25 Years Ago
Fireworks prohibited on forests
As the Fourth of July approaches, it is time to remind all National Forest users that the use of fireworks on National Forest lands is prohibited.
This is a general ban which applies to all National Forests and National Grasslands. It is not limited just to the up coming Fourth of July holidays.
According o Gary Heath, Forest Supervisor for the Medicine Bow National Forest, “ We want to advise people not to bring fireworks onto the National Forests. They can easily start fires, causing considerable resource damage as well as endangering life and property. Citations will be issued to anyone observed using fireworks on National Forest Lands.”
Fireworks, along with unattended or improperly extinguished campfires are among the leading sources of human-caused wildfires.
50 Years Ago
Plans Set for Big Three-day Celebration
Three big days of thrills, spills, and excitement are planned in Saratoga this weekend. Scheduled during the July 3, 4 and 5 celebration will be a four-wheel drive vehicle race, water fight, cowboy polo game, two big dances, beard contest, parade, rodeo and fishing derby.
Festivities will get underway July 3 with a four-wheel drive vehicle race with classes for four, six and eight cylinder vehicles. The race will be staged south of town, starting at 10:00 a.m. That evening at 7:30 at the Stampeders arena, the local riding club’s polo team will meet the undefeated Platte Valley Ridge Runners in what promises to be a hotly-contested game of cowboy polo.
Starting the Fourth of July activities will be a parade through the downtown area beginning at 10:00 a.m. Mrs. Carl Bocott and Max Leach are cochairman of the procession.
Headed by Carbon County rodeo queen Mary Lynn Alameda of Rawlins the parade will proceed ... the local high school band will march.
The annual Stampede and rodeo is scheduled at the American Legion rodeo grounds east of town July 4 with the grand entry time set for 1:30 p.m. Seven main arena events include bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, jackpot team tying and ladies’ jackpot barrel race.
Over $2,000 is expected to be distributed to winning cowboys at the rodeo. An overall 93 entries were logged in the 1964 Stampede with event winners dividing $2,070. Rodeo livestock for the RCA approved sow this year will be furnished by the Summit Rodeo Co. of Bosler.
A special event will be staged by the local volunteer fire department who will present a fire drill and also challenge the Saratoga Jaycees chapter to a barrel rolling water fight. Details of the contest will be announced next week.
Dancing to the music of the Rhythm Country Boys of Ft. Collins, Colo., will be featured Saturday and Sunday nights at the Fireman’s hall. At the dance July 3, the Saratoga Jaycees will conduct a beard contest, with prizes going to the top full beard, mustache, goatee, and beard without mustache.
The celebration will also feature an all-day fishing derby Monday, July 5. Time is from 5:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with registration open at Len’s Sport Shop. Several prizes will be awarded for winners of various classifications.
The big weekend celebration here is being sponsored by the volunteer Stampede committee, Jaycees, Volunteer Fire Department and Stampeders. Annually, the rodeo is supported by local merchants who underwrite the cost of the venture, should it fall to make a profit.
75 Years Ago
Successful rodeo was staged here this afternoon
As had been anticipated, the annual Saratoga wild west show, held at the rodeo grounds this afternoon, was an exceedingly interesting show. A good crowd was on hand from all over southern Wyoming and many attended from Colorado.
The managers of the show, Marvin Reid and John W. Runner, although staging their first show, did a mighty good job. Competition in the bucking contest and roping contest was keen, the races were interesting, and the wild cow milking contest staged a hilarious finale to the afternoon’s performance.
And after today’s performance it is evident that the Platte valley need not go elsewhere for bucking horses ... Frank W. Pennock and Bill Baiers furnished the broncs.
Twenty-five entries were made in the roping contests, and while some of the boys showed poor aim, and a number were handicapped by big calves, some good time was made. The bareback riders produced their share of thrills, and all in all the managers and their cowboys presented the crowd with a dandy little show that will rank with the best which have been staged in Saratoga.
Another big dance at the Fireman’s Hall tonight will end the festivities for another year, and the usual “big jam” at the hall is expected. Mark Jackson and his Band, popular Hanna orchestra, will furnish the swing.
100 Years Ago
The Fourth of Yesteryear and Today
Fourth of July is with us again, and once more we gaze upon the show-windows of our city stores and see no feature-marring powder apparatus. Firecrackers, Roman candles, sky-rockets, torpedoes, and a hundred other varieties of torture, were, in days past, the proper equipment and paraphernalia for celebrating the nation’s greatest holiday, but now the people of the United States are wise to the fact that limbs don’t have to be blown off, eyes put out, and clothing burned to recognize the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. True, that document meant a great deal to the people of these United States, and the day should be observed, but boisterous shouting and ear-drum destroying giant cracker bombardments has been found an unreasonable way of doing it. The Fourth of July casualties, by the timely abolition of that rot, has been reduced to a minimum, much to the gratification of parents, who are trying to rear their children in a manner that they won’t be disfigured for life. Yes, indeed, the “Painful Fourth” is gone. We sincerely hope that it may rest in peace and that it will be several decades before its resurrection. Still, after all, deep down in our hearts linger fond recollections of the times not long since when we were boys and loved the smell of powder and the report of the giant cracker, but like many other things it went the route of all that was over-done, and for the safety of the children we had to come to the sane Fourth.
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