Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten years ago

May 16, 2012

Mayor Paul Miller took a photo of the moose that allegedly rampaged on the west side of the city late Thursday afternoon. The moose headed west past the baseball fields after his romp.

Dave Bragg, Washington State University Extension agent for Garfield County since January 1981, will retire on May 31.

Twenty-five years ago

May 14, 1997

Representatives from the engineering consulting firm of Anderson-Perry & Associates, Walla Walla, told Pomeroy city council members that the city could be looking at spending between $2.25 million and $3 million to update its waste water collection system.

The FFA Alumni met April 21 in the grade school library. Newly elected members Curt Claassen, Randy Mulrony and Ray Keatts were present. The officers for the new year were elected as follows: Bob Cox, president; Corky Slaybaugh, vice president: Cindy Landgren, recording secretary; Micki Ledgerwood, corresponding secretary: Sherri Meacham, treasurer; Kayleen Bye, assistant treasurer; Shelley Berglund, reporter.

Fifty years ago

May 11, 1972

Irwin and Marvin, 18-months-old twin sons of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Koller, of Pomeroy, received honorable mention in a baby contest recently conducted by the Spokane Chronicle. The mother of the twins is the former Norma Scoggin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O.S. Scoggin.

It was student government night at the Pomeroy city council meeting and Nick Waldher, mayor, conducted part of the meeting. City Clerk Connie Bartels read minutes and a number of letters, resolutions and laws. Councilmen included Kayleen Gingerich, Alan Meisner, Mark Baldwin, Ed Crawford, Eric McKeirnan and Sam Feider. The students discussed with the council teen dances, vandalism, opening of the school gym in the summer, and the new law extending many civil rights and liberties to those 18 and over. The young people noted that the city’s curfew law includes 18-year-olds, in conflict with the state’s law. The city ordinance committee was directed to look into the matter.

Seventy-five years ago

May 15, 1947

The Rev. D. Brendan O’Connor, pastor of Holy Rosary Catholic church, for the past five years, celebrated his 25th anniversary as a priest, by singing a Solemn High Mass attired in a gold vestment in Holy Rosary church in the presence of 22 diocesan priests and a large number of his parishioners. The event was the first of its kind over to be commemorated in Holy Rosary parish since it was established in 1878. Father O’Connor was born in Kilarney, Ireland and educated for the priesthood in St. Brendan’s seminary, Kilarney; St. Keiran’s seminary, Kilkenny, Ireland.

Approximately 3,500 persons witnessed the two-day spring rodeo staged in Pomeroy on Saturday and Sunday of last week under the auspices of the Garfield County Fair association. The final events on the last day of the show were witnessed by the largest crowd, estimated at 2,000. The antics of Scotty Bagnell, the rodeo clown, assisted by Gene Curtis and two tiny horses, was enjoyed immensely. Had it not been for their suggestive comedy remarks, appreciated by no one, their part of the program would have been perfect.

One hundred years ago

May 13, 1922

The pouring of concrete into the forms of the swimming-pool walls commenced Thursday with 25 men working under the supervision of F. W. Hungate. Mr. Hungate reported to the commercial club meeting, on Monday, the number of men that would be needed for this work and over half the required force was immediately volunteered by the persons in attendance, some agreeing to give their personal services, while others promised to hire substitutes. Each pledged a day’s labor.

Mrs. Josephine Corliss Preston will speak before a meeting of school directors at the courthouse, on Saturday and to the farmers and all others who wish to be present, at 2.30 in the afternoon, following the regular meeting of the farmer’s union. James Oliver, president of the farmers’ union extends an invitation to all persons who wish to hear Mrs. Preston at the afternoon meeting and states that questions of vital importance to the community will be discussed.

Mrs. Preston is well-known in Pomeroy as an able speaker and many will no doubt avail themselves of this opportunity to receive direct the message she will bring.