Good Old Days: Nov. 24, 2016

Early Colfax Post Office

Constructed in 1902 to house unknown businesses, this building became known as the Post Office Building after the United States Post Office began leasing one of the store spaces in 1913. The Post Office leased the building until 1933, when the current Post Office was constructed on Main Street. At the time of this picture, the building also housed the Interior Warehouse Company. At one time (after the Post Office relocated), the building housed a Safeway grocery store. By the 1950s, the building had been torn down and the land used as a parking lot for Seattle First National Bank. A photo from the City of Colfax collection through the Whitman County Library Rural Hertiage collection.

125 years ago

The Commoner

Nov. 13, 1891

Despite the raw and disagreeable weather yesterday, the corner stone of the new high school was laid with appropriate ceremonies. The band was prevented from going by the sickness of their leader, and the line of march was not very fully followed out. But both public schools and college turned out en masse, and a large number of citizens were present.

A. M. Mecklem, as chairman of the day, called the assembly to order about 3 o'clock, and, perched upon the corner stone, stated the object of the meeting.

Invocation was pronounced by Rev. James, in the absence of Rev. Newman. There was a song by the high school, “Three cheers for the red, white and blue.”

On behalf of the board of directors, A. M. Mecklem made some well chosen and happy remarks.

Mayor Chadwick spoke on behalf of the city and city council.

Then came the laying of the stone, in which the board all had a hand. The corner stone is a block of granite, laid at the corner near the mine entrance on the south side of the building. On the eastern face of the stone are engraved names of the board, architect and building. Following the act of laying the stone the assembly dispersed.

***

Yesterday the county commissioners considered the bill of W. White for $18,492.96 for extra work done on the court house, and refused to allow the same. This is the last bill of expense against the county on the court house. It is for extra work on painting the woodwork on the interior of the building.

On the records of the former board of commissioners the following order occurs: “And it is further ordered that the original plan of painting and graining the Wainscoating of the various rooms in the new court house be changed and the same is hereby ordered to be finished in hard oil.”

On this order as a basis the contractor proceeded to make an expenditure, according to the itemized bill above referred to, amounting to $23,047.96 for extra work in painting. This amount was reduced by the sum of $3,750 credited to the county for work already done in painting; also by $805 thrown out subsequently. This left a bill of $18,492.46, which came before the board yesterday. The board by unanimous vote refuses to allow the bill.

***

On next Tuesday evening, Nov. 17th, Burgunder & Hall's new opera house on Mill street will be formally opened by the well-known and popular favorites Joseph R. Grismer and Phoebe Davies, assisted by their own company, when they will present for the first time in Colfax their two latest and greatest successes as follows: Opening in the ideal comedy-drama, “The Burglar,” by Augustus Thomas, author of “Alabama;” and on Wednesday night, the picturesque military drama, entitled “Beacon Light.” Messrs.

Burgunder & Hall have fitted their new opera house with all the latest improvements including a complete set of new scenery.

And at considerable expense have secured the Grismer-Davies company to open the house.

No doubt with this new house and excellent attraction it will be crowded each night.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Nov. 17, 1916

Winona is the only town of any size in Whitman County that has no physician. The town is located in one of the most thriving sections in the state and it has proven to be such a healthy place that the city has proven a poor location for a practicing physician.

Dr. West was located at Winona for some time but he recently moved to Cheney. Since Dr. West moved away the people have been forced to send to outside points to secure the services of a physician. It is not always possible for the residents to secure a doctor just at the time that he is needed and the people of Winona are making an effort to secure a physician who will locate to their town.

***

The coldest weather of the year struck the Palouse country Sunday and it continued all week. Zero weather was reported for Sunday night and the fall wheat of this county lies unprotected.

Farmers from different parts of the county state that there is no blanket of snow covering the fall wheat and many of them fear that the wheat will be winter killed. Some of the older residents of the county state that there is no danger of the wheat being winter killed as long as it does not thaw out. They state that it is the freezing and thawing out that kills winter wheat and not a sudden freeze like we had the first of the week.

Residents of the city were busy Monday thawing out frozen water pipes and vegetables were reported to have frozen in open cellars.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

Nov. 14, 1941

Off again, on again. Latest reports from the uncertain postal service front indicated that the Union Pacific would continue trains 77 and 78, due to be removed Monday, and that Colfax residents would enjoy the same mail service as in years past. Colfax postal authorities received word from Walter C. Hays, chief railway mail clerk, that the U. P. trains would continue indefinitely, and were ordered to rescind plans for a star route connecting with Tekoa.

Local Union Pacific officials commented that the decision to keep the two trains running may have grown out of a strenuous protest by Walla Walla citizens, who depend upon 77 and 78 for a major part of their freight and mail service. The transit company is scheduled to appear before the state service commission in Olympia for a public hearing to act on the railway's petition to discontinue service by these two trains.

To consider possible ways and means of reevaluating agricultural land, the Whitman County Land Use Planning committee and other interested persons met Wednesday afternoon in the commissioners' room at the courthouse, A. F. Harms, county agent, presiding.

While the committee did not contemplate any change in the total assessed valuation of the county, it was believed that the zoning system which the assessor has followed since 1915 did not fairly represent the present value of individual farms within the approximate 10 zones.

Representatives of federal agencies spoke on certain factors which might be considered in a revaluation of farm land. Leo Anderson, Moscow, soil conservationist, explained the work done in North Dakota in connection with reclassification of land and suggested that a land use capabilities survey taking into consideration erosion, degree of slope, soil type and present land use might be important factors in establishing a true valuation.

Louis C. Chestnut, Spokane, Federal Land bank appraiser, suggested the need for an appraisal based on the true agricultural value of the land regardless of the zone in which it was located. He said that Whitman County taxes on real estate were the lowest of any county in the northwestern states in relation to agricultural productiveness over a period of 25 years.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Nov. 17, 1966

Sister Superior Amedee Marie of St. Ignatius hospital yesterday scotched rumors that hospital employees had been told the institution would be closed at the end of this month.

“I can't understand why or how these rumors get started, but they are absolutely untrue,” she told the Gazette. “I know we will eventually have to close the hospital and leave Colfax if the drive to build a new hospital closes but we are not going to leave overnight.”

St. Ignatius hospital is licensed by the state health department to operate through Dec. 31, 1966, and Sister Amedee Marie said she was certain licensing would be extended until such time as the community decides whether or not it is going to raise enough money for a new hospital.

The sister superior was enthusiastic over response of her employees to a campaign to encourage every full-time employee to buy a ticket to the hospital benefit banquet on a payroll deduction plan.

“Employees were told this week that they could buy $100-a-plate banquet tickets for as little as $5 a month deduction so we are hoping most of them will take advantage of this chance to provide this area with modern hospital facilities,” Sister Amedee Marie said.

***

Lloyd Johnson, formerly with Bates Drug Stores, Inc., Spokane, has bought the Tick Klock drug store in Colfax and took possession Monday morning.

Mrs. Johnson and their four children will move here as soon as they can locate housing. The children are Mark, 7; Bryan, 6; Ruth, 4, and Lynn, 3. The Johnsons are members of the Lutheran church and one of their favorite hobbies is swimming.

Johnson is a native of Newport and received his pharmaceutical education at the University of Washington. He was employed in Seattle before moving to Spokane nine years ago to become part owner of the Bates corporation.

Klock moved to Spokane last year after 22 years in the drug business in Colfax and still retains ownership of drug stores in St. Maries, Idaho, St. John, Ritzville and Harrington.

***

The town of Elberton, once claimant of the world's largest prune dryer, has arrived at the end of the line. According to unofficial returns from the county auditor's office, the town's election proposal to end its official life passed by a 15-5 vote. The county canvas board will make the election return “official” after a check of the ballots Nov. 23, and the city council will probably meet to wind up the town's affairs.

