Good Old Days: Jan. 31, 2019

125 years ago

The Commoner, January 26, 1894

Miss Effie Woodman attempted suicide at the residence of F. Bauer in the south end at 6 o'clock last Sunday evening, by swallowing ten grains of morphine. Dr. John Benson was summoned and the girl informed him that she had taken the drug by mistake, having thought it was magnesia. Dr. Ferguson was called to assist in relieving the sufferer, and Miss Woodman was kept walking about her room the greater part of the night. The treatment usual in cases of morphine poisoning was administered, and the patient was out of danger this morning.

***

Hans Michaelson and wife were given a most enjoyable surprise party at their ranch four miles east of the city, Tuesday evening. A number of their Colfax friends took advantage of the excellent sleighing afforded, and bundling up in furs and wraps, started from Colfax at about 8 o'clock. From appearances, a jollier crowd never got together. They were all huddled together in a great big sleigh, and their ride to the Michaelson ranch will be long remembered. Suffice it to say that the snow had collected in deep drifts over the highway and the merry makers lost their road. They wandered about, joking and laughing over their predicament till a farmer happened along and relieved their difficulty. When Michaelson's place was reached at last, the party was welcomed in and given possession. Mr. and Mrs. Michaelson made excellent host and hostess, and the few hours spent at their guests was full of unalloyed pleasure. A bountiful supper was spread, and the night was far advanced when good-byes were spoken, and the party drove slowly and cautiously back to Colfax.

***

The county commissioners last Friday called an election for the town of Farmington, for the purpose of getting the will of the people of that progressive place on the question of incorporation. The time set for the election is Tuesday, February 13, and officers of election were appointed as follows: Inspector, R.E. Truax; judges, W.H. Martin and A.T. Holmes.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner, January 24, 1919

The members of the city council passed a city ordinance which gives the city health officer full control to quarantine any home or place in the city. It also provides a penalty of a fine up to one hundred dollars for one guilty of breaking a quarantine once it is established by the health officer.

75 years ago

The Colfax Gazette-Commoner, January 28, 1944

Plans for construction of a two story addition were announced this week by Dr. F. A. Bryant of the Bryant & Weisman clinic. Providing building materials now frozen because of the war are available next summer, construction may start at that time.

***

Spring Flat school district No. 14 was discontinued and its territory transferred to the Colfax and Pullman districts by County Superintendent Ruth S. Timm following a hearing Friday on a petition signed by virtually all of the Spring Flat heads of families.

To the Colfax district was transferred approximately two-thirds of the Spring flat area, having an assessed valuation of $96,256, giving to Colfax a total valuation of $6,168,562.

***

Fire insurance losses in Colfax last year amounted only to $200.22. Fred Slate, chairman of the fire committee of the council, said this week in reporting that the fire department answered 23 alarms. In only three of the fires was there any insurance loss, one of them being for $105.22 on a car. The remaining $95 was paid on residences or buildings damaged. Runs were made to 20 rubbish and grass fires.

***

Gaining entrance to the Hamilton school building by forcing a window of the second grade room, one or more person stole from $150 to $160 sometime between school hours Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

The money was taken from a steel filing cabinet, on which a lock had been jimmied, in the office of Principal Everett Taylor, who stated that three funds were missing, approximately $90 which had been collected by pupils in the infantile paralysis drive Monday, $50 belonging to the student body, and $20 in Liberty head nickels collected by Mr. Taylor.

50 years ago

The Colfax Gazette, January 23, 1969

John and Pauline Miller, St. John, were both found guilty of drinking charges in Rosalia justice court Jan. 6.

25 years ago

Whitman County Gazette, January 27, 1994

Douglas V. Parris, 24, was sentenced to 90 days in jail with credit for 49 served after admitted charges of forgery, burglary and credit card theft Friday in Whitman County Superior Court.

***

If it were horse trading, the port was looking for a saddle last Monday at the County Commissioners meeting, and the commissioners offered the whole horse.

The Port of Whitman asked for a strip of land near the airport for their industrial park, and the county offered them the strip of land, along with the entire airport.

Now they are back at the drawing boards trying to finish the airport land swap.

***

A ruling last week in Whitman County Superior court returns over 21 parcels of the John Wayne Trail to adjoining property owners in Whitman County. The ruling follows an oral decision made last February by Judge Wallis Friel in a hearing which was attended by some of the land owners.

The Jan. 19 ruling here last week also said four and one-half of the contested parcels were now the property of the state.

The ruling means the state, which purchased trail right-of-ways from trustees of the Milwaukee railroad, now had gaps of private ownership in the trail system which runs from the Idaho state line west to Easton.

***

It's two words that any land user or developer had come to dread – endangered species – and now Whitman County may be looking at another one.

The Washington Department of Wildlife recently presented its draft recovery plan for the upland sandpaper, which is listed as endangered.

The bird does not regularly occupy any area in Whitman County, but it has been sighted in the county.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette, January 22, 2009

Palouse City Council members last week learned the city has been offered a sculpture to be placed in the new Palouse River Walk Park. Will Murray, former resident of Palouse offered to donate the piece to the town for use in the park which will replace a mobile home park along the south entrance of Highway 27 into Palouse.