<p>This historic image depicts the Reel house at the foot of Wallowa Lake and what was then called the Powder River Mountains (at least on this postcard), probably in the very early 1900s. It is part of the extensive Wallowa County postcard collection of Edsel White.</p>

100 YEARS AGO

May 21, 1914

W.P. Samms (age 79), the best loved man in Enterprise, died Tuesday evening, May 19, at 6 oclock. The funeral was held this afternoon in the Christian Church and the entire community reverently paid heed to the services that signaled the last on the earth of a remarkable man. Mr. and Mrs. Samms arrived at Alder July 24, 1880, by wagon from Kansas with 35 cents as all their capital. It was not enough to buy a broom, which was sorely needed in the cabin on Alder they moved into.

An ordinance regulating the manner in which the initiative and referendum are exercised in Enterprise was passed in Enterprise Monday night. The purpose was to put the city in shape to vote for sewer bonds.

The contract for carrying the Lewis mail has been given by the post office department to John W. Young. He makes one trip a week and is to get $416 a year.

John Bristol, who until recently was the Record Chieftain Pilgrim, announces that he will take over the Lostine Reporter, recently burned out, and will resume its publication.

70 YEARS AGO

May 18, 1944

Ira Pace has been experiencing recently with a new idea for a hay windrower, which he feels has real possibilities. The device is a curved metal scoop, which attaches behind the cycle bar sloping diagonally back about 10 feet to carry the cut hay off to a windrow well to one side of the standing grass or alfalfa. Ira is also raising large white leghorn hens of a new type.

Wallowa Countys public assistance grants have now been increasing to comply with state standards, according to Miss Marguerite Kelly, administrator of the Wallowa County Public Welfare commission. The average old age assistance grant for this county has been, for some time, around $23, while that for the state has now reached $32.81. Statistics for April: general assistance, 23 cases, $641.65 (including $239.95 medical care); old age assistance, 99 cases, $2,388.

IMNAHA Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Duckett and son, Leland, and Mr. and Mrs. Lyal Witherrite went to Joseph Thursday night to the graduation exercises. Jack Duckett and Joann Witherrite graduated. Joann is in cadet nurses training and Jack will leave the 18th for the service.

50 YEARS AGO

May 21, 1964

Bids from three general contractors were opened at a special session of the Wallowa County Court on Tuesday afternoon in answer to a request for bids on the proposed nursing home. Low bidder was Bechtel Brothers Construction of La Grande; their base bid was $214,428, with six alternative bids adding $7,587. The county court had hoped for a base bid of about $200,000.

Photo Caption After several weeks of hard work and tough competition, three girls have been chosen as the court of the 1964 Chief Joseph Days. The girls shown above, with their fathers, are: Princess Julie Wilson, with her father Kermit; CJD Queen Elaina Perez, with her dad, Garald Botts; and Princess Patty Jo Brennan and her father Mike. To the right is Father of the Court, Henry Hatch.

The installation of the carillon system at the Enterprise Community Church was completed over the weekend and the residents of the Enterprise area were treated to melodic debut performances at periodic intervals.

Balloting on the county library measures establishing the library and asking $10,000 per year for two years to support it both passed in Fridays election. The library was given an OK by a vote of 1,321-995, while the tax levy to support it was 1,165-1,100.

25 YEARS AGO

May 18, 1989

Three local ballot measures didnt fare well in Tuesdays election. Voters in the Joseph School District narrowly rejected a one-year $146,054 operating levy, 352 to 333. A three-year $20,000 dog control levy went down 1,117 to 859, while a $28,293 measure to fund weed control was turned back countywide, 992 to 964.

Students of the tiny Troy schoolhouse on the Grande Ronde River played host to a very important visitor when Oregon Superintendent of Schools Verne Duncan came to call. Its probably that the three pupils in school that day one was absent were less impressed with Duncan than he was with them, their teacher (Ted Zeller) and their school.

When Ray Connolly turns the keys of Snyder Lumber over to new owners (Billy and Debra Ann Sherritt) next week, hell also turn his back on an association with the business that lasted 42 years and three months.

Mona Williams of Joseph was among 66 law school graduates who received degrees during the University of Idahos centennial commencement ceremony Saturday. Williams, a 1971 graduate of Joseph High School, graduated with a juris doctorate degree.

TWINS PHOTO Identification: The Chieftain received a number of calls, visits and e-mails identifying the three sets of twins in the May 14 Out of the Past photo. The twins, probably pictured in first or second grade, are: Ruth and David Morgan, David and Douglas Klaveno and Bernie and Jerry Stein. Among those who contacted us was Ruth Morgan herself as well as fellow members of the Enterprise High School class of 1968. The only point in dispute was the surname spelling for the Klaveno twins who went to school in Enterprise only a few years. We went with the spelling given by Ardis Klages, who taught them in first grade.