125 years ago
January 19, 1894
Petitions are being circulated in Elma requesting the town council not to reduce saloon licenses.
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The Point Loma has announced a round-trip rate between Grays Harbor and San Francisco of $22.50, good until June 1.
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Inquiries regarding taxes are arriving in such numbers as to render it impossible for the treasurer to answer them during regular office hours. It is the county treasurer’s intention however, to work overtime only such time as may prove necessary to prompt and efficient service. Wages for overtime have been cut down to 28 cents an hour.
100 years ago
January 17, 1919
By resolution of the commissioners, Grays Harbor County was recently advanced from seventh to fourth class. A fourth-class county is one with a population of at least 50,000 people.
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J.G. Fehler was seriously injured and J.H. Brown was more or less hurt when the unexpected collapse of an almost new sidewalk on the tide land bridge between the Montesano Creamery and the Hoquiam Sash & Door Co. mill dropped them 20 feet into the tide slough Saturday night.
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A number of basketball fans motored to Aberdeen on Friday night to watch the game between the local high school team and the Aberdeen team, a good fast game, well played on both sides and resulting in a tie, 28-28.
75 years ago
January 20, 1944
Culminating in a banquet honoring almost a hundred Washington civic, business and political leaders, the first incorporated year of McCleary’s unbelievable rapid municipal progress comes to a climax next Friday night. At 7:30 that evening, in the Fox cafe, the Booster Club will welcome virtually every well known personage in this and surrounding cities.
These leaders will assemble to observe the transfer of the local water and light systems to the city of McCleary by the Simpson Logging company. The company recently shattered all precedent by practically giving the costly plant to residents of McCleary for a “token” price.
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The Simpson Logging company employees have secured the permission of the State War Finance committee to sponsor an army fighter plane during the Fourth War Loan drive. The cost of this plane is $75,000 and this amount will have to be raised by the sales of extra Series E war bonds. This amount of money will have to be raised during the period January 18 to February 18, 1944.
The employees in Shelton and McCleary are divided into several teams for intra-plant contests. The team having the best record in excess of their quota will be treated to a smoker by the company similar to the one held after the last contest.
50 years ago
January 16, 1969
The $17,400,000 Wynooche River Dam project, to be constructed some 40 miles up the Wynooche River, took a giant step forward this week when Col. McConnell of the Seattle office of the Army Corps of Engineers visited the harbor area to confer with interested citizens.
According to McConnell, “We expect to call for bids on the project later this month. Allowing for the normal time to elapse, the actual construction should begin sometime in the month of June. Because of the government cutback in spending, several dam projects in the state have been affected, but we do not expect the economy move to have very much influence over the Wynooche project.”
Speaking in regard to the fish problem that will be encountered when the dam is constructed, Robert Ayers, Corps of Engineers fish biologist, said, “We feel that we have a rather unique method built into this dam for the fingerlings to get downstream. We have developed what is known as a multi-level outlet. This is a series of 24-inch pipes located at different elevations to attract the fish and send them through the structure. In addition to this, by drawing water at the various levels, we will be able to control the temperature of the water downstream, to some degree.
25 years ago
January 20, 1994
The Montesano Police Department now has a new gadget to keep an eye on motorists within the city limits. Known as a “speed reader board,” the device will gauge the speed on an oncoming vehicle and flash it on the screen so that it becomes obvious to the oncoming driver that he or she is within the posted speed or over it. Police have stressed the point that the board will not be used in any speed traps, but rather for motorist education attempts.
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Montesano Lions Club “Boy and Girl of the Month” for September were Dale Green Jr. and Elaine Edralin, both seniors at Montesano High School.
Elaine, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Edralin, is the Associated Student Body president, a varsity football and basketball cheerleader, a member of the Honor Society, PEP Club and Girls League. And in the senior class of 101 students, she achieved second place in grade point average. After her June graduation, she plans to attend either Gonzaga University or Seattle University and eventually become a corporate attorney.
Dale, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Green, is senior class president, a member of the Honor Society, PEP Club, Super Band and lettered in wrestling and cross country. After his June graduation, he plans to attend Grays Harbor College for two years and then go on to Central Washington to pursue a future in criminal justice.
10 years ago
January 15, 2009
The Montesano Lions Club has picked six top senior scholars at Montesano High School to be recognized.
Ira Alefteras and Alicia Deaton are the November students of the month. Jason Patterton and Vanessa Brulotte are the December students of the month. Jason Larsen and Adrianne Snyder are the January students of the month.
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Locked in a physical battle for all 32 minutes, neither Tumwater or Elma could get their offenses on track to produce a high scoring affair. Instead, the Eagles were able to exact a little revenge for a district playoff loss last season in a grind-it-out contest. In the end, Elma came out on top, 47-41, of the 2A Evergreen Conference girls basketball matchup on Friday at the Elma High School gymnasium.
Katie Colard finished with 13 points while Brandi Thomas accounted for 15 rebounds in addition to her 24 points.
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Five Elma wrestlers went undefeated at the Burlington-Edison Dual Meet tournament Saturday.
Brad Watson, Zach Williams, Daniel Little, Nick Watson and Rocky Siemiller each registered a 5-0 record.
Compiled from the archives of The Vidette by Karen Barkstrom. She can be reached at kbarkstrom@thedailyworld.com or 360-537-3925.
