Memories for the Week of August 24, 2016

100 years ago

August 24, 1916

Local News

Vern Strubb of Phillips, has purchased the Akin & Goggin stage line and will conduct the same in the future. Mr. Strubb says he intends to put on a fast express service between here and the mountains and do all in his power to have the cars running on scheduled time.

The practice of throwing refuse in the streets is one that should be discouraged by all persons who are interested in the appearance of our city. It seems common practice for some people engaged in different lines of business in this town to use the streets as a receptacle for waste materials which maybe produced during their work. Every person in the city should be interested in keeping the city clean, not only from the sanitary standpoint, but from the standpoint of appearance.

William McGrath, an old-time engineer on the Great Northern Railroad, was killed while leaning from the engine of train NO. 401, while it was running on the main line west of Poplar. The circumstances attending the death of McGrath are not definitely known, as there were no eyewitnesses. It is believed, however, that he leaned out from the engine cab over the apron and slipped off, his head striking against the structure of a steel bridge.

75 years ago

August 21, 1941

Successful fire truck bid announced

The $4,320.20 bid on a new American-LaFrance Foamite Corp. fire truck was accepted by the City Council Tuesday night and an order for the new equipment has been placed with William G. Brooks of Spokane, a Foamite representative.

The addition of the new truck to the Model A truck now in use it is believed will be instrumental in having insurance rates cut at least 15-percent in the residential districts. The new truck will have a 500 gallon per minute tank, a 1,200 foot hose body, 4 ½ inch suction hoses and a 100 gallon water tank and essential equipment mounted on a 157 inch wheelbase Ford chassis with cab and 95 horse power Mercury engine.

County Fair is a notable success

Visitors at the 26th Annual Phillips County Fair held in Dodson last Saturday and Sunday pronounced the exhibition one of the most complete and entertaining shows ever held in this county. Over 6,000 persons filed through the gates and enjoyed enlarged exhibits, grandstand entertainment and the midway.

On display in the exhibit buildings were entries from all the county home demonstration and 4-H clubs, the Malta Chapter of the Future Farmers of America, rural and city schools, as well as livestock, vegetable, fruit and grain collections.

There were no accidents to mar the festive air and fairgoers had no difficulties in finding parking spaces for their cars.

50 years ago

August 25, 1966

Car mix-up causes confusion

When Ike Blatter got permission from the Malta Auto Co. to borrow a car for a weekend, he didn't know it was going to lead to a two day search for a stolen car.

The trouble started when Ike was told he could take a blue car parked by the garage. He took the car and went to his home south of Dodson. The catch was, there were two blue cars and Ike took the wrong one. The one he borrowed belonged to John Sundseth who spent the whole weekend, along with law enforcement officers, looking for his "stolen" car.

Anyway, Ike returned the car Monday morning and the search came to an end. It is rumored that John saw a lot of new country as he looked for his car.

Freak accident to auto caused by flying duck

A flying duck was the cause of a car accident Friday at 9:30 a.m. one and one half miles east of Dodson. A car driven by Mrs. Maxine Joyce Braaden of Great Falls was traveling toward North Dakota and while going by the canal on Highway NO. 2 two ducks flew out of the ditch and were hit by the oncoming car. One duck hit the car on the right side and broke the front headlight, dented the grill and hit the hood with enough force to spring the hitch, causing the hood to fly back and break the windshield and dent the hood. Pieces of glass from the broken windshield were found in the car but no one was injured.

25 years ago

August 21, 1991

City refuse rates to go up to meet new landfill rates

Malta residents will likely be faced with higher garbage fees when they get their tax notices later this year.

The fees will be split into a pickup charge and a landfill charge. The typical one family residence will be assessed an annual $86.50 pickup or collection fee and an $87 landfill fee for a total annual amount cost of $173.50. Currently, that same residence would pay a single fee totaling $110.

While the fees are going up, City officials defend their decision not to join the new Phillips County Refuse District by saying their fees are still lower when services are compared.

Had the City joined the district, residents would still pay the collection fee of $86.50 for door to door services plus the $150 fee to the refuse district.

10 years ago

August 23, 2006

Financially successful grandstand shows have fair board members looking to 2007

Phillips County Fair officials are looking forward to a good fair next year thanks to the success of the last one.

The grandstand determines how much we're allowed to do next year," said Fair Board member Rhonda Arnold.

And thanks to an evening NRA rodeo that "really kicked it up a notch this year" and a Saturday night concert that financially did very well, next year is looking up.

"It's the biggest grandstand attendance we've had in the history of the fair," Arnold said of the 1,200 people who attended the Little Big Town concert Saturday night.