Good old days

100 years ago

January 5, 1912

The Northern Pacific depot at Oakesdale was robbed of $2,500 last Friday. Railroad detectives were put at work on the case and several employees were taken into custody but released.

Two brakemen on the Inland freight train were fined by Justice Doolittle $5 and costs, making a total of $13.95 each, for stealing two turkeys from J.S. Albright at Thornton. The turkeys were taken from a barn near the Inland tracks.

Three cars of the Soo train which passed through Colfax at 12:10 Thursday morning jumped the track at Endicott and gave the passengers a severe shaking. The derailed cars did not turn over.

75 years ago

January 1, 1937

The state parks board has put $25,000 in its 1937 budget for the purposes of a scenic lookout at the top of Steptoe Butte. A map shows three surveyed roads to the top.

Grading and diking of the athletic field in Schmuck park so the park could be flooded for ice skating was announced to the Chamber of Commerce Wednesday.

Prisoners serving county jail terms here were moved from the third-story cell blocks to the two juvenille rooms on the second floor while plumbing work, expected to continue two weeks, is in progress.

50 years ago

January 4, 1962

Mayor William H. Burns turned the key that opened the new, modern Colfax office of the Lincoln First Federal Savings and Loan Association for the first time Tuesday morning.

A crew of Yakima engineers will begin “sizing up” buildings in Whitman County beginning this month as the first step in providing community shelters for use in case of nuclear war.

The men of the Winona Grange served a pancake supper to their wives, friends and children, with over 80 in attendance. A short Christmas program was followed by a visit from Santa Claus, who gave each child a sack of candy and a popcorn ball.

25 years ago

January 1, 1987

Low wheat prices in 1986 resulted in a total of $49.2 million in deficiency payments sent to Whitman County farmers. Deficiency payments were calculated at $1.98 per bushel.

Motorists can purchase Washington’s new Centennial license plate beginning Jan. 2 at the Whitman County auditor’s office and at the county’s four agencies, Dorsey Chevrolet in Tekoa, Whitman Land and Title in Pullman, Jaeger Insurance in Rosalia and Schmidt Insurance in St. John. The red, white and blue plate features a picture of Mount Rainier.

Billie Byrne retired Dec. 31 after 28 years as bookkeeper for the Garfield School District. Replacing her will be Patsy Dunning from Palouse.

10 years ago

January 3, 2002

Offensive to some, lucrative to others, Uniontown’s one billboard will be on the agenda of the town’s Planning and Zoning commission. If the commission votes to recommend the sign’s removal, it may be gone by Dec. 31, 2010. The commission, after learning the billboard does not meet current city ordinances, conducted a hearing on the billboard Dec. 10. Lamar Corporation of Lewiston holds a 20-year lease to use the billboard.

Colfax City crews applied chemicals in advance of Thursday night’s predicted snowfall on city hills. Use of the chemicals had been discussed in past city council sessions, and the city initiated its use this year with its four-wheel-drive vehicle which clears city sidewalk segments and bridges.