(Information was gleaned from copies of the Wet MounÂtain Tribune, all from the first week in November.)
110 Years Ago â 1915
A forest fire raged in the Medino Pass country the first of the week, burning over about ten acres of timber land before it was subdued. Forest Supervisor Hammel was notified of the fire Monday and loading a half dozen men and a lot of tools in an automobile pulled out for the scene. By Tuesday morning the fire was under absolute control. The Westcliffe contingent returned home TuesÂday afternoon a worn and jaded looking set. It is said that a man Hirard, who resides on the Medino just across the pass, said he wanted to burn a trail across the mountains for his cattle. The fire was started in Hirardâs own land but soon spread out over government territory.
The Italian who was being held in the county jail made his escape last Saturday and had not been apprehended at this writing, although the sheriff has spent considerable time in trying to locate and recapture him.
The teachers of Custer County met at the Westcliffe School Saturday afternoon, and they decided to organize a permanent organization to be known as Custer County Teacherâs Association. Dr. Butterbaugh was elected chairÂman. Mr. Riedel of the Colfax School gave an instructive discourse on âAgriculture in the Public School.â Mr. Van Buren of the Westcliffe School gave a discourse on âPenÂmanship in the Public School.â After the meeting, the teachÂers retired to the home of Dr. Butterbaugh where they were delightfully entertained.
The Halloween Ball last Saturday evening was largely attended and a delightful time had. The ball was appropriÂately decorated for the occasion and elicited the commenÂdation of all, as did also the music as rendered by the Milos.
60 Years Ago â 1965
Airman First Class Calvin L. Horner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stanford DePriest of Westcliffe, is a member of the MiliÂtary Air Transport Service task force now airlifting personÂnel and supplies to Antarctica in Operation Deep Freeze. Airman Horner, a supply inventory specialist, is one of 115 men from the 1501st Air Transport Wing at Travis AFB, Calif., involved in the operation. The crews are flying C-130 Hercules aircraft to scientific stations at McMurdo Sound on the frozen continent out of Christchurch, New Zealand. The airman is a graduate of Custer County High School.
State Patrol Officer Richard Downey reminds Colorado motorists that their current inspection stickers will expire on Nov. 30. The second-period inspection stickers will be in effect from Dec. 1, 1965, until May 31, 1966.
Mr. and Mrs. George Crow, Dennis, Deanne and Delaine visited in Boulder Thursday and Friday with relatives and friends.
35 Years Ago â 1990
The venerable Presbyterian parsonage at Broadway and Emery in Silver Cliff has been purchased by family nurse practitioner Jill Anderson and her husband, Todd Lloyd. The 1880-era structure has been moved to First Street and Emery in Silver Cliff, where it is being refurbished by Byrne Woodworking. Anderson and Lloyd hope to move into the structure by February â91.
Mel and Glenda Luna of Hayward, Calif., have purchased the Chesley Village Motel on Main Street in Westcliffe from John and Linda Herrick of Ottawa, Kan. The motel has stood vacant for the past year, but four of the nine rooms are now available for occupancy.
Site preparation work has been completed on the 600-acre site between Wetmore and Florence for the proposed new fedÂeral prison complex. Work is getting underway this week on various infrastructure, including water and sewer lines.
Life-long Valley resident and former Westcliffe town trustee Alma Lange died Oct. 28 at the home of her son here at the age of 72. She was the daughter of Otto and Laura (Eikleman) Elze and her ancestors were among the German Colonists who settled here in 1870.
20 Years Ago â 2005
Custer County voters had four things to say in Tuesdayâs election: no, no, no and no. Voters turned down two local issues, one to increase the mill levy for the county road and bridge department, and the second to establish a rural transportation authority. Voters also turned down two state referenda, one a de-Tabor measure â which was approved statewide â and one to allow the state to borrow $2 billion for various projects which was turned down. In the C-1 school board election, Gary Frickell easily beat Joe Cascarelli in the district one race, and Randy Woods defeated Russ Conner in the district four race. Incumbent Charlie French in District 5 was re-elected with no opposition.
At the Custer County Conservation District banquet last week, hydrologist Ken Watts of the U.S. Geological Survey office in Pueblo gave an update on his agencyâs monitorÂing of 60 water wells in the Valleyâs Grape Creek and Texas Creek watersheds as well as along Hardscrabble Creek. He said water levels at nearly all the wells dropped during the recent drought, but have shown signs of being recharged and recovered. He said there are currently 3,021 water wells in the county.
Fifth grader Jamie Short had one of the scarier costumes at the schoolâs Halloween carnival. She was a headless horseman.
15 Years Ago â 2010
Allen Butler handily defeated write-in candidate Arthur Vyn Boennighausen in the District One county commisÂsioner race in Tuesdayâs election. County judge Peter Michaelson was retained by a wide margin, and county ballot issue 1A, which would prohibit medical marijuana outlets in the county outside the two towns was narrowly approved, 958-820.
The Division of Wildlife recently transplanted 13 bigÂhorn sheep â three rams, nine ewes, and a lamb â from the south-central Sangre de Cristos to the northern Sangres. The sheep were captured southeast of Crestone and transported by helicopter to an area north of Hunts Lake.
Valley natives and twins Wilbur Miller and Wilma KatÂtnig will be honored at a family celebration on Nov. 8, their 80th birthdays.
11 Years Ago â 2014
By a 60-40 percent margin – 1,875 votes to 1,285 – Valley voters approved a measure to increase the West Custer County Hospital Districtâs mill levy by three mills to fund the local EMS ambulance service. Shannon Byerly won the sheriffâs race 1,990 to 334 over Constitutionalist candidate Larry Sanders.
Jack Nichols of VALI Assisted Living was honored last week by the General Marion Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which presented him with its DisÂtinguished Citizen Medal. Nichols, a retired firefighter and EMT, served in WWII and in the Battle of the Bulge.
Residents of Silver Cliff Ranch were without power for more than seven hours on Monday after several overhead power lines were severed by a truck driver who failed to lower the overhead boom of a drilling truck. The driver was cited for careless driving, and the vehicle sustained heavy damage.
1 Year Ago â 2024
In an email to staff on September 10, now-former 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley stated, âI really thought the decision would have come either during the CDAC conference or maybe even much later. But I was wrong. I just received the decision that I have been disÂbarred. In my opinion, this was the ultimate goal all along. Either force me to step down so the Governor can appoint a Democrat or take away everything I have worked for.â On November 1, Stanley was disbarred by the Colorado Supreme Court, and Republican Jeff Lindsey was sworn into office early by Chief District Judge Amanda Hunter. In many ways, the email from Stanley to her staff is a fitting analogy of four years of Stanley repeatedly being wrong about every important decision or statement she made as District Attorney.
Sangre de Cristo Electric Association (SDCEA) is pleased to announce the selection of Rob Canterbury as the new director representing Fremont County on the SDCEA board. A rancher from a multi-generational family in the area and a lifetime resident of Fremont County, CanÂterbury brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitÂment to the community.
