Voices from the Past

September 12, 1924

Teacher’s Reception at Hotel this Evening

At the Powder River Hotel this (Friday) evening, the community will tender a reception to the school teachers in this district. The committee in charge extends a cordial invitation to everyone, especially the parents. The hours will be from 9 to 12 o’clock and dancing will be the principal diversion of the evening.

78 Coyotes was the Season’s Record of Troy McCullom

Troy McCullom of Epsie who was in town Wednesday, stated his record for coyotes the past season totaled 78 and one wolf. In their extermination for the most part he had used poison of a mixture of lard and strychnine. He had noted instances of coyotes taking too much of the poison, causing them to throw it up. Of his coyote catch, the hunter reported six mangy coyotes. “In my belief,” he said, “it was a mistake ever to inoculate coyotes with mange for I have yet to discover a dead coyote from this cause. Their fur is no good for commercial purposes and then besides mangy coyotes may spread the disease to any kind of animal life in which they come in contact. Mangy coyotes are always so poor in flesh they are easy to get.”

Mr. McCullom says he has no aspiration to become a government trapper, for he can make more money working by himself and selling his pelts. Last season his coyote pelts averaged him $5 each, though he sold some of them for a price as high as $17. He would discourage any trapper from consigning their pelts to Funston’s at St. Louis, for eventually, he says his experience has taught him that the trapper will get “jipped”, and especially with a large number of pelts.

September 9, 1949

X-Ray Unit Will Revisit Broadus

Mrs. Lois Leibach of Helena, field secretary for the Montana Tuberculosis Association, met at the courthouse in Broadus Tuesday afternoon with Mrs. A.O. Pemberton, county organizer, Mrs. Grace Carter and Mrs. Jack Miller to plan for the second trip to Broadus of the Mobile x-ray unit.

This unit visited Broadus two years ago in September 1947 and at that time nearly 1,000 local people had x-ray pictures taken of their chests. This year the Mobile x-ray unit will be in Broadus on Thursday and Friday, September 29 and 30.

The unit will again be located in the court yard near the north entrance of the courthouse. The unit will be in operation on September 29 from 1 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. On September 30 the unit will be in operation from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 to 6 p.m.

The Powder River Women’s Club is sponsoring the visit of the Mobile x-ray unit to Powder River County. Everyone who had their chest x-rayed in 1947 should again be x-rayed. There is no charge for the chest x-rays.

The chest x-ray is free, the reading of the x-ray film by a qualified physician is free, a free report is mailed within a few weeks to each individual x-rayed.

Everyone in Powder River County 12 years old or over is urged to visit the Mobile x-ray unit and have a chest x-ray. Many cases of incipient tuberculosis are discovered in this manner and prompt treatment has resulted in thousands of lives being saved. It is also possible to locate cancer of the lungs and heart trouble with this x-ray.

Cowboy Carlson Visiting Broadus

Cowboy Orv Carlson returned to Broadus last week after spending eight months in Texas and surrounding states where he has been wrestling with the best in the junior heavyweight division. In the 8 months that he was gone Orv had 102 bouts and of this number he lost 12.

When Orv was wrestling here he weighed 170 lbs. and his weight has increased to 188 lbs. but in the ring he is billed as weighing 195 lbs. The junior heavyweight division was created for the 200 pounders and is between the light heavyweight and heavyweight classes.

According to the sport writers who follow the wrestling game, Cowboy Orv Carlson is rated among the first five in his weight class. LeRoy McGurk of Tulsa, Okla., is the champion in this division and Orv has worked out with him on numerous occasions and has in fact worked in the ring with him as a partner in the Australian tag events in which four men appear in a match.

Orv went to Houston, Texas last January to appear in a rodeo along with Woody Anderson of Ekalaka. The two went broke in this rodeo and spent their last penny to get into a wrestling bout. The promoters would not give either a match and in order to bring attention to themselves, broke into the ring during the announcements and started challenging wrestlers. The Mexican wrestler and his two handlers who were in the ring at the time attempted to throw them out but in the melee all three Mexicans were either thrown or knocked out of the ring.

