Yesterdays: plane crash killed Forest Service employees
10 years ago
Sept. 22, 2005
The National Transportation Safety reported that a plane crash Sept. 20, 2004 was caused by pilot error, little experience flying in the backcountry and poor weather. Three U.S. Forest Service employees were killed in the crash — pilot Jim Long of Columbia Falls, and locals Ken Good and Davita Bryant. Two passengers survived the crash.
20 years ago
Sept. 21, 1995
Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. owners Brack Duker and Jerome Broussard were fighting with employees over wages and benefits. A U.S. District Court judge ruled in favor of the workers having a profit-sharing contract with the company. City council member Colleen Allison was assaulted at her home and “Don’t save the plant” was written on her shed.
30 years ago
Sept. 25, 1985
A Columbia Falls High School teacher Kerel Hagen drowned Sept. 14 while fording by horse across a rain-swollen Middle Fork of the Flathead River in the Great Beat Wilderness. Nearly 800 people attended the memorial service at the high school. A large black bear destroyed several fruit trees at the Sampson’s farm. The family was worried about their animals and 9-year-old daughter that walks to the bus stop.
40 years ago
Sept. 25, 1975
Third annual Hike-Bike raised money for the Flathead Association for Developmentally Disabled Citizens with 1,200 participants walking, bicycling, riding horses, using wheelchairs or on crutches. Employment in Columbia Falls dropped by 100 jobs, down to 1,808. The largest employer was Anaconda Company paying $4.89 per hour. The company dropped about 200 workers in a year and was at 60 percent capacity.
50 years ago
Sept. 24, 1965
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield stopped at Columbia Falls for an interview with Hungry Horse News editor Mel Ruder on his way to Great Falls to see family. Mansfield said the “Viet Nam conflict has to end at the conference table.” He met Harris Endreson, commander of the local VFW, and Eldon Clare, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce. In other news, Carl Schoenberger of Martin City had a raccoon as a pet, a rare animal for the area.
60 years ago
Sept. 23, 1955
Columbia Falls Postmaster Dudley W. Greene estimated the city had about 2,200 people, a growth of 200 in a year. Howard Greene, the water commissioner, reported since July 1 12 houses and 18 apartments were added to the water service.
The weather was cooler than normal, according to Les Darling, a dispatcher at the Spotted Bear Ranger Station.
Darling said that about 150 hunters had been up the South Fork of the Flathead River.