Elberton is now “out of business,” according to Philip Faris, Colfax attorney representing the town. The Elberton town dads will make delivery of the city records to the county auditor.

If the city has any outstanding debts after all the bills and income have been received, a receiver will be appointed to levy a tax for payment of the final bill. Faris said he and the Elberton council have agreed to recommend Don Deen, Colfax accountant and city councilman for the judge's consideration in case a receiver is needed.

At present, Mrs. Robert Lathan, Elberton's last city clerk, estimates the ex-town will be short about $170 after paying all its debts.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Nov. 14, 1991

Earl Colyar, who farms between Colfax and Endicott, plans to be among the 4,100 survivors who will be back on the scene Dec. 7 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor. The Colyars will take in reunion activities planned by the Pearl Harbor Survivors.

“It really doesn't seem like 50 years. A lot of it seems like it happened just yesterday. It still comes back pretty vividly,” Colyar commented.

Colyar was aboard the destroyed U.S.S. Dale, one of the few ships to escape the harbor during the attack. The third of the crew which was aboard the ship was able to get the Dale underway in 20 minutes and escape from the harbor during the attack. Japanese airplanes attempted to hit the Dale, and the ship was rocked before it made open water, Colyar recalled.

The Dale had been anchored near the Naval Air Station in back of the Arizona when the Japanese bombers hit.

Since the war, Colyar has attended several annual reunions of the Dale's crew.

Colyar remained aboard the Dale throughout the war and was a chief machinist's mate at the end of the war. The ship went through 14 engagements during the war, and Colyar was aboard it when it went through the Panama Canal and was decommissioned at the 33rd Street pier in Brooklyn in 1945.

***

Whitman County residents will see an increase of up to 70 cents a month on their phone bills next year to help implement the statewide “enhanced 911,” approved by the voters last week.

State voters approved referendum 42 on Nov. 5 by a vote of 60 percent.

The referendum requires all counties by Dec. 31, 1991, to implement a 911 system either by themselves or in cooperation with other counties.

Counties without 911 service can pay for operation and maintenance of the system out of their general fund or levy a local tax of up to 50 cents per phone line (collected by the local phone company), or both, Hoctutt said.

The tax does not require voter approval, since that approval was given when the referendum was passed.

***

A meeting is scheduled Thursday, Nov. 14, at 1 p.m. at the Ewan Nazarene Church to discuss the future of the town's water system.

The water system's reservoir was destroyed by the Oct. 16 windstorm. The town's only water is coming from a small private well.

The water system's owner said he will give the one-year notice required under state law and cut off service.

The county is ultimately responsible for the unincorporated town's water supply under state law.

The county needs to do a damage assessment and cost estimate so aid is available from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) to repair the system, county emergency services director Rita Konzal told the county commissioners Monday.

“We should start doing what the feds want us to do, so the money is available,” Konzal explained.

They need to develop “low end and high end figures” for replacing the system, for example, she said. Figures mentioned at the Monday meeting ranged from $50,000 to $150,000.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

Nov. 16, 2006

Tekoa streets might be darker at night because the city might have to turn off every other street light if the street levy fails, according to Mayor Richard Weatherly.

But at least there will be some lights. There likely will be no snowplowing or paving the streets next year, he added.

Halving the town's lights is one measure the town is looking at as it prepares for a possible reduction of its street budget by more than half.

In the latest general election tally Tuesday afternoon, Tekoa's $70,000 street maintenance and operations levy proposal dropped just below the 60 percent mark.

“Oh, brother. That it didn't need,” Weatherly said on reaction to the news. “If that doesn't pass, we'll basically shut the street department down.”

Last Tuesday on election night, the levy proposal was failing at 58.97 percent, but then broke out after last Wednesday's update count brought the approval rate to 60.25 percent.

The latest count shows the street levy is shy of passing by just two votes. The levy could pick up more votes after Friday's county and canvassing Nov. 27, but Weatherly is preparing for its failure.