Voices From The Past

June 15, 1923

Shearing Crew Working Down Towards Terry

The crew of men which sheared 3,000 sheep by hand for George Horkan on Little Pumpkin Creek, is now working towards Terry. Members of this crew are Dan Gaskill Jr., Dan Gaskill Sr., Horace Cain and son, John Whalen, Lew and Roy Griffin, all residents of this county.

Bridge Falls

About 6 o’clock Friday evening, the steel bridge across Big Powder River at Broadus went out of commission when the foundation of the east pier gave way, causing the mass of concrete to slip into the river until it became firmly imbedded in sand. The eastern approach to the bridge was left in its position though disconnected from the bridge proper. The eastern end of the bridge remains fastened to the concrete pier and is only about two feet above the surface of the water. The pier at the western end of the bridge remains intact still supporting the heavy steel truss at that end. As the bridge now stands there is an incline from the east to the west. Planks were placed from the east end to the bank of the river for foot passage and until signs were posted some horses were driven across. However, there are placards on the bridge warning anyone against crossing the bridge with horses, wagons or automobiles under penalty of $500 fine. This precaution was necessary to safeguard the bridge from vibrations that might add to its further damage.

The concrete pier was undermined by an undercurrent of water in the river. Only the day before, Commissioners C.M. Smith and Baxter Pierce had inspected the eastern approach and had ordered some loose gravel on the roadway to eliminate a little drop off the bridge. They inspected the pier at the same time but found nothing to excite alarm. However, the river was rapidly changing its main current until the full force of the stream was directed at the foundation of the pier and its collapse was inevitable. At that time no emergency repair work could have averted the pier falling over partly on its side. Fortunately there was no traffic on the bridge at the time the pier gave way. Iowa tourists had just crossed a few minutes before and Mrs. K. Maude Blenkner had barely driven her car over the bridge when a loud cracking report was heard and the east end went down. The water in the river since that time has receded about three feet but at the bridge is still deep enough to swim a horse.

The steel bridge was installed in 1907 by the Security Bridge Company and between the two concrete piers has a span of approximately 200 feet. In its reconstruction it will be necessary to replank the bridge for the old planks in places had worn through, and to tighten the steel girders.

The bridge going out of commission has caused considerable inconvenience to traffic. Other bridges across Powder River are at Moorhead, 50 miles upstream and at Powderville, 40 miles downstream. Traffic has been compelled to detour to both those directions in crossing the river. At the ranch of Bert Osgood, 15 miles downstream where there is a good gravel bottom suitable for fording with teams and wagons and possibly motor vehicles.

June 11, 1948

Scofield Palomino Top Horse at Sale

Chas. L. Scofield, prominent Little Powder River stockman, easily topped the horse market at the Miles City sales yards last week when his Palomino stallion was sold for $500.00. The horse was purchased by Fallace Talkington of Ekalaka. Between 1,250 and 1,300 horses were sold at the sale and many were shipped to points in South Dakota, Minnesota, New Jersey and New York. The average ranch horse sold for $35 to $110. The next cattle and hog sale at the sales yard will be Friday, June 11th.

June 14, 1973

Broadus Third in Miles City Tournament

Broadus Big Sky softball team ended the weekend’s slowpitch softball tourney in Miles City in third place losing only their last two contests 15-1 to second place Kellys-Lucky Lager of Miles City and 12-11 to tourney champions Sunset Bowl of Billings. They gained the right to compete in the consolation by defeating Kellys-Lucky Lager 12-11 in extra innings in their opening contest and edging out the Airport Inn of Miles City 12-8.

Kellys-Lucky Lager out hit the Broadus boys 18-11 in the second game of the tournament but four errors cost the Miles City squad four runs. The game was tied at the end of the regulation seven innings and the teams failed to score in the eighth. Kellys took the lead by one run but that wasn’t good enough as Broadus Big Sky came up with two runs on a double and two Kellys errors.

Wayne Stiffler led the victors with two doubles and a triple and Spencer Damm added a single, double and fifth inning home run to the cause. Cy Bidwell and Jay Mellor punched a pair of singles a piece for Broadus. Charles Russell gained the win and Bill Shipp came out with the loss.

The Broadus Big Sky team drew a bye for the Saturday games by defeating the Airport Inn of Miles City 12-8 Saturday morning. Afternoon and evening games did not turn out so well though, for the Broadus boys as the champion team, Sunset Bowl, of Billings put them down one point in a close 12-11 game and Kellys-Lucky Lager trounced them 15-1 in the consolation game.

Broadus Big Sky did not return to Broadus empty handed, however, after they received the third place trophy for the weekend of softball action.