1961-01-01 Char-Koosta News

              1960 Fires Bad; Better Methods Lower Loss
The summer of 1960 brought the worst fire season to come to the Falthead Reservation in many years. Oldtimers still like to refer to the year 1910 as the all-time worst fire season that man has known in the Pacific Northwest. Last year was equally bad, but better communications and transportation were factors preventing a blow-up, such as occurred in 1910.
Last summer was a fire season with active fires burning almost continuously from June 24 until Sept. 10, with fires burning intermittently until Nov. 11. The peak of the season hit in the early hours of the morning of July 20 and continued at peak load until Aug. 3, a run of 14 days. A rain that developed Aug. 2 and continued until Aug. 4 relieved the Reservation of peak load fire suppression pressure.
Suppression action was taken on 133 fires. The total acres burned is calculated at 9,500 acres, of which 4,940 acres were Indian and Government owned. Salvage contracts have been let in the Bel-more fire and Gold Ridge fire covering 4,300 acres of burned timber. One other small area has been sold under a salvage permit.
During this fire season, a total of nearly 1,580 Deople were hired under emergency j'np'.Cyment measures to handle the suppression work load. This figure does not include people who were on regular tour of duty with the Government, nor some organized crews whose employment was handled through other than emergency channels.
The cost of this program has never been completely totaled to date, but the value is currently close to $650,000. This has been spent for personal services, equipment rental, commodity purchasing and other items. This is a tremendous sum to pay for those things which should not have happened, including both fires and accidents. There were 70 recorded accidents. We were fortunate in not having any fatalities in view of the large number of fires, size, and the number of persons employed.
Nearly all fires of last season were cither on forest or range land with a few l°w cost fires on otner land classifications. The average annual revenue from Tribal forest and range lands will not io'.al $500,000. The fire cost of last year has exceeded this revenue by close to 40 per cent or better. These figures can speak for themselves in that it is shown in an overall picture that the present fire protection program of this Reservation is not adequate.
The Forestry Branch, in cooperation with the other branches of the Agency will sponsor an Area Fire School some time in April or May. This school will Strive to familiarize potential suppression personnel in all phases of fire control work and will be of four days duration. Anyone wishing to attend this school fhojld contact Frs. Barton O. Wetzel, fire control officer.
CHAR-KOOSTA
PUBLISHED BY CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI TRIBES, FLATHEAD AGENCY, MONT.
Vol. 4 — No. 7 January - February, 1961
Wiprud Paintings Were Saved When Old Jocko Church Burned
Last December the Indians of the Jocko district were saddened by the loss by fire of the historic Jocko church. To many people this was just another building destroyed by fire, but to the full blood Indians who were attending mass that crisp winter morning it meant either part of their culture was gone or a new place of worship would be in the future.
The heritage of this church stems back 71 years on August 4, when Bishop Brondel dedicated the building under the title of St. Johns Berchmans. It was in this church that many of our Salish Indians found consolation after making the long trek from their natural homes in the Bitter Root Valley.
This church had been part of the life of many of the older Indians who faithfully attended services there and whose grief showed in their faces as they watched the flaming ruins.
These life-sized paintings hung in the church at the time of the fire and were saved by the parishioners. The picture of our Lord appearing to the Indians in Trdian regalia is a symbol of our Lord appearing to the Jews as a Jew.
Mrs. Olive Wiprud, who passed away about four years ago, painted the picture and the man who posed is our good friend
Jerome Vanderburg, who lives a few miles south of Arlee. The picture of the Madonna was painted by Sam Wiprud, husband of Olive, who now lives near the Jocko Prairie, along the Jocko river.
Mrs. Morigeau Passes
Last month the last of another generation passed on with great heritage. Mary Louise Clairmont Morigeau, the wife of the late Antoine (Twin) Morigeau, passed away at the ripe old age of 88 snows. Mrs. Morigeau was born in the Bitter Root Valley and moved to the Flathead Reservation with her parents in the 1880's, upon orders of the U. S. Government. Louis Clairmont, father of Mary Louise, was one of the early day settlers in the Bitter Root country. In 1859 or 60 Louie Clairmont worked for Major Owen as a clerk and handy man. He later developed a farm on Burnt Fork. Clairmont — according to historians — was an adobe and brick maker. He originally came from Canada and was of French descent. The Clairmont family settled on Mud Creek, cast of Pablo. Mrs. Morigeau is survived by several children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, besides numerous other relatives.