History for Chron

A thunderstorm sparked 29 forest fires in Montana and North Idaho, and officials feared the storm could cause more.

Firefighters in the Kaniksu National Forest were already battling at Trapper Peak and Sundance Mountain and hoped the lightning storm would miss their area.

Besides six new fires in the Clearwater region, U.S. Forest Service officials listed 11 fires in the Lolo National Forest and one in the Bitterroot National Forest, all in Montana.

For the first time in its nine-year history, the Maple Street Bridge, which operated then as a toll bridge, finally turned a profit.

The bridge served enough vehicles to earn a $1,774 profit.

The span had been in the red since it opened on July 1, 1958.

“Traffic has been increasing gradually on the Spokane structure and the bridge is serving more people,” state highways director Charles G. Prahl said. “We are very hopeful that, within a few years, we will begin retiring the $6,000,000 bond issue.”