June 2, 1922

Distillery Washes Out Nobody Claims Outfit

Following the heavy rain and hail storm of Saturday night that had resemblance of a cloudburst, a complete distilling outfit was washed down Mud Springs creek in the Coalwood country. After the high water had receded the “moon” machinery was found lodged in the fence at George L. Neates’s place. Singularly nobody has laid claim to the outfit and Neate himself is quite perplexed to dispose of it.

May 30, 1947

Art Stuver and John Traub Viewed Pelicans

Art Stuver and John Traub have taken exception with the writer over his ideas of what constitutes news. They recall in other years that the sight of the first robin in the spring has brought a news story of the event. These gentlemen have a story of their own which they say is equally newsworthy. About two weeks ago Art saw a flock of 15 pelicans on the banks of Powder River near the Stuver ranch. Within an hour John Traub came along and he was shown the pelicans still parked on the river bank. While the pelican is native to Louisiana, Mississippi and other states along the gulf, Stuver and Traub insist that it is news when they are viewed in Montana. We agree, but it is still their story.

June 1, 1972

Area Students Receive Degrees

Area residents receiving Bachelor degrees at Commencement exercises Sunday, May 28, from Eastern Montana College, Billings, were: Linda Eckerdt, Gladys L. Schonenbach, Alice M. Snodgrass, and Ilene H. Terry of Ashland; Vonnie Vandever Clark, Margaret Mills, Arlis Valach Bidwell, Mary Schaffer, Byron Rogge, and Douglas Ross Denson.

Receiving his bachelor’s degree at Rocky Mountain College was Jesse Barnhart.

Miss J. Anne Edwards received her master’s degree from University of Denver and Bonnie Bogner Sprague received her bachelor’s degree.

May 29, 1997

First Graders Get Lesson on History

By Patty Williams

On Thursday, May 21, Mrs. Bogner’s first grade class met with Joyce Tipton at the Powder River Historical Museum to learn more about the steam shovel which belonged to Joyce’s father. Prior to their tour, the class listened to the popular children’s book, Mike Mulligan and The Steam Shovel and learned what steam shovels were used for.

During Joyce’s presentation, she related the history of the Bucyrus steam shovel now located at our museum. The steam shovel was made in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1936. Frank Bandy, Joyce’s father, bought the steam shovel in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it was transported by railroad to Baker. From Baker, Frank drove it to the family home seven miles north of Ekalaka. The distance he traveled was about 35 miles at a speed of 5-10 miles per hour.

Frank used the steam shovel to remove the top layers of dirt to reach the veins of coal beneath. Wagons pulled by horses were then used to transport the coal to railways. During the years of The Great Depression, Frank used the money he earned to buy flour for his family.

In 1941, the steam shovel was transported to Broadus in two parts; the top half consisting of the cab and engine was separated from the bottom platform made up of the tracks. Frank and his two sons, Merle and Frank Jr., worked in a mine near Broadus, again stripping the top soil in order to reach the veins of coal. Later in 1943, the rest of the family moved to make Broadus their home. At the onset of World War II, the Bandy boys went to war. After that, Frank never used the steam shovel again.

A special thanks goes out to Joyce Tipton and her family for sharing a part of local history with the Powder River region.