50 YEARS AGO • SEPTEMBER 4, 1969

BOILER TO ELIMINATEE BURNER'S POLLUTION

Fly ash will be a thing of the past and air pollution greatly reduced in the Thompson Falls area when the Atlas Boiler Co. of Spokane completes installation of a new boiler which will utilize over 95% of the sawdust, shavings and bark from the Thompson Falls Lumber co. and eliminate the teepee burner used in the past.

The highly efficient boiler system will produce twice as much steam as the present system in use for many years, according to Arden Davis, general manager.

The Spokane firm installed the first new boiler at the Diehl Lumber Co. mill at Plains. The Thompson Falls boiler is the second installation. Both mills are owned by the Pack River Co. of Spokane.

According to Pete Pope, an owner of Atlas Boiler, the American stoker being installed here burns even wet bark efficiently, with no smoke and no fly ash. This type of boiler is relatively new in the West with only six in operation, all on the coast. Pope said the installation will burn two units, each of 200 cubic feet, of wood waste or bark per hour. This totals about 9,000 pounds in weight and will maintain a firebox temperature of 2,500 to 2,700 degrees.

The boiler contains 15 rows of water tubes 20 rows deep. The 300 tubes are 3 ¼ inches in diameter and 22 feet long.

Davis said the teepee burners will not be removed at present and plans are to use them for storage as needed in the future.

He said the new, expensive boilers are being installed with the main goal being to reduce air pollution and eliminate the mill's dependence on the teepee burner to handle waste.

40 YEARS AGO • AUGUST 16, 1979

CHURCH TO HOLD FIRST SERVICE IN NEW BUILDING

The first church services to be held in the new Christian Church sanctuary will be conducted Sunday, according to Mrs. Dee Franke.

The building is not complete, but because it is to be used next week for a vacation Bible School, members decided Monday to utilize it for services Sunday also.

The organization of the church got underway in March 1972 when laymen from The Libby Christian Church began sponsoring services. First local organizers were Claude Randall, Mrs. Grace Elliott and Commissioner John and Sandra Muster.

In July 1972, the Rev. Lonnie Sassman answered a call to serve the church and served until December 1975 when he left for a Kansas assignment. He returned to Thompson Falls last December.

In the spring of 1975, members purchased five lots at the corner of Church and Haley to begin erection of their sanctuary.

Most of the work on the building has been accomplished by volunteers. Gerald Petersen said the congregation has received two $5,000 gifts with the understanding that one is to be repaid on a long-term basis.

Petersen, chairman of the board of directors, credited Attorney Alex Morrison with making possible the purchase of the lots and praised the attorney's work on behalf of the congregation.

Sanders County Historical Society Photo

Serving as church officers are: Elders – Petersen, chairman, Bob Crowder, Dick Bobble, Sassman; deacons – Phil Gibbs, chairman and treasurer, Jerry Ingraham, Tim Hopper; Diane Gibbs, secretary; Pat Ingraham, Sunday School superintendent.