Good Old Days: Dec. 27, 2018

125 years ago

The Commoner, Dec. 8, 1893

The preliminary examination of Mrs. Elizabeth M. Sutton, on a charge of assault with intent to murder her son-in-law, C. Eugene Prescott Oct. 14th, was held before Justice of the Peace Zimmerman Friday and Saturday.

Dec. 15, 1893

At about 3 o'clock Monday morning, Roadmaster W. Bollens, of the U.P., received word that a big washout had occurred at Elberton. He went thither on freight train No. 41 at about 4 o'clock Monday morning. The train stopped a considerable distance from the river bridge, and Roadmaster Bollens, with a lantern, jumped off and proceeded up the tracks to the bridge. The washout was more extensive than Mr. Bollens imagined. He was walking the track slowly when a tie upon which he stepped gave away, and he precipitated into the stream, which was up to his neck. This was all before daylight. He scrambled out rapidly with the assistance of the trainmen. Further inspection showed the Elberton washout to be so extensive that repairs could not be made in time for today's trains to pass, and the train dispatchers were notified.

100 years ago

The Colfax Commoner, Dec. 6, 1918

After the first case had been submitted to the jury, Judge R.L. McCrosky announced that this term of court would be vacated and he instructed the jurymen to return to their homes. The unusual order was caused by the quarantine placed on all public meetings in the city of Colfax, and Judge McCrosky adjourned the court in order that he might be one of the first to comply with the new quarantine which was placed on the city at 10 o'clock Monday evening.

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The dairies of Colfax wish to give their customers the most sanitary milk possible and in order to do so request their patrons to wash the bottles and return them.

Dec. 13, 1918

City Health Officer Dr. John Benson has taken a vigorous stand in regard to the influenza, and beginning this week he will quarantine every home where a case of influenza has broken out. This is the policy that is approved by a majority of the cities, and it is the policy that should have been adopted in the early stages of the disease, it is the opinion of the majority of the people of this city.

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An increased number of flu cases have been reported from every section of the county this week and about ten cases a day are being reported in Colfax. The city health officer stated that there are more than forty-five influenza cases in St. Ignatius, and every doctor in the county is working almost day and night attending to the calls for services.

75 years ago

The Colfax Gazette-Commoner, Dec. 3, 1943

Each of the three children will receive equal shares from the estimated $20,000 separate property estate of Mrs. Olive I. Bradow, a resident of Colton who died Nov. 18, according to the terms of her will which was filed Tuesday for probate in superior court here.

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Harry Horton, 16, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. O.H. Horton, escaped injury Monday afternoon when the I.G.A. grocery truck he was driving turned on its side on narrow Cromwell Street on the west hillside.

Dec. 10, 1943

The ditching of a two-mile sector of dirt road from a point a mile-and-a-half west of Lamont to the Adams County line was promised by the county commissioners Monday to a delegation of about 25 farmers of the Lamont region.

50 years ago

The Colfax Gazette, Dec. 5, 1968

A crew of 15 General Telephone employees will be working “around the clock” at Garfield to restore telephone service to Garfield residents after a fire in the “dial hut” cut service Tuesday night. Clarence Standridge, district manager, Moscow, said the crew expected to have full telephone service restored in five to six days.

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Patients will be transferred from St. Ignatius Hospital to the new Whitman Community Hospital on Sunday, Sister Davenport, administrator, said today.

Dec. 12, 1968

Telephone rates in the Colfax area will be raised from 6 to 14 per cent if Pacific Northwest Bell is granted an increase requested last week from the Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission in Olympia.

25 years ago

Whitman County Gazette, Dec. 9, 1993

Rosalia High School horticulture students have bloomed this year, along with their talents for raising flowers with a Christmas flair. Students in Rosalia and Colfax raised hundreds of poinsettias and chrysanthemums to sell for the Christmas season, which began needing special care as early as July.

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Two men were arrested Tuesday in connection with burglaries in Rosalia and Colfax. Both men were caught because witnesses had seen them entering the house of Don Baird of Rosalia and could give descriptions of them. After their arrests, Rosalia Marshal Dennis Peters said their vehicle was seized and impounded and police found stolen property from the Rosalia residence and a home in Colfax.

Dec. 16, 1993

A suspect in a burglary at Hay last summer was ordered to stay out of Hay and post $5,000 bond while awaiting arraignment.

10 years ago

Whitman County Gazette, Dec. 11, 2008

If Farmington citizens want the streetlight outside their home to keep glowing, they will have to be willing to pay the cost of operating it. After the failure of the Farmington streets and equipment levies on the November ballot, the city council discussed at a regular meeting Monday night strategies for making it through the next year on an already trimmed budget.

Dec. 18, 2008

As the frigid arctic winds blew across the Palouse Sunday afternoon, Chet Mills stood with his family and friends looking at ashes and flames where the home where he and his children grew up used to be. They learned of the fire while at an after-church choir practice at a church member's home in Colfax. A friend of Jared's called to tell them the news. At first they believed it was a joke, until a neighbor verified it. The house was located five miles east of Rosalia on L.D. Johnson Road. Mills said the five-bedroom, two story house was built by L.D. Johnson himself in about 1885. Four generations of the Mills family lived in the house. Mills suspects the fire was caused by electric heaters trying to counter the arctic cold.