Looking back: Newspaper searches for “most beautiful woman,” store owner fires all employees and Bancroft to get dial service
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IDAHO FALLS — EastIdahoNews.com is looking back at what life was like during the week of March 14 to March 20 in east Idaho history.
1900-1925
BLACKFOOT — A newspaper in Utah was on the hunt for the “most beautiful woman” and it wanted Idahoans to apply, according to the Blackfoot Idaho Republican.
The local paper said on March 15, 1907, that 100 prizes, ranging from $100 to $2, would be awarded by the Salt Lake Tribune for a photograph of the most beautiful woman in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming or Nevada.
“A Chicago newspaper claims Miss Della Carson of Chicago is the most beautiful woman in America,” the article states. “The Tribune challenges this.”
The paper encouraged residents to “help the west prove that some mountain state woman is the most beautiful.”
The Tribune asked that “good photographs” be sent to the paper with the woman’s name, address and place of birth included.
1926-1950
PRESTON — The owner of a Preston store fired all of its employees, The Preston Citizen announced on March 17, 1949.
Jack King, manager of Estenson Variety, and the entire store force were “discharged” in a “storewide shakeup.” The employees said everyone was fired without warning by Orville Estenson of Blackfoot.
“(The firing happened) after he (Estenson) demanded that Mr. King fire every employee in the store,” The Preston Citizen explained. “The manager told Mr. Estenson he could not discharge loyal employees without any reason.”
King — who was manager of the store for six years — and his wife, plus all other clerks were fired.
1951-1975
SODA SPRINGS — All telephone subscribers in Bancroft we’re going to soon be using dial service, The Caribou County Sun reported on March 18, 1954.
Bancroft was the last exchange in eastern Idaho with crank telephones to switch to dial, the newspaper said.
J.L. Christopherson, manager for the Mountain States Telephone Company, said the dial service at Bancroft would go into operation on March 23, 1954, at 1 p.m.
“This is just another step forward in bringing modern communications to our subscribers in this area,” he mentioned.
1976-2000
FIRTH — Police arrested a Firth resident for exposing himself, the Idaho State Journal said on March 14, 1976.
Charles Hanson, 26, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and resisting arrest.
“Police had received several reports … of a man walking around in the Memorial Park area, opening his coat and exposing himself,” the article said.
He was also charged with possession of a controlled substance after marijuana was found in his coat when he was booked at the Bannock County Jail.