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From the archives of the

Bonner County History Museum

611 S. Ella Ave., Sandpoint, Idaho 83864

208-263-2344

50 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

Aug. 4, 1966 — SAMUELSON LANDSLIDE

Shortly after midnight Tuesday pandemonium broke out at the residence of Senator and Mrs. Don Samuelson when the expected move was made by Gov. Robert Smylie to throw in the towel and admit he had been soundly defeated in his bid for a fourth term in the statehouse.

The telephone jangled all evening as call after call came in from throughout the state to “Big Don” to tell him that Republican voters were giving him an unprecedented vote for a first time candidate for governor who had the temerity to oppose Idaho’s veteran governor who had been building his personal organization for 19 years.

“Big Don” couldn’t afford a paid secretary or a salaried newswriter. There just wasn’t that kind of money. But volunteers came forward to fill the gap and it is apparent they did the job well. The grass roots effort paid off with a landslide victory.

Samuelson’s opponent will be Salmon attorney Charles Herndon who defeated Cecil Andrus of Orofino. Both Herndon and Samuelson have taken a neutral position on the sales tax issue. Both Smylie and Andrus supported the sales tax in their campaigns.

Locally Norm Sommerfeld won in a very close race against Forrest Wetterow for county assessor. James Mickelson, veteran county commissioner, emerged victorious over Mike Venovich, a fellow Priest River townsman. Mickelson will be opposed by Harold Anselmo, Priest River stock rancher, in November.

100 Years Ago

Pend d’Oreille Review

Aug. 4, 1916 — TIMBER AT CLARKSFORK

Clarksfork is one of the timber centers of the state and is more important along that line than many local people are aware of. Last month the cedar makers furnished 80 cars of cedar products and last week Dover Lumber co. put in a camp three miles from town to take out about 15 million feet of timber, over some two years or more.

•••

WANT A SLICE OF BONNER COUNTY

A petition filed this week with Bonner county, asks that a portion of Bonner county be set off for a proposed new county to be known as Lake county, with Spirit Lake as its seat. The idea is to be put to the voters at the next election. The area includes Blanchard, Harlem, Clagstone, Granite and Careywood. The rest of the area will come from Kootenai county.

•••

TO PAVE ENTIRE LENGTH OF EUCLID

The Euclid avenue people prepared a petition asking to pave the street its full length, to connect them directly with Pine street. The project, which seems assured, will also include the loop around south Huron. One party said: “Though for several blocks the street is sparsely settled, it is destined to become a main thoroughfare and its paving will benefit property owners on Euclid and beyond.”

For more information, visit the museum online at www.bonnercountyhistory.org.