Voices from the Past

May 23rd, 1924

Frank Smith starts Sheep Shearing Season Today

Frank started the season today at the place of H.A. Tarbox on Wolf Creek, where the Tarbox and Orville Weathers sheep are to be rid of their fleeces. When finished, Smith will load his machine plant onto two trucks and leave via Miles City, Terry, Baker, and Ekalaka for the Maples place on Willow Creek, ten miles east of Piniele where he will start work on the 27th. The detour is necessary because all bridges on the Powder River are out of commission.

Link Wilson sells 300 Heifers

J. Link Wilson has contracted with Archie Wells, Agent for the Cheyenne Indian Reservation in South Dakota for the sale of 300 white-face heifers which are to be received by Mr. Wells June 1st. at Skinner Gulch at the head of Pumpkin Creek and delivered at Miles City on June 10th.The contract price is $30 a head. A large number of the yearlings were pastured this past winter in Campbell County, Wyoming. They forded Powder River Tuesday at the mouth of Rough Creek and were trailed up Cache Creek to the head of Pumpkin Creek. Nine of the heifers went to an island in the middle of the river and finally swam back to the eastern bank and are remaining there until they are able to be persuaded to again cross the river.

May 21st, 1949

Mormon Crickets have Hatched near Sonnette

Steve Smith was a business visitor in Broadus Tuesday from his ranch on Ten Mile Creek near Sonnette. Steve was again wearing a handlebar mustache, a reminder that the past winter was a tough one. At the Stockman’s Convention in Miles City in 1934, Steve's mustache measured 12 inches from tip. He has not worn a hirsute adornment on his lip from that time until this winter. Steve said that the crickets and grasshoppers are beginning to grow at this place and he anticipated that the federal airplane dusting program will get underway after the pests have eaten everything in sight.

Grant Kercheval Buried Saturday

Grant Kercheval, pioneer resident of the Little Powder River area passed away last Thursday after a long illness. Ulysses Grant Kercheval was born in Wisconsin in 1872. He left home at age 11 and worked for two years on Mississippi river steamboats. He then moved to Pierre, South Dakota where he grew to manhood. While living in Pierre he became acquainted with the Indians in the area and they gave him a name “Walk Pomney” and until his death he was known as “Walk: to his friends. At the age of 21 he began work at the Cross Ranch at Biddle. He worked for many of the big outfits of the time including the N Bar as a wrangler and he also broke horses. He also worked for Johnny Burgess. He was one of the old time cowboys and one of the few left from the open range days. Three of his children still live in the area, Bessie Riter of Broadus and Robert and Ruby Kercheval of Biddle.

May 23rd, 1974

Receives Unusual Gift

The Julian Terrett family of Beaver Creek received a somewhat unusual gift Friday at the Montana Stockgrowers Association annual convention in Billings. A five month old spotted ass was presented to the Terretts by John Conter of Pompeys Pillar. Terrett has now concluded his second term as president of the MSGA.

Little Powder Bridge to be Replaced

Engineers from the Montana Department of Highways announced that approval has been given by the Federal Highway Administration for a bridge replacement project on US 212 over the Little Powder River, about 7.5 miles southeast of Broadus. Some minor alignment and grade changes may be necessary to accommodate the new bridge.

May 27, 1999

Recycler’s Review by Anne Amsden

What a beautiful start for our earth this year in Powder River County. There are still wood chips for mulch at the recycling center. The recyclers will get more when they are gone.

The Center is pretty well filled with couches and even a washing machine. I asked the man leaving off the washer if it worked and he said it did. We will leave the couches for several weeks and then take them to the landfill if no one wants.

I hope everyone is leaving grass longer and letting the clippings lie. There seems to be good moisture in the ground, but soon trees and grasses will need to be watered, especially in sandy and sunny areas.

Eight Schools gather for Boyes Track Meet by Laura Lambert

Students from eight schools in Carter and Powder River County gathered at the Boyes Community Hall on May 3rd for the annual Boyes Track Meet. The cool breezy weather didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of 63 students who ran races, long jumped, threw a softball, went through an obstacle course, and were tested on math and spelling abilities.

After a lunch of delicious hot dogs, delicious salads, and casseroles, chips, and desserts students were entertained by great skits performed by the Ridge and South Stacey schools. Belle Creek students demonstrated how to do the “Butterfly” accompanied by Tedi Jo Williams on the piano. Then everyone got a chance to “Butterfly”.

The day ended with a short awards ceremony. The high point school was Albion. Many thanks to all who helped! Schools attending were Albion, South Stacey, Alzada, Ridge, Johnston, Hawks Home, Belle Creek, and Biddle.