Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

June 9, 2010

A search-and-recovery case in the Snake River almost two years ago led Sheriff Larry Bowles to retire after putting his health and life in jeopardy. A month after the incident at the river, infection showed up after getting into his system. During later treatment, he had conversations with seven others who had also developed infections after exposure to the Snake River waters.

Activities this weekend include the Pioneer Day parade, program and Food Fair, all-class reunion, county and agricultural museums open, Wine & Stein, car show, fun run, swap meet, flea market, gun club rifle shoot, and golf tournament.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

June 14, 1995

After 9 years as superintendent of Pomeroy School District, Rick Anthony is leaving to become superintendent of the White Pass School District. He began his career in education in Pomeroy 25 years ago with 18 of those years spent here. Anthony taught junior and senior high school students here before moving to Cusick for a number of years, returning to Pomeroy in 1986 when he was hired as superintendent.

Thanks to a $500 gift by an anonymous donor, the City of Pomeroy now holds title to the 1931 Mack firetruck that ran in Saturday’s Pioneer Day parade.

Fifty Years Ago

June 13, 1970

Son took over from father last week when Jack Bunch was named Pomeroy chief of police—a job his father Tom Bunch held for nearly 40 years before retiring this spring.

Present Lower Granite dam work force of 40 mean will reach 150 to 200 employees by the end of this summer according to the business manager for Lower Granite contractors.

Garfield County led the state in collection of current property taxes in 1969, reported County Treasurer David A. Taylor.

The 62nd meeting of the Garfield County Pioneer Association will be held this Saturday at the Jaycee Hall. Old-time pictures, antiques and souvenirs are being displayed in storefront windows and businesses will be closed from noon to 2 p.m. The Rebekah Lodge will serve lunch, with a Little League game at the Athletic Field at the park in the afternoon, followed by foot races and prizes.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

June 14, 1945

A petition is being circulated under the auspices of the Pomeroy Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) asking the county commissioners and county election board to call a special election in September on a proposal of creating a hospital district in Garfield County.

Everything is in readiness for the annual Garfield County Pioneer picnic. Weather conditions permitting, the affair will take place in the city park; otherwise the program may have to be held in the high school auditorium. The Daughters of the Pioneers will serve a cafeteria dinner. Stores will be closed Saturday during the program and a celebration dance will be given Saturday evening in the Maple Hall under the direction of Den Ruark, John Malone and Alton Houser.

One Hundred Years Ago

June 12, 1920

Council voted four to three in support of buying Cosgrove spring and four acres of land to be improved for a swimming pool and automobile campground. The Cosgroves would not sell without including the hill land in the deal. D.B. Williams made an offer that would make the price to the city $2750 for the spring and four acres, including the locust grove on the flat. Williams would reserve the right to take water for stock from the spring. It is understood the Civic Club will do the improvement work without cost to the city.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

June 8, 1895

We learn that the Pataha baseball nine has reorganized and are practicing for the coming season. What’s the matter with Pomeroy?

One of the lessons of life which many people never learn is that it is not necessary to make an ass of oneself merely because one has a magnificent opportunity.

James McKee exhibited a curiosity in the shape of a white mole on the streets Saturday. He picked it up on the Rafferty farm just after it had been killed by a weasel.

There seems to be a very general complaint of some sort of stomach trouble among the people. There is gastric uneasiness, distress, nausea, and a sense of debility. Probably some peculiar form of Malaria is the cause.

Camp meetings at Marengo continue with great interest. Services will close the first of next week.

J.F. Lockwood this week bought two cars of cattle and one of hogs for Seattle butchers. He bought the cattle of L.P. Mulkey, paying $1,000 for the lot. Dan McGreevy, A.H. Malone, J.M. Melton and Geo. Edwards made up the car of hogs, receiving 3 cts. a pound for them.

One man tells us he will harvest 60 bushel of wheat to the acre this season. Too high is it? We have seen many statements of large yields which we have considered improbable, but never one that was impossible. When we figure the number of square feet in an acre, and what each one of these is capable of producing if highly cultivated, we read a total beside which our so-called large yields are a mere bagatelle. The fact is that not many of us understand the capacity of an acre of ground.