Good Old Days Feb. 23

125 years ago

The Commoner

Feb. 19, 1892

A lodge of Odd Fellows was instituted last Saturday evening in the town of Colton, and a large delegation from Colfax attended the ceremonies and participated in the general good time that followed. The lodge was organized with a list of 43 charter members, and Z. M. Beebe, D. D. N. G., of Colfax, was the installing officer. The chief officers of Colton Lodge, No. 114, by which name the new branch of the fraternity will be known, are the following: E. P. McCullum, N. G .; H. P. Pendry, V. G .; Geo. V. Joyce, P. S .; E. E. Alton, R. S .; W. P. Murphy, conductor.

The Lodge formally opened the new Duff hotel, which had just been completed, with a grand banquet to which 230 guests sat down. The hotel is a commodious structure built at a cost of $6,000.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Feb. 23, 1917

At a meeting held at Diamond, it was decided to form a new company for its telephone service. A new company was organized, which takes over the old company's property and all tributary lines. Practically all of the old members will become stock holders in the new corporation. The board of trustees includes Harvey Lee, chairman, Frank Feenan, secretary and W. F. Wilson and Wilbur Ripley.

***

Editor Irvine of the La Crosse Clipper came out last week with the statement that he was carrying more advertising than any paper in the county with the exception of one other paper that he named. From the looks of Editor Irvine's paper, we believe that his statement is true. What we do not understand is why an editor who is making money should wish to shout about it from the house tops. There are so many newspaper men in this section of the state who are always on the shady side of the ledger each month that are just looking for a location where they can relieve another editor who is being overworked.

For a number of years La Crosse supported two newspapers. The town has recently been incorporated and it is better able to support two newspapers now than it has ever been before.

We would suggest to Brother Irvine that he will have a competitor at La Crosse soon enough without it being necessary for him to advertise for one. A newspaperman who has a good field is rare in this age and generation and the less that is said about a field of this kind, the better it is for the success of the man who is on the ground.

Here is hoping that Mr. Irvine will continue to prosper at La Crosse and we also hope that he will have wisdom enough to keep his mouth shut about the splendid field which he now enjoys until he accumulates enough wealth to retire.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

Feb. 20, 1942

Because of the belief that sabotage and carelessness will account for the major loss to Whitman County residents during the present world conflict, instructors for the county Civilian Defense school have decided to place special emphasis on rural fire protection at the first meeting of the school which will convene at 9 a.m. in the superior court room Thursday, February 26.

Scheduled to be an all-day meeting, the school will adjourn at 9 p.m. and the city defense councils throughout the county, together with the heads of farm organizations, have been asked to have their leaders in attendance to receive the specialized training which will be given.

During the day classes will be organized according to protection units and instruction will be in courses recommended by the War Department. Auxiliary fire chief, L. L. Burgunder, will be in charge of the fire protection courses and Jack Redmond of the county engineers' office, will instruct in methods of dealing with various gasses likely to be encountered in time of war and in the decontamination of gassed areas. Redmond had considerable experience with gasses in World War I and has specialized on that phase of defense work.

The auxiliary police detail will be handled by Deputy Sheriff Ralph Waller and will be patterned after the F.B.I. Schools conducted to train peace officers in the many methods of crime detection and other specialized fields. Among other things mentioned at this time will be practical knowledge of bombs and gasses and what to expect during a blackout in the way of crime.

At the evening session, two films, both taken during the heaviest bombing of London and released by the Washington State Defense Council, will be shown and valuable conclusions on actual defense methods drawn.

County Coordinator Benson states that the council would like to open the school to a large number of people, but that since accommodations for such a move are not available, it cannot be done. The general public will, however, be benefitted by the instruction given, for it is expected that all attending will return to their respective communities and offer the same courses to those interested in helping in civilian defense.

***

J. H. Kerkman, farmer of the Diamond district, has donated a large steam whistle to the city for use in warning residents of Colfax in case of blackouts. The whistle was used many years ago on the steam engine which operated Kerkman's stationary harvesting outfit. It has an exceptionally fine tone and can be heard, when operated under sufficient steam, for miles.

Many of the farmers in the Diamond district will remember calling Mr. Kerkman when their fields or outfits caught fire during the harvesting season and asking him to blow his whistle so that the aid of other crews in the vicinity could be summoned.

Should there not be enough steam at either the hospital or county shop plant to properly operate the whistle, it will be sent to Portland for use there.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Feb. 23, 1967

Farmington's school will be the next “non-high” Whitman County district to go on the block before its voters in the recent school consolidation elections. The county's committee on school district organization voted last Wednesday to allow a vote on a Farmington-Oakesdale merger, Orville Widman, county superintendent, reported.

At Malden, school directors are planning a special-levy election which could go as high as 45 mills to finance their district next year after a count of absentee ballots defeated Malden's proposed merger with the Rosalia district.

Farmington residents met with patrons from Oakesdale, Garfield and Tekoa school districts in the courthouse Wednesday to consider a possible end of the Farmington district. According to Widman, six petitions were received by his office urging consolidation of the Farmington district. The petitions seek Farmington-Oakesdale, Farmington-Garfield and Farmington-Tekoa mergers, he said.

Under Chairman John Dorman, LaCrosse, the board accepted the petition of the Farmington board for a vote on the Farmington-Oakesdale school merger. Insufficient funds and a shortage of children were listed as reasons for the merger.

