Good Old Days March 30

125 years ago

The Commoner

March 25, 1892

Articles of incorporation have been filed of the “Pullman Roller Mill Company” which will transact a flour roller mills business at that place. The capital stock is $18,000, and the following share-holders have been elected trustees for the first two months: H. H. Cheatham, A. B. Baker, Alex McKenize, H. W. Baird, and S. A. Madge, all of Pullman.

***

After many unsuccessful attempts to establish a post office at La Crosse junction, on the line of the Union Pacific, below Endicott, the citizens of that neighborhood have at last succeeded in their effort. A post office has been established under the name of Dunlop, with the station agent at that place as postmaster.

***

H. P. Rasmuss, of Walla Walla, narrowly escaped being run over by the Spokane train Tuesday morning. He was a passenger and had stopped off to purchase lunch at the Union Pacific depot, when the train started, and he made a rush to get aboard. He missed his footing and was thrown down with great violence and alongside the rails. He lay there while the train passed in a stunned condition. He had a most fortunate escape from death under the wheels. His head was severely cut and the left side of his cheek was scraped in a sickening manner; while he sustained numerous bruises about the body. His wounds were dressed up town, and on the following day he continued his journey home.

***

The Uniontown Mercantile company has filed articles of incorporation with the county auditor this week. The capital stock is $25,000, divided into 1,000 shares of the par value of $25 each. The stock has been subscribed by twenty-two of the citizens of Uniontown, and the following stockholders have been elected trustees for the ensuing six months: Joseph Greif, John Fuchs, John P. Hoefer, Nicholas Schoffer and M. Schultheis. The company will deal in general merchandise, hardware and farm products.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

March 30, 1917

The western part of the county has been experiencing real March weather during the past ten days and the strong winds which have swept over this section of the county have filled the air with clouds of dirt.

Last Saturday visitors from La Crosse stated that the strong wind which was blowing made it necessary to block cars which were left standing in the main street of the town. S. H. Long of La Crosse who was in the city Saturday said March winds this year were much stronger and of longer duration in that section of the county than they had been for several years.

St. John and Winona are also in the direct track of the winds which swept the western part of the county and between St. John and Colfax is a dividing line which the spring and summer dust storms rarely cross. Colfax residents were watching the dust storm which swept the St. John district Tuesday and could note this dividing line which the spring and summer dust storms rarely cross.

Some of the farmers claim that a considerable acreage of grain has been uncovered by the winds which have prevailed in this section of the state this month and that some of this grain must be reseeded.

***

Last Thursday afternoon the ladies of Colfax met with the Sisters of the St. Ignatius hospital and formed an organization for the purpose of conducting a fair for the purpose of raising funds for the addition of the St. Ignatius hospital.

Mrs. W. A. Mitchell was named president of the new organization, Mrs. F. A. Bryant, vice president, Mrs. James Cairns, secretary and Mrs. J. W. Richards, treasurer. The ladies of Colfax with the consent of question of the date of the fair was taken up and it was decided to hold the fair during the week beginning May 7 and to continue it until the 12th day of May.

The latest estimates in regard to the cost of the new addition and to add another story to the entire building shows it will cost about $72,000.

Some of this money has been raised by subscription and in order to give every one an opportunity to contribute to this worthy cause, the Sisters have decided to hold a hospital fair and thus combine pleasure with the raising of money to help build a hospital.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

March 27, 1942

Appearing before the county school district reorganization committee, meeting Monday morning in the office of its secretary, R. R. Maxwell, a sizable delegation from the Hubbard district, No. 257, obtained approval for holding an election to determine the question of consolidation with the Colfax district. Petitions asking for a merger vote had been filed about two weeks previous by both districts.

Approval for holding the election had also been received by Mr. Maxwell, in the capacity of county school superintendent, Monday morning from the state reorganization committee.

Acting upon the approval of both committees, Mr. Maxwell, again acting as the county superintendent, named Saturday, April 18, as the election day. Votes will be cast at the Hubbard schoolhouse and at the high school here between the hours of 1 and 5 p.m.

