This Week In Bonners Ferry History

100 Years Ago

Revenue Collector Wm. J.J. Smith will be here for consultations on the new tax laws. Many people who were not affected by the prior federal tax laws must file returns. Here are the requirements: Every unmarried person with a net income of $1,000 or more and every married person who together with wife (or husband) had a net income of $2,000 in 1918.

According to word this week, a bill was passed in the Senate for an appropriation of $10,000 for the proposed Lenia Bridge across the Kootenai River. The Montana legislature has also appropriated $10,000 and the Lenia people have been promised $10,000 more from the forestry dept.

Quite a number of local folks were “stung” this week by a smooth stranger named Lamerson. He was selling 10 gallon kegs of “fine old rye whiskey for $90.” As the current price of bootleg whiskey is said to be $30 a gallon, several people were eager to purchase his wares. It was after he left town that the customers found out that the ten gallon kegs only contained about a pint of whiskey. There were false bottoms in the barrels and the remaining nine gallons and more was well filled with good old Kootenai River water.

50 Years Ago

It appears that the spring runoff for areas flowing into the Kootenai River is expected to be 124% of that in 1968, and 111% of the last 15 year average. Snowfall during January established new records at both high and low elevations.

Ernie Woods was presented the “Distinguished Service Award” and Fay Florea was named “Boss of the Year” by the B.F. Jaycees.

Alice Hinthorn and Nancy Borneman spent all day Thursday baking cookies for the Valentine’s Day party at Mt. Hall School.

15 Years Ago

After nearly two decades of coaching high school wrestling and producing some of the most outstanding wrestlers in the region, Bonners Ferry High School Coach Conrad Garner, was honored last weekend for his dedication and commitment to the sport. Now in his 18th year as head wrestling coach, Garner was selected by his peers as the recipient of the Keith L. Williams 2004 3A Wrestling Coach of the Year.

Eighteen of Bonners Ferry’s most outstanding junior girls will be given an opportunity to win scholarship money and prizes in this year’s 38th annual Bonners Ferry Junior Miss Scholarship Program.

A felony witness intimidation charge has been re-instated against Robert Hayden by Bonner County Deputy Louis Marshall. Alleged victim claims that he read Hayden’s lips at the Wal-Mart store.

— Submitted by the Boundary County Museum