Good Old Days June 9

125 years ago

The Commoner

June 5, 1891

Considerable interest has been shown by the press of the state lately in regard to the location and work of experiment stations, to be operated in connection with the college here.

A Herald reporter saw President Lilley and asked him concerning the matter.

Mr. Lilley replied: “Owing to the fact that the state has such a diversity of soil and climate, and in order that experiments in agriculture, horticulture and stock breeding may be conducted in fairness and justice to all sections of the state, I think it will be found necessary to locate several experiment stations, or at least several sub-stations.

This can be done and made a source of relief and profit to the experiment station proper.”

What class of work will be carried on at these stations, the reporter asked. “At each sub-station experiments should be conducted to thoroughly test the different kinds of soil and vegetation of its immediate locality, and the best methods of producing the largest and most successful results. Bulletins announcing the results of these tests can be issued directly from the sub-stations and in the interest of the particular location to which they apply. As soon as sufficient means are produced, educational and industrial work could be assigned to each sub-station.”

***

An event of Saturday last was a runway in which Harry Huntting of this city came near losing his life.

It was caused by the pernicious firecracker in the hands of the small boy.

Mill street was crowded with teams, as was the whole town in fact.

A team had been hitched near Amos' blacksmith shop, and to the rear of this another team was tied.

Frightened by the explosion of crackers, the front team broke loose and ran, at the same time causing the team in the rear to run also.

As they turned and came tearing through Wall street, Harry Huntting who was walking along the sidewalk, to whom one of the teams belonged, sprang in front of them.

He was struck in the head by the horses feet or the wagon tongue or something else and knocked senseless to the ground.

The team passed over him and almost by miracle the standers-by pulled him away before the wheels passed over his body.

He received medical care at once and soon regained consciousness.

No bones were broken.

His principal injury was a severe blow on the head and back by which he was terribly stunned.

It was a very close call on his life.

The running teams turned up Main street, nearly causing a panic until stopped. Thus endeth another chapter in the history of the doings of the firecracker, assisted by the small boy. The injured man Huntting is rapidly recovering from the effects of his unpleasant experience.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner

June 9, 1916

The decision has been made by the men who have investigated the land in the Colville reservation, that there is very little agricultural land in the tract which is to be opened this summer. This means that thousands of homeseekers who come to this state to acquire land in the reservation will return to the east disappointed and will also carry away with them a wrong idea in regard to the opportunities which are offered by the west.

These visitors should be encouraged to visit this country and should be encouraged to investigate farm conditions in Whitman County. There are many desirable farms that can be purchased reasonably and the banks and loan companies are always willing to advance a liberal amount to the man who desires farm land in this district.

Too long has the task of securing farmers been left entirely to those who have land to sell.

Every family that is encouraged to buy a home in this county becomes a permanent customer of the business man.

It has been correctly figured out that every farmer who lives in this county buys at least six hundred dollars worth of material from some Whitman County merchant.

No one will dispute the fact that this county can furnish homes to a third more farmers without the least bit of trouble.

The sentiment is growing that too little attention has been paid to the securing for the county desirable settlers to take the place of those who are retiring from farm life.

The large ranches means fewer homes in the country and without the farmers little progress can be made by the cities.

Instead of boasting of the large ranches within the borders of the county we should be boasting of the many prosperous and happy homes that dot the fertile Palouse hills.

***

Last Monday was road day at the session of the county commissioners and road delegations from several towns in the county were present to urge upon the board the necessity of constructing new roads.

The commissioners gave each one of the delegations a hearing and the greatest of fairness was manifested between the members of the board and the farmers and business men that were present.

Commissioners Whitlow and Thompson were the only members of the board present at the Monday session as Commissioner Manchester was called to the coast on business, connected with the Tri-state warehouse company of which he is a member of the directors.

The delegation that wanted a road constructed across Rock Creek were accorded the second hearing in the afternoon and called into the commissioners room as the Palouse delegates were leaving.

W. P. Parker of Effie was spokesman for the “hole in the ground” road delegation and he told the members of the board that the residents of that part of the county would aid in the work of grading the road as far as the first bench on both sides of the canyon if the commissioners would put in a bridge and complete the work.

The visitors claim that this road will provide a cut off that will make a considerable saving in the distance that the farmers are obliged to haul their wheat.

Commission Whitlow told the spokesman they had a good road in that part of the county and he seemed inclined to doubt the wisdom of trying to construct a road across the canyon.

Estimates made by a former county surveyor state that a road across Rock creek at this point would cost at least $7000.

The delegation from Palouse were present to press their claims for a change in the road on the Cox hill. The part of the road that the citizens of Palouse asked to have changed lies about a mile south of town and runs through a deep cut that drifts full of snow each winter which makes it necessary for the farmers to cross the fields in coming to or leaving the city of Palouse.

R. T. Cox was present and state the change asked for would damage his land at least $500. The members of the board stated they would be fair but they doubted the wisdom of paying $500 of the people's money in securing a change in this part of the county road. Mr. Cox also stated that he would be fair and with this understanding the visitors made way for a second delegation.

The third road delegation of the day was from Endicott. M. E. Darden and banker M. A. Sherman were present to ask the board to make a change in the Hamilton road which leads to Endicott. Mr. Darden and also Mr. Sherman told the board that the road which now runs over the hills should be changed to follow along the gulch. This road is the main road which leads to Endicott and at the suggestion of the visitors, the members of the board agreed to investigate the proposed change on the 20th of June.

The people of St. John, Lancaster and Endicott have a petition asking for a bridge at the old Allen crossing over the Palouse River. The bridge was washed out several years ago and the people of that part of the county want it re-established.

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

June 6, 1941

For 15 years, lacking about 10 days, first the Gazette and later the Gazette-Commoner were at home at N222 Main street. More than 780 issues had rolled off the press, and 2,250,000 copies of your weekly paper had gone out from that address. Built for the Gazette in 1926 the building seemed somehow part and parcel of the paper, wherein the activities of the publication flowed smoothly for almost a generation.

Without interrupting the even tenor of the shop a merger of the Commoner with the Gazette was made in mid-December, 1932. The first interruption came this spring when the building was sold to the Colfax Creamery, and it became necessary for the Gazette-Commoner to find a new home. Practically the only place in Colfax that could be revamped quickly to the needs of newspaper machinery was across the street in the King's Book Store, and that location was finally decided upon.

Last week's issue of the Gazette-Commoner was the first to be printed in the new location. This issue marks the first one to be composed, set and printed at N211 Main. Come and visit us.

***

That the condemnation suit of the City of Pullman against the owners of the 31.24 acres of land, wanted as an addition to a public airport between Pullman and Moscow, might be dismissed was indicated in a compromise stipulation filed Monday in superior court here, subject to approval by the Pullman city council before June 14, the date set for trial of the case.

Presiding in the court when the stipulation was introduced Monday was Superior Judge T. A. Paul, Walla Walla, whose appointed followed the filing of a petition by one of the defendants, Earl P. Whitlow, asking that Judge M. E. Jesseph be disqualified because of prejudice. Judge Jesseph is chairman of the county's legal advisory board serving under the selective military training act.

An agreement has been made to negotiate for approximately the same acreage on the north side of the field between Whitlow and Mrs. W. D. Courtney, owners, the city council and airport c

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

June 9, 1966

A “pinewood derby,” principally of interest to Cub Scout groups in the Palouse Empire, will be an added feature of the Slippery Gulch celebration here July 4, Bob Lockhert of the Tekoa Jaycees announced this week.

The Jaycees will sponsor the derby as part of their share in the big program and will award prizes for first, second and third places. The “derby” is a race of miniature cars, carved from pine blocks and run on a miniature track.

***

More than 25,000 tons of concrete were poured in a navigation lock approach wall finished recently at the Lower Granite dam site. It is the only permanent part of the dam completed under the first phase contract. The wing, which is one-half of the locks that will lift ships from the Little Goose pool into the Lower Granite pool, is about 750 feet long, 86 feet wide and 50 feet high and built of solid concrete.

***

Royce W. Johnson, a Garfield sophomore at Eastern Washington state college, is among more than 50 students who participated in a three-day field trip in search of fossil plants and mammal bones.

Led by Dr. William D. Tidwell and Dale Stradling of the EWSC geography-geology department, the group left Cheney recently for the dunes, potholes reservoirs, Ginko State Park, the Ellensburg formation near Selah where they searched for fossil plants before camping at Satus Pass.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

June 6, 1991

An early-morning fire Friday destroyed a large metal shop building at the Dusty Farm Co-op an six trucks parked in an adjoining metal shed. The fire left the co-op with just two of its operating field trucks, but the co-op was able to put together a service fleet before the weekend, according to Steve Passmore, manager.

An official estimate of the loss will probably be weeks away. Passmore, who has managed the co-operative for the past 18 months, said they are insured through a company which is affiliated with Cenex.

“There's an accumulation of 25 years of stuff in there, and it seems like something else turns up every day,” he noted.

The five field trucks, International models, included three 1979 models and two 1976 models. Ammonia tanks were on three of the trucks. A one-ton 1985 Chevrolet truck and a Scout van used to check field were also lost in the fleet.

The fire hit at a time of year when farmers in the area ar applying anhydrous ammonia in summer fallow ground in preparation for next fall's seeding. The cooperative has approximately 180 active members.

Farmers and the Colfax Grange Supply have donated trucks for the cooperative to use.

The fire was spotted by passing motorists on Highway 26 who stopped at the Steve Moore residence. Moore relayed the almar to Hank Ackerman who resides near the Dusty fire truck shed which is across the old highway from the cooperative complex.

The office and store area of the cooperative and a shop building which is rented by Loren Scaggs and Ralph Blevins escaped damage from the blaze.

Passmore said the state fire marshall had inspected the site and “leaned” toward an electrical malfunction as a possible cause. The fire marshall has requested removal of some of the burned metal section at the site to get a better look at other clues on the possible cause of the fire.