Remember When?

70 YEARS AGO • JUNE 26, 1940

PROGRESS ON COURTHOUSE

Nineteen men are now employed on the courthouse construction job. A dash coat has been given to the exterior cement walls, windows and glass are now being installed and the plastering inside is also underway. The brick entrance to the building is completed, and filling in of the grounds around the building is also being undertaken this week. The contractor contemplates completion by August 1.

50 YEARS AGO • JULY 2, 1970

THREE FIRE LOOKOUTS MANNED IN TF DISTRICT

Three forest fire lookouts on the Thompson Falls ranger district were scheduled to be manned this week as preparations for the coming fire season increased, according to George Stipe, fire control officer.

First lookout to be manned was Eddy Peak, Cougar Peak was manned by Mr. and Mrs. Delance Wiegele on Friday and Priscilla Peak is scheduled to be manned.

Stipe said manning of the Driveway Peak and Clark Peak lookouts will depend on weather conditions and fire index ratings.

Eddy Peak is the only lookout still manned today. Cougar Peak is on the Lookout Rental list, Priscilla Peak lookout is in bad disrepair. Clark Peak lookout was taken down in 1976 and Driveway lookout is no more. It was retired in 1969 after its last season in service.

FIRE DESTROYS HOME NEAR TROUT CREEK

Fire Tuesday afternoon destroyed the home of Mrs. Rose A. Franck near the mouth of the Vermilion River across the bay from Trout Creek despite efforts of three Forest Service pumper trucks and several employees of the Durable Wood Products Mill.

Undersheriff Don Williams said the Forest Service pumper trucks arrived at the scene while the fire was still confined in the attic, where it is believed to have started. The efforts of the firemen enabled volunteers to save several pieces of furniture, before the home was enveloped in flames.

Several years ago, a large section of the bluff on which the Franck home was located (Blue Slide Road) slid into the Noxon Rapids Reservoir and took a portion of the county road with it.

Claude and Rose Franck had 13 children – Edward, Violet Gerstenberger, Betty Jean Beem, Claude, Charles, Ray, Shirley Windle, Dale, Judith Kalar, Margaret Bernhard, Jean Hill, Barbara Lampshire and Robert. There are many descendants of Claude and Rose Franck in Sanders County.

CRACK DOWN SET FOR CYCLE RIDERS

Highway Patrolman Joe R. Sol Wednesday issued a warning to all parents of children who do not possess a valid drivers license that underage boys and girls are not permitted to operate any motor vehicle on any public street or road.

“The Montana law provides that the parent or guardian is to be cited for allowing an unauthorized minor to operate a motor vehicle on a public street,” Sol said.

Sol said the situation of underage boys and girls operating motorcycles on streets has been brought to the Highway Patrol’s attention through numerous complaints. He said three youths riding motorcycles in the Jaycee Roundup parade Saturday were given reprimands.

Sol said it appears more and more youngsters are flouting the law and riding motorcycles on streets and public roads. “Since this is against the law, the Highway Patrol has no alternative but to enforce the law, and issue traffic citations to violators in the future,” Sol said.

Now that Joe Sol is retired and I have grown up, I can confess that I was one of those youngsters putting around on my dad’s Honda 90. There were a bunch of us, we tried to stick to alleyways but had to go across streets to get to those alleyways. Little renegades!