100 years ago: “Charles Riffey, of Thompson’s Park, a man about 28 years old was adjudged insane at a lunacy hearing in the county court and will be taken to Pueblo by Sheriff Fassbinder for commitment to the state insane asylum. The man is said to be mentally unbalanced as the result of an altercation with Gus Olbert, of Thompson’s Park over water right matters.”
75 years ago: “Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Koontz are among the fortunates who have saved their holiday ‘til the wint’ry winds blow hardest and then bid a not too reluctant ‘goodbye’ to friends and departed for a warmer climate.”
50 years ago: An advertisement read, “Come to our ... hootenanny! Featuring talent from the basin and a ‘surprise guest!’ 50 cent door charge. The Full House, in Rio Grande Land, 561 Main Ave.”
25 years ago: “The pilot of a Continental Express airplane that crashed Jan. 19, 1988, near Durango, killing nine, had ‘done a bag of cocaine’ with his girlfriend the night before, federal investigators have been told. ... The traces of cocaine found in the pilot’s blood were tiny, and specialists disagree over when he might have ingested it and weather it would have had any effect on the accident.”
Most items in this column are taken from Herald archives, Center of Southwest Studies and Animas Museum. Their accuracy may not be verified.