The police took over and put handcuffs on the Montana hopefuls but the matchmaker of the arena saw possibilities and signed Carlson for a match and gave him $30 advance. Orv gave half of this to Anderson who started for home. The first match of Carlson’s was preliminary on a championship card and he got $300 for this match which was the most he ever got for a preliminary match.

His first bout was with Gorilla Macias, the Mexican he had knocked out of the ring, and he won the one fall match in 7 minutes. He had all of the bouts he wanted from then on. Orv made $10,000.00 during the eight months he was wrestling. He had bouts in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Missouri.

He has a contract with Morris Siegel, Houston promoter, who gets his matches for him. He wrestles exclusively for Siegel under the terms of his contract. He does not have a manager, acting as his own manager.

He is billed as Cowboy Orv Carlson and during the rodeo season performs in the rodeos in order to get publicity and to keep his name before public. He only enters the bulldogging events and at the rodeo in Houston this summer won first place. He also won the day money at the Tulsa rodeo. These are the only times he has been in the money although he has performed at Fort Worth, Fort Smith and a number of smaller cities.

He is visiting with family who are now living in Broadus and expects to return to Texas within the next two weeks. He has a record of 9 wrestling bouts in 12 days. During all of the matches he has not been seriously hurt and has only lost a week in 8 months from injuries.

September 12, 1974

Threshing Bee

Sunday, Calvin and Alice Thex attended the threshing bee at Forsyth which they enjoyed and report a huge success. Alice said they have real threshing machines and one man had even built a miniature separator and engine which was just a little larger than a child’s wagon.

Another attraction was a sawmill with the big circular saw which the Larry Rooneys found interesting. They watched a log turned into four slabs and two by fours. Bernice said the kids were standing by one of the big steam machines which run on anything that burns, when they cut loose with the whistle. Those youngsters went straight up!

Alice and Calvin were very impressed with the five horse team of huge matched sorrels that pulled an old plow for a demonstration. Those big horses aren’t seen too much these days, but are fine animals and a real joy to watch.

September 16, 1999

Tribute Planned to Honor Local Ladies

“We want to recognize the women who have given so much to our communities and to our clubs,” explained Julie Riley, Powder River County Extension Agent.

The Powder River Extension Homemakers Association will be celebrating the outstanding and long-time members of the Extension Homemaker Clubs and Coalwood Ladies Aid.

The women who will be celebrated, including the number of years they have been a member of their club listed in parentheses are: Charlotte Allen (49), Erma Rumph (49), Bernadine Rogers (49), Vera Clements (40) and Bessie Riter (20) from the Biddle Extension Homemakers; Ann Caroll (45), Twila Talcott (43), Karen Gunther (35), Patsy LaFlamme (33) and Angie Bogner (33) from the Broadus Extension Homemakers; Vera Archer (58), Marie Benge (57), Helen Janssen (50), Gladys Deibel (62), Ann Bird (50) and Hallie Janssen (79) from Coalwood Ladies Aid; Lynelle Denson (15) and Diana Edwards (15) from East River Extension Homemakers; and Esther Barnhart (51) and Gladys Deibel (no number printed) from the Epsie Extension Homemakers.

The celebration will be held at the Congregational Church from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., on Sunday, October 10.

The program will include a tribute to these fine women. Refreshment and door prizes will be provided.

Considine Families View Butte Creek School

By Don Heidel

As Yogi Berra is often quoted “it was déjà vu all over again,” when last week two of the former stellar students of the recently moved Butte Creek School, Joy Considine Bryce and Keith Considine, with their respective spouses, Eric and Rose, gathered at the museum to view this historic school house which they attended in the 20s and 30s.

Through the thoughtfulness and kindness of their brother, Barney Considine, the Historical Society has obtained diaries of the schoolhouse history. Names of teachers and families in that area are being added to the memories written in connection with the completion of the transplanted building. We are indebted to their mother Winnie’s foresightedness in compiling this information for this and future generations to enjoy.

Numerous visitors of late have been in to research family histories and genealogical information, which has made the Historical Society pleased to fill in or add to their findings.

To wrap up the actual “open” season at the museum, Historical Society President Ann Carroll invites all to attend the next regular meeting this Friday, the 17.

Much “after season” work remains to be done inside and outside, and the Society will welcome all able-bodied help in this respect.