Voices from the Past

September 26, 1924

Crew of Men Start Work on Powder River Bridge

Jim Leech, in charge of his crew of men, arrived Friday from Billings and started work on the contract given to the Security Bridge Company, for extending the steel bridge to the west bank of the river by installing the 192-foot steel span now laying in the courthouse square and building a 120-foot wood span to bridge the washed out land. The contract was for $58,000 which includes replacement of certain girders and steel strips that were lost in the flood of a year ago.

Workers with Mr. Leech are Orville Cunningham of Camps Pass, Henry Hewitt, Henry Larson and Perry Parker, all of Billings. As the work progresses, other additions will be made to this crew of men.

By Tuesday, there was installed a temporary false work across the 130-foot width of the present river and for the first time in a year pedestrians were able to walk across the river on planks. This false work was necessary as the preliminary to the trestle work for the concrete work on the concrete abutment and pier and the false work for the steel span. Work is now starting on the concrete abutment. With favorable weather, the bridge should be completed and ready for traffic within six weeks.

Bill Waite Shows Ye Editor How to Hunt Wild Fowl

An impromptu hunting party was organized Saturday forenoon when Bill Waite agreed to show ye editor all the fine points in the hunting of grouse and sage chickens. In exchange for the courtesy we supplied the car and to share in the treat took along our young son Meredith; D.E. Culbertson and his two cousins here visiting with him. We stopped at a gate and espied a bunch of chickens, all old roosters but one. “Your first lesson,” said Bill, as he stepped from the car and took aim. Up flew the chickens and bang went his gun. We followed suit. An old rooster remaining on the side of the hill toppled over and that was all for the time being. Bill expects a one-sided story in this narrative, but to make it short and to the point, we divided our bag of prey with him upon returning home, and both agreeing that next time we would try and prevail upon some other better shot to demonstrate for our improvement.

September 23, 1949

Initiation Party Was Held Friday Afternoon

Thirty-two bewildered but eager freshmen received their initiation into Broadus High School last Friday afternoon at an initiation party in the school gym. The freshmen came to school that morning wearing clothes designed especially for them by their sponsors, the seniors. The show that afternoon was witnessed by the entire student body of the grade and high schools and by some of the parents. Many different acts from calf roping to noodle eating contests enlivened the show. The Initiation Ball that evening in the gym was attended by over 80 students and alumni.

First Football Game Saturday

Football practice at Broadus High School has been underway for the past two weeks under the direction of Coach Henry Thorton. The first game will be Saturday when the locals travel to Miles City to meet the State School 6 man football team.

Coach Thorton has 10 lettermen back from last year’s team. Three teams have been practicing nightly on the field in the town park. For the first ten days of practice the coach drilled the football team aspirants in the fundamentals of the game, blocking, tackling and ball handling.

The reserves this year look better than ever and there is little to choose between the two teams that are scrimmaging nightly. Starting team Saturday night at Miles City will probably be Whitney Patten and Gene Carter, ends, Elwood Barnhart, center, Buzz Jones, quarterback, Dallas Slayton and Ray Potter, halfbacks.

Buzz Jones was elected captain of the 1949 football team at an election held Tuesday. He is playing his third year of high school football and is a member of the junior class.

Leon Alderman, end, might get a starting assignment as the three top ends are hard to choose between. Claude “Pill” Huckins is making a desperate bid for first string center and looks better with each practice. Francis Wetherelt and Dennis Cole with but little previous experience are making a stiff fight for the quarterback position.

Jerry Stabio and Walter Ferguson look good in the backfield, Stabio looking particularly good in following his interference. Ferguson is strong defensively and both players will see lots of action in every game. Willard Kramlich, Darrel Walker and Bucky Carter are inexperienced ends but are showing marked improvement with every practice session. Bucky looks particularly strong on defense.

Harold McCullogh at halfback is small and inexperienced but is learning the game as a freshman and will be one of the reserves seeing action. Edwin Elkins and Bill Carr, ends, are inexperienced but showing improvement enough to make the squad. It is believed that all of those mentioned will make the trip to Miles City for the State School game.

The Hawks schedule includes the following games: State School, Sept. 24 there; Jordan, Sept. 30, there; Sacred Heart, Oct. 7, here; Hysham, Oct. 13, there; Colstrip, Oct. 22, here.

September 26, 1974

Badgett Receives Cartoon Award

M.C. Tin Star (whose real name is Wally Badgett) and the creator of the cartoons “EARL” and “BULL SLOBBERS” as seen in the PBR magazine) was the recipient of the “Best Caption/Cartoon Award” sponsored by the Western Horseman Magazine during the annual Cowboy Cartoonist International (CCI) Art Show and Sale, held in Sand Point, Idaho on September 18, 1999.

