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From the archives of the

Bonner County History Museum

611 S. Ella Ave., Sandpoint, ID 83864

208-263-2344

50 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

July 13, 1967 — PARSONS AWARDED

Jim Parsons, who authors the weekly “Outdoors Notebook” column appearing in the News-Bulletin and other northern Idaho newspapers, was awarded the Capital Conservation Club’s “Appreciation Award for Honesty in Conservation News.” The club has given awards in only three of its 14 years of existence.

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OUTDOOR NOTEBOOK by Jim Parsons

There are records of the largest game animals and fish taken in Idaho, but what about birds? We nominate a 57-pound trumpeter swan with a wingspread of 9 ft. 4 in., downed at Lake Pend Oreille on October 11, 1895, as the biggest waterfowl ever killed in the state.

The trumpeters, whose average size was about 30 pounds, were plentiful back then and eagerly sought by hunters. The swans began arriving by the hundreds in the fall to winter at Lake Pend Oreille, recalls area oldtimer Harry Nesbitt. They would sit along the ice west of the Highway 95 bridge much as bald eagles do now.

Nesbitt and a man named Ketchum were hunting that day along the old N.P. railway trestle (now a fill). Apparently they fired simultaneously and neither knows who fired the shot that killed the huge bird, so they shared the honors.

Trumpeters, of course, have long since been given protection in an effort to prevent their extinction.

100 Years Ago

Pend d’Oreille Review

July 13, 1917 — STORES CLOSE AT FIVE

Sandpoint merchants signed a petition this week announcing they will close their places of business at 5 o’clock in the afternoon on all days except Saturday. The early closing goes into effect July 15 and continues to September 15.

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CUTTING OUT THE CITY LIGHTING

In order to cut down expenses for the city, the mayor and city council have decided to cut out 39 arc lights and remove enough small lights to make a $2000 reduction in the city’s light bill.

We agree that retrenchment is necessary in the city. The council does the commendable thing when it seeks to save and pare down. It is not well, however to invite the thug and thief to town.

About all we receive from taxpaying is protection and when that is withdrawn one of the chief objects of taxpaying is withdrawn. On the outskirts of the city, the poor man, according to the decision of the council, is to receive no protection whatever. He has no police protection as it is and now he is to have no protection afforded by lighting of the streets.

Meanwhile the estimate shows that the mayor and members of council are to receive their regular salaries. That sum of $750 would help quite a lot to furnish the outskirts of town with the resent incandescent lights if it would not fully pay for this service.

For more information, visit the museum online at bonnercountyhistory.org.