100 YEARS AGO

Jan. 16, 1913

The recent cold weather has caused the formation of a huge ice jam on each bank of the Grande Ronde River a mile or two above Troy. This has caused water to become backed up to the extent that it is feared that, should a sudden chinook and rain come, the ice would lose its grip and rush down the river in one solid mass, thereby doing untold damage to bridges, buildings and orchards.

Deep snow now covers practically every part of Wallowa County. No one knows how deep it is in the high mountains, for no one ever ventures up there in the dead of winter and there would be no way of measuring the fall anyway. Dr. C.T. Hockett, who made a trip up to the head of Trout Creek the middle of the week, said the snow was about two and a half feet deep there.

A.C. Willett narrowly escaped death Wednesday afternoon when he was crushed under a falling tree in the woods near Lostine. He was so severely injured that at first his life was despaired of.

70 YEARS AGO

Jan. 14, 1943

A courthouse innovation is in prospect. David B. Reavis, who has been county clerk for 18 years, will no longer be seen in the office after the middle of the week. He expects to retire, to take a clerical position in the office of the state tax commission office in Salem. Marjorie Martin, now deputy clerk, will be the new county clerk, and Mrs. Reavis will assist her for a time.

The Wallowa County Creamery Association, co-operative organization of dairymen, has purchased the Wallowa Valley Cheese factory, owned by August Staub in Enterprise, effective March 1.

The Floyd Zollman sale held last week was well attended in spite of the weather and all stock and machinery brought good prices. The highest price paid for a milk cow was $105. The top horse brought $58. An International combine, small size, brought $750.

FLORA Elmo Curry, who has been in the army for the past several months, arrived home Wednesday evening for a visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Curry. Elmo has an 11-day furlough. He came from camp McCoy, near Sparta, Wisc.

50 YEARS AGO

Jan. 17, 1963

An icy grip of 21 below zero temperatures had relaxed considerably by yesterday (Wednesday). Temperatures had climbed to above freezing, melting a one-half inch of snow which fell over the valley Tuesday night. Only within the past week has Wallowa County experienced sub-zero weather.

New officers of the Joseph Chamber of Commerce took over at the regular meeting of the chamber last Thursday at the Chief Joseph Hotel. Paul Hatch succeeded Bill DeGrofft in the presidents chair. Other officers are: Dave Hug, vice president; Bonnie Blankinship, secretary; Bob Anderson, treasurer; and Carlyl Roundy, Skip Wisdom and Bill DeGrofft, directors.

Elaine Hulse is Homemaker of Tomorrow for Wallowa High School in the 1963 Betty Crocker Contest. Elizabeth Dawson received the highest score in the contest for Joseph High School.

FLORA Wanda Sturms, Myrtle and Carol Wulff and Frances Andrews were quilting at the church Thursday, but it got so cold they returned to their homes early. Thursday morning the thermometers read 25 and 26 degrees below zero. The Everett Roberts home, the old Murrill place on Lost Prairie, burned Friday afternoon. Very few things were saved.

25 YEARS AGO

Jan. 14, 1988

The state is recommending that the Forest Service offer more old growth ponderosa pine for sale on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in the next 10 years, as well as a larger allowable cut than is in the Forest Services preferred forest management plan. Under the preferred alternative, the Forest Service wants to reduce the allowable annual harvest on the forest to 143 million board feet, including reducing the harvest of ponderosa pine to 29 million board feet.

Pat Matthews has been named assistant wildlife biologist for the Wallowa district of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Matthews has been with the department five years, the last two in Ontario, where he worked on deer habitat improvement projects.

A North Bend pilot who ran out of fuel and glided through the clouds for a landing at Enterprise Airport shortly after 5:30 p.m. Sunday admitted he had a close call. Five or 10 minutes less fuel and I would have splattered all over the mountain, pilot Les Golbek said almost cheerfully as he prepared to fly for home Tuesday morning.

IMNAHA Our almost two-week long winter dissolved in a warm rain Saturday night and Sunday, only to return again to the upper river Monday. Near town and down river, however, is again the banana belt, which is mighty nice.