Legacies: December 19, 2024

Posted

100 years ago

Taken from SUN files of
December 19, 1924

The seven families in the lower Stollsteimer creek district, in which there are cases of diphtheria, have all been placed under quarantine and under guard, the school has been closed for some time, and in general the situation is greatly improved. There have been a total of four deaths, all children, three of which were from diphtheria and one from intestinal trouble. They are Clara, 4-year-old daughter of Ben Gurule, Augustina, 7-year-old daughter of Frank Martinez, one of the Sisneros children, and Santiago, 5-year-old son of Teofilo Martinez. A new case developed in Pagosa Springs the first of the week when two children of Dario Larribas, who resided in the J.T. Martinez dwelling, in west Pagosa, were quarantined for the disease. The Placido Atencio family, who live in the same house, was quarantined last week owing to the illness of the child, Ubaldo, who has about recovered.

David Hersch and wife left Wednesday for Denver, where they will be met by their son and daughter, Joseph and Marguerite, who are attending the Washington University of St. Louis and the Lindenwood College of St. Charles, Mo., respectively. They will all spend Christmas together in the capitol city.

75 years ago

Taken from SUN files of
December 16, 1949

T.B. Stavely, postoffice inspector from Pueblo spent several days in Pagosa Springs and the southern part of the county this past week investigating the present mail service and to make recommendations on a petition asking for additional mail delivery for residents in the Arboles area.

Mr. Stavely spent considerable time investigating the possibilities of the proposed route and the application has been approved. Mr. Stavely recommended that service start as of April 1.

This will be an extension of the present rural route carried by Arthur Capell and will add 75 new patrons and 22 miles to the present route.

Residents of Pagosa Springs may now purchase Christmas trees from the High School Letterman’s Club. The trees are located on the lot just west of the D-G City Market where they may be purchased. 

The boys are going to use the money derived from the sale of the trees for various projects at the school which are worthy of the public’s support.

50 years ago

Taken from SUN files of
December 19, 1974

Four inches of snow fell on Wolf Creek Pass this past weekend but only a trace fell in town. Snowfall is below average up on the hill this winter, it is also below average in town. Pleasant weather has prevailed, temperatures have been mild for December and the day with the least hours of sunlight is next Sunday. Winter hasn’t really arrived in these parts to date.

All children are invited to a free Christmas party at the High School Gym this Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Santa Claus will be there, there will be free candy, a kids movie, and a Christmas tree. There is no charge and all children within the community are invited.

While snowfall in December has been very light to date snow depth and moisture content readings this year are still well ahead of last year. Soil Conservation Service employees Jim Swartz and Mary Skinner found the snowpack depths equal to those of January 1st last winter in readings made December 10 this year.

25 years ago

Taken from SUN files of
December 16, 1999

Road work contracted under the $6.54 million Fairfield Pagosa bankruptcy settlement agreement is at least 98 percent complete as the 1999 road work season winds down, according to Kevin Walters, assistant manager of the Archuleta County Road and Bridge Department.

“Basically, we just have about 1,500 feet of work on Vista, 1,400 feet on Park, 5,000 feet on North Lake, 5,000 feet on North Pagosa north of North Village Lake and the Fairfield bankruptcy project will be finished,” Walters said. “That includes the settlement agreement between the PLPOA and Fairfield that the county was not part to.”

The original settlement agreement amounted to $6.5 million between the county, PLPOA and Fairfield. Weminuche Construction won the contract with a bid of $5.2 million. Change orders added another $885,000 to the project. Through November, $5,462,829 had been paid out. Of the $1.2 PLPOA settlement, also supervised by the county, $575,968.50 has been spent. About $625,555 remains.