Remember When?

70 YEARS AGO • MARCH, 1953

CLARK FORK FERRY IS DISCUSSED

M.C. Sutherland, chairman of the Sanders County Board of Commissioners and Al Libra, County Attorney met with the Mineral County Board of Commissioners in Superior to discuss financing and construction of a new ferry across the Clark Fork River between St. Regis and Paradise.

An agreement was drawn and signed by which the two counties will share the cost of rebuilding the ferry, each to be repaid from a percentage of tolls collected. Total cost of the project to be approximately $8,000.

The new ferry will be built of 27 steel pontoons welded into three rows of nine pontoons each, the whole decked with heavy planking. The pontoons are Navy surplus from Hawaii. Ed Hazelton, Paradise, is contracting for the assembly and decking of the ferry.

Three large trucks arrived from Portland early this week carrying the pontoons and steel bracing and connections. The job is expected to be completed and the new ferry in cooperation by April 14.

The old ferry had been in operation for many years and had become completely unserviceable. While the ferry is located in Sanders County, it forms an essential link in the only route between Mineral and Sanders Counties which can be kept open the year around. Co-operation between the two counties makes possible the saving of many miles travel for residents of the two counties. (In 1953 there was no Montana Highway 135, commonly known as the St. Regis Cut-off Road. It was built in 1960.)

CORNERSTONE LAID

Mrs. Betty Doyle says that she laid the corner-stone on Monday morning for their new building, the Pastime Club. The same day which was election day and the club was closed, they moved back to the old club room where they will continue serving the public during the construction of the two-story edition. (This is now the Highlead Saloon)

LATEST HARDWARE & HOUSEWARES WILL BE DISPLAYED

Larson’s Cash Store will celebrate irha Hardware

week in cooperation with 22,000 other independent, home-owned hardware stores, wholesalers and manufacturers from coast to coast. The purpose of this event is to give everyone an opportunity to see and save on all types of useful items . . . from hardware to housewares . . . from tools and gadgets to garden and lawn needs.

For 8 days the latest and most unusual appliances, cooking utensils, housewares, tools and garden equipment will be featured in displays. Visitors will be able to inspect, at close range, new coffee makers that brew delicious coffee in record time . . . easy to operate electric mixers . . . practically fool-proof electric toasters.

Also on display will be the latest types of new electric clocks, complete sets of razor-sharp knives for every purpose, colorful bread boxes and canister sets, saucepans, pots and pans . . . new work-saving tools. And many of these items will bear substantially reduced price tags.

Be sure to see this interesting array of useful items.

HISTORICAL PHOTOS

Dorothy Dodson, Clerk and Recorder, reports that Mrs. Earl Clayton, Heron, has mailed some old pictures of historical value. Some of the pictures were of the old River Echo school across the river from Heron; of Blue Creek before the bridge changes were made, showing the foot bridge, the county bridge, which replaced the foot bridge, then the highway bridge. The entire area is now flooded by the Clark Fork River which has been backed up by the Cabinet Gorge Dam.

FARMS FOR SALE

480 acres, 80 cleared, all machinery, good buildings, flights, mail, school, four miles from town $16,000.

160 acres bottom land, 40 cleared, REA, mail school, some machinery, $8,500.

500 acres, 100 cleared, bottom land, battle ranch, lots of water for irrigation $20,000.

160 acres, mostly meadow bottom, $7,500.