Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 45 ground floor to the top of the headhouse. A man-lift utilizing a counterbalance system with rope, pulley, and weights ferried the elevator's operator up and down the 10 sto- ries easily, provided the worker was honest about his weight. They were called elevators because as the trucks unloaded grain onto the work floor or boot, buckets on a conveyor belt elevated the grain to the headhouse and separated it to bins based on protein content. The grain was either stored until it yielded higher grain prices or offloaded to a waiting railroad grain car for export. The trains that had delivered elevator construction materials westbound also car- ried grain from elevators eastbound. With tracks laid on land donated by the gov- ernment, the railroads had a tidy business coming and going. Many elevators were painted red. The paint got its color from iron, a plentiful element, which meant red was the cheapest paint to make. Elevators in Zurich and Grass Range, although chipped and weathered, still retain their red color. Elevators also had the com- pany's logo painted on them, like "Best Out West" in Wyola or "Sapphire Flour, Ceretana Feeds" on an elevator north of Judith Gap on Highway 191. Although some old grain elevators appear to be metal, they are still wood- en underneath. Trains throwing sparks ignited grass fires that in turn burned the wood-only elevators. As losses mounted, insurance companies stepped in, requir- ing metal siding. This did nothing to prevent the fires from within the elevator since grain dust is extremely combustible, but it did cut down on insurance claims. Wooden grain elevators were even- tually replaced by elevators constructed with steel-reinforced concrete—a cheaper, stronger, more durable material. The old ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS IN BOTH THE U.S. AND CANADA, UP TO 30,000 PRAIRIE SKYSCRAPERS DOTTED THE LANDSCAPE DURING THEIR HEYDAY IN THE 1920S AND 1930S. TODAY ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF THE OLD WOODEN GRAIN ELEVATORS ARE LEFT. GRASS RANGE ELEVATOR RAPELJE'S THREE ELEVATORS

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