OCTOBER 2025 Ghost Towns and History of Montana Newsletter From The Belt Valley Times, Oct. 29, 1925 Thar She Blows: When Whales Rode the Rails in Montana by Bob Goss “So be cheery, my lads, let your hearts never fail, While the bold harpooneer is striking the whale!” Nantucket Song Published in Montana Pioneer, July 2019 Accessed via: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ “Avast ye - thar she blows!” Not exactly a phrase one would have expected to hear in the bustling landlocked cities of Montana, but that is exactly what happened some ninety years ago. In September 1930, the newspapers were awash with tales of a whale sailing across the boundless plains of Montana on ships of steel. A Butte paper announced, “No doubt the largest visitor to ever come to Butte will pay the city a visit for three days,” while other papers exclaimed, “The familiar cry of the whaler, “Thar she blows,” can be sounded here Friday when the famous whale of San Clemente arrives in this city.” In Livingston, a somewhat more staid reporter drily announced the arrival of a, “72-ton, 65-foot whale, the largest fin-back whale ever captured.” Helena, in a more exuberant fashion, “gave the monster finback whale a whale of a welcome. . . by furnishing some genuine whale weather which made Moby Dora rest peacefully in her handsomely lighted casket.” What unfathomable befuddlement was manifesting itself in Montana? A whale resting in a casket inland some 800-1000 miles from the Pacific Ocean? Perplexing perhaps, but not inexplicable. So, heave ho, my hearties and gather ‘round amidships for a whale of a yarn. . . From the Helena Independent Record, Sept. 21, 1930
P a g e 2 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Denizens of the deep spawned both fascination and terror for mankind throughout history. The depths of the sea were often seen teeming with monsters, real and imagined. History and mythology abounds with nightmarish creatures, ranging from the Biblical great whale of Jonah, to the Leviathan - a dragon of the sea, and the Scylla of Homer - a six-headed, twelve-legged serpentine monster. From Scandinavia in the 1600s came the legend of the Kraken, a giant squid-octopus type creature that could grab sailors or envelope entire ships in horror. A strange and mystifying world existed under the sea and it was not until the 1800s that some of these rumors began to be dispelled by scientific reason and exploration. But the monstrous whale - that was no figment of imagination! Larger than any land animal that ever existed; they had been hunted at least as early as 3000BC. But in the 18th and 19th century, hunting of whales became a prolific and highly profitable, albeit a dangerous commercial enterprise. Normally a peaceful mammal, whales become enraged when stalked and hunted. Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick, even though fictional, was based on actual historic accounts of the whale Mocha Dick, and the whale that rammed and sunk the whale-ship Essex in 1820. Other equally stimulating novels and newspaper accounts tantalized the public with awe and curiosity about these great beasts. Whale oil, baleen, and other whale byproducts were used in all sectors of American life in the 1700-1800s - including the production of soap, leather, textiles, and paints. This high-grade oil lubricated machinery and equipment, both commercial and domestic. Prior to the advent of kerosene, whale oil lamps illuminated homes and businesses across the country. A waxy substance called spermaceti, collected from the heads of sperm whales, produced the brightest and cleanest burning candles ever made. Whales and whaling was a vital part of the nation’s economy and well-being. By the 1860s, Atlantic whale populations had been seriously decimated by over a century of intensive slaughter, and the whaling industry mostly shifted to the Pacific Ocean and Arctic Sea to conduct their bloody business. Voyages would last two to three years, exposing men and ships to increasing danger and hardships, while decreasing profits. With the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, and the ability to transport whale products across the country, the heart of the whaling industry moved from New Bedford and Nantucket Mass. to San Francisco. “Old salts” on the eastern seaboard, left high and dry economically, and who knew no other trade, would occasionally tow a dead whale into port and have it ignominiously dragged up on shore or a dock for display. They charged the public a dime or so to view the huge behemoth in order to help line the captain’s
