From the Dayton Chronicle archives

Ten Years Ago

November 12, 2014

Two banks with deep roots in Walla Walla have announced a merger. A "definitive agreement pursuant to which American West's holding company will merge with and into Banner (Bank) and American West Bank will merge with and into Banner Bank."

An alleged intrusion and thefts by two Dayton residents resulted in a lockdown of Dayton Schools buildings. John P. Gant, 30, and Heather N. Dame, 26, entered and exited the high school gym were suspected of stealing backpacks and other personal items including a member of personal electronic items from both the men's and women's locker rooms.

Since the state budget crunch of 2002, Lyons Ferry State Park has operated on a minimal basis, monitored by the Corps of Engineers and maintained by local volunteers. A $600,000 appropriation sponsored by Rep. Terry Nealey (R-16-Dayton) and Senator Mark Schoesler (R-9-Ritzville), will put operation of the recreational area back under the State Park umbrella.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

November 10, 1999

Students learn about the importance of recycling programs in the classroom, and taking their knowledge into the community, teaching local businesses how to reduce the amount of waste they generate. Groups of students interviewed seniors on their experiences, such as life during World War II. The results of these interviews were compiled into an oral history book, presented to the seniors and made available to the community.

Sophomore students Geri Alves, Kyle Terpstra and Marshall Wright are working together on their model house in vocational carpentry.

The Dayton Kiwanis Club will be holding in November "The Annual Turkey Bingo" night in the Dayton Elementary School multi-purchase room. As usual, they promise bigger and better prizes than the previous year.

Fifty Years Ago

November 14, 1974

The public is invited to attend a demonstration of a new, hillside wheel tractor, according to Alton Filan, Waisburg area farmer-inventor. Filan said the 360 horsepower, 28,000 [found test model tractor, made by Knutsen Co. of North Dakota, will be plowing ground with his eight-bottom plow.

Three members, Sandra Gibbons of Dayton, Kevin Kintschi of Rearden, and Rod Clouse of Rearden, of the Washington State FFA Meats Team placed ninth out of 35 teams competing at the National FFA Convention in Kansas City, Kansas, earning the team the Gold Emblem Team rating.

The Dayton Blue Mountain Ford, Inc., representative Al Durfee presented school district Superintendent Victor Anderson the keys to two new Ford cars to be used in the high school's driver's education program.

FAST TALKERS-High salesman awards for the recently completed magazine subscription drive, were presented to three Dayton Elementary School students, David Carlton, first place, Randy Maxwell, second place, and Keith Borgmann, third place.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

November 10, 1949

It was learned this week that local shippers, like other parts of the Northwest, are short of boxcars. Columbia County Grain Growers manager, M.W. Roe, said he has 170 cars on order and C.J. Broughton is also short of cars for moving Broughton wheat.

The first train to use the new Northern Pacific railroad bridge over the Touchet River leading into Dayton passed over the newly laid tracks. More than 550 yards of concrete were poured in the footings and shafts, with over 3500 rivets were required during the construction and 675 yards of excavation work had to be done with the spans total weight close to 200,000 pounds.

One Hundred Years Ago

November, 1924

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

November 11, 1899

Joseph Wood, the oldest locomotive engineer in the United States, died at his home in Red Bank, N.J. at the age of 82 years old. He was fireman on the "John Bull," the first locomotive ever operated in this country. The engine was sent from England in 1830, and given its first trial near Bordentown, with Wood employed as an engineer during the war. Wood was also an inventor of an improved frog, a steam whistle and steam pipe and other railroad appliances.