Good Old Days Oct. 27

125 years ago

The Commoner

Oct. 16, 1891

State Auditor Reed has declined to issue a warrant upon a voucher of the state university building commission for $1,000 for the services of the architect.

The refusal of Mr. Reed is based upon the ground that no appropriation has been made for the payments of warrants issued on account of indebtedness incurred in the construction of the university building.

The law provides for the issuance of warrants but Mr. Reed holds that the constitution prohibits him from issuing warrants in any case unless an appropriation has been made out of which the may be paid.

The conclusion of the auditor is a far-reaching one, as it affects the whole work of university construction.

If his position should be held to be good law, the university building cannot be erected until the legislature makes a direct appropriation therefore.

***

Mr. Ivan Chase, for many years owner and editor of the Palouse Gazette, occupies that position no longer. Talk of a change of management has been rife for several weeks, but a sale was not finally made till late last week. The Gazette passes into the hands of an incorporation styled the “Gazette Publishing Company,” and Mr. Chase retires from the business, at least, so far as that paper is concerned. He has been connected with the paper for twelve or thirteen years or nearly ever since its origin.

Articles of incorporation of the company were filed with the auditor on Friday last. These articles specify among other things, that the object of the company shall be to buy and sell stationery, do a general book and job printing business, and print and circulate a weekly paper. The capital stock of the company is placed at $9,000, divided into shares of $100 each. All the stock has been subscribed. The duration of the corporation is fixed at 50 years and the directors are: J. H. Bellinger, J. W. Arrasmith, J. C. Turner, H. T. Brown and J. E. Ballaine. The principal place of business will be Colfax.

***

A new and distinct and withal very superior variety of apple has been developed on the hills near this city.

Mr. J. T. Arrasmith brought into this office the other day a number of beautiful apples which he calls the “Palouse.” They are a fall variety and are soon to be in their prime.

Their external beauty is a fair index of their internal flavor and worth, and all in all no more excellent variety has ever come to the notice of this office.

The apple is a seedling first grown on Mr. Arrasmith's farm near this city.

Nurseryman Ruedy also has the fruit in his stock, having obtained it first from the above gentleman.

The Northwest Horticulturist of recent date had a cut of the fruit and a brief mention of the same.

The cut gives but a poor idea of the real appearance of the apple with its red and striped cheeks and white meat.

The trees are hardy and the new apple bids fair to be a very popular fruit with orchardists.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Oct. 20, 1916

Dr. W. C. Brandon of Albion shipped his supply of merchandise and drugs to Endicott the latter part of the week and has opened for business at that place. W. A. Eitel, a registered pharmacist of Elberton, will have charge of the prescription department.

***

E. B. Cotterill and W. T. Meyers of Colfax have opened a confectionary and soft drink establishment at the Knights of Pythias temple.

***

About fifty five trap experts from all over the northwest were registered at the first annual trap shooting tournament held at Palouse last Saturday and more came for the Monday program. Geo K. March of the Spokane Gun Club broke 50 straight in the preliminary try out. Pete O-Bien of Portland won the Palouse bankers' trophy and Hy Everding won the Palouse Gun Club trophy.

George March of Spokane was high amateur in the non-trophy events, breaking 144 out of 150 targets in ten events. Frank Rheil, Tacoma professional, scored with him. The Potlach Gun Club trophy was won by Dr. C. A. Couplin of Palouse with a perfect score. Three men tied for the Garfield Gun Club trophy.

The Portland team won the three-man race against the Spokane team by two targets.

Miss G. B. Johnson of Palouse broke 13 targets straight out of 15, losing the last two in the special event for ladies. Mrs. Charles O'Connor of Spokane, in another event, broke 162 targets of 200 shots.

Palouse citizens received many congratulations on their splendidly conducted tournament. The events were popular and a success in every way.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

Oct. 17, 1941

With many fields in the Big Bend already seeded and green with growing wheat, conditions are generally reported most favorable throughout the state for the planting of fall grain.

Even with all the “breaks” in his favor this year, the wheat farmer can well profit by a few precautions in planting the seed for his 1942 crops, says I. M. Ingham, associate extension agronomist at the State College of Washington.

