125 years ago
December 15, 1893
A very pretty and attractive display of jewelry and silverware adorns the front window of Kellerman’s jewelry store. He has received a line of goods suitable for holiday gifts and desires to dispose of them at but little more than cost.
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For the benefit of those who are seriously considering the advisability of breaking away from expensive habits: New Yorker Luther Prescott Hubbard says, “My smoking was moderate compared with that of many, only six cigars a day at 6¼ cents each, equal to $136.05 per annum, which at 7 percent interest for 61 years amounts to the small fortune of (about) $118,924.
Hubbard began saving his cigar money by depositing it in the Seamen’s Bank for Savings, and in a few years, he had accumulated enough to buy a comfortable home near the city overlooking Long Island Sound.
100 years ago
December 13, 1918
Dr. F.L. Carr, health officer, reports that the influenza epidemic is more serious now in Montesano than since it started, and it may be found advisable to close schools and public meetings again.
A new supply of toxin has been received, and the doctors of the city advise inoculation as a preventative. The toxin is a known preventative of pneumonia, they say, and is believed to have a similar effect on influenza. They also advise no unnecessary public gatherings.
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The school at Vesta has been hit rather hard with the influenza epidemic, both teachers, Misses Helen Sells and Lilah Owen, being in the hospital at Hoquiam, suffering with the disease.
75 years ago
December 16, 1943
There is a man who lives up the Satsop way who really can do things with maple wood burls, if you know what we mean. Maple burls are those big “warts” of extra hard wood that one sees on wild maple trees hereabout.
Anyway, J.J. Reinkins last week brought down to Easter’s store a beautiful assortment of table lamps, cake plates, even a coffee table that we’d have liked to buy, which will make mighty tasteful gifts adorning any home in east Grays Harbor.
We haven’t had a chance to meet Mr. Reinkins but, from our knowledge of burl wood-work and lathe turning and polishing and finishing, we’d say Reinkins has something possible in the way of a real manufacturing enterprise. If the maple burls hold out, and this war stops, we’d suggest, Mr. Reinkins, that Montesano is a mighty fine little town in which to start a factory.
50 years ago
December 12, 1968
The palatial estate of Carl Schafer in the Satsop Valley was the scene last Sunday where Joshua Green, 99-year-old founder of Puget Sound Navigation Co. and current president of Peoples National Bank, spent the day duck hunting in the blinds of the 1,600 acre ranch.
Commenting on the day’s hunt, Mr. Green said, “I would rather spend the day here in this duck blind than live in Windsor Castle.” The fates were good to all members of the party, composed of Mr. Green, Carl Schafer, Joshua “Jay” Green III and Edward Mackay, vice president of Peoples Bank in Seattle, as each one was able to return to the house with a string of ducks about his neck.
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The Montesano Fabulous Faculty Five registered another triumph Monday evening as they handily defeated a “quintet” composed of seven members from Radio Station KBKW in Aberdeen, 76-61.
The evening’s performance was sparked by dazzling play and ball control by Dianovich, who gathered 29 points for the Faculty. The two high men for the invading “disc jockeys” were Fuller and LaDuca, with 14 points each.
Receipts of the game, totaling $135.71 will be turned over to Children’s Orthopedic Hospital.
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The annual Bringing in the Yule Log in the Upper Satsop Valley, sponsored by the Satsop community, was held at Schafer Park last Sunday afternoon. It was a pleasant day and a good crowd came out. The park was nicely decorated with lanterns and Xmas greens. Dr. Moore from Montesano was here and played his accordion for the singing. The little daughter of Art Furnia of Montesano found the log. Everyone got into the Xmas spirit in a big way.
25 years ago
December 16, 1993
Shortly after the first of the year, a Hoquiam landmark for the past 104 years, Washington Print at 608 Eighth St., will close its doors, bowing to the economic conditions of Grays Harbor.
Founded in 1889 by Hermans and Congdon as the weekly Washingtonian, the paper became a semi-weekly publication on May 28, 1890. The Washingtonian later became a daily newspaper again and in 1957 ceased publication due to lack of advertising business.
Washingtonian Print is the third oldest, continuous business in the county, preceded only by the Vidette, founded February 1, 1883, and the Aberdeen Cemetery Association, of 1885.
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If You Ask Me, question of the week: “What is your favorite Christmas carol?”
William Bacon, Ocean City, retired: “It would be ‘Little Town of Bethlehem.’ I remember that carol best from my childhood, and I still like it.”
Cheryl Turner, Cosmopolis, secretary: “ ‘Little Drummer Boy.’ It’s a piece of music I’ve always liked and it fits well into the Christmas season.”
Bill Allen, Hoquiam, salesperson: “ ‘Silent Night.’ There is no special reason for liking it, but I’ve always been partial to it. And I like the speed in which it is played.”
Marilyn Elway, Cosmopolis, bookkeeper: “It would have to be ‘Little Town of Bethlehem.’ My kids and grandchildren all seem to like it, and I always have too.”
10 years ago
December 11, 2008
It’s a longstanding tradition in Montesano that the Chamber of Commerce’s citizen of the year is the grand marshal for the Festival of Lights parade. But the disastrous storm of last December resulted in the cancellation of the grand parade and the city was left with a happy dilemma for this year: They now have two grand marshals to lead the parade — Ron Bennett, the 2007 citizen of the year and Pat Clemons, 2008 citizen of the year. Watch for Clemons and her dog Maisey. No way was she going to ride in the parade without her pet since a large part of her community service involves regular visits with residents of the Montesano Health & Rehab Center. “If I don’t show up with Maisey, I may as well not go at all,” she laughs.
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Paul Metke, ninth-grader at Montesano High School, recently shot a 1,000 pound elk during hunting season in the North River area near Clearwater River. His hunting companion was his father, Lloyd Metke, log buyer and right-of-way agent for Weyerhaeuser Timber Company’s Clemons operation. The family had the elk dressed, and meat is already in the deep freeze. Mighty tasty, too.
Compiled from the archives of The Vidette by Karen Barkstrom. She can be reached at 360-537-3925 or kbarkstrom@thedailyworld.com.
