PIONEER

Ten Years Ago

December 30, 2004

The Commerce Committee of the Waitsburg Commercial Club announces the availability of matching grants for Waitsburg businesses to improve the exterior appearance of their buildings. The focus of this grant is to maintain the historical character of downtown businesses, but any appropriately licensed business within the city of Waitsburg will be considered. Application forms may be obtained from Robbie or Marilyn Johnson, Larry or Deanne Johnson, Rose Engelbrite or Jeff Broom.

Jack Otterson of Waitsburg and Ted Paterson of Dayton have been selected as the new board members of the Columbia County Hospital District No. 1 Board of Commissioners.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 28, 1989

Paul Adams was given the distinctive honor of being chosen as an all-state Class B football player for eight man. Adams was in the top statewide for rushing yardage and scoring, even though the Cardinals, with a 4-4 record, did not get to the playoffs.

Report of two local boys throwing paper on the ground on December 26. Boys were stopped by officer, and got denials on the deed. Officer later picked up the paper and found that the boys names were on the paper. Went to house and confronted boys, who admitted they had done it. Both given lecture on littering and lying.

Fifty Years Ago

December 25, 1964

Paul Skinner, Minister of the Baptist Church was flooded out on Tuesday, along with the basement of the Baptist Church. He is plugging a do-ityourself immersion plan for anyone who cares to step down into the lower floor of the church.

At the Commercial Club meeting on December 15, four men were nominated for Club Directors in 1965. Jay Hopkins, Bill Thompson, Cliff Griffin, and Phil Monfort.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

December 29, 1939

Mrs. Jessie Light won first in the outdoor Christmas lighting contest with the Boy Scouts second.

A holiday accident which claimed the life of Le- Roy Haller of Prescott, sent the three other persons in the car to the hospital when the automobile in which they were riding catapulted from the highway about a mile south of the city at 4 a.m. Monday. The injured were Don Saxton, Clyde; Miss Bertha Nifong, City; and Miss Mercedes Dungan, Huntsville.

Mr. and Mrs. Dave Barnes and Ronald, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Barnes were in Dayton at the White home and Miss Freda Mae White returned home with them to spend a part of the holidays.

One Hundred Years Ago

December 25, 1914

Groom Bickelhaupt and family have rented the W. E. McKinney residence on West Sixth Street and moved in from the farm for the rest of the winter this week.

The retirement of J. W. Morgan from business after an active career of 39 years in this city leaves Richard H. Ormmsbee the dean of business men in Waitsburg, he having been practicing law here for 32 years.

With a dance at the Pearl Clark country home, a basket social at the Harvey Price school house, and a basket social at the McRoy school, all on the same evening there was plenty of entertainment for all. The Waitsburg young people divided their forces pretty well and some attended each of the functions.

The churches are all so beautifully decorated for the Christmas exercises Thursday evening that it is impossible to take a glance inside without absorbing at least a little of the Christmas spirit.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 27, 1889

The M. E. church was comfortably filled with invited guests at 5 o'clock on Dec. 25 to witness the solemn ceremony which was to join in the bonds of holy wedlock Douglas V. Wood and Miss Laura R. Lane, both of this city.

On Friday last Mrs. Sarah S. Hastings sold her Coppei ranch of 160 acres to D. C. Eaton, and will move to Whitman County in April. Price paid was $5,600.

This City is right now experiencing a genuine potato famine. There is not a bushel nor a peck to be had at any price. How long the famine will continue is something no fellow can find out.

The matrimonial fever among our school teachers is very prevalent, and in almost every case is fatal. No less than six teachers have succumbed to the terrible plague within a little more than a year, and but two remain - Prof. Lieuellen and Miss Mattie Egelston - and they are both in the market and liable to go any time. Too bad.