The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume], December 31, 1953, Image 1

About The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
Rippling ;
I
: of the Rivers 5
Christmas in Hardin was cele
brated with customary festivity
and rather quietly but there
was one aspect of the celebra
tion which hadn’t happened for
forty years.
This Christmas—for the first
time since 1910—neither Mr. or
Mrs. R. A. Vickers nor any of
their sons and daughters spent
Christmas in Hardin. Mr. and
Mrs. Vickers were in Hement,
Cal., spending Christmas with
their son-in-law and daughter,
Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Novark.
Tne Vickers son, Russell, and
their daughter, Mrs. Lyle J.
Tintinger, Sr., both residents of
Hardin, spent Christmas with
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Miller in Bil
lings. Three other sons, Lew
ellyn, J. L. and R. A. Vickers,
Jr., reside in Seattle, Wash., and
another daughter, Mrs. Jack
Rowland, is a resident of Taco
ma. Wash.
o
The following poem, entitled
Ode at Odds, or The Meter
Petered Out, was written by one
much more poetically gifted
than this writer, but it pretty
well expresses the situation
that annually exists at the
Tribune-Herald in that dead
week between Christmas and
New Years. And besides, it
helps fill a space that would
otherwise be white.
"Twas the week after Christmas,
and all through the shop
Not a feature was brewing,
not a story was hot.
Not an admat was casting,
the pot was quite cold,
Not a layout was hanging,
not one inch was sold.
When all of a sudden
We started to dance—
A big store in town
broke a clear-ance!
With that happy thought,
and happy it is.
The printer was singing,
things started to whiz.
The phone rang out
with its own obligato;
A farmer brought in
the year's first tomahto.
The pressman arrived
(We thought he was dead.)
And all he could mutter was:
Ouch, such a head.
The publisher noted,
with malice aforethought:
The books didn’t balance,
a fact he had forgot.
A subscriber arrived,
to pay his subscription.
A lawyer dropped in
about a description
He said w T as a libel
of one of his clients.
Before any newsman
could snarl in defiance
The client came in
to collar the lawyer
And tell the old shyster,
he just needn't bother.
That’s how it started,
this New ’54.
Not very different
from each year before.
There’s just this one difference.
please let us forget:
Was ever a year sprung
by such a po-et?
o
This w’eek really doesn’t
count anyway as far as pub
lishing a weekly newspaper is
concerned — that is one pub
lished on Thursday. Fifty-two
weeks constitute a year, but
this year there were 53 Thurs
days, so this week’s Tribune-
Herald is number 53 for the
year.
We had it figured that that
phenomenon would occur only
once every 28 years but some
thing was wrong with our
figures, since this is the second
time it has happened in the
short career of this reporter.
So the HT-H will have a
birthday next week w’hen we
begin the 47th year of publica
tion. We wish the Tribune-Her
ald a Happy Birthday and ev
erybody a Happy New Year!
Wool Support Price for 1954 Crop Is
Announced by Agriculture Department
Prices for wool produced in
1954 will be supported at a na
tional average of not less than
52.1 cents per pound, grease
basis, the Department of Agri
culture has announced.
The support price reflects 90
per cent of the estimated par-
Guest Speaker Slated
At Baptist Church
James Robbins, pre-minister
ial student attending Rocky
Mountain college in Billings,
will speak at the worship serv
ices to be held at 11 a. m. Sun
day, Jan. 3, at the Baptist
church, during the absence of
the Rev. R. J. Kennedy, pastor.
Robbins will also conduct the
youth Sunday school class us
ually headed by the Rev. Mr.
Kennedy at 10 a. m. and the
board of deacons of the church
will be in charge of the 7:45
p. m. services.
The Rev. Mr. Kennedy will
leave Saturday. Jan. 2. to attend
a state Baptist youth cabinet
meeting in Bozeman in his ca
pacity as state advisor for the
junior high group.
s
BOZEMAN VISITORS
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Turley
spent Christmas with their son
in-law and daughter, Mr. and
Mrs. Jim Lester in Bozeman.
VOL. 46, NO. 53
Hardin Man Injured
In Auto Mishap
On St. Xavier Road
H. P. Schaller of Hardin in
curred a fractured leg and is in
a Billings hospital following an
automobile accident which oc
curred Christmas eve approxi
mately Ip miles south of Har
din on the St. Xavier road.
State Highway Patrolman
John Corbett, who investigated
the accident, said a 1953 pickup
which Mr. Schaller was driving,
and in which his son, Dwayne,
was a passenger, went out of
control and left the road on an
icy curve. Corbett said it was
not determined how many
times the vehicle overturned,
but it came to rest upside down
to the right of the highway.