The county school directory lists an enrollment of 20 pupils at Farmington.

Another petition from Farmington urged the county organization board to consider a “provisional period” when Farmington's students would be allowed “free access” to attend the Garfield, Oakesdale or Tekoa districts.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Feb. 20, 1992

The commissioners decided Tuesday to replace Ewan's water tank first and upgrade it later to get the damaged system running again as soon as possible.

The county will use a $40,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to fix the water tank destroyed by an Oct. 17 windstorm.

Then the county will upgrade the entire system using a $75,000 Farmers' Home Administration (FHA) grant.

The county can use both sources of money for the project, according to Jim Nebel from the county health department. The county cannot afford to go ahead without the federal grant money.

County engineer Brandon Cole told the commissioners last week red tape accompanying the FHA grant could delay upgrading the system until August.

The county tentatively received the $75,000 FHA grant in January to upgrade the water system.

Cole estimated it would take 300-400 hours or about three people working for a month to draw up plans for upgrading the system and meet all the grant requirements.

So the commissioners decided to use the $40,000 FEMA grant to at least replace the destroyed water tank and get the system running again. Then it can be upgraded later, they said.

The commissioners in December approved spending up to $40,000 to fix the water system, with the FEMA grant and Ewan residents reimbursing the county. News of the FHA grant came along in January.

Once FEMA gives the okay, work can begin, said public works director Lon Pedersen. An agency official said the money is coming “in two or three weeks,” he added.

Pedersen said they are getting quotes now and should be able to start the project before May. He estimated it would take about 20 to 30 working days.

***

County commissioners officially approved to 50 cent local tax for “enhanced 911” telephone service following a public hearing on Tuesday.

Local telephone companies must begin collecting the tax within 60 days. They began collecting the 20 cent statewide tax last month.

The ordinance allows local telephone companies to charge “actual costs” for collecting the tax, up to five percent of the total collected.

The county is served by seven phone companies; Pioneer Telephone Co. of LaCrosse, St. John Telephone Co., US West, MCI, GTE Telephone, AT&T, and Inland Telephone.

The ordinance also sets up the “Whitman County Enhanced 911 Telephone System Fund.”

The fund will pay for the “planning, acquisition, installation, addition, improvement, replacement, repair maintenance or operation” of the system.

County auditor Jim Repp asked whether the county would review the administrative costs part of the ordinance every year.

The phone companies should request an increase in the administrative costs if they need it, the commissioners concluded.

Commissioner Maggie McGreevy of Pullman added the large regional telephone companies did not attend a meeting on the administrative cost section of the ordinance, so it must be okay.

Repp also asked whether the phone companies would simply withhold their portion from the tax money sent to the county or bill the county.

The commissioners concluded the money would be paid by the treasurer's office out of a claim fund.

Pullman, Colfax, and Colton-Uniontown have basic 911 service. Basic 911 service simply provides a recognizable phone number and central dispatch for emergency services.

Enhanced 911 provides a computer system which automatically display's the caller's address and directions to the location.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

Feb. 22, 2007

A former Christian church which was donated to the city has been remodeled and has opened as the Rosalia Health Clinic by Nurse Practitioner Susan Small of Farmington. A native of Spangle, Small has nearly 40 years experience in health care.

“I love taking care of people and educating people to take better care of themselves,” Small said in the sunny reception room of the new clinic.

After an earlier attempt to form a Rosalia clinic was shot down by seven votes, Small has put a lot of work into the building and business. When grant funds from the .08 program, the Northwest Health Foundation and a private donor ran out during the remodeling project, estimated to cost between $90,000 to $100,000, she paid out of pocket to get the clinic running. She has also put in many hours staining doors and sanding wood and floors.

One of the major items in the remodeling was a new furnace system.

Small chose Rosalia as the town to set up shop as she felt it had a need. With local care available, parents won't have to take a day off work to go to Colfax or Spokane, although she is comfortable sending patients to a hospital of their choice should they need it.

“Gas prices might help me,” she commented.

Response to the clinic opening has been slow, but Small feels it will grow.

“I'm pretty comfortable in the knowledge that it will pick up.” She expects to not only treat people from Rosalia, but also from Oakesdale, Malden and other towns in the area.

“I'll see anyone from one week old to almost dead.”

The slow start is actually a benefit for Small because it gives her time to become acquainted with the computer system that keeps patient notes and charts – opposed to the old paper and clipboard. Small confessed it took her longer to get comfortable with the technological advances than the generations raised with it.

The clinic has two exam rooms, and Small is hopeful about adding an x-ray machine. Due to cost and funding difficulties, an x-ray machine has eluded her, but she is still trying since she will be able to do more for her patients with the equipment.

Small said she wants to get a digital x-ray machine so the images can be sent to Spokane via cable and the diagnosis can be made quicker. She admits she is willing to take any donation or grant to get the machine.

“I've got the room ready for it,” she said.

Small has two other women on her staff. Her daughter Kris Kynes drives up from Clarkston to work as the office manager. Jodie Struble works as Small's med tech.

“If people support the clinic, I'd like to have another nurse practitioner in here so we have six days a week coverage,” Small said. Office hours for the clinic are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Small expects she will end up working more days to keep up with the paperwork and the business side of the clinic.

As an NP, Small receives 15 percent less from Medicare and Medicaid than a doctor would, so she is waiting to see how to clientele picks up before getting anyone else on board.