30 Years Ago

Thursday, July 27, 1989

Belle Creek district leads county in valuation decline

Belle Creek District 22 was the hardest hit by the near 3 million dollar drop in the county’s valuation, which stands to reason as the decline was primarily caused by a decrease in oil and mineral net proceeds and royalties.

The taxable valuation for the Belle Creek District, according to Powder River County Assessor Larry Richards, fell from $12,358,549 to $9,772,165.

Most other districts’ valuation either fell or increased by only small margins, according to Richards.

Powderville, District 2, fell from $187,955 to $170,409; Biddle, District 6, fell from $713,007 to $617,351; Ashland, District 32J, fell from $368,575 to $365,794; Broadus Elementary District 79J, fell from $2,574,356 to $2,563,889 and Broadus District 79J fell slightly from $620,406 to $620,198.

Showing increases were: Bear Creek, District 60, which rose from $79,382 to $93,214; Billip, District 65 which rose from $137,011 to $138,326; South Stacey, which rose from $154,716 to $167,359 and Horkan Creek, which rose from $169,039 to $180,174.

Market values of each district, by comparison, were: Powderville, $2,661,940 to $2,234,172; Biddle, $6,891,787 to $6,696,756; Belle Creek, $26,242,951 to $25,228,902; Ashland, $6,442,388 to $6,363,269; Bear Creek, $962,547 to $1,239,514; Billip, $1,904,241 to $1,898,256; South Stacey, $2,348,392 to $2,364,710; Horkan Creek, $2,153,576 to $2,354970; Town of Broadus, $13,968,633 to $13,978,310 and Broadus Elementary, $36,468,041 to $36,065,032.

The total market value for 1988 was $100,044,496, compared to $98,423,891 in 1989.

And, in light of last year’s terrible drought, most livestock inventories fell sharply. Sheep numbers decreased from 15,192 to 13,308; cattle numbers declined from 51,807 to 43,722; horse numbers fell from 1,350 to 1,113 and the swine count fell from 29 to 0. Other numbers on the tax rolls include goats, which fell in numbers from 142 to 20; poultry, which fell from 182 to 127; bee hives decreased in numbers from 1,420 to 1.398 and exotic animals fell in numbers from 14 to 3.

In keeping with tradition, breeding rabbits showed the only increase in numbers, and then not as much as might have been expected. Their numbers raised from three to ten.

Bits & Pieces by Shirley Stuver

Jeanne Portwine of Fairbanks, AK stayed on at the home of her mother, Betty Gatlin of Broadus, following the class reunion, for a longer vacation. Mrs. Gatlin had flown to Fairbanks in late June and traveled back to Broadus with Mrs. Portwine and children by car, part of the trip being by ferry on the inside passage. The visitors have spent time with Ed and Hazel Portwine also, accompanying them and other grandchildren and parents on a trip of several days through the Black Hills in the Portwine’s motorhome.

The Ralph Holmquist family of Kalispell has been spending some time in Broadus visiting, and cleaning, repairing and painting their home here which has been for sale since they left two years ago.

Jack and Eleanor Crane hosted a happy and busy ten day visit of their son Bernard Crane and two children, Jack, 8 and Carrie two years old, of Chino, CA. The Broadus Cranes drove to Rapid City to meet their family and returned there with them for the flight home.

LeRoy and Kathy Biesheuvel drove westward for a week-long vacation. They stopped first at Missoula to visit their daughter, Trina. From the home of friends at Royal City, WA they toured the Wanapum Dam on the Columbia River, picked fresh fruits and cherries, and also spent a day sightseeing in Seattle. Upon their return they picked up their son Rich and drove to Sturgis to attend a wedding anniversary party for friends.

Jason Garst of Detriot, who is spending the summer with his father “Dub” Garst of Gillette visited for a week with the Robert Smith family of Third Creek, as a guest of Cole Smith. Cole returned to Gillette with Jason and visited a week there as his first break in a busy summer.

Friends joining Betty Smith for an impromptu bridge foursome on Sunday afternoon and evening at the Smith home were Margaret Shober, Eleanor Crane and Shirley Burton.

Driving to Tongue River Dam late Saturday evening for a 24-hour camping trip were the Mike Copps family and the Vic Ullrich family. The party of ten also did some fishing, but reported only one of “keeping” size.

Maxine Patten’s parents, Bill and Alma Hines, are visiting for several weeks with Charles, Maxine and daughter Kendra, as well as with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They find the “greats” on the Hines side of the house suddenly scattered out at various jobs and apprentice work. Shawna Rhodes is a nanny in New Jersey, following high school graduation here last spring. Shannon Rhodes works at the nursing home and Scott Rhodes is employed at the Patten Ranch for the summer. Tyrone Robinson is working for Tim Fortner, busy building bee hives, perhaps, in this (finally) good honey year. Vickie Robinson has been working at the Tastee Freez since the end of school, and her sister Heather is riding horseback either at the ranch or with a ranch horse at her home in Crane Acres- mostly alone as her riding pal “aunt” Kendra is helping in the hay fields.