Voices from the Past

August 29, 1924

Be Careful About Chances in Setting Grass Afire

With the past week dry and hot, the grass nearly everywhere has dried and in its present state is quite inflammable. A warning is timely to everyone to guard against a fire hazard to protect both this grass and property which it would jeopardize if afire. Men should especially be careful in throwing lighted cigarette butts from automobiles, trucks and wagons and also while riding horseback. The so-called “tailor-made” cigarettes will burn until only ash is left and if in proximity to dry grass might start destructive prairie fires.

In fact one such prairie fire has already been reported, caused no doubt by someone throwing a cigarette butt near a fence gate. The fire was at Frank Cornello’s between Broadus and Boyes Tuesday afternoon and had burned to within 50 yards of his grain stack. Joe Gianino was driving past the place about 4 o’clock in the afternoon when he discovered the fire. He unhitched his team from the wagon and with a plow put four furrows in advance of the fire which successfully headed it off. The fire burned over a strip of country half a mile wide and a mile long. Gianino was given assistance by men who had gone to vote at the Pilgrim Creek precinct polling place, about two miles distant.

On Wednesday a small prairie fire was reported on Rough Creek, southwest of Broadus, but further particulars concerning it are lacking.

August 26, 1949

Deer Causing Great Damage to Seed Crop

There were 275 deer by actual count eating in the alfalfa fields on the Merle Fletcher ranch on Otter Creek at one time last Saturday according to Mr. Fletcher who was in Broadus Monday. What looked like a 2,000 bushel alfalfa seed crop a few weeks ago is now estimated at one tenth of that amount. The deer are protected by state law and cannot be hunted out of season. Many of the smaller fields on the Fletcher ranch have already been destroyed and unless drastic action is taken all of the crop will be gone. Not only this place but many others in that area are suffering from the depredations of the protected deer.

Rural Schools Need Teachers

Mrs. Grace Carter, County Superintendant of Schools, said early this week that difficulties are being encountered in securing teachers for all of the rural schools of the county. At this time Mrs. Carter stated there are no teachers for the following schools: Powderville, Moorhead, Bay Horse, Wright Creek, Hay Creek, East Fork, Billup, Divide, Baking Powder and Divide.

Mrs. Carter said that there are six of seven teachers in the county who would be able to accept the positions if their qualifications were sufficient. The teachers will have to secure a special certificate from the office of the state superintendent of public instruction before they can teach here.

The following is a list of the schools that have teachers together with the names of the teachers: Jurica, Ann Robinson; Otter, Catherine Corbett; Blacktail, Lena Adams; Rocky Butte, Mildred Andrews; Huckins, Alva Ewalt; Ranch Creek, Lillian Castleberry; Walloth, Margaret Brimmer; Crow Creek, Mary Hill; Kingsley, Helen Irion; Bidwell, Gertrude Mitchell; Sam Smith, Pearl Nash; Willow Crossing, Marion Gibbs; Bear Creek, Mrs. Lexie F. Hawkey; Edwards, Edith Keel; Wolf Creek, Gordon Christianson; Mitchell, Mrs. Benti; South Stacey, Marjorie Cain; Two Tree, Gladys Marston; Swope, Mary Marie Rowland; Big Powder, Ermine Hanlan; Loesch, Norma Coon.

September 2, 1999

Fires Sweep County As Hot, Dry Conditions Prevail

Fire calls logged in at the Powder River County Sheriff’s Department and Broadus Volunteer Fire Department read like a who’s who among area ranchers Friday as a lightning storm moved through from the southeast, igniting blazes from eastern Carter County to western Powder River.

Seven calls came in within just four hours, according to dispatcher Carmen Turnbough. Numerous other fires were tended to by ranchers and volunteer fire departments or were extinguished by the rain, Turnbough said. She added that, thankfully, no flare-ups were reported the following day despite continued hot and dry conditions.

The largest fire reported consumed nearly 7,000 acres on the Curt and Bonnie Randall Ranch along Powder River northeast of Broadus, said Broadus Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ray Rolfson.