaper and its effect on the area because some issues have been lost. We do know that it was originally called "The Bear Paw Mountaineer." On the front page of the first issue, there are grainy photographs of the owner and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Paul R. Flint.
The Bear Paw Mountaineer's first location was in a building belonging to Hans Lehfeldt, south of the Spokane Hotel. This would put the newspaper in the vicinity of the present Sheehy Law Office.
Stories in the first issue include an article by Judith Stage Driver reporting a hold-up of two homesteaders. Then there is this editorial that says Big Sandy businessmen should have a motto on every envelope, saying Big Sandy will be a town of 1,000 inhabitants in 1912. If every merchant had this printed below their return card, it would be surprising how much good it would do. This can be done as well as not if we pull together. Let's make Big Sandy a town of 1,000 people in 1912"
Here is where the story gets murky. What we know, thanks to Midge Edward's efforts, is going through old "Mountaineers" is the following:
1911 Paul Flint was the owner and editor. Later that year, Flint and JH. E. Mahood is listed.
1912 C. E. Flint is listed as editor, and H. S. Flint is listed as business manager.
In 1921, C. C. Mills started as an editor.
1933 Frank Lee worked as an editor with Mills or by himself for a couple of years. Lee was also postmaster. Keith Edwards says Lee had some difficulty at the post office and had to leave town.
1936, Mills is back to being editor by himself.
1947 Long-time editor and owner Lou Lawrence took over. Stan Tichenor was an apprentice under Lou Lawrence.
In 1971, Jim Rettig bought Mountaineer and became editor and owner.
2009, Keith and Keri Hanson took over as owners and editors
at Mountaineer.
In 2019, Lorrie Merrill bought Mountaineer
and became the editor.
1915, a desk phone was installed, and we now feel more closely connected with the world.
1916, it was noted that with the February 27th issue, the paper is five years old.
1916 The paper was equipped with a new Mentges folder to save about two days' work for three men.
1918 "We regret to chronicle the death at Great Falls yesterday of Mrs. H. R. Flint, wife of the publisher of this paper, the immediate cause of death being pneumonia superinduced by influenza. She had been an inmate of the hospital for ten days and a sufferer from the dread scourge. Mr. Fint is at present an inmate of the same hospital suffering from pneumonia, and yesterday morning, the little son, Bobbie, was taken there, supposedly with influenza
1919 The Bear Paw Mountaineer is letting people know they will only receive the paper if they pay in advance. "We can no longer afford to carry accounts."
We learn in the July 17th issue that there was another newspaper, presumably in Big Sandy, named The Public Opinion. The Opinion and the Mountaineer join hands for life. The editor of "The Opinion" bids farewell.
1923, it was announced that the Mountaineer was a machine set with a linotype in (its) own office. This is a long stride forward in our effort to give Big Sandy a newspaper that will compare with any small-town papers.
1934 Grant Courtnage and Frank B. Lee drove to Havre and brought back a proof press for the newspaper.
1935 One issue in November speaks for itself. "A heating element burned out in our linotype melting pot this week, so we had to finish setting type by hand. Consequently, we are forced to omit some local news. This and the bad weather kept the Mountaineer force in a bad temper.
1940, the press broke down for the September 26th issue, and it had to be printed at the River Press in Fort Benton
1950 The National Board of Fire Underwriters, New York, announced that the judges of the weekly newspapers had selected the Mountaineer for the National Board's Gold Medal Award for outstanding public service during 1949.
1966, "The Mountaineer" had to raise its out-of-town rates to four dollars
annually.
The Mountaineer
hopes we can make the newspaper so important that it becomes a vital family member for all who live in this part of Montana.
