Good old days - July 22, 2010

125 years ago, July 24, 1885

Pretty slow right now.

The old stock shed on Church Street has been torn down and the rubbish removed.

G.W. Sutherland and W.J. Hamilton have laid new sidewalks in front of their respective places of business, the former concrete and the latter brick.

Chinese laborers on the railroad receive 80 cents per day.

Frank Dickinson has demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt that bees can and will be successfully cultured in this climate. About one year ago he imported two swarms from the east and kept them through the winter, receiving three swarms from them this season. One has made fifty pounds of honey this summer.

A number of tramps have been loafing around town for a week. People should not encourage them to stay by giving them food and shelter.

100 years ago, July 22, 1910

Last Thursday afternoon J.F. Bishop of near Farmington was accosted at his home by a stranger who at the point of a revolver ordered Mr. Bishop to stand aside while he entered the house and prepared himself a meal. He then killed a chicken, dressed it and compelled Mr. Bishop to hitch up and take him to Farmington. He dismissed Bishop near town, telling him that he would be killed if he reported the matter.

Wednesday, James Sacks, an Italian section hand, was captured near Pullman by Sheriff Carter after an exciting foot race for about a mile through a wheat field. He is wanted by the sheriff of Skagit county on various and sundry charges, among them being swindling, jumping board bills and possibly murder. He was taken to Mount Vernon for trial yesterday.

Quite a little excitement was aroused Monday afternoon when R.O. Cornelius reported to the police that some one had stolen his team and buggy which was tied in front of Busse’s store. The team was finally found hitched in the rear of Good & Co.’s factory, though it is not known who took the team off Main street.

75 years ago, July 26, 1935

Henry A. Wallace, secretary of agriculture, paid a brief visit to the county agent’s office here Monday on his way to Walla Walla from Pullman. Secretary Wallace was interested mainly in the results obtained by the use of aerial maps under the wheat allotment contracts and also asked for considerable information on the amount raised in the county, the number of wheat contracts and the attitude of farmers generally on the allotment plan.

The Snake river Sunday afternoon claimed the life of Ralph Ronald Moore, 23, son of Mr. And Mrs. Ralph W. Moore of Hay, who was swimming with companions at Central Ferry, about a half mile above the state highway bridge. His disappearance was unobserved except by a woman camper who directed a diver to the exact location after the river bed had been dragged with fishing nets. His body was recovered about two hours later, from a hole about 12 feet below the surface.

In the county jail here while officers are delving into their records, if any, are Perry Miller, 29, and Philip Dausener, 22, arrested at Garfield on suspicion of burglary. They are accused of taking about $1 in small change from the safe of the Garfield Roller Mills, which had been left unlocked, after prying open a window last Friday night.

50 years ago, July 21, 1960

Railroads serving the Palouse country have indicated they will soon file applications with the Interstate Commerce Commission to reduce freight rates on wheat from Colfax to the Coast by about 5.4 cents per bushel.

Three fires burned over more than 400 acres of standing grain in the Dusty area last Saturday and kept firemen and firefighters going from morning until evening trying to put out the blazes.

The new grain elevator built by the Pullman Grain Growers at the confluence of the Union Flat and Ewartsville roads is nearing completion and from the highway coming down from the hill in to Union Flat the sight of the huge structure is quite imposing.

Only the county’s three state legislators escaped competition in the primary election by the time filings closed Friday afternoon in the county auditor’s office.

25 years ago, July 25, 1985

Cutbacks in courthouse staff, the Pullman district court, fair and regional planning council funding were among “bite the bullet” moves suggested to county commissioners Monday by Alan Hudson, finance director since last October. Hudson was hired into the newly-created finance director post last fall following an adverse audit of the county’s books. Part of his job is to keep the county books on line with state requirements and part is to take an objective look at the budget and come up with ways to save dollars.

Barney Buckley, acting chief since April 1, has been named chief of the Colfax police department by Mayor Leonard Riedner. Buckley was chosen from three candidates named by the city’s civil service commission. Other candidates for the job were Assistant Chief Jim Gants and Sgt. Terrance Rockey of the Cheney Police Department.

Old National Bank sold the Colfax branch building and the Binnard building on Colfax Main street for $200,000 to four Seattle residents last week. Steve McIntosh, at Spokane headquarters, said ONB has contracted a 20-year lease for both buildings.

10 years ago, July 20, 2000

Parents in the St. John and Endicott school districts were invited to forums Thursday at both locations to discuss a proposed dress code for students. The proposal would ban unusual dress or grooming that causes disruption of school programs, is unclean or presents a safety hazard.

An ammonia leak from a mechanical failure on a 1,500-gallon tanker truck caused SR-26 to close down for nearly three hours early Thursday at Dusty. The truck was parked behind the Dusty Co-op. The highway re-opened at 2:53 a.m.

Rosalia Garden Club met at the mini-park and distributed awards the club received at the district, state and national levels. Big award for the mini-park was sponsored by Exxon Co., and was presented in Los Angeles at the National Council of State Garden Clubs.