Good Old Days: October 17, 2019

75 years ago

Colfax Gazette Commoner

October 13, 1944

In order to increase interest in swine breeding among young people, the Washington Swine Breeder’s association voted at a business meeting here last week to present a purebred each year to an outstanding exhibitor at the Spokane junior livestock show.

The gilt will be awarded on the basis of achievement in swine club work. The actual system to be used in selecting the winner will be worked out by Wade Wells, Spokane, and Dr. M. E. Enaminger, Pullman, in cooperation with the officials of the junior show. The recipient will be able to select an outstanding gilt of the breed he prefers.

Competition for the gilt will undoubtedly be keen, association members believe.

50 years ago

Colfax Gazette

October 16, 1969

Use of television in the classroom was demonstrated Monday night at the Colfax school board meeting by Coach Jerry Parrish and Principal Lynn Easton. A television tape recording of several class activities was presented along with recorded commentary.

The board expressed approval of a television equipment purchase after the school officials checked out other models of equipment. A camera and recorder manufactured by Shibaden of Japan was used in the demonstration. The total purchase could range up to $2500, Easton told the board.

25 years ago

Colfax Gazette

October 20, 1994

Quickly up to $4.74 and then quickly down to $4.60 is the story of wheat prices in the past seven days, the latest segment in this season’s run of higher prices.

The prices this week compare with a $3.45 Portland rates at the same time last year.

The higher wheat prices have been greeted by many farmers as a means of gaining back some of what has been lost on lower yields.

Last Tuesday’s run up to $4.72, plus two cents more by press time last Wednesday sparked speculation that “$5 a bushel wheat will return to this farming area this year?”

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A new radio system to link its 12 branches, a new computer, and interior remodeling are items of the shopping list for the Whitman County Library’s special levy proposal which will be on the ballot Nov. 8. The $250,000 request will be on the ballot for all voters in Whitman County outside of Pullman.

If approved, the one-time levy would mean an assessment of just under 38 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation in the district. That would be about $28.50 for a $75,000 house.

The library’s one-year levy request comes after a 10-year bond issue was paid off last year. The bonds were paid off one year early because reserve funds, required in bond payment schedules, had accumulated to the point where the last year’s payment on the bonds could be paid off. Levy for the bonds over nine years was 11 cents per $1,000 of assessed value over the nine years.

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A $15,000 loan from its own water service line fund to help buy property from Roy McDonald was approved Monday night by the city council. The loan will run over four years and carry seven percent interest rate.

The city also approved purchase of the land for $30,000 with another $15,000 coming out of the park department's funds.

City Treasurer Vic Roberts said the park department was unable to take the whole $30,000 out of its accounts without putting a bind on its capital budget in the coming years.