P a g e 3 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r pocketbook. Though popular, these displays were, of necessity temporary, as the olfactory senses would soon become overwhelmed by the unpleasant emanations of decaying flesh. Then, the crew rendered out the whale oil and hauled the creature out to sea for a rather inglorious watery burial. In the winter of 1872, PT Barnum got into the act by showcasing From Pacific Electric Magazine, Feb. 10, 1930 among his other exotic creatures, a “Monster Whale” in his “Greatest Show on Earth,” that traveled around the larger eastern cities. Cold weather preserved the whale during the winter months, but warmer weather soon produced unappealing aromas. Apparently unable to find a satisfactory solution, Barnum gave up the whale business and his newspaper ads no longer included the “Monster” in the extravaganzas. Malodorous as these displays may have been, the public still seemed to love them and the sound of jingling bags of silver quarters lured other entrepreneurs into the fray. In December 1880, a pair of promoters, George H. Newton and Fred J. Englehardt, embarked upon a traveling whale exhibition. A month earlier, Newton had purchased a right whale carcass at Provincetown, MA for $450.00.The whale was towed to Boston, hoisted out of the water, put aboard two 32′ railroad flatcars, and transported to Chicago. The 72-ton, 60-foot “Mass of Blubber and Bone” was exhibited as the “Prince of Whales” for a 4-week exhibition. The “Prince” visited Milwaukee, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, and Detroit, during that winter and spring. In May, the warmer weather again produced its effect on the poor beast and attempts were made to embalm the deteriorating carcass. It was an imperfect and ineffective process at best, but by the end of June the whale was again riding the rails, though not nearly as successful or fragrant as previously. Crisscrossing the Mid-West, South, and East, the men battled with odors and financial problems. Scenting defeat, they eventually dissolved their partnership, and the show went bust in September 1882 at Poughkeepsie, New York, when the troupe could not pay their bills to get out of town. The fate of the dethroned Prince remains unknown. Meanwhile, on the West coast, the whaling industry continued to sail on, despite the intense development of the petroleum oil business in the 1870s that replaced whale oil for general lighting purposes. By the 1900s whales were mostly stalked along the Pacific Coast, particularly near the off-shore islands. Vast
P a g e 4 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r improvements in sailing and whaling technology allowed the struggling industry to be profitable, but on a smaller scale. The use of harpoon guns, basically small cannons with explosive harpoons, made the chase much easier and safer. In 1911, Capt. John Loop began showcasing whales to southern Californians at the Long Beach harbor. He and his crew harpooned their victims off Catalina Island and towed them into port. Selling excursion tickets, he escorted a gawking throng to gaze at these blubbery behemoths. Once again, after 3-4 days, the gamy aroma forced him to turn the beasts into fertilizer and sail forth for another specimen. He struggled to perfect a method to preserve these cetaceans for longer periods of time, but alas, he finally abandoned the endeavor after four years. Enter the Pacific Whaling Company of Long Beach (PWC) in the late 1920s, the brainchild of M.C. Hutton and Harold Anfenger. Created not for whaling, but as an exhibition company, it became the genesis of our story. Hutton, picking up where Capt. Loop had left off, and with the aid of local morticians, finally perfected an embalming process involving formaldehyde and salt water injections that promised to preserve the leviathan for a lengthy period. Hutton contracted with local whaling captains to ferry whales ashore to a barge, where they were loaded onto 100-foot railcars, specially built in Van Wert, Ohio. A glass viewing enclosure was constructed to encase the mammoth beast. The whales required some 1000 to 2000 gallons of the embalming fluid and necessitated additional doses on a regular basis. By October 1929, at least two whales had been prepared and were ready to set sail aboard the rails of the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads. Within the next months, the former denizens of the deep had visited Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana and points in between. In April and May 1930, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa and other points east, south, or north were visited. Over time, up to nine whales were put on the rails and bestowed with a variety of monikers of gargantuan proportions that were not always used for the same whale: Colossus, Goliath, Moby Dick and Big Bertha were the most popular. The public loved it! Reportedly the PWC raked in $100,000 in the first six months. At 25 cents a pop, that is a lot of quarters. The company hired publicists to visit each city along the tour route a couple of days prior to the leviathWhale Dancers, Courtesy of SPNB.
