Good old days

125 years ago

July 6, 1888

The booming giant powder knocked us out of bed at sun rise to remind us of Uncle Sammy’s birthday.

In Endicott news, the blacksmith shop owned by Eugene Francis has been rented by F.P. Wilson and L.T. Price. Mr. Francis will give his entire attention to his implement business.

B.W. Renshaw’s team became frightened by the train the other day while his family was in the wagon, but by skillful management of the driver, the wagon was not upset. A bad scare was the result.

E.H. Muntz has moved his harness shop from the room of F.P. Walcott to the back room of the meat market till his new shop is finished. Mr. Walcott has opened up his bakery and candy store in the room vacated.

100 years ago

July 4, 1913

That the new state red light abatement law, passed by the recent legislature, will be enforced in Colfax was signified last Saturday when Sheriff William Cole notified Eva Noble, proprietress of the only house of prostitution in Colfax, that she must close her establishment. The sheriff stated that no prosecutions would follow if the place was closed at once and the inmates moved out, but that if the order was not obeyed the owners of the property would be immediately prosecuted under the new law.

There was but one arrest at the Elberton picnic this year while in the past the start of the picnic has been the signal for a number of calls for the services of the sheriff. One man who says he is a barber from Spokane, was taken into custody for being drunk and disorderly and was brought to the county jail.

75 years ago

July 1, 1938

Free swimming lessons will be given at the Schmuck Park pool for two weeks, according to O.C. Glaser of the park board. Jim Izett, who has had special instruction at Red Cross training schools at Olympia, will be the instructor.

After expending considerable time and effort, Claude Edgren, district supervisor, has entered three teams in the tournament to be held here under the auspices of National Semi-Pro Baseball Congress of Wichita, Kansas. The teams are the Colfax Cubs, Pullman Sleepers and Uniontown.

Competition among candidates for queen of the Colfax Round-Up in September is expected to start next Tuesday with the distribution by merchants of votes for queen, which the Colfax Round-Up association has tied in with a merchandizing sales campaign.

50 years ago

July 4, 1963

Wheat in the western part of Whitman County was damaged by the hot weather of several weeks ago, County Agent Felix Entenmann said last week. In the eastern part of the county, wheat is considerably later, and if the weather remains cool, excellent stands with a very good yield should develop, he said.

Just about 10,000 yards each of concrete laying and backfilling, 3,000 yards each of riprap and gravel to place, and the flood control project will be completed, manager Jack Guthrie said recently. Currently 57 men are employed on the project, with most of them employed pouring the concrete remaining on the south side of the Palouse River and at the stilling basin above the twin bridges.

Penawawa fruit growers are looking for a good year, although the yield may not be quite as heavy as it was last year, several growers told the Gazette this week. Most growers have a full crop of apricots which will be ready about July 15. Peaches will be ready about Aug. 1, depending on the weather. The peach crop is not quite as big as last year’s because of winter frost but is still fairly good. Apples and pears also look fairly good.

25 years ago

July 7, 1988

The Ellis Drug and Coca-Cola wall signs will return to the Main Street scene after more than 50 years. The signs will be on the Ellis Block Building which now houses Colfax Furniture. The wall is on the east side of Main above the Colfax Coffee Shop.

Alan Grubbs, mail carrier in Colfax for 33 years, walked his last route. His career with the post office is believed to be one of the longest.

Colfax attorney Lawrence Hickman, a long time member of the Colfax Kiwanis Club, handed over the bill of sale for two stone pillars to Robert Luedeking, president of the Whitman County Historical Society. Located on the Walla Walla and Spokane highway entrances to Colfax, the pillars have been repainted and carry the 1870 date, the years James Perkins arrived as the first settler. The pillars were moved from the south end of town two years ago as part of the widening project on that part of highway 195.

10 years ago

July 3, 2003

The new Best Western Motel was expected to be up and running by Wednesday and will be ready to house teams and players coming to town for the American Legion Tournament over the Fourth of July at McDonald Park. The opening date fulfills a pledge to have the motel available for tournament participants. The motel at the start of the week marked 123 days of construction since the first pour of footing. Crews worked long shifts to get the job done.

Scouts in Troop 595 installed two benches along the McDonald Park trail in Colfax at the end of the scout year. Hugh Jones headed the project as part of his Eagle Scout requirements. Joe Sackmann was among a group of troop members and adults who installed the two benches at view points on the Palouse River side of the trail.