Good old days

125 years ago

The Commoner

Feb. 28, 1890

College Items:.

Miss Mystia Jackson has la grippe. Oliver and Omar Johnson are both down with the malaria. Emery and Hugh Shirfey have left school. The mumps seems to have left us. No new cases this week.

Tekoa -- A Finger Cut off

Last Saturday, while Geo. Maxfield, the depot clerk, was engaged in unloading some barrels of whiskey from a car, he met with an accident which might have crippled him for life. A car was thrown on the track, striking the car in which he was working, just as he was in the act of rolling out a heavy barrel. The force of the shock threw the entire wait against the side of the door, crushing his finger and severing it at the first joint. Maxfield went to Spokane Falls where his injured hand is getting along nicely.

Rosalia-- A Great Society Event

Last Friday night witnessed the swell event of the season in society circles, it being the occasion of the grand masquerade ball for which elaborate preparations have been in the making for a long time past. At 9 o'clock the ball opened with a good many maskers and a good sized audience of spectators in attendance and continued until supper was announced and the masks discarded after which it was again resumed and kept up unceasingly until half past four when all dispersed feeling that they had enjoyed one of the most pleasant events ever witnessed in Rosalia.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Feb. 26, 1915

Seventy-five thousand brook trout have been ordered by County Game Warden A.L. Carter, from the state fish hatchery in Walla Walla. The warden expects the shipment any day and will release the fish at Winona, near the large dam. Rock lake, the most picturesque body of water in south eastern Washington, has already been stocked with several thousand trout of both the eastern and western varieties.

The addition to the Hotel Colfax is practically finished and will be ready for use soon after March the first. Twelve rooms thoroughly modern have been added, making the hotel one of the largest and best equipped in Eastern Washington, outside of Spokane.

Whitman County will be on a cash basis before the end of 1915. Not only is the county clear of debt, but school districts, and towns are acquiring a balance on the right side of the ledger.

ROSALIA--Col. L. Strobel the "Jolly Auctioneer" of Colfax has been secured to cry the Huffman sale near this city. Mr. Strobel is well known here and gets the majority of the sales.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

March 1, 1940

Miss Elizabeth Rankin entertained the I. C. club at the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Alden Tuesday evening. Bridge was played, the high score being held by Miss Phyllis Anderson and the low by Miss Louise Blachly. Miss Bettina Berkey received the draw prize. Miss Margery Shilling was a guest. Delicious refreshments were served at the close of the evening.

Rebel Flat--For all the grown-up little boys who are fretting about too much rain, let them be reminded-- "It isn't raining rain, you know, it's raining violets."

Oakesdale--Dr. and Mrs. J. J. Robinson and Mr. Turney motored to Spokane Wednesday evening and heard Fritz Kreisler, violinist. Due to not having reservations, several others who went up from Oaskesdale, were unable to attend the concert.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

March 4, 1965

Climaxing an intensive four-hour session, 14 of the 16 trustees of the Whitman County Hospital association gave unanimous approval to a proposed operating agreement between the association and the Sisters of Charity of Providence Tuesday night.

Appointment of Arrow Machinery Co., Colfax, as Caterpillar tractor dealer for the St. John-Colfax-Pullman area was announced this week. The area has not had a Caterpillar dealer since the franchise was withdrawn from Whitman Machinery Co. of St. John last fall.

Co-chairmen of the lunch-serving committee who served lunches during the Whitman County Basketball tournament last week report that they will have approximately $1,000 after expenses are paid to divide between the high school and Endicott Education association funds. 300 pies were served and countless bowls of other food they said.

Stockholders of the Colfax Grange Supply Co. met nearly "400 strong" at Steptoe Grange hall Tuesday to reelect their five directors and hear a "healthy" financial report on the firm's second year in the "above $1 million" class.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

March 1, 1990

The Endicott Food Center and Viikwood were struck by fire Saturday afternoon but both should be open again soon.

"Faster Puppycat" was asked to take it a little slower late Sunday night in Colfax. City police stopped a bus which was carrying the band after an appearance in Pullman.

Kelsey Cartwright, Garfield first grader, and Janet McCall of Winona Monday each staked a claim to the dollar prize offered in the Gazette's annual "first buttercup" competition.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

March 3, 2005

Whitman County may soon have more than $200,000 to combat terrorism in Whitman County, according to Fran Martin, emergency manager for the county.

Paperwork totaling $35,000 in grants passed across the desk of commissioners several weeks ago and a much larger grant could be coming soon, Martin said.

A Colfax fire crew was called out at 6:27 Tuesday morning by a report of a burning semi truck tire which was in front of the former Powell Plumbing. The tire and wheel came off a southbound truck from Spokane, and the driver pulled off at the Ace Hardware lot after a motorist signaled that he had a problem. The tire and wheel actually had not caught fire.

LaCrosse--Howard and May Kennedy and Norman and Florence Teitrick received a free Valentine's Day Dinner at the Country Buffet, Lewiston, by showing their marriage license showing they were married 59 years.