Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

July 11, 2012

Pomeroy residents and visitors enjoyed a pleasant, not-too-warm afternoon in the City Park for the annual community celebration of Independence Day. Coordinated by Garfield County Hospital District personnel, the parade and the music, games, and food in the park marked a traditional day for gathering in Pomeroy.

Former Pomeroy resident Doug Boyer graduated May 4, 2012, from Grand Canyon University with a Doctorate of Education in Business and Education Organizational Leadership. Doug’s dissertation was titled “The Relationship of the Servant Leader Principal on School Culture and Student Achievement in the Lower Kuskokwim School District.” He graduated from Pomeroy High School in 1995.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 16, 1997

The retirement living facility that had been the goal of many Garfield County residents for the past decade and more is a reality. Now, the developer and property owners are hoping that the county’s senior residents will take a closer look at the opportunity to spend their leisure years right in their hometown. An open house will be held at Blue Mountain Estates on Sunday July 20. Loren Stentzel, the project’s developer, said costs to this point for the 10 units in the facility’s completed first phase are at $700,000, not including the investment made by Bud and the late Ruth Van Vogt, and their son Bill Van Vogt, who own the property.

The amazing likeness of Pomeroy resident Archie Bryan, now on display in the Meyers Hardware window, developed out of a friendship that started more than 75 years ago here. The woodworking was done by Clarence Miller, who Archie met when Archie came to Pomeroy in 1921. Archie married Clarence’s sister Velma. Clarence’s wife is the former Eleanor Keatts of Pomeroy, sister of Berger Keatts. Clarence built homes in the city before he and Eleanor left around 1957 for Phoenix, Ariz., Archie recalled.

Fifty Years Ago

July 13, 1972

A historic old evergreen which served as a tent pole for the U.S. Cavalry’s telegraph construction crew in the late 1870’s has fallen to the earth, the victim of a logger’s saw. The tree, which was located just east of the Mountain Road on the former Peter McClung land on Red Hill, was one of two trees which supported a gigantic 60-foot tent for the Cavalry, which had crews in the area building a system of telegraph lines which connected Fort Lapwai and Colville with the outside world. The other tree, which had been only a few feet off the road, had apparently been diseased and was removed several years ago, according to George Scoggin, whose grandfather James G. Scoggin brought his family to this area the same year the Cavalry came, 1877.

Cecil Kinder, Garfield County engineer from 1939 to 1949, and present Clark County engineer and director of public works, has been chosen as the nation’s outstanding urban county engineer for 1972 by the National Association of County Engineers. An engineer for 40 years, Kinder attended schools at Washington State and Harvard universities. From 1932 to 1939 he was resident engineer for the state highway department at Spokane, Yakima and Wenatchee. He was Garfield County engineer from 1939 to 1949 and Benton County engineer from 1949 until he went to Clark County in 1954. Comments like “if anyone deserved it, Cecil did,” were heard frequently at the state association of county officials meeting recently in Olympia.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

July 17, 1947

New road construction history was made in Garfield County last week under the direction of Cecil Kinder, county engineer, when the county for the first time in its history treated a county road to a coat of oil. The road to which a one and one-half inch mat road mix was applied is known as the Pataha Grade. The mile stretch of road received 50 tons of oil, approximately 50,000 gallons. It was applied by the city oiling equipment under the supervision of Tom Bunch. Engineer Kinder stated that a seal coat will be placed on the mat road mix after harvest.

Orville Flerchinger, Lee Flerchinger, Wayne Beale and Marion Beale, had on display in Pomeroy Sunday evening a truck load of fish, four sturgeon, caught in the Snake river near Wawawai Sunday. The largest of the fish measured eight feet, four inches, weighing about 275 pounds. The three other fish measured eight feet, six feet seven inches, and four feet four inches.

One Hundred Years Ago

July 17, 1922

Deputy Sheriff E.E. Powell gives the following information in regard to fires during the summer: The fire bell will be rung in case of a country fire and the fire siren will be sounded in case of fire in town. Fire extinguishers, sacks, and cars will be found at the sheriff’s office to be used in fighting country fires. Active cooperation of the public is urged by Mr. Powell, especially during fires in the country. Often serious loss may be prevented by fast work when a fire starts. In no other emergency are quickness and efficiency more important.

The contract to build the 700-foot span steel bridge on the Inland Empire Highway across the Snake River at Central Ferry was awarded to the Perm Bridge company of Beaver Falls, Pa. on a bid of $233,296.50. The bridge will be constructed of steel, with concrete piers and posts, and will be of great benefit as a connection between Garfield and Whitman counties, as well as to all travelers of the Inland Empire highway.