President Kennedy was wearing a dark gray business suit
Let Roymar Bakery do your baking. It will keep your kitchen cool. They were offering hamburger or Coney buns at 39 cents a dozen, homemade bread for 24 cents and fruit-filled sweet rolls at two for 15 cents.
Over the next few weeks this column will highlight the contact Columbia Basin Herald Editor Ned Thomas had with the White House and President John F. Kennedy in the early 1960s. Today we backtrack a bit and then continue with Thomas' own account.
Lunch at the White House, Oct. 23, 1961:
"We were escorted into the Red Room, where we chatted and sipped and in a few minutes Pierre Salinger, the President's press secretary, came in. We shook hands all around and asked him questions about what was to come. We learned the lid was off as far as subjects were concerned, and that the affair would break up at 3:15.
"Presently someone announced, 'The President,' and we all stopped talking.
"In walked Mr. Kennedy, smiling. He greeted each man. As it came his turn, each visitor told the President his name and the town he was from, and shook the presidential hand. The President nodded to him.
"The chief executive was wearing a dark gray business suit, white shirt, black tie with green polka dots and a white handkerchief barely visible in his breast pocket. He looked trim, tanned and healthy. His grip was firm. He led the way into the State Dining Room. We took our places, he sat down and we followed suit.
"The long table, rounded at each end, was of mahogany and there was a rectangular linen place cloth at each place. The President sat in the center on one side and opposite him was Salinger.
"At each place was a card with the guest's name, a menu, a small silver ash tray with a book of matches inscribed "The President's House." To the man, each guest made off with his place card, menu and book of matches as souvenirs.
"The meal was delicious. It began with a cream soup, proceeded to filet of sole, then a fine salad, cheese dessert and demitasse. The wine was Almaden Johannisberg Riesling, and it was excellent.
"The courses were served by colored waiters in black livery. They were unobtrusive, but highly efficient. They obviously had done this before.
"The conversation began as soon as we sat down and it never let up. We discovered that the President was intensely preoccupied with foreign affairs. The discussion of the international situation ranged from Soviet Russia to Berlin to Cuba to Laos to Vietnam to Formosa to Red China. The President even managed to relate a number of domestic problems to the world situation.
"He commented little on Northwest problems brought up by his guests. He asked that we give Salinger memos on these points and said that they would be considered.
"We talked with Salinger for a few minutes then, asking how much of the conversation was on the record. He said we could name the subjects discussed, the President's views in general on each, but "no quotes, please."
"When the meal was finished and we were having coffee, cigars were passed around; Corona Coronas. There were cigarettes at each place in a silver container. The President smoked a cigar from a gold case.
"The conversation, despite any prior arrangements, was orderly.
"When a pause came someone would say, '"Mr. President," and ask a question or make a comment. Everyone at the table, somehow, had a chance to gain the President's attention.
"Mr. Kennedy showed the tension he's under by fussing with things at his place, by letting his cigar go out several times and relighting it.
The Grant County Historical Society has compiled several volumes of Grant County history. The books are available for purchase at the Historical Society Museum gift shop in Ephrata.
I bought the series in 2009 and secured permission to relay some of the history through this column. Memories of Grant County, compiled from taped interviews by the Grant County Historical Society.
Today we continue the story of Ephrata by Thelma Billngsley Nicks:
The dust was terrible during the 20's. These were the years of a bad draught. The wind, if it started, would always blow for three days straight. Then if it did not stop we knew we were in for one that usually lasted for two weeks. The dust would be so bad one could not see across the streets at times. It seemed to be like a suction.
The wind would blow at about 15 miles an hour. The dust would come from the Waterville country. Once we went on a camping trip and forgot to close a bed room window. It was only opened three inches, but the whole house was covered with dust.
In the early days roads followed section lines. The road to Soap Lake went by the High School. In the country some roads were sand roads. These were usually smooth and fun to drive on. Occasionally here would be a rise in the road. It would be fun to speed up and go like a roller coaster.
On the way to Wenatchee, just before you came to the mouth of Moses Coulee, we would go prepared to have the car get stuck in the sand. We always carried old blankets or rugs with us. They would be laid down under the car and in front, so the car could be driven over the front one. We would pick up the back one then and place it in front again until we had passed that place. We would also pull up sagebrush to run over too.
The road to Wenatchee at that time did not go by Rock Island but would go down to the Columbia River. We would cross on a ferry at Columbia River Siding. Then the road followed the river to Wenatchee.
Cars were not too plentiful in early days. A few hand pull carts were used to deliver things. The bakery would have their bread delivered to the stores with one. Miss Morris who ran the Morris Hotel had a man meet the trains to pick up baggage of those who would be staying at the hotel. Jimmy, who had a laundry, would deliver his laundry that way. One was used to collect the mail sacks at the depot and also to take the mail to be delivered to the train. Others used them too as well as the fire carts were pull carts.
Wilson Creek area history
The Rev. David H. Crawford compiled and published a history of families in and surrounding Wilson Creek titled, "Family Memories of Wilson Creek Area." The book was printed in 1978, which was the 75th anniversary of the town. David's son, John Crawford, has given permission for those memories to be a part of this column.
Today we continue the R.H. Lee, C.W. Davis and George Lee history by Macil Lee:
I retired from the Post Office in 1972 after 35 years as Postmaster. I enjoyed every year of my work, I had many, many, happy, funny experiences, and some not so funny.
Dana was appointed Postmaster when I retired.
Between the Lee and Davis families, we have been in the Postal Service for 75 years.
I have been enjoying my retirement, but I was thankful to have a job the first year after George passed away. I have been doing a lot of traveling, which I enjoy very much, and I hope to do more.
I have enjoyed writing this history, but there is so much more that I could say, about how big the town was at one time, etc. There were three hotels, a meat market, two hardware stores, three grocery stores, a drug store, a laundry, a tailor shop, two doctors, three lawyers, a bank, a furniture store, a confectionery store and pool room. Plus a barber shop, a jewelry store, a bakery, a post office, a newspaper, a livery stable, and a blacksmith shop. Later two Garages, two churches, a small hospital and three saloons.
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