Photo is from the Chieftain archives. Date and location unknown.

100 years ago

March 13, 1919

“A silo on every farm” is a slogan of government and college authorities, and it has been taken up by the Wallowa county farm bureau. More than 20 farmers have definitely announced they will build silos this year, and there is every prospect that the number will exceed 50 before harvest.

The garage men of the county met last Friday and took preliminary steps toward organizing for their mutual benefit. They will establish uniform prices and practices, and will start a credit rating service, which will show the standing of every patron. A customer who fails to pay a bill at one garage will get no credit at any other.

The streets of town were dragged a little yesterday for the first time this season. Mayor Miller suggested that the streets were drying up very rapidly and would have to be dragged at once if anything were to be done with them. In many places they are too dry already. If dragged promptly after the next rain, they can be made quite smooth.

70 years ago

March 10, 1949

Lyle Shumway became worried about Mr. and Mrs. Tom Fagin, who live a few miles west of the Flora highway, when he observed while carrying the mail, that they had not come to the Flora highway to get their mail for two weeks. He got snowshoes and walked in to their place, taking several hours for the trip. He found the Fagin home buried under nine feet of snow and both ill. Returning to town he got a snow plow and Melvin Varner took his caterpillar out. After working two days they had gone only a mile. Harold Voetberg came to their assistance and the third day they got to the Fagin farm. Lyle Shumway and his son, Bryce, have both been helping the old couple since they opened the road and have managed to get enough hay to them to take care of their stock.

A flight was made from the Enterprise airport with the ski plane to the Minam Horse ranch with groceries and radio batteries. There is still three feet of snow there. Hay was dropped to the elk penned in along the Grande Ronde river. About 50 elk were seen in this area.

The Stitch and Chatter club met for an all-day meeting, spent in piecing quilts. The club is now divided into groups each working on a quilt. At present seven quilts are being made.

50 years ago

March 13, 1969

High Wallowas, Inc. suffered a devastating blow when the bids for the construction of the gondola lift from Wallowa lake to the top of Mt. Howard were opened. Two companies submitted bids on the project and both bids exceeded the budgeted or expected costs by over 100 percent.

Mona Kay Williamson, a sophomore at JHS, received second honors in a contest held at Pendleton. The event was entitled the “United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth” contest. Each student composed and memorized a speech entitled, “The United Nations, Past, Present and Future”, and it was on this speech as presented at the contest that awards were made.

Dave Melville of EHS was one of six boys to be picked for the Greater Oregon League Eastern Division all-star team, according to basketball coach Dick Quinn.

Chevrolet Motor Division announces Bill Fletcher at Milligan Motors has for the seventh consecutive year been awarded the Hall of Fame plaque for truck sales.

25 years ago

March 10, 1994

Family Video was the winner in the Town Team Basketball League Tournament held recently. The Family Video squad defeated Sports Corral, 119-114, in the final game Saturday night.

The first-year Wallowa Mountain Camp Fire Club held its first ceremonial Wednesday, with 12 girls receiving Starflight patches (grades K-2) and 15 girls receiving Adventure patches (grades 3-6).

Three candidates for Wallowa County Commissioner will appear on the May primary ballot. Running for the partisan position will be incumbent Pat L. Wortman of Enterprise and James B. Walker of Lostine on the Republican primary ballot, and Dale L. Potter of Joseph as the lone name on the Democratic ballot. Candidates for the non-partisan position of Wallowa County District Attorney are incumbent Mary Goebel and Enterprise attorneys Thomas Gray and Daniel Ousley.