E-mail from Cheryl

Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins:

From the Columbia Basin Herald on Aug. 22, 1941:

Prisoner escapes from officers

Tom Conway, whom Spokane County officials were returning to Spokane from Portland, made his escape here Wednesday night while the officers were temporarily away from the car. An all-night search by Grant County officials, Spokane deputies and a posse made up of townspeople, failed to locate his whereabouts.

Conway was a member of a gang who were burglarizing warehouses in and about Spokane. He was caught, but other members of the gang escaped. He turned state’s evidence and officers took him to Portland to assist them in locating other members of the gang.

Conway had just recently been released from Walla Walla after serving a nine-year sentence for burglarizing the Wilson Creek State Bank at Wilson Creek.

Dennis note: Wilson Creek Museum, here is an article about one of your Wilson Creek State Bank robberies.

Spokane power line started

According to an Associated Press dispatch from Portland, work has been started on the construction of the 115,000-volt transmission line between Grand Coulee Dam and Spokane. Twenty-six men are employed and the work will be rushed to completion.

Work will start at Wilbur with the blasting of holes for two wood-post lines in the rock surfaced right of way. About 60 miles of the 81 miles will require blasting.

Laing purchased town property

C.E. Laing, real estate and insurance agent of Moses Lake, has purchased the residence of Gene McVey, who is to leave soon with his family for Ephrata to make his future home, having been transferred there by the state highway department. Prior to working for the state highway department, Mr. McVey was employed in the county highway department. He also conducted the Shell Service Station here before going to work for the state. The McVeys have a host of friends here who will regret their departure.