Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

December 27, 2011

Pomeroy Elementary School students wrapped up 2011 with the traditional holiday program last week. Kindergarten students give their rendition of ‘Jingle Bells’, first graders sing ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’, second graders sing ‘Frosty the Snowman’. The sixth graders had a guest appearance by the Grinch as they sang ‘You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch’. In the finale featuring the program theme of “Let it Snow”, the students tossed ‘snowballs’ into the crowd.

Twenty-five Years Ago

January 1, 1997

Garfield County Sheriff Larry Bowles said motorists in the county have been “very, very lucky,” with the majority of incidents involving slide-offs into the ditch, “most of the time due to speeding.” There has been surprisingly no damage to vehicles reported and no personal injury because of accidents, the sheriff said. He estimated 25 vehicles going into the ditch from Thursday through Sunday.

The cost of farming in 1997 will be little changed from 1996, according to Oregon State University agricultural economist Bart Eleveld. Writing in the 1997 Pacific Northwest Agricultural Situation and Output Report, Eleveld sees no major changes in the cost of farming, although some costs will rise a little and others will decline some.

Fifty Years Ago

December 30, 1971

Jim McCabe announced this week that J.C. McCabe Insurance and Garfield County Title Company are moving two blocks east on Main Street, into the office at 6th and Main adjacent to Ilene’s Beauty Shop. The move should be effective next week, and McCabe this week is doing what he termed “long overdue” house cleaning at his present office. He said he found stuff he didn’t remember having.

Jan Vogt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vogt of Pomeroy, was the winner of the 250 Pomeroy Bonus Bucks, grand prize in the Chamber of Commerce annual Christmas contest. The drawing was held last Thursday, Dec 23. Several five buck and ten buck winners were also announced, but the list has been misplaced and cannot be included in this issue.

Bill Cardwell announced plan this week to sell Cardwell’s Department Store in Pomeroy. Cardwell said he has decided to “retire” from the retail business and will reduce his stock to attract a buyer. He said he and his wife have been considering the change for quite some time.

Seventy-five Years Ago

January 2 1947

The East Washingtonian this week received a communication from Mrs. Lexie Howard, afflicted with blindness, who since her misfortune has endeared herself to the entire community by her bright outlook on life, in spite of her serious handicap. Her letter reads as follows: “Will you please insert in the E.W. a note thanking my many friends for their deeds of kindness showered upon me during the holiday season. May the New Year be kind to the Medveds and all my friends. Lexie Howard.”

Old timers will recall some forty years ago when industry was in the saddle and was ruthless in its demands upon labor. The pendulum has swung the other way and today finds labor equally as ruthless in its demands upon industry. Both are equally undesirable. What the country need is for both sides to meet each other half way.

One Hundred Years Ago

December 31, 1921

Radford w. Rigsby, present city manager of Durham, N.C., was elected vice-president of the National Association of City Managers, at a convention recently held in Chicago. As Mr. Rigsby was born and raised in Garfield County and served a number of years as county engineer, his acquaintances here, where he still owns property of considerable value, is extensive. Also it includes a large number of friends who naturally are interested in things pertaining to Mr. Rigsby or his family.

Dance the old year out and the new year in at the Seeley Hall, Saturday, Dec. 31.

One Hundred Twenty-five Years Ago

Archive copies of the East Washingtonian from 125 years ago are unavailable.