Looking back: Drinking from public cups is banned and women’s hosiery collected for gun powder bags

EAST IDAHO — EastIdahoNews.com is looking back in time at what life was like during this week in east Idaho history.

This week is Jan. 10 to Jan. 16.

1900-1925

RIGBY — Beginning in 1911, the “public drinking cup in Idaho became a thing of the past,” The Rigby Star wrote on Jan. 12, 1911.

The state board of health made a ruling that discontinued the use of “public or common drinking cups” on all railroad trains, in railroad stations, hotels, stores, public and private schools, state educational institutions and other institutions of the state of Idaho.

“It is also hereby ordered that conductors and trainmen see that drinking glasses are removed from all cars upon entering the state, and not replaced until after leaving the borders of Idaho.”

The paper added, “The Grey News company will arrange to supply newsagents with an aluminum collapsible cup to be sold for 15 cents which can be procured by passengers desiring the same.”

1926-1950

PRESTON — Women’s hosiery was needed for gun powder bags, according to The Preston Citizen’s Jan. 14, 1943, newspaper.

“The government has issued an urgent bulletin for all women regarding the gathering of nylon and silk hosiery that has been discarded,” the article states.

It said the material is “exceedingly valuable” for gun powder bags to be used in the shells of the large guns.

Local dry good firms were gathering centers for the hosiery. Large containers were set up inside the stores for the public to place these items.

“Cooperation of every housewife is asked by the local store managers to bring in all of Preston’s salvageable hosiery as soon as possible,” The Preston Citizen mentioned.

1951-1975

POCATELLO — A Pocatello resident was building bomb shelters for people who were interested, the Idaho State Journal reported on Jan. 15, 1951.

“Is it or is it not a laughing matter?” the paper asked.

“Most persons still think it is a laughing matter,” the builder, E. G. Wright, said. “We haven’t had any orders from here, but we did put one up for a rancher about 50 miles out.”

Wright said he cut that customers bomb shelter into the side of a mountain. The customer was using it for storage purposes.

“During the last war, I designed shelters for the government, and the firm I worked for built several large ones in the east,” Wright explained.

He said his shelters were built of reinforced concrete, which was three independent walls, one inside the other.

“A bomb hit, of course, would crush the first wall, maybe crack the second, but leave the third, the inner one, undamaged,” Wright told the paper. “And you’re inside the third, so you too, are undamaged.”

1976-2000

POCATELLO — The body of one of two Pocatello hikers who’d been missing for four days was found, the Idaho State Journal reported on Jan. 13, 1976.

The body was dug out of an avalanche at the head of Papoose Creek after observers in an airplane spotted a dog that accompanied the men, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office said.

David Hudson, 31, and Tom Drake, 29, were the two men who were missing. The men didn’t return home after what was supposed to be a morning hike to Indian Peak. Authorities hadn’t announced whose body was found by the time the paper was printed.

“The winds were too drastic yesterday for a helicopter,” Mike Thompson, former vice commander of the Bannock County Search and Rescue Patrol, said. “There’s a very high avalanche danger today.”

No snowmobiles or horses were sent to the area “for fear of triggering an avalanche.” Infrared photography equipment was being brought in from Mountain Home to help with the search.

The golden retriever dog was reportedly alive at the time it was found. Hudson was married and had a son who was about a year-and-a-half old. No information about Drake’s marital status was available.