This Week In History - Dec. 7, 2023

100 Years Ago

John Stein, who accidentally shot Joe Siek, a local blacksmith, in the left arm while deer hunting near Snyder on Nov. 17, will hunt no more. Last Sunday he was visited at his ranch by J.R. Meeker and W.H. Heathershaw and stated he would never take a gun into the woods again. He sold his rifle, a .35 Remington automatic, to Mr. Meeker, and told him to use the money toward defraying Siek’s hospital expenses. He announced the intention of paying all doctor bills.

Polzin Bros. this week received the latest model Rumely threshing machine with new improved feeder and telescope wind stacker built for a size 24 tractor. The tractor which will be used with the new threshing machine was purchased last season. The new thresher is guaranteed to thresh 1,000 bushels of grain in a day’s run.

H.S. Ruddach has taken a two year lease on the Alexander store building which was vacated the first of the month by the Stookey Furniture Co. and is having the building remodeled so that he can use it for a garage and auto display room.

50 Years Ago

A fire which sent a column of black smoke billowing about 400 feet into the sky destroyed a major portion of the Bonners Ferry Post Company Friday. Jim Wadel and Dale Dirks are co-owners of the company, and Wadel said that according to his calculations the uninsured loss was in excess of $50,000.

Don Howe of Bonners Ferry was elected to represent the State Association as a director on the National Association of Wheat Growers Board of Directors; Deon Hubbard was elected as a state representative to the Pacific Northwest Grain Quality and Standards Committee.

Jeannette Levig of Bonners Ferry this week moved to a new assignment in the Boundary County office of the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension Service. After serving for eight months as secretary, Mrs. Levig began work on December 1 as County Home Economist.

15 Years Ago

The city has signed a 20-year contract with Bonneville Power, which will allow residents of Bonners Ferry to receive electricity at cost. In essence, the contract will prevent an increase in electrical rates of $30 to $40 a month, said City Administrator Steve Boorman.

Boundary County Historical Society Community cookbook is now available. “Family Favorites from Boundary County, Idaho,” is a collection of 327 recipes submitted by residents. The cookbook is $12 with profits benefitting museum publication projects. The cookbook is dedicated to Eveline Ruhberg, longtime curator for Boundary County Museum.

~Submitted by the Boundary County Museum