Good old days

125 years ago

The Commoner

Dec. 6, 1889

The new arc lamps which have been erected in Colfax will not shoot their sputtering, radiant rays over the city for several weeks yet. When everything was in readiness Sunday evening to commence the manufacture of the new light at the dynamo house, it was discovered that the foundation under the engine and dynamo was insufficient to ensure a steady motion under the high speed with which they must run, and consequently a new foundation will have to be laid. This will necessitate a delay of two or three weeks longer.

A bazaar and supper will be held by the Ladies Aid Society of the Congregational Church Thursday evening at the opera hall. Handsome, elegant and useful articles, Japanese ware and dolls, etc., etc., suitable for Christmas presents will be for sale at reasonable prices. Admission is 10 cents. An excellent supper may be had any time after five o’clock for the small sum of 25 cents. The sales open promptly at seven o’clock. The patronage of the public is respectfully solicited.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Dec. 4, 1914

Dr. R.J. Skaife, county health officer, has been busy recently on official business. He visited all towns in the northern part of the county last Saturday and on Sunday visited LaCrosse, Winona and Endicott. He traveled by automobile.

The annual winter school for farmers will open at the state college January 4, and continue six weeks. The courses offered include fruit growing, vegetable gardening, soil management, crop production, dairy farming, butter and cheese making, livestock farming, home economics, etc. Animal diseases, farm bookkeeping, good roads, plant growth, crop pests, etc., are in the above groups.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

Dec. 1, 1939

Mrs. Fred Berger, Tekoa, placed first in a Whitman County apple pie contest conducted by Pomona grange at Steptoe. Mrs. Chester Christopher, Albion, and Mrs. Ed Wiley, Pullman, placed second and third respectively.

Fifty grange women and 20 Steptoe high school girls took part in a judging contest. The women were taught to judge five classes of home articles, including canned strawberries, string beans, hand towels, work aprons and yeast bread.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Dec. 3, 1964

Nearly everyone from young to old from the Campfire Girls of elementary school age to the Plymouth Congregational Ladies Aid of historic origin, is helping with the community dinner Sunday at Colfax High School to raise funds for the new Whitman County hospital.

Five inches of snow and better than an inch of rainfall have increased the trickle which is generally known as the Palouse River. The North fork of the river was flowing from bank to bank as the Gazette went to press Wednesday, largely as a result of better than half an inch of precipitation which fell Tuesday.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Dec. 7, 1989

Recounts of the Nov. 7 election returned the same results for two close elections in the county. Colfax Councilman Joel Crisp, who led by five votes after election night and by just two after all absentees were counted, retained a 471-469 margin. In Pullman Fire District 12, Robert McKiernan also kept a two vote margin, 177-175, after the recount. Auditor James Repp said the recount involves sending all punch card votes back through the counting machine. Repp said the machine has to be re-programmed to read the particular races in questions.

Colfax artists Molly Schmidt, Barbara Jean Rice, Cheryl Lothspeich and Janis Behymer marked the opening of their new gallery on South Main. The gallery is located in the former office of the Nuxoll and Libey firm. Other artists will have work on display and Pete Rice will operate a photography studio in the back of the gallery.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

Dec. 2, 2004

Tuesday morning’s slippery commute around the Palouse should be a wake-up call to drivers that winter is here, said Dane Dunford, Director of Whitman County Public Works. According to Sheriff Brett Myers there were in excess of 15 collisions on county and state roads, five or six in the city limits of Colfax, and 20 collisions within Pullman city limits all before noon.

A total of 36 traffic tickets were issued by Colfax Police officers Sunday afternoon to motorists who were charged with failing to stop at the sign which has been installed at the intersection of S. Main and Fairview. Four officer worked on the emphasis operation which was conducted during a heavy traffic flow with WSU students returning to campus after the Thanksgiving break.