Walsenburg 1882: It is rumored that every man now in the employ of the Denver and Rio Grande railroad company who is addicted to the use of liquor is to be discharged. 1893: Died, John Ross, 70, a native of Scotland. He leaves nine children, one of whom is our attorney, the Hon. R.R. Ross, and another is Alexander W. Ross, former postmaster here. 1899: R.P. Sullivan, the flag man at the RR crossing on Main Street, has a new bright blue uniform with brass buttons. 1904: The Congo Medicine Company is giving free entertainments and advertising their medical potions this week in the Opera House. 1909: Charles Harriman has sold his transfer and coal business to J.M. Murray of Gardner. 1914: A bomb was thrown into the military camp in Walsenburg Tuesday but, being poorly constructed, it did little damage. 1919: At the time of the armistice a year ago Nov. 11, 1,791 former Colorado Fuel and Iron employees were serving in the armed forces. 1926: The board of directors of Huerfano County High School began steps to purchase Block 17,
Capitol Hill Addition, for $800 for the purpose of building an athletic field. 1932: John Ugolini, 74, an Italian native who has lived in Huerfano County since 1894, died. He was a miner for 19 years, then a rancher east of Walsenburg. He leaves his widow, sons William, Thomas and George, and daughters Ermenia Galassini, Jennie Bonacci and Rose Balloti. 1938: Offices of the Works Progress Administration on West Seventh Street will move next week and Otto Espander will start a cleaning establishment there. 1944: “Dance so others may walk!” Under this slogan, Huerfano County citizens will turn out for the annual President’s Birthday Ball Saturday evening in St. Mary Auditorium. 1950: Three people were injured Saturday morning when a Trailways bus rammed into the rear of a semi-trailer in a blinding sand storm 18 miles north of Walsenburg. 1956: Children of all Walsenburg schools were warned about accepting rides from strangers after complaints from young girls of both St. Mary and Washington schools. 1962: Strong winds blew over a tractor-trailer on Highway 85-87 near Apache City. 1968: The 4-H Chefs Club elected Cindy Skarmas, president, Nancy King, vice president, Gena Davis, secretary and Anna Lee Garcia, treasurer. 1974: Leonard Bellah broke his own record when he made 31 rebounds Friday as Walsenburg High School defeated Fowler 70-65. 1980: James J. Tesitor, one of the last politically appointed postmasters by Pres. Harry S. Truman on July 1, 1952, announced his retirement as of March 21. 1986: Luke Abraham Hibpshman, the son of Tom and Tanya Hibpshman, was the first baby to be born in Huerfano County Hospital for 1986, on Jan. 13. 1992: The Long Term Care Unit at Huerfano Medical Center raised enough through fundraisers to purchase a large screen television, just in time for the Super Bowl.
La Veta 1877: La Veta was laid out in July 1876, when the only building on the town site was the well known Plaza of Colonel J.M. Francisco, who had resided here about 18 years. During that summer it was not infrequent that as many as 50 wagons were camped in and about town at one time, with some loaded with as much as 6,000 pounds. 1885: Town Board declared Lot 15, Block 2, has an unsafe sidewalk and delapitated [sic] awning and the marshal is to notify the owner. 1891: The remains of the pauper Charles Boehme, for whom the town paid $43 for care and keeping during his final illness, was shipped to Sterling for burial. 1897: Dave Ryus’s Old Reliable will celebrate its 20th anniversary for the next 10 days with a special reduction on prices. 1903: The mayor appointed W.J. Hill as police magistrate until the town election in April. 1908: A [railroad] carload of household furnishings arrived for Mr. G.A. Mayes and family and his mother who will live on the old Gould ranch on the upper Cucharas. He plans to establish a nice summer resort at the ranch and around the lakes. 1915: Mr. Mayes is building cabins in Cuchara Camps for Miss Robertson and Miss Cooley, both of Trinidad. 1921: Huerfano County was the second highest producing county of coal in 1920 in the state with 2,448,749 tons, an increase of 510,179 over 1919. 1920 was the best year ever for coal production in Colorado. 1927: The Goemmer Brothers have now the last word in comfort and luxury – a Stutz 8-cyclinder coach. 1933: Students who were neither absent nor tardy during the first semester were Leslie Spielmann, Melvin Wilkens, Shirley Foote, Lucy Linscott and Eunice Mock. 1939: The La Veta basketball team beat Thatcher 29-25 with Magnino scoring the final basket. 1945: Olive Jo Baysinger Nelson received word her husband Buddy had received a Purple Heart for wounds incurred on Leyte Island. 1951: Earl Carver broke the Las Animas County League record by scoring 46 points in one game. The Redskins racked up their fifth straight league victory last week by defeating the Sopris Panthers 76-24. 1957: A terrible windstorm Sunday night caused the collapse of the dairy barn at the Roe Piner ranch on the Wahatoya, which killed four of his best cows and injured five others so badly they had to be destroyed. 1963: The mercury dropped to 14 below zero and another 10 inches of snow were recorded. 1969: Floyd Martin was remembering when he was a bellhop and night clerk at the Springer Hotel when he was 15 years old. His father, Luther, was town marshal whose office and jail were in the town hall where a large cage of iron bars held prisoners. 1975: Jack Hall is flying a commemorative Bennington flag beneath the American flag at his Valley Hardware. 1981: Twenty-two members and guests attended the meeting of the Friends of the Arts meeting and Marilyn Hall won the watercolor painted by Margie Bradley. 1987: Baker Creek Restaurant is decorated in blue and orange and will have a special party for Super Bowl so skiers can root for the Broncos. 1993: Taylor’s Feed and Pet Shop is now open at 923 South Oak Street.