There are four grade school pupils attending the Hubbard school at the present time. One will be graduated this year, leaving three prospective students to come to Colfax from the Hubbard community next year. The assessed valuation of the Hubbard district is $248,283.

***

Every one of the 54 air raid wardens in Colfax has a “must” date for Saturday evening of this week, according to Joe Short, chairman of the Colfax Defense Council.

At 7 o'clock, in the city hall, Ernest W. Hatch, chief of air raid wardens, will outline plans for Home Protection Week, which Governor Langlie has proclaimed as March 29 through April 5.

Provided the material has arrived by that time, and it is doubtful, the wardens will receive their first copies of the Air Raid Precautions posts and Home Preparedness certificates which feature Home Protection Week.

The posters, illustrated instruction sheets telling how to prepare against air raids and what to do in the event of a raid, will be distributed by the warden and his helpers to all homes, if and when they get here.

Certificates, printed in red, white, and blue, will be issued by the wardens to homes which have assembled sufficient equipment for handling incendiary bombs, such as buckets of sand, garden hose, rake, or hoe, and shovel.

“Before the Home Protection Campaign is over,” said Short, “we hope to have a certificate in the front window of every home in this area. Getting fire-defense equipment together is the first step every family should take toward its own protection. When we are 100 per cent prepared in that respect, we can have the satisfaction of being that much more able to withstand any attack this war may bring.”

Besides receiving instructions from their chief, the wardens will listen to a special victory network radio broadcast over every station in the state from 7;15 to 7:30 o'clock. Speakers on the program will address the thirty thousand off wardens in the state, although the public may “eavesdrop.”

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

March 30, 1967

Whitman County Woolgrowers Association have tentative plans to open bids April 6 for the 1967 wool pool, according to Felix Entenmann, county agent. More than 6,200 fleece have been consigned to the 1967 pool for an estimated weight of between 60 to 70,000 pounds. About 240 farmers have signed to take part in the pool.

Last year, the pool sold 72,000 pounds at a little over 62 cents per pound. This year's prices are expected to be lower due to increased wool imports and competition from synthetic fabrics, Entenmann said.

***

Another discouraging delay in a start on the new Whitman Community Hospital was announced this week by Chairman Dan Scheideman of the board of trustees.

Approval of the final plans is forthcoming within a week from both the state health department and the United States public health office in San Francisco, but approval of the expenditure of federal funds on the project must now be obtained from the office of the Comptroller General in Washington, D. C.

“This is something we weren't even told about before,” Scheideman said. “An official of the hospital and medical division of the public health service in San Francisco told us last weekend that the allocation of the Hill-Burton-Harris hospital funds is now dependent upon the controller-general's decision in Washington, D. C.”

Approval of this office has nothing to do with the hospital plans, but is based on the amount of federal funds that have been spent in the affected area, he said.

“In other words, we were told that if this federal office feels that our area has already had more than its share of federal funds expended on any type of construction project, it might withhold approval of the hospital grant,” Scheideman said.

The hospital board chairman and the Spokane architect, Arnold Barton, who first learned of the new roadblock were shocked at the news that another hurdle had been placed in the path of the local project.

“We're not positive at this time just what action we can take to get the approval of this federal office, but we are going to contact Senator Warren G. Magnuson and Congresswoman Catherine May and possibly Senator Henry Jackson to see if they can help us,” Scheideman said.

The hospital trustees, the chairman and the architect have been trying to get approval of final plans as soon as possible so that a start can be made before June 1 – the deadline for use of the federal funds already approved by the state health department. However, Scheideman said he and Barton were told that it would probably be possible to get an extension on this deadline if the comptroller general's office delayed final approval beyond a date which would permit a start before June 1.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

March 26, 1992

Colfax School District's architect has finished the concept drawings for the remodeling and expansion project and is working on the bid specifications, according to superintendent Donald Cox.

The school board approved the “educational specifications” at Monday's meeting and will submit them to the state this week, Cox said.

“Educational specifications” are the next step in securing state matching funds, he explained.

These describe the programs which the facility must support and provide the architect with direction to design the building.

