Good old days - Nov. 12, 2009

125 years ago, November 14, 1884

Some of our democratic friends, not content with the course of the Gazette in the recent campaign, are making frantic efforts to establish an opposition newspaper in this city. The Gazette laughs at them, for the same scheme has been tried three times heretofore; three times it has failed and three times nearly every person who has encouraged the measure has lost. The Gazette is thoroughly established and can withstand any opposition.

On Tuesday evening, between seven and eight o’clock, Dillard Walker, the murderer of John A. Hoag, died in the jail in this city. It will be remembered that at the time Walker was captured he stabbed himself in the back of the neck with the file blade of a pocket knife inflicting a wound which has since developed into a serious one, and from this and his obstinacy in disobeying the doctor’s instructions he finally died.

The steamers Baker and Faxon are tied up at Almota for the winter. The steamers Gates, Spokane and Almota are carrying from the different points on the Snake River between fifteen and sixteen tons per week.

Mix Bros. are ready to receive wheat at their warehouse on Snake River, a quarter of a mile above Steptoe landing. They charge fifty cents per ton for handling and shipping grain or seventy-five cents per ton for storing during the winter.

100 years ago, November 12, 1909

Brick work on the new High school building is finished, hence we have a perfect exterior view of the structure. Aside from its ornate appearance it is something to gladden the eyes of Colfaxites, as it is greatly needed for school purposes.

The cash register stolen from Peter Ericson, which was taken from his café several weeks ago, was found by a boy hidden in weeds on the west bank of the South Palouse opposite the Ridgeway Theatre. The $85 register was not in the least injured, nor was the $14.20 it contained disturbed. Mr. Ericson gave the lad $7.50 of the money found.

J.L. Irwin of the Elk Barber Shop has invented and put into practical use a simple contrivance which does away with the necessity of taking out the head rest in a barber’s chair. The rest is pulled up a certain distance where a set of double springs allows it to lay over against the back of the chair. Mr. Irwin has applied for a patent.

From all accounts apples will be apples this year. it will probably pay Palouse apple growers to look well after their stock in hand. The Chronicle of Tuesday remarked that there will be no cheap apples for sale at the National Apple Show at Spokane this year.

75 years ago, November 16, 1934

Three exhibits have been selected from Whitman County to represent the state in various divisions of the 13th National 4-H Club Congress, to be held in conjunction with the International Livestock Exposition at Chicago Nov. 30 to Dec. 6. Mary Wells of Palouse will supply five jars of canned meat. Alice Gimlin of Pullman will send her unit for a club girl’s bedroom. Earl Colyar of the Diamond-Thera garden club will supply 20 potatoes to be shown for seed purposes. In former years Whitman County has been represented only by canning exhibits.

As exhibited by the jail register for the year ending Sept. 30, there were 131 arrests, Sheriff W.I. Dailey states in his annual report. Convictions numbered 99, dismissals 9, pending, 13 and apprehensions for authorities of other counties, 11. Seven of the cases were those of insanity and two persons were booked as family deserters.

John Luft and Frank Jean have opened a beer and lunch parlor on the west side of Main Street, two doors north of Wall.

Arrangements are being completed this week by the Whitman County Tuberculosis League for a group of clinics to be held in the highs schools at St. John, Steptoe, Garfield, Oakesdale, Winona and Endicott next week. Students will be given the Mantoux tuberculin skin test.

50 years ago, November 12, 1959

Construction work on the new St. Patrick’s Catholic church in Colfax started this week, following the acceptance of a $154,032 contract with the Spokane construction firm of Johnson, Busboom and Rauh.

Three different proposals which would abolish the county superintendent of schools office and place Whitman County under the direction of an area administrator, will be discussed today when the county board of education attends a meeting in Spokane. Supt. James Sturm said today the various proposals are the result of action taken at the last session of the legislature which poked into the possibility of re-organizing the state educational system.

The Lacrosse high school science department received a shipment of about $350 worth of atomic detection equipment Thursday from the Atomic Energy Commission. J.L. Pershall, science instructor, said the shipment included two Geiger counters and equipment which will make simple nuclear experiments possible. There is no possibility of harmful radiation from this kind of equipment.

25 years ago, November 15, 1984

Members of the Milwaukee Women’s club of Malden finished up in style Monday night with a catered dinner at the Malden Community center. It was the final function of the 50-year-old club which has continued to meet for almost five years after Milwaukee railroad closed down operations in Malden and most of the western states.

Teachers in the Endicott school district voted Nov. 1 to drop out of the Whitman County Education Association, the organization that has conducted contract negotiations for teachers in four school districts for the past two years.

Colfax School directors are expected to decide Nov. 26 on whether or not to pull the Bulldog sports program out of the eastern division of the Yakima league, where teams have competed for the past six years, and switch to the Northeast A league, which has most of its schools located north of Spokane.

Shirley Bafus of Colfax, the number three nominee named by county Republicans four weeks ago, was appointed Whitman County clerk Tuesday by the county commissioners.

10 years ago, November 11, 1999

Whitman County’s two-year old suit against former auditor Eugenia Goldsworthy of Rosalia is apparently headed for trial in Lincoln county. Judge Philip Borst last week denied the county’s motion for a summary judgement and ruled the county will have to prove its case in court. The county’s suit seeks $3,484 alleged due for reimbursement when the former auditor mailed out the “What’s Happening in Whitman County” letter to elected officials around the county and the state in July of 1997.

Whitman County voters may have shot down Initiative 695, but statewide the measure passed by a landslide and now the smaller towns and cities are coming to terms with just how big of an impact the new law, which trims vehicle tabs to a flat $30 rate, will have. Around $2 million will come out Whitman County town budgets, according to earlier estimates.

The new Jackpot store opened in Colfax Tuesday. The new store features 2,400 square feet, four more fueling stations, diesel, full hot and cold deli with fresh sandwiches and a smoker for chicken and ribs.