Memories for January 18, 2017

100 years ago

We are still working on getting the news from 100 years ago. Until then, we will add more news and photos from the other years.

75 years ago

January 15, 1942

Increased production needed for National Defense

The production of dairy products, fodder, cattle and hogs and all field crops grown in Phillips County will have to be increased in 1942 to meet the defense program mapped out by the Department of Agriculture.

The greatest increase asked will be in the number of hogs, 28-percent increase being necessary. There must be a 10-percent increase in milk, which can be made possible by an increase of 193 in the number of cows milked; an increase of about 32,000 dozen eggs and a 12-percent raise in the number of cattle marketed as well as increased acreages in barley, corn, oats and all hay crops, will be the County share in the food for freedom campaign.

The number of sheep and lambs raised in this County is adequate, according to County Extension Agent Wilford Rasmussen.

Thanks for guns

Immigration inspectors here are grateful to W. J. Tressler and others who loaned firearms to them when the inspectors were on alien guard duty recently, Inspector Myrel U. Dewar said Monday. The inspectors escorted Japanese aliens to Fort Missoula internment center recently.

Housing Committee begins survey for defense

In the event that many persons, particularly children and aged people, may be evacuated from the West Coast if it is threatened by the enemy, the defense housing survey committee, headed by Mrs. F. W. Hall, begins a citywide survey this week. The committee - composed of Mrs. Paul, Mrs. Carl Livdahl, Mrs. S. M. Funk, Mrs. Ernest Johnson and Mrs. Edward Hollister - met Monday afternoon to formulate plans for the survey.

The housing survey here to provide information as to the estimated temporary or semi-permanent accommodations that can be provided by hotels, boarding houses, private homes, tourist homes, apartments and other buildings.

50 years ago

January 19, 1967

Mysterious unidentified object cited in South Country

Wilford Tremblay and his wife are careful to avoid the term "Flying Saucer" or "Spaceship" when they tried to describe what they saw near their house recently, but the object they saw ceased to defy any natural explanation. Whatever they saw, in any event, has had a lot of people around the county talking about flying saucers and without a doubt has caused them to be a little more watchful at night in hopes of spotting the "object" once again.

Mr. and Mrs. Tremblay, when they talked with the News reporter Tuesday afternoon, still hadn't any ideas to what they had seen. They said they had thought about nearly everything conceivable that it could've been, but some aspect of each possibility ruled out what they had seen.

Editor's Note: See the entire story at the bottom of this story.

25 years ago

January 15, 1992

Street Talk

Question: What is your favorite television show and what is your least favorite?

Pastor Gus Gustafson:

"The evening news is my favorite. My least favorite are too many to number."

Fran Cotton: "In The Heat of the Night is my favorite. Cheers is my least favorite."

Frances Shores:

"I like The Young and the Restless and As the World Turns. I don't care for all the murders shows."

Ron Chandler: Fresh Prince is my favorite. I don't like MacGyver."

10 years ago

January 17, 2007

Gary Baden named to Walleyes of Montana 2006 Hall of Fame

The late Gary Baden, former Phillips County Superintendent of Schools, was recently named to the Walleyes Unlimited of Montana 2006 Hall of Fame.

A resident of Malta since 1964, Baden, who died in June 2006, was nominated for the honor by the Malta Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited. Baden served as secretary/treasurer of the Malta Chapter from 1993 until 2005. He was nominated for his love of fishing and his promotion and support of Walleyes Unlimited. The award will be presented to Baden's wife, Janet.

Mysterious unidentified object cited in South Country

Wilford Tremblay and his wife are careful to avoid the term "Flying Saucer" or "Spaceship" when they tried to describe what they saw near their house recently, but the object they saw ceased to defy any natural explanation. Whatever they saw, in any event, has had a lot of people around the county talking about flying saucers and without a doubt has caused them to be a little more watchful at night in hopes of spotting the "object" once again.

