Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

July 14, 2010

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell spent an hour last Saturday at the Eastern Washington Agricultural Museum.

Pomeroy city council authorized using Garfield County’s building inspector to perform inspections for building permits issued by the city.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 19, 1995

Chief of Police Dave Boyer told the City Council the police commission had met with County Commissioners regarding utilization of the Masonic Lodge building and the county is doing cost analysis on work and operation.

Trapping of beavers living in Pataha Creek was authorized by the City Council.

Safari Club International members Steve and Holly Ledgerwood recounted their earlier trips to Africa in an extensive interview and look forward to going there again.

Fifty Years Ago

July 16, 1970

Saturday, July 18 will be the 70th anniversary of the most disastrous fire in the history of Pomeroy. On that date in 1900, fire consumed more than half of the business district and threatened to do more damage before it burned out or was brought under control. Included in those buildings destroyed on the north side was the Garfield County Courthouse.

Friends and neighbors of the late Jack Wassard Friday and Saturday, using 12 combines and 21 trucks, harvested the grass crop on the Valentine and Sweeney gulch land of the family.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

July 19, 1945

Sunday’s Peola Pioneer Picnic held at Clarkston’s Beachview park will be the last one sponsored by this organization as those attending voted to disband after many years of existence because so many leaders have passed away, moved from the district or otherwise are incapacitated from taking active parts.

Sheriff William Ground and Deputy Bill Scribner will patrol the county during the harvest season against fire, possible theft of grain, farm machinery, tools and gasoline prevalent this time of year.

One Hundred Years Ago

July 17, 1920

All kinds of lightning, chain, forked and zig-zag, flashed around over Garfield County during the big storm on Tuesday. There was rain too, about .60 of an inch in one hour’s time. One-half the population prayed for a lightning rod and the rest wanted a boat. Opinion was about equally divided as to whether we were to be wiped out by a flood or by an electric discharge. Three horses were struck and killed at the state road camp east of town. Lightning struck the house of E. Burlingame on High Street, entered the wall near the eave and passed through into a bedroom where Mrs. Burlingame, lying on the bed, escaped injury although stunned by the shock. Numerous trees around town were struck. Considerable hail fell at Mayview and Peola, damaging crops and washing summer-fallowed land. Ira Ruark’s farmhouse was flooded, the water rising several inches above the floor and the cellar filling with mud. Roads were badly washed and the Alpowa is again impassable as a result, as is Hutchens gulch. Several valuable sheep belonging to the Palmer brothers were drowned, Roy VanAusdle’s barn was washed away and the Brewer ranch lost a stack of hay. The Mayview telephone line and some party lines in Pomeroy were put out of commission.

The auto stage line from Walla Walla has been extended to Pomeroy and daily service between Pomeroy and Lewiston has been resumed.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 13, 1895

If the fellow who stole our office kid’s clothes, on the Tukanon, a week ago last Monday, don’t bring them to town at once, he may have the satisfaction of a free trip to the pen and free board and other free things that should be pleasing to one who is so free with property not his own.

Frank Morrison lost a valuable horse at Peola on the 4th. He was killed by a wild shot fired by one of the participants in the shooting match. It’s safe to say that fellow didn’t carry off the prize. We learn that a boy was also slightly wounded by a spent bullet.

Some fine sturgeon have been taken from the river in the vicinity of R. Kluge’s place, one of which weighed over 300 pounds.

Jehu Switzler, of the Columbia river, who probably has more horses than any other man in the northwest, has entered into a contract with the Portland Canning Company to deliver 3,000 head of horses on the north bank of the river at $2.90 per head. If he takes them across the railroad he is to receive $3 a head. It is understood the horses are to be slaughtered and packed for the Chinese trade, but they may find their way into the home market under the guise of choice corned beef, says the Yakima Herald.