Good old days - April 7, 2011

125 years ago

April 9, 1886

On Wednesday, Auditor Turner gave receipts for over 3,000 squirrel scalps. Between twelve and fifteen thousand scalps have already been presented and it is safe to say that the number will approximate 40,000 by May 1st, when the five-cent bounty expires. That means the distribution of $2,000 and demonstrates that diversified farming pays.

Poker Jack and brother Siwash, charged with stealing a saddle and picket rope, were examined before Justice Shaw on Friday last, the result being that the former was released, the latter going to the skookum house in default of bonds in the sum of $300. Jack, of poker fame, doubtless held four acres.

100 years ago

April 7, 1911

The class track meet of the Colfax public school, which was held last Friday, at the fairgrounds, was won by the Juniors who made 64 points out of a possible 131. The Seniors came second with 46 points, Sophomores third with 11 and Freshmen fourth and last with 10 points. The track was very heavy and the runners were unable to make anything better than average time.

The fifty yard dash started the program of the afternoon which was won by Hart of the senior class, with Morrison and Johnson of the Junior class a close second and third. The 880 yard run followed this and was won by Newman of the Junior class in fairly good time.

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75 years ago

April 3, 1936

Another record in the 43 years of government observation here was broken early Wednesday morning when a minimum temperature of 10 was recorded by Will Aegerter to be the coldest ever registered in April. Colfax has been treated to all kinds of weather conditions during the past week. The capricous actions of the elements began Thursday afternoon of last week when a high wind brought with it a heavy cloud of dust that made indistinct the hills surrounding the city and gave to objects the appearance as if visioned through brown colored glasses.

Lumber for 120 feet of additional new grandstand for the Schmuck athletic field was ordered Monday from the Central Supply company by the executive committee of the round-up and the city parks board. In covering this section, which will be built as a south and east wing to the new section parallel to Morton street, 70 feet of roofing from the old grandstand will be used.

Members of the Methodist Church held their annual “get together” Monday evening in the church parlors. A larger crowd enjoyed the delicious dinner and the social time which followed. Group singing was conducted by Horace Kincaid, after which short talks were made by E.F. Schuldt and the Rev. E. C. Newham.

50 years ago

April 6, 1961

The worst frost since 1957 took a heavy toll for orchardists in the Penawawa district along the Snake river following temperature drops to 22 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

Ken Wallace, said his apricot crop was completely gone and estimated extensive damage for his peach trees, although it is too early to tell, he said. He said the mercury reached 22 degrees early Wednesday. Another grower, Mrs. Stacy Eggers, reported that nearly two thirds of their apricot crop had been killed and some peach buds had been taken.

Daylight saving time, made mandatory by the initiative approved at last fall’s general election, will start on the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in September, according to the initiative.

Officially, the clock will be turned ahead at 2 a.m. Sunday, April 30, and turned back on Sunday, Sept 24, at 2 a.m., if anyone is ambitious enough to get up at that time!

Quite a butchering job comes in the wake of the passing of a buffalo that was owned by Ed Hayes, St. John rancher. Owner of Colfax Meat Packing plant, Bill Jensen, reports the buffalo had much hair and a tough hide. He says, “The Indians sure earned every bit of meat they got off a buffalo. I could have butchered three steers in the same amount of time it took to finish that buffalo.”

25 years ago

April 3, 1986

Just Dells’s, a luncheon restaurant in south Colfax, closed Friday after operating three years. Proprietor Del Slentz said the closure was due to a real estate hassle.

“I’m just caught between a rock and a hard place,” Slentz said. “I’d like to apologize to all my loyal customers for having to close it up.”

A massive search for a missing WSU student was suspended at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday after more than three full days of searching by about 120 trained search and rescue people, according to Undersheriff Dalton Lewey.

10 years ago

April 5, 2001

Construction crews worked around the clock last week to replace a concrete grain bin for the lineup of storage units at the Almota Elevator Co. Terminal on the Snake River. The newly built elevator looks like a duplicate of the one that failed at the start harvest season last year, but it was constructed to present-day specifications, according to Dan Hart, assistant manager at Almota.

The crew from Haskins Co. used the slip form technique of construction which calls for a continuous pour of concrete. The walls of the elevator are formed without a joint when the forms for the concrete inch up on structure as it takes form.

Crews from Haskins of Spokane started the pour at 7:40 a.m. last Monday and kept at it around the clock until 3 a.m. Saturday. The crews worked in 12-hour shifts with some of the shifts coming during rain and wind storms last week.

Hart recorded the concrete climb with freeze frame shots on a video camera.

A misuse rate of 90 percent was recorded on 44 child car seats which were checked March 24 in a clinic conducted by the Whitman County Child Passenger Safety Team and Whitman County Safe Kids at the Chipman and Taylor lot in Pullman. National average for misuse discovered at the clinic checks is 85 percent.