Good old days - May 13, 2010

125 years ago, May 15, 1885

Rain the past few days was worth a half a million of dollars to the Palouse Country. It was general.

On last Saturday morning, while several hands employed at Sexton & Codd’s saw mill in this city were moving a heavy piece of machinery, one of them, J.L. Cusick, stepped on a plank covering an old well into which the blow off pipe from the engine was discharging steam and hot water. The planking gave way and Cusick was precipitated into the almost boiling water. His fellow workmen got him out of the well as quickly as possible, but not until he was severely scalded. Large strips of skin and flesh peeled off from his body as his clothes were being removed and he suffered terribly.

Wolfard & Erford have opened a beer hall in the Thielsen House basement. In addition to a supply of their best brew, they propose to keep luncheon, in selection of bologna sausage, dried meats, caviear, limbergher cheese and other luxuries.

O. Newcomb writes from Mattoon, Illinois, that he lately saw a dispatch in an eastern paper that a young man named W.H. Newcomb was killed by an outlaw named Pierce at the Hoodoo mines in the Palouse county. The writer says that he has a son named T.T. Newcomb, somewhere in the west and desires information as to the above report, thinking possibly that his boy may be the victim.

100 years ago, May 13, 1910

The Colfax schools have been doing good work the past year, despite the interruption and demoralization caused by the flood, and the directors are so well satisfied that they have re-employed nearly all the present force of teachers.

The bowling alleys received for the Endicott Commercial club are being installed this week and will soon be in shape for local bowlers to try out.

Geo. D. Williams secured judgment Tuesday against the N.P. railway for $2,000 damages. He was represented by Rosenhaupt and Miller of Spokane.

Shirkey and Glaser will move their stock of jewelry Monday to the Dreger store building, which has been remodeled and newly painted and papered. A complete line of walnut finish fixtures has been installed and the new store will be a great improvement over their old quarters.

The Johnson & Johnson coal business has been sold to Mr. Charles Bensel of this city, who took charge May 2.

75 years ago, May 17, 1935

Colfax has 1,135 telephones, or 41 per cent population. This is the largest percentage among the 20 largest telephone exchanges in the state.

A hearing was held Thursday on the proposal to create a new school district out of portions of the Penawawa and Hickman districts. Bad roads leading to the Penawawa school were said to justify a new district.

Commencement exercises for the seniors of St. Ignatius school of nursing will be held at the community building next Thursday evening. Graduates are Miss Alice Schmick, Steptoe; Miss Magdelene J. Schaeffer, Pomeroy; Miss Louise Weitz, Endicott, and Miss Josephine Randall, Moscow.

WERA officials have promised to provide funds to pay for labor of replacing water mains in the south end of Colfax, an item Street Superintendent F.E. Marler estimated would be from $5,500 to $6,000.

50 years ago, May 12, 1960

State Rep. Robert Goldsworthy urged every family to prepare a bomb shelter equipped with a two-weeks supply of food and water in a talk on civil defense before Colfax Kiwanians Tuesday noon.

Malden is proud of Gary VanDyke, who was elected mayor at the Junior Stock show in Spokane. Debbie VanDyke won a blue ribbon on her lamb and a white ribbon on her pig. Wayne Gustin won a blue on his pig. Karen and Kent Kjack both won red on their steers.

Ground was broken Friday for a new office building for the Lamont Grain Growers at the corner of S. Main and 9th streets.

25 years ago, May 16, 1985

Arson was the cause of a fire that destroyed the railroad trestle on the Milwaukee right-of-way in Rosalia April 7, according to investigators with the Department of Natural Resources.

Dusty BB club presented 52 lap robes the club had made during the year to the new Whitman Convalescent Center Thursday.

Henry Shields and Jim Potts were honored at Lamont Grange with certificates of merit from the Washington Game Department for their contributions of wildlife development.

10 years ago, May 11, 2000

A scaled down version of a proposed Rock Lake residential development has cleared another hurdle. Original plans for the 818-acre site on the northwest shore of the lake included hotels, a golf course and stretches of beach. Plans now include just eight home sites on the entire property, owned by Miller Land Co.

Natalie Hubner of Oakesdale participated in the State Solo and Ensemble Contest in the flute division at Ellensburg, where she was awarded two superior ratings and one excellent rating.