Out of the Past October 21 2026

118 Years Ago—

Hazing has been the recent popular sport indulged in by the members of the sophomore, junior, and senior classes of the Colville High School. Last week a number of cases were reported, and one member of the school carried the matter to the justice court, but was induced to give up the idea of prosecuting as this was the first case this year and the results were not serious.

Good reports come from Clugston Creek, eight miles east of Bossburg, where the Clugston Mining Company of Spokane is developing the Jasper and Evergreen claims. The new Bank of Colville building on the old courthouse site is assuming definite shape under the skillful trowel of Leo Broton, who is in charge of the masonry work.

100 Years Ago—

Last Tuesday, Oct. 19, marked an anniversary date for Colville, it being the 37th year passed since the connecting of the city of Colville with the outside world by means of steel rails. The Spokane Falls and Northern Railway Company completed the track laying to Colville on that day and the first train, of mixed freight and flat cars and an improvised passenger coach, steamed up to the station, then a box car transferred to a side-track at the west end of what is now 1st Ave.

1924 CHEVROLET TOURING – Finest mechanical condition, painted dark maroon, cream stripe. Bumpers, moto-meter and spare tire. This is a real bargain. $385: Culver & Richardson Co., Colville.

While washing a coat with gasoline in an electric washer, Mrs. Osee W. Noble narrowly escaped severe burns on Monday afternoon, when friction of the silk and wool cloth in the coat ignited while being run through the wringer. Seeing her predicament, with the flames leaping high in the basement of the home, Noble made use of a garden hose and kept a quantity of wood and the timbering of the basement from catching fire. She then sent in a fire alarm and the fire department responded to the call. With the chemical fire extinguisher, the flames were subdued, but not until Noble’s coat was ruined and some damage was done to the electric washer.

75 Years Ago—

New historical significance was added to this area last Friday when the site of old St. Paul’s Mission, one mile northeast of Kettle Falls, was accepted by the state of Washington as a memorial park. The old mission building, now restored to its original form, and the several acres of grounds surrounding it, will henceforth be administered and cared for by the State Parks Commission.

KHQ’s radio Farm Gang packed the city hall to capacity and entertained the overflow outside with loud speakers to start off Colville’s first Town and Country Days last Saturday

50 Years Ago—

The possibility of a power shortage in the Colville Valley and the unfinished Bonneville Power line to Addy has prompted the Colville Chamber of Commerce to write the Bonneville Power Administration urging action.

Stevens County Auditor Virginia Jensen is predicting a 75-80% voter turnout for the Nov. 2 general election. Her reason behind such a high prediction turnout is the increased voter registration. Ollie Mae Wilson, Northport, has been re-elected to her third term on the Washington State Board of Education, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Frank B. Brouillet announced in Olympia.

25 Years Ago—

The staff and students at Colville High School wish to extend an invitation to all veterans for their annual Veterans Day Assembly. “Veterans are encouraged to show up and have coffee and cookies with CHS (Colville High School) students,” commented CHS vice-principal Paul Dumas. “We urge you to use this opportunity to come together as a community to show our patriotism and our support and remembrance of all those who have served this great country.”

The Colville Police Department has come up with an innovative response to sky-rocketing costs for use of the Stevens County 911 Communications Center. The department installed an answering machine.