Good Old Days: Feb. 8, 2018

125 years ago

The Commoner

Feb. 3, 1893

The down grade from the vicinity of Colfax College to Railway Avenue on Wall Street is being extensively patronized every evening, and the cold weather does not prevent the sport. The young people have a long, carpeted sled with two sets of runners, and this is steered down the slide for nearly a quarter-of-a-mile. An occasional overturning only adds variety and zest to the coasting sport. Numerous small boys speed down the hill on their sleds, and it requires careful engineering to avoid collisions with pedestrians.

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The Colfax band and orchestra will give a grand masquerade ball at the opera hall on Wednesday evening, Feb. 22, 1893. The band and orchestra will furnish the music. Attentive reception and floor committees will be appointed and an identification committee will ensure a select attendance by requiring all maskers to make themselves known at the door.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Feb. 1, 1918

A meeting has been called by the farmers to discuss the building of an elevator at Mockonema.

The scarcity of sacks together with their present prices has forced the farmers to band together for self protection.

Some of the men back of the elevator proposition claim that there is very little assurance given to the farmers that sacks will be forthcoming to handle this year's crop.

Many of the farmers are renters in this section of the county and the loss of a wheat crop would mean financial ruin to them.

By having an elevator at Mockonema, the men interested in the proposition would have a place to store their wheat until such time as the government could furnish cars to take the grain to Tidewater.

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The Knights of Columbus of Uniontown gave a four-act comedy drama “Daughter of the Desert” on Friday evening to a crowded house. The play was well-rendered and was enjoyed by everyone present. A dance was held later in the evening, lasting until 2 a.m.

75 years ago

The Colfax Gazette-Commoner

Jan. 29, 1943

Prevalence of the red type of measles in the Colfax School District and in the Thornton, Ewan and Lamont communities has kept Ruth Stotts, public health nurse here and the office of the county health department busy during the past week. Approximately 16 cases have been diagnosed in the Penewawa region, which is in the Colfax School District.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Feb. 1, 1968

Karia Wise, nine-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Wise, LaCrosse, underwent treatment at St. Ignatius hospital this week for a broken right leg, suffered in a fall while she was ice skating. She was released from the hospital Tuesday.

25 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

Feb. 4, 1993

Alisa McLain, 14, of Palouse, was injured in a sledding accident at her home on Monday. McLain struck the end of a log while sledding at the family farm. A Palouse emergency team responded to the accident at the McLain farm five miles east of Palouse. A Colfax volunteer ambulance crew assisted the Palouse unit until a Heartflite crew arrived and took McLain to Spokane where she was listed in serious condition.

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Three charges of car prowling in Colfax and one charge of possession of stolen property were filed Jan. 28 in superior court.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

Jan. 31, 2008

Travel in Whitman County ground to a halt this week when a pair of converging storm fronts combined to dump nearly seven inches of snow on the Palouse between late Saturday and Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service Spokane office. After morning delays, Tuesday's storms prompted closures in every county school except Pullman. Tekoa students attended school in the morning, but were sent home when the storms picked up by mid-day. Due to the worsening condition of the roads Tuesday morning, county commissioners directed courthouse employees to close their offices for the rest of the day.