Chieftain archivesBeloved Joseph school teacher Miss Ruth DuBois, who taught from 1927 to 1959, is presented a plaque from some of her former students during a small gathering held at her home in 1960. The presenter is Raymond Prout.

100 Years Ago

Aug. 26, 1915

William U. Crow, one of the most highly respected citizens of Lostine, died Thursday afternoon at his home. He suffered a third stroke of paralysis Sunday night, and other complications rendered his condition critical. On Wednesday he lapsed into unconsciousness and the end came the day following.

A letter threatening to poison every cow he has on the range unless he at once withdraws a petition, was received in the mail on Tuesday by S. T. Tippett. The letter in part ran: “Did you ever stop to think where you petitioned against us homeseekers that you were robbing children and women of a future home, as well as men. Did you think us people would sit here and be rode down by mongrel employees. Now if you care to live in peace, you had better withdraw your petition and we want to see some account of your withdrawal in the Enterprise paper or we will do as we told you in our other letter. We will poison every cow you own. Now this is our last warning to you. We will not leave you one cow on the range. We can make our word good if we have to.”

The nearest approach to a serious automobile accident in this country happened Saturday night when a car carrying four young men went over the grade on the east side of Wallowa lake and rolled down to the water’s edge. Only one of the boys was hurt, and his injuries were superficial. That no fatalities happened was a great wonder.

The petition of the city of Enterprise for a street crossing at Depot street, extended, over the tracks of the O-W railroad was heard by the Oregon railroad commission, represented by Thomas K. Campbell, last Thursday. Commissioner Campbell looked over the ground and then took testimony in the court house.

70 Years Ago

Aug. 23, 1945

Auction and re-auction of a Corriedale ram donated by Mr. and Mrs. Perry N. Johnston of Lostine to the Oregon Woolgrowers auxiliary in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Jay Dobbin, brought $1,105 at the 19th annual Oregon Ram sale held at Pendleton last Friday under the auspices of the Oregon Woolgrowers association. The money is to be used for the promotion of wool and lamb sales.

Registration at Wallowa for both grade and high school students will be held Tuesday, Sept. 4. at 9 o’clock. Regular classes will begin Wednesday. A teachers meeting is scheduled for 2 o’clock Monday afternoon. Eleven of last year’s teachers will return, along with four new teachers.

L. T. Powers, who runs cattle in the north woods, was informed Saturday that some cattle had fallen in a well out by the John Cox mill. Mr. Powers immediately went out to investigate and found two grown heifers and one cow with his ear mark. There was another cow below them but it was not his. She was dark red with white face and curled in horns. There may have been more in the well but it was so deep they couldn’t be seen. People passing along and using the well failed to cover it up. This carelessness has resulted in serious losses.

Floyd W. Hammack passed away Tuesday about noon following a sudden heart attack. He had been feeling as well as usual when he left his home in Enterprise Tuesday morning to go to his farm near Lostine where he was helping his son, Albert, who lives on the ranch, with the harvesting. Mr. Hammack was riding the binder when he felt a little ill and climbed down from the machine. His son went to the house for some soda and water which his father took when these seizures came on.

50 Years Ago

Aug. 26, 1965

Despite a drop in total taxable valuation in Wallowa county of over one-half million dollars, area residents are going to find, in most cases, that this year’s tax bill has changed very little when they go to pay their property taxes in November. County assessor, S. W. “Cub” Begley released the following information this week on the millage rates for the various areas of the county.

At a meeting held August 23 in the Joseph Ranger office between Riverman and Sons Construction Company of Portland and the Forest Service it was revealed reconstruction of the Hurricane Creek Forest road is underway.

The days portrayed by “Rawhide” with Gal Vavor and his crew became a reality for Wallowa county last weekend when Jack Tippett took the leading roll of trail boss in a drive of 900 head of cattle from the Zumwalt area to the railhead at Enterprise. Jack reported that there were no saloon brawls or gun fights along the trail but that the cattle involved in the drive approached the scope of those handled in the TV western series, “Rawhide.”

Diversion of the Snake River to clear the way for construction of Idaho Power Company’s 425,000-kilowatt Hells Canyon Dam will be accomplished this weekend under a multi-stage scheme requiring split-second timing, the utility reported Thursday.

25 Years Ago

Aug. 23, 1990

The Wallowa County Court went on record this month as opposing national legislation to add four Wallowa County sites to the National Nez Perce Historical Park, which is currently located entirely in Idaho. “We, in Wallowa County, feel we can no longer afford to lose a single acre off the tax roles. Public lands identified are under far better management with the Forest Service than the National Parks can provide.”

The Wallowa County Court last week adopted an amendment to the county’s land use plan, paving the way for Joseph Fine Art Castings bronze foundry to move into the vacant Forest Service compound north of Joseph.

At a special meeting Friday the Wallowa County Court passed an order initiating the formation of a county-wide health care district which it hopes to put on the November ballot.