Gillette histories

From the Feb. 13, 1941 News Record:
Two local men were shot in the left arm in separate accidental gunshot accidents last Thursday. Robert Hamm, 19-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Hamm of Cheyenne, was shot though the left arm on the Hamm ranch near Rozet and Matt Drew with a .22 caliber automatic at the Phil Chapman ranch. Hamm, whose father is chief of the Biological Survey, was injured when the .410 shotgun he was carrying across the saddle discharged. The blast tore through his clothes, skinning his abdomen, the full force entering his left forearm. He was on horseback nearly three miles from the ranch, and lost considerable blood in the ride back to the ranch house. Mr. Drew, who with Ralph Keck, another employee at the Chapman ranch, were loading wood when the vibration from the truck discharged the .22 automatic rifle. The gun fired twice but only one shot struck him. The bullet entered the flesh in his arm and came out near the shoulder.
From the Feb. 18, 1954 News Record:
Manuel O. Maddux, a long-time resident of Gillette, died at his home in this city Tuesday. Death was caused by a self-inflicted wound according to authorities. His body was discovered and reported by Fred Helzer of Gillette about 3:30 o’clock Tuesday afternoon when he had gone to the man’s home. A .22 caliber rifle was found near the body and a bullet had been fired into the heart, causing his death, it was reported by L.J. Probst, county coroner. A note was found in the deceased’s possession indicating that he had been despondent, which was believed to have led to his action.
From the Feb. 28, 1963 News Record:
In a recent monthly news letter , J.R. Bromley, superintendent and chief engineer of the Wyoming Highway Department, wrote the following comments concerning the distribution of the state five-cent gasoline tax. “As you know the state gasoline tax in Wyoming is set at five cents per gallon. What you probably don’t realize, however, is that less than half of each five cents collected ever reaches the state highway fund.” As an example, during 1962, total revenue derived from the gasoline tax amounted to nearly $9.5 million. Of that amount, about $4.4 million was deposited to the state highway fund. “What happened to the other $5.1 million? Under provisions of various acts of the Legislature it was distributed as following: counties, $3.6 million; cities, $562,000; agriculture refunds, $103,00; administrative costs by revenue department, $33,500. “It is of interest to note that the state highway fund receives a smaller portion of the gasoline tax today than 30 years ago. At that time, with a four-cent tax, three cents went to the state highway fund-today, the fund receives 2.4 cents of the five-cent tax.”