Powder River Examiner -

July 21, 1922

Law Compels the Repair of Fences

Complaints have been made from many parts of the county that barbed wire fences are being neglected, wires are broken and down, and animals are being cut up by the wire.

The Montana Code provides, in effect, that when barbed or other wire has been down or broken, so as to be dangerous to livestock for a period of thirty days, if written notice of that fact is served on the owner of the land, or, if he is out of the state, his managing agent, or the person who has the land leased, if there be such, he must repair the fence within ten days from the date of service or he will be guilty of a misdemeanor. The penalty for misdemeanor is a fine of not more than $500 or county jail sentence of not more than six months or both.

Powder River Co. Wettest in Montana

For precipitation records this year, Powder River County holds the record for any county within Montana. The total precipitation for Biddle on Little Powder River from April to June inclusive was 13.60 inches and at Broadus on the Big Powder was 12.20 inches during the three months. The record for Biddle for June was 7.54 inches and for Broadus 4.77 inches. Local records are kept by A.W. Heidel and Biddle records by John L. Scofield.

July 18, 1947

Artesian Well Flows 50 Gals. Per Minute

An artesian well that would cause most of the wells on Powder River to blush with shame was brought in at the W.D. Fortner ranch near Biddle on Little Powder River by Earl Drane, local drilling contractor. This well drilled to a depth of 62 feet with a rotary drilling outfit was brought in with an initial flow of 50 gallons of water per minute. Many of the wells on Little Powder have a production in excess of the usual 10 gallon flow encountered in the wells on Powder River. Mr. Drane completed this well last Friday.

July 20, 1972

Ashland Lumber Co. Razed by Fire

The main sawmill building of the Ashland Lumber Co. was destroyed by fire last Wednesday evening, putting 20 men out of work.

Workers at the main mill building at the planer building which was not damaged will not be able to work, nor will the timber men. The planer building is without electricity as a result of the blaze and, according to Gary Loveness, manager of the mill, electricity probably cannot be restored in less than a week.

It is thought that the fire started just before 7:00 p.m. because an electric clock in the mill stopped when wires were burned through.

The building was consumed within half an hour and it took another half an hour before the Ashland Volunteer Fire Department, the St. Labre Mission Fire Department, the Forest Service and local citizens could get the blaze under control.

Cause of the fire is unknown but an insurance adjustor is to check the scene next week and he may discover what started the disastrous fire.

July 17, 1997

Freedom Run Winners Named

Winners of the Powder River Commercial Club’s Fourth of July Freedom Run have been named. Forty-five runners total competed in the event, according to organizer Tom Brewer, 17 in the Five Mile endurance run and 28 in the One Mile Run Run.

Overall winners were Brian Oliver who had the fastest time among the male competitors, an 28:57, in the Five Mile Run. Joan Jilka, former Broadus teacher and coach, ran off with first place money - again - in the female division, with a fast time of 32:14.

Other Five Mile winners were as follows. Barry McKenzie, Broadus native, ran off with first place honors in the 51 and older Five Mile Run, finishing with a time of 48:02.

Tom Riggs of Biddle claimed top money in the 31 to 50 year old male division in the Five Miler, finishing with a fast time of 37:03. Tom Brewer ran in second place with a 44:11, and Charles Smith of Olive took third with a time of 44:20.

Jilka once again took top honors in the 31 to 50 year old ladies’ division, running away with the title with the fast time of 32:14. Donna (Farrar) Gotsch of Bozeman, formerly of Broadus, followed in second place with a time over 12 minutes slower, a 44:11. Susan Smith of Olive captured third place behind a time of 48:55.

First place in the 0-30 year old male division went to Oliver with his 28:57 time, the fastest in the race. Gabriel Hart took second with a time of 33:21. Third went to Micah Mathieson of Broadus, who finished the course in 34:14.

Tedi Jo Elgin of Biddle claimed first place honors in the 0-30 year old ladies’ division, capturing the gold with a time of 45:54. Sheila Grant of Broadus came in second with a time of 59:45.

One Mile Fun Run winners were as follows. Brothers Ben and Ty Brewer of Broadus took first and second place in the male division, with respective fast times of 7:06 and 7:43. Matthew Smith of Olive followed in third place, finishing with a slightly lower time of 7:51.

Hailey Eck, daughter of Earline Hensley-Eck, ran her way to a gold medal prize in the female division, finishing with a time of 7:12. Jenny Brewer kept the winnings in the family, running in second place with a time of 8:10. Lisa Smith also kept the winnings in her family, placing third with a time of 8:38.