Days of Yore for May 16, 2024
10 years ago—
A group of fun-lovers from throughout the Northwest made their 25th spring time pilgrimage to Shelton Park in Wheeler County recently. Without a place to carry out their sport of bowling ball shooting, park hosts Larry and Susan Snyder took the gang to their Gilliam County ranch southeast of Condon where the home-built black powder cannon was touched off 12 times, each time launching a bowling ball, approximately 3500 feet. They call their trip their annual Fossil Camp Out.
This year the Spray Rodeo will honor Spray Volunteer Ambulance volunteers as 2014 Grand Marshals. Spray Ambulance, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, consists of a five-member board of directors, with a current ambulance crew of 10 EMT’s and three drivers.
25 years ago—
The fourth grade class of Jan Stinchfield at Condon Grade School was excited to watch the hatching of eight baby chicks in her room within the last week. Through an Oregon State University program, the class gets a dozen eggs each spring. Six of the OSU eggs hatched, along with a banty egg supplied by Judy Jaeger and a Rhode Island Red egg provided by fourth grade student Tanner McCoin. The eight chicks are doing well.
Kara Wilson of Fossil has received many awards at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. A senior, she was recently presented with the Gary Gray Memorial Student Recognition Award at a ceremony at the school. “Kara exemplifies Aggie Spirit in everything she does,” a faculty member said in a letter to Mrs. Arthur Gray, mother of Gary Gray. “She has been an inspiration to students, faculty and staff – those who have special needs, and those without.”
50 years ago—
Condon High School’s Stage Band, under the direction of Mr. Cox, won a trophy for the school’s trophy cabinet when they participated in a jazz ensemble contest at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington. Condon was one of 26 schools from Oregon and Washington who participated in the competition, and the smallest school of the contestants.
Linda Keys and Linda Rector took the Wheeler County Rodeo Queen and her Court to Madras where the girls chose the outfits they will wear. The court consists of Queen Glaya Maxwell of Mitchell, Princess Bernadine Wehrli of Fossil and Princess Dorothy Tucker of Mitchell.
75 years ago—
The Hulden Motor company employees are at a loss to know what to do with a purse that was found in the Rio theater in Arlington immediately following the magic show. They say if not claimed soon, the money will be confiscated and put in the “coffee fund”.
Martha Morgan, eight-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.C Morgan, was the victim of a freak accident while making cake icing at her home in Lonerock. In trying to add peppermint flavoring to the icing, she spilled some of it on the hot stove. The alcohol in the liquid exploded, burning her hand severely. Her father, who was near, quickly extinguished the flames. She was taken to Condon for medical treatment, and is already planning another batch of peppermint icing.
Mr. and Mrs. Garland Potter, who plan to start construction of a new home on the Overlander place northwest of Condon, started to dig out the basement. Garland operates the bulldozer and Myrtle and the youngsters “straw boss” from the side. Earth and rock being removed is being hauled to the R.W. Potter ranch to fill in some of the seemingly bottomless mud holes which have appeared since the frost has left the ground.
100 years ago—
A quintet of Californians from Los Angeles has been camped at the auto camp grounds opposite the Shelley Garage this week. They had little trouble in crossing the Oregon-California line. The quarantine guards squirted a little disinfecting spray at them and let them pass on. They came from the foot and mouth disease section, but when they arrived at the line they removed their “Hollywood” sign, told the guards they came from San Jose – and got by!
G.O. Butler, Bob Keys and Bob Wills of Richmond plunged down the embankment on the Donnelly Grade near Richmond yesterday about 6:30 a.m. in their automobile, seriously injuring Judge Butler, who is a man past 70 years. Mr. Keys was well enough to come on to Condon to the wool sale, for which all of them were bound. The car is said to have rolled down the embankment 300 yards.
Bob Fitzmaurice revived his reputation as a sprinter the other day when he and Kewpie Clow laid off a sprinting course several miles out in the sage brush to settle the question as to whether Clow could afford to give Bob a ten-foot start in 100-yard dash. Kewpie couldn’t.
From the Condon Times 1909 —
Dunn Bros. brick is going up as fast as bricks and mortar can be laid, and in a few days it will be ready for the finishing touches. Mr. Dunn says he doesn’t know how he found room for his big stock for such a length of time and will welcome the additional room.
Emmet Summers offered to bet us a new hat that he would have 30 bushels of wheat to the acre this fall, rain or no rain. It is against our religious principles to get a Panama in this way or we would take the bet. Emmet says we have cold feet.
They are now selling ice cream in goblets made of genuine ice. They have the ice cream here at Myers’ but the goblets haven’t arrived yet.
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