Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

December 10, 2009

Mill Fire “Suspicious.” The fire that destroyed the historic Wait’s Mill is now considered “suspicious in nature” and may have started in of the more obscured corners of the structure, according to the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Department. Deputy Brian Bush, who is spearheading the investigation, said the latest determination is based on witness observations as well as video and photos taken of the fire that burned the 144-year-old mill to the ground before dawn on Sept. 6.

Accompanied on guitar by music teacher Brad Green, eight-year-old Haylee Crow treats the Hometown Christmas audience to her rendition of Silent Night during Sunday’s talent show.

Hopes for Prescott pool drain. Prescott needs a miracle. That’s about what it will take to keep open the public swimming pool that has served the town and surrounding communities for 51 years.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 1, 1994

Students attend FFA convention. Four FFA members from Waitsburg High School and their advisor recently attended the 67th National FFA Convention in Kansas City, MO. Diane Conover, Cori Kenney, Stacy Thomas and Jacob Smith, along with advisor Scott Branson were at the convention Nov. 8-12.

Waitsburg budget falls 19% to $996,972, slightly above ‘93 spending. While Waitsburg’s proposed budget is down 19 percent from year to year, primarily reflecting completion of major street and sidewalk work this year, many individual accounts are up substantially.

TCI to turn on 38 channels. Fiber optics carry higher TV rates in Waitsburg. TCI Cablevision was scheduled to activate an upgraded fiber-optic cable-television system in Waitsburg Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 a.m. By the end of the day, the company said the area’s 500 customers were to be connected to the new 38-channel system.

Fifty Years Ago

December 4, 1969

Photo caption: A proud pair of parents, Betty and Dean Culbertson of Prescott, congratulate their daughter, Cindy, after she won the title of “Touchet Valley Junior Miss” at the Jaycee Pageant in Dayton Saturday.

City evaluates possible rental of ambulance unit. Mayor Roy Leid and councilman Don Hinchliffe attended a Hospital Board Meeting in Dayton last Monday night to discuss the possibility of buying an ambulance for Waitsburg.

Susan Danforth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Danforth suffered a broken bone in her arm during gymnastics at school Tuesday. Susie was taken to a Walla Walla hospital where she was to undergo surgery Wednesday.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

December 8, 1944

Six cases of scarlet fever have definitely been reported in the grade school this week.

Gloria Jean Ray is one of 50 Washington State College girls chosen by Mrs. Herbert Kimbrough to sing in a special group at the Fort Wright Hospital during the day of December 16.

Alto Social Club met at the home of Mrs. Josie Giles last Tuesday. During the business session presided over by the president, Mrs. Jack Penner, the members decided to each fill one Christmas Red Cross bag.

Mrs. and Mrs. Donald Harris are the parents of a daughter born Thursday morning, Dec. 7 at St. Mary Hospital.

Earl Pettichord has returned to Waitsburg from Briggs, Ca. He plans to make his home here.

One Hundred Years Ago

December 12, 1919

Mr. Rufus R. Johnson and Miss Pearl Archer of this city were married Wednesday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the home of the bride’s grandmother, Mrs. John Archer, Pleasant View addition.

In the one act farce “Popping the Question” presented by the junior class of the high school, Dillard Howell took the part of the ideal bachelor who at the late day in his life, had fallen in love. Lydia Beckley, his charming ward, was the object of his affections.

The local fuel committee has spent the most of two days making a personal inspection of the residence part of town in an effort to arrive at the actual fuel condition. The committee reports that fuel is beginning to run mighty low in many places and that many will be out of fuel by the end of the week.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 7, 1894

T. M. McKinney, formerly principal of the Waitsburg Academy for the past two years, who enjoys the practice of law in Spokane, came down on Tuesday. He has decided to relocate and practice his profession in our city. Mr. McKinney is a gentleman and a scholar, and the Times welcomes him.

His many friends throughout Eastern Washington will learn with profound regret that W. F. Wamsley has been dethroned of reason, caused by water on the brain. All will hope for his recovery.

If, as some folks say, the first three days in December govern the three winter months then we may look for some real winter weather and lots of it between now and the first day of March.