Good Old Days

125 years ago

March 25, 1887

With the sunshine and flowers of the season come thoughts of a city park, a much needed place of resort for our citizens. We need a park and now is the time to secure necessary ground.

Sid Benton has erected a windmill on his Island Street residence property which supplies water for various purposes about the premises. The outfit will render gardening a pastime.

C.B. Hopkins is engaged in organizing an electric light company in which the business men of the city manifest an interest that insures putting in of a plant at an early day.

Crowds of spectators gather daily to witness the artesian well boring operations now being prosecuted by Oliver Hall in Bleeker and Brown’s south end addition, formerly the Cooper ranch. It is an experimental bore, intention being to sink the hole 500 feet to secure a good flow of water at all events.

Frank Bowman’s fine St. Bernard pup, a dog of huge proportions, keeled over and died a few days ago. Poison is expected.

100 years ago

March 22, 1912

Whitman County is to have an independent telephone company to be operated for profit. It is the intention of the incorporators that all stock should be sold to residents of this county. Connection with a long distance company may be made by agreement or it may be forced by the public service commission of the state.

The nearly new modern Rock Creek school house in district 171 by Winona was burned one night last week. It is supposed to have taken fire from the flue near the roof. The building was erected only three years ago and has been used as a social center for school, preaching services and neighborhood gatherings. Insurance was $500. The district is valued at only $47,000 and in order to pay the present debt and build a new school house will have to be bonded to the limit.

A smooth young stranger succeeded in passing a Confederate $10 bill and getting away with $9.50 in change Tuesday afternoon. The young man went to the Modern Rooming house and secured a fifty-cent room. The light was not very good and Mrs. Wilman accepted the Confederate paper giving him the change. When she discovered her mistake, the young man had gone and no trace of him could be found.

By an order of the board of county commissioners, Whitman County has contributed $100 towards furthering the preliminary work necessary to secure a survey of the proposed Palouse Project by the federal government.

Receiver George C. Jewett announced he will pay a dividend of 10 percent to the creditors of the Palouse State Bank this week. Some real estate remains unsold and it is expected there will be another small dividend at some future date.

75 years ago

March 19, 1937

Acting on the suggestion of Dr. W.A. Mitchell, county health officer, the city council took steps to abolish stockyards within city limits. Dr. Mitchell and police had to order the removal of two dead horses which had been buried near the corrals just south of the county workshops on the property of the O.W.R.&N. railroad.

Two comely lassies from Spokane thought enough of St. Patrick’s day to tear loose on a small “bender” in this city and were arrested on a charge of being drunken in a public place. They forfeited $10 bond each for failure to appear before G.A. Weldon, police judge, to answer the charge. They were locked up in county jail in lieu of the city jail, and were particularly abusive in their language to officers.

Youngsters who enjoy the noble art of marbles and “migging” will again get the opportunity to display their talents when they take part in a citywide marble tournament sponsored by the Kiwanis Club.

Activities of a dog poisoner in the neighborhood of the St. Ignatius hospital have resulted in the poisoning of some nine or ten dogs.

50 years ago

March 22, 1962

The Whitman County sheriff’s office is investigating six burglaries - five in LaCrosse and one in Farmington - which occurred Sunday night. Included in the take at LaCrosse was more than $3,000 in cash and checks and some $40 in merchandise. Stores burglarized in LaCrosse included Pierce’s Grocery, where culprits jimmied a side door to gain access.

The growl of heavy equipment was heard near the Colfax sewage plant Monday as workmen began clearing brush and debris from the right-of-way of the flood control project’s first unit.

Oakesdale Jaycees held their annual consignment auction last Friday, drawing the usual large crowd to bid on dozens of items that went under the hammer of auctioneer Bill Dippel.

St. John, regarded as the birthplace of Inland Power & Light Co., will host the cooperative’s 25th annual meeting Sunday.

25 years ago

March 19, 1987

Ballots were mailed out this week by Pacific Northwest Bell to customers with the “397” prefix. Customers must now sort through a maze of sales pitches to come up with one of seven long distance telephone companies that will fit their “bill” by the March 24 deadline.

Two fellows from Spokane surprised customers at Sara’s Store at Hooper last week when they landed their helicopter across the road and came in for a Pepsi. They were en route to Pasco.

Members of the Colfax Eagles put the finishing touches on the new Bulldog baseball dugout last week. The dugout, built with proceeds from bingo will cost about $2,000.

Over 400 attended the second annual Rock Creek Shoot put on by the Lamont-Revere Archery Club under sunny skies Sunday. Thirty-six trophies were awarded.

10 years ago

March 21, 2002

Prisoners from Airway Heights prison have been transported to the Colfax area in square red vans for a tree planting assignment. Prisoners are paid 40 cents per hour to plant trees in Whitman County. They will line eyebrow areas of CRP land. Wages are paid by CRP and landowners.

Colfax city crews waged the battle of the sewer lagoon for two days last week. The sewer plant’s primary lagoon along the Walla Walla Highway reached the overflow point and some of the contents spilled onto the grounds. Adding to the problem were waves generated by wind. Crews used the city vactor to clear pipes which connect the primary lagoon to the secondary lagoon downstream.

Ashley Bruya, daughter of Tim and Carmen Bruya, was named Colfax Junior Miss Saturday night. Ashley won the talent competition with her violin solo, the judges’ interview, fitness and the poise competitions.