125 years ago
December 11, 1891
One week ago last Monday, O.C. Torrey, of Grays Harbor, left that place for Grass Creek, where he owned a piece of land, wishing to look after things at his ranch. He was expected to return the same evening but failed to do so. Search was commenced for him on Wednesday and continued until Saturday when he was found about two miles back in the woods dead.
He was lying on his back alongside of a large log with his hat over his face and had evidently been dead several days, and had undoubtedly lost his way and wandered around in the woods until he perished only two miles from home.
He was one who had the respect of all who knew him and was a gentleman of fine character. Several relatives in the east are left to mourn his death. The remains were sent to his old home in Syracuse, N.Y., Wednesday.
100 years ago
Dec. 8, 1916
F. Hronix, a jitney driver, of Aberdeen, was arrested here Tuesday for careless driving when he collided with Sheriff Schelle Mathews’ auto standing by the curbing on Wynooche street. The man was fined $18.25 and costs. Mathews had just driven up to the curb and the jitney machine following him. The driver was weaving the car from one side of the street to the other and seemed to be unable to drive in a straight line. He crashed into the rear of the county machine and damaged the car slightly. Sheriff Mathews arrested the man on account of his carelessness, thinking it might prove a lesson to him and cause him to be more careful in the future.
75 years ago
Dec. 11, 1941
It’s a big week in history
Sunday, Dec. 7 — Japanese bombers, without warning, suddenly attacked Pearl Harbor, American base at Hawaii, killing and wounding at least 3,000 persons, including, Rear Admiral Kidd, and causing military damage as yet not completely disclosed, although believed to be heavy.
At the same time, other raids were made in the Philippines and other Pacific points.
Monday, Dec. 8 — Congress votes declaration of war against Japan, after hearing President Roosevelt’s war message, with one dissenting vote.
Attacks continue on the Philippines.
Great Britain declares war on Japan.
Tuesday, Dec. 9 — Japanese sink two great British warships, H.M.S. Prince of Wales and H.M.S. Repulse.
Raids continue on Manilla and Japanese effect landing on the island of Luzon.
Thursday, Dec. 11 — Both Germany and Italy declare war on the United States, and this country responds with declarations against them.
50 years ago
Dec. 8, 1966
Dairy-minded Simpson School burglars
Youngsters at Simpson Avenue school were served their usual well-balanced luncheon Tuesday, thanks to the early arrival of the milkman and no thanks to the unknown culprits who did their half-best to unbalance it.
Sometime overnight Monday, thieves broke into the school through the multipurpose room door and entered the kitchen where they stole 53 pints of milk and three loaves of bread. Exit was made through the back door of the kitchen.
Police speculated that the burglars may have been scared away before they could complete their haul for a goodly amount of cheese (10 pounds) and butter (12 pounds) had been removed from the refrigerator but left on the counter.
Officer Charles Mero said nothing else was removed and stressed the ridiculousness of the crime by noting that repairing the broken door would cost more than replacing the missing food. He added that several good fingerprints were found on the refrigerator which hopefully will aid city and county officials in their continuing investigation.
25 years ago
Dec. 5, 1991
Crabbers stay in port
Westport’s crab fishing season is getting off to a rocky start this year as boat owners await what they consider a fair price for their product and consumers are inundated with warnings about toxin in coastal shellfish.
No crab pots had been laid by the 100 or so members of the Washington Dungeness Crab Fishermen’s Association by Wednesday morning, six days after it was legal to do so, and three days after the fishery would normally have begun.
Association president Ernie Summers said, “…the buyers have offered a price and we’ve not accepted it.”
Local fishermen said the one dollar per pound price offer was not enough to meet their expenses.
Meanwhile, consumers are still reacting to the early Nov. 11 closure of the razor clam season. State Department of Fisheries spokesperson Dean Owen said the closure was announced after a high content of domoic acid was found in the clams.
Domoic acid was blamed for the death of three people on Canada’s east coast several years ago. In September the organism was found for the first time on the west coast in California.
The department has also issued a closure against all shellfish harvesting in Washington up to Dungeness Spit for clams, mussels and goose neck barnacles.
10 years ago
Dec. 7, 2006
Whitney’s helps G.H. Advocacy Center upgrade technology
Interviewing a child victim of sexual assault is always difficult, especially for the child. But it can be even more upsetting if the investigator forgets to ask something during the interview and has to talk to the child about it later.
Investigators are only human, though and sometimes do forget. To help keep that from happening to clients at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Grays Harbor in Montesano, employees from Whitney’s Auto Group on the Harbor donated about $800 for a new transmitter and receiver which enables observers in a command center or observation room to feed questions and topics to the investigator while the interview is still underway.
The money was donated by 40 to 50 people after Michelle Glick, finance manager at the Aberdeen Honda, heard about the need from a nurse practitioner, Jeanne Boudrieau, who heard about it at a meeting.
Boudrieau, whose husband has worked for Whitney’s for almost 20 years, knew the business often helps people in the community. Learning of the need in September, she “already had an idea” said Angela Nilsson, the center’s executive director.
Her idea was to call Whitney’s to see what the business could do. She didn’thave to wait long to find out.
Boudrieau said that Glick went to each of the Whitney’s Auto Group stores in Elma, Montesano and Aberdeen and asked the folks who work there if they would be willing to help.
“Michelle picked up the torch on her own and put up sign-up sheets and collected money at Aberdeen Honda, Whitney’s Chevrolet, Value Ford and Stormy’s Used Cars,” Boudrieau said.
Glick said she just decided to call everybody she knew, including people she worked with and asked for five bucks.
“Everybody dug deep to come up with this $800,” Boudrieau said. “It was phenomenal.”
A godsend is what Detective Ed McGowan of the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office calls it.
In the past, McGowan said the interviews were interrupted to make sure all the topics were addressed. It was very disrupting for the child, McGowan said.
“This way, we’re not going to have to interrupt them,” McGowan said.
