PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago February 6, 2003

Howard Smith of Waitsburg was named Maine-Anjou Promoter of the Year for 2003 at the Denver National West- ern Livestock Show recently. Smith has been attending the show for eight years now in order to purchase Maine-Anjou bulls for another party. He estimated there were 4,000 head of cattle there this year. Although Smith was there for six days, the show runs for three weeks. It consists of a livestock show, rodeo, horse show and commercial exhibits. Ac- cording to Smith, all events are held indoors at the Denver National Western Grounds which cost $23 million to build. According to Smith, commercial cow-calf producers buy Maine-Anjou bulls to achieve good growth, measured in pounds per day of age, thickness, and structural correctness. Smith was recognized because he has been responsible for or connected with the sale of some 60-70 Maine-Anjou bulls in recent years.

Twenty-Five Years Ago February 4, 1988

Four new board members were elected to serve Com- mercial Club Tuesday night at the annual officer's election. Elected on the first ballot were Dr. S. R. Hevel, Woody Epp, Don Helgeson and Joe McCown, Jr. Joyce Saxon, owner of Joyce's Gift Shop, had been a candidate but was not elected due to recent health problems. A comment was made before the balloting that she probably would not want to be on the board. The new board members will meet with this year's officers on Monday, February 8, noon, to elect a president, vice-president, and . . . maybe even a Secretary-Treasurer. Long-time Secretary-Treasurer Ivan Keve said that the club has a balance of $2210.42 in checking. Ivan said that dues are also due, noting that he had some new membership cards available. A special presentation of a framed picture as well as the plaque for Mrs. Henley will be made at the March 1 annual banquet. Mrs. Henley's daughter, Mrs. Orval Clough, will be present at the meeting.

Fifty Years Ago February 8, 1963

Chinook winds on Sunday spoiled Ralph Rankin's fun over the week-end. A 5½-inch wet snowfall made the city sidewalks a soggy mess Friday and Saturday, so Ralph bor- rowed a rotary snow plow and rode the machine up and down the town, east side and west side, clearing the sidewalks for pedestrians. Saturday night a freezing rain fell, causing icing conditions which cancelled ball games and almost all traffic. By Sunday night and Monday morning the 5½ inches of snow had melted.

Seventy-Five Years Ago February 11, 1938

Walter Kruchek had the misfortune to chop off the end of his left thumb with an axe Saturday. A couple of carloads of young people including Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Shuford, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schmitt, Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Thomas, Miss Dorothy Gilhus and Glen Bayne were up to the Shuford- Schmitt cabin at Hompegg Falls over the weekend enjoying the skiing. The Waitsburg Welding Works is enlarging its plant. Another building is being erected across the alley to the east of their present steel tank construction building. Freakish weather which combined a high wind for this district Saturday night brought at its conclusion an inch of moisture in the form of a very wet snow and then rain. Word was received last week by Mrs. Philip Heinen of the birth of a son, John Heinrich, to Mr. and Mrs. John Leibermann of Santa Paula, Calif.

One Hundred Years Ago February 7, 1913

The county commissioners went on record as promising the building of a permanent highway between Waitsburg and Walla Walla in the immediate future. If the state does not begin the building, Walla Walla County will. A liter- ary society has been organized at Huntsville, the following persons being elected as officers: president, Wade Wolfe; vice president, W. F. Bowman; secretary, Iris Brooks. The first open meeting was held in the auditorium February 1. Mrs. J. D. Laidlaw and Miss Florence Shuham of Waitsburg were guests of Dayton friends Tuesday. Attorney Milton O. Pickett and wife left Wednesday for Chicago and other eastern cities where Mr. Pickett goes on business. They go as far East as Washington, D.C. and expect to be absent about three weeks.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago February 10, 1888

Our old friend, Ira S. Stiles, has sold out his blacksmith business at Prescott and will devote his whole time to the insurance collection business. We wish him unmeasured success in his new venture. A valuable mare belonging to our townsman, A. Saling, got into a ditch ,dug for a fence between the farms of Lewis Cox and W. H. Perkins a few days ago and remained three days before she was found. She was got out alive, but may yet die. Since their new baby, a son, arrived, our friend Martin Weller has been confined to his bed. Such things effect some people just that very way. Revs. F. L. Haskins and J. M. Rickets have gone to Umatilla county, Oregon, to try their fortune the coming season in raising Missouri's staple production - corn.