Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
125 years ago
The Commoner
Aug. 19, 1892
The fire at Kendrick the other day is another practical illustration of the great danger which always hovers over a town or city which is so unfortunate as to be devoid of adequate protection from the fiery element.
Two or three times since the year opened dangerous fires have broken out in wooden blocks in Colfax and threatened disaster to many blocks, if not the entire business portion of the city.
But here was where the necessity of a volunteer fire department was demonstrated.
A number of times in the dead of night have the fire boys cheerfully rolled from their beds and, with one steamer, extinguished fires which, without their opposition, would have swept the city and left many homeless and moneyless.
If anyone in the city is deserving of praise for unselfish labors in behalf of the city, the members of the volunteer fire department certainly are. Especially is this true when one looks at unprotected sister cities and towns being swept out of existence by the fire fiend.
***
J. M. Baker, who has just returned from a trip over a large portion of the grain fields stretching north and northwest from the city, gives more encouraging reports of the grain yields in those sections than was thought possible before the harvest was opened.
Mr. Baker says that in the sections he visited farther west, where so many thought a few days ago the crops would hardly be worth cutting, there is a good half yield and that the quality was never better.
***
The Colfax baseball aggregation, having completed arrangements for the grand excursion trip to Twickenham Park, Spokane, the question of the amateur championship of Eastern Washington bids fair to reach the solution point at no uncertain date.
The Spokesman of this morning declares that the Colfax claim to championship honors is an unjust one. Let it be observed right here that the claim was not made until after the Spokesman team had assumed that credit, which its players were not entitled to.
The Colfax team is happy to be given this opportunity of testing the mettle and make-up of the Spokesman nine. It will go into the contest for the championship in a spirit of fairness and friendliness, but with a determination to bring home to Colfax the satisfaction that victory gives to the ambitious.
The Spokesman should recognize the fact that a baseball association has been organized in Colfax, and that the baseball team, of which the people here have some reason to be proud, has been in existence only since the formation of that association, some two months ago. Prior to that time, the clubs hailing from Colfax were not regularly organized, and were made up of any material that was readily available.
The present club in its contests with rival teams of eastern Washington will easily show two victories for every defeat, and today it is enjoying a steady march of triumph.
100 years ago
The Colfax Commoner
Aug. 24, 1917
Fields of grain at Endicott that were predicted to yield 15 bushels to the acre are yielding 18 to 20 bushels. J. L. Faires' spring wheat yield 35 bushels to the acre and tests 61 pounds. Threshing is general throughout the neighborhood.
***
The board of county commissioners at their regular meeting Monday entered into a contract for the purchase of an 80 horse power truck and two trailers. The truck which was purchased is what is known as the White power truck and this car is used extensively in the east for hauling repair material for the county roads.
The car will be placed in charge of the road supervisor and will be moved from one commissioner's district to another as needed and the county board expects to hire an experienced machinist-driver so that the car will always be in running order. With the car has been secured two trailers. These trailers as well as the truck itself will be loaded with road repairing material and an active effort will be made to place the road of this county in better condition for traffic.
The commissioners have under consideration the plan of employing the driver of the car by the month with the understanding that he is to repair the car outside of working hours so that it can be in use during the entire road working season of the year.
The new car and trailers are expected to arrive within the next eight or ten days and it will be placed in active commission at once.
***
The last statement of the city treasurer shows that the city has derived $34.41 this year from the sale of old wire, cast iron and scrap brass. The sale of this material was made by the street commission during the first part of the year and the brass was purchased by Councilman Colvin.
Some of the citizens of the city have raised the question in regard to the right of the councilman to purchase this material from the street commissioner and much surprise was manifested when the report of the city treasurer was audited.
It is pointed out that the law forbids a councilman from selling goods or material to the city an a number of well posted men hold that this law also prevents a councilman from buying material from the city.
The record of the minutes of the city clerk shows that no authority has been issued to the city street commissioner directing him to sell this material and the only record that is shown of this transaction is conveyed by the report of the city treasurer.
