Walsenburg 1881: The county jail burned down Wednesday of last week. 1891: Despite using the big pump for seven hours yesterday, the Rouse mine again filled with water so high it was impossible to use the steam air compressor that operates the pump because the pipes were under water. 1897: A.S. McIntire of Sharpsdale won the contract to build a road up the Huerfano River and on up to the top of the Sangre de Cristo range. 1903: Miss Mae, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.P. McIntire, married William N. Wycoff of the drug store on New Year’s Day. 1908: Dennis McCormack, 34, died after operating the Huerfano Theater the past four months. His sisters, the Misses Emma and Nora, will take over management. 1913: Frozen pipes are plentiful in town this week and all the plumbers are busy. 1919: E. Benine moved his pool hall from the building next to the Star Theater into the one formerly occupied by the Star Cafe. 1925: M. Kalmes is having his annual January Clearance of Mens and Boys clothing, shoes and ladies ready-to-wear. Find it at the corner of Seventh and Main streets. 1931: August Musso of the Alpine Rose café is preparing to give his customers a treat in the meat line – he purchased a prize baby beef from Kenneth Brown of La Veta, one of the 4-H boys who took top prizes at the state fair. 1937: New officers of the St. Mary Parish Tabernacle Society are Mrs. M. Kalmes, Mrs. August Musso, Mrs. Anthony Perse and Mrs. C.S. Buckland. 1943: Little Stephen Belloni, born to Mr. and Mrs. John Belloni at 5:12 a.m. on Jan. 2, was adjudged the winner of the World-Independent’s first baby for 1943 contest. The Bellonis live about three and a half miles south of Gardner. 1949: In the afternoon of Jan. 3, Senator Sam T. Taylor of Walsenburg was chosen minority Democratic floor leader in Colorado’s 37th general assembly. 1955: Tax collections in Huerfano County for 1954 were up approximately $16,000 over the previous year, according to County Treasurer Thomas J. Solomon, and reflect an overall payment of 93.7 percent for the year. 1961: St. Mary High School’s junior class will present the play “Cheaper By the Dozen” with George Dussart and Rita Vallejos playing Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreath and Sr. James Marie directing. 1966: Rosemary Tafoya, 17, recent runner-up in the G.I. Forum Queen Contest, has won many trophies for athletics, singing, playing the accordion, has appeared on television, and is a cheerleader and outstanding student, and she is blind. 1971: Eighth graders on the first quarter honor roll at Walsenburg High School were Laverne Cruz, Roselyn Fini, Ginger George, Sandra Kenner, James Lenzotti. Robert Miller, Herald Myers, James Pullin, Cindy Skarmas, Colette Swartzendrubber and Dina Galassini. 1978: Sworn in as new Councilpersons were Anna Gasperetti, Jay Crook, Betty Ridge, Tanky Lowry, Henry Valdez, Christie Mosco, Bunny Falsetto and Max Romero. 1984: The present Huerfano County Chamber of Commerce office and information center at Fifth and Main streets has neither heat nor restrooms so the members have decided to find another location.
La Veta 1876: As usual, on New Year’s Day, the saloons were well patronized and the “bantling” was baptized in huge potations of egg-nog and other copious draughts of liquor too numerous to mention. 1882: Police Magistrate J.D. Colvin collected $5.00 in fines in the past month. 1893: One of the improvements to La Veta in the past year was the completion of the Presbyterian Church, built by W.H. Adamson for $1,200 on donated lots. 1899: F.L. Martin has built a new meat house and now those who have been helping themselves will
have to secure the new combination to the lock. 1905: Town Board met Tuesday evening in regular session and allowed bills of $220.00 to be paid, dispensed with the services of a marshal and transacted other miscellaneous business. 1911: Mr. and Mrs. Byouk are now making their home in La Veta while Mr. Byouk is firing on the water wagon (i.e., is fireman on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad’s water train between La Veta and old Cucharas east of Walsenburg). 1917: Several teams have been busy shipping ice this week but 20 years ago the streets were lined with wagons for two weeks at a time. 1924: The state has appropriated $25,000 to surface the highway between here and Walsenburg. 1930: The road scraper considerably improved some of our streets, which were becoming something like fields prepared for the planting of grain. 1936: It is stated that more than four times as much property was sold at the delinquent tax sale this year than last. This doesn’t look as if the recovery wave has hit Huerfano County. 1942: Ralph C. Bryant, Jr., forest ranger here the past five years, has been transferred to Fraser and will be succeeded by Lewis A. Cummings from Lander, Wyo. 1950: School Superintendent O.J. Norton gave the program “Flying Saucers Are Real” last Tuesday at the Rotary Club meeting. 1956: Hee Haw News, by H.A. Howard, “One newspaper heads its list of births, marriages and deaths as ‘Hatched, Matched and Dispatched’.” 1960: Mr. and Mrs. Don Wagner were honored at a baby shower held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Riggins. 1967: The Farmers Home Administration office moved from the basement of the county courthouse in Walsenburg to new quarters at Sixth and Albert Street, across from the Safeway Store. 1973: A family movie, “Wilderness Journey”, will be shown Sunday at 7 and 9 p.m. in the high school gym. Adults, $1.50, Children under 12 years, 75 cents. 1980: A number of La Veta skiers traveled to Wolf Creek over the holidays where they saw Gerald Arnold who is working for the Ski Patrol there. 1986: Karen Vietti, co-owner of the Streamside Restaurant, was elected president of the La Veta/Cuchara Chamber of Commerce, Jean Elwell, Cuchara Valley Resort, vice president, Larry Slie, Valley Voice, secretary and Judy Jurecki, CVR, treasurer.
