30 Years Ago

April 12, 1990

Powderville CPO again threatened

Once again, only fast action by a number of groups, many individuals and a congressman or two has saved the historical Powderville Contract Postal Station Office (CPO) from being arbitrarily closed without warning, by Billings officials of this postal district.

In information from Ronnie Schaffer the office is 62-63 miles from Miles City and 34-35 miles from Broadus. He said his wife, Nina, took the work for what was to be a temporary period in order to keep the office open. That was in 1979 he thought.

Nina tendered her resignation to be effective March 30 of this year, offering the name of another ranching wife who agreed to serve. It seems that the office has to be offered to the public by bids.

Officials decided that the easy way out was to simply close the office at the end of two long graveled roads, in a basic old building where the CPO official has to build a fire in a coal and wood stove upon arrival, and where “paid time” is two hours a day, three days a week for a pittance. (No time allowed for warming the shack). All that after driving to the site from a ranch home.

During those two hours, two mail routes arrive simultaneously and it is also the only time that patrons can do business at the “window”. If there was a window.

Higher up officials took note of the hue and cry and have given 60 days grace for offering bids to find someone they already had, if Mrs. Schaffer will continue to serve for those two months. She agreed.

And again, there is hope that this primitive form of mail service for ranch families of a huge piece of country will continue. That is, if present agreements are more than official equivocation.