75 years ago
Aug. 21, 1942
Whitman county's first fire protection district was authorized at the polls Tuesday when a two-thirds majority, or better, or 34 voters authorized the creation of the district in an election on the Thomas Warwick estate near Tekoa.
The exact score on the voting will not be known until the county election board conducts its official canvass Monday.
The district will include approximately 46 square miles in the northwest corner of the county which will include all of the Tekoa country precinct and parts of the Lone Pine, Rosalia, Farmington and Oakesdale precincts.
It is proposed to purchase rural fire fighting equipment, including a truck, to be housed probably at Tekoa.
Popular subscriptions are expected to finance the district until tax money is available in 1944.
***
At a meeting of the directors of the Jones and Colfax school districts here Saturday evening arrangements were made for the transportation of the Jones grade pupils to Colfax during the next school year. In anticipation of such contract, the Jones directors did not re-hire their teacher. The Jones district is situated east of the Dusty community. The original plan of the county reorganization committee was to give half of the Jones territory to Lacrosse and half to Colfax, but the issue was not brought to a vote in the recent elections. Sentiment favorable to Colfax is indicated in the desire on the part of Jones school patrons to educate their children here, school authorities assert.
***
An old bridge over the south branch of the Palouse river at Risbeck was ordered torn down by the commissioners at their Monday meeting. The span, known as Armstrong bridge No. 2, was condemned by the county's road department as in bad condition and unsafe. It was on a dirt road, traversed only in dry months. In recommending that the structure be dismantled, the county engineer suggested substitution of a ford which can be used when the river is at low stage.
Monthly salary of James Bryson, auditor's deputy, was raised from $140 to $150.
50 years ago
Colfax Gazette
Aug. 24, 1967
Whitman County wheatgrowers proud of their industry met outgoing information seekers from Seattle, many of them with nostalgic memories of a farm, in a 42-family city-farm swap conducted here the past weekend.
The massive promotion by the Washington Wheat Growers association, their advertising agency, the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Colfax Chamber of Commerce apparently went over big. In effect the outgoing personalities from many urban occupations were matched with the extroverts of this county's ranches.
All but one of the families arrived as planned Friday night. Tom Bowles of King Broadcasting Co., and his wife had car trouble at Ellensburg and got to the Demoine Gilchrist Jr. home in time for breakfast Saturday morning.
The visitors spent Saturday forenoon in the harvest fields on individual farms, toured the county in buses Saturday afternoon and ate barbecued chicken and square danced at the fairgrounds Saturday night.
General atmosphere at the Saturday evening festivities was one of success. “I think many had not expected it to be as big a success as it was,” commented one of the host farm wives, Mrs. Gary Cochran. “If they had another one I'd sign up again.” The Cochrans had hosted an IBM programmer from Bellevue and even their four-year old son took time to thank Gary for the combine ride.
“Jessee's hotel, desk clerk Gene Jessee speaking,” said Seattle-First assistant manager when he called the Colfax Chamber of Commerce back to say, “Yes, they would take a family of eight.”
The Jessee's guest was an engineer in Boeing missile and information systems. His wife, born on a farm in Ireland, applied for the tour because she thought it would be wonderful for their children to have the experience of seeing a farm. He was from Connecticut and they have lived in Bellevue for six years. The Jessee guests rode the combine on the Bob Sorey ranch.
Another family with six children was hosted by the Fred S. Johnson family at Pine City. The father was John A. Kaufer, owner of the Kaufer church supply firms in Spokane and Seattle. Kaufer praised “the food” as an outstanding highlight of their experience.
The Fred Johnsons with their guests and the Bob Johnsons and their guests, a life insurance salesman, wife and three children, ate their Saturday noon meal in a garage near the Johnson harvest operations. Dinner was served to 24.
