Good old days

125 years ago

July 20, 1888

Now that the Cleveland hat craze has extended to Colfax, it may be of interest to our patriotic and democratic lady friends to know what the Mrs. Cleveland hat is to be like. The following from an eastern exchange may explain: Mrs. Cleveland wears a new Gainsborough hat of leghorn in her afternoon drives that is highly becoming to her girlish beauty. The hat is trimmed with ostrich tips and has a wide curled trim. With it she wears a simple dress of white muslin. The president has donned his white hat with the black ribbon band.

A meeting of the executive committee of the Whitman County Impartial Suffrage and Prohibition league was held in this city on Tuesday. Considerable enthusiasm was manifested in their work by those present, many expressing themselves as being fully determined to place a full ticket in the field at the forthcoming election, whether or not it was deemed advisable by the majority of the party.

100 years ago

July 18, 1913

The sheriff’s office is looking for Ralph Holmes who is wanted for stealing a team and buggy at Endicott and selling the outfit in Spokane. It is said that Holmes rented the team and buggy from J.S, Mullins for a couple of days but that he promptly drove to Spokane, making the trip in a single day. At Spokane, he sold the outfit the night that he arrived, securing $25 down. The sheriff’s office has secured the team and buggy but has been unable to find where the harness was disposed of. They have thus far been equally unsuccessful in attempts to locate Holmes.

Mrs. J.A. Perkins entertained 14 ladies at a delightful luncheon last Saturday. After the luncheon, the guests enjoyed croquet, two sets having been provided on the roomy lawn in the shade of the poplars.

75 years ago

July 15, 1938

Jay Swanson and Eddie Blair, Palouse 4H Swine Club members, shipped three purebred Hampshires last Monday to the University of Alaska. The hogs were selected by A.F. Harms, county club agent, who received the request from L.T. Oldroyd, director of the Alaska experiment station. The hogs carry the outstanding bloodlines of the Hampshire breed of the Northwest, and will be used as foundation stock for the university herd.

A crew of about six men, employed by Roy L. Bair, contractor, Tuesday started tearing out the county bridge at the north end of Main Street. It will be replaced by a new state bridge which will accommodate traffic leading to and from the Mockonema cut off road. Until the bridge is completed, traffic to and from the county road west of town is routed over the present state bridge.

Decision of NezPerce to abandon the rodeo for this year puts the Colfax Round-Up in position to draw more cowhand talent because the Idaho town’s dates coincided with those of Colfax.

50 years ago

July 18, 1963

Improvement of the road to the top of Steptoe Butte will get underway in several weeks, Robert Baker, chief field engineer for the state parks department, told the Gazette Wednesday morning.

Early returns indicate this year’s harvest will be about the same as the 1962 harvest. It is still pretty early to tell bushels per acre or test weights, although early barley appears to be lighter than last year. About 20 farmers in the LaCrosse area and a half a dozen in the Endicott and St. John areas are cutting grain at the present time.

25 years ago

July 21, 1988

Dr. Hans R. (Rudy) Gahler will put in his last day at St. John clinic Friday after practicing there 29 years. Gahler and his wife, Dolores, will move to Seattle where they are presently remodeling a house. Dr. Gahler said they will use Seattle as a home base but plan to be out and about.

Wide and empty spaces of the Colfax flood control channel have attracted have attracted the attention of a group of young Colfax skateboard riders. The group, which could number as many as 30, have circulated petitions which they hope will lead to city approval for use of the channel.

A quilt entry by Bonnie Swannack of Lamont was named best of show and topped its class at the state grange competition in Spokane. The quilt will be judged at the national Grange convention this November.

10 years ago

July 17, 2003

Staff members at Whitman Hospital and Medical Center are getting excited at the prospect of the opening of the new surgery wing at Colfax. Administrator Jon Davis said they will take possession of the new space as early as Aug. 25.

Survivors of cancer took a ceremonial lap at the start of the eighth edition of the Colfax Relay for Life Friday night at Schmuck Park. The event generated over $36,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Sheriff Brett Myers takes another tip in the dunk tank Saturday at Schmuck Park. The fund raising event was among several activities at the park during the afternoon session of Colfax Concrete River Days.

Fairgoers should be able to enjoy the new gazebo style performance stage at this year’s Palouse Empire this September.