Walsenburg 1881: Sheriff J.D. Esquibel was murdered in Gordon’s saloon by a Denver and Rio Grande Railroad section boss. He was serving his third term as sheriff. 1890: A free for all drunken fight yesterday was indulged in with some officers of the peace involved. All combatants were herded into the cooler and then fined. 1896: William Klein bought Pothoff’s Bakery for $785. 1903: Benjamin A. Arnold, 68, a native of Canada, died. After coming to Walsenburg in 1874 he served eight years as justice of the peace and police magistrate. He leaves his daughter Mrs. Adolph Unfug and son Walter. 1909: Isaias, son of county commissioner M. Antonio Bustos, married Elasia, daughter of Manuel Vigil. 1915: The State Militia guarded the county court house and jail all weekend after unionists made threats to blow up the buildings. 1922: The coal miners went on strike in November against the 30 percent reduction in wages. Marital law has since been declared and the Colorado
rangers are now here on the request of the county sheriff. 1928: If Marcus Katz has passed you on the street this week and didn’t recognize you, it is because he is too busy thinking what to name his new son who arrived last Saturday at Lamme Hospital. 1934: Police Magistrate Luz Gonzales fined a man $5.00 for public drunkenness and disturbing the peace. 1940: Treasuries of Huerfano County’s 55 school districts are being bolstered to the tune of $31,839.75 as the county’s share of the 1939 Colorado income tax is apportioned as well as the county’s general mill levy revenue. 1946: The new Pictou mine will open with 90 employees. The old Pictou used to produce 1,600 tons of coal per day until it was flooded and closed in 1931. 1952: Richard Galassini will reign as 1952 basketball king with Lucille Sandoval his queen, it was announced after an election last night at Huerfano County High School. 1958: Silvano J. Garcia, ship’s serviceman first class with the U.S. Navy, is aboard the destroyer USS Blue, which has left Long Beach, Calif., for duty in the Western Pacific. 1965: As Huerfano County winner, Donna Mauro, 17, and a senior at St. Mary High School, is one of five finalists in the Colorado State V.F.W. Voice of Democracy contest. 1971: Dr. Ronald Ferrendelli, here 12 years, has sold his dental practice at 104 E. Sixth Street to Dr. Gilbert J. Minson and is leaving the area. 1977: George S. Spock, 356 E. Sixth, is the annual possessor of the No. 1 passenger car license plate for Huerfano County. 1983: The county commissioners learned this week that building permits for 1983 are already over the two million dollar mark with just a condominium project at Panadero. 1989: The Walsenburg High School Matchwits team of Byron Rodriguez, Bret Hribar, Ryan Baker and Brigette Soltis is sponsored by Michael Lynch and Dorothy Ree.
La Veta 1883: Henry Gribble was fined $3.00 plus costs for fast riding through the streets, for a total of $8.25 in all. 1894: Fred Cheslik has his oven almost completed at the Oder place and will soon furnish us with baker’s goods. 1900: The ice contractors have been waiting for a good solid freeze but the weather has been getting warmer, so they have commenced cutting and loading at night. The ice is not thick but of good quality. 1907: La Veta parties purchased 19 head of registered Herefords at the Denver Stock Show this week. This section is becoming notorious for its fine grade of cattle. 1913: George Andrews has leased the room next to the Star Saloon and will open a restaurant. Dr. Wright has moved his office into the room next door. 1919: As of Saturday, Feb. 1, the U.S. Food Administration will have ceased to exist and government war time control over food supplies and consumption will end. 1925: A big “1100” engine is now pulling the passenger trains over the pass and thus avoiding a double header. 1931: TA. “Tip” Williams is back at his desk in the depot after his first month off in the past four years. 1937: As soon as the excavating shovel is repaired, the Works Progress Administration road project on Pinon Hill will resume with a crew of 15 men. 1945: The La Veta Advertiser will be 50 years old on May 1 and ye editor is seeking old timers’ memories of those olden days. 1951: The sixth grade elected class officers who are Jimmy Geiser, president, Keith Kreutzer, vice president and Michael Disert, secretary and treasurer. 1957: Died, Walter Hough Hamilton, son of James Gillespie Hamilton and born on the ranch north of town in 1876. He sold his ranch to Levi Kincaid in 1940 and moved to town. He is survived by his third wife, the former Carrie May Craig. 1963: Gilbert Arnold was re-elected president of the La Veta Chamber of Commerce, Albert Weir, vice president and Charles Masinton, secretary and treasurer. 1969: The Dan Griegos had a small family reunion with about half of their children home including Sgt. Chris Griego who left his family here to stay while he is in Vietnam. 1976: The Adams ranch, southeast of La Veta near the mouth of Wahatoya Canyon, is a proposed site for some footage in the movie “Damnation Alley”. 1982: The Covered Wagon restaurant will have a grand opening this weekend for the new ski slope just opened with a free drink for anyone with a daily ski pass. 1988: Cuchara Valley Resort will offer discounted lift tickets to all skiers wearing Bronco gear or colors on Super Bowl Sunday. 1994: Mayor Doug Brgoch learned in Denver the town dump is open, but it’s closed. It is closed to dumping but open officially until more water testing allows it to be closed by the state health department.
