125 years ago
Nov. 30, 1894
The editor of one of our exchanges offers his baby buggy for sale. He explains that this is not because he has no use for a baby buggy, but that fate rushed in a pair of twins on him, and a single buggy won’t work. It does seem that editors are frequently the most unfortunate men on earth.
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Chicken thieves are beginning to get in their work again.
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John T. Medcalf returned last Saturday from a month’s visit in the east, spending some time with friends and relatives in Iowa, and afterwards in Chicago.
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Senator Deckebach was up from Ocosta, Tuesday, looking after some business matters. From the tests already made with his gold extracting machine, it is believed that it will prove a success. This is a result sincerely hoped for by everyone.
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W.A. Cochrann and family of Ocosta, will spend Thanksgiving in Montesano.
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Anyone wishing pointers on how to manipulate a hand-car should call upon Dr. Carr or Charley Lamb. They know about it.
100 years ago
Nov. 21, 1919
Late Monday afternoon, Marshal Riley picked up a badly beaten up Wobbly, who got off the jitney between here and Elma.
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H.H. Pennell reports three sales of property within the past seven days and says he has other deals he expects to close this week.
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A.H. Harvey’s beautiful bungalow on Sixth Street was sold to Gene LaBreck for $2,200, which is considered one of the best of recent buys.
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Houses in Montesano are still very scare. It is almost impossible to get one for rent.
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Among those who took the examination for census enumerators in this district last Saturday were Rev. W.R. Caldwell, Mrs. M.L. Alexander, N.D. McKillip, Mrs. Rose Lynch, Mrs. Ing and Mrs. LaBreck.
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Ground is being cleared, timbers for the first rigging are being sawed and rig irons, machinery and casing are on the way for the first test oil well of the Montesano district by the Wyomont Oil & Gas Company.
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Montesano Post No. 37 of the American Legion has started a campaign for members in its auxiliary.
75 years ago
Nov. 22, 1944
More employment in McCleary was promised after the war by C.H. Kreienbaum, Simpson Logging in an address to the Booster club Monday night. Prior to his statement regarding employment possibilities, Kreienbaum had read a report he had prepared which outlined in detail the firm’s labor relations history and told of the many innovations they had been responsible for in bettering the working man’s conditions. He spoke to the capacity crowd of Boosters upon an invitation from J.M. Thornton’s employment division.
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Women watching their clothing budgets are helping OPA price panels make surveys on rayon hose this week, and helping retailers to be sure their prices are right. In the survey, the trained volunteers call on the store manager, explain their mission, note ceiling price and selling price and whether the hose — according to OPA regulations is marked by the manufacturer with brand name and gauge.
50 years ago
Nov. 20, 1969
The spotting and drilling of bore holes, first step in the proposed nuclear power plant at Roosevelt Beach, got underway this last week as Wes Berglund, Harbor engineer, began the initial “spotting” for proposed drill holes. The foundation engineering firm of Shannon and Wilson of Seattle is scheduled to do the actual drilling.
According to a Grays Harbor PUD spokesman, “Such drilling must be done to ascertain the feasibility of the placing of equipment in conjunction with the PUD’s time schedule.”
The estimated cost and foundation report will be presented to the Atomic Energy Commission at a later date for acceptance.
Proposed plans for the oceanographic program and marine biology project are both scheduled for the end of the year, and a draft of the finding will then be forwarded to the proper state agencies. At the same time, officials indicated, the PUD will determine whether to continue the project as presently scheduled, or wait until more funds are available for the proposed plant.
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An Elma logger, Phil Roderick, was the successful bidder last Friday on approximately 2,000,000 board feet of county-owned timber near Failor Lake. The timber, which must be logged within one year, is located on a 60-acre tract of land.
The Roderick bid was $45.40 per thousand. At the same time, the Elma logger also bid $3.75 per cord for pulp wood on the parcel.
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Meeting two consecutive evenings last week, the Montesano City Council tentatively approved a budget of $612,950. Approval of the proposed budget, submitted by Mayor Steve Lewis, came Thursday evening after a three hour meeting Wednesday. A public hearing on the 1970 budget will be held at a later date.
The 1970 budget compares with $511,387 for 1969, and calls for an operating budget of $124,315. The current water fund calls for $101,125, and bond redemption fund calls for $275,305. Listed among other expenditures for the city in the coming year are $50,385 for the arterial street fund, $10,560 for various transfers, and $40,700 for the street fund.
High on the list in the current expense budget for 1970 is $38,133 for the volunteer fire department for the purchase of a radio warning system and new hoses. The police department is earmarked to receive $33,775. Capital outlay for the law enforcement branch includes a new patrol car.
At the Wednesday meeting, which was scheduled in place of the regular Tuesday session, Norman Krueger, consulting engineer with the firm of John W. Swift and Co., reported on a recently completed survey dealing with Montesano’s sewage treatment plat.
Krueger pointed out that the plant is quite adequate for the city during the summer when flow is estimated at 100 gallons per day, it is completely inadequate during the rainy season when the flow runs in excess of one million gallons per day. Krueger went on to say, “The construction of a treatment plant to adequately handle this large volume of flow during the winter months is definitely not feasible, as it would cost in the neighborhood of $400,000. However, on the other side of the coin, an aerated sewage system that is composed of a lagoon measuring approximately 200 feet by 250 feet, and having a depth of some 15 feet would cost in the neighborhood of $200,000. This amount we feel, would be more in keeping with not only the needs, but the ability of the city to pay.”
