Out of the Past – 7-20-2016
Out of the Past – 7-20-2016
10 years ago
July 19, 2006
More than 50 prizes were awarded in the annual Colfax Municipal Building Restoration Group raffle conducted during the Colfax Free Fair June 22-25.
Excavation has begun for construction of the dugouts at the Colfax High School baseball field. All indications are that the field will be completely ready for use by local teams in the spring of 2007.
Work has started on the street project in the Colfax Industrial Park involving the unpaved section of Bremer Avenue and Elm Street. The village board borrowed $350,000 from Bremer Bank to finance the project and will repay the loan with funds generated by the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District.
25 years ago
July 18, 1991
The Colfax Village Board learned at the July 8 meeting that the Colfax Police Department responded to 264 incidents in May and 250 incidents in June.
Northern States Power Company plans to donate 400 feet of chain link fence and posts for the Colfax Fairgrounds. The fence comes from an NSP substation near Uniroyal in Eau Claire.
Get a 20 percent discount on your order of complete wedding supplies plus a free one year subscription to the Colfax Messenger.
35 years ago
July 23, 1981
Twelve miles of Highway 40 between Highway 29 and the Chippewa County line are being repaired this summer. Motorists traveling between Colfax and Elk Mound are taking the Woodland Drive cutoff to avoid some of the roadwork.
Bids will be accepted until close of office hours July 31 at the Colfax School District administrator’s office for the purchase of two cords of blocked oak wood salvaged from the June 14 windstorm.
An application is before the Department of Natural Resources from the Town of Colfax to construct a boat ramp in Felland Park with five slatted concrete floor sections (4 feet x 12 feet) to provide access to the Red Cedar River.
50 years ago
July 21, 1966
According to a test made Wednesday of the water at the swimming beach, it was found that it is dangerous and unfit for swimming.
On Saturday, July 30, Mark Bronsteatter of Merrill will be at the Bernice Larson farm east of Colfax on Highway 40 to place shoes on fifteen riding horses. Perhaps if you have never seen this work performed, you could take a little peek, providing you don’t get too close and don’t make too much noise.
Gunderson’s Grocery: Pork roasts 55 cents per pound; new pack Wisconsin June Peas three 16-oz cans for 35 cents; frozen french fries 2-lb bag 25 cents; Teddie Peanut Butter 89 cents for a 2.5-lb jar.
65 years ago
July 19, 1951
Various estimates place the attendance at the Colfax Free Fair from 20,000 to 25,000 people. Police officer Truman Lowery was forced to make only three arrests for disorderly conduct. In addition there were five arrests made for speeding on the part of motorists during the four-day fair.
Attendance in front of the free act platform at the fair on Saturday night was estimated between 6,000 and 7,000 people.
Saturday night’s crowd filled all of the new five acre free parking space, while hundreds of vehicles were parked all over Colfax. Employees of the Colfax Cooperative Creamery stated that cars were parked in all quarters around the creamery as further evidence that the crowd was a record breaker.
100 years ago
July 21, 1916
A terrible bolt of lightning preceding a storm that struck this section about eight o’clock last Sunday night did considerable damage not only to property but to the “nerves” of many of the inhabitants.
The greatest damage was done to the steeple of the Synod church, which was shattered almost to splinters, pieces of boards and shingles being scattered for a half-block on all sides. The lightning followed the electric wires into the interior of the church edifice and burned out every light, demolished the meter box and caused other minor damage to the interior. Luckily it set fire to but one spot, that being in the tower, but the fire department which was summoned and responded immediately, and quickly subdued the flames.
Simultaneously with the striking of the Synod church steeple, lightning entered the home of Elmer Hill about three blocks distant, following the electric wires into the home and bursting a water pipe. It gave the occupants of the home a bad scare, and also stunned Mrs. Ed Buffington who was passing by the home at the time.
The same bolt also followed the wires into Rye’s store, burning out every light. Mr. Rye was rendered helpless for a few minutes from the effects of the erratic fluid.