The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Ten Years Ago

August 5, 2004

Waitsburg teacher Becky Wilson has been awarded a week in Montpelier, Virginia, as one of 20 teachers from Washington state chosen to attend a week-long, all-expensepaid Summer Institute at James Madison's Montpelier Estate.

A severe thunderstorm system moving across northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington last Monday night knocked out power to some 3,350 households in Walla Walla, Waitsburg and Prescott. The strong easterly winds caused a tree on Orchard Street to fall, bringing down a powerline and transformer which threatened the home of Elmer and Joan Hays, 716 Orchard Street, Waitsburg. Power was restored to numerous Waitsburg residences by about midnight.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 3, 1989

Waitsburg's new marshal, Tom Longo, went to work bright and early Monday morning. He is presently living in an apartment in town until he arranges the sale of his home on the coast, and locates suitable quarters here.

Elmer Hays was running the new city backhoe in the process of backfilling the trench which holds both the new and old water lines along Seventh Street. The old line, which is in a metric measure, is approximately 3.5 inches in diameter, and was leaking in several spots, the most obvious near Ralph Rankin's driveway. Hays said that he line was what was called "Invasion Pipe," made for military purposes in France during World War I, which sort of dates it. He said the government made about ten times as much pipe as they really needed, then made it available at reasonable prices to cities in the U.S. He said he is amazed that it has lasted this long, and not a bit surprised to see it leaking after some 70-plus years in service. The new pope is bright blue PVC material, which should last a long time.

Fifty Years Ago

July 31, 1964

When the morning sun peeks red-eyed over the Blue Mountains of Southeastern Washington, Kermit Jones dons his flying uniform and prepares for the dawn patrol. Jones is a soldier of fortune, fighting for the farmers in an eternal war against agricultural enemies - weeds, insects, raindrops and frost.

Mr. and Mrs. John Dwyer and five boys from Everett, were guests at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Hofer last weekend to observe the harvest activities. Their visit was part of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers' Farm Hospitality program.

The Waitsburg school board will be holding a special meeting next Tuesday, August 4, at 7:30 p.m. in the superintendent's office for the purpose of opening bids for construction for the part of the grade school that was destroyed by fire earlier this year, according to Gerald Maid, superintendent.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

August 4, 1939

A fire started Thursday morning rolled across 3,200 acres of standing grain in the Alto district. The blaze burned itself out near dusk. It was believed started from the backfire of a combine motor on the Mickey Anderson place in Field's Gulch. Besided Anderson land, the blasé took grain on the land of C. B. Penner,m Nick Nascimento, A. M. Sprout, Orin Carpenter and Craig Tull.

Spontaneous combustion caused a barn and all its contents to be lost on the Chester Keiser place.

A 16 year old transient boy is being held in detention for breaking into and entering the Palm Club owned by Jack West. Some $20.00 was taken.

Our spell of extremely hot weather slacked up Saturday. We have had a ten-day period of above 90, four of which were over 100.

One Hundred Years Ago

August 7, 1914

A. G. Loundagin and family accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Duncan, spent a couple of days on Eckler Mountain east of Dayton, last week hunting the elusive huckleberry. They had a pleasant outing but report berries rather scarce this season because of the late frost.

Mrs. J. D. Laidlaw and son Ellis enjoyed an outing at Hayden Lake for a few days.

Enos Nascimento is in this city with several ribs broken as the result of becoming caught in the tumbling rod of a horse-power thresher in Field's Gulch one day last week.

S. A. Wilson who is farming the old Ed. Baxter place, has completed his wheat harvest. He got a yield of 40 bushels of Jenkin's club. Mr. Neilson has his barley to thresh yet. He is using a steam outfit.

By putting on a larger crew of workmen, Rock St. Jacque was enabled to complete his new dancing platform Saturday evening in time for his first dance. The new dancing pavilion, which is 45 X 100 feet, has been built on the Woodworth and Martin vacant lots between the Exchange Banks and the Central Market.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 2, 1889

Misses Addie Denney and Margaret Preston will leave next Tuesday for California to enter the State Normal School.

W. H. George, our efficient night police, reports the city very quiet after about eleven o'clock says an occasional cat fight is the only disturbance.

J. N. Bruce came in from his farm this morning. He just finished threshing his wheat crop which made a yield of 32 bushels per acre.

Several of Milt Jonas' horses have been sick and he was obliged to stop threshing, but Murray Buck arrive last night from the Big Bend with four good horses, and he will start up again on Monday morning.

A bridge on the O. R. & N. between Starbuck and Alto was destroyed by fire last night. As a result the Portland bound train which connects with the train passing here at 3:35 has not yet reached Bolles Junction.