Memories for February, 1, 2017

100 years ago

Taken from 1942's "25 years ago"

February 1, 1917 saw a reorganization of the Malta Fire Department, Hose Card No. 1 had M. J. Dabney as its captain and Allin Arnot as assistant captain. Just ordinary firemen on this card were L.F. Sangreget, Ray Gardner, Clarence Cosner, Edgar Partridge and Dick Alldrin.

Hose Cart No. 2 had Ed Siegert as captain and Arthur Snow Hanscom as assistant, while the working staff are composed of H.A. Stucke, Al Winkler, Harry Lyden, S.S. Crawford and T.V. Sharp.

The hook and ladder game was headed by W.J. Smyth and the crew was G.L. Partridge, Lester Hartstock, Roy Abrahamson, J. L. Elliot, Frank Patton and F.W. St. Clair. The chemical section had Easton McMoran, Martin Olson, Dick Martin, H.A. Parker, A. Whittmore, James A. Battram and Nail Smith among its personnel.

75 years ago

January 29, 1942

Green makes for unit produce crop

Henry Green, who lives in the South Wagner community, is one of the most successful farmers resettled on developed irrigable units on the Milk River Farms FSA project in spite of the fact that four years ago as the unit was considered worthless gumbo soil incapable of supporting a family.

Green and his wife have 10 children and since 1938 they have made a very good living for themselves, which goes to prove that soil experts and agricultural specialists are not always right about the productivity of a certain tract of land.

County to peaceful Sheriff says;

wants a prisoner

The News representative pestered the County Sheriff's office in vain this week. There just wasn't any news because nobody had been arrested; in fact nobody even tried to stir up a fuss.

Normally, said Sheriff Campbell, nobody would object to this state of affairs but because he wants to make a trip to Deer Lodge he wishes somebody would commit a crime and get a stretch and Dudley Jonse's boardinghouse. Reason is that the Sheriff's office is gradually accumulating a great store of ancient license plates donated by patriotic automobile owners and if many more come in before the next criminal appears there will be room in the car for both the scrap metal and the present.

Non-game fish to be reduced in Bowdoin Lake

Non-game fish, principally carp and buffalo, have increased to a point where they are detrimental to the wildfowl breeding and nesting areas in the Lake Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, eight miles northeast of Malta, and as a result it is planned to issue an exclusive permit to commercial fisherman with proper equipment for the removal of as many of these fish as possible yet this winter, B.M. Hazeltine, refuge manager, has announced.

Save those tubes

Start now to save all your toothpaste tubes, shaving cream tubes - anything of collapsible metal. Tin is needed badly in these tubes are almost pure tin.

50 years ago

February 2, 1967

45 straight for junior hoops team

Malta Junior High basketball team made it 45 victories in a row at the Junior High Saturday on the home floor.

Dwayne Simanton and Robert Robinson led the seventh grade scores with 13 and 16 points. Duane Walker and Craig Stiles were high scorers for the eighth grade with 45 and 13 points.

County ranked fifth in traffic accidents in 1966

Traffic accidents occurring in Phillips County during 1966 total 65, according to a report from A. E. But, Jr., Capt. of the Montana Highway Patrol at Glendive. Valley County had the most traffic accidents in Montana with a total of 162.

Phillips County ranked fifth in the state.

Drinking was accredited for the cause of 26 accidents; 30 because of speed; livestock was the cause for seven, and 16 miscellaneous, which lists all the various violations which led to an accident. 16 of the accidents were on gravel roads and 49 on oil.

Posthumous Silver Star to Vietnam victim from Saco

The Silver Star was awarded posthumously Tuesday night at Army Reserve headquarters in Great Falls to PFC Kenneth M. Knudsen, Saco, killed in action in Vietnam on March 16, 1966. It is the first Silver Star awarded to a Montana serviceman for service in Vietnam, according to Army sources.

Brig. Gen. John P. Conner presented the medal to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth G. Knudsen before a full assembly of men and officers, and the entire junior and senior classes of Saco High School.

Knudson was called to service in July 1965 and had been in Vietnam three weeks at the time of his death.

His other Army decorations included the Purple Heart, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Combat infantryman's Badge. He was a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Knudsen was killed while trying to silence an enemy heavy machine gun and placement about 40 yards to the front of his position. His attempt, the citation said, "inspired the remaining comrades to hold their position and eventually defeated the insurgents."

Young shoplifters very active, Friede advises

Juvenile Officer Herb Friede told the News this week that shoplifting by juveniles is getting to be a serious problem. Friede says that there has been an outbreak of such offenses in the age bracket of about 12 years old, but it is not confined to the stage.

Friede would like all parents to be especially watchful and note how and where their children acquired. Friede believes that this attitude on parents' part will help the situation and avoid the necessity of having to turn many of these cases over to juvenile court.

25 years ago

January 29, 1992

Malta drama takes state

The Malta High School Drama Team came away with the first state championship for Malta drama since 1976, at the state competition last week in Great Falls.

Nine speech and drama participants went to state from Malta, as follows: Tony Roberts, David Low, David Curtis, Matt Pugh, Irene Zanguitu, Daniel Low, Becky Pugh, and Jory Poulton.

10 years ago

January 31, 2007

Truck crashes through ice at Nelson, two safe

Two Glasgow men had to swim in some pretty cold water Sunday morning when their 2002 Toyota pickup broke through a weak spot in the ice at Nelson Reservoir.

Two other members of the ice fishing party who were riding on four wheelers saw the pickup plunge through the ice and helped pull the driver, Dwight Martin of Glasgow, and an unidentified passenger from the water onto the ice.