From the Dayton Chronicle archives

Ten Years Ago

December 7, 2011

After the conclusion of the Port of Columbia board meeting on December 14, Port Commissioner Lawrence Turner will be stepping down after 25 years of service.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 4, 1996

The Dayton School District faculty said farewell to custodian Wes Berdar, Tuesday, November 26 as he is retiring. Wes has been a bus driver/custodian for Dayton for 28 years and will be missed by both the faculty and students.

GREAT WEATHER! GREAT CROWD! The horns honked and people cheered as the smoke from Friday’s fireworks slowly drifted away. And a great show it was provided by pyro technicians, Gary “Touch” Lentz, William “Wild Bill” Boyd, Marvin “Cracker” McPherson, Bob “Rocket” Geiger, Paul “Sparky” Hammon, Grant “Hoser” Lentz, Matt “Pumper” Lentz, and Moose the dog.

Teenagers from Redeemer Lutheran Church of Dayton have been busy this fall cleaning up flood damage at Camp Nancy Lee, a camp on the Touchet River managed by the Kiwanis Club of Dayton. Part of the group involved in the flood clean-up are Juliet Hutchison, Krissy Anderson and Gretchen Richter.

Fifty Years Ago

December 9, 1971

Martin Joyce, whose career on the railroad dates back to the late 1930s for the Burlington Northern Railroad, stepped into retirement Friday afternoon, October 29, to close out 33 years of service in the track department.

Kelly Donohue, president of Dayton Chapter Future Farmers of America, was presented the Star Chapter Farmer award by Advisor Marvin Evers during the 25th annual FFA banquet held December 4, in observance of the 41st anniversary of the chapter. Welcomed, as honorary chapter farmers in a ceremony conducted by chapter officers were Clark James, president of Columbia County Farm Bureau, Pat O’Neil, publisher of the Dayton Chronicle and Darrel McCauley, Dayton businessman.

Members of the Key Club at Dayton High School made their first monthly five-mile clean-up from Dayton to Whetstone along Highway 12. The Kiwanis sponsored club plans a monthly clean-up walk as their contribution to a better environment.

.Seventy-Five Years Ago

December 5, 1946

Mayor Wilson, issued a warning of the seriousness of the fuel situation in in Dayton. He thinks the end of our fuel supply is in sight and that it may not last until the end of the year. He urges that all possible means be used to get wood out of the mountains, in logs or otherwise, and to take advantage of the mild weather now to be prepared for the worst.

One Hundred Years Ago

December 6, 1921

NEW FERRYBOAT ON RIVER To Divert Pomeroy-Lewiston Traffic Across Snake at Silcott. E.G. Hastings and Sons are building a ferryboat, which will be ready for service next week on the Snake River. It will be operated by the Hasting brothers, whose long experience and successes with river craft assure careful and efficient service.

The barn on the Reed Jones place, about six miles from Dayton, was completely destroyed by fire from an unknown origin Friday night. The winter’s supply of hay for the big ranch was also lost as well as almost the entire equipment in harnesses.

Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Neal, who were in the train wreck near Celilo, Thursday night, returned home Saturday morning. Mr. Neil suffered minor cuts and bruises, Mrs. Neil, who was trapped in a dressing room had to be rescued from the outside through a window, suffered very painful bruises but no broken bones. They were also involved in a street car accident in East Portland Wednesday night.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 5, 1896

Miss Pearson, a young lady from Starbuck, who with her sister arrived in the city a few days ago for the purpose of attending Whitman College, was taken ill, a doctor was called and the case was pronounced to be diphtheria. Health Officer Alban, was immediately notified and the residence was placed under quarantine.