Montana Mercantile Co.
(continued)

     By 1915 the improved road system in Beaverhead County and Southwestern Montana, improved railroads and the age of truck transportation was born the big wholesale companies were centered in Butte where the railroads hubs were located.  The days of the Mercantile Company passed into history. 
     Franklin Benjamin White of the First a National Bank took over the ware house to store wool.  The summer of 1919 there was no rain.  The grass on the open range was over grazed by sheep, cattle and horses.   The county assessor had over 150 horses on the open range.  Winter set in on early October with lots of snow and cold two or three Chinooks melted snow and covered the available grass with ice.  The winter continued until May.  Hay - slough grass imported from Minnesota was at $100 per ton.  Thousand of sheep and cattle were dead, also deer and elk.  Old timers stated that one could walk on dead animals from Dillon to the Poindexter and Orr Ranch.
    B.F. White who had retired to his orange groves in California in 1920 returned to Dillon to bail out many of his ranchers.  He had acquired use of the Montana mercantile building to store wool.   In the fall and summer he purchased a million fleeces for the eastern market.   On December 1st 1920 he left the bank to pack to return to California.  However, he was stricken and passed away Dec. 4 at his home on south Idaho street.  After lying in state in the parlor of his home he was put to rest in Mountain View - Dec. 1920.
     Later the building was utilized by the Irwin and Cottom seed potato concern who stored potatoes in the basement.
     After World War II, Lieutenant Col. of the Airforce Edgar Williams and brother Dave Williams an enlisted man in the navy returned to Dillon and established the Williams Feed and Machinery business in 1947.  Prior to the war Edgar Williams was Quarter Master at the state orphans home and Dave was manager of McCrackens Men’s Store.  They grew up in the seed and feed business.  Their father Harry Williams managed an elevator along the railroad on Orr street that burned in 1924.
     Recently Kim Williams who operated the business disposed of the building to the Union Pacific Railroad.  It could be razed.

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BUYING VOTES?

     The commissioner of political practices reported that lobbyists, unions, businesses spent 5.7 million dollars during the 2011 legislation attempting to get the law makers to gain favorable votes.   This was a bit less than 200%.
     4.6 million was paid to lobbyists.  The top spender was Montana Life and Health Insurance Guaranty association.  Their cost was 160,367 according to Lee Newspaper State Bureau.   In second place was Altria Client Services and its affiliates, once the Phillip Morris USA tobacco company, 154,326.
    The top five lobbying spenders were the Montana Association of realtors, comparison and choices and Philadelphia Power and Light in the 2007 and 2009 legislative sessions that gained the Montana Power company by action of the 1997 bandit Montana legislative session.
     Former Dillon attorney David Hoffman, who was reared in Sheridan is PPL’s Montana’s external affairs manager and over seas their lobby efforts in the legislature and public relation matters throughout the year.
   It cost the lobbyists 38,000 for each lawmaker in 2011.
     Dave Gallik is the new commissioner.   Former commissioner Dennis Unsworth had little faith in the reports of spending reported to his office, however, Gallik has no reason to doubt their figures.

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FIRE CALLS 

    
     There were two fire calls last night.  A power pole got struck by lightening.  Vigilatne Electic replaced the pole.  The second was smoke at the Big Town Pump.  No fire could be found.
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CLOSED FOR INVENTORY

     The Dillon Quality Supply will be closed for inventory on:  Friday, June 10th. 
     We appologize for any incovenience this may cause.

MURDOCKS COMING

     The rumor that the Quality Supply has been purchased by Murdocks Home and Ranch Supply of Bozeman has been floating around for the past couple of weeks.   Murdocks has 17 stores in four states.  The purchase of Quality Supply will add the Dillon, Butte, Hamilton, and Missoula to the company chain.
     In small print in a Dillon Tribune Ad it states June 16th the store will have a new sign “Murdocks Home and Ranch Supply.”
 

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LICENSING CLOSED

    The driver’s licensing office in Dillon will not do Class D driving tests on Monday, June 20th.
    For information call 683-5141.

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MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNT

    There has been a medical savings account open at Stockman Bank and State Bank  for Joan Grogan.  If you can help Joan in her battle to win the fight with cancer and are able to donated please stop by one of these locations.    Thank you!

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WILDLIFE CAUGHT ON CAMERA

     Bonnie Reed, Beaverhed counties Rembrandt of the wildlife camera caught a great horned mama owl and three babies watching the Memorial Day Ceremonies at Mountain View Cemetery.

BIG HOLE RIVER

    The Big Hole River as on the slow rise yesterday.   It was 5000 cu ft. per second on Monday, Wednesday at noon 9,500 cu ft. per second in the Melrose area.  Flood stage was 6’ and this morning it was about 6.9’.
     It was yet within the banks in most places.  This big rain last night will most likely put the river out of its banks today.
RAIN:  Local rain guages indicated that there has been 3 ½ inches of rain the the last 36 hours.

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90 MT Hwy 91 South – Dillon, MT 59725 – www.barretthospital.org – 406.683.6737

“BARRETT HOSPITAL FOUNDATION MOVES FORWARD UNDER NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR”

Barrett Hospital Foundation is pleased to introduce Jim Gleason as the new Executive Director
of Barrett Hospital Foundation. Jim grew up on a small family farm in Northern Michigan and his
professional experience includes Director of Development positions both with Ducks Unlimited and
Delta Waterfowl. He also served as the Executive Vice-President of the Montana 4-H Foundation. Jim
holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Affairs and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Wayne
State University, in Detroit, Michigan.

Barrett Hospital Foundation recently underwent a complete restructuring process and with the new
hospital taking shape and nearly $2 million in gifts and pledges - Barrett Hospital & HealthCare
and Barrett Hospital Foundation are in a great position. Amended bylaws, new committees and job
descriptions, and new strategies for supporting the hospital are some of the larger aspects of the
restructuring process. Since joining the organization in April, Jim has been working to secure new
sources of funding, hosted donors on site visits and is working with the Foundation’s Associate
Manager Stephanie Vinson to revamp the website, and plan a major donor recognition event in August.

Jim, his wife Heidi, and their sons, James and Gus feel very fortunate to make Dillon their home. The
Gleasons enjoy hunting, fishing and Heidi is a licensed Occupational Therapist – all factors which made
their decision to come to Dillon and Barrett Hospital & HealthCare an easy one.

FORT PECK DAM