Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

February 9, 2011

The Pomeroy Shrine Club raised almost $5,000 for the Spokane Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children and patient transportation fund in its recent donation drive.

Denny Ashby Library patrons can now download audiobooks and eBooks from the library’s website thanks to a generous donation from the Shepherd Foundation and federal Library Service and Technology Act dollars.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

February 14, 1996

Though Garfield County didn’t suffer the major flooding of surrounding counties, roads here had a lot of water going over them and a few that will be impassable for awhile. County road superintendent John Appel said most roads were soft and not desirable for use unless travel was essential, and crews were working on clearing two slides off Casey Creek Road near Lower Granite Dam.

Because Pataha Creek is impassable, members of the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Team formed a pack string to deliver food and water to the Ed McDowell and Bill Kirkwood families, who live about seven miles upstream from Columbia Center.

Fifty Years Ago

February 11, 1971

Lester Geiger and his sons, Dave and Rick, were named Garfield County Cattlemen of the Year by the Garfield County Cattlemen’s Association. Lester said his sons are good cattlemen but he can’t get them to wear cowboy hats.

A contingent of Pomeroy citizens urged the City Council to establish proper emergency procedures in case of another flood and “not to forget the last one.”

The official population of Pomeroy is 1,823 according to census figures. The county’s population declined 2.2 percent to 2,911, down from 2,976 in 1960.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

February 7, 1946

Perhaps one of the most interesting trophies brought back from any of the World War II theatres of operation is an identification plate which Sgt. Francis Manning removed from Adolf Hitler’s private automobile while in Germany last May. The car was a nifty Mercedes-Benz, according to Sgt. Manning. In the glove compartment he also found a small watch-like instrument which Hitler used to measure distances on maps from one point to another.

Playing before a packed house, perhaps the largest crowd ever to see a basketball game in the high school gymnasium, the Harlem Globetrotters, mixing brilliant play with razzle-dazzle comedy relief, romped to victory over the Pomeroy Jaycees, 65 to 37.

One Hundred Years Ago

February 12, 1921

Following receipt of information in Pomeroy that word had been spread at the legislature that Garfield County was opposing an appropriation for building a bridge across the Snake river at Central ferry, wires signed by the Commercial Club, Mayor Kuykendall, the Board of County Commissioners and the Pomeroy local of the Farmers’ Union were sent to Olympia refuting the statement.

The Commercial Club unanimously endorsed the proposal to locate and build a public swimming pool on the “blind street” just west of the baseball park, following information that the city, by rights secured through purchase of the baseball ground and park, had permanent title to one-third of the water from Cosgrove springs.

The “hard times” dance given by the American Legion Post in the Seeley Hall drew a crowd of dancers which filled the hall, nearly all being in costume. A keg of cider, conveniently placed, failed to run dry before the dance ended.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

February 8, 1896

The “Valentines” are already in the shop windows and the thought of young folks “turn lightly to love.”

Feb. 2 was a cloudy and cheerless day, and except for a short time the sun was undiscoverable by the traditional groundhog, or—any other man. If Mr. G. H. did not happen to venture forth just at the instant when the rift in the clouds displayed a flash of sunlight, then we are to have an early spring.

Prof. J.Q. Stretch made application to teach the spring term at Meadow Gulch, but on account of the shortage of funds there will not be any school this spring.

Times dull in Peola.

Two blacksmiths in Peola. Business must be good in their line.

A “Sheet and Pillow Slip” dance will be given at Peola hall Feb. 10. Tickets, including supper, 75¢.

Dan Tetrick killed his large hog last Saturday. He was too large for the scalding vat and the only way the butchers could get the hair off was by skinning him. Uncle Dan said the ham would weigh 125 lbs.

There was a lot of the Marengo folks in attendance at the dance given by Thomas McBride on New York Gulch. It seems like quite a long ride for a single evening’s fun.

This mild weather is swelling the fruit buds at the rate of about 15 knots an hour, and should there come any cold weather in the latter part of this month or the first of next, pop goes the peaches and apricots and perhaps the plums, prunes and pears will follow suit.