Good Old Days

125 years ago

The Commoner

Aug. 1, 1890

The contract for doing the rock work on the Lewiston road was awarded to Contractors Anderson and Swanson.

Both men were terribly injured while at work one mile east of here last Saturday.

A hole had been drilled into the rock preparatory to making a blast, and Swanson was pouring powder into it while Anderson tamped it down with an iron rod.

Two kegs of black powder and considerable dynamite had been placed in the hole, and both men lay on their stomachs with their faces toward it, when the action of the iron rod against the rock caused an explosion, and both men were hurled into the air.

Swanson says that he was thrown ten feet high, and Anderson must have gone a good deal higher.

Swanson escaped with his hair and mustache burnt off, and with bad burns, cuts and bruises on his head, neck and hands, but Anderson's fate was most horrible.

His face and arms were literally roasted and torn to pieces; one eye was blown from its socket and the sight of the other probably destroyed.

The men were brought to town where their wounds were dressed.

Swanson will speedily recover, and it is thought that Anderson will live.

He was taken to the Spokane hospital last Monday.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

Aug. 6, 1915

The state department now has under construction 217 miles of road, which will cost $900,000. Of 39 counties, 30 are under construction, under the permanent highway act, 207 miles, to cost $1,334,000, according to statistics prepared by Highway Commissioner William R. Roy.

Of the county work under the permanent highway act, 10 miles left over from last year, while 197 miles is new work authorized since January 1.

The mileage of the new permanent highways by counties, authorized since the first of the year, is as follows:

Adams, 8.5 miles; Benton, 6.9 miles; Chelan, 5 miles; Clallam, 6.1 miles; Clark, 4 miles; Columbia, 3 miles; Cowlitz, 2.3 miles; Grant, 8.3 miles; Grays Harbor, 4 miles; Island, 1 mile; Jefferson, 1.5 miles; King, 25.8 miles; Kitsap, 2.1 miles; Kattitas, 9.5 miles; Klickitat, 2.2 miles; Lewis, 3.6 miles; Lincoln, 12.5 miles; Okanagon, 4.8 miles; Pacific, 2.5 miles; Pend Oreille, 3.5 miles; Pierce, 6.8 miles; Skagit, 2.3 miles; Skamania, 1 mile; Snohomish, 14.3 miles; Spokane, 15.6 miles; Thurston, 3 miles; Walla Walla, 6 miles; Whatcom, 6 miles; Whitman 11.3 miles; Yakima, 13.7 miles.

Types of surfacing used are:

Gravel, 112.6 miles; macadam, 29.1 miles; asphaltic macadum, 17.8 miles; bitulithic, 1.5 miles; asphalt, 1 mile; concrete, 23.8 miles.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

Aug. 2, 1940

Both county legislative tickets were filled this week with the filing of Asa V. Clark, Pullman, Republican, and Claude Irwin, Pullman, and S. R. Clegg, Colfax, Democrats, all candidates for state representative, Ninth District.

With that of Fred Miller, Oakesdale, Republican candidate for representative, the names of Clark, Irwin and Clegg will appear on the general election ballot unless one or more additional aspirants for the office file by the August 10 deadline.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Aug. 5, 1965

A "rough draft" of the application of the state health department for permission to build the new Whitman County hospital has been completed by the architect, President Dan Scheideman of the board of trustees announced this week.

"This same application will also be used in our application for Hill-Burton funds to assist in building," he said.

The architect has also completed the "programming" for the hospital and schematic drawings are ready for submission with the application. "This all means progress towards our goals," Scheideman said, "although it will still be some time before we turn the first shovel of earth."

Additional meetings with the Sisters of Charity of Providence are now planned to reach a final decision on several phases of the hospital planning, and an inventory of equipment that can be transferred from the present St. Ignatius to the new structure is being taken.

Articles of incorporation of the Whitman County hospital association were filed a month ago with the Secretary of State and have now been returned for filing with the Whitman County Auditor's office. Scheideman said action will now be taken to obtain a tax-exempt statement from the Director of Internal Revenue so that all contributions can be considered as tax-exempt.

Cal Appel, a member of the hospital board of trustees, said this week that his committee is still seeking bids on removal of old buildings from the site selected for the new hospital.

"We are looking for bids on the removal of any or all of the buildings and will accept tenders until Sept. 1," he said. "The building will have to be removed by Dec. 1 and we are hopeful of getting some good bids shortly."

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

Aug. 2, 1990

Endicott native Bill Schmick, recently the victim of a tragedy, was the recipient Sunday of a love and sympathy celebration in which neighbors harvested his wheat.

Schmick's sons, John and David Schmick, died June 26 in a traffic accident near Davis, Calif.

John, who had operated the Schmick combine the past few years, had been working with Verne Strader, who is a mechanic, in preparation for this year's harvest.

Barbara Strader, who with husband Verne, coordinated the event, said she received 50 telephone calls in the past week as neighbors and other friends volunteered help when they heard that a "bee" was to be held.

The crew of 55 persons, including 35 men in the field as combine operators, truck drivers and "flunkies," got started cutting about 10 a.m. By 2:30 p.m. the last bushel from the 175 acres was in the bins.

Strader said that 35 men were hosted to a dinner served by volunteers in the Schmick home in Endicott. At least 55 persons were participants, either by furnishing equipment or food or by helping in the field or with the meal.

Combines were provided by Donald K. Lust, Mark Richter, Bill Kackman, Edgar Bafus, Dan Helt, Bob Garrett, Darrell Bafus, Glen Smick, and by owner, Bill Schmick.

Trucks were furnished by Jim Rockwell, Tim Gerlitz and by Richter, Edgar and Darrell Bafus and Schmick.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette

Aug. 4, 2005

Voters will decide this September if they want to help the county bridge its looming budget gap.

County Commissioners Monday approved a special election proposition for a sales and use tax to help cover costs associated with operating and maintaining the jail and juvenile detention facilities in the county. Money for the facility now comes out of the general fund and additional sales tax revenue would allow the county to use those funds elsewhere.

"This could help free up some money in the general fund," said Commission chair Greg Partch.

He added the proposition, if approved, would bring in an additional $300,000 to help with the estimated $900,000 shortfall the county is facing.

The proposition would authorize a sales and use tax of one-tenth of one percent (10 cents on every $100) to be used for the jail and detention programs and is one of the only options the county has for generating additional revenue.

The county used to receive $600,000 in criminal justice funds which provided money to operate the jail and detention facilities, Commissioner Jerry Finch said. Those funds disappeared with the passage of initiative 695, the $30 car tabs, and the county has had to take the money from the general fund since.

"It costs a lot of money to have those prisoners in jail," Finch said, pointing to the rise in cost of medical care for inmates.

Commissioners passed the resolution and it will now go on to the county auditor for inclusion on the September ballot.