Good old days

125 years ago

The Commoner

Oct. 18, 1889

The drilling of the artesian well on the city's property in South Colfax is progressing. The drill was down 100 feet yesterday and still pounding away through solid rock at the rate of four to six feet a day. With the exception of the first eighteen feet hard rock has been encountered the entire distance.

It was reported in the city yesterday that a team and wagon had been stolen Tuesday in Palouse City from a young man who had entrusted the lines to a stranger picked up on the road to town, while the former did some trading at the store. The stolen property was recovered near Farmington where it had been traded off for a horse and saddle and about $40 "to boot." The thief had not been captured.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Oct. 16, 1914

Late last week Surman Chandler sold 497 acres of land near Pampa for $19,880 or $40 an acre. This was all that remained of 1,777 acres which he owned six months ago, 1,280 acres having been previously sold for $16,350. Mr. Chandler, who was a Palouse country pioneer, now lives in Oregon City, Ore.

W.W. Small of Pullman won the sweepstakes prize for the best display of grains at the Whitman County Fair with one of the best exhibits of home grown grains ever seen here.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

Oct. 13, 1939

A vivid example of what Fire Prevention Week is attempting to guard against occurred at 4 p.m. Tuesday when the Harold T. Mast home at S. 411 Mill Street was considerably damaged by fire which broke out near the roof as the result of a defective flue, firemen reported. Damage to the house was estimated at $800, while contents were damaged to the extent of about $200, firemen said. The Mast family is out of town and no one was in the structure at the time of the blaze. Flames were emerging before the alarm was reported by neighbors to the fire department.

Four patrols, representing 31 boys from Boy Scout Troop 88, enjoyed a treasure hunt last Tuesday evening. A series of notes lead the boys through most of the dark alleys of the city, according to plans of the junior officers and scoutmasters. Members of White Bear patrol, led by Don Hickman, patrol leader, were first to reach the treasure hidden at the ball park. The treasure was bags of peanuts for the winning patrol members. Next week, a "Hounds and Hare" race is scheduled.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Oct. 15, 1964

One of the Inland Empire's pioneer bankers, Manager John Ottmar of the Colfax branch of Seattle-First National, will retire at the end of this month after a 49-year banking career that began when he "apprenticed" during the winter months in a one-man country bank near the present city of Moses Lake.

Nearly 80 Colfax High School graduates talked about the "good old days" from Saturday morning until late in the night at last week's reunion and many of them called it one of the most enjoyable events in their lives. The reunion, which was organized by a committee headed by Orge Spacek of Tekoa, was the first ever held in Colfax of the old-timers and invitations had been extended to graduates of 1914, 1915, 1916, and 1917 and others who wished to attend.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Oct. 19, 1989

Approximately 700 yards of contaminated earth was removed Friday from the former state highway office and shop area in Colfax. The soil was contaminated over the years by leaking tanks which served the site during its many years of operation, according to Russ Shorten, district maintenance supervisor. Shorten said seven tanks were buried at the shop site over the years. One of the tanks was a former railroad tank car which had been buried at the site.

Elberton's Main Street will undergo a drastic change in the coming months when the general store and six older homes are demolished. Ron Miller Construction of Addy was awarded the bid for tearing down the store and five buildings during the county commissioners' regular session. The construction company's bids were $2,001 for demolition of the old store and $1,500 for the five other buildings.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

Oct. 14, 2004

The frame of the new public safety building in Palouse is going up on schedule, and installation of water and sewer lines should be finished by the end of the week. Eventually all vehicles, equipment and personnel will be under one roof as opposed to being scattered about the town.

The population of the town of Hooper exploded Sunday afternoon when almost 370 people gathered for a benefit barbecue and concert for Soni Broeckel and Shyla Smith. The two area teens were seriously injured in an automobile accident last July.

The long-awaited Courtyard in Colfax opened its doors Tuesday to a steady flow of visitors for most of the day. Visitors for the open house were given a tour of the facility including apartments. common rooms and the courtyard complete with wooden rocking chairs, potted plants and an inviting landscape.