Good Old Days 6/2/11

125 years ago - June 4, 1886

Henry Ackerman, an influential farmer and stockraiser living near Penawawa, has furnished us a list of names of about 20 of his neighbors who have signed a paper to the effect that they will sever their business connection with Colfax in the event of local prohibition passing at the approaching election, and will go elsewhere to do their trading. This is not a bluff, and we submit to the people of Colfax if our business interests are capable of sustaining serious defections of this character, for it must be remembered that there will be found persons of the same mind in other communities.

A prisoner named Anderson, incarcerated for drunkenness, made his escape from the city Bastille last Monday by tearing down the chimney. That cooler has no terror for a man possessed of the least particle of enterprise. All he has to do is to kick a board off, lift the roof or demolish the chimney. A man who couldn’t get out of it isn’t worth arresting.

A. Coolidge is the first to suffer at the hands of some apparently hungry thieves who infest the town at this writing. His cellar was ransacked one night last week and precious few edibles were left to tell the tale. Citizens will do well to inspect their locks and bolts and use them, in anticipation of a visit from these light-fingered gentry.

Pomeroy has a female dentist.

100 years ago - June 2, 1911

Looks like a bumper crop this year. Copious rains of last week and the week before, followed this week by warm, balmy, delightful, sunshiny weather has set everything to growing, the rain and the sunshine each coming at the right time.

Announcement is made this week that Lewis L. Bruning has bought the interest of Oliver Hall in the undertaking business in Colfax, and is now the sole owner and manager of that establishment.

The Sells-Floto circus is announced for Friday in Colfax and makes promises of many improvements over their former excellent organization.

A petition is being circulated this week asking that the town of Tekoa be bonded for $15,000 in order to make any necessary improvements needing attention.

C.C. Gordon, a former Colfax boy, was shot through both legs while serving in the U.S. Navy at Mare Island, Calif. Recent reports say he is getting along fine and will soon be able for duty.

75 years ago - May 29, 1936

If a beacon light ever shines from the top of Steptoe butte, it will be the most outstanding landmark for aviators in the United States. That was the opinion of observation squadron officers here Wednesday in company with Army officers to boost the national defense demonstration at Spokane.

A band of sheep belonging to doctor F.A. Bryant and numbering 2,300 was pastured on the golf course from Friday to Monday while on the way to the mountains. The idea was to let the sheep nibble down the grass.

Willis Lamb, 16, healthy and able to withstand the impulse to play hooky, was graduated from Winona high Wednesday evening, having in 11 years completed 12 years work with a perfect attendance record. The home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Lamb, is northwest of Winona and during his high school career he traveled six miles to school each day.

To increase their ice cream output, Lester and Flay Hill, operators of the Colfax Creamery, have installed an O’Keefe & Merritt continuous gas flow freezer which has a capacity of freezing 24 gallons of ice cream an hour.

50 years ago - June 1, 1961

About 275 additional construction workers will have moved into Whitman County by this weekend to begin the two-month-long job of laying 60 miles of natural gas pipeline from Riparia to Rosalia. About the same time, an estimated 150 workmen who have been employed at the pipe-jointing and wrapping plant at Winona will return to Madras, Ore., their huge task of treating 700 carloads of pipeline completed.

Removal of brick and the old bell tower was begun last week at the Plymouth Congregational Church building on Main Street as the first step of a remodel job that will change the exterior to rough cedar and stucco panels. The tower will be rebuilt in an open, modern style.

An estimated 200 people visited a concrete block, sand-filled fallout shelter Tuesday which was erected last week on the street between the Whitman County library building and the Old National Bank. The shelter, measuring 8 by 10 feet on the inside, was on display to show its construction to individual families who may wish to build their own.

25 years ago - May 29, 1986

Enos Edward “Yakima” Canutt, Whitman County native who went on to earn rodeo fame and work as a stunt man and action director in Hollywood, died early Sunday morning at age 90.

A total of 329 county seniors, 18 fewer than last year, will graduate in ceremonies over the next two weeks in the 11 county high schools. Largest graduating class is Pullman at 153. Smallest is Endicott with only one graduate, Daniel Starrett.

A large crowd attended the annual Sunday School picnic Sunday at Klemgard Park. Special guests were Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Aeschliman, missionaries with Wycliffe who are visiting family and friends this week in the community.

10 years ago - May 31, 2001

Commissioner Greg Partch announced the county is in the running to be a new site for a national Veterans Administration cemetery.

Rosauer’s Supermarkets announced Friday the acquisition of the Colfax and Deer Park Excell stores. The stores are currently owned and operated by George and Nettie Brown.

Colfax veterans were called into action Sunday night when a sudden wind and rain storm swept through the area. The vets had posted 145 U.S. memorial flags around the cemetery and the high winds threatened to wreck the display.

Whitman County Marine Patrol and Water safety programs began Saturday for Memorial Day weekend. This year the sheriff’s office will add two jet skis to the patrol fleet. They were donated for use during the boating season by Roundy’s Sports of Spokane.