The folks in Blackfoot were invited to a big picnic in May 1919. It was billed as Everybody’s Picnic. There would be dignitaries from out of town in attendance, even a few from out of state. Idaho Governor D. W. Davis was expected to be there. Residents were given detailed instructions on the front page of the Blackfoot Republican on how to take part.
“It is expected that many will come in from the country to make the start from Blackfoot with the rest of the party. The procession will be led by the little Overland, known as the Cub, driven by Editor Trego and accompanied by R.W. Spangler, editor of the New West magazine of Salt Lake, who will spread the confetti along the road, playing the game of hare and hound, to show where the turns in the road are to be made. As the Cub approaches a place where it is to turn a corner, the road will be strewn with confetti for some distance so that everybody following, whether they are in sight of the cars ahead or not, will be able to follow the road taken by the other people. The Cub will be followed by Ralph Dixey, our Shoshone Indian leader in his famous racing-car, the Stutz bear-cat.”
And what event precipitated this celebration to be attended by dignitaries and Everybody? The installation of new hot lead typesetting equipment in the offices of the Blackfoot Republican. This was apparently a sure sign of a progressive community.
The paper proclaimed that “For several years Governor Davis has shown a keen interest in what he calls an unusual efficiency at The Republican office and when he saw the announcement of our venture in installing the Ludlow typograph he decided to come see it and have a little visit with Blackfoot people and the representatives of the press. He says that an invention which will remove the necessity for using hand-set type in printing is worthy of the attention of a governor of any state and the publishers of the country.”
Plus, confetti!
Note that newspapers of the time often proclaimed their political leanings quite prominently, as did the Blackfoot paper in its very name.
“It is expected that many will come in from the country to make the start from Blackfoot with the rest of the party. The procession will be led by the little Overland, known as the Cub, driven by Editor Trego and accompanied by R.W. Spangler, editor of the New West magazine of Salt Lake, who will spread the confetti along the road, playing the game of hare and hound, to show where the turns in the road are to be made. As the Cub approaches a place where it is to turn a corner, the road will be strewn with confetti for some distance so that everybody following, whether they are in sight of the cars ahead or not, will be able to follow the road taken by the other people. The Cub will be followed by Ralph Dixey, our Shoshone Indian leader in his famous racing-car, the Stutz bear-cat.”
And what event precipitated this celebration to be attended by dignitaries and Everybody? The installation of new hot lead typesetting equipment in the offices of the Blackfoot Republican. This was apparently a sure sign of a progressive community.
The paper proclaimed that “For several years Governor Davis has shown a keen interest in what he calls an unusual efficiency at The Republican office and when he saw the announcement of our venture in installing the Ludlow typograph he decided to come see it and have a little visit with Blackfoot people and the representatives of the press. He says that an invention which will remove the necessity for using hand-set type in printing is worthy of the attention of a governor of any state and the publishers of the country.”
Plus, confetti!
Note that newspapers of the time often proclaimed their political leanings quite prominently, as did the Blackfoot paper in its very name.
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