These articles come from newspaper microfilm from the Belle Fourche Public library, using a new microfilm reader and printer. The photographs in most cases are from the Tri-State Museum.
125 years ago – Belle TIMES October 6, 1898
The Taxpayers of Butte County You will please take notice that during the month of September the delinquent tax list will be made out, and that at the annual sale held on the first Monday in November, all lands upon which taxes are still unpaid will be sold to the county, if there are no bidders. D. R Evans, County Treasurer. Going South With Horses Jack Hale, of Tilford, is arranging to start south with his horses about the middle of this month. He will take about two carloads and will ship them to New Orleans. He expects to spend almost the entire winter in the southern country, unless he is successful beyond his anticipations in disposing of them. He ahs on hand about 30 head of fine horses that he had left over from the bunches that he purchases last spring for the cavalry. He bought a large number to sell to the government, and some of them he failed to get off his hands before the government stopped buying. He will fill out the two carloads with horses of his own raising, and says he will then have as fine a bunch as he ever started out with. Three years ago he took a bunch of horses down into Mississippi and disposed of them with good success. He expects to have better success this trip than at that time, as horses are bringing in better prices now than for several years.
100 years ago – Belle Fourche Bee October 11, 1923
FRUITDALE BANK CLOSED
The Fruitdale State Bank of Fruitdale, S. D., voluntarily closed its doors Friday of last week. Inability to make collections on past-due notes is given as the cause. Cashier David L. Roberts is still in charge of the bank, and is getting affairs of the bank in shape to make statement of its condition. The deposits, amounting to $70,000, are protected by the State Guarantee Act. Depositors will receive five per cent interest on their deposits pending the time of final settlement of all accounts.
KLANSMAN HELD ON RIOT CHARGE
Grand Dragon of Order in Oklahoma Arrested – Special Sessions Today Oklahoma City, Okla., Oct 9 – Grand Dragon N. J. Jewett the highest officer of the Ku Klux Klan in Oklahoma, will be arraigned in justice court today for preliminary hearing on a charge of rioting in connection with a flogging here a year ago in which he is alleged to have participated. He is the first officer of the secret organization to fall into the new spread by Governor J. C. Walton for those responsible for mob violence and masked depredation in the state. Grand Dragon Jewett was arrested September 21 on the basis of evidence adduced by a military court which functions under the governor’s decree of martial law. Testimony given by Dr. A. A. Maupin, a local dentist, which was made public by Governor Walton, implicated Jewett as the leader of a band of men who abducted E. R. Merriman, here, on the night of March 1, 1922 and lashed him severely for his alleged relations with a married woman. Dr. Maupin, who said he was a member of the Klan at the time, resigned from the organization when he learned it was responsible for the outrage, according to testimony. Since his arrest, Jewett has been at liberty on $3,000 bond. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. Members of the state legislature. Meanwhile, today are completing final arrangements for a special session Thursday which will bring to a climax Governor Walton’s war on the Ku Klux Klan. Indications are that the legislature will proceed with an impeachment investigation despite the governor’s call for the session which specified that an exhaustive inquiry into the Ku Klux Klan be instituted.
75 years ago – Belle Fourche Bee October 9, 1948
EUGENE THRUSTON RECEIVES SCHOLARSHIP AT SCHOOL OF MINES
Eugene Thurston, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Thurston of Belle Fourche, who is attending the South Dakota State School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, has been awarded a scholarship of $150 (value in today’s dollars $1,910.95 ) , it has been announced by the scholarship committee of that school. The award, coming from three business firms of Rapid City, is to assist an outstanding athlete who demonstrates high qualities of personal character, good scholarship rating promise of future success in engineering. The scholarship sponsors are the First National Bank of the Black Hills, Red Owl Store No.3 and J. W. Burns, manager of Western Wholesale Company.
COUNTY SCHOOLS RECEIVED FUNDS FROM THE STATE
Apportionment Total $2,924.10 – Amount Distributed Is $1.35 Per Capita The county auditor’s office announces that a total of $2,924.10 was received the past week in apportionment funds to be distributed to the schools in Butte county. The per capita distribution, as based on the 1945 census was $1.35 per census child. The apportionment came from the state department of public instruction. A later apportionment derived from revenue from leases and sales of school lands within the state is expected later in the year. In last week’s apportionment the Belle Fourche schools received a total of $1,206.90. The sums received by the other districts were Freeman $21.60, Blaine $8.10, Fruitdale Independent $186.0, Minnesela $67.50, Hay Creek $68.85, South Hilen $102.60, Newell Independent $410.40, Owl Creek $68.86, Horse Creek $37.80, Moreau $4.05, Willow Creek none (there was no school census in that district) Orman $91.80, Empire $91.80, Sulphur $2.70, Antelope $20.25, Sampont $48.60, Middle Creek $16.20, Nisland Independent $228.15, Vale $160.65, Indian Creek $18.90, Arpan $24.30, Kusel none (there was no school census), Cottonwood $10.80, Liberty $16.20, Two Top $2.70, Crow Butte $8.10.
SECRETARY KOLLER RECEIVES DIPLOMA
At Tuesday night’s meeting of the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce, E. E. Edmondson, president, presented to Secretary J. F. Koller, a diploma received from the Rocky Mountain Institute for civic club secretaries, held the past three summers at the University of Montana, staring that Joe had satisfactorily completed his Institute training course, which he has pursued the past three summers. Following the presentation, congratulations were extended Joe by those present. Asked what degree he obtained, he meekly remarked “the third degree.” Anyway, many of the members began addressing our secretary as “Professor and Doctor.”
50 years ago – Belle Fourche Bee, October 8, 1973
School Board Picks South Park Site
The South Park School area has been selected as the site for the proposed replacement of the Washington School building. That decision was made Tuesday night by the Belle Fourche Board of Education at its regular meeting. Board members voted 4-2 in favor of the South Park site, Fred Carlson, Lorraine Collins, Walt Crago and Ann Kapsa voted for the site; Jacqueline Marousek and Ron Elison voted no. Cal Geis was called to Minneapolis on an emergency trip and was unable to attend. Prior to the vote, Mrs. Marousek had proposed that the motion contain provision for bussing fifth and sixth grade students from the Gay Park area. This proposal failed lack of a second. The action was taken after Gary Galyardt of the firm of Bell, Galyardt and Wells, architects, reviewed the possible courses which the school might take – to rebuild in the Washington area, to build a new junior high school near the high school and use the Roosevelt School to replace the fifth and sixth grades, or to simply abandon the buildings in the Roosevelt School area and start fresh. In the course of discussion it was pointed out that a fifth and sixth grade building in the South Park area offered advantages because provision had been made for expansion of the present building – electricity, water, sewer and heating (depending on the extent of construction). It was also pointed out that this would be a move toward consolidation of school sites. It would enhance the elementary program and would provide a structure in the direction in which the residential areas seem to be moving. Following the vote it was decided that Galyardt would meet with local officials to determine specific education goals to be met by the building and would then meet with the board to talk about plans and costs. In other business: Authorized a call for bids for sale of the Ingersoll School building. The bids to be opened Nov. 13; Moved to accept the mediation-conciliation team recommendations; Authorized the school attorney to meet with Robert and Myrtle Fox concerning disposition of the Fruitdale school. An existing contract provides that Robert and Myrtle Fox have first option to purchases the school in event it is closed. Supt. Joe Keegan was authorized to meet at Salt Lake City Oct. 12-13 with Dave Cortez, state migrant program coordinator, concerning the migrant program. The cost of $280.
