Info sought on Roles from Landusky

Dear Editor,

I am completing a nonfiction history book on Montana “disasters” that will be published in coming months by Farcountry Press in Helena. One of the stories in the book is about the July 1936 fire in the Little Rockies that killed three men and burned a number of others. I have found numerous newspaper accounts of the fire (and others that started at about the same time), which started near Lodge Pole and burned toward Zortman. Two of three killed were working for the U.S. Geological Survey. The third was a man named John Roles, who is identified as a miner from Landusky. I am trying to find out some biographical information about Roles. A number of other men survived the flames by taking refuge in a cave, including Francis Williams, Edgar Palmer and Cordis Miller, all of Landusky. I am hoping some younger family members might have heard stories and recollections from these lucky souls. Another man burned in the fire was Otis Pewitt, who lived in the Zortman area.

Additionally, a Phillips County man who shared an account of what happened in the fire was initially identified as Art Piedermann in Montana newspapers. The Phillips County News identified him as Art Tiedermann. I have some reason to believe he was actually Art Tiedemann, who lived in Landusky and Malta and may have descendants in the area. Any help in correctly identifying him is greatly appreciated.

Lori Taylor and the great folks at the Phillips County Museum have provided some valuable assistance on this project. My goal is to produce an accurate account of the fire and other events in the book, all of which are worth remembering.

I can be contacted via email at [email protected].

Thanks,

Butch Larcombe

Woods Bay, Montana