The story all began a week ago Monday night, January 9. The Tremblays, who farm in South country about 40 miles South of Malta, were preparing to go to bed shortly after 9 o'clock when they were warned of something strange going on by the barking of their dog.

Wilfred, who was sitting on the edge of his bed, looked out the east window of their home and immediately saw would seem to be causing the dog to be alarmed. It was a large object, rectangular in shape, with glowing red light all along the bottom and larger amber light on the top, evidently for the forward portion of the object in the direction it was moving. It was moving steadily from the Northeast, evidently at a high rate of speed.

At first Tremblay believed it was a semi-trailer rig moving down the main graded road, which runs in the same general direction, but the object covered the three or 4 mile stretch in less than a minute... Without any visible headlights!

Also the direction it seemed to be traveling didn't exactly coincide with the direction of the road. It was very dark and quiet that night and normally sounds of trucks and other vehicles on the road are clearly audible. The road is several miles east of Tremblay's house. The Tremblays didn't hear a sound!

In the short time the object was insight it was difficult to determine exactly how far away the object was as they didn't know its size.

In less than a minute the "thing" traveled the eastern portion of the visible horizon, disappeared momentarily and reappeared in a south easterly direction from the house. It had stopped and appeared to be standing in a field near the Bruce Long place, which is only a short distance southeast of the Tremblays, now appearing as only a red glowing object and not nearly as long as when it was first sighted in the east. This led them to believe that they were now watching the object from either the front or the rear.

The object stayed in the same place for about an hour. During this time Tremblay's viewed it through binoculars and were still unable to determine its size and shape, the red glow being the distinguishing feature.

After watching it for about an hour Tremblay say the red object suddenly began to get smaller, as if it were moving away at high rate of speed, and suddenly disappeared completely.

During all this time the object had been viewed by Wilfred Tremblay, his wife and two children. They admitted they were a little frightened by the unknown object. They debated among themselves as to whether they should leave the house and investigate, but decided against it. The Bruce Longs were not at home at the time and the Tremblay's were watching out for their place.

The next morning Wilford went up from his house to the area where the object has state extended time and pin the area down in the field east of the Long house and west of the main graded road. He checked this whole area over carefully and found no tracks in the snow whatsoever, and no other evidence of any kind that there had been anything in the area. "There were no tracks, no signs, nothing," according to Wilford.

What Was It?

Mr. and Mrs. Tremblay, when they talked with the News reporter Tuesday afternoon, still hadn't any ideas to what they had seen. They said they had thought about nearly everything conceivable that it could've been, but some aspect of each possibility ruled out what they had seen.

Wilford states that he didn't realize how excited people would get over the happening, but "if I had to do it over again I still wouldn't go out and investigate the thing when it was parked, not at night at least... Maybe in the daytime."

One of the aspects of the sighting that makes it hard to determine what it is, the fact that it was so dark that night and the horizon was not definite. Whether the object was traveling on the ground or not when first sighted traveling to the south is hard to determine. The speed with which he was traveling, and the fact that there were no headlights at any time, seem to rule out any type of land traveling vehicle. Not knowing exactly how far away the object was makes it hard to determine its size. Tremblay stated that when they watched it through the binoculars after it landed, it "took up a good part of the field of view through the glasses."

The Tremblays two children at home, Karen, 9, and George, 13, were quite excited by the whole affair. Wilfred says that George was inclined to go out and investigate the object after it became stationary, but his father vetoed the idea. "We had recently seen a television interview with people who had said they had come in close contact with a flying saucer of some sort, and it left just about enough doubt in our minds that we didn't think it was too wise to check it out very closely."

The Tremblay's have already come in for some kidding from their neighbors about the episode, but Wilford says he has dished out some joshing in his time and he guesses that it is his turn to be on the receiving end for a while.

It's hard to say what the object was that the Tremblays saw that dark winter night, but the News writer is convinced they saw something, just what we don't know, but they saw something that is very tough to try and explain as an ordinary happening.