In 1926, Lewis and Clark County experienced the loss of two dedicated employees within two days, both in the same vehicle.
On July 22, 1926, William A. Moore, a commissioner for Lewis and Clark County, passed away. He was driving with two other county commissioners for a road inspection near Holter Dam when their car veered off the road and down an embankment. Mr. Moore, also known as “Billy,” was driving the car, while the other passengers, Mr. Tom Sillers and Mr. Tom Cooney, escaped with minor injuries. The crash was discovered by sheepherders, and Mr. Cooney, injured in the accident, was taken to Craig for medical care.
The following day, Louis Coty and Al Goodno were tasked with recovering the wrecked car. While pulling the car back to the road, Louis met with a fatal accident about 4 miles south of Wolf Creek due to a faulty steering mechanism.
The incidents led to the unfortunate deaths of both Billy and Louis. Billy’s funeral took place at the Masonic Temple on Broadway, where he was buried in Forestvale Cemetery. Louis, who was single, was laid to rest at Resurrection Cemetery after a service at St. Helena Cathedral.
Billy and Louis were not just colleagues, but also shared a common bond through their Canadian roots. Billy was born in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, while Louis hailed from Compton, Quebec.
Billy had a successful career in Helena, serving as county treasurer and eventually as a commissioner. Louis, on the other hand, worked for the county’s Road Department for 16 years.
Today, their legacy lives on through their descendants in the Helena area. In 2022, Lewis and Clark County commissioners honored Billy with a plaque in his memory, recognizing him as the only commissioner to pass away while in office.
Special thanks to the Lewis and Clark County Heritage Tourism Council for providing this “Nuggets From Helena” column, curated by Pam Attardo and David Curd.
