Good old days

125 years ago

The Commoner

Jan. 11, 1889

Phil. Wilman returned Saturday from San Francisco whither he went some two weeks ago for the purpose of laying in stock for his new harness and saddlery house in this city, which will be open for business soon. He is now putting the rooms in order for the opening, and contemplates a large addition to his building in the spring. The stock is daily expected.

The Carley Bros. are determined to keep abreast with the times, and the needs and wants of this growing country. They have added an iron planer to their machine shop, and are now possessed with all the necessary machinery for doing all kinds of work in iron, brass or steel. We do not believe that there is a better equipped machine shop in Eastern Washington.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Jan. 9, 1914

Some needed improvements are being made at the county courthouse.

The front entrance is being inclosed with glass and woodwork to keep out the wind and cold.

This will be a permanent fixture instead of having a storm door built on the inside, as has been done in past winters and having it taken away in the spring.

The new inclosure is of woodwork and glass and fits in the inside of the three arches at the entrance.

It will add to the beauty as well as the convenience of the building.

There are improvements being made inside the courthouse.

The treasurer’s office is being remodeled and so arranged that there will be much more room.

The counter in the front office is being changed to fit the narrow hall extending in from the door on the south side of the vault and will reduce the length of the hall by half and add much to the working room of the office.

Because they celebrated “not wisely but too well,” a number of residents of “Russia Town” paid fines in police court the next day.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

Jan. 13, 1939

Fire shortly after 4 o’clock Thursday morning destroyed about half of the greenhouse owned and operated by O.F.J. Deysenroth and Joe Deysenroth on South Meadow Street, and all of the plants in the building were killed by the heat and smoke.

A complete estimate of the damage had not been determined by noon.

When the blaze was seen by George Kroll, a neighbor boy, the west end of the greenhouse and a shed adjacent containing wood and a stove were afire.

Kroll called the fire department, which responded with both trucks, and soon controlled the conflagration.

Geraniums, cynaras and tulip and daffodil bulbs occupied most of the west end.

Joe Deysenroth said Thursday they plan to rebuild immediately and to resume business right away.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Jan. 9, 1964

Whitman County’s first baby of the new year is Sharon Lynn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Milton Cook, who farm about two miles east of Dusty. Sharon Lynn, weighing in at six pounds, 10 ounces, was born at 9:36 p.m. on New Year’s Day with Dr. William N. Freeman attending. Sharon joins a brother, Gary, 11, and a sister, Sandra, 6. In addition to many prizes offered by Colfax businessmen in their annual stork derby, the parents received a substantial reduction in their hospital bill from St. Ignatius.

The McGregor Co. recently joined the ranks of two or three other Whitman County manufacturers who can be listed as exporters when they completed shipment of an ammonia applicator to Australia.

Whitman County’s dry spell last fall can’t hold a candle to the drought which has stricken cattle ranchers and farmers in Wyoming and eastern Colorado, Oscar Steiger reported this week on his return with Mrs. Steiger, from a visit to Colorado Springs, Colo.

He said everyone was complaining and farmers were telling him that it’s been dry so long they had to prime their wells before they can get any water.

In another instance, Colorado department of highways announced it would no longer build any highways along creeks because of the dust nuisance.

Creeks were so dry that the fish swimming back and forth in the bottom raised dust which interfered with the vision of drivers, Steiger reported.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Jan. 12, 1989

Heavy snow, rain, slush and freezing temperatures, caused hazardous driving conditions for travelers earlier this week and kept state, county and city crews busy plowing and sanding roadways.

Joan Hubbard has been named president of the Colfax Chamber of Commerce for 1989. A 15-year Chamber of Commerce member, she will be formally installed at a banquet at the Elk’s Lodge in Colfax. Hubbard is the branch manager of Seattle First National Bank in Colfax. She replaces outgoing chamber president Brian Magelky, branch manager of Washington Mutual Savings Bank. Dick Miller, proprietor of Allen’s Restaurant, has been named vice president for this year and Carol Rubin will continue as secretary.

Colfax High School students Julie McPherson and Susan Santos are preparing to depart for Australia later this month. They will spend almost a year there under the student exchange program of Rotary International.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

Jan. 8, 2004

Snow, wind, fog and cold put a damper on New Year’s Day and the following weekend for road crews. Snow storms were compounded with high level winds late on New Years Day to shut down the road system for most of the county. Crews gained ground through more snow Saturday but then were hit with a blast of arctic temperatures. The wind blew virtually every county road closed. The storm which brought whiteout conditions through much of the Palouse led to numerous vehicles including county snowplows off the road. Some 200 travelers took refuge at Jennings Elementary School to wait out the storm. Highway 195 was closed from Hastings Road in the Spangle area all the way south to the Idaho line.

County commissioners signed appointment certificates for 11 new reserve deputies to the sheriff’s department.