Remember When?

50 YEARS AGO • DECEMBER 24, 1968

LAW OFFICERS PASS OUT YULE BOXES TO NEEDY

Sanders County sheriffs officers were playing the role of Santa Claus Monday as they delivered baskets of food, toys and other gifts to needy families in the Trout Creek, Noxon, Perma, Dixon and Hot Springs areas.

Undersheriff Bob Snider and Jailer Matt Marich delivered the gifts to Trout Creek and Noxon while Sheriff Dick Cole dispersed the boxes in the Hot Springs area with the aid of Deputy Sheriff Harvey Shultz. Deputy Sheriff Buster Priddy handled the distribution in the Perma and Dixon communities.

Sheriff Cole said the gifts were provided or made possible by contributions of numerous individuals and organizations. The Jaycees prepared five boxes of food stuffs, Mrs. Richard Wilkinson contributed 26 dolls which she had repaired and dressed during the past year, children of the Community Congregational Church School brought gifs Sunday which were used to help fill the gift parcels. Several individuals contributed cash to a Sheriff’s fund which is augmented by fees collected during the year by officers for livestock inspections. Officers re entitled to a portion of the fees, but have made it a custom for many years to contribute these to the Christmas fund.

Sheriff Cole said he hopes to expand the Christmas fund project next year and that all of the project will be directed by his office as it previously was. He felt this would help make it once again a county-wide project and that more good, gifts and clothing could be provided for the needy as one, overall county-wide program.

40 YEARS AGO • DECEMBER 21, 1978

PIPELINE SESSION EYED FOR NORTHERN TIER

A public meeting to provide information and answer questions concerning the proposed Northern Tier Pipeline through Sanders County will probably be conducted in Thompson Falls soon after the first of the year, Sen. John Melcher has told the Sanders County Ledger.

A consultant for the Northern Tier Pipeline, Jim Creighton, flew into Thompson Falls Thursday to discuss with the Ledger publisher the need for such a public information meeting.

Creighton was told no information has been made available locally regarding the exact route down Prospect Creek to Thompson Falls and on to Plains and Paradise that the pipeline firm has proposed.

Creighton, who operates his own consulting firm, said he has been employed as a public involvement consultant for Northern Tier. He said a meeting at Thompson Falls could provide detailed information as to the proposed route, the number of creek crossings concerned and the types and locations of river crossings planned.

He explained that while he is not an engineer, Northern Tier officials want to keep the 42-inch pipeline underground to reduce its vulnerability to enemy attacks in case of war.

He said that if local landowners and sportsmen feel that some route changes can be made to protect the environment the “Northern Tier people will make them.”

The route through Shoshone County to Thompson Pass has been fairly well firmed up. It was following a public session in Wallace, that the route to Thompson Pass was changed to follow Jackass Ridge instead of going up the valley floor.

The proposed pipeline would transport Alaskan crude oil from a marine terminal at Port Angeles, Wash. Through Idaho, Montana and North Dakota to Cranbrook, Minn. En route it would serve pipelines at Billings, Laurel and Cut Bank. These Montana refineries face the loss of their supply of crude when Canada cuts off its supply in 1982. The pipeline corporation is a Montana corporation formed by eight companies and corporations experienced in the oil, transportation, environmental, engineering and manufacturing industries. None of the partners owns any Alaskan crude oil reserves nor a major refiner which will be served by the pipeline.

Northern Tier is financing the cost of environmental studies and impact statements being prepared by the Forest Service and BLM. Jack Fisher is one of the Forest Service representatives involved in preparing the environmental impact statement.