County commissioners ponder fate of Laclede ferry

Marylyn Cork, the local historian who compiles our “Looking Back” column, is taking a well-deserved break this week to spend the holiday with her family. Instead, we are sharing one of her past columns.

10 Years Ago — 2006

‘Horrendous’ windstorm hits

Children in the West Bonner County School District got an early Christmas present Friday when school was canceled thanks to a horrendous windstorm. It roared through North Idaho, western Montana and eastern Washington, knocking out power to almost 60,000 people.

The storm began shortly after midnight Friday with winds recorded as gusting up to 70 mph in Kootenai County and 49 mph in Bonner County.

20 Years Ago — 1996

Perrins and Mullaley awarded

Priest River Chamber of Commerce president Eric Eldenburg presented the chamber’s Citizen of the Year award Tuesday night. Dec. 10, to Jan Perrins and the President’s Award to Bill Mullaley. The two were cited for their many volunteer contributions to their community.

30 Years Ago — 1986

Boy’s warning saves home

A shed was destroyed and a home damaged in a fire Dec. 14 at the Ed Brettauer residence, but an alert 5-year-old neighbor might have prevented things from being worse.

West Pend Oreille District firefighters responded to a call on Dufort Road about 9 p.m. after Ryan Krizenesky saw the blaze from his bedroom window and told his parents.

He had just gone to bed, his parents, Ron and Shelly said, but was looking out the window because “I heard a noise.”

40 Years Ago — 1976

Wallets stolen from players

Approximately $125 was stolen from Priest River and Clark Fork high School basketball players during last Friday night’s Junior Varsity game.

According to Police Chief Wally Mitchell, 16 members of the teams reported they found their wallets missing when they returned to the locker rooms after the game. Mitchell said the case is under investigation.

50 Years Ago — 1966

Scott Paper contemplating chipper plant

Nearly a dozen witnesses expressed their views on the proposed sale of 100,155,000 board feet of timber located on 6,351 acres of land on the east side of Priest Lake, where the state owns approximately 192,000 acres, at a hearing conducted by the State Land Board.

The hearing involved 77,780,000 feet of infected hemlock considered usable for pulp manufacture as well as hemlock, white pine, cedar and larch saw logs.

Scott Paper Co., represented by is woodlands manager, outlined its proposal for establishing a chipping mill at Priest River to convert the hemlock into chips for its paper mills.

60 Years Ago — 1956

Board eyes fate of Laclede Ferry

A public hearing has been scheduled by the Bonner County Commissioners on Friday at 10 a.m. at the courthouse in Sandpoint concerning the discontinuance of the Laclede Ferry.

This ferry has been in operation for many years, but improvements of the highway on the south side of the river and the new bridge at Priest River have lessened the need for the ferry.

The Thama ferry downriver was discontinued several years ago.

70 Years Ago — 1946

Home for the holidays

Harry Dalva, Wayne Phillips, Anita McInnis, and Dorothy Maio, students of the university at Moscow, will arrive home the latter part of the week to spend the holidays.

80 Years Ago — 1936

Village Board will pay to play

Since the wrecking of the village truck last week in a collision, the village trustees have decided not to buy another at the present time.

The board will now offer $5 to the party or parties first reaching the fire station with a car or truck and hauling the hose cart to the scene of the fire.

90 Years Ago — 1926

Death is possible suicide

David Bingham, a lumberjack, met death by drowning in the Pend Oreille River Saturday night at about 7 p.m., under circumstances that strongly point to suicide.

100 Years Ago — 1916

Going for third trial

The jury in the case of Tony Lemley, charged for the second time with the murder of Frank Greene, after being out several hours, disagreed and was discharged.

The court ordered a new list to report Jan. 3, when the third trial of the case will be taken up.

Adv. Hotel Petersen: Merchants’ Lunch, 12 to1 p.m. You will find our Sunday dinner Especially Good at 35 cents. Come and bring your family.

—Compiled by

MARYLYN CORK