Good old days

125 years ago

The Commoner

March 8, 1889

The Russian method for stopping a runaway horse is said to be very effective and is not particularly cruel. They place a cord with a running knot around the horse’s neck near the neck strap. To this slip noose attach a pair of reins which may be thrown over the dash board ready to be seized at once. When the horse starts, take up the extra reins and tighten the cord around the horse’s throat. The most furious horse thus choked stops instantly and will not kick or fall.

Mrs. S. Benson returned from San Francisco Saturday where she has been purchasing goods for her millinery establishment in this city. A grand opening of her new spring and summer goods will be made Thursday, Friday and Saturday to which she respectfully invites the ladies of Colfax and vicinity.

A new general merchandise establishment will be opened for business at Uniontown about April 1st. John A. Smyth, formerly with A. Kuhn of this city, is to be the proprietor. Our Uniontown friends will find Mr. Smyth a live business man who thoroughly understands the details of mercantile life, and who is withal a gentlemen and who will be a valuable addition to the business circles of that thrifty town.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

March 6, 1914

Colfax is to have the Spring Flat permanent highway constructed by the state, the county and the property owners assisted by the public spirited business men of Colfax. The commissioners ordered the road constructed when approved by the state highway commission and after this approval has been received bids will be called for and the contract will be let. The road will be built this season in time for fall travel and when wheat hauling begins.

The Spokane & Inland Empire system, a majority of the stock which is owned by the Great Northern railroad, has set a new record by owing three years taxes in Whitman County.

The Farmington Independent has given notice that the subscription price will be $1.50 per year instead of $1. The change was made March 1. The high cost of everything has extended to the newspapers, the cost of paper, ink and labor having advanced materially during the past few years. Like the 10-cent magazines the $1 newspapers will soon be a curiosity. They cannot be published for that price.

The Oakesdale Tribune under the new management is “progressive” in all that the word implies. It certainly shows great progress during the two weeks the new manager has had control. It is better typographically, editorially and mechanically. We congratulate Brother Cole and the people of Oakesdale on the marked improvement in the paper.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

March 10, 1939

Released in the vicinity of Colfax by Game Protector Gene Fennimore late last week were 100 Hungarian pheasants, part of a 1,000-lot shipment received by the state game department direct from Czecho-Slovakia. The birds were brought here in their original crates by Roy E. Roberson, Seattle, state game department official, who said that out of the 1,000 birds brought to this country only 37 died in transit. Awaiting the arrival here of Fennimore, who was out of town, the shipment was temporarily taken care of by C.A. Bruning, president of the Whitman County Game Protective Association.

With the southeast hoop championship trophy tucked away, the Colfax High School Bulldogs and Coach Howard Moses will leave the first of the week for Seattle to do battle with the top quintets of the state in the annual tournament sponsored by the University of Washington. This is the first year Colfax has been represented at a state hoop tourney.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

March 5, 1964

Colfax voters will go to the polls next Tuesday to decide whether or not the city council should be given permission to tear down the old section of the former high school building and erect a new city hall or whether they should abide by the voters’ original decision to remodel the old wing of the school into a fire station-city hall. The north or newer wing of the building houses a gymnasium and swimming pool and will be saved regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s balloting.

In a photo, Jack William Luft wasn’t too concerned about his unusual birthdate when this picture was taken but he’ll be a pretty good sized boy by the time his birthdate rolls around again. Showing him the calendar with his Feb. 29 birthday marked is Stephanie Bryant, 16-year-old daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Maurice Bryant, who was also born on Feb. 29, 16 years or four birthdays ago, also at St. Ignatius hospital in Colfax. She was the last baby born on Leap Year day at St. Ignatius until Jack William Luft’s arrival. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Luft of Colfax.

A group of Rosalia fans went wild following the Rosalia victory over St. John Saturday night at the district tournament held in Endicott. The 75-54 victory over the Eagles gave the Rosalia squad a ticket to the state tournament in Spokane and also extended the basketball season for the squad’s many rooters most of whom can be found in the Lilac City this week.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

March 9, 1989

The Elberton general store, former post office and five abandoned houses need to be torn down, said Mike Werner, county parks director. “This was a difficult decision to make because of sentimental and historical values of buildings, but the safety and economic factors were something we had to come to grips with,” he said. The county began acquiring property in 1969 and now owns 85 acres including most of the “downtown” Elberton area. The property is managed under the parks department.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

March 4, 2004

Residents showing up to transact business at the county courthouse before 9 a.m. may find themselves facing a closed office in the future. Whitman County commissioners Monday approved a change to county code which would allow public business hours at the courthouse to be changed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The change would allow county employees one hour a day of uninterrupted work time.

Preliminary steps for total reconstruction of Almota Road began Monday at the meeting of the Whitman County commissioners. Public Works Director Dane Dunford brought forward a resolution, a Local Agency Agreement and a Local Agency Federal Aid Project Prospectus for the Almota Road Project expected to take place in 2006 or 2007. “When it is done it will be 34 feet wide and will get new slope and curve treatment,” Dunford said. “Ultimately, we want to complete the whole road all the way to the Onecho Church.”

Nancy Taylor of LaCrosse has taken temperature and precipitation readings on a daily basis nearly 365 days a year for the last 30 years. She was recently awarded a pin and certificate for her years of volunteer government service for the National Weather Service which is an agency with the Department of Commerce.