Bonner County History - Nov. 18, 2021
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
Nov. 18, 1971 – REGIONAL POWER FAILURE
Why did it break? Washington Water Power Co. officials are seeking an answer to that question in connection with one of the company’s electrical transmission lines which broke near Cabinet Gorge Dam last Wednesday. The snapped line plunged the Idaho Panhandle and parts of northeast Washington and southwest Montana into a major power blackout that continued as long as seven hours in some areas. The outage extended from Dalton Gardens north of Coeur d’Alene, to the Canadian border and from Libby, Mont. to 30 miles west of Newport, Wash. The power outage began with a “brownout” at 5:24 p.m. that became a general power failure at 5:31 p.m.
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BLACKOUT HUMOR
Ever hear of a man getting half a haircut? One did in Sandpoint during Wednesday’s blackout. Bud Inghram was cutting a customer’s hair at his Cedar St. barber shop and had completed one side of the man’s head when the blackout began. Assuming the power would come back on soon, Inghram sat down and chatted with his last customer of the day. The talked for 20 minutes. Still no power to operate lights or clippers. Finally the customer, a guest at Edgewater Lodge, said, “Guess I’ll come back in the morning and you can finish the job then.” Out the door he went. With half a haircut. Inghram’s first customer Thursday morning was the man with half a haircut – looking for the other half. “First time in my life I ever cut a customer’s hair in installments,” said Inghram.
100 Years Ago
Northern Idaho News
Nov. 18, 1921 – THE NEOSHA PLAN
The monthly sales day, Neosha plan, inaugurated a few months ago here by the chamber of commerce, is fast becoming a popular institution with customers and dealers. When the plan first began, a few merchants stayed out, thinking it would not pay, but now they look upon it more favorably. It brings country people to the city on sales days and when people buy a bargain they are likely to go back to the same store on other days. The bargains get better with each sales day.
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SEED POTATOES STORED FOR NEXT YEAR
The local seed potato crop, 1200 sacks, is safely stored in the old Olympia warehouse in the N.P. yards. Bonner County Seed Potato Growers’ assn. president Schedler superintended the storing of the potatoes.
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RAID MOTHER’S KITCHEN
Sheriff Kirkpatrick and his force raided Mother’s Kitchen Friday night, with somewhat startling results. Several drunken men were thrown out and the sheriff’s posse started in to investigate. Under the cement bottom of a fireless cooker, they found a second compartment, of ten-gallon capacity, for the storage of intoxicants, and milk bottles painted white in which liquor was found or which had contained liquor.
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LOCAL BRIEFS
A 9½ pound boy (Edward Winfield) was born to Mr. and Mrs. Wm. E. Hawkins at the City hospital Sunday.
For more information, visit the museum online at bonnercountyhistory.org.