Dry conditions have area fire raging
20 Years Ago — 2000
Nobody injured in Hwy. 2 wreck
Michael Cloniger, of Richland, Wash., was taking his boat home after a weekend trip to Priest Lake when his boat trailer broke loose from his pickup just after passing Albeni Falls Dam the afternoon of the Fourth of July.
When the trailer hit the ditch, the boat broke loose and skidded along the powerline right-of-way, knocking over trees.
It took wrecker crews several hours to retrieve the 28-foot SeaRay launch from its timber tie-up.
30 Years Ago — 1990
Brocke named to P & Z
Lorry Brocke was named to the Priest River Planning & Zoning Commission by the city council to replace Joy Altmaier, who resigned Jan. 1.
40 Years Ago — 1980
Industrial park coming
Highlighted at Tuesday night’s Priest River Chamber of Commerce meeting was discussion of two of the group’s major projects, the upcoming Loggers Celebration and the completion of the land purchase in Bodie Canyon, which will be developed into an industrial park in the near future.
50 Years Ago — 1970
Land leased for horse park
The Priest River Equestrian Association has leased 35 acres of land inside the Priest River city limits from Diamond National Corp. and plans to use it for a horse park. The property is located on the east side of town, before the highway bridge.
60 Years Ago — 1960
Believed drowned in Priest Lake
Bonner County authorities have failed to find the body of Donald L. Katke, 33, of Spokane, believed drowned while crossing Priest Lake Friday night from a home he was building on Pinto Point on the east shore, to Linger Longer Lodge on the west.
Fishermen found the boat he had borrowed floating upside down at 5:30 a.m. Saturday about 1 1/2 miles off Kalispell Island.
The lake at this point is reported to be about 500 feet deep, thus no dragging operations have been undertaken. The sheriff said the lake is too big and too deep for effective searching, since it is not known what happened.
70 Years Ago — 1950
Diamond mill enlarging
The sawmill at the Diamond Match plant is closed for conversion from a single to a double cut mill. Manager a. M. Nelson says he hopes to have the sawmill operating again soon after July, and that the laid-off men have been placed elsewhere.
80 Years Ago — 1940
New school ready by fall
An interview with Clifford Hill, construction superintendent at the new high school, brings assurance that the school will be ready for the opening of school during the first week of September. There is a lot of work to be done between now and that time, Hill said, “but we have now completed the walls and are all set to go in double-quick time on the remainder of the job.”
90 Years Ago — 1930
Rearing pond to be built on Soldier Creek
State Game Warden R. E. Thomas was in Priest River Tuesday, and from here, in the company of Deputy Warden Robert Halla, drove to Priest Lake where tests of Soldier and Lamb creeks were made.
These creeks tested 56 and 62 degrees, respectively, the former being the right temperature for rearing fish. According to Thomas, a rearing pond will be put in on Soldier Creek. It will be approximately 20 by 60 feet in size and will no doubt be erected this fall.
100 Years Ago — 1920
Fire raging in
Section 26
As the celebration in Priest River was at its height, word was brought that a forest fire had started about six miles out on the West Branch road, and on account of the dry conditions of the woods was making rapid headway.
A small crew of fire fighters was immediately rushed to the scene and all night the men were busy trying to keep the flames confined to the area where it had started.