125 years ago
March 15, 1895
Quite a number of the friends and members of the congregation of the Presbyterian church, met at the home of the pastor, Rev. L.D. Wells, Tuesday evening, and passed a pleasant time, leaving many substantial tokens of their good will.
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The Sunday closing law was evidently respected last Sunday, for everything was quiet about town and no evidence of any business being done.
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Jos. Woods, the Hoquiam butcher, was in town a day or so the first of the week. He reports business is good with him.
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Judge Pearson, who is seldom seen on our streets of late, was up from Aberdeen Saturday.
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Miss Ella Amidon visited friends in Elma several days the first of the week.
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Geo. H. Nehf and wife, of Ocosta, were in town Tuesday.
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Mrs. L.H. Brewer, of Oakville, is visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. T.D. Schofield.
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Miss Lulu Magill with the violin, and Messers. Bert Schofield and Ernest Baker with the baritone and cornet, will assist in the music rendered at the contest tonight. Put on your hat, get your cane and take your best girl.
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The home of Judge Irwin has been blessed by the arrival of a little daughter, which was presented by his wife last Sunday. The Judge is so amiable that the lawyers will probably endeavor to get all the motions before him that is possible for the next week or so.
100 years ago
March 12, 1920
Miss Bessie Daws, county clerk, enjoyed a visit from her brother, who has just returned from a voyage to Japan and China. Young Daws was in the marine service during the war, making several trips over the Atlantic at a time when it was considered a considerably hazardous risk. He says he likes the sea, but will not follow a sailor’s life because his folks would rather have him on land.
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Mrs. Fred Davidson visited her parents in Aberdeen over the weekend.
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Mrs. George D. Robertson entertained the attorneys for the state in the I.W.W. trial, at dinner Friday night. The party played bridge at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Abel after dinner. Among those present were Mrs. Robertson, C.D. Cummingham, Mr. and Mrs W.H. Abel, Herman Allen, J.E. Jehnke, Frank P. Christiansen, Mrs and Mrs. John H. Dunbar and Mr. Reinhardt.
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L.C. Davidson and C.N. Wilson will attend the Grays Harbor Motor and Accessory Dealers’ Association which will meet at the Washington hotel, Aberdeen, today.
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Tuesday night, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Allen, a prayer meeting was held in the interest of the inter-church movement.
75 years ago
March 15, 1945
Word was received here late this Thursday afternoon, that Harold Isaacson, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Isaacson, Star route, box 53, