March 8 – On this day in Montana History in 1917 State Commissioner of Labor and Industry W.J. Swindlehurst reported that “lumbering aside from smelting is the most important manufacturing industry in Montana.” He reported that $7.6 million was invested in sawmills in the state, $1.1 million in logging equipment and $1 million in planning mills. As an odd twist of history, in the same report he noted that there were 19 breweries in the state. Apparently, lumber workers took a little nip once in awhile.