EDITOR’S NOTE: Meeker’s Kathy Thorsby came across the following while working at the White River Museum and thought it worth sharing. “Rio Blanco County School Tales: An Anthology of Grandmother Stories” was written by Margaret Smith Isaac. One of her stories, shared below, is titled “The Big Flu Epidemic.”
1918 was the year of the big flu epidemic all across the country.
Schools had been closed — as I remember in mid-October. It was a chilly wet, muddy day when Mrs. Fred Hamilton came horseback to the Mesa School and told the teacher (Miss Marie Livingston) and the pupils that the school would be closed. I remember Mrs. Hamilton on her saddle horse — she was wearing a divided riding skirt — as all women did when horseback riding.
That seemed to be the beginning of the “winter season.” Clara Buchanan came to our house — as her school was closed. (She was teaching the Little Beaver School.) Annie Ellison was living with us, and going to the Mesa School with me.
First Clara, then Annie, and last I had the flu. Mother and Dad did not take it.
The flu continued throughout the country. In December, there were many sick and many deaths. A short time before Christmas, Aunt Anna died from the flu at Fort Collins, Colorado. (She was Uncle Burnham’s first wife. They had no children, but she was expecting their first child in May.) Many pregnant women died. It was very frightening, and was considered to be almost a sure death if a woman was expecting and took the flu. But Mary Brown didn’t die. And neither did Mrs. Sorensen.
The Meeker Herald
125 years ago
– The North Side round-up will meet at Wolf creek on Wednesday, May 15. The South Side round-up will meet at Rangely on Thursday, May 30. ~ A.B. Critchlow, Captain.
– The laterals around town were put in shape this week to receive water from the town ditch, which will be turned on next Monday.
– Anent the strike of the workmen on the Highland ditch for eight hours to constitute a day’s work — it’s a cold day when we can’t keep up to modern civilization.
The Meeker Herald
100 years ago
– It is finally up to the Meeker people if they want a railroad. The new Mt. Streeter road had been planned to build within 20 miles of Meeker. Meeker ought to get together and organize a company to construct that 20 miles. If they do, it may insure to them a connection with the road to be built from Salt Lake to connect with the Moffat line.
– Much complaint has been heard past week, in Meeker, because parcel post stuff was not coming in. Investigation shows that the government authorities lately issued orders that all parcel post matter be stored at Rifle till the roads get better. It is also fo record that when the parcel post stuff commenced piling up at Rifle end, the postmaster over there was instructed by authorities to hire private outfits to take the stuff to Meeker; that the postmaster offered three cents a pound to convey it to Meeker, but nobody would tackle the job even at those high figures.
– A.A. Patterson of Maybell last week killed the big wolf and four pups that have been playing havoc with lower country cattle. The animal recently killed 14 yearling steers for the Keystone ranch in three nights and last week killed a two-year-old heifer belonging to E. C. Deming. Patterson trailed the pack from the heifer’s carcass and shot them all. His bounty from Moffat County and from the Stockman’s association will amount to about $300.
– The Meeker Hotel is undergoing a thorough renovating and refurnishing these days.
– Messrs. Tom L. Ruckman and G.B. Barnard of the Park, were business visitors to the city forepart of the week.
– O.E. Buchanan of Nine Mile hill was a business visitor to the city Wednesday. Mr. Buchanan reported three feet of snow on the hill at that time.
– The high school committee wish to make an announcement that they are not in favor of a new school being built upon the old site, as the site is too small for the proposed building.
The Meeker Herald
50 years ago
– The question was asked, “Will the people of Meeker accept an invitation in population of 50,000 people?” Two weeks ago the same question was asked of Meeker Chamber of Commerce President Jim Ruckman and Frank Cooley who were in Washington, D.C. The basic plan for growth in Meeker and the White River Valley, presented to the two men by a yet undisclosed but highly reliable government source, involves up to a $500 million rural development program over a 10-year period. Meeker would be the nucleus for a complete community designed and developed to accommodate up to 50,000 or more people.
– The ladies of the Fortnightly Club and Meeker Woman’s Club are making final plans for the first annual Meeker celebration of the late Freeman Fairfield’s birthday which is Saturday, May 9.
– Named as the 1970 King and Queen were Daryl Massey and Darlene LeFevre and taking the honors as attendants were Terry Ivie and Kim Wix.
The Meeker Herald
25 years ago
– Barone Middle School will have a shiny new maple floor when school starts next year, thanks to action the Meeker RE-1 Board of Education took on April 20.
– If you’ve recently been sick there is a good chance that the responsible virus is still living on your toothbrush. Viruses will continue to live on your toothbrush after you’ve recovered because toothbrushes are relatively warm and moist, an ideal environment for viruses. According to B. Burton, infection control specialist at National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, “You can become reinfected with disease-causing organisms after you have just fought off a bout with disease.”
Rangely Times
50 years ago
– Mike Theos of Rangely took first place in the Rio Blanco County spelling contest held in Rangely last Friday, in the seventh and eighth grade division.
– Environmental pollution is a people problem as well as an industrial problem. While we demand that industry do something about polluting air and water, we should go a step farther and crack down on the individual polluters that number in the tens of millions.
– When man learns to understand and control his own behavior as well as he is learning to understand and control the behavior of crop plants and domestic animals, he may be justified in believing that he has become civilized.
Rangely Times
25 years ago
– Just a few days after the terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City, Okla., a bomb threat hoax forced the evacuation of Rangely High School.
– 1995 Prom King and Queen at Rangely High School were Shannon Rasmussen and Nicole Clark. Senior attendants were Melissa Comstock, Misty Robinson, Kevin Mullen and Allen Phelps. Junior attendants were: Jenny Browning, Alicia Lopez, Tayah Worrell, Nick Brown, Andy Starbuck and Glendon Berrett.
