Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten years ago

March 28, 2012

According to Melody Hirsch of Garfield County Sheriff’s office, residents in Washington and other states have reported receiving calls from someone requesting money for 9-1-1 services. The caller claims that residents must pay a fee to register their homes in a 9-1-1 database so first responders can locate the home in an emergency. The caller also requests names and medical information from the residents. This is a scam, Melody said. 9-1-1 services are funded through dedicated 9-1-1 excise taxes on telephone bills and by other local government funds. Any request for 9-1-1 funds over the phone is a trick and local residents who receive these calls should hang up and report the suspicious call to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office.

The Eastern Washington Agricultural Museum will display the late Gene Sitton’s model of a 1927 Case model W hillside combine at the Spring Farming Days on April 7 and 8. The model features a Schandoney equalizing hitch (sometimes referred to as the cloverleaf hitch) and 33 model horses.

Twenty-five years ago

March 26, 1997

There is a surprise exhibit at the Museum during the month of March. A painted stage curtain was found rolled up in the attic of the Pleasant Valley Grange Hall recently and was brought to the Museum. From the names of some of the businesses advertised on the curtain, we have dated it to 1953-54, but so far we cannot find out who painted it or what it was used for. None of the Grange members we have contacted remember ever seeing it.

Jessica Warren was named Pomeroy’s Junior Miss for 1997-98 at Saturday’s program at the high school. Brandi Mulrony was chosen first runner-up and Piper Cox was named second runner-up. Jessica won the scholastic, creative and performing arts, and presence and composure segments of the event. Piper was the winner in the panel evaluation portion. Tricia Denny was the winner of the physical fitness segment and Heather Bowles won the spirit of Junior Miss award. Jessica receives a $600 scholarship and an additional $100 for winning the scholastic award, Brandi receives a $400 scholarship, and Piper a $300 scholarship.

Fifty years ago

March 30, 1972

Playoffs for state football and baseball championships will be the subject of a coming poll of athletic officials in Pomeroy schools. The county poll will be part of a statewide poll taken on all divisions of team play. At issue is a playoff system which would determine state football and baseball champions in much the same manner as in basketball.

Garfield County residents are invited to inspect the model of the proposed Garfield County Museum, now on display in Meyers Hardware front window, and express their opinions on it to the historical society, said Otto Fitzgerald, president. “What we want to know,” said Fitzgerald, “is whether or not this design is something like what the people want for a museum.” Fitzgerald noted that the model is incomplete, and can still be changed to be closer to what everyone wants, if it is not.

Seventy-five years ago

March 27, 1947

Kay Van Ausdle, seven-year-old girl, after finding her room filled with smoke early Sunday morning in her home on Columbia Street, calmly met the first crisis of her young life, awakening her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Orval Van Ausdle and her four-year-old brother, Kenny, from sleep, thus perhaps saving all three from death or serious burns. After being awakened, Mr. Van Ausdle made a hurried inspection of the house and found that the fire which gutted his home originated in the bath room from an undetermined cause.

The state development board has approved the city of Pomeroy’s post-war project, the construction of five bridges over Pataha Creek and a retaining wall on the creek between Fifth and Sixth streets. The official approval notice was received by Mayor Vernon H. Robinson yesterday. Of the five bridges to be build two will be new and three replacements. They will be constructed of cement and wood. New bridges will be built over Pataha creek at Sixth and Ninth streets and replacements at First, east Columbia, and Twelfth streets.

One hundred years ago

March 25, 1922

One of the finest herds of blooded cattle ever brought to Pomeroy arrived Monday when Folmsbe and Greene received from a breeder of Des Moines, Iowa, a car load of Herefords – cows, calves, heifers and one bull – with which to form a foundation herd of purebreds on their Meadow Gulch farm. The stock is all pure and registered, or entitled to registry. Two bulls came with the shipment and after the local buyers took their choice the other was shipped to a breeder at Davenport.

Central Ferry, after many years of peace and quiet, is about to awaken to the noise and stir of two rival business houses, both located on the south bank of the classic Snake. The firm of J.N. Cardwell & Sons is making preparations to open a small store and service station on April 1. The house will carry gas, oil and automobile supplies and lunch goods. The station will be equipped with electric lights and a well already has been drilled to furnish water for the station and the public. J.H. Schneckloth and A.J. Schneckloth are making preparations to open a similar supply house and station for tourists on their south bank property, where fine park grounds are available.