Days of Yore: January 30, 2025

Days of Yore for January 30, 2025

10 years ago—

The Arlington Chamber of Commerce is responsible for the two billboards on I-84. The large honker goose makes the billboards stand out and brings back memories of the days when most everyone enjoyed goose dinner now and again. This writer remembers cooking a goose for company, and it was so tough that no one was able to chew the darn thing!

25 years ago—

The lost is found! Molly, the mini-schnauzer mix, lost for 10 days, was found by the Molinaris and taken in. They saw the advertisement in last week’s paper and called the dog’s owner, Valerie Green. The dog and her grateful owner were reunited.

50 years ago—

The Spray Rodeo Association held their first meeting of the new year. There had been rumors circulating that because of citizen apathy there would be no Spray Rodeo this year. However, Tuck Jackson (re-elected President of the Association) was promised more community support and involvement. As the old saying goes, “The show must go on.”

A new “Meals on Wheels” program has been initiated in the city of Condon. Meals will be provided to senior citizens over 60 and shut-ins who wish to participate. A hot, well-balanced meal with half pint of milk will be provided by the Condon Grade School cafeteria for the cost of 70 cents per meal. Volunteers from various civic organizations will deliver the meals just before noon each day.

75 years ago—

Arlington was shocked and scattered at noon Sunday when a blast at the Oregon Trail Café blew the café building to pieces and broke nearly all the plate glass windows on Main Street as well as windows in a good many residences and in the school on the hill. Cause of the explosion was believed to have been from a butane setup used at the café. The miracle of the whole affair is that no one was injured. The blast occurred just as the churches were being dismissed. The church people had not reached the lower end of the street or most likely there would have been casualties. The city marshal walked past the building and was only 50 feet away when the blast occurred.

Earl and Arthur Hardie left Friday morning for Laramie, Wyoming to enroll in a special two-week Beef Production Course at the Wyoming State College. They made the trip by auto and plan to see some of the country while on their trip if it isn’t snow covered.

100 years ago—

L.E. Shelley has rented the new garage being built at Arlington by M.R. Mathew, and will open it for business around March 4. It will be run on a 24-hour schedule and tourists will find unlimited service there any hour of the day or night. The new garage will be equipped and run in the modern manner.

Mrs. David Don of Fossil was pleasantly surprised last week upon the occasion of her 25th wedding anniversary, when a number of friends gathered to extend congratulations and to play “500”. Mrs. Don was presented a beautiful hand painted tea pot. Mr. Don was absent and missed the pleasure of the surprise!

The County Clerk has prepared a list of the marriages and divorces for Gilliam County for 1924. Marriages totaled 15, and actions for divorce numbered 12. Three divorces were dismissed and three are pending. Hence, it may be concluded that Little Old Cupid is still several lengths in the lead in Gilliam County.

From the Condon Times 1898—

Notices are posted for a special Lone Rock school meeting in this district to vote a small school tax. This will of course start the calamity howlers, who are always ready to use their small influence to defeat everything that is intended to educate and better the rising generation of our land. Most every community has more of this class than they desire.

Henry Heppner, the founder of the prosperous county seat of Morrow County, went to The Dalles and took the boat for Portland next morning. Mr. Heppner is contemplating making a trip to the Klondike in the spring, and concluded to take a voyage on the Columbia in order to get used to traveling on the water and thus ward off dangers from seasickness on his journey north. The other former Arlingtonites who have already gone to Alaska are Joe Thomas, Harve Condon, Chas Bressler, Dr. Easton, Al Vaughn, W.E. Sproat, M.V. Harrison and Joe Keeney.