Remember When?

70 YEARS AGO • APRIL 29, 1954

FEASIBILITY OF NOXON RAPIDS DAM TO BE DETERMINED THIS SUMMER

The Washington Water Power Co. expects to determine feasibility of the proposed Noxon Rapids dam sometime this summer according to a spokesman for the utility. He also declared that it was possible that another 350,000 kilowatts of new power could be developed at the site.

Currently three diamond drilling rigs are drilling tests for possible wing locations and to check the clay blanket along the reservoir shoreline.

Last week the churn drilling rigs had completed drilling of six test holes on the left bank. In a few, pipes have been left installed to observe rise and fall in the water table for a comparison with river readings and to determine the effectiveness of the clay blanket. Most of this drilling is being done in the vicinity of McKay Creek on the right bank.

Diamond drilling is for the purpose of checking the rock structure for the wing foundations.

Test drilling for the main span of the dam was completed last year.

If the project is given a final go ahead by WWP, it is expected that the left wing will be located in the vicinity of the Stevens Creek road. The dam site is about four miles east of Noxon.

COUNCIL TO STATE CLEAN-UP WEEK

A proclamation setting the week of May 9-14 as clean-up week in Thompson Falls was issued Monday night by Mayor M.C. Sutherland with approval of the city council.

In sponsoring the clean-up week, city dads voted to make the city-owned truck and loader available to pick up and haul rubbish placed in alleys.

“The tourist season is rapidly approaching and we certainly want Thompson Falls to have its best foot forward,” Mayor Sutherland declared in urging all residents to participate wholeheartedly in the clean-up spruce-up campaign.

“With warmer weather finally here, many residents are already at work on their lawns and gardens, and the city council is very happy to contribute towards beautification of the town. There will be no charge by the city for hauling rubbish. The council hopes everyone will take advantage of this free service and clean up, paint up and spruce up their homes and grounds,” he said.

The mayor also complimented Wally Britton for the “fine beautification project he has launched in making a new public park across from Ray’s Cleaners. The project being accomplished under the direction of Sheriff Britton established a standard for all of us to copy in cleaning up our individual properties,” he concluded.

Note: Ray’s Cleaners was in the Odd Fellows building (where the barber shop now is). The park became the Rose Garden Park although the roses are all gone now. I have found references to town clean up days in the spring for decades while researching this column.

30 YEARS AGO • APRIL 24, 1994

FRANK-WRIGHT VOWS SAID

Roni Frank and Ron Wright of Thompson Falls were united in marriage April 1, during an evening double-ring ceremony performed by Justice of the Peace Robert L. Beitz at the Thompson Falls Senior Citizen Center.

The bride is the daughter of Dave and Anita Haase of Thompson Falls.

The newlyweds are planning a wedding trip to California. They are making their home at Thompson Falls

EDDY

The town of Eddy was named for Dick Eddy from Missoula. He and a Mr. Hammond were among the early promoters here. Note: Eddy or Eddy Flats is located 10 miles east of Thompson Falls.

John McKay was the first section foreman on the Northern Pacific railroad there. He and his wife, Anna McGowan McKay, homesteaded the area and built a house which is the last house on the north side of the highway just before going up the Munson Creek hill on the highway.

They later built the store and Post Office. There was also a sawmill there and later a school was built.