Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten years ago

August 1, 2012

Pomeroy Community Center is sponsoring a Farmers Market in a portion of the Cardwell Building on the corner of Main and 7th streets. The market will open today, Wednesday, Aug 1, noon, at 708 Main St. According to Lisa Lund of the community center, the walk-in market will have “an old-time mercantile setting with a variety of seasonal produce.” Rafe Wilson and other growers will provide fresh produce and plans call for producers to supply artisan breads, honey, eggs, gourmet foods, cut flowers, soaps, and hand-crafted and unique gift items, Lisa said.

Changes to the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) could result in less soil erosion, cleaner water and more wildlife habitat in Washington, according to Geremy Nelson, Farm Service Agency County Executive Director in Garfield and Asotin Counties. The agency is offering non-competitive enrollment of the most highly erodible soils in CRP. It has also added non-competitive enrollment for contracts which include various habitat related initiatives. Most land is bid into the program competitively during a general signup he explained.

Twenty-five years ago

August 6, 1997

Garfield County Sheriff Larry Bowles and his deputies pulled up 70 marijuana plants Monday morning four-and-half miles upriver from Lower Granite Dam. Bowles said the crop was spotted last week Tuesday during the annual marijuana eradication flights using a National Guard helicopter. The grow operation was picked out by a spotter from Asotin County and Garfield County Deputy Bryon Denny as a guide.

Denny Ashby Memorial Library in Pomeroy will be closed for remodeling beginning Monday, Aug. 11, according to city librarian Linda Sharp. The library will be closed for at least two weeks, Sharp said, while windows and carpet are replaced, blinds installed and the building painted. The library still has books for sale this week, she said, and if emergency library business come up, she can be reached at home. Fines on overdue books will not be charged during the time the library is closed, Sharp said.

Fifty years ago

August 3, 1972

An almost unbelievable difference was noted this week when Barbara McClanahan of the county extension office completed the monthly rainfall report for the county. Average rainfall in the county during June 1972 was only .84 inches compared to 3.30 inches in June 1971. The ten year average for June is 1.14 inches. June 1971 was a period of heavy rains, with numerous readings nearing one inch in 24 hours. In June 1972 the top 24 hour recordings were .37 by Oscar Victor on the 24th, .32 by Marcus Fitzsimmons on the 11th and .30 by Ray McGrann on June 24.

Diggers and interviewers at a Washington State University archaeological excavation at Silcott hope to uncover artifacts and facts in the next three summers that will tell them about old Alpowa City and the people who lived there while the town blossomed about 1860, finally dying about 1950. Digging is at the old town site, located on what was Grasser’s Orchard until the Army Corps of Engineers removed the trees this spring. The oldtimers who lived at the town are being interviewed by ethnographers, social scientists who study cultural patterns by interviewing the living, Dr. Frank Leonhardy said recently.

Seventy-five years ago

August 7, 1947

The telephone switchboard ordered many months ago by the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph company for the Pomeroy exchange, has arrived and work of installing it was started Wednesday morning by Charles Wilson and C.C. LaVoie, of the Western Electric company, Walla Walla. When the new board is placed in operation, in about four weeks, the switchboard facilities at the local exchange will be increased by a third. Thereafter three operators may work at the board at a single time instead of two as is now the case. Better service will be the result of this improvement, costing several thousand dollars.

A caravan of no less than twelve cars is scheduled to arrive in Pomeroy Friday morning at 10:45 a.m. on a tour from Seaside Oregon, to Missoula, Montana, by way of the Lewis and Clark trail via the Lolo Pass. The trip is being sponsored by the Northwest Conservation League, having as its prime objective the completion of the Lolo Pass highway. The party will stop long enough in Pomeroy for a short ceremony to observe the occasion.

One hundred Years Ago

August 5, 1922

Charged with forgery, Guy Beleske was locked in jail Wednesday noon by Deputy Sheriff Ellis Powell, who had been making strenuous efforts to land his man since Saturday night. Beleske confessed to having written and passed two fraudulent checks. One was written for $70 over John Mustaing’s name and the other for $90 against M.C. Beale. Immediately after getting rid of the checks Saturday evening Beleske hired an auto stage to take him to Spokane. Misled by a chain of circumstances Mr. Powell on Saturday night returned a man from Lewiston, who had worked on the Mustaing place and was believed to be the check artist. This man was released Monday, after which the real offender was traced to Spokane and arrested there on a wire from the Pomeroy sheriff.

Radio amateurs of this county are invited send in for publication in this column any radio news or communication of general interest which they have received. The location of Garfield County makes radio reception better than in most sections of the state. Reception a short distance from a transmitter is good for that broadcasting station only as all other stations are overshadowed. Here there is no station so situated that the power of selection is interrupted. The amateur with a good set can switch from station to station as he pleases without interference.