Other steps necessary for funding include have an attorney certify the area is free of “encumbrances” and showing the district is the legal owner, documenting the site meets minimum space requirements, and documenting the district has provided its share of the funds.

New state rules for school construction have added steps for eligibility, Cox commented. The district should receive money provided in this legislative session though.

The required steps must be done by the end of the school year, he added.

Voters approved a $3 million 20-year bond issue in November to finance six rooms for JES seventh and eighth graders and modernization of existing buildings.

The six rooms at JES include a science lab, computer lab, four classrooms and multipurpose room for music, physical education and practice. Two portables also need replaced.

JES improvements include installation of a pitched roof; improving energy efficiency; replacing interior and exterior doors; expanding classrooms to facilitate modern teaching methods; replacing all floor tile; replacing windows, and installing new electrical systems.

CHS improvements include replacing the roof; replacing floors in classrooms, library, and lunchrooms; updating to safety/fire codes; updating security systems; replacing windows with energy efficient material, and adding cabinet and counter space in classrooms.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

March 29, 2007

Endicott recently receive state funding to revamp the town's water system. The town has been granted $800,000 to rehabilitate its water system from the state's Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. This comes from a Community Development Block Grant.

“We had to go through quite a process to get that grant,” said Endicott Mayor Verne Strader. “I'm really happy we got it.”

Strader said the town council has worked for more than a year and a half to put together a plan that would attract funding.

“They're talking reservoir, they're talking a new well, they're talking new lines,” said Town Clerk Sue Bafus. “So it's really all still up in the air right now.”

Last summer, high nitrate levels were measured in the town's well due to low water levels. Fertilizers applied to surrounding farmland also seeped into the water supply.

Those nitrate levels prompted the town to issue a warning. High nitrate content can induce common flu-like symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. The elderly, infants and pregnant women are especially susceptible.

“It's okay now, but come summer, we may have the same problem all over again,” said Bafus.

Town Maintenance Supervisor Dan Larson spent all summer working to get the nitrate levels to acceptable levels.

The EPA has a maximum contamination level of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/l). Larson said Endicott's level tested at 11.5 mg/l at the time the warning was issued.

Bafus said the engineer of the new system will give a report to the town council at its April meeting.

“We'll know a lot more after that meeting,” she said. “It always takes a while to put something like this together.”

Bafus said the CDBG grant most likely means the United States Department of Agriculture will chip in additional funding, either in the form of a grant or a loan, for the project. USDA backing is seen as a plus by CTED, Bafus said, as it reinforces the project's funding.

Endicott was one of 11 communities in the state to share the $7.5 million grant pool. Endicott's grant was the fourth highest allotment.

***

There is only three or four percent of work left to do on the vintage Charlie Hill house at W 201 Wall St. in Colfax, according to Dale Miller with Community Action Center.

“We couldn't gold plate it, but it came out pretty good,” Miller said.

CAC bought the house from the Hill's stepson.

“We actually bought it for the land behind it,” Miller noted.

Community Action Center built two four-plexes on the adjacent lots for residents with disabilities.

Miller said they went through a lot of different options and avenues for the house. They didn't need or want the old house, but realized that the layout of the house with a centrally located staircase made it easy to convert into an apartment with four one-bedroom units.

“It pretty much was a full renovation,” he said. “We tried to keep as much of the style as possible.”

The recognized it was an old building and decided to keep the style in downtown Colfax.

The east side of the house had settled badly, making it 10 inches lower. The side of the house parallels the railroad, one of the features which in the past made the neighborhood prime residential property in the early days of Colfax.

The house had to be jacked up so the foundation could be strengthened. Work had to be done on the heating, electrical, plumbing and flooring. The original house had a sunroom on the south side that Miller said was really bad off. It was remodeled to provide a new kitchen and bath for the apartments.

“It wasn't real cheap,” he confessed. The price tag on construction came in at $284,000. Funds came from a Housing Trust Fund loan from the state which is a low interest loan.

“It could be occupied the way it is, but we want to get everything done before anyone moves in.”

The apartments will be rented to people with disabilities who require minimal care. Community Action Center is now accepting applications for residents. Anyone interested can contact Shannon Gaines, the CAC property manager.