Good old days

125 years ago

June 29, 1888

An accident befell the Pomeroy stage on Tuesday. While descending the Almota hill, the vehicle overturned throwing the driver and passengers out. The latter was J.H. Morgan, territorial Superintendent of Public Instruction and Prof. Follansbee of Olympia. Mr. Morgan received a broken foot; the other escaped any serious injury.

The tap of the fire bell at five o’clock Monday evening occasioned quite an excitement on the streets for a few minutes. The fire boys had the engine out and steam up before it was discovered that the fire, caused by an explosion of a kerosene can at the home of Mr. Feathers in the south end, had been extinguished, and made use of the opportunity for a little practice.

On Wednesday evening, about ten o’clock, a disturbance in the alley at the rear of the Pantheon Saloon, led Marshal Mackay to the scene to observe the cause.

The disturbance proved to be a row in the house of ill fame in that vicinity, the belligerents being of bad character and a frail inmate.

Mackay stepped to the door to interfere when the man dodged out the back and around the corner of the house to its front, where he fired two shots at Marshal Mackay, who immediately returned the fire, one shot taking effect on the right side of the man.

The latter then mounted a horse and struck out on the Palouse City road on the double quick, shortly followed by Marshal Mackay and Deputy Sheriff Petty.

The man, by mistake or possibly to save funeral expenses, took the road to the cemetery, and was passed by his pursuers.

He remained in his hiding place until about two o’clock in the morning when his wound in the side induced him to come to town for medical aid.

His wound proved to be not very serious, though painful.

He is now in the clutches of the law and will probably be dealt with as he deserves.

100 years ago

June 27, 1913

From all parts of the county come reports of the increasing number of automobiles purchased by farmers of the county.

Reports from Colton show that many farmers living near that place have purchased autos for use by themselves and their families.

Palouse reports that a number of automobiles have been purchased by farmers in that district and that more farmers have signified their intention of purchasing machines.

Farmers living near Pullman have, for several weeks, continued purchasing cars and the farmers near Colfax have for a considerable time taken the lead in investing in automobiles.

There is at present no indications that the next few months will see an unusual number of cars sold to farmers in the county.

The Colfax Boosters, an organization of Colfax business men who have taken steps to advertise on an extensive scale the city of Colfax and the city’s undertaking, was formed last Friday and Charles F. Bensel was elected president of the organization.

The organization was prompted by a desire to take action for the betterment of the city, and already the members have rendered some valuable aid to the town.

Attired in neat appearing dusters and straw hats, the boosters left on Wednesday for a trip through the county to advertise the Fourth of July celebration to be held here and also the Whitman County Fair next fall.

The members left in five automobiles, each of which was covered in signs advertising the Fourth of July celebration.

75 years ago

June 24, 1938

The annual picnic of the 25 granges of Whitman County will be held Sunday at Schmuck Park here. Coffee and cream will be furnished free of charge. The county championship baseball game will be played between Hay and Rebel Flat at 2 p.m. and there will be a game between Wilcox and Winona at 10 a.m. A program of other sports will be held for those not interested in baseball, it has been announced.

Miss Medda McClure, who has been teaching for the past several years at Winona, and William Floyd Freeman of St. John were married last Sunday afternoon at five o’clock at the home of the bride’s brother, W.L. McClure, in Oakesdale, by the Rev, L.N. Williams of Millwood.

The scene of the ceremony was the old McClure home place and Rev. Williams was pastor of the Oakesdale Presbyterian Church when the bride was a child in Sunday school there.

The bride was dressed in a gown of white chiffon, wore a wreath of orange blossoms in her hair and carried an old-fashioned bouquet of Talisman rosebuds, sweet peas and orange blossoms.

She was attended by Doris McClure as bridesmaid and Patty Ann Berry as flower girl.

50 years ago

June 27, 1963

There’s going to be a new number in your life come July 1st. This latest number you’ll have to remember is your “zip code.” If you’re a Colfax resident, you’ll like this number. It’s probably one of the easiest zip code numbers in the United States to remember: 99111.

In Dusty news, Gloria Stueckle left New York City June 15 in the company of a missionary family and arrived in Paris, the following Sunday. Their destination is the French Cameroons in Africa. Gloria expects to be in Africa for the next three years working in the mission field.

Carol Hochsprung, the year’s Colfax women’s golf champion, placed second in the Hayden Lake Invitational June 12 after a luckless opening the preceding Monday. Carol shot a 90 the first day and 79 in the finals to become runner-up to Peggy Conley, Spokane, who won last year’s tournament also. Carol also placed second a year ago.

25 years ago

June 30, 1988

Colfax school board officials received 45 responses to the graduation survey printed in the Gazette two weeks ago. Eighty-nine percent of the responses indicated that graduation ceremonies were too long. Six percent said the current length was fine, and two returned forms did not have that question answered. The survey was a result of complaints heard by the school board following the two and one-half hour ceremony this year.

County commissioners say they are unhappy with Judge Wallis Friel’s ruling last week that operation of six dumpster drop box sites by the county was illegal.

Mayor Carol Stueckle said she will proclaim an Adrian and Betty DeVries day for next Wednesday as part of an observance honoring the former operators of KCLX radio station in Colfax.

10 years ago

June 26, 2003

Construction started in earnest on remodeling the former Texaco Station in Rosalia June 5 with the removal of the asbestos and tar roofing from the “Lube Building.” The station will become Rosalia’s Visitor’s Resource and Interpretive Center. Warren Roellich’s 1927 Model T was pushed from the adjacent tin garage before an adjacent block building was knocked down.