P a g e 5 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r an’s exhibition. They provided pre-written articles, advertisement, and photographs for city newspapers to hype up the show. The news releases often proudly announced that the newspaper or mayor was providing free tickets to kids in homeless shelters, the Boy Scouts and girls’ groups. Clip-out coupons often accompanied the articles, giving a discount or free entry for kids. To cast an aura of seafaring about the exhibit, the briny guest of honor was accompanied by a captain and his crew as the ringmasters of this nautical circus. Some of the captains had actually sailed the seven seas and battled the behemoths. Others were pitchmen hired to affect the visage and mannerisms of old salty dogs, a few eventually believing that they were the heroes of their illusions. Finally, in September 1930, “Colossus” sailed into the big skies of Montana upon the rails of the Northern Pacific railroad. Butte was the first stop for a three-day show, beginning September 9. Capt. Barnett, head harpooner of the whaling boat “Hawk,” presented informative and perhaps imaginative scuttlebutt about life and death battles with the beasts. He would sometimes exclaim, “Shiver me timbers, only an ignorant landsman wouldn’t know the five that are sought are sperm, finback, sulphur bottom, hump back, blue whale and upright whale." An escort of twelve whalers explained the various operations involved and displayed their deadly tools of their trade. The local newspaper announced the, “Transcontinental Tour of the Captive Whale,” along with a “Giant Sea Elephant” previously exhibited with the Ringling Bros. Circus. From Butte, Colossus cast off for Anaconda September 12-14th and Missoula the 16-17th. The Missoulian pronounced, “A Whale Epidemic. The whale on exhibition here this week is a symptom of a nation-wide epidemic. Some astute gentleman has discovered, quite evidently, that land-lubbers have a yen to see monsters of the mighty deep and whole flocks (or should we have said herds or schools?) are being transported around the country.” The article chronicled a whale of a tale of the hours-long battle between man and beast and of the explosive harpoon that failed to detonate. The death-defying struggle was wearing out both combatants until a final shot could be launched into the mighty whale to end this clash of titans. The king of whales honored the Queen City of Helena with two performances, September 18-19 and 22-23, interspersed with a two-day stop in Great Falls. The Helena Independent Record brazenly declared, “Colossus, Giant Killer Whale Arrives in Helena for Two-Day Exhibition.” Accompanying this “killer,” were natural illuminati such as penguins, "live Chinese dragon, lizards, man-eating sharks, octopi, [and] a flea circus,” the fleas to contrast the largest and smallest of God’s creatures. On the final day of viewing, the paper proclaimed, "a congestion of automobiles at the [railroad] station . . . [that] hasn't been seen since Presi
P a g e 6 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Courtesy of The Missoulian, June 1, 1930 dent Harding arrived here," followed with the astute observation, "Helena people like whales and presidents.” The original schedule, deduced from newspaper articles, indicated the show would have cruised to Bozeman for two nights, and then Livingston on the 27-28th. However, plans rapidly changed that short-changed Bozeman. The Bozeman Chronicle made an announcement on the 23rd from the Pacific Whaling Co. stating, "Owing to unforseen circumstances, we will be unable to show the whale in Bozeman. All dates, with the exception of Livingston, have been cancelled. We must be in Chicago by Saturday [Sat. 27th]." No other explanation was forthcoming. But apparently the schedule in Chicago was changed, and with a population of over 3 million, as opposed to the mere one-half million souls in Montana - obvious financial considerations could have caused Montana to get the short end of the stick. And why Bozeman, with a population 2-1/2 times that of Livingston? Probably by virtue that Livingston was the northern gateway to Yellowstone, with many hundreds of travelers arriving and leaving by train on a daily basis, anxious for yet another tale to tell the folks back home. Colossus graced the Livingston depot for one day only on the 24th, where the spectacle was displayed day and night. Complimentary tickets were issued to the head of schools, the Boy Scouts, and Camp Fire organizations. No doubt, many Bozemanites made the trek over the pass to take a gander at the great leviathan. The Bozeman Chronicle spouted, “Give Your Sweetie a Whale of a Thrill,” and claimed, “Worth Coming Many Miles to Witness.” Upon closing, the whale bid adieu to the fair state of Montana and the steel ship sailed eastward aboard the Northern Pacific to the Land of Lincoln. In following years, one or another of the whales clattered across the rails of Montana in 1932, 1934 and 1936 in search of adoring crowds to pay homage to the sovereign of the bounding main. On an interesting note, the 1930 exhibitions coincided and probably inspired the release of the movie, Moby Dick, a loose adaptation of Herman Melville’s classic novel. Warner Brothers had cameras asea for several months in early 1930 to obtain realistic whale footage and production of the “talkie” began the end of May. John Barrymore was cast as Courtesy Yellowstone Gateway Museum