The two occupants of the
pickup were brought to the Big
Horn County Community hos
pital after examination re
vealed a fractured leg. The
younger Mr. Schaller remained
in the local hospital overnight
and was released the next day,
having received no serious in
juries. ,
The vehicle was extensively
damaged.
Bulldogs to Resume
Conference Play
Saturday Evening
The Hardin Bulldogs resume
their conference basketball
schedule on the home floor
Saturday, Jan. 2, when they
meet the Forsyth Dogies. The
prehminary, between B squads
of the two schools, is slated for
7 p. m.. Coach Casey Emerson
announced.
The Dogies, newcomers this
year to the Class B setup, have
been participants in a number
of close games this year, and
Emerson expects them to pro
vide plenty of action in Satur
day’s game.
The Bulldogs have been idle
since Dec. 19, when they drop
ped a hard-fought tussle to
Big Timber on the local maples.
In conference play thus far this
season the Hardin squad has
won from Worden and Colum
bus, and lost by close decisions
to Billings Central, Roundup
and Big Timber.
o
BUS SCHEDULE CHANGE
The American Trailways bus
schedule through Hardin will be
changed, effective January 4,
as follows:
To Billings, 11:05 a. m. and
5:03 p. m.
To Sheridan, 1:53 p. m. and
6:38 p. m.
New Officers of Sts. John Lodge and
Eastern Star Chapter Are Installed
Newly-elected and appointive
officers for Sts. John Lodge No.
92, A. F. and A. M., and Jasmine
Chapter No. 65. Order of the
Eastern Star, were installed at
impressive ceremonies held
Tuesday evening, Dec, 29, at
the Masonic temple.
Francis Curry was installed as
worshipful master of Sts. John
lodge. Serving with him will be
Melvin Holmes, senior warder;
Overt Mattox, junior warder;
Carl Edwards, treasurer; Harold
Nordwall, secretary; Chester
Raup, chaplain; Melvin Cook,
senior deacon; Elvin Davis, ju
nior deacon; Robert Hanley,
ity price for wool as of April 1,
1954, the beginning of the 1954
marketing year. If the parity
price on that date is actually
higher, the support price will
be increased to reflect 99 per
cent of parity, but the announ
ced price will not be reduced if
wool parity should be lower
than the estimate.
Support of the 1953 wool crop
is at a national average of 53.1
cents per pound, grease basis.
The advance announcement of
the support level and price is
in accordance with forward
pricing provisions of the Agri
cultural Act of 1949. This is de
signed to aid wool producers in
making their production and
marketing plans for the 1954
season. Legislation currently re
quires support at the level be
tween 60 and 90 per cent of
parity which is needed to en
courage an annual production of
about 360 million pounds of
shorn wool. Production in 1953
was approximately 229 million
pounds and is expected to be
about the same in 1954.
As of October 31, 1953, USDA
had price support loans out
standing on approximately 35
million pounds of 1953-crop
wool. As of November 9, 1953,
the USDA inventory of wool ac
quired under the 1952 price sup
port program totaled 97.6 mil
lion pounds.
Che bardin Cribunc bcraid
DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF BIG HH”*’ "
Hardin, Big Hom County, Montana
Happy
Year/
Another milestone prompts us
to wish “good luck”
IOS 9 I to our many friends.
Decker Serviceman
Enroute to U. S.
Pfc. Ardith H. Porter, 24, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Porter of
Decker, is en route to the U. S.
from Japan for release from
active duty, according to in
formation from the Army.
In the Far East 13 months,
Porter was a dispatcher in the
8022nd Army unit at Camp
Wood. Japan. He entered the
Army in February, 1952, com
pleted basic training at Fort
Leonard Wood, Mo., and served
with the Eta Jima (Japan)
specialist school before his as
signment with the 8022nd.
Formerly engaged in ranch
ing with his father in Decker,
Porter attended Montana State
college in Bozeman after grad
uation in 1946.
steward; Charles Sweeney,
steward; Thomas Smith, mar
shall and Cedric Bond, tyler.
Installing officer for Sts.
John Lodge was Joe Hopper of
Billings, grand junior deacon.
He was assisted by Dave Coon,
past master of Ashlar lodge No.
29, as installing grand marshall;
the Rev. C. A. Bentley, D. D.,
installing grand chaplain, and
Russell Danielson, installing
grand secretary.
Lee Joyce Denny was installed
as worthy matron of Jasmine
chapter. Serving with her will
be Harold Nordwall, worthy
patron; Marilyn Jones, associ
ate matron; Melvin Denny, as
sociate patron; Julia Brown,
secretary; Norma Boggess,
treasurer; Ruth Giles, conduct
ress; Jean Holmes, associate
conductress; Luvern Edwards,
chaplain; Edith Nordquist, mar
shal; Ola Maddox, organist; Ev
elyn Franch. Ada; Lillyan Price,
Ruth; Myrtle Peterson, Esther;
Wanda Salyer. Martha; Helen
Gibson, Elect; Elsie Riley, ward
er, and G. A. Salveson, sentinel.
Olive Mae Flachsenhar of
Forsyth, past worthy grand ma
(Continued on page 6)
Former Resident
Dies in Idaho
Word has been received by
friends of the death in Coeur
d’Alene, Idaho, Wednesday, Dec.
23, of Mrs. Dorothy Liang,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom
MacCleod of Billings, after an
illness of several years.
Services were held for Mrs.
Liang Tuesday, Dec. 29, and in
terment was in Coeur d’alene.
The deceased and her parents
were long-time residents of the
Sarpy community and were well
known in Big Horn county.
B
CALLED FOR INDUCTION
Carl Weber and Delmer Witt
mayer will leave for induction
into the armed forces January
19, according to an announce
ment this week by the local
Se’ectve Service board.
The clerk of the local board
will assist any person in filling
out their questionnaire if they
call at the office, the board an
nounced.
Well Known Cartoonist, Lecturer and
Humorist Will Speak at Soil Meeting
Tom Kelly of Milwaukee, Wis.,
widely known platform cartoon
ist, conservationist, lecturer and
humorist, who has given more
than 5,000 illustrated lectures on
conservation during the past 25
years, will appea’ bev as fea
tured speaker before’ members
of the Big Hom Soil Conserva
tion district annual meeting to
be held in the junior high
TOM KELLY
school gym Wednesday, Jan. 13,
at 7 p. m.
For more than 20 years, Kelly
worked as a newspaper car
toonist in Minneapolis and St.
Louis. Though he covered many
national conventions and sport
ing events during those two
decades, he felt his greatest in
terest in the out-of-doors. And
so, in 1933, he left the news
paper world to join forces with
the Minnesota Department of
Conservation.
Since then, his talents have’
been devoted to conservation.
For the first 12 years his art
dealt with forest and wildlife.
Early in 1945 Kelly joined the
U. S. Soil Conservation Service.
The beaver on Kelly’s easel con
tinued to preach the story of
guarding your food supply, but
he was joined by other pic
tures showing erosion and de
picting broad fields where
strip-cropping and contour
farming protect the topsoil and
conserve water.
Those who have heard Tom
Mrs. Long Passes
Away in Kentucky
Word has been received by
friends from her daughter, Mrs.
Cora Myers, of Louisville, Ky.,
of the death Nov. 6 of Mrs.
Cora Long, former Hardin res
ident.
Mrs. Long died in Louisville
after an illness which kept her
bedfast for eight months prior
to her passing.
The Long family were former
residents of the Sarpy commun
ity and later moved to Hardin
where they resided for several
years.
Thursday, December 31, 1953
Kelly’s Irish wit and have
watched wildlife and conserva
tion pictures grow under his
colorful chalks, say he has the
knack of making soil and water
conservation a matter of per
sonal interest to every listener.
During his carreer as a
“cartooning conservationist,”
Kelly has traveled approximate
ly 200,000 miles. People from
coast to coast and Canada have
heard Kelly, who has gone from
a tuxedoed audience of hun
dreds to a one-room country
school where barn lanterns il
luminated his easel.
Three supervisors of the Big
Horn Soil Conservation district
will be elected at the annual
meeting.
$50,000 Monthly Saving Effected in
Montana Old Age Assistance Program
Savings of more than $50,000
monthly have been effected in
Montana’s old age assistance
program in the twelve-month
period ending in October, a re
view of Welfare department re
ports by the Montana Taxpay
ers’ asociation has revealed.
These reports show that in
October, 1953, the sum of $577.-
217 was paid to the 9,906 old
age assistance recipients then
on the rolls. One year earlier,
in October 1952, when the
number of recipents was 10,-
883. total payments amounted
to $631,105.
Projected on a twelve month
basis, the reduction means an
annual saving of $646,000 in the
state’s most expensive welfare
urogram, the taxpayer group
said.
The drop in total payments
is clearly due to the marked re
duction in the number of re
cioients during the period since
the average monthly amount of
$53.27 per case in 1953 was
slightly above October, 1952,
average of $57.99.
