Good Old Days 9/1/11

125 years ago

Sept. 3, 1886

Will Smith reports he has averaged over 1000 bushels a day since starting up his machine near Palouse City.

Peter Jacobs of Uniontown hauls water two miles for use in brewing beer.

E.P. Dorris is ready to commence tinning on the new roof on the Pioneer Hotel in Farmington.

100 years ago

Sept. 1, 1911

Carl Weems, a suspect in a Colfax shooting, learned by letter that his mother in Tifton, Ga., was trying to locate him. Mrs. Weems, a widow, wrote to Deputy Sheriff William Cole and asked him to quiz Weems about his family origins. She said she had lost contact with her son who walked off from Athens, Ga., before he was 14.

Weems confirmed the relationship when responding to questions Mrs. Weems requested officers to ask him. When first arrested he said both his parents were dead.

Sheriff G.B. Carter has filed suit in superior court to collect traveling expenses. Under a new law, the sheriff is responsible for collecting overdue taxes, and Sheriff Carter has been on the road to collect $11,000 from several hundred people.

The sheriff seeks $355 reimbursement for hiring a car to make the trips. He suggested that option because railroad service in many cases didn’t reach the delinquent taxpayers. He notes he has made as many as 45 notice services and covered 100 miles in a day.

75 years ago

August 28, 1936

The front page of the Gazette-Commoner features a photo of the new grandstands, bleachers and cattle chutes which have been built for the upcoming Colfax Round -Up. Plans are underway to publicize the show with a motor caravan to all county towns and to Spokane.

Six girls from around the county are running for roundup queen.

Robert Delaney 51, described as a transient, died when he was run over by a switch engine in the railroad yards at Tekoa. It was believed he fell asleep across the track. Both of his legs were severed

Delaney had been working in Lind and is believed to have been from Kentucky.

50 years ago

August 31, 1961

School enrollment in the first eight grades at Jennings Elementary is expected to be 638, down 11 students from the previous year. Part of the drop is due to pipeline project families who have moved on after the project was completed.

Judge R.L. McCroskey, who presided at superior court here for 25 years, returned to his home in Tacoma after visiting his brother, Virgil McCroskey, in Oakesdale. Judge McCroskey will be 98 Sept. 1.

25 years ago

August 28, 1986

A total of 1225 ballots were returned from 3213 mailed to Whitman County farmers with 872, over 71 percent, voting against mandatory controls for the farm program. Washington State farmers voted over 73 5 percent against controls.

Deacon’s Medical Equipment plans a move from Dusty to the former Main Street site of Adventureland Video in Colfax. Roger and Virginia Deacon have operated the business out of their home since April of 1985.

10 years ago

August 30, 2001

Pullman officials celebrated the opening of the new north side bypass which starts with Terre View Drive on the west end, crosses north of the WSU campus and links with the Airport Road. The bypass provides a route to Moscow that avoids downtown Pullman.

A final report is issued on the project to upgrade Pampa Pond. Total cost was $41,379 with about half of it coming from a grant from Fish & Wildlife.

Members of LaCrosse Lions, fifth graders and scouts from Colfax and Endicott worked on the project.