Reflections: Phone lines to be installed, car thieves caught

101 years ago

June 5, 1913

Putting in telephone lines

J.D. Kilborn arrived here Tuesday with a crew of men from Elk Mountain. Yesterday morning they left for Ten Mile where they will commence the re-construction of the government telephone lines. They will put in all summer in the Medicine Bow forest putting lines to connect the Forest stations all up and down the reserve. They will also connect up Laramie and Saratoga through the Reserve so that any ranger station can be reached from either Laramie or Saratoga. The contract was let to the Carbon Timber Company, and Mr. Kilborn is in charge of the work.

75 years ago

June 1, 1939

Local CCC boys apprehended for car theft

Newspaper reports yesterday stated three boys, said to be of the local CCC Company, were picked up early this week a few miles west of Rawlins for investigation in connection with the wrecking of a stolen car. Highway Patrolman Al Wheeler and Undersheriff Frank Lemoine were investigating the wreck when they learned the car had been stolen. The boys were picked up a mile or so farther on west. They state they had borrowed the car at a dance and were just taking a ride when they wrecked it. We did not learn the name of the owner of the stolen car.

50 years ago

June 4, 1964

Brocks purchase bowling lanes

Mr. and Mrs. Avon Brock announced this morning that they are now the owners of the Saratoga Bowling Lanes through a transaction completed in Rawlins Wednesday, whereby they purchased the business of Richard T. Bucholz.

The lanes resumed business yesterday. Mr. Brock said he will manage the establishment himself for the present. During the summer open bowling will be featured, with the organization of winter leagues to start the latter part of August.

In other bowling news of local interest it was learned that members of the Welton Construction team, who entered the state tournament in Cheyenne, had won some cash prizes, but no placings were made available. Winning prize money were Joe Jones and Veg. Teter, doubles, $25; Mr. Teter, singles, $10; and Al Welton, singles, $7.50.

25 years ago

June 6, 1989

Two men injured in accidental shootings in Encampment

Two men were injured in accidental shootings in the Encampment area Sunday.

Dan Hammer, 19, was critically injured when he was accidentally shot in the back of the head while gopher hunting with two friends.

According to a family member, Hammer was gopher hunting with Mike and Mark Perdue on the Silver Spur Ranch when the accident occurred. The bullet entered the top of Hammer’s head from left to right and apparently damaged motor functions. Doctors aren’t sure if paralysis is temporary or permanent.

Hammer was transported to Memorial Hospital of Carbon County in Rawlins and then airliefted to Wyoming Medical Center is Casper. He is still in critical condition following surgical removal of the bullet from his head.

In a separated incident, William McNall received an upper thigh wound when he accidentally pulled the trigger of his Ruger .22 semi-automatic pistol, according to Carbon County Deputy Sheriff Sgt. Jerry Colson.

Colson said McNall and his friend Steve Trumbauer, both of Ft. Collins, Colo., were sitting in a vehicle at McNall’s summer home in Encampment getting ready to go out shooting.

Colson said McNall had the pistoal pointed towards himself and in the process of checking the safety accidentally pulled the trigger. The bullet struck McNall’s upper right thigh.

Trumbauer took McNall to the Saratoga Police Department, Colson said, and from there he was transported by ambulance to Memorial Hosptial of Carbon County where the bullet was surgically removed. He is reported in good condition.