(Information was gleaned from the Wet Mountain Tribune, all from the third week in December.)

100 Years Ago – 1909

A train of sixteen cars of cattle was shipped from this point Monday. Twelve cars were loaded by John Meyer who sold them for delivery in Kansas City. The other four cars were sold by Messrs. Garretson and Harry Schwab and were shipped to Denver.

A man by the name of Kay Johnson who has been around here for some time was picked up on the railroad track here Wednesday evening in a stupor and was taken to the “L” Bar and somewhat revived and at present is at Mrs. Sanders’. The county is caring for him until relatives, at Salida, are heard from.

 Monday night next, Moving Picture Show at Eddy’s Corner. Four thousand feet of up to date film.

On Wednesday evening last a shadow of deep sorrow was cast over our little city as the news of the death of August Menzel passed from mouth to mouth. Deceased had been ill about three weeks, suffering of pneumonia. Mr. Menzel was a native of Germany, having been born in Holstein on Jan. 17th, 1846. In his native land he learned the blacksmith trade. When 21 years old he came to the United States and joined some friends in Chicago. After following his trade for two years he came to Colorado in the spring of 1870 with the colonists that first settled the Wet Mountain Valley. He took up a quarter section of land and on his land he opened a shop and did a thriving business. When Westcliffe sprang into existence he bought out the Tomkins stock of hardware which he enlarged to the immense hardware and implement business now so well established on Second Street. The funeral service took place at the Presbyterian church here on Tuesday and notwithstanding the severity of the weather was largely attended. Burial at the Lutheran Cemetery.

50 Years Ago – 1959

The Federal Communications Commission has given another three-month extension on the life of television booster stations such as that operating on Hibbs Hill east of Silver Cliff and bringing TV programs to the Wet Mountain Valley. Art Hibbs, TV repairman extraordinaire, is bending in signals from Channel 11, Colorado Springs, and Channel 4, Denver. A picture from Channel 13, Colorado Springs, is being received well now but there is no sound accompanying the picture. Hibbs hopes to get this remedied in the very near future. Many local sports enthusiasts have expressed the desire to see fights televised on 13 on Wednesday nights.

The annual Parent-Teacher association and Elks Lodge Christmas Party for youngsters will be held at the school auditorium in Westcliffe next Wednesday. The P-TA has scheduled a movie to be shown, followed by the Elks members of Lodge No. 610 in Canon City will provide treats for grade school and pre-school age children.

25 Years Ago – 1984

The one million dollar mark was broken when the C-1 Board of Education approved the 1985 budget of $1,023,799. This is an increase of  $57,204 over the current year’s budget of $966,595.

Jennings Market was broken into before dawn Tuesday, but according to Sheriff Bob Baker, the burglar only made off with cigarettes, a few coins and some cassette tapes because the safe was locked. The front door glass was broken and the frame damage during the break-in, Baker said.

Valley resident Bill DeHaven has returned from a several month stay in Antarctica where he fulfilled a six-month contract to line desalination tanks at the McMurdo Station there. He said that with wind chill, the temperatures sometimes plummeted to a minus 115 degrees below zero.

Custer County Clerk Mary Kattnig presided over last week’s annual meeting of the Colorado Association of County Clerks and Recorders. Kattnig is mid-way through her term as president of the organization.

10 Years Ago – 1999

The board of the West Custer County Hospital District has named Barb Parrish to the vacancy on the board created by last month’s resignation of Mike Kelly due to an out of town job obligation.

Two semi-trucks collided Monday afternoon on Highway 96 about six miles east of Silver Cliff, after a load of hay on the eastbound truck shifted, causing the driver to veer into the other lane where it struck a westbound semi. The driver of one of the trucks sustained multiple injuries, none of which are believed to be life threatening. The highway was closed for a time to allow workers to clean up the 20 tons of hay that was spilled.

Colorado state prison inmate Delmar Spooner died Dec. 7 at a Canon City facility as a result of cancer. He was 64. Spooner was known here for leading authorities on a nearly month-long search for him in September and October 1981 following his escape from a Canon City prison. He also claimed another bit of notoriety: at the time of his death, he reportedly had served more time behind state prison bars than anyone else in the prison system. He was originally sentenced to life in 1961 for killing a state patrolman and an Eagle County undersheriff.

Former long-time Valley resident Alma Sommers died last Thursday on Highway 50 east of Pueblo when her car was struck by another vehicle. She was 85.

5 Years Ago – 2004

Quick action by firefighters last Wednesday averted a possible blaze at the former Jennings Market building in downtown Westcliffe. Passersby reported seeing smoke coming from the building at about 6:30 p.m.; a possible fireplace chimney fire from one of the second floor apartments was blamed. Firefighters arrived quickly due to the fact that they were holding a meeting at the firehouse at the time of the report

The Hospital District board has appointed Gary Frickell to a board vacancy created in October when Linc Lippincott stepped down.

Custer County Assessor J.D. Henrich was elected president of the Colorado Assessor’s Association during the group’s annual conference in Denver last week.

1 Year Ago – 2008

Winter doesn’t officially begin until Sunday, but a wintry arctic front passed through the Valley on Monday, causing the mercury to plunge to a low of minus six degrees. Weather observer John Piquette said it was the coldest day so far this season.

During last week’s summit meeting among  officials of the county and the towns of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, Marti Mernitz of Dundee Animal Care Center in Silver Cliff presented a proposal to establish a central kennel where stray pets can be kept. The officials told Mernitz to continue to work on the proposal and to provide an update at the groups’ next meeting in March.

Services will be held tomorrow in Canon City for Hillside native John William Koch. For many years, he and his late wife owned and operated the Hillside Store as well as running the family ranch there.