Dolores 80 years ago

Taken from the Friday, April 19, 1935, Dolores Star

J. B. Gelwick and Floyd Wilber have opened their hardware store and have been greeting friends at the stand in the former A. A. Rust building. The room occupied by the store has been reconditioned and repainted and presents a fine appearance.

Attention of several Dolores people has been called to the fact that it is highly feasible to have the routing of Denver and eastern mail changed from its present route over the D. & R. G. W. from Pueblo and Alamosa to a shorter and more direct way over the Dotsero cut-off, by way of Grand Junction, Montrose and Ridgway. Effort is being made to have the change put into effect, the principal argument being that mail would be delivered to Dolores and other points on the Rio Grande Southern several hours earlier than at present.

William H. Geopfarth, for the last three years manager of the Grand Junction district of the Mountain States Tel. & Tel. Co. (which includes this territory), has been transferred to Pueblo, according to word from Grand Junction.

Reports came down from Rico early in the week that the road over Lizard Head pass was open and that cars were making the trip between Rico and Telluride without difficulty. The storm Wednesday may have closed the pass temporarily. However, it will be open soon, if it is closed at all.

E. R. Bowen, expert auto mechanic, arrived Saturday with his family from Alamosa, and has taken up a position with R. N. Musgrave, at the former Calhoon garage. Mr. Bowen comes highly recommended and is rated as knowing all about how to make autos of all makes do their stuff.

Rabbits, estimated all the way from 2,000 to 5,000 were mercilessly massacred in the big drive out north of Lewis Sunday, according to those from here who took part in the event. The drive started in the Rhyman neighborhood and was carried on toward Lewis and is believed to have been the most successful of all.

A short, but rather spirited meeting of the town board was held at the regular meeting place Tuesday night, the purpose of the meeting being to act upon the proposition as to whether the town marshall, Henry McConnell, should be asked to resign. Mr. McConnell will be retained as marshall and water superintendent for the ensuing year.

Work of remodeling the Akin store is about completed so that the official opening will take place Friday and Saturday, according to announcement made by Howard Poteet this week.

Emergency poisoned oats may be furnished to farmers by FERA through the efforts of the state rodent committee to be used in protecting grain forage and other crops from rodents such as prairie dogs and rabbits.

The Dolores-Rico Road may get $100,000 in funding.

According to information received from the department of commerce office in Grand Junction, there are 1,071 farms in Montezuma County, by the count just completed, which is an increase over the count April 1, 1930, when a total of 978 were enumerated. This count is preliminary and subject to correction, the report stated.

Mr. and Mrs. Wm. McCormick drove to Gallup Wednesday to meet Mrs. Lucy McConnell, who came in from Chillicothe, Texas, where she has spent the past few months with relatives.

G. C. Stout, rehabilitation supervisor, was in Dolores Wednesday working with the local office force.

Earl S. Stone, safety engineer for the ERA spent the first two days of the week in the Dolores vicinity.

H. R. Rowe is reported as much better at this time. Mr. Rowe has been quite seriously ill for the past two weeks.

Miss Mary Patton, ERA field representative is in this vicinity for a few days on business.

Mr. and Mrs. George Denby and son, Lynn, drove down to the sheep camp for the day Tuesday.

C. L. Flanders has been appointed to a position with the ERA to supervise gardening activities in connection with rehabilitation work.