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This week in history for February 22, 2018

Walsenburg

1882: D.T. Cort left Sunday for McConelsville [sic], a new town nine miles above Colorado Springs on the Denver and New Orleans Railway where he will take charge of a store Fred Walsen is starting. 1890: M. Bernstein received his first consignment of clothes for his new New York Clothing Store. 1895: The thermometer stood at 39 degrees below zero in Gardner Monday morning and three feet of snow is said to have fallen along Pass Creek. 1902: About 30 Japanese miners were brought here by the Victor Fuel Company to work in the Sunshine and Maitland mines, and union miners are threatening to strike. 1907: The Palace Skating Rink expects to reopen March 2 providing there are no further outbreaks of scarlet fever. 1913: The scarlet fever situation in town is getting under control and schools may open next week. 1918: Norma, the four year old daughter of Mrs. Henry Clark, was killed when an auto ran over her. 1923: Russell Lewis Smith of Ideal School won the state oratorical contest with his “Prohibition and Frances E. Willard”. 1928: The survey on the Mosco Pass road is underway but the road, though budgeted by the state, probably will not open this year. 1933: Miss Cervus Nicholls, instructor at Huerfano County High School, and Alfred Stephens have announced their upcoming nuptials. 1938: Twelve-year-old Frankie Stimack Saturday put the bowling gentry of Walsenburg to shame with a score of 254 after only two weeks of play. 1943: There will be no spring vacation at Huerfano County High School this year so that school will be let out one week earlier so students may have a better chance to find work to help in the defense effort. 1949: An investigation is underway in the county courthouse for clues about the break-in Saturday night when someone got into the county clerk and treasurer’s offices. 1955: Walsenburg Rotary Club, a leading civic organization here for 29 years, joined with more than 8,400 other chapters in 89 countries to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the club. 1959: Frank Piazza has leased the Fox Theater and will take over management next Tuesday. 1964: Gaye Faris, 17-year-old senior, was named Sweetheart Queen at Walsenburg High School. 1969: There is no school in Walsenburg today because it is George Washington’s birthday. 1975: Vic Self and John Kirby of Springfield have purchased Motor Parts, Walsenburg’s 53-year-old auto supply firm from Mrs. Clarence Williams. It will henceforth be known as the V&J Auto Supply. 1981: A total of 610 applications for help with utility bill payments under the Low Income Energy Assistance program have been processed in Huerfano County and only 17 have been denied. 1987: Charlene Sandoval and Jeff Salazar are reigning as queen and king of Sweetheart Week activities this week at John Mall High School. Attendants are Mary Martinez and Shane Krier, Jenny Stroh and Frank Trujillo, Roxie Trujillo and Robert Trujillo, all seniors, Cleo Gilko and Fred Menghini, juniors, Bonnie Vargas and Alvin Martinez, sophomore and Antoinette Pedraza and Johnny Galassini, freshmen. 1993: Anthony “Tino” Vigil and Wayne “Corky” Toller were honored by friends and city employees for their retirement from the Walsenburg Volunteer Fire Department which each had served for more than 20 years.

La Veta

1881: Lucy McChesney, teacher of the advanced class at the school, says Fred Pischel has the highest grade average among her students, having achieved the best scores in geography, mental arithmetic, first arithmetic, grammar and history. 1887: The Reverend C.M. Green has resigned his position at the Baptist Church and he will be replaced by Brother J.H. Vories. Reverend Green expects to go into the mercantile business in town. 1893: The receiver of the La Veta Town and Improvement Company has been authorized by the court to borrow funds to discharge his liabilities of the corporation aggregating $1,500. 1898: The dance to benefit the Silver Mountain Band held on Tuesday night was a decided success, being kept up until the early hours of the morning. The band boys enlivened the town an hour or two previous to the dance, by playing around the streets. 1903: Something in the Denver and Rio Grande water tank broke loose Saturday, leaving the country nearby a mass of water and ice and causing much discomfort to the boys repairing it in ten degree below zero weather. 1908: After hearing many complaints, the proprietors of our saloons have agreed to close on Sundays. 1914: There is some prospecting going on in the mountains near La Veta which may develop into a great and pleasant surprise for the community before long. 1919: The La Veta Hardware Company has rented the old Cisney and Sparks mercantile store building from Alex McDonald and will move its stock in as soon as repairs are completed. 1925: The flapper is said to represent the newest style of human architecture, the bungalow type – painted in front, shingled in back and with a short upper story. 1931: The Methodist people gave a dinner and party in honor of T.B. Crumley and Mrs. F.L. Dryden who both were celebrating their 81st birthdays. 1936: Died, H.M. Stockwell, 77. He was born in Ohio in 1858, married Josephine Patras in Nebraska, where he was a representative in the legislature, and came to La Veta in 1906 when he bought the La Veta State Bank. When the bank closed he removed from town but returned about three years ago. 1941: Several thousand rural families in southern Colorado will receive materials to make their own mattresses. Huerfano County has already received 96 bales of cotton which will make 960 mattresses. 1947: The 4-H Tractor Club elected Elden Falk, president, Glenn Auten, vice president, Gene Cox, secretary and treasurer, and Lee Roy Sneddon, reporter. 1953: A consumer study group learned the average family spends $1,000 a year on food. 1958: Allen Roe Piner, son of Mrs. Kathryn Piner, has enlisted in the Marine Corps for four years. 1965: Skiing and sledding were the order of the day for young and old Sunday afternoon before the heavy snow started that night. 1971: Hal Marx is the new chef and general manager of the Spanish Peaks Motor Hotel. 1976: Dr. Bill Bennett has opened a veterinary clinic one mile east of La Veta. 1981: The Hummingbirds home extension club earned $92.70 on their bake and craft sale, which will be donated to the La Veta Library to buy a projection screen. 1986: Barbara and Bob Edwards have sold The Drive Inn to Dick and Penny Revell of Navajo Estates who already own Valley Antiques in La Veta. 1992: Town Board unanimously voted to hire John Guy Baker, six foot eleven inches, as the new deputy with duties to begin March 1 at $1,100 per month.

Cement plant concerns

Building inspector suggests a negotiated move out of Northlands to site near prison WALSENBURG — The Walsenburg City Council convened a special meeting Friday, March

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