Sanders County Ledger - Your Best Source For Sanders County News

50 YEARS AGO • SEPTEMBER 4, 1969

COUNTY ASKED TO BACK RETENTION OF TRAINS

Sanders County residents who use the Northern Pacific Railway Co.'s Mainstreeter passenger trains Nos. 1 and 2 are being urged to testify at a public hearing to be held in Missoula Sept. 10 by the Interstate Commerce Commission. State Rep. Joe Brand of Deer Lodge was in the county this week urging residents to testify at the hearing in behalf of the Montana Train Users Assn.

Brand said a total of 2,404 people boarded or got off the two trains at Thompson Falls during 1968. At Paradise, 1,975 used the two trains and Noxon had a total of 1,237 people getting on and off the Mainstreeters last year. Patronage of the faster North Coast Limited trains is in addition to the above figures.

"This proves that the people in Sanders County use these two trains extensively," said Brand.

Sen. Lee Metcalf is urging Montanans to send him statements also citing their experiences in riding both the Mainstreeter and North Coast Limited trains. He plans to present these statements at the conclusion of the field hearings.

Brand said he fears that if the N.P. is permitted to eliminate the Mainstreeters that it will be only a short time later before a move will be made to cancel the North Coast Limited as well.

Passenger rail service worsened in the 1960s and 70s as people abandoned trains for cars and airplanes. The rise of the automobile led to the end of passenger train service on most railroads. With the advent of paved roads in the 1930s, trucking companies became major competitors for moving freight. Many railroads saw intercity freight volume at near record lows at 39% when in 1929 the industry had roughly 75%.

40 YEARS AGO • AUGUST 30, 1979

NEW OWNERS TAKE OVER PACK RIVER

It was business as usual this week at the Thompson Falls Lumber Co. as the mill began its first week of operations under its new owners, the W-I (Washington-Idaho) Forest Products, Inc.

W-I officially took over ownership and management of the Pack River Co. mills in Idaho, Washington and the Thompson Falls mill in Montana Friday.

The change in ownership marked the end of more than 36 years of ownership and operation of the local mill by the Jim and Larry Brown families.

Ernest Franke, general manager of the Thompson Falls Lumber Co., said the first full shift of lumber production by the Thompson Falls Lumber Co. occurred March 20, 1943.

The mill burned in July 1944 and was rebuilt over a long period until 1951. The following year, in 1952, the sawmill burned again. The mill was rebuilt again in 1953 and has remained in continuous production since.

Under Pack River, employment at the mill reached a peak of 150 employees.

The local mill was originally built by John Uhlenkott. The sawmill was moved here during the 1944-51 period from the Sand Creek Lumber Co. mill which was closed.

Arden Davis, now of Polson, served as the first manager of the local mill. Later Clyde Kerr joined the firm as superintendent.

Managers who succeeded Davis are Les Thomas, who served a short time before being assigned to manage the Diehl Lumber Co. mill at Plains; Gary Draszt, a long-time Whitepine and Thompson Falls resident; Fay Florea, who managed the mill from November 1975 until January 1976, and Franke, the current manager.

Ed Shear, resident sales and personnel manager is the oldest employee in terms of years of service. "He began work in April 1946 as a yard flunky after being discharged from the Navy, where he served in the submarine command," commented Franke.

No changes in personnel or policy are contemplated immediately.