100 years ago

Miss Alice Spragg, 21 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Spragg of Winesap avenues, Freewater, met a terrible death last evening as a result of an auto accident at the point where the college Place road intersects with the main highway between Walla Walla and Pendleton. Miss Spragg was thrown into the windshield of another car and her throat was cut, the jugular vein being severed. She died 20 minutes after the accident.

The mishap occurred at 5 o’clock Sunday evening. At the time the party consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Spragg, Pear Spragg, a sister of the dead girl, and Walter Eaton of Dayton Wash., were riding in the Spragg car. Mr. Spragg was driving and he had just turned into the College Place road.

In that instant the Ford was struck by an Oldsmobile driven by C. G. Rillston of Lewiston, Idaho. The Rillston car was traveling south and smashed into the side of the Ford. Miss Spragg was hurled from the Ford and struck against the windshield of the Oldsmobile in such a manner as to cause her death.

50 years ago

Two Pasco men were seriously injured in a one-car accident Sunday night about five miles north of Pendleton on Highway 37, state police reported.

Police said the southbound car operated by Douglas Warren Bethea, 31, failed to negotiate a curve and rolled several times. Bethea and Walter Wade, 33, were thrown from the car. They were taken to St. Anthony Hospital with multiple contusions, lacerations and internal injuries. A hospital spokesman said Wade was in satisfactory condition this morning and Bethea had just regained consciousness.

Three Pilot Rock residents were treated and released at St. Anthony Hospital after being involved in automobile accidents. They are Marla Jobes, Sandra Doherty and Anna Marie Doherty.

Joe Lieuallen of Adams was treated and released after his left ankle was injured in a motorbike accident.

25 years ago

The Suns will soon shine in Pendleton.

The City Council gave a unanimous thumbs-up vote to the purchase of the Phoenix Sun’s old basketball floor for the Pendleton Convention Center.

The council spent little time debating the $50,000 purchase at Tuesday night’s meeting, other than a few choice questions from members.

Councilman Steve Taylor questioned the upkeep of the floor. The report from city staff to the council outlines a positive fiscal impact of the purchase – a savings of up to $5,000 a year – despite the large price tag.

The current floor requires $3,000 to $5,000 worth of care each year. That reflects the cost of annually refinishing the aging floor, which was in use year-round, for basketball use, Lehman explained.