The early fall rains have given the wheat grower a splendid chance to “rod” his summer fallow before seeding and destroy many small weeds. This working not only kills weeds but settles and firms the ground, making it a better seed bed, Ingham points out. Many of the smut pores in the ground will have germinated under the plentiful moisture of this fall and will die before the wheat starts to grow.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Oct. 20, 1966

County commissioners were hopeful that a conference in Walla Walla this week with the heads of the army corps of engineers and Sen. Warren G. Magnuson would improve the possibility of obtaining greater financial help from the government on relocation of roads to be inundated by Snake River dams.

Chairman Ralph Henning of the commissioners and Manager Neal Klemgard of the Port of Whitman planned to attend the annual meeting of the Inland Empire Waterways association in Walla Walla and discuss road and other river problems with Brig. Gen. William Cassidy, chief of engineers, from Washington, D.C., and Brig. Gen. Peter C. Hyzer, division engineer from Portland.

A SHORT conference with Senator Magnuson was also planned before the men left this week.

The corps of engineers previously agreed to relocate 1.8 miles of the road from Penawawa to the foot of the Horton grade if the county would spend a like amount improving the Horton grade and present the engineers with estimates on the savings that would result to wheat farmers from improvement of the road.

However, the county commissioners have been unwilling to sign an agreement with the corps pending further study and determination of whether or not the Colfax Grain Growers will build a terminal at Penawawa.

The corps of engineers also agreed several months ago to recommend replacement of the county road from Wawawai to Wilma with an 18-foot graveled road. All other county roads in the Little Goose and Lower Granite reservoir areas will be abandoned, as far as the corps of engineers is concerned, Commissioner Henning said the corps has told the commissioners.

***

A hike in wages at St. Ignatius hospital – which will result in a $5 increase in the daily rates – was announced Monday by Sister Superior Amedee Marie in an informal luncheon of the Sisters at the hospital.

The $100 monthly salary increase for nurses and 15-cent hourly increase for “support personnel” were announced at a “coffee break” of all other hospital employees in the afternoon.

Beginning Dec. 1, registered nurses will be paid a base wage of $500 a month. Current base wage is $395. The 15-cent hourly increase will go for workers in the laboratory, X-ray, kitchen, housekeeping, maintenance, records and business operations. Wage increases of licensed practical nurses will amount to 70 per cent of the nurse rates.

The hospital's 84 full and part-time employees average the hours of 69 full-time workers. Twenty-two registered nurses are on the hospital staff.

The increase in wages, which represent between 65 and 70 per cent of the hospital's expenses, is expected to add an additional $3,500 to the monthly payroll. Total payroll from July 1, 1965, to June 30, 1966, was $330,651, according to the hospital records.

Sister Amedee Marie announced that the hospital board “feels the present commitments at the hospital can be met by a $5 increase” in the daily service rate. No increases in auxiliary services are anticipated at this time, Sister Superior said.

Neighboring area hospitals have found it necessary to boost rates between $7 and $9.50 to meet inflationary pressures.

Private room rates at St. Ignatius now range from $35.50 to $39. Hospitals in surrounding areas have rates ranging from $44 to $49, according to St. Ignatius records. Semi-private rooms for St. Ignatius start at $34.50 compared to a $39 to $42.50 rate in neighboring hospitals.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Oct. 17, 1991

The trucking subsidy offered to lentil shippers by Union Pacific Railroad will continue despite the impending abandonment of 69 miles of track in the county, according to spokesman John Bromley from the company's Omaha headquarters.

Burlington Northern has several loading facilities in the Spokane area, so the subsidy allows them to compete, Bromley explained.

UP offered this summer to subsidize trucking lentils to their Spokane railhead.

Local shippers said during the recent abandonment battle they used to ship their grain by rail but began trucking to Spokane railheads and using river barges because of poor service and high rates from the railroad.

The exception is the federal government's Food For Peace program. Those are shipped to Gulf ports for transport overseas, so they can't use river barges. It is a significant source of income for the railroad.