50 Years Ago

December 19. 1957: Merry Christmas!

Search Goes On—The search goes on for the three escaped prisoners who broke out of the Missoula County Jail last Thursday evening. Peace officers in western Montana and northern Idaho followed several leads without avail.

Saturday two men answering to the description of the escapees stopped at the Farmer's Dell, west of Superior, for gas.

The Mineral County Sheriff's office was notified and alarm was sent out to Shoshone County officers in Idaho to be on the watch.

The men were "checked out" at a stop in Wallace when they arrived there and were cleared by Idaho officers. Most of the items stolen, possibly by these two subjects, from the Cecil Russell home in Superior last week have been recovered, according to Sheriff Francis Tamietti.

The thief discarded the saddle and bridle near the house, and other items farther back in the trees above the Russell home.

Dilly Driving the Bus—Chuck Dilly has the contract to drive the St. Regis School bus. The school term started with the Dennis Irwins driving, continued with Robert Houx, then Don Kangas and now has been assumed by Dilly.

Population Spurt Slowing Down—Census figures compiled from the annual tally of persons in each school district through the age of 20, have been released by the superintendent of schools. The various school district clerks submitted the information in October.

An increase of two-percent was noted over last year. This indicates that the population spurt of the early 1950s is slowing down.

In the first three years of this decade, the school census for the county showed a 10 percent increase each year.

The 1957 census shows 381 pre-school children and 843 children ages six through 20 for a total of 1,224.

Last year there were 1,200. Increases were noted in the Rivulet, St. Regis, Saltese and Superior districts and decreases were seen in Alberton and Tarkio districts.

Kate Warnken Nickle Passes—Mrs. Kathryn Warnken Nickle of Superior passed away at the Mineral hospital on Dec. 17 following a lingering illness.

Funeral services will be held from the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Superior on Friday morning.

Interment will be at the Sunset Memorial Gardens west of Missoula.

Kathryn Blake was born Jan. 19, 1880, at Fairfax, Minn. She came west and on June 30, 1900, married Henry G. Warnken in Helena. They moved to Missoula in 1909 and then to a ranch near Superior in 1932.

Kate was a registered nurse and managed a local nursing home in 1937. She took over operation of the Mineral hospital in 1940 and served in that capacity until 1949 when she retired. Henry preceded her in death on March 31, 1951.

She married Howard Nickle of Superior, a widower, at Frenchtown in 1952 and is survived by him at the family home here.

She is also survived by three sons—Theodore and Howard Warnken of Superior and William of Coos Bay, Oregon—and a daughter, Mrs. M.A. (Tina Loretta) Fallis of Coeur d'Alene; 19 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Christmas Delivery Assured in Superior—By special arrangement with Santa Claus and the weatherman, the local Gambles Store plans to make delivery of Christmas presents in a sleigh the day before Christmas in this area.

Baby Boomers: Mrs. O. J. Esterl of Superior was delivered of an eight-pound, 12-ounce daughter—Christine Linda—at the Mineral hospital Sunday, December 13. The little miss went home Thursday to meet sister Betty Ann, 11, and brother, David, 1 1/2.

Lumber Mill Stopped to Install Debarker—Installation of the new debarker equipment at the Diamond Match mill has necessitated shutting down the mill this week. The debarker is located on the bull chain between the pond and the cutoff saw. No logs can be handled until the equipment is in place which should be next week.

In the Military: Kendra Shaw of Alberton is home on leave from the Air Force.

She will spend the holidays with her parents and family at the ranch east of Alberton. She will return to her permanent base at Tacoma in January.

Lumber Company Invites Community to Free Show—Patrons of the Strand Theatre in Superior will be the guests of the Diamond Match Company for a free show on Christmas and the day following.

"The Buster Keaton Story," starring Donald O'Connor as the early movie comedian, will be the featured presentation. Everyone is invited to attend.