Voices From The Past

July 20, 1923

Rebuild Derrick

The Northwestern Development company of Newark, Ohio, through Wm. E. White, its field manager, has awarded a contract for 45,000 feet of lumber to a sawmill near Boyes for the construction of a new standard 84-foot oil derrick to replace the one recently destroyed by fire at the Paul Aimone place, about five miles south of Boyes. The mill will be started in operation at once.

The machinery was seriously damaged by the fire and it is believed but little will be salvaged making it necessary for a complete new outfit. The well had been drilled to a depth of 600 feet with indications of oil, it is said. The well had been cased off so that the drilling can be resumed at that depth. It is the hope of the company to get things in shape for starting the drilling again by the first of September. The location of the well is about 35 miles east of Broadus.

Kissick Line Extends Route

The Kissick Freight Lines of Belle Fourche, South Dakota has recently been granted permission to operate from Billings, Montana to Belle Fourche, in hauling freight in a continuation of the line and service already in operation by the company, Hugh Kissick, operator, said this week. The new run began July 12, he announced, and will handle intrastate and interstate freight. New equipment is being added to the operating stock of the company and further equipment is on order for future delivery Kissick also said in making the announcement. The freight line from Belle Fourche to Broadus was started in 1934. “The Billings to Belle Fourche extension is in line with company policy,” he said, “to better serve the inland towns of Montana and South Dakota with the advantages of large shipping centers nearby.”

July 19, 1973

Dedication Draws Large Crowd on “Old Timers Day”

“That’s twice we’ve beat them now,” K Huckins of Miles City said after the old time Broadus Blues downed the old time Red Devils in the “Game of the Day” Sunday. The game was the highlight of the action and old fans and old players cheered the teams on as they displayed their not-forgotten talents.

During a break between ball games County Commissioners Leland Cook and Floyd Irion formally dedicated the new Powder River County Sagebrush Park and paid tribute to all old time ball players, umpires and fans.

The old time Red Devils, long time champions of the Sagebrush and Powder River leagues, turned out in force and assumed their old positions to please the crowd with their abilities and teamwork. The old team started out with a burst of energy and held a 5-1 lead in the beginning of the game and a 7-5 lead before the Blues tied the game 7-7 in the fifth inning and forged ahead to down the Red Devils 13-9. It was noted during the game that only one man, Dan Bidwell, was under 50 years old in the Red Devil’s starting line-up. Ken Gunther later went in as a substitute, but the rest of the old timers played the entire game. Team members included Ken Gunther, Dan Bidwell, Stanley Damm, Jim Neiman, Leland Cook, Royce Linville, Lloyd Nalley, Ken Deitchler, Wes Vandever, Bub Klein and Joe Irion.

The old time Blues, plus some old timers from other area teams made up the honored championship team. The Blues team was originally made up of high school boys when a baseball program was started in the high school. They played in a league with eight to ten other teams but eventually disbanded as young men left the community. Team members included K Huckins, Junior Flanigan, Marlyn Janssen, Bob Denson, Jr Capra, Fran Wetherelt, Wayne Wetherelt, Walter Ferguson, Buzz Tarter and Dan Kraft.

In the over-30 game, the local honored team lost to the Miles City over-30 team. Members included Willy Gergen, Jim Cain, Cyrus Bidwell, Dan Bidwell, Ray Mace, Don Gatlin, Buzz Tarter, Milton Zimmer, Ken Amen and Walter Ferguson.

The scheduled 5-inning game between the old time women softball players and the younger team went into two extra innings after it was tied up twice. The younger team finally won it in the 7th inning by one run. Players included Bonnie Lyda, Nancy Hoffer, Izzy McDowell, Margaret Tipton, Nellie B Gatlin, Billie Knudson, Bea Knudson, Teresa Klein, Sharon Williams and Ruby Ullrich.