125 years ago
Dec. 18, 1891
One of the pressing needs of Montesano to-day, and one which would prove profitable form the start if properly conducted, is a wholesale commission house.
The farmers complain that it is difficult to find a home market for all their produce, and this fact has caused many farmers to raise only sufficient for their own use. One reason for this is no doubt because so many people, even in town, engage in gardening on a small scale, when they would otherwise purchase their vegetables, poultry, butter etc.
Quite a market can be found in the Harbor towns or on the Sound, but it does not pay the average farmer to ship his products, especially when he has no regular market, and is compelled to run chances of having his shipment left on his hands.
A commission merchant could overcome these difficulties, having steady customers to whom he would ship regularly. The farmers could then be assured of finding a ready sale for what he might raise, and many who do not at the present time attempt to raise more than is necessary for family use, would find truck gardening, poultry raising and dairying a profitable business.
People would prefer to use home grown vegetables, which are always fresher and preferable to those shipped in; and the same is also true of the butter, poultry and eggs.
A special effort ought to be made to induce the establishment of a commission business here. It would be a good thing for the people of the town, and a better one for the farmer.
100 years ago
Dec. 15, 1916
Main Street paving is now authorized
The work of paving Main street from the Crist hotel to the N. P. Railway tracks has finally been authorized, an ordinance providing for the construction having passed the City Council at the meeting Tuesday evening. This work will include a concrete pavement, concrete sidewalks, curbs, gutters, etc., and will replace the wooden street that is pretty well worn out. The work will be done in the near future. An improvement district has been formed and the work will be paid for under the property assessment plan.
The proposition of gravelling the grade on South Main street from the N. P. tracks to the river where such work is needed was left to the street committee for decision.
The matter of transferring street lights from certain localities to Church and Pioneer streets, 7th and Wynooche streets and C. C. L. &T. Co. tracks was referred to the lighting committee with power to act.
The matter of repairing culvert of Home street was left to the street committee.
75 years ago
Dec. 18, 1941
School drills for air raids
Some 750 students of the Montesano schools were marched from the upper floors to the first floor and basement in less than four minutes in air raid drills held there this week.
Following instructions from air raid authorities, plans have been made to protect the children by every possible means in event of a raid. When the children reach the basement and first floor, they are instructed to remain close to inside walls, away from windows.
Two sirens, from old police cars, are being installed to be used in addition to bells to signal an air raid drill. Older students are being schooled in handling fire extinguishers and sand buckets are being placed about the structure to be used to fight possible incendiary bombs.
E. H. Quigley, school superintendent, said he would request the fire department to assign firemen for the building immediately in event of a raid.
• • •
F.B.I. arrests enemy suspects
Three persons, one woman and two men of German origin, are being held in the county jail here as result of their arrest by agents of the federal bureau of investigation.
They are charged with advocating the overthrow of the United States government, according to the F.B.I.
Two of them, a married couple, have bail set at $5,000 each. They are residents of a beach community. The third, for whom bail has not been set, is a rancher who lived several miles east of Montesano. Their hearings will be held before United States Commissioner Charles E. Smith in Hoquiam.
50 years ago
Dec. 15, 1966
One of two teenage suspects in the December 6 theft of milk and bread from the kitchen of Simpson Avenue school has been apprehended. The other, believed to have headed for the Seattle area for a “visit,” is still being sought.
That was the official word this week from Montesano police officers who wrapped up the investigative end of the case in a hurry.
Working on information supplied to them shortly after the crime, the lawmen apprehended a 15-year-old Hoquiam youth. He was turned over to County juvenile authorities.
According to police, the boy was about to give himself up. He readily admitted the break-in and burglary, involving a 17-year-old wanderer as his cohort. Both formerly attended school in Montesano, officers said.
Stolen from the school were 53 pints of milk and three loaves of bread. The teenagers apparently were scared off before they could get away with 10 pounds of cheese and 12 pounds of butter, removed from the refrigerator and left on a counter.
25 years ago
Dec. 12, 1991
Mental health gets boost
The county has received over half a million new dollars to provide enhanced and emergency mental health services. The county signed the enabling contract with the Department of Social and Health Services this week.
Ken Taylor, director of Evergreen counseling, said the money will allow Evergreen, which is expected to get the county contract, to double its staff for this purpose by adding three new mental health professionals by July. These people will have the power to detain a person who is either “gravely disabled” or seriously mentally ill and posing a danger to themselves or others.
Evergreen will be able to respond to emergencies anywhere in the county within two hours as well as increase the walk-in workload they can handle.
The $589,000 in new revenue is slated for spending during the current biennium, which ends in June of 1993.
Taylor said the funds will allow Evergreen to abide by the Mental Health Reform Act which focuses services on patients with acute or long term psychiatrist disabilities. He said the aims to eventually cut down significantly on the number of referrals made from the county to Western State Hospital.
Currently, about 50 people a year are referred by the county. Taylor hopes to reduce this by 20 percent by the end of the biennium and to eventually complete an 85 percent reduction.
10 years ago
Dec. 14, 2006
You could say the Festival of Lights is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” in Montesano.
Wait a minute. They did say that. It was this year’s theme, and considered especially fitting as the event marked its 20th anniversary.
The festival was founded in 1987 by a group of ambitious community leaders and volunteers who were galvanized into action by the late Margaret Downey.
The volunteerism and hard work involved is one facet of the festival that never changed.
“I don’t think I’ve worked with a better group of people willing to help and still make me think I was leading them,” Alice Hutchinson, this year’s co-chairman, said. “I am so very proud to have had this role and on Saturday I was so proud of my community I almost cried.”
But she’s tired, too. Hutchinson has been involved with the festival for many years, but said she is happily relinquishing the chairmanship to businessman Brian Schumacher.
Schumacher was apparently nominated on a local radio station by co-chairman Ray Sowers, who also is looking to downsize his role and offered Schumacher’s name as a possible candidate. Schumacher good-naturedly confirmed Tuesday that he has, indeed, accepted the challenge.
