From the Dayton Chronicle archives

Ten Years Ago

April 25, 2012

The Columbia County Transportation system took possession of a bus equipped with wheel chair access last week. The Vehicle Production Group, VPG, Hadi-van is American made with the coach built in the Hummer plant, mounted on a Ford chassis and drive train, powered by a V-6 engine and gets better mileage.

The Starbuck School District Annual Bike Rodeo, held recently was a great success for students to learn more about bike safety, the rules of the road, and practice bicycle skills and equipment.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

April 23, 1997

Of the fourteen winners at Friday’s fourteenth annual Speech Competition finals for grades 4-8 from eight neighboring schools, Star, near Pasco, Milton-Freewater, Pomeroy, Touchet and Dayton. Dayton winners were: Megan Coombs, grade 4; Rachel LaBerge, grade 5; Ashley James, grade 8; Kim Richter grade 8.

Fifty Years Ago

April 27, 1972

J.D. McKissick, employee at the Maurice Eaton farm, was winner of the last $20 prize check in the Bazaar of Value presented to him by W.B. Dingle Sr. of Dingle’s Dayton Hardware on behalf of fellow merchants in the Bazaar and the Dayton Chronicle. The final prize check, signaling the close of the community-wide promotion, will be for $100.

Virginia Eslick showing a lamb; Perry Patrick, 4-H steer; Dianne Eaton, beef fitting-show and Pam Sunderland, sheep fitting-show, won grand champion honors in the 4-H division of the Dayton Junior Livestock Pre-show.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

April 24, 1947

Miss Ann Dingle, with her violin, placed first in the music contest held in Walla Walla. Other soloists bringing back ratings were: Junior soprano, Patrick Neal, Arlene Ritzman; senior soprano, Bernice Knott, Betty Shockley; Junior division piano, Peggy Hoffeditz; senior piano, Jennie McKinley.

The Community cannery people have succeeded in getting a builder to prepare their new quarters at the fairgrounds. One of the most urgent needs in connection with the cannery, says Mrs. Harold Hopkins, is funds, and any donation will be put to good use in this work.

Last Friday was rock-hauling day for members of the Farm Bureau. Fifteen members volunteered their services and the use of their trucks for hauling cement blocks from Lewiston, to be used in the construction of the new warehouse and office building.

Dayton has a town baseball team sponsored by the new Eagles Lodge, fifteen ball players have turned out to take part and there are other players of considerable talent that the club hopes will turn out as soon as they hear about the new organization. Main Street merchants have supplied uniforms.

One Hundred Years Ago

April 22, 1922

O.C. Plaquet was recently arrested and fined a minimum fine of $10 for shooting a Chinese pheasant out of season. Pheasant were entirely too plentiful on the Plaquet ranch and they were doing all sorts of harm to his crops.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

April 24, 1897

The Chuckanut stone quarries have received orders to get out stone for the government lighthouse at Coos Bay.

There is talk of building a telephone line from Thorp to Ellensburg.

The bridge across the Colville River at Kettle Falls has been finished.

A cloudburst last week flooded all of the gulches leading into Russell creek, in Walla Walla County. A few farmers’ houses were flooded, but not much damage was done.