Largest dinner was that served to 40 people by the Gilchrists at the home of Demoine Gilchrist Jr. The crowd included the KIRO announcer, Jim French, who had pushed the city-farm swap on his programs and was a guest of Bob Gilchrist; the Tom Bowles, guests of D. W. Gilchrist Jr .; Bill and Shirley Spiedel, publishers of the Seattle Guide for tourists, guests of D. W. Gilchrist Sr., and the Maurice Cayfords and two girls of Redmond, guests of the Gerald Gilchrists. Cayford is a retired Boeing engineer whose children experience their first trip to a farm.
***
First paving of the third lane strip of the Buck Canyon project was poured last week and the pavers are nearing the bottom of the grade this week. The new concrete and old concrete will be covered with a top layer of asphalt to give the highway a smooth finish throughout, after the old concrete has been repaired in many locations where it has been broken up during construction––and before.
***
A roadside rest area more than twice as costly as the one now under construction near Rosalia is being built at the intersection of cross-state highway 26 (LaCrosse to Othello) and US 395, the north-south artery from Spokane to Pasco through Lind and Connell. The rest area is on the main route used by most Whitman County people to reach Puget Sound.
The eight-acre park filling a triangular hillside where the roads intersect will cost $178,500, according to Walter R. Horning, Spokane district engineer for the state highway department.
Contractors are now contouring the hillside between the junction of the two roads and have underlaid it with an automatic and partly manually controlled sprinkler system; they will set out trees and shrubs later.
Centered in the park will be a comfort station with restrooms. Construction was started in June with completion scheduled Nov. 20.
25 years ago
Colfax Gazette
Aug. 20, 1992
Organizers of a proposed golf facility at Garfield are seeking a federal grant for the project, according to Greg Partch, Garfield city council member.
The grant source would be for “highway improvement” and since the course would be along Highway 27, the project may be eligible, he explained. Private donations also are welcome.
The proposal to build a small golf facility in Garfield surfaced after the idea of a nine-hole course at Elberton died before a formal launch.
The Garfield facility would be on leased ground at the north entrance of Garfield.
It would be the first thing people see entering town from the north, along with the church directory and Manring's Bed and Breakfast, Partch explained.
The facility would include a putting green, sandtrap and equipment shed, he said.
Partch also envisioned flooding the putting green portion during the winter for use as a skating rink.
The facility would start small, with a driving range and maybe three holes and later maybe three more, he said.
The idea is to start construction in the spring and be ready for play by the fall, Partch explained. Work has been delayed by harvest.
Installation of such things as the tile lines and drainage are relatively easy but growing the grass takes time, he noted.
***
The City of Colfax is waiting for results from a recent inspection by the state Rating and Survey Bureau after they made their first trip to Colfax since 1969.
Fire Chief Jim Krouse said inspectors checked inspectors checked the city's hydrant distribution and amount of water now in different areas along with fire department records, trucks, hoses, etc.
Results of the inspection should be available within the next couple of months. The city would then have one year to fix deficiencies, if any, Krouse said.
The water flow problem in the Walla Walla Highway business area has been remedied, Krouse said, but a slight problem with the flow in the North Flat area was still in existence. He expressed the most concern about the Hospital Hill area where the flow was only about one-fourth of the required amount.
For instance, he said, the 42-unit Hill-Ray Plaza, a three-story wood construction building without a sprinkler system, needs a flow of from 4,5000 to 6,000 gallons per minute. Currently it has a glow of 1,100 to 1,500.
Any increase in the current number five insurance ratings for Colfax would result in increased insurance costs. But, according to one local insurance executive, a five or six rating does not vary much except in a home owner's policy where the rate could increase about 16 percent. A bigger jump in the rating would make a more significant increase in fire insurance.
***
The Rosalia town council approved a project last month to install aviation fuel tanks at the airport west of town.
Aviation Ventures of Rosalia will do the work and manage the facility for the town, explained Kerry Schanzenbach of Rosalia. He and Marc Lange of Rosalia are partners in the company.
It is a city project but Aviation Ventures will do the work as a contractor and manage the fuel facility, he explained. Work on installing tanks began this week.
Lange did the legwork on the project and lined up funding from the Port of Whitman County, Schanzenbach said. So it made sense to have them do the project.
