This Week In History — Nov. 9, 2023

100 Years Ago

H.O. Jackson has leased one of the storerooms of the new W.L. Kinnear brick building in which he will conduct a variety store.

The Kootenai Hotel building, one of the oldest landmarks of Bonners Ferry was destroyed by fire early Friday morning, the property damage amounting to over $8,000. Myers & Strom, owners of the Club Cigar Store, sustained a loss of approximately $7,000, partially covered by insurance. The Kootenai Hotel building was a two story structure and was built in 1892.

O.E. Bender, president and general manager of the Idaho Gold and Ruby Mining Company, announced that at a meeting of the board of directors, it had been unanimously decided to place the operations of the company at Leonia on a cash paying basis, doing away with the system which has prevailed for many years whereby employees have been paid in notes or stock.

50 Years Ago

After negotiating in a meeting with the three interested bidding parties for the county’s garbage contract, the commissioners decided to award the contract to Stan Sweet. Although Sweet’s bid was slightly over$29,000, a little higher than the lowest bid, the Commissioners felt it was “the most financially sound.”

The pitch was low key, but the voter turnout for the city general election despite the snowy weather was relatively good, the best since the 1967 election when over 200 Bonners Ferry citizens went to the polls. Pace, Sims, Kelson, Mesenbrink, Bertling, and Pluid were elected.

The Bonners Ferry High School Band will be one of several hundred non-paid entertainment groups that will perform during the Expo ’74 World’s Fair.

15 Years Ago

Bonners Ferry Girls Cross Country Team took fifth at 3A State Meet in Boise, while the boys team took sixth. Leading was senior Molly McClintock with a time of 21:26 for a 20th overall finish, Junior Dylan Sweeney took first for the Badger boys with a time of 17:28 for a 12 place overall finish.

The slump in housing construction will mean extra holiday time for the 105 full time employees at Idaho Forest Products in Moyie Springs.

Margaret Huggins was honored as this year’s Community Star during the Oct.30 ceremony hosted by Panhandle State Bank at Mugsy’s Restaurant. As part of the honor, the bank gives $1,000 to the recipient’s charity of choice, Huggins chose the Crisis Line.

                            Submitted by the Boundary County Museum