Bonner County History - Sept. 2, 2021
From the archives of the
Bonner County History Museum
611 S. Ella Ave., Sandpoint, Idaho, 83864
208-263-2344
50 Years Ago
Sandpoint News-Bulletin
Sept. 2, 1971 – FAIR ATTENDANCE UP
An estimated 13,291 persons attended the Bonner County Fair in its new quarters last week, about 1000 more than for the 1970 fair. Fair secretary Raynold Davis said everyone seems pleased with the new fair buildings and everything went smoothly for a first year.
•••
SPECTACULAR ELECTRICAL STORM TUESDAY
A spectacular electrical storm with torrential rainfall swept through the Sandpoint-Hope-Clark Fork area between 1 and 2 a.m. Tuesday, causing scattered damage. The Harlan Walker home in Syringa Heights had a direct lightning hit. The bolt burned a hole in a rug, burned out a bathroom heater, shorted out the electrical system and damaged the telephone circuit. As the storm swept over the lake, Hope area residents were treated to a spectacular sight of lightning streaking into the water over a wide area. Flashes were almost constant for a 15-minute period with brilliance so strong that one could read by the light.
•••
GUS VERDAL NAMED TOP AIDE
Promotion of Gustav Verdal, Coeur d’Alene National Forest supervisory forester, to deputy forest supervisor on the Kaniksu National Forest is announced. Born in Sandpoint, Verdal graduated from Sandpoint High School. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from March 1943 to Sept. 1945 and earned his B.S. degree in forest management from the U of Idaho. He began his forestry career in 1952. Verdal, his wife Mary and their three children will move to Sandpoint this week.
100 Years Ago
Pend d’Oreille Review
Sept. 2, 1921 – CITY BREVITIES
To relieve a threatened water shortage in Sandpoint, the Kootenai mill and roundhouse are pumping water from Lake Pend d’Oreille, leaving the stored water in the reservoir at the Sand creek gorge for residences and business houses, where pure water is a demand. The water is extremely low in the reservoir at the present time but is still sufficient to supply the demand, and no lake water has been pumped into the mains, as has been maliciously reported.
•••
MINER MEETS DEATH AT ARMSTEAD MINE
An employee of the Armstead mine at Talache was killed in an accident in the mine Monday, when he fell almost 300 feet from a point in the main raise near the 400-foot level to the timbers at the 700-foot level. It is the theory at the mine that he was struck on the head by a piece of falling rock and was dead before falling.
•••
$10,000 FIRE LOSS AT SAMUELS POLE YARD
Fire of unknown origin but supposed to have been caused by a carelessly thrown cigarette last Saturday wiped out 100,000 posts at the Sandpoint Lumber & Pole company yards at Samuels, together with a small quantity of lumber and a few poles. The total damage done by the fire will run between $10,000 and $12,000 according to F.C. Culver of the Sandpoint company. A crew of 30 men was engaged in fighting the flames. Through their efforts, 56,000 posts were saved, as well as most of the poles and most of the lumber.
For more information, visit the museum online at bonnercountyhistory.org.