Lange approached the Port of Whitman County in February with his plan to install the tanks and draw recreational flyers from increasingly crowded Spokane fields.
Port commissioners decided they couldn't loan the money to the project but they could contribute as a member of the airport board.
So the town council approved making the port part of the airport board.
The town will contribute about $5,000 toward the project and the port will contribute $15,000, according to port assistant manager Kevin Kragt.
10 years ago
Whitman County Gazette
Aug. 23, 2007
The fire that destroyed the Boyd Elevator just east of Pullman last week left several problems that accompany the clean-up of tens of thousands of bushels of grain.
County Health Inspector John Skyles reports that one of those problems is what to do with the scorched grain which is considered solid waste by the state's Department of Ecology.
Skyles told county commissioners at Monday's board of health meeting of a similar situation a couple of years ago, where the DOE deemed that grain burned in an elevator fire had to be treated as solid waste and stored in a landfill.
“That seems like a tremendous waste of grain as feed, even if it is slightly damaged,” said Commissioner Michael Largent. “You could run that through a screener and get good grain out of it.”
“That should be a good pheasant feed,” Commissioner Jerry Finch added.
And that is what is being done with the Boyd grain.
Skyles reported a landowner on Bald Butte volunteered some land upon which the burned grain could be spread. The scab land will receive the grain to feed wildlife and eventually be tilled under.
***
Businesses in Palouse have been on the move. The Green Frog and Open Eye Consignment have moved to different locations. The Bank Left Gallery is expanding, and a new shop is joining the business community.
The Green Frog moved across the street from its former location. The new store has been undergoing renovations and remodeling since last November.
“We needed a bigger space,” said owner Paula Echanove.
With the bigger space comes a huge kitchen and expanded menu. Echanove said a grand opening is not planned for the new location. She hopes to complete the move by the end of the month.
A lot of work went into the building which was the former site of Potpourri Gift Shop. The false ceiling was torn down and a wall taken out.
“We completely gutted it,” Echanove said.
With the bakery side of the business taking off as well as it has, Echanove plans to use the larger convection oven to stock up on pastries.
Otherwise, the café will remain much the same, serving lunch, dinner, coffee and pastries made on location.
“It's going to be the same old Frog,” she commented.
Previously, the Green Frog rented space from The Bank Left Gallery. The Green Frog will own the new building.
With the Green Frog moving out, Bank Left Gallery plans to fill the space. Owner and proprietor Nelson Duran said the space is going to be remodeled and made into a tea and chocolate room.
“Food and art, for me, go together,” Duran explained.
After he decided not to rent the space out again, Duran decided to put in the tea room he always wanted.
“It was a dream of mine from many years ago,” he said.
Duran has been testing different teas and chocolates to decide what to offer. He plans on having five different kinds of tea.
The Open Eye Consignment, owned by Heidi Kite, has also had a change of address. Open Eye moved to the former Palouse Community Building and had a grand opening Aug. 4, which was also its fifth anniversary.
Currently the space is smaller than the old location, but once the second floor is opened up, there will be more space than before. The mezzanine has blocked off the second floor for more than 50 years and has been used as an apartment. When the community building was a JC Penneys, it was the toy section.
She purchased the building when the community center board decided to sell the building rather than fix it up.
Many people from the community turned out to help in the move.
The new store filling in the space vacated by the Open Eye will be The Window Seat, owned by Palouse native Cindy Arland. The Window Seat does custom framing and artisan consignment. Five of the 17 booths are already rented. Arland has also developed a classroom that can be rented or used for art classes.
Arland has been doing custom framing since 1996. She has been working from her home and before than she worked for Michael's doing framing.
The Window Seat opened Aug. 2. Arland has planned a grand opening for Sept. 15 during Palouse Days and hopes all the booths will be filled.
With all the changes, Arland sees Palouse as a town where someone can put on their sneakers and walk around downtown for a good time.
“This town's going to be a wonderful place for people to visit,” she said. “It's definitely turning into quite the artsy community.”
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