Good Old Days: July 11, 2019

125 years ago

Weekly Commoner

July 13, 1894

The city of Oakesdale has for some time past had only one saloon within its limits. Recently the license of that saloon expired, and the proprietors complied with the ordinance of Oakesdale governing the issuance of liquor licenses, deposited $500 with the city clerk and applied for a new license. The city council of Oakesdale refused to grant a license and instructed the city clerk to return the $500 deposit.

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The board of county commissioners adjourned their July session Tuesday afternoon. James Martin was granted a license to sell liquor at Endicott for one year.

100 years ago

July 4, 1919

Colfax Commoner

Manager W. G. Allen of the Elberton picnic was pleased with the world Saturday night, for he had succeeded in breaking all attendance record at the Elberton picnic. Saturday was the big day at the Elberton grounds and nearly five thousand people attended the picnic on that day.

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Lieutenant J. March Fetters of Fort Wright flew from Spokane to Moscow Tuesday afternoon in one hour and 10 minutes. The distance by railroad is 90 miles. Many Colfax citizens who were advised just when to expect the airplane watched it pass over Colfax Tuesday afternoon.

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Tekoa won the $200 prize for being the best ball team in the county and the ball team from that city won the last and deciding game from Endicott by a score of 8 to 3. Both teams were spiked up for the last contest and the large crowd that attended the game were more than satisfied with the contest.

75 years ago

June 30, 1944

Colfax Gazette-Commoner

Shifts in classification affecting 32 Whitman County selective service registrants were made last week by the local draft board.

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Women of the Malden community are organized in a fight against a grasshopper infestation by using poison bait mixed at Colfax by the county extension service and hauled to Malden in the town truck was the assertion made by County Agent Troy Lindey in a talk Tuesday afternoon at the Kiwanis club luncheon. The women, he said, were setting out the bait over virtually a section of land, cut up by buildings and fences that made use of a regular spreader virtually impossible.

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Whatever restrictions gasoline rationing may put on holiday travel, Colfax merchants for the most part are making plans for a three-day suspension of business, commencing Sunday and extending through July 4.

50 years ago

July 10, 1969

Colfax Gazette

One of the longest pre-stressed concrete bridges known will be squeezing through Colfax early Monday morning on its way to Elberton. Planners from Central Pre-Mix Concrete Co., Spokane, have been measuring and checking Colfax intersection in preparation for the bridge which will come through town on five trucks, a beam at a time.

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Construction projects along the Snake River have provided a new look to the start of harvest this year with the Penawawa elevator now out of operation and the Almota and Central Ferry elevators standing among contractors’ operations on the Camas Prairie relocation project.

25 years ago

July 7, 1994

Whitman County Gazette

Community members of Garfield have anticipated the completion of the Dry Creek Road for some time, and the wait is almost over. The eight-mile section under construction is the final, cosmetic, stages and should be finished by mid July.

The significance of the Dry Creek Road for commuters is they will no longer have to drive the Elberton Road detour. The Elberton Road is a dusty, bumpy, gravel road.

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Colfax city council members Monday night opted to follow suit of other area counties and towns and opt out of the state’s new gun ordinance. The move came after Colfax Police Chief Barney Buckley said he believed the new state law was too complicated to enforce.

“It’s almost impossible from an enforcement standpoint,” Buckley said.

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Golfers at St. John expect to be treading new turf as early as next year when the St. John Golf and County club expands to a nine-hole course. Gone will be the six-hole layout which was part of St. John’s tradition of unique golf.

10 years ago

July 9, 2009

Whitman County Gazette

Whitman County Library Director Kristie Kirkpatrick will ask library board members to place a special levy proposal on the ballot to increase property tax revenue to the district. The measure, if approved, would generate an estimated 11 percent more in property tax revenue.

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Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers rolled into Colfax July 2 on a tour to discuss the health care crisis with Whitman Hospital officials and an audience of Colfax Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce members.

President Barack Obama’s health care reform plan will soon be the main topic on the floor of the House of Representatives and the 5th district Republican was looking to answer questions and receive local input to bring to the national level.

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City streets will come alive with metal dinosaurs, live plant art, watercolor creations, pottery and other art forms with the Palouse Art Walk this weekend.

“People will be painting outside. If you envision being in Paris and they are painting, that’s plein air,” said Shandra Bohn, executive director of the Palouse Arts Council.