Good Old Days

125 years ago

The Commoner

Nov. 29, 1889

As a protection against fire Colfax can boast of a very efficient volunteer fire department, supplied with a fine Silsby steam engine, hook and ladder truck, and hose cart, and housed in a handsome two story brick building. The fire laddies are composed of Colfax’s best citizens, who have done gallant service in many a hot fire, and who, no doubt, saved the city from ashes on more than one occasion.

The city and most of its business houses are nicely lighted with electric lights and have telephone communication with all the other towns in the Palouse country.

Colfax is growing and improving rapidly. Taking a stroll along her principle business streets the stranger is favorably impressed with the variety of business houses and the large and fine stock carried by her general merchandise, hardware, drug, jewelry and other stores, one drug store alone carrying a stock valued at $10,000, which is more than a good many larger cities can boast of.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Nov. 27, 1914

Whitman County, as usual, leads all the counties of the state in grain production with a total of wheat, barley and oats of 11,922,361 bushels. Lincoln County was second, with a total grain production of 6,847,356 bushels, while Walla Walla County is third on the list.

Work on the concrete arch bridges spanning the North Palouse river at Colfax and Elberton is about 90 percent completed. Pouring of concrete on the bridge here was finished several days ago.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

Nov. 24, 1939

Practically without change during the week except for the newly created one cent differential between bulk and sacked wheat, the market here Tuesday was 63 cents for sacked white, all varieties, and 62 1/2 cents for all reds; and three cents less for bulk.

Annual stag party for Codd-French post of the American Legion will be held at the Temple Saturday evening beginning at 8 o’clock with Fred Haupt as master of ceremonies.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Nov. 26, 1964

Preparations for Christmas trade promotion were nearing completion this week by the retail trades committee of the Colfax Chamber of Commerce and will include the usual visits from Santa Claus, a free show for the kiddies and evening openings for the stores later in the season.

Chairman Rome Endsley said Santa will visit Colfax on two Saturdays making his headquarters at the county library. A free movie is being planned at the Rose theater. Free candy will be given the kiddies by Santa Claus. Assisting Endsley on the committee are Keith Steffan, Robert Clegg, Francis Dodd, Ole Olson and L.E. Klock.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Nov. 30, 1989

A book which was launched over four years ago in Eddy’s Chinese and American Restaurant in Colfax is scheduled to hit the stands this week. The book, a 200-page history of Chinese in the Inland Empire, was written by Colfax historian Edith Erikson with the assistance of Eddy Ng, proprietor of the Colfax restaurant. The soft cover book, “From Sojourner to Citizen,” is the fourth written by Erickson, who taught school for 28 years, with 22 at LaCrosse. Work on the book took her to several locations in the Inland Empire. Much of the early history of the Chinese in this area followed development of railroads and the gold fields of Idaho.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

Nov. 25, 2004

GOP contender Gino Rossi widened his lead over Democrat Christine Gregoire by five votes in Whitman County’s part of the state recount of the gubernatorial race. Rossi had a statewide lead of 261 votes after certification last week.

Two Kennewick suspects have been identified in an alleged cookie heist early Sunday morning at the Friendly Mart in Steptoe. The duo allegedly broke a window on the south side of the Friendly Mart and reached inside to take several packages of cookies. A surveillance video and ATM card receipt was used to locate the suspects who had stopped at the mart and used the card to purchase gas for a truck, according to a report from the sheriff’s office.