Good Old Days

125 years ago

Jan. 20, 1888

The event of the season at Guy occurred on last Sunday evening when Mr. Eugene Rice and Miss Carrie Loving were united in holy matrimony, the Rev. M.M. Walts of Colfax officiating.

About 16 persons, relatives and friends of the happy couple witnessed the ceremony and did justice to the ample feast prepared under the supervision of the bride’s mother.

Quite a number of elegant and appropriate presents were made and a good time enjoyed by all.

The groom is well known in this city having been a member of Colfax society at different periods although his “home” has been in the vicinity of Guy.

Perhaps no young man in Whitman County enjoys a wider circle of friends than “Gene” and the lucky bride has made many friends during her residence in Guy.

The Commoner unites with the friends of both in wishing a long life of all the happiness and blessings which this world can bestow.

For the first time in many years, the Palouse country has been visited by a real, genuine cold snap, lasting four days.

Thursday night last week the mercury made its first drop falling 26 degrees below zero repeating to about the same degree each night until Sunday night when it fell to 28.

Conflicting reports have been many as to the exact degrees during the cold spell, some placing it as low as 32 below zero but the first figures taken from a spirit thermometer hung in an as equally cold place as the cheaper ones and which we believe to be the most accurate.

A letter received at this office on Tuesday from Palouse City reads, “Forty below zero Sunday night.” At Garfield the same night it was understood to be 26.

Monday night the weather moderated considerable and a light snow storm prevailed during the night and following day, since which time the mercury has been hovering between zero and the freezing point.

100 years ago

Jan. 24, 1913

The state road meeting held at Garfield was attended by a small number of delegates. The bad roads kept the farmers away and the towns along the Northern Pacific were about the only places represented. Colfax had but two representatives, namely, C.L. MacKenzie and H.W. Goff.

Colfax Local No. 48 of the Farmers Union held its election and installation of officers. C.F. Beusel, president; B.T. Manchester, vice president; E.D. Eldredge, secretary; F.B. Rogers, treasurer; J.J. Kneale, conductor; W.J. Walker, doorkeeper; Benjamin Baker, chaplain.

75 years ago

Jan. 21, 1938

Improvement of a county road from Glenwood north three miles to the Mt. Lyon school house was asked Monday of the commissioners by a delegation of 17 farmers. Over that portion of the road already graveled, the improvement would shorten the distance to the Inland Empire paved highway seven miles. An investigation in the spring was promised.

Dependent upon his signing a satisfactory contract, George Appel was awarded the job of remodeling the fire station and council chamber by the city council. Appel was the low bidder with a figure of $182.50.

Rushed to completion 51 days after the order was placed by the council in early November, the city’s new American LaFrance fire truck arrived here Wednesday morning from Elmira, N.Y. The sealed car in which it was shipped was backed up to the Great Northern platform for unloading that afternoon. The order was rushed, Fire Chief Burgunder said, because of unsettled labor conditions and fear of strikes, and the truck’s arrival was virtually six weeks earlier than promised when the council accepted the bid of $7,705.

50 years ago

Jan. 24, 1963

One of Whitman County’s most recently used country school buildings, the Riparia school house, will be a casualty of Snake River development, Orville Widman, county superintendent of schools, said today.

LeRoy Colvin, 24, Colfax, was sworn in as deputy sheriff Monday to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Harvey Gilliam who is returning to the Pullman Police Department. Colvin was sworn in by county auditor Pauline Lust. This is his first position as a law officer. He formerly drove a school bus at Penawawa.

Mr. and Mrs. Lester D Botton, Medical Lake, have purchased the Endicott Hotel from Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Murphey, Endicott, for $5,500, a notice of bulk sales filed at the auditor’s office Jan. 17 has disclosed.

David Morgan, Onecho district farmer, has filed for election to the Colfax school board in the vacancy left by Leslie Rubin in district one.

“Wanderer,” the black Angus steer that braved the length of Colfax’s main streets seven weeks ago to escape a date with destiny, is back in the hands of his owner and will probably find it a bit tougher to get away this time. “Wanderer” escaped from a pickup truck parked on Mill Street alongside Bruning Funeral Home in November while his owner, Louis Wakefield, Endicott, paused briefly enroute to the Colfax Meat Packing Plant. The steer meandered calmly north on Mill Street to McSweeney Tractor, turned and loped south on Main Street and up Fairview to the radio station. He ended up in a feed lot at Larry Lothspeich’s place and Wakefield came and got him on Jan. 16.

Evans Bunker officially handed over the presidency of the chamber of commerce to Joe R. Garrison at the annual banquet Monday night. Vice president is Harold Sauer and treasurer is Mel Furry.

25 years ago

Jan. 21, 1988

Norma Becker of Colfax said this week she will take early retirement from Washington Water Power Co. at the end of next week after 21 years with the company.

Brian Magelky, 1988 president of the Colfax Chamber of Commerce, will stress long term planning during his tenure. His theme is “Planning Your Horizons.”

Jennings Elementary students Mark VanTine, Erick Bell and Bonnie Lemon check out structure possibilities in one of the exhibits brought by the Pacific Science Center van. Many basic science items were displayed at the JES library.

McGregor Company’s purchase of Puregro chemical plants at Waitsburg, Prescott and Touchet was finalized last Friday, according to Alex McGregor, company vice president.

Bob Mortimer of Thornton, rural mail carrier for 30 years in Whitman County, retired recently and was honored at a reception at the post office.

Cheryl Dechenne of St. John received a hug from 1987 Junior Miss Heather Nye of Vancouver when she placed in the top 10 in the state Junior Miss competition in Pullman. Dechenne won the scholastic achievement award in preliminary judging and a $100 scholarship.

10 years ago

Jan. 23, 2003

Spend enough time at the same store and you might end up owning it or at least part of it. That is what happened to Lynn Crisp of Colfax. Crisp recently signed papers to become part owner of The Clothes Horse retail clothing store in Colfax.

Ron Shirley, former deputy prosecutor for Whitman County, will join the law firm of Aitken, Schauble, Neill and Ruff at the start of next month. Shirley will be a partner in the firm and his name will be added to the firm name.

The meeting next Thursday of the Garfield/Palouse Cooperative school board could prove controversial. Garfield and Palouse school boards are at odds over retaining Supt. Bev Fox. In December, Garfield School Board asked for Fox’s resignation. The Palouse School Board met in January and voted unanimously to “endorse and reaffirm Fox’s existing superintendent’s contract for the remainder of the school year.”