Good Old Days

125 years ago

The Commoner

June 6, 1890

Monday morning Geo.

Inman, of the firm of Inman & Woodward, who have been engaged in the butcher business for the past three months in this city, suddenly made his disappearance, in company with one John Morasack, who recently arrived at Farmington.

Inman informed his partner, Woodward, that he was going for a few hours' ride to look after beef cattle.

Not returning at 12, inquiries were made as to his whereabouts, when it was learned that he and Morasack were seen driving about 25 head of horses towards Rosalia at rapid speed.

Mr. Woodward, on looking over the firm's books, found that ninety dollars had been collected and not put in the till.

Warrants were immediately sworn out and two constables sent in pursuit, one instructed to go to the reservation, the other down the line.

The neighboring towns were notified, and at about 3 p.m.

Tuesday they were arrested while passing through Sprague.

The evening before they departed they were seen carrying a box out of the butcher shop, which aroused some suspicion, but no one thought of Inman going away.

A large number of horses are missing in this vicinity, which are supposed to have been stolen by them, as they were in secret conversation every evening after Morasack's return from a day's ride in the country.

Yesterday four warrants were telegraphed to Sprague, one of which was for stealing Morasack's horse.

Their time from Saltice Junction, driving twenty-five head of horses, a distance of sixty-two miles, was made in less than twenty-four hours.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

June 11, 1915

Talk about the "slaughter of the innocents," that ballgame Sunday between the Albion Athletes and the Colfax Conquerors was certainly a slaughter. Fifteen to two was the score, and it might have been fifty to two if the local team had tried to make it so.

It was hoped that Albion had strengthened its weak spots sufficiently to give the local team a hard battle for the honors, but after the first inning, it was readily seen that unless a complete miracle was wrought, it was all over but the shouting.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

June 7, 1940

Rain and hail, which fell in cloudburst proportions Thursday evening of last week over a wide belt in eastern Whitman County, took the heaviest toll in crop, highway and railroad damage within the memory of many old timers. Entire fields of wheat were laid flat, peas on hundreds of acres cut down by large hailstones, gardens washed out, buildings damaged, west side windows in farm homes broken, railroad trackage covered by slides and highways inundated.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

June 10, 1965

The Colfax Chamber of Commerce, expecting a "boom" resulting from Snake River developments, is seeking housing for families involved in the Snake River projects, Chairman Wallace Nicley of the Chamber's river development committee announced today.

"We anticipate approximately 100 families will want to locate in this area, if suitable housing can be found," he said. "Persons having any type of livable accommodations they would be willing to rent are asked to contact the chamber—We want to know about it."

Nearby rural housing would also be desirable, he stressed.

The information will be added to an information brochure now being prepared by the C of C, detailing all available facilities in Colfax and covering such things as schools, shopping facilities, medical facilities, churches and other community features, he added.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

June 7, 1990

An increase in water and sewer rates, which could add an estimated $3 to $4 for monthly bills for the average Colfax homeowner, was approved Monday night by the City council. The increase will go on the city books next month.

Council members approved the rate hikes after City Treasurer Vic Roberts reported water and sewer operations were running at a deficit. He noted state law required the city to operate the utilities on a paying basis.

The rate increases are the first since 1987 for water and 1986 for sewer, Roberts said.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

June 9, 2005

Whitman County's unemployment rate increased to 4.4 percent in April with 950 people registered as seeking work, according to the state employment security commission. The county's jobless rate ranked as the second lowest jobless rate under the Seattle Metropolitan Division.

In April of 2004, 4.1 percent of the work force in the county did not have work.