Bonner County History - Sept. 11, 2022
Brought to you by the
Bonner County Historical
Society and Museum
611 S. Ella Ave., Sandpoint, Idaho, 83864
208-263-2344
50 Years Ago
Sandpoint News-Bulletin
Sept. 11, 1972 – BEER BUSTER BUSTED
Sheriff’s Sgt. Jerry James couldn’t believe his eyes – but he lost no time in doing something about it. While James was investigating a burglary report Sunday at Frank Murphy’s Lounge & Cafe in Hope that had been reported earlier in the day, the ununiformed officer saw a youth walk out with a keg of beer. A quick check with Murphy indicated a theft was in progress. James arrested the Seattle youth before he could load the beer keg into a waiting vehicle, apparently headed for a youthful “beer bust.” After the unidentified youth was booked into jail, James went back to work on the investigation. “Some days, you get lucky,” he noted.
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TEN SCOUTS DO 50-MILE CANOE TRIP
Saturday, Aug. 18, 10 boys with Scoutmaster Skip Pucci from Sagle scout troop 199 started a 50-mile canoe trip from Button Hook bay to Sandpoint on Lake Pend Oreille. For a conservation project they collected 29 water samples (at points around the lake), which were turned over to the Panhandle Health District to be tested for coliform bacteria. According to Scoutmaster Pucci’s diary: “Went home Wednesday morning after spending five nights and five days on a long term camp out. I don’t think this canoe trip has ever been taken by a group. It is supposed to be 50 miles but I think some of the boys went 75. They couldn’t seem to keep their canoes going straight. We were surprised just how big the lake really is and how few homes are on it. Also how many Osprey are on it.”
100 Years Ago
Pend d’Oreille Review
Sept. 11, 1922 – MENAGERIE ALL RIGHT
A tip, purporting to come from the Spokane Humane society, to the effect that the Nell Shipman menagerie, left at the head of Priest lake, was starving to death, was investigated and found erroneous by Sheriff Kirkpatrick and Deputy Decker. The tip said that when the Shipman cast left their camp, two men were left with the animals, but that the men deserted the camp and left the animals chained up or caged, to starve. The menagerie had been used in many of the scenes for “The Grubstake,” Miss Shipman’s latest picture. “We found four men at the camp, taking good care of the animals,” said Sheriff Kirkpatrick. “There are quite a number of dogs, elk, deer, fox and bear.”
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BRIDGE READY TO BE BUILT
The state department of public works is advertising for bids upon the construction of a concrete bridge north of town to connect up the four miles of the North and South highway across Sand creek. The trestle is to be 100 feet in length.
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OVER THOUSAND AT TWO-COUNTY PICNIC
Fully 1,000 people of Bonner and Boundary counties journeyed Labor Day in over 200 cars and by train to Naples, near the Bonner-Boundary county line, to celebrate construction of the North and South highway between Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry, the last piece of which will be completed by fall. The picnic was in a tract of majestic yellow pine east of Stampede lake, one of the historic sites of the early life of north Idaho.
For more information, visit the museum online at bonnercountyhistory.org.