Good old days - Aug. 13, 2009

125 years ago, August 15, 1884

The Lincoln Leader says: A deadly affray occurred at the fishery on the Spokane river, ten miles above camp Spokane, on the evening of the 23rd.

It seems that two young Indians, one belonging to Moses band and the other to Quilaskin’s got a supply of whisky at the fort and started for the fishery, where they arrived late in the evening, crazed with liquor.

On their arrival in camp, they proceeded to slash to pieces with their knives the first teepee they came to, frightening all the inmates out with the exception of one, the eldest son of Paul, a Spokane Indian.

He was sleeping soundly and did not know of their arrival until they went in and awakened him, at the same time stabbing him in the region of the heart. Though badly wounded, he rushed out and procured a revolver, and returning, killed Quilaskin’s man.

It is a shame that the crime of selling liquor to Indians is not more harshly dealt with, endangering as it does the lives of so many innocent people.

100 years ago, August 13, 1909

A family of Palousers having established themselves in a little cabin at Vashon landing, on the shore of Puget Sound, find much of pleasure and novelty in the simple life as it is lived by the campers at Smalley’s cove, Vashon island. The bathing is good and a merry party gathers every day for the plunge. At low tide, we can, in a few minutes, dig a bucket of juicy butter clams. The high tide furnishes us our fuel, and the islanders supply us with the most luscious fruits and vegetables, this being a famous fruit-raising country. Before the strawberry season closed we could have all we wanted for the picking, and those that we bought were paid for at the rate of 80 cents per crate.

75 years ago, August 10, 1934

L. Russell dashed all the way from Oakesdale to tell us someone got away with his copy of last week’s Gazette-Commoner and that he wanted another one pronto. Slapped a dime on the counter to prove it.

“No work, no eat,” was the slogan adopted by the council to reduce the large bills for restaurant meals afforded jobless transients. Jack Roberts, member of the finance committee, found hearty accord with his suggestion that the city buy cord wood, furnish saws and say, “There it is, work first- then you eat.”

After much discussion the plan was advanced that the county might be willing to furnish the wood, the city to pay for cutting and the finished product made available to county indigents. The board of county commissioners is to be approached on the subject by the council ways and means committee with full power to act.

50 years ago, August 6, 1959

Continued reports of record wheat yields highlighted the “harvest news” in Whitman County this week.

Grain dealers in central and western Whitman County said yesterday that wheat yields exceed all expectations and should set all-time record. High yields and good quality for peas and barley were also reported as harvest nears the halfway mark.

Transfer of grain from elevator to elevator has already begun in order to handle the tremendous yields. Although none of the grain cooperative managers questioned anticipate a lack of storage space, it is expected that elevators throughout the county will be filled to capacity long before harvest is complete.

25 years ago, August 16, 1984

A private, non-denominational Christian school will open Sept. 4 in Endicott in the basement of the Seventh-day Adventist church, according to Lucretia Link, chairman of the board. The school will be sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist church and will fall under the umbrella of the Upper Columbia church conference.

“Church members decided they wanted to open a school and we have the facility. The decision was made in May so we’ve had to hurry,” Mrs. Link said.

The “circus tent” is going up about two miles west of LaCrosse, but don’t look for elephants or tigers. The “tent” is the newest thing out for covering outdoor piles of grain and could easily house a fair-sized circus if the grain were moved out.

LaCrosse Grain Growers bought the plastic pile cover from Davis Equipment Corp., Des Moines and believe it will do a good job. Similar covers of varying sizes, made by the same firm, have also been purchased by grain warehousers in Pine City and Ritzville.

10 years ago, August 12, 1999

Allegations the county commissioners have been participating in back-room politicking and closed-door meetings seem to be the political fall-out from a request by the auditor to put the county’s administrative services position under the control of the auditor’s office.

The matter came to light after the Gazette, in a July 29 article, reported that Commissioners Les Wigen and Hollis Jamison had an after-hours meeting July 23 to discuss a move to put county Administrative Services Director Dick Brown under the control of the auditor’s office.