Good old days

125 years ago

June 8, 1888

Mr. Stewart of Pullman was in Endicott shaking hands with the boys; but it is no go; we will put up good, strong democrats, and make a hard pull for our county ticket this fall.

Mr. Gilbert of Kansas City, Mo., was in Endicott with two fine stallions and two common ones. He is too late in the season, or he could find ready sale for them here, as the stockmen of the vicinity are wide awake to the benefits of pure blood.

The town of Elberton is growing.

T.J. Green has a new store building coming up near Main Street.

Elberton needs a hotel. Here is a good location for someone of enterprise.

In Ewartsville notes, grain is heading in the flat. It looked Sunday as though Ewartsville would have to build a church as the schoolhouse was not near big enough. Had a nice rain on Friday and Saturday. Need more.

100 years ago

June 6, 1913

A peculiar accident occurred on the O.W.R.&N. tracks in Colfax on Tuesday which resulted in the Y tracks near the depot being blocked for several hours.

As the train on the Moscow branch of the road was starting to leave Colfax, one of the axles on the passenger car broke, stopping the train and throwing the front end of the car off the tracks.

Several hours were consumed on getting the car on the tracks again and repairing the car sufficiently for it to be taken to the Tekoa yards on three wheels.

Fortunately, the train was not going rapidly enough for any damage to result to the passengers.

However, the accident caused some inconvenience in making it necessary to send a freight train up the grade with the engine backwards and preventing any engines from turning on the Y tracks.

At the meeting of the city council held on Monday night of this week, it was agreed by the five councilmen present that the paving of Dean Way and Last streets, as petitioned several weeks ago, should be granted.

75 years ago

June 3, 1938

Storage facilities and a business office were established last Friday in the McFarland warehouse at the east end of Second street near the Union Oil tanks by Fritz Ziebarth, contractor of the third project of the Inland Empire Rural Electrification between Colfax and Hooper. It is expected that within the next 50 days, 175 miles of main and lateral lines will be constructed to serve rural homes in or near Onecho, Wilcox, Union Center, Almota, Dusty, Penawawa, LaCrosse and Hay. Almost any farmer in south or southwest Whitman County may have his home serviced with electric power upon making a deposit of $5.

Miss Ruth Brown and Miss Mildred Allen spent the weekend in Seattle and Bremerton visiting the battleship Arizona at the latter place.

50 years ago

June 6, 1963

The Rose theater will close for the summer after Sunday night, Manager Jim McClelland said this week. The theater usually opens again the weekend after the fair in September, he added, but that is not definite.

“Tony” Appel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Don Appel, who graduated with honors from WSU Sunday with a bachelor’s degree in zoology, will be working with Dr. Herbert L. Eastlick in the WSU zoology laboratory this summer. He will enter the University of Washington school of medicine next fall.

25 years ago

June 9, 1988

Colfax City Council Monday called for a “pause” before deciding whether or not to join the Palouse Economic Development Council, a move that would bring the PEDC central office to Colfax. PEDC is presently located in Clarkston.

George W. Kenfield of Moscow, 22-year veteran of the postal service, has been selected new Colfax Postmaster and will be sworn in at a brief ceremony June 17.

10 years ago

June 5, 2003

Colfax athletes bagged two state titles in the final five days of action for the 2002-2003 sports year. Saturday, the Bulldog baseball team concluded an amazing 26-0 season with two wins in the state finals to keep the state trophy they won last year. The second state win at Yakima County Stadium concluded the sports careers of nine Colfax seniors. Kristin Watts topped a field of 20 finalists to win the state A-B golf championship at Tri-Cities Country Club in Kennewick. Keisha Vorderbrueggen and Elaine Richards also placed in the top 20 to give Colfax 20 team points, enough to take the state title home to Colfax.

Colfax-based Arrow Machinery Inc. and Spokane’s R.A. Hanson Co. have inked a deal that allows Arrow to provide final assembly and parts distribution for hillside leveling systems made by RAHCO. Arrow now sells John Deere and other tillage components but doesn’t independently manufacture any of the components.