M.C. Tin Star, from Miles City, Montana received the “Leprechaun Award” sponsored by Rope Burns Magazine, located in Gene Autry Oklahoma. The award was designed to recognize individuals who have been responsible for focusing public attention on humor in the Western Art field.

It is worth noting that Badgett has eight cartoon books in print and his work can be seen on the internet at http://www.earlbook.com. He is also well known in Montana and surrounding states for his work in elementary schools, teaching an interactive class on the fine art of cartooning. His cartoons have also been seen on Leanin’ Tree cards and frequently show up as illustrations for the likes of Baxter Black.

Roy Reynolds, spokesman for CCI, says M.C. Tin Star seems to have an “against the grain” style of doing just about everything. He arrived at the corporate sponsored, black-tie event wearing only his underwear, long johns at that, complete with the flap. “If you big spenders would buy my art, maybe I could afford to buy pants,” commented the easy going cartoonist. According to Reynolds, the ploy must have worked because M.C. Tin Star was seen leaving town fully clothed.

Broadus 17, Scobey 14

Offensively, Broadus had trouble moving the ball the first half but came back with 17 points to win. The defense has to be given a lot of the credit, intercepting 3 passes and recovering 1 fumble to set up the scores. Broadus was hurt when Ron Kane, fullback and kicker broke his collarbone the 3rd play of the game and didn’t see action except to kick a field goal with 1 minute left to play.

John Riley, Broadus’s speedy slotback, broke a leg last Wednesday and did not play, and isn’t expected to be out of his cast for 3 months.

Coach Taylor said, “Our line did an exceptional job again this week and all of them deserve a lot of credit.” Defensively, Alan Codneys, who replaced John R. at cornerback, intercepted two passes and scored one touchdown. Larry Janssen, who replaced Ron Kane on defense, did an exceptional job. Mark Borla, Bryce Morton, Cliff Michaels and Chuck Nash held Scobey to little or no yardage up the middle.

September 30, 1999

County, Vet Struggling to Contain “Strangles”

Powder River County Road Department employees and local veterinarians are struggling to contain an equine “Strangles” epidemic, with one of the primary sources of the disease thought to be the county’s multi-purpose barn, infected by a horse brought in during the annual wagon train in early August, said local vet Randy Ward.

The disease, Streptococcus equi, affects horses only, and any animal that has been in the multi-purpose barn, or in contact with a horse or animal that has, is susceptible, said Ward. That includes fair, horse sale, high school rodeo and ropings that have taken place in the facility since - literally hundreds of animals.

The County Road Crew has taken major steps to decontaminate the facility, said Foreman Don Rogge. The surface areas have been washed in Purex; the bedding and sand from the floors have been hauled off and limed. Lime has also been spread over the surface of the new floor hauled in, with bedding on top.

“We’ve done absolutely everything we could both inside and outside,” said Rogge. “How safe is it? I don’t know. With what we’re doing were still not positive, there’s still a 90 percent chance of contamination.”

The Invitational Roping this weekend is still tentatively on. Ropers have been advised of the risk, said co-organizer Kara Lambert.

According to Ward, symptoms of the disease include a snotty nose, and swollen lymph glands. In the majority of cases, the disease can be successfully treated through antibiotics. Strangles can be fatal, however, especially in old or young animals, or those with weak immune systems. The best insurance, he said, is for owners to vaccinate.

The common source of the sick animals he’s thus far seen has been the wagon train and an infected horse that was kept in the multi-purpose barn.

“It’s pretty infectious to horses. I’ve heard of more than I’ve seen, which is par for the course. Most of the horses get really sick but they can be treated successfully,” he continued. “Young and old horses or those with weaker immune systems, the extremes, have the worst time.”

Ward said the first outbreak had a common source - the wagon train. “We’re currently seeing secondary exposure in other horses.”

Ward added that the incubation period of Strangles is about 3 to 8 days, according to literature he’s read, but he’s seeing incubation periods of 10 to 14 days. Rumors of the period lasting several months, he said, are simply not true.

The bacteria that causes the disease is transmitted to other animals by contact only. Ward said an infected horse at one end of the barn will not necessarily infect a horse on the other end, unless contact is made with the bacteria which can lay dormant in the ground, or can be passed by carriers, which includes human touch.

With the horse work-season upon area ranchers Strangles “is definitely a concern. A lot of people are traveling with their horses now. Everybody’s gathering cattle, so there’s more chance of exposure. And the ranchers need their horses now.”

The vet said there is also preventative vaccine available, and advised any owner who thinks their horse may have came into contact with the disease to inoculate. “It’s an insurance. Both Clint and Lynne Pedersen (Broadus Vet Clinic) and I have vaccines available. Broadus Boot and Tack, I know, also has the vaccine,” he added. “Anyone with questions or concerns should contact their vet.”