Traveling back in time: This day in Bonners Ferry History
100 year
The executive committee, in charge of raising Red Cross funds in Boundary county, has completed its work and reports that the total subscriptions received is $3326.47.
Hitching posts for the use of the farmers of the county are being constructed today on Mrs. Belle Bishop’s lots next to Muhlfeld’s Carpenter Shop. The racks being built will accommodate some 25 teams and if there is not enough room the committee in charge will find another place and put up more posts.
While hoeing potatoes on July 2, T.J. Jones found a fully grown specimen of the Colorado potato beetle which he says is the first one he ever saw or heard of in this county. If it gets a start this beetle is very destructive to growing potatoes and is difficult to eradicate. Mr. Jones has mounted the one he found and placed it on exhibition at the postoffice.
J.P. Dunn is cultivating one of the largest tracts of cucumbers ever grown in Northern Idaho – two acres. The plants are doing well and this fall Mr. Dunn expects to put up nearly 100 barrels of dill pickles besides selling large quantities of cucumbers in Spokane and Helena.
J.J. Archer, of the Meadow Creek Lumber company, was a business visitor in town yesterday. Mr. Archer’s logging camps were closed by the recent I.W.W. strike and threats have been made against his life if he attempts to resume work. He hopes to secure a crew and start getting out logs again before the supply in his mill yard is exhausted.
50 Year
W.W. “Wes” Deist, chief of the Bonners Ferry volunteer fire department for the past 30 years, was honored by friends at a coffee hour last Friday on his retirement. Deist joined the fire department in July, 1925, and became chief in 1937. He was chief of both the fire and police departments for 25 years, until ending his service as police chief in 1960.
Thursday night Kenny Robinson was fishing near Shilo when all of a sudden there was a very large brown shaggy bear coming at him. He ran as fast as he could, with the bear right after him, until he was about out of breath. Finally, he dropped his fish but the bear kept coming. Then he turned around and got the fish and after losing his pole and coat, Kenny finally made it to his car.
Seen and Heard…. Rocky Cartwright sliding all four wheels to avoid hitting a pack of seven skunks…..
With the arrival of hot weather, fire danger is becoming greater each week as the forests and grasslands become more dry, with several fires already encountered by local fire crews. The state forestry office reports that their fire crew has been called out to extinguish eight minor brush fires to date this fire season. State and U.S. forest officials state that fire danger is now in the “moderate” range and going higher, and care is urged to avoid man-caused fires.
There’ll be a rip-snortin’ time at the fairgrounds July 29 and 30, when the Selkirk Saddle club will sponsor the Kootenai River Rodeo and two full days of top-notch entertainment. Top-rated rodeo riders of the Northwest are expected to participate.
15 Year
Seen and Heard….Mitch Vogel is still hopping mad about not receiving 1 write-in vote as county coroner, demanding a recount….
As the Kootenai River continued to rise Monday morning, Boundary County agricultural losses were reported to have reached nearly $700,000.
After going airborne through the trees and crashing into a drainage ditch, 30-year-old Robert Helsley received minor injuries in a single car accident. The accident occurred near County Road in Naples at approximately 5:30 pm, Monday night. He was transported to Boundary Community Hospital where he was treated, released and arrested for DUI. According to Idaho State Trooper Brian Zimmerman, it appeared that Helsley had drank a pint of whiskey and admitted to taking an undisclosed amount of hydrocodone. Later a radio call from Boundary County Sheriff’s Dispatch indicated that when Helsley was taken to X-ray, he disappeared, and was located in a closet a few minutes later by police.