08/19/26 Out of the Past

100 Years Ago—

A distress signal for Noah’s Ark was in order in the northeastern part of town Wednesday afternoon when an avalanche of water from a cloudburst on Colville Mountain made a regular flood for a short time. The over-abundance of water was precipitated from the clouds following a thunder bolt and, in no time at all, the roads were turned into rivers. 

Whether it was altogether because of a technicality of the law or because they secured their license on Friday the 13^th, the marriage of Henry Rickard of Daisy and Louise Melchoir of Inchelium did not come off on that day as scheduled. After reflecting that he had received a divorce at Republic just three days previous, Rickard decided to wait the allotted six months for his second matrimonial venture. 

75 Years Ago—

After more than three hours of debate, discussion, and careful reading of entry letters, Colville’s lay committee decided Wednesday to name the grade school, yet to be built, the Hofstetter School. 

No one ever thought it would happen. But it did. An unidentified woman was locked in the city post office for nearly two hours Wednesday before she was released. Assistant Postmaster Vern Workman turned out the lights and locked the post office at 6 p.m. Wednesday night. One hour and three quarters later city police were called to investigate a report that a woman was locked in the lobby of the building. Workman was called back and the woman was freed.

50 Years Ago—

A family that has been in the United States since 1736 donated 910 books to the Kettle Falls Library in a brief ceremony last week. Making the presentation to librarian Joan Nullet was Dr. John Studebaker and Clarence Peterson, both members of the Studebaker family.

The new office of Drs. Richard Fine and Terry Lawson will open Monday, Aug. 20, in the just completed Southtown Professional Building in Southtown Colville.

Long time Colville City Council members Don Stratton and Ken Weber tendered their resignations at Tuesday’s city council session.

Sgt. Donald A. Hughto, who has over 20 years with the Washington State Patrol, has been named Detachment Sergeant for the Colville office.

25 Years Ago—

A fire of suspicious origin roared through the dairy and cat barn at the Northeast Washington Fairgrounds early Wednesday morning, razing those buildings and destroying an adjacent restroom building.

A report issued by the Small Business Survival Committee last week ranked Washington state as one of the most entrepreneur-friendly states in the country.

10 Years Ago—

A 600-plus acre fire is burning near Deep Lake in Stevens County, just 10 miles south of Northport. The growing fire is threatening homes, power lines, and timber, according to Deputy State Fire Marshal John Webel.

FERRY COUNTY – The so-called Profanity Peak wolf pack that has been dining on public grazing land in Ferry County, has gotten a death sentence after resuming attacks on cattle in recent days. The announcement from the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department came on Friday when wildlife biologists got authorization to remove the pack after cattle carcasses and an injured calf were found on a Colville National Forest grazing allotment.