PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago

August 15, 2013

[Photo Caption] Joe Patrick sights a guitar neck. Resurrecting that old guitar is what Joe does, and like a phoenix from the ashes it can go from a dusty relic to a star performer.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 20, 1998

A recent addition to Weller Public Library will now allow the general public to browse the Internet without forking out thousands of dollars for a computer. Thanks to a grant from the Washington State Library and support from the Friends of the Library and local memorial donations, Weller Public Library has a computer with Internet access and it's available now. "Getting on the Internet is now possible for anyone in town," said Jan Cronkhite, librarian at Weller Public Library. "Everyone's welcome to come in and use it. We'll show you how to use it the best we can, although I think most people probably already know how to do it. This is a great opportunity for the citizens of Waitsburg to be a part of the World Wide Web and use their little local library for that," Cronkhite said.

Fifty Years Ago

August 16, 1973

Bob Gilmore, former resident of Waitsburg who now teaches school in Seattle was in The Times office this past weekend. Bob's dad Charles was a telegrapher for the Union Pacific railroad in town during the early 30's. Bob noted that the old "burg" hadn't changed a whole lot since he remembers it as an 11-year-old.

Mrs. Velma Baim discovered a sales slip dated Nov. 7 1936, in an old cook book. It was interesting to note that the whole list totaled $5.48 and included 3 pounds of butter, $1.26; toothpicks, 10c; Oxydol, 38c; Fels chips, 25c; 2 bread, 28c; Miracle Whip, 42c; 4 cans sliced pineapple, 40c; ½ side bacon, $1.45; gelatin, 20c; 2 cans corn, 35c; and coke, 39c. Sounds great until you consider that wheat was selling for 32 cents a bushel and hogs were $5 a head.

Mrs. C. N. Eaton was surprised Thursday on her 85th birthday by neighbors and her daughter Mrs. Dave Willoughby. Mr. Eaton was 86 the day before, so it was a dual celebration.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

August 20, 1948

Electric power will serve 215 additional farms in this area as soon as the contract is approved by the Rural Electrification Administration according to the Columbia County REA office.

Mr. And Mrs. Roy Allen returned home today from Mt. Adams where they have been camping and picking huckleberries.

Miss Colleen Collins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Collins, left Tuesday morning for Hawaii where she has accepted a position as county extension agent directing girls' 4-H Clubs in West Oahu County.

One Hundred Years Ago

August 24, 1923

Miss Marion Bailey of Waitsburg has been visiting her friend Miss Pauline Fullerton of Huntsville for a few days.

The grain harvest is progressing rapidly in this locality and is nearing completion for the majority of the farmers. Wheat is more or less deceiving this season, the unusual amount of smut in the grain cutting the yield as much as 10 bushels per acre.

Miss Gladys Wise left for Portland Monday where she will visit relatives for a few weeks.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 26, 1898

A. L. Storie who had quite a large field of corn on the hill north of town, finished hauling it under shelter this week.

S. A. Ferguson having sold his Preston Ave. home to J. H. Benn, on last Friday bought a residence on Sixth Street.

Wagons loaded with wheat make a never-ending procession through town to the warehouses at present. This sight is a very pleasing one.