Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

April 7, 2010

Eastern Washington Agricultural Museum dedicated a ground power sweep donated by Phil and Terrie Johnson of Cloverland at a ceremony during Spring Farming Days. The machine was used by homesteaders in the late 1800s.

County Commissioners approved a plan for the emergency replacement of the HVAC system in the district’s long-term care building. The board must also address the hospital’s 1948 electrical wiring.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

April 12, 1995

A trailer house in the New Moon Trailer Court in Pomeroy was destroyed by fire last Saturday. Four units and nine firefighters responded to the call but it was a total loss.

George Hattell resigned from the Pomeroy City Council after serving 24 years, citing conflict between himself and the Police Department regarding one specific officer.

Fifty Years Ago

April 9, 1970

Planned rebuilding of Fifth Street between Main and Columbia was announced at City Council. The $2,000 project will be under the state arterial street program. Acting Chief of Police Paul Miller attended his first council meeting in his new capacity and asked for information regarding city affairs.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

April 12, 1945

S/Sergeant James Bernard Russell, 33, a veteran U.S. infantryman of four campaigns: Casablanca, Sicilia, Italy and France, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Russell of the Tucannon, died on September 18, 1944, from wounds received in battle on September 17, as a German prisoner of war, according to a telegram received by his parents from the War Department.

Mrs. Marvin A. Baldwin received a telegram from the Secretary of War informing that her husband, S/Sergeant Marvin A. Baldwin, 33, of the Seventh Armored Infantry, First Army, was killed in action in Germany on Thursday, March 29, 1945.

Mr. and Mrs. John Evanson received word that their grandson, Pfc. Clifford Blaine Evanson, machine gunner in the Marines, died February 28, 1945, of wounds received in action on Iwo Jima. He would have been 18 on April 25 and had been overseas six months.

Mrs. and Mrs. Fred Matthies received word that their grandson, Robert F. Miller, 19, a member of the Eighth Armored Division in the Ninth Army, was killed in action in Germany on March 28.

Mrs. O.S. Scoggin residing on Scoggin Ridge south of Pomeroy has trapped 21 coyotes on her trap line of 50 traps set out in the vicinity of the Scoggin farm during the past season. It is doubtful is there is another woman in the state who can equal her record, as a trapper or hunter. Each fall she also gets her elk and deer. She is an expert with a rifle.

One Hundred Years Ago

April 10, 1920

Farmers of Washington, Idaho and Oregon have planned three or four farmers’ Chautauquas for the month of June for the purpose of enlisting the sympathy and support of every farmer in a sane and intelligent farm organization.

During the recent drop in temperatures, the snowfall at Mayview reached a depth of six inches and at Peola 12 inches.

Because of the great damage done roads and bridges by the winter freshets, and the already depleted condition of the road funds, the Board of Commissioners finds it necessary to raise more money than was called for in the estimates made last year, and to declare an emergency for this purpose.

The kidnapping of a bevy of women and removing them to the Civic Club meeting was a fete performed by Mrs. H.H. Cardwell, president of the club, and her staff of assistants. The kidnapped parties were taken for a ride in automobiles driven by Mrs. Cardwell and her accomplices and found their destination to be the meeting place of the club.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

April 6, 1895

Three month’s term of school will begin in Falling Springs district Monday the 8th.

Don’t forget the apron and bonnet sale Apr. 13 in the building formerly occupied by W.L. Freeman, on Main St. There will be aprons and bonnets at all prices. An excellent supper, consisting of oysters and other good things, will be served at 25c.

The wind and dust storm of Monday evening was something unique in the weather for this section. When the brown cloud came rolling up, our Kansas and Nebraska folks began nosing round to find a cyclone cellar in which to take refuge. Ten minutes after the wind struck town it was almost dark enough to require a lighted candle. The dust penetrated stores and dwellings, and filled the air everywhere. The thermometer began running down, from an almost sultry heat, until shortly after dark it was freezing sharply. The weather seems to have lost its regulator.

During the heavy windstorm Monday, one of the large box elder trees at N.D. Knettle’s was broken down. The Christian church was considerably shaken up, and the young people who were enjoying a “candy pull” there, when the storm came on, were pretty badly frightened. During the thickest of the dust cloud, men were running toward the church from all directions to take care of the children. Much inconvenience and some little damage resulted, although it was not as serious as might have been expected.