Walsenburg 1882: John Furphy, lately the foreman at the Walsenburg coal banks, tells us the new superintendent there, Mr. Lamb, is turning out 400 tons a day and will soon reach 500. 1889: The Walsenburg black diamond fields have never been so active and promising as just now. Orders are pouring in so rapidly the miners cannot begin to fill them. 1895: We notice in The Cactus that Fred O. Roof and George Bowen will buy an interest in the Fred Walsen bank on or about Jan. 1, 1896. 1901: More than 150 maskers, disguised as everything from fairies to Zang beer bottles, attended the Red Men’s Masquerade Ball on Thanksgiving evening and the lodge realized about $40 profit. 1907: About 18 couples attended the hop hosted by Mrs. Tombling in her new boardinghouse at Strong to trip the light fantastic and enjoy an elegant supper at midnight. 1913: Some strikers from the tent colony on East Fifth Street have requested protection should they return to work. 1919: Quong Sing, owner of the Silver Club Café, was found murdered Wednesday evening, evidently killed for the bag of gold coins he was known to have on his person. 1925: The Huerfano Trading Company store at Solar was broken into and robbed of money and postage stamps. 1931: Merchants and residents of the city have decided to decorate for the holidays with the usual large Christmas tree at Sixth and Main streets with lighted streamers to the four corners. 1937: Elected chairmen for area soil conservation committees were Paul Garcia for Farisita, John Corsentino for Walsenburg and Cecil Shepherd for Turkey Ridge. 1943: New red and blue plastic tokens will be used for the purchase of processed foods, meats and cheese in lieu of war ration books. 1949: Huerfano County’s assessed valuation will be $128,000, or 1.3 percent, more than 1948, totaling $9,861,000 compared to last year’s $9,732,000. 1955: The 127 retail merchants in Huerfano County last year averaged sales of more than $50,000, an average gain of over $8,000 more than in 1948. 1961: Raymond R. Eccher married Anna Mae Naccarato of Trinidad Nov. 25. 1968: “Holiday for Fashions”, a style show to benefit the local school for the mentally handicapped, will be staged Monday, Dec. 9, in Washington School Auditorium. $1.00 for adults, 50 cents for students and for those under 12, 25 cents. 1974: Re-1 Board of Education awarded the bid for demolition of the burned-out Walsenburg High School gym to Kirkland Construction of Rye for $11,300. 1980: In next April’s election, Walsenburg residents will vote to stagger the terms of City Councilpersons, combine the offices of clerk and treasurer, and make that office appointive rather than elective. 1986: Precipitation in Walsenburg, at 20.96 inches for the year, is about to break a 29-year record according to Weatherman John Figal. The highest annual precipitation ever recorded was 21.42 inches in 1957.
La Veta 1880: The Huerfano Herald, published in La Veta, is the only newspaper in Huerfano County. Two dollars per year, in advance. J.B. King, publisher and editor. 1886: The town has purchased some land from C.S. Lewis for a cemetery, had it surveyed and platted, and is selling burial lots for $10.00 for large, $5.00 for small, payable to the town clerk who will issue a certificate. 1892: There has been a great deal of diphtheria reported among the children around Huerfano County. 1898: Mrs. Jarley’s Wax Figures, which have appeared before the crowned heads of Yirrup and the bald heads of Americky, will be in La Veta Dec. 9. 1904: Oliver Bemen and Jasper Kerby put up an extra stable back of Kerby’s Elk Livery stable for their recently purchased Garman Coach Horse and the nice Cleveland Bay of their own raising. 1910: Messrs. Spicer and Simpson have received their new dray wagon for the Mountain View Livery, formerly the Elk Livery, and it has been kept busy. 1916: Mr. Haase, the barber, has requested to have lights put into his house at the south end of town but Mr. Webster of the La Veta Light, Heat and Power Company refuses to build an extra line for him. 1922: The Royal Neighbors society took in $70.00 at their recent bazaar and the Baptist ladies report a net profit of $50.00 on their food sale just before Thanksgiving. 1928: Recent snows and drifting have caused problems driving and the railroad track between La Veta and Ojo has been used as a highway part of the time. Travelers from the west report crossing the pass takes from 10 to 12 hours. 1934: Gangs of relief workers have been busy digging snow out of county roads. 1940: The La Veta Junior Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring Trade at Home Days for all local merchants during December, offering coupons and a cash giveaway to some lucky shopper. 1946: Flattery costs us nothing, yet each of us pays dearly for it. 1952: On Dec. 9, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments about the constitutionality of racial segregation in the public schools. 1958: Harold “Slim” Wilson has resigned his position at the Kmetz’s lumberyard after 10 years to take a fulltime job with the Dairy Herd Improvement Association. 1964: Blanca Rebekah Lodge had a potluck surprise supper in honor of Pearl Kitchen who will observe 60 years as a member in December. Twenty-three members were in attendance. 1970: The new La Veta Band Boosters elected Helen Sawyer, president, Edna Schmidt, vice president, Elsie Cannon, secretary and Jackie Bishop, treasurer. 1976: Dianne Baldwin was elected president of the Cuchara Valley Chamber of Commerce, Margie Bradley, Bud Walters, Hazel Bankson and Don Boxwell, vice presidents, Mary Culbreath, secretary and Teddy Hall, treasurer. 1982: Juanita Bailey and Mary Wood will open The Rose Patch tomorrow (Friday) offering lots of handcrafted garments and other articles, at 125½ West Ryus Avenue.
