70 YEARS AGO • FEBRUARY 1, 1950

MERCURY HITS RECORD LOW OF -36

This month chalked up some new marks on the Forest Service weather records which go back to 1918. Those winters your grandfather likes to talk about may have been worse, we don’t know but this is a new generation and all reckoning starts from now.

Our low Sunday night of -36 compares as follows: In December of 1918 a low of -32 was recorded. The next reading down in those regions was in the winter of 1936-37 when it dropped to a -30 in January.

In precipitation a new record also has been made. Maximum snow depth on the ground for January was 31 inches. Again going back through the records, 19 inches of snow was the maximum depth recorded in January, 1929. Twenty-one inches was the greatest depth ever recorded on previous date and that was in the winter of 1936-37.

THOMPSON FALLS BIG GAME IS SUFFERING

Big game in the Thompson Falls area is being hard pressed by the winter weather and sportsmen of Noxon, Trout Creek, Thompson Falls and other communities are scattering feed to keep deer and elk from starving, according to Lloyd Noel, chairman of the committee on game feeding of the Western Montana Fish and Game association.

Snow in the Thompson Falls area is said to be between five and six feet deep and it has been hardened by rain and subsequent freezing, making it impossible for game to forage for itself, he said. Deer are gathering by the hundreds along the Clarks Fork river.

Other areas have not reported unusual concentrations of big game and the few trouble spots known are being taken care of my local sportsmen and ranchers, he said.

A concentration of about 8,000 ducks, fed by the association during the last cold snap, broke up and disappeared during the thaw. The birds are beginning to gather again now at places where warm water springs stay open. Feed was scattered at Arlee Thursday for the first time in 10 days.

The burden of supplying feed is being carried entirely by local ranchers and organizations, Mr. Noel said, no federal funds being available. – From Sat. Missoulian

GROCERY PRICES IN THE EARLY 1970s

Pork Chops – 89¢ lb.

Pork Roast – 69¢ lb.

Tastewell Margarine – 5 for 97¢

Western Family Flour – 25 lbs. $1.89

Giant Size Tide – 79¢

Miracle Whip Salad Dressing – 59¢ qt.

Boiler Onions – 3 lb. bag 21¢

Snowdrift Shortening – 3 lb. 73¢

What’s in a name?

Weeksville and Weeksville Creek were named after a man by the name of Weeks who had the first sawmill in the Plains Valley. It was located near the present site of Weeksville. Recorded by Ranger M.B. Mendenhall, 1939.

Wilkes Creek, a tributary of Prospect Creek, was named after a man by the name of Wilkes, who built and operated a saloon near the creek. At one time there was a toll bridge at Wilkes Creek. Recorded by Ranger Fred E. Brown, 1939.

Happy Gulch was named after Happy Roe. He lived at the mouth of Roe Gulch and ran a 100 mile trap line.