Historical Note - Week of December 27th
Big Timber Pioneer, January 2, 1930
Cooke City, a historic mining camp situated in the New World mining district, accessible by railroad only when the government grants permission to build through a part of its territory—which will never be—had a newspaper in 1886, the Daily Cooke Picnic, published for one issue only by David Boerum, an old prospector, bookkeeper and good fellow all the time. It was a small folder written in ink by Mr. Boerum, and sold at 25 cents a copy. At that time Cooke City had a population of at least 150; the Republic smelter was running, business houses were plentiful; and Mr. Boerum did well on ads and the sale of his little sheet; too well, in fact, for the proceeds from the first issue started him on the bright lights road for a couple of weeks and when he came back the second issue was never undertaken.
Through the courtesy of Frank Beller of Gardiner, present member of the deputy game and fish warden staff for this district, the Pioneer reprints the Daily Cooke Picnic, in toto, consisting principally of advertisements, as follows:
DAILY COOKE PICNIC
Vol. 1. No. 1. Cooke City, Sept. 26, 1886
Hotel Advertisements
Cosmopolitan Hotel Has been renovated throughout with Johnny Brannon in the Dining Hall.
Customers will always receive polite attention.
Jackson and Lashalle, European Restaurant. Meals at all Hours.
Go to Mrs. Keeney’s quiet, private boarding house for cleanliness and good meals.
Mrs. F. Hobbs is still in the lead. All the delicacies of the season served in a homelike manner.
Lancaster Hotel—Best in Cooke.
Dunnivan’s Music Hall is now open day and night. If you want a quiet game, or a fine drink, or a fine cigar. Call on F.J.
For Wines, Liquors and Cigars or a quiet game of Billiards, go to Emisons.
Draper and Lilly are prepared to accommodate all old and new patrons. Call and be convinced.
Flemming, Rutherford & Co. have just opened and you can bet they are good ones. Jack says they won’t be outdone and are going to keep the best.
Twohey’s is the Boss place for a good drink of beer, wine and whiskey.
Pioneer Butchers—Haskins and MeGirl, Beef, Game, Mutton, Bacon, Ham, &c. &c. Flour and vegetables always on hand.
Judge Potter was caught in the act of sawing wood, and the A.O.’s say it is a sure sign of a snow storm.
Mr. Harry Gassert will soon leave for Butte.
The Sullivan and Harold fight terminated suddenly, as it was stopped by the police in the second round.
Continued next week