P a g e 7 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Ahab and Joan Bennett fulfilled the Hollywood-required amorous parts of the movie, found nowhere in the novel. The movie premiered August 14, a mere three months after the start of production. A New York Times review touted the movie as, “a well-knit tale . . . and when one hears the man in the main top shouting, "Thar she blows!" it creates a thrill such as the screen is seldom capable of affording . . . the picture as a whole is splendidly handled.” It was November before the epic movie reached the wilds of Montana. A Helena newspaper described the film as, “Authentic and spectacular, the epic struggle between man and the world’s greatest living monster, makes Moby Dick a picture that can never be forgotten.” By the end of 1936, whale exhibitions lost popularity with the public. Although newspapers advertised occasional displays through the early 1940s, they were few in number. In desperation, the exhibition included circus side-show acts, a living mermaid - a woman with boneless legs and scale-type markings, a girl born without arms, legs, or hips, 3000 year old man, a supposedly headless woman and other shameless spectacles. It seems to be an ignoble end for such a once noble beast. But in the minds of the beholders, the exhibition of Colossus and the rest of his supporting cast of leviathans was a spectacle that surely would not be forgotten by the awed multitudes of Montana. But as crowd -pleasing events are wont to do, the tale of the noble whale faded from memory and was eventually castoff to the Davy Jones Locker of obscure history, to surface only on rare occasions. –Contributed by Robert V. Goss Geyser Bob was a stagecoach driver for 30 years (1883-1913) in Yellowstone National Park. He was known as a teller of tall tales and a prevaricator extraordinaire, with just enough truth thrown in to cause many greenhorns, pilgrims, etc., new to the West, to actually believe him. You can read more of his amazing stories and work at geyserbob.com, his new book, YELLOWSTONE JACK is now available, check that out here: https:// www.geyserbob.com/yellowstone-jack-book Public Domain Image Archive / Digital Maryland October 31, 1899- This is Hallowe’en and promises to be lively in some parts of the city, therefore the owners of gates and other moveable effects should see to it that they are stored away or secured in some manner. -Daily Inter Mountain Newspaper (Butte, MT), Accessed via https:// chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ Would you like to receive our digital quarterly magazine for free? Just send an email with MAGAZINE in the subject to ghosttownsofmontana@gmail.com Please Pass This Newsletter on to a Friend!
P a g e 8 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r A Halloween to Remember Alicia “Lettie” Conrad never let adversity get the better of her. Kalispell’s beautiful Conrad Mansion is now a museum, but back in October 1910, Lettie nearly lost her home to a disastrous fire. The entire town turned out to fight the blaze. Despite scorched walls and water damage, the house and its contents survived. Lettie devised a way to thank those who helped fight the fire. She planned a spectacular Halloween party and invited the entire town. Soggy fallen plaster, piled furniture, and a gaping hole in roof became the setting for Dante’s Inferno. Five hundred guests made their way to “hell” in the basement by way of a circular stairway built in the elevator shaft. Clammy wet canvas hung over the doorways, strings hung down along the dark path like cobwebs. On the first floor, Spanish moss dripped over the balcony and on the chandeliers. Dozens of lifelike cardboard and silk bats hung on invisible silken thread; fans kept the bats flying. The second story was purgatory, where a mass of wet, slick plaster covered the floors and mounds of it shaped like volcanoes covered the soggy beds. Special lighting simulating flames shot out of the craters. The third floor was paradise. Piled-up furniture covered in fresh flowers served as pathways; their sweet scent covered the acrid smell of smoke. After the tour, the guests gathered in the great hall. Just before the orchestra tuned up for the dancing, Lettie thanked all those who helped save her home. The dancing commenced and there was food and music until dawn. There will never be another Halloween party like it. –Ellen Baumler Photo by Marlene Crusta with RMKK at: http:// rmkkcompanion.com/ Ellen Baumler was an award-winning author and Montana historian. A master at linking history with modern-day supernatural events, Ellen's true stories have delighted audiences across the state. The legacy she left behind will be felt for generations to come and we are in debt to her for sharing her extensive knowledge of Montana history in such an entertaining manner. To view and purchase Ellen’s books, visit: http:// ellenbaumler.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html My/Donor Information: SUBSCRIBE TO THE GHOST TOWNS AND HISTORY OF MONTANA NEWSLETTER! Renewal? Y/N Send a Gift to: NAME____________________________________ NAME___________________________________ ADDRESS__________________________________ ADDRESS_________________________________ CITY______________________________________ CITY_____________________________________ STATE__________________ZIP________________STATE_________________ ZIP________________ Yearly subscriptions are $19.95 (published monthly). Please make checks payable to Ghost Towns & History of MT, LLC and send with this clipping to 701 Cedar ST, Anaconda, MT 59711 ©2025 Ghost Towns and History of Montana, LLC. All rights reserved.
1 Publizr