The rate of reduction in
caseload followed a fairly con
sistent pattern from October,
1952, to June, 1953, when the
number of cases reached 10,421,
a decline of 462 in the eight
months. Beginning in July the
downward trend in caseload was
accelerated and in the succeed
ing four months a reduction of
515 old age assistance cases was
achieved. Preliminary reports
for November indicate that the
reduction is continuing.
The unusual reduction since
July appears to be attributable
to the operation of the state’s
improved welfare laws and to
more careful and complete case
work investigations. The new
laws comprise the lien and re
covery act, the relative re
sponsibility act and the act
nermitting public inspection of
the welfare rolls.
The experience so far with
better welfare laws is favorable
and is a particularly encoura
ging development in view of
current discussions on return
ing some joint federal-state-lo-
Crow Tribal Council Kills Progress
Toward Building of Yellowtail Dam
The Crow Indian Tribal
Council Monday again refused
an offer of one and a half mil
lion dollars made by the Bu
reau of Reclamation for right
of-way for the proposed Yellow
tail dam and a large majority
of those present voted “no” on
the question whether the tribg
was in favor of constr^|f^or
the dam under arl^en-ciuiE
stances.
The voting took place at a
Tribal Council meeting at Crow
Agency Monday at which K. F.
Vernon of Billings regional di
rector of the Bureau of Rec
lamation explained the benefits
to be derived from construction
of the dam in Big Horn can
yon and again presented the
Bureau’s authorized offer of
$1,500,000 for the approximately
6,000 acres of Crow tribe’s land
needed for the dam and reser
voir. The offer had been made
in 1951 to the Crows and was
rejected at that time also.
Services Conducted
At Battlefield
For B. H Koerber
Military services for Bernard
Henry Koerber, 35, of Hardin
were conducted at Custer Bat
tlefield natonal cemetery Wed
nesday, Dec. 30, with Hardin
post No. 8, American Legion
conducting the rites.
Funeral services were con
ducted at 9 a. m. at St. Joseph’s
Catholic church in Hardin with
the Rev. Frank Callan, S. J., in
charge. Pallbearers were Harry
Feller, John Feller, J. D. Kel
ly, Walter Grooms, Michael Cof
fey and Art Platz.
Rosary was recited at 7:30 p.
m. Tuesday at St. Joseph’s
church.
Mr. Koerber, a construction
worker, lived here with his
mother, Mrs. Louise E. Koerber.
His body was found by his
mother in the family home at
approximately 6:00 p. m, De
cember 23. County Coroner
John W. Bullis said that Mr.
Koerber died of a self-inflicted
gunshot wound. The bullet
missed the heart, shattering
the left ribs, Bullis said.
Mr. Koerber was born at
Custer, December 13, 1918, the
son of Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Koer
ber. He was a veteran of Army
service during World War n.
Surviving, besides his mother,
are a twin brother, Leonard
Koerber, of Bridgeport, Wash.;
two other brothers, William
Koerber and Clarence Koerber,
both of Hardin, and a sister,
Mrs. Nick Feller of Missoula.
n
Week's Weather
Recorded by Holly Sugar
Corp., Hardin, for week ending
5 p. m. Tuesday, Dec. 29:
Maximum temperature: 52
degrees, Dec. 29.
Minimum temperature: 11 de
grees Dec. 26.
Precipitation for the week: .04
inch.
Precipitation for the year to
date: 8.44 inches.
cal activtiies to the state and
local governments alone. Dur
ing fiscal 1952-53 expenditures
for old age assistance in Mon
tana totaled $7,357,611 of
which 54 per cent was furnish
ed by the federal government.
Better administrative proced
ures such as those permitted
by the new Montana laws
would help the state to finance
a part of the federal share if
the national government should
withdraw from the program.
Watch-Night Services Planned by Local
Churches to Usher in the New Year
Several Hardin churches have
planned watch-night services
for New Year’s eve, Dec. 31, it
was announced this -week.
Among these are the Four
Square Gospel church which
plans an observance from 8 to
12 p. m. Plans include various
speakers and participation in
the service by the Crusader
youth group of the church as
well as a fellowship hour and
refreshments, the Rev. E. E.
Fitch, pastor, said.
A New Year’s eve service at
Christ Evangelical and Reform
ed church will commence at
7:30 p. m. and services will al
so be held at 10:30 a. m. at the
church New Year’s day, accord
ing to the Rev. A. C. Kroehler.
Plans at the Open Bible
church include the annual
church business meeting sched
uled for 9 p. m. New Year’s
eve, to be followed by a social
hour and refreshments. Worship
services and Holy Communion
will be observed at midnight,
the Rev. E. P. Fulton an
nounced.
The Rev. Luther E. Vogel an
nounced that members of the
Redeemer Lutheran church will
enjoy a fellowship hour Thurs
day evening, Dec. 31, com
mencing at 8 p. m. followed by
worship services at 11:30 p. m.
Plans for New Year’s eve ob
servance at the Baptist church
include the Youth Fellowship
Also attending the meeting
was Paul Fickinger of Billings,
area director of the Bureau of
Indian Affairs.
Monday’s meeting stemmed
from an order iyrXie Depart
ment of directing Ver-
ngq^#o meet with the
•Gnra.r’Qj^r^Vßand present the
’gyfyA House Resolution 315,
WrM"cL. ai ftthe last session of
directed the Secre
tary of Interior to negotiate
further with the Indians for the
purpose of acquiring the neces
sary land for the site, and to
report to Congress on the first
day of the coming session what,
if any, progress has been made
in negotiations with the Crow
tribe.
Following Vernon’s presenta
tion of the Reclamation Bu
reau’s offer Monday, a discus
sion on the question was con
ducted by the Tribal Council. A
resolution presented by George
Hogan, Jr., which provided for
leaving the matter open for
further negotiation was tabled
by the Council and a vote was
taken on whether to accept the
Bureau’s offer of $1,500,000 for
the tribe’s interests in the site.
The vote was nearly unani
mous to reject the offer. At
Vernon’s suggestion, the group
voted on the question whether
the tribe was interested in con
struction of the dam at all, and
a large majority of those pres
ent voted “no.”
In view of the Tribal Coun
cil’s attitude toward construc
tion of the dam, it appears un
likely at this time that any
progress can be made toward
eventual construction of the
project. Under existing law, the
tribal land cannot be acquired
through condemnation.
Vernon said this week that
any further action concerning
the project is strictly a matter
for the Congress to decide. He
said there appears now to be no
basis for further pursuit of the
project.
McKnight Appeals
Case After
Being Sentenced
Ernest McKnight of Hesper,
found guilty by a district court
jury here December 15 on a
charge of receiving stolen prop
erty, was sentenced by District
Judge Guy C. Derry Wednesday,
Dec. 30, to two years in the
state penitentiary and a fine
of S2OO.
Following the sentencing, Mc-
Knight’s attorney, H. B. Landoe
of Bozeman, served notice of
appeal of the case to the Mon
tana Supreme court. Judge Der
ry fixed appeal bond at $2,500,
which was furnished and Mc-
Knight was released pending
the appeal.
McKnight was found guilty
December 15 in jury court aft
er an eight-day trial in which
attorneys for the state were
Bert W. Kronmiller of Hardin
and E. E. Fenton of Hysham.
Landoe and Wellington D. Ran
kin of Helena were counsel for
the defendant.
The jury at that time left
the matter of sentencing to the
judge and Judge Derry had set
December 31 as date for sen
tencing.
The court session Wednesday
was for the purpose of hearing
arguments on a motion by de
fendant’s attorney for a new
trial. KronmiJler and Landoe
presented the arguments on the
motion and the motion was de
nied by Judge Derry.
The defense then consented
to moving up of the sentencing
one day, and Judge Derry pro
nounced sentence.
McKnight was charged with
receiving 39 head of stolen cat
tle from Albert Newman of
Pryor, knowing the same to
have been stolen.
dinner and program commen
cing at 7 p. m. in the recreation
room of the parsonage, to be
followed by an 11 p. m. wor
ship service concluding with
holy communion. Special music
for the services will be fur
nished by the young people of
the church, the Rev. R. J. Ken
nedy announced.
Youngsters Present
Episcopal Program
A pageant was presented by
youngsters of St. Thomas Epis
copal mission Sunday school
Monday evening under the dir
ection of Mrs. R. E. Peterson
and Mrs. I. L. Dehnert. Mrs.
Mary Evans served as organist
for the musical portion of the
program.
Taking part in the program
were Carroll Birkland, Joan,
Dick, Bob and Tom Egnew, Ju
dy, Mary, George and Lilian
Kawamoto, Jeanie, Clara and
Carol Thorberg, John and Ste
phen Bond, Odessa Rosenow,
Gregg and Stephanie Johnson,
Hjordis Peterson, Jerry and
Penney Heimann, Larry and
Kenneth Rowland and Earl and
Sharon Schrock.
A coffee hour for the adults
and treats for the children fol
lowed the program.