Looking back: Couple wakes up county auditor to request marriage license and man survives after car ends up in canal
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IDAHO FALLS — EastIdahoNews.com is looking back at what life was like during the week of Nov. 4 to Nov. 10 in east Idaho history.
1900-1925
IDAHO FALLS — An Idaho Falls couple woke up the county auditor to request a marriage license, The Rigby Star reported Nov. 6, 1919.
“After looking the town over Sunday night and Monday morning, very weary and tired Miss Ella Helen Ulrich and Frank Howard Riggs finally succeeded in locating the residence of Mrs. Zina H. Poole, county auditor, and aroused her from her deep slumbers about 4 a.m. — natural time,” the paper explained.
In the “cold grey dawn of the morning,” Poole accompanied the couple to the courthouse where they were issued a marriage license.
“They remarked that they had evidently been to every house in town in search of the desired county clerk,” the article states.
1926-1950
BLACKFOOT — A Blackfoot man whose car ended up in a canal was able to swim to safety, the Idaho Falls Post Register reported on Nov. 4, 1935.
Roy Johnson’s “presence of mind and ability to swim” saved himself from a “watery grave.”
“Mr. Johnson was returning from a pheasant hunt when his car went into the (American Falls) canal, turned over a couple of times, and settled right side up 50 feet from the bridge,” the article reads.
Johnson climbed out of the car and swam to land. Herders at a nearby sheep camp provided aid to Johnson. The canal was eventually drained, and his car recovered.
1951-1975
POCATELLO — About 200 boy scouts were helping search for a 74-year-old widow who was missing, the Idaho Falls Post Register reported on Nov. 4, 1952.
The scouts were looking in City Creek Canyon for a trace of Mrs. Ina Greene. The scouts and other searchers found a handkerchief Sunday which was identified as the missing woman’s.
George Talbot, special deputy sheriff from Hamilton, Montana, led a search party Monday. However, Talbot said the earlier search group had “obliterated” Greene’s tracks. Two bloodhounds were unable to pick up a scent.
“Officers expressed doubt Mrs. Greene could still be alive as the temperature dropped to 11 degrees in Pocatello Sunday night and presumably even lower in the canyon,” the article reads.
1976-2000
IDAHO FALLS — A 14-year-old boy lived after accidentally shooting himself in the chest, the Idaho Falls Post Register reported on Nov. 5, 1977.
Kirk Prestwich and a friend were playing with a .22 caliber pistol at Prestwich’s home when it accidentally went off. Prestwich told officers he had no idea the gun was loaded.
He was taken to Community Hospital and was in “fairly good” condition after having surgery to repair tendon damage.