Looking back: Arco man lives to tell story of being trapped in abandoned mine shaft and two men fined for selling beer on Sunday

IDAHO FALLS — EastIdahoNews.com is looking backmost astatine what life was for illustration during nan week of Aug. 5 to Aug. 11 successful eastbound Idaho history.

1900-1925

BLACKFOOT — Lightning struck a ample stack of alfalfa and group it connected fire, The Bingham County News reported connected Aug. 5, 1921.

The stack contained complete 50 tons of alfalfa belonging to Berkley Larson. Neighbors gathered together to thief arsenic soon arsenic they noticed nan fire, “which was almost arsenic soon arsenic nan occurrence started, arsenic everyone was looking astir to spot wherever nan lightning that preceded nan deafening clang had struck.”

“A bucket brigade was started but nan occurrence had sewage excessively overmuch headway and nan full stack was consumed by nan flames,” nan insubstantial stated. “A derrick which was opinionated astatine nan stack was dragged to a safe distance, different nan difficult labour of galore days would person been a full loss.”

1926-1950

ARCO — A 50-year-old Arco miner spent six days and nights successful an abandoned excavation shaft and “lived to show of his hazardous experiences,” nan Idaho Falls Post Register reported connected Aug. 5, 1932.

Ole Meddaugh was recovered successful nan shaft by a rescue statement which began searching for him erstwhile he grounded to look “after an absence of respective days.” The excavation shaft was 45 miles eastbound of Arco.

Meddaugh said he descended into nan shaft connected a 60-foot statement and lowered himself nan remaining 40 feet to nan bottommost connected nan shaft timbers. When he tried to ascend, nan timbers gave measurement correct arsenic he reached nan rope.

“He saved himself from falling to nan bottommost by clinging to a projecting rock,” nan article reads. “He was incapable to scope nan dangling rope, however, truthful he sat down to await rescuers.”

The article continues, “Except for vulnerability and hunger, he was reported small nan worse for his harrowing experience.”

1951-1975

IDAHO FALLS — Two men were fined for trading brew connected Sunday aft entering blameworthy pleas, nan Idaho Falls Post Register reported connected Aug. 7, 1951.

“Fined were Oscar Matson, $100 aliases 30 days, and Roy LaVerne Lindsay, $25 aliases 10 days, connected a metropolis warrant signed by Lt. Lowell Cramer, detective,” nan Post Register said. “They were accused of violating nan metropolis ordinance astatine nan Matson Service Station, South Yellowstone Highway.”

The insubstantial mentioned that “sale of Sunday brew is prohibited by authorities rule extracurricular of incorporated cities and villages” but nan metropolis “several years ago, enacted a rule on nan aforesaid lines.”

1976-2000

POCATELLO — A nine-year-old boy “escaped superior injury” aft he mislaid power of his motorcycle and fell successful nan way of an approaching truck, nan Idaho State Journal reported connected Aug. 10, 1977.

Police reported Todd Strong was southbound and carrying a beverage instrumentality complete his bike’s handlebars erstwhile he fell.

A motortruck driven by Billy Henson, 42, of McCammon, “swerved and narrowly missed nan boy, but smashed nan bicycle.”

Strong was treated for abrasions astatine nan section infirmary and released. There were nary reported citations.