Pioneer Portraits - February 12, 2015

Ten Years Ago

February 17, 2005

The home of Robert and Terrie Abernathy was destroyed by fire which frustrated local firefighters at every turn last weekend. Crews battled the stubborn fire from about 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. when they shifted to defensive positions due to a number of factors including the presence of propane tanks.

Waitsburg needed three pointers in its game against Liberty Christian, and it got them from Chris Dessert. The 6-4 Cardinal guard hit five of them in Waitsburg’s 61-53 win in Blue Mountain League tournament play Tuesday night in Dayton.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

February 15, 1990

Mrs. Effie Keve, formerly of Waitsburg, and currently a resident of the Booker Annex in Dayton, was honored at a very special party when she observed her 100th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Jack DeWitt of Waitsburg was recently named Chairman of the Washington Wheat Commission. He had served earlier as vice-chairman of the group. DeWitt, who has been in wheat and legume farming since 1965, is a graduate of the University of Idaho with a B.S. in Agriculture.

Berger sez: Everything has a price ceiling – when you hear the price you hit the ceiling.

Fifty Years Ago

February 11, 1965

Waitsburg’s Mayor, Albert Land, who worked tirelessly during the recent floods was the recipient of the Commercial Club’s annual “Man of the Year” plaque awarded at the Club’s annual banquet held on Saturday, February 6. Mayor Land was on call from the time that the water entered homes on Preston Avenue (his own being one of the first), and worked long hours coordinating the work of the Red Cross, the City and County crews, and enlisting the aid of the Corps of Engineers.

Jimmy Wills, 16 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Sammy Wills, was released Monday from the Dayton General Hospital where he has been confined since September 12 following a car-motor bike accident. He suffered severe head injuries and was in a coma for four of the nearly five months he was hospitalized.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

February 16, 1940

Marcus J. (Moxie) Zuger, prominent citizen of this locality, passed away at his home, Main Street, in this city, Monday morning, Feb. 12 at 1 o’clock following a protracted illness with stomach trouble.

Mr. and Mrs. Gail Kibler of near Dixie, are the parents of a daughter born Friday, Feb. 9, at the Walla Walla Sanatorium. The baby weighed eleven pounds and has been named Janice Elaine. Mrs. Kibler was formerly Lola Walker, daughter of Mrs. Lloyd Piper of Dixie.

The Commercial Club will sponsor an old fashioned basket social in the Club rooms Tuesday evening, February 27th commencing at 8 o’clock.

Mrs. R. W. Loundagin was the incentive for a surprise party last Wednesday when the Priscilla Club took a potluck dinner and went to her home and spent the day.

One Hundred Years Ago

February 12, 1915

Washouts by the recent heavy rains have done considerable damage to the first three miles of the state highway out of Walla Walla to Waitsburg.

The union meetings at the Tabernacle are proving a great success. Although rain and other impediments hindered the first few nights of the meetings, Sunday night the building was filled and the chair had grown to such an extent that the platform has been enlarged. An orchestra of eight pieces assists in the musical part of the meeting.

Mrs. Joyce Mantz, of Colville, Wash., is visiting her father. T. V. McKinney, and other relatives and friends here.

Born – In this city, Tuesday, Feb. 9, to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Singer, a son.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

February 14, 1890

In attempting to ford the Touchet just below Main street bridge last Tuesday, W. S. Surrat, the drayman, came near losing one of his horses. The recent high water had somewhat changed the bed of the creek, and the horses stepped into a hole, fell and became tangled in the harness, and it was with great difficulty they were rescued. One horse was dragged out more dead than alive, but finally recovered.

The protracted meeting in the Huntsville U. B. Chapel continues with increased interest. More than forty persons have been converted and reclaimed, and nineteen have united with the church.

Many large boys have been taken from school this week to do plowing.

O.N. Wheeler, a prosperous farmer north of Prescott, was in the city on Tuesday. From him we learn that the wheat acreage in that section is not so great as last year, but that the grain is looking unusually well. He also informed us that the squirrels are more numerous than they were last year.