Looking Back at Pages from the Past

The following stories are summarized from past issues of the Caribou County Sun over the last fifty plus years.  The Enterprise thanks Mark Steele for permission to use the contents, and the Grace Public Library for access to the archives.

2021

A 48 year old man died Saturday from an avalanche in the Sherman Peak area between Grace and Montpelier, the Bear Lake County Sheriff’s Office has reported.  Allen Foss of Preston was snowmobiling when he was caught in an avalanche Saturday morning.  Two other people escaped the avalanche but were unable to locate him.  Search and Rescue teams responded from Franklin, Bear Lake, and Caribou counties.  They were also assisted by other snowmobilers in the area and found Foss deceased under a large volume of snow.  “The Bear Lake County Sheriff’s Office would like to emphasize that backcountry conditions are extremely dangerous at this time,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.  “With the recent heavy snowfall and existing snow conditions, avalanche danger is high.  Use extreme caution while recreating, do not go alone, and carry emergency/rescue equipment including avalanche beacons,” they said.  “Searchers continued to operate under precarious conditions and were able to retrieve the victim’s body and transport it off the mountain,” the sheriff’s office said.  Avalanche conditions are extremely dangerous with a weak base and heavy, wet snow on top of that from the numerous snow storms in the past week.  Numerous avalanches have been recorded along the Idaho and Utah border in the Cache National Forest on the Wasatch Range.  

Joan Farnworth reported on the 50th year of Fabulous Fabrics.  “It all started on about Feb 1, 1971.  Max Rigby told Faye he wanted to talk to me.  I was at home sewing, so I went out to their home and Max said ‘Why don’t’ you open a fabric shop?’  I told him, ‘You know I don’t have a red cent.’  Then he told me he would finance me.  I two weeks, I rented the little building where Robyn Thomas is now.  Max, Faye, and I had so much fun ordering fabric from the wholesaler in Salt Lake.  The salesman said, ‘Bet these ladies won’t last 6 months.’

Within three months our space was way too small.  Max then suggested we move to the Spudnut shop owned by LaVar Taylor.  LaVar felt I couldn’t pay for it, so Max said he would.  I made payments to Max for almost 30 years until everything was in the clear.  In two years, it became too much for Faye, so that’s when I took the business over and ran it by myself.

In 1982, I had colon cancer and Dr. Obray said that I had six weeks to live.  Thanks to him I am here today.  

As time went on, people quit making readywear, so I took on ceramics.  I poured, cleaned, and kiln baked many ceramics and porcelain dolls.  It didn’t take long to find out that ceramics and fabrics are not a good mix.  The interest turned to quilts, runners, and much more.  I gave many classes and taught many people to sew.  I also made many wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, and catered countless weddings.

In 2007, I had another sick spell with spinal meningitis and Dr. Obray again saved my life.  

Thanks to many friends and strangers that have become friends, I’ve had 50 fabulous years.  Next to my kids, it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.

2001

Idaho Public Television and the four-lane highway expansion west of Soda Springs were topics that brought out a large crowd to the Soda Springs Chamber of Commerce meeting last Wednesday.  Ricky Jensen of the Soda Springs Radio Shack store is on the IPTV board.  He introduced Terri Bergmeier, who is the manager of KISU, which serves this part of the state for Public Television.  IPTV is celebrating its 30th anniversary as a state entity.  “Idaho Public TV is a resource to use and to take advantage of,” Bergmeier said, noting 97 percent of the homes in Idaho receive the public TV station.  “We focus on education and community resources,” she said, adding that 60percent of the funding for it is by private contribution—the largest percent of any state in the nation.  The state wide IPTV network broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

“The future is digital.  By May 1, 2003, we will have reached out goal,” she said about new technology that will improve quality and capabilities, including four channels instead of one.  Begmeier said the debate to privatize IPTV is still going on.  The State Board of Education holds the license currently.  It would have to be changed to a community-based licence if the legislature choose to transfer the program or change funding.  Currently, the legislature picks up 28 percent of the budget.

Tim Swenson, resident engineer for the Idaho Transportation Department, brought the chamber members up to date on the $8.4 million project from Soda Springs west to Alexander that will mak the two-lane State Highway into four lanes, with a fifth lane for turnoffs in some places.  Swenson credited the City of Soda Springs and its residents for getting the project upgraded from just adding passing lanes in a few places to a four lane highway.  “I applaud everyone in Soda Springs who helped do that,” he said about local efforts.  He noted the increased truck traffic and general traffic on the road, which will increase as tricks bypass the Wasatch front during the Olympics coming to Salt Lake.  Construction on the road will be mostly done this season, with materials already being worked on for the construction season.  A temporary pavement will be placed on the north side for traffic while the south side of the highway is completed.  The process will then be reversed for the north side.

Soda Springs High School Principal Michael Button and Counselor Dave Howell have received written notification from the National Scholarship Program that Matthew Batterton is a finalist for the prestigious Merit Scholarship Award,  Batterton is a senior at Soda Springs High School and he will graduate June 1.  He is the son of Cal and Sandra Batterton.  The selection of some 7,900 Merit Scholarship winners from the finalist group is now in progress.

1976

Tuesday afternoon at about 3 p.m. a dam at Beker Industries, Corp at Conda broke and released approximately 20 acre feet of water for a period of about seven hours from the pond.  According to a spokesman for Beker Industries, crews were able to repair and and stop the water leak.  Further repairs were underway at presstime.  The plant operations would be affected, the spokesman saif, for an additional two to three days.  The water from the pond flooded the Conda road after the dam broke, stranding many of the workers and residents in Conda.  Attempts to reach Conda by plowing other roads into met with little success, the Sheriff’s Office reported.

No injuries were reported from the dam breakage and there was no estimate of the total damages yet.  The water from the pond, which is re-cycled in plant operations, followed south from the pond, across the Conda road and then was contained primarily along the railroad right of way and farm land along side of it.  At 10 a.m. Wednesday morning, the flow of water had slowed down, but some was still advancing along the railroad tracks past the Caviar building and Tom Cellan’s ranch.  At the time the water was settling in a low swale east of the tracks.  At press time, Beker Industries has crews working on clearing the ice from the Conda road and expected the have the road open by about noon.

Rumors were rampant in Soda Spring about water contamination in the city water supply,  Late Tuesday night, Superintendent Gerard Maughan said the rumors were unfounded.  After surveying the situation, Maughan said at that time it would be very unlikely and city water could be contaminated.

The Soda Springs Parent-Teacher Organization will hold its monthly meeting Wednesday at Thirkill.  Two program will be presented.  Hull will give a short history of karate and several of his students of both high school and elementary school ages will give a demonstration.  They hope to correct the misconception of the violence of karate and emphasize the moral as well as physical aspects of it.  The second part of the meeting will be devoted to a discussion of the vocational program.  Dick Tolman, along with Mr. Rigby, Mr. Nelson, MiShael Leavitt and Mary Lou Aubrey, will detail what our vo-tech program consists of now, what we can anticipate next year and what the long range goals are concerning a complete career education program.  Since the vo-tech program was found to be of utmost concern to many parents in Needs Assessment study, all interested parents should attend the meeting. 

Old-fashioned dresses, dishes, pictures and other historical items highlighted the Annual Friendship Tea sponsored by the “United Presbyterian Women’s Organization” last week.  The theme was centered around the Bicentennial, and dresses over 100 years old were worn by some of the women,   The UPWO invited area community church women to the tea held at the Presbyterian Church.  Among the items on display were painted tin-type portraits dating back to 1825.  There were Christmas cards back to 1882 and a American flint glass cake plate dating back to 1800.  Some of the earliest China of Josiah Wedgewood was exhibited.  The “Venetian Ship” plate went back to about 1650. 

1965

Mike Norris was home from ISU to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Norris and family over the weekend.  

Miss Marlene Monroe who is attending LDS Business School in Salt Lake City, and Miss Erike Monroe, who is employed at Thiokoll in Brigham City, were home to spend the weekend in Soda Springs with their parents, Mr. and Mrs, Melvin A. Monroe.  

Brent and Caroline Wakeman and three daughter of Salt Lake were overnight guests at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Yost.

Shyrl Simons, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joel Simons, was guest of honor at a family birthday dinner Sunday in honor of his first anniversary.  Also present were Grace Mickelson, Marva, Ireta, and Terri Mickelson, Erma and Floyd Banks and family.

1954

Mr. and Mrs. Art Kelly are to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  They left Thursday.

Mayor and Mrs. A. L. Ozburn left Saturday for Stevensville, Montana to cheer up their grandchildren who have the measles.  They are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Les Ozburn.  

Doyr Cornelison was here from Phoenix this week.  He is still moving farm equipment to their new home. 

Diggs Lewis, Jr. was home from studies at the University of Wyoming at Laramie for the weekend.

1930

For land for sheep or cattle grazing in 1930 call or write Mr. Stanley Huff at Wayan, Idaho.

A surprise party was held in honor of Victor Wood, on his seventh birthday, last Saturday.  After about two hours of dancing, a delicious luncheon was served to those present.  They were Galia and Clay Gorton, Phillip and Phyllis Woodard, Estalla and LaRay Wood, Nola Brenzinger, Amy and Ida Wood and the honored host.  

Miss Lilly Vorwaller was a guest at the Carpenter Ranch, in the Ten Mile Pass, over the weekend.  

Friday evening a surprise party was given in honor of the fourteen-year-old William and Marion Hawker.  After everyone had enjoyed himself for several hours a delicious luncheon was served. 

1905

Prof. E. E. Furman went to Pocatello this morning to attend teacher’s examination.

Hugh Dorrien is having his saloon building fixed up in fine shape for the coming season and will have a nice place.  Messrs. W. M. Davis and J. D. Woodall are doing the carpenter work and Del Root is welding the paintbrush.  

A rag sewing bee was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Moore, west of town, yesterday and a nice time is reported.  Tom Sterrett took over a sleigh load of men folks to help eat the fine dinner that was served.  None of the men had nerve enough to tackle the needle and thread so they returned to town as soon as possible.