WPA crew starts work on sewer ditch
(Photo courtesy PRIEST RIVER MUSEUM) River pigs work their magic during a log drive in 1944.
100 Years Ago — 1919
Checkered
career ends
Committing suicide in the Newport jail on Saturday morning after he had been foiled in an attempt to escape from federal authorities, Wm. Vane, wealthy rancher and land owner of that town, brought to an end a checkered career which has kept him much in the public eye for the last four years.
Bank changes hands
Lee Berry disposed of his controlling interest in the Citizens State Bank to Messers. Baxter and Alexander, Spokane men.
90 Years Ago — 1929
Injured sledding
While coasting on the Park hill, Miss Farnsworth suffered many bad bruises which will prevent her from teaching school for some time.
Neil Stewart dislocated his hip, and Guy Hensley was also badly bruised.
The steering wheel broke and the sled went out of control and smashed into a telephone pole.
80 Years Ago — 1939
Sewer ditch crosses Albeni
The WPA crew started work Monday on the sewer ditch which crosses Albeni Road at the north end of Main Street.
With this section finished, the job will be completed to the top of the hill.
Especially on the hill the workers experienced much difficulty because they ran into pure sand which ran like so much water.
It was of such good quality it was used right on the job for the cement work.
70 Years Ago — 1949
Putting up ice at Nordman
Nordman people have been busy putting up ice at the Stevens resort on Granite Creek. Mr. A. H. Rouse was appointed official ice tester because of his recent experience.
60 Years Ago — 1959
Ban lifted
The Bonner County Class A school board lifted its ban on the use of school buildings for denominational purposes, previously forbidden to religious groups.
50 Years ago — 1969
Chipper
operating
Although hampered somewhat by adverse weather and road conditions, the new chipper plant at Diamond International’s Albeni Falls installation is now operating at full or near capacity.
The big modern installation, costing upwards of half a million dollars, is fully automated and unbelievably efficient.
40 Years Ago — 1979
Drippy faucets required
City spokesmen warn that despite a warming trend, all city residents must leave a trickle of water running in their faucets, possibly until spring, to prevent the water mains from freezing up and leaving the whole town without water.
The frost is down below 5 feet in some places, according to Don Grandfield, who says pipes re freezing faster that city workers can thaw them.
30 Years Ago — 1989
Finds legislature
exciting
Karen Cooke, new state senator from Priest River, reports that the first week of the legislative session in Boise has been “extremely exciting.”
20 Years Ago — 1999
IFI faces citations
Idaho Forest Industries, Inc. could face fines after it removed asbestos from a boiler in late October 1998 and buried it in the IFU mill landfill in Priest River. The information about the asbestos came from an IFI employee around Dec. 1, said IFI spokesman Jim English, who added, “We did not think that part of the boiler had asbestos in it.”
10 Years Ago — 2009
Winterfest kicks off
The second annual Priest Lake Winterfest kicks off Jan. 16 with a snowmobile poker run, chili cook-off, and vintage sled show on Jan. 17.