Good old days

125 years ago

January 14, 1887

The steam fire engine was housed in the new city building Thursday morning. The fire boys are consequently happy.

Mayor Woodward’s office and residence were connected by telephone this week.

The Clionian society of Colfax College will give an entertainment in this city on the evening of Jan. 21, proceeds to go toward procuring the philosophical apparatus for the college.

A.J. Bickford now wears the marshal’s star.

It is reported that Col. George Hunter of Riparia is writing a book on his pioneer reminiscences of life in the northwest since 1850 and that he will soon go east to lecture on the same topic.

There has always been a generous rivalry between the citizens of Uniontown and Colton, but we have never yet, like Chicago and St. Louis, descended to making fun of each others’ feet.

100 years ago

January 12, 1912

Pool room and saloon proprietors in Colfax and Whitman County must walk the chalk line.

This ultimatum has been issued by Prosecutor Paul Pattison.

He has the backing of the superior court and the city council and promises to wage a relentless war against law violators.

Opening the crusade were charges against J.B. Cram and W.H. Wolfe, proprietors of the Macot pool and billiard hall, for admintting persons under the age of 21 years.

They paid a fine of $59 and were warned of a stiffer sentence next time.

Minors have been frequenting pool rooms in this city for some time and one instance is reported where a high school student entered a game at 8:30 o’clock in the evening and did not leave until 8:20 the next morning when he ate a sandwich and went to school.

The Palouse school board and students are in a turmoil over the use of the new gymnasium for dancing. A dance was held Friday evening to raise money to pay off the indebtedness. Directors tried to stop the dance without avail. The board has passed a resolution prohibiting the school from entering any interscholastic games for the remainder of the year. J.H. Hallock, principal of the high school and coach in all the games, has been asked to resign. Students have circulated a petition asking for the discharge of Superintendent E.C. Jones, who strenuously opposed the dance.

Felix Thompson of Hay is taking advantage of the 20-inches of snow to kill all the jack rabbits. He has already killed about a dozen.

75 years ago

January 8, 1937

Wanted by Whitman County for nearly three years, Floyd Aurthur, alias Wilson, 34, was arrested in Spokane Sunday on charges of grand larceny. He is accused of having taken part in the theft of 35 bags of cleaned and treated barley for sseding from Harry Homad, a farmer of the St. John-Pine City vicinity.

Local banks have reached over two million dollars in total deposits, breaking all records since depression days of 1930. The total amount in both Colfax banks was $2,607,897, highest on deposit in any town of the county.

Jock Sutherland, coach of the University of Pittsburgh “Panthers” who trolloped the University of Washington Huskies in the Rose Bowl game at Pasadena New Years Day, is a cousin of Wm. Sutherland of this city.

50 years ago

January 11, 1962

Whitman County port comnissioners voted Thursday night to adopt their comprehensive plan for development of Snake river port sites - but only after a spirited discussion finally resulted in the addition of Penawawa to the list of port sites and harbors to be developed.

Fred H. Magnussen, Colfax businessman, announced today plans for opening of a coin laundry and dry cleaning “village” in the former Arden Farms Co. building in Colfax within the next 60 to 90 days. He has orderd 18 washers of 12-lb. capacity, one rug cleaning machine and two dry cleaning machines, all to be coin-operated and expects to make a total investment of over $40,000.

All of Whitman, Garfield and Asotin counties and most of Adams are included in one legislative district in the final draft of the reappoitionment initiative filed in Olympia this week by the League of Women Voters.

25 years ago

January 8, 1987

The tractor-shaped mail box of Wallace and Maxine Luther along the Walla Walla Highway was destroyed with a pipe bomb Saturday night. Officers found the door of the mailbox on the opposite side of the higway. The steering wheel and hands of the miniature tractor driver were also wrecked. Mrs. Luther said the explosion sounded like it went off right outside a window at the house across the highway. They installed a sign to post notice of the vandalism.

An option that would allow county commissioners to drive their own cars rather than county-owned cars was approved by commissioners Monday. Those driving their own cars will receive $470 per month to cover costs.

Closure of the obstetric department at Whitman Community Hospital in Colfax is expected to add approximately 15 babies to the delivery load at Memorial Hospital in Pullman. Whitman closed its department in September, with 19 babies delivered last year. Doctors at WCH dropped obstetrics because of high liability coverage.

10 years ago

January 10, 2002

Whitman County commissioners approved a two-percent salary adjustment of elected officials - except for Auditor Dave Repp. Last year, commissioners told officials they would not be eligible for a salary hike if they failed to attend monthly financial meetings on a regular basis. Attendance records were kept at the monthly meetings. Repp attended three, had official excuses for two others and gave no notification for absences at seven of the other meetings. The clerk, judges and coroner were given automatic approved excuses.

Colfax mailboxes for as many as nine courthouse offices were officially locked for lack of rental payments Friday monring. County officials had to appear at the post office service window to obtain mail.

Jay Miller of Davenport is the new superintendent of the Department of Transportation Colfax maintenance area.