The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Ten Years Ago

August 19, 2004

In the heat of summer, ice is a real treat. Fort Walla Walla Museum's fourth annual Olde-Fashioned Ice Cream Social is on Sunday, August 22. Waitsburg's Blue Mountain Troublemakers will present their special brand of music in the afternoon. Members of this group include Austin Beasley, Nicholas Carpenter, Will Garcia, Zach Beasley, Christopher Carpenter, Maya Garcia and John David Hockersmith.

Plenty of local kids brought their pets to Weller Public Library Pet Day last week, including Mariah Hofer, who showed up with her horse. Pet Day is one of the many special programs that are part of the library's Summer Reading Program. Unfortunately, Mariah and her horse weren't able to go in the library for the large group of children in attendance to see.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 17, 1989

Salmon Barbecue chairmen Kenneth Jantz and David McConnell have called for a general meeting of all workers and department heads for Thursday, August 17, at 7:30 p.m. in Ye Towne Hall. Jantz said that everyone who works on the September feed knows what they are expected to do, and he also encouraged anyone who wants to become involved in the event to attend as well.

The Historical Society, meeting Monday night, decided to have the south and west sides of the Bruce House painted with the work to be done before the Fall Festival. This will be only the lower half of the walls which show the worst weathering. The wood is so old that it does not retain the paint as it should.

Fifty Years Ago

August 14, 1964

"Red " Thomas' son Roger brought a nearnew baseball mitt into the Times office last Monday morning. He said that he found it in front of Ken Zuger's house, and wanted us to advertise it in the paper, so that it could be returned to its rightful owner. Was tempted to run the ad thusly: Found, new baseball mitt. Owner will please line up in front of the Times office at 9:00 Friday morning.

Things were literally buzzing this week on Waitsburg streets. A swarm of bees were occupying the small spruce tree in front of Vaughn Hubbard's office, and at times during the afternoon the entire swarm could be seen tracing several beelines across main street concurrently. The queen must have spotted greener fields, however, because the swarm left sometime Wednesday. If anyone has found the swarm - don't bother! Vaughn has been doing quite well without them.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

August 18, 1939

Miss Delores Elaine Olds, daughter of MR. and Mrs. Frank Olds of Milton, and Herman Gohlman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Loette Gohlman of Walla Walla, were married August 16, at the Christian Church parsonage. They were attended by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Gohlman.

The Inland Empire wheat crop is expected to be far below the bumper crop of 1938 and probably below normal.

Chief Kuitus Tecumseh, of the Wenatchee Indian tribe, lyric tenor, poet and write of Indian lore, who is to give a concert here Sunday, worked for Frank Zuger some 14 years ago.

One Hundred Years Ago

August 14, 1914

Farmers of Whitman county are planning on importing combine harvesters from Walla Walla to harvest the spring wheat when it reaches maturity, as 60 stationary separators in the Palouse country have been destroyed.

Frank Hawks, who has been on the first chair for Star Barber Shop, this week purchased the barber shop of J. O. Stoneburner at Prescott.

The county commissioners were in this city several hours Friday and made an inspection of Permanent Highway No. 6, which is the Waitsburg end of the Inland Empire Highway, now in course of construction.

J. W. Warren, of the Pioneer Barn, this week installed a large concrete vat in which to stand his horses in order to improve the condition of their feet.

Mrs. Effie Jessup has let the contract to Frenchie for the construction of a cement walk in front of her property on East Third Street.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 16, 1889

Lewis Cox this afternoon brought to this office a bunch of red clover from his place on the Coppei, which measured 41 inches in length.

Hon. Lewis Neace is in town today. He thinks the Constitutional Convention will finish their labors in a couple of weeks more. He does not intend to return unless telegraphed for.

Miss Belle Wickersham, yesterday, brought to this office a short limb of a plum tree on which were grown 45 plums.

M. C. McCoy was in the city today and made us a pleasant call. He has just finished threshing his wheat which made an average of over 50 bushels per acre. Short crops in this country, did you say? Well, hardly.