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This week in history for March 27, 2014

Walsenburg 1897: Max Klein is running for mayor against Thomas Grantham, Henry Blickhahn against Mark O. Danford for clerk and Antonio Bertolero against G.R. Moore for treasurer. Candidates for two year terms as trustee are Charles Agnes, Paul Frohlich, Walter N. Houser, Peter Krier, John Neilson and Henry Snedden (vote for three). 1904: Walsenburg Wool and Hide Company was organized and has secured the location from Dick Brothers between William Krier’s shoe shop and Workman’s furniture store for a large building. 1911: The high school girls won their Basket Ball game with La Junta and were treated to an excellent supper at the Hunter Café afterward. The Basket Ball boys also gave the girls a dance in the Armory Monday evening. 1917: Professor J.A. White of Denver, the psychological healer and seer, predicts there will be no war with Germany . . . 1924: The proposed 46,000 acre Badito [reservoir] Project will officially be opened the homestead entry April 19. 1930: Huerfano County stockman will pay $800 in taxes this year for the destruction of predatory animals, according to Charles E. Haines, county treasurer. 1936: The Federated Labor Union called a mass meeting of the Huerfano County Workers and Farmers League in Blue Glade Hall Saturday to discuss the laying off of Works Progress Administration workers. 1941: About 12 to 16 inches of snow, followed by rainstorms and flash floods, closed most county schools today. 1947: Gus Crump and Frank V. Repola announced they will open a service department in the Unique Shop, 603 Main, in the new annex recently added to the building, to repair electrical as well as butane and propane gas installations. 1953: Oasis Tavern is the first in Walsenburg to get a television, a 27 inch Sylvania. 1961: Died, Julian Balles, 48, of Gardner. He leaves his wife Rose, six daughters and seven sons. A few days later, an eighth son was born to Rose. 1968: Anthony J. Calza, Michael R. Hudran and Gerald B. Mauro were on the fall semester President’s List for earning a B+ grade average or better. 1974: Fred and Ruby Powers, owners of Mountain Modular and Mobile Home Sales in Walsenburg, won an all-expenses paid trip to Disney Land in Florida for maintaining quality of operation. 1980: Colorado Coal Mining Company of Colorado Springs has applied for a special permit to strip mine coal in the Maitland area northwest of Walsenburg. 1986: The six-month old Silver Eagle band has been playing weekly gigs all over Huerfano and Pueblo counties as well as in La Junta. 1992: Forty bowlers participated in the Cancer Bowl-a-thon, sponsored by the Walsenburg Eagles Aerie, with Frank Duran and Ginger Eccher winning the prizes for the best scores.

La Veta 1881: Our Town Council has sent to the Huerfano canyon for a load of broad leafed cottonwoods to be planted along Front [Main] Street. 1893: The drugstore of A. Lindsay was foreclosed upon and the Masonic Lodge purchased the building, of which they use the second floor, for $1,275. It was built four years ago at a cost of $3,000. 1899: Potatoes will be two pounds for five cents before April 10. Thank goodness we don’t have to live on potatoes while pie and cake can be had. 1905: A few residents on the north side of the railroad tracks have been laying a cinder sidewalk along Main Street to avoid walking in the mud. 1912: A group of men from Walsenburg purchased the James Baker ranch above Cuchara Camps, 320 acres, for $2,250 to start a fishing and camping resort. 1918: Did you buy a Smileage book from the Misses Clara Kincaid and Sylvia Mathews? One of these coupon books will while away many an hour for some soldier who might otherwise be lonely. 1925: Some 150 robed knights and ladies of the KKK marched through Trinidad to participate in the funeral of former La Veta resident Isaac Patterson. 1931: Eugene Fischback is beautifying his cottage camp on Oak Street with plantings and he says he will stucco his house next door sometime this summer. 1937: Miss Grayce Mestas is making her home with the Otto Drum family while she finishes the present term of school. 1943: The high school girls played their last basketball game last week and will begin a unit on folk dancing next week. 1949: C.I. Wadsworth sold his ranch nine miles west of La Veta on Middle Creek, consisting of 7,000 acres, to Middlemist and Company of Denver. The company is made up of A.C. Middlemist and his sons Alex and James. 1955: A crew from the State Highway Department is now surveying for improvements on Highway 160 between Walsenburg and La Veta, to include straightening curves, stabilizing the roadbed and resurfacing. 1962: Died, Dart Speilmann, La Veta native and 1931 graduate of the local high school. He leaves in La Veta his mother, Mrs. Mable L. Hottinger, his sister Loraine Hector, and his uncle, Norma Howlett. 1969: Sadie Marker and her son Jerry, who are currently living in the Lawrence Kreutzer home across the street from the Catholic Church, have purchased the Holmes place southwest of La Veta. 1975: There were 72 people served at the Senior Citizen dinner in Masonic Hall after which they enjoyed a humorous skit performed by members of the Clover 4-H Club. 1981: Members of the Re-2 School Board have set a base salary of $11,000 for beginning teachers for the 1981-82 school year. 1987: Cuchara received another 24 inches of snow last weekend to bring the total for March to 69 inches and the total for the season to 256 inches. La Veta got about 14 inches.

Cement plant concerns

Building inspector suggests a negotiated move out of Northlands to site near prison WALSENBURG — The Walsenburg City Council convened a special meeting Friday, March

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