Items from the Past, March 1, 2012

75 years ago

Friday, March 5, 1937:
Roy Hurst,Manager of the Oroville Canning Company, left Tuesday on an extended business trip which will take him to Yakima, The Dalles and Portland, Ore. before returning home. While in Yakima, he will look into the asparagus growing deal. The cannery this year has sufficient two year asparagus plants to plant 50 acres. John Thorpe, County Assessor, and his deputy were in Oroville Thursday, checking up a number of assessments in this vicinity. The first of this week, the assessors office mailed out some 3,000 assessment sheets to taxpayers of the county. The following warrants will be paid upon presentation at my office in Okanogan, Okanogan County, Washington: Oroville-Tonasket Irrigation Dist. Warrants #19404-19706, inclusive. (Note, warrants, bearing interest, by the county in payment of bills when no tax money was available and could be redeemed as tax revenue came in.) Ben Prince’s store, Oroville and Molson: Pure cane sugar, $5.69 for 100 lbs; grapefruit, $.19 per dozen; heavy weight linoleum, $.25 per running foot.
Friday, March 12, 1937:
A carload of choice gold and silver,from the Grey Eagle Mine north of Chesaw, was shipped out of Oroville via the Great Northern the past week to the smelter in Kellogg, Idaho. According to information from the officer in charge of the Marine Corps recruiting station at Seattle, Pvt. Franklin A. Ray, who was accepted for service at Seattle, Dec. 7, 1936, has competed his training at the Marine Corps base in San Diego. New Dairy Prices: Due to increased cost of and labor, bottle caps and other items entering into the expense of production, milk and cream retail prices to our customers in Oroville, beginning March 15, 1937, will be as follows: MILK: Pint, $.07, Quart, $.12 and gallon, (wholesale) $.40; CREAM, 1/2 pint, $.17, Pint, $.32 and Quarts, $.60. Coverdale Dairy, Oroville Dairy, Curtis Dairy and Marshland Dairy.
Friday, March 22, 1937:
Upon approval by the Board of Directors of the Oroville Golf Club, the Fairways and Greens Committees went ahead with the plans to fertilize the course with a helicopter. Application of the fertilizer took place on Monday of this week. A photograph shows Vic Swanson beginning the backhoe and ground preparation work for the new addition to the Cariboo Motel now under construction. Loomis get a fire truck! It all started last summer as a good idea by a few people, later sponsored by the Community Club and now after months of anxious moments and many frustrations, the fire truck is bought and paid for by the personal pledges from the people of Loomis and surrounding area. Cascade Market ad: Wenatchee Pack Picnic Hams, 6 to 8 lb. average, $.33 per pound; toilet tissue, 3 for $1.00; Surefresh AA eggs, large, $.49 per dozen.

50 Years Ago

Friday, March 15, 1962
The Oroville Chamber of Commerce was recently notified that our fair city has been named as an Official Host City during the Century 21 World’s Fair in Seattle. The sign will be erected somewhere on Main Street and was displayed by Bill Fassett and Ben Holden, president of the chamber. Earl Freels, Manager of the Sitzmark Ski Area, stated Monday that he expected skiing to be very good for the remainder weekends of March. Several weeks ago, the Chamber of Commerce was approached by the school and asked help in entering the big parade at Wenatchee on May 5. The chamber agreed to match funds raised by the school. It was felt that if a community float were built, it could take the place of the Queen’s Float and Chamber Float in our own May Festival Celebration. (Advertisement) Installed Soon, Coin Dry Cleaners, ART’S LAUNDRY CENTER, Remodeling the Museum Building to be used as coin dry cleaners. Don Wood Jr. told the Gazette Wednesday, that he wished to congratulate the city councilmen on their winning the election. Don also said that he wished to make it clear to the voters, that he had nothing to do with his name being added to the list in last week’s Gazette. He said “Del Black had ordered the ad for the paper without his consent.

25 Years Ago

Thursday, March 6, 1986:
It’s official. The May Festival has a Queen. Oroville High School Senior,Jeanne M. Tibbs was chosen from among her peers and the public to represent the May Festival and the City of Oroville during 1986. Lynda Ward, Lisa Blackler and alternate Sharron Hill, were chosen as this year’s princesses. A picture of the Main Street in Tonasket, caused by a sudden rise in temperatures, crews were kept busy Monday, trying to clear the drains to stop the overflow. Okanogan County Commissioner Mel Kuhlmann accepts a composite petition on behalf of the commissioners from Oroville resident, Stafford Lewis. Lewis, 82, presented the petition on behalf of about 275 of its signers. The petition requests the county to apply funds to pave a five mile stretch of Oroville Toroda Creek Road located just southeast of Chesaw. The commissioner told Lewis and others that if state funds were available, the 1 ¾ mile stretch, known as Jones Hill, would be paved and leveled with construction to begin in 1987. Real Estate: Palmer Lake, 200 feet of quality lake frontage, well, septic system, power and phone, owner financing, $115,000. Nearly seven acres, 4 bedroom house needs finish and remodeling work, fruit trees, pasture and hay land, Whitestone water. $44,000.
Thursday, March 13, 1986:
Tonasket Levies: The results of the two levies have determined that the Transportation Levy passed with yes votes of 615 out of 973 votes cast for a 63.21% approval. Unfortunately, the M & O levy, requesting $340,000 is still in limbo with current yes votes of 591 and 397 no. However, a 60% plurality is needed to pass and the current percentage is 59.82%. There are 336 ballots are still out so there is still some hope that it will pass.