125 years ago
Oct. 19, 1894
Quinces are a class of fruit that has not been cultivated in this county so far as we know; in fact we have not seen a sample of this fruit here until a few days since. A tree in the yard of W.H. Blair grew as fine quinces this year as we have ever seen anywhere. We do not understand why this delicious fruit cannot be grown successfully in this county.
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A little child of George Spalding, who lives on the Satsop, cut its hand so badly on Tuesday that it was brought to town to have the sound dressed.
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Charles Vessey is building an addition to his store building on Main Street.
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Parties who have specimens of fruits and vegetables which they consider would make a good advertisement for Chehalis county, are requested to leave samples of the same at the office of The Vidette. A select exhibit of the most perfect specimens will be carefully packed and sent to Holland in care of gentlemen from that country who will soon return to their home. We hope this request will be cheerfully complied with by those who raise vegetables and fruit.
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Wednesday just as the passenger train was pulling out from the depot, it ran into a cow belonging to H. Owens, killing her instantly.
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Loren H. Brewer, the Republican nominee for clerk, was in town several day’s this week, looking after his chances. He brings encouraging reports from the upper portion of the county. He proposes to make an active canvass throughout the county, and being of an affable disposition, will make friends wherever he goes.
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Mrs. W.H. Maud, of Seattle, is visiting Mrs. Dr. Carr and Mrs. J.P. Carson, of this city.
100 years ago
Sept. 26, 1919
Don’t forget to vote at the special election Saturday. The voting booths will be at K. of P. hall and polls are open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Shall we throw the river front outside the city limits or not? it is up to the voters.
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Early William Morgan, who served with the 29th battalion of Canadian forces on active service in France and England, arrived home in Montesano Tuesday night. Earl is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Morgan. He was discharged in London, Ontario, on May 24 of this year.
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Joseph C. Cheney left Monday morning for Seattle, where he will resume his studies at the University of Washington.
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Mrs. Katherine Rambo filed the first license to practice chiropractic that has been brought in since the act of the legislature making it legal to practice this art went into effect. Dr. B.F. Rambo filed his next and they are the only licenses filed to date. The filings were made Wednesday morning.
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Charles Clemons and Lester Calder went to Seattle Wednesday. They are going to the university there this winter.
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W.D. Crow, former owner of The Vidette, writing from Inglewood, Cal., to the editor, says: “I like your brand of Americanism.”
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Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Crass returned from their trip east of the mountains Thursday and Friday evening entertained at a watermelon feed a few of their friends.
75 years ago
Oct. 12, 1944
Gifts of books to the Grays Harbor County Rural library have been coming in steadily. Donations large and small, given by people interested in seeing this new county department progress. Added to the book collection that the county itself is gradually building up by purchase, these gifts have aided materially in getting the service to the rural areas under way. The only restriction placed on gifts is that the county librarian reserves the right to use the books in the way most helpful to the country library patrons, and selects from any gift collection only the books that meet library standards.
Miss Florence Lewis, librarian of the Aberdeen public library, has turned over to the county library about 105 books of all kinds, that have been accepted as gifts at the Aberdeen library with the understanding that any not used in the city library might be given to the county. Such books as Bruce Barton’s “The Book Nobody Knows,” Drucker’s “The End of Economic Man,” Eric Johnston’s “America Unlimited,” Noel Coward’s “Blythe Spirit,” Nevil Shute’s “An Old Captivity,” Franken’s “Another Claudia,” and Pearl Buck’s “House of Earth,” were included in Miss Lewis’ gift.
Mr. W.H. Abel of Montesano has given from his extensive private library, 169 volumes, mainly nonfiction, covering a wide range of subjects, many of them books that every library must have in its basic collection. Such books as Lecky’s “England in the 18th Century,” in eight volumes, Spengler’s “Decline of the West,” John Dewey’s “Philosophy and Civilization,” Darner’s “Library of the World’s Best Literature,” in 46 volumes, H.H. Newman’s “The Nature of the World and Man,” Lowie’s “Are We Civilized,” Huddleston’s “France,” and others of more popular natures as “Swinging the Equator” by Makin, “The Last Man Round the World” by Stephen Longstreet, “The French Quarter” by Asbury, “Great Ghost Stories of the World” by Laing, “Excuse it Please” by Cornelia Otis Skinner, “Mr. and Mrs. Cugat” by Rorick, “You Can Sleep Well” by Jacobsen.
50 years ago
Oct. 9, 1969
A total of 25 members attended the weekly Chamber of Commerce meeting Tuesday at the VFW Hall to hear Chamber President Frank Hardy announce the sale of the little red barn to Jerry Thompson, Central Park, for the bid of $137.50. The barn, sold by the chamber to the highest bidder, graced the Farm Festival float at several parades this last summer and won several awards. A total of six bids were received by the chamber during the last week.
Charles Caldwell, chairman of the Montesano School Board, appeared before the chamber Tuesday with information pertaining to the proposed $1,100,000 bond issue for new construction and remodeling of the existing Wheeler school plant.
The proposal, which will appear on the November ballot, includes a new Gymnasium, capable of seating approximately 2,300 spectators, which would be constructed near the present football grandstand. In addition to the enlarged gym, a building to house both choral and band facilities would be constructed at the east end of the new gymnasium. …
The entire program was looked on with favor by the chamber members present for the noon luncheon, and a special committee composed of Robert Backstrom, Mickey Rogers and Chris Pickering was appointed to assist Caldwell in the promotion of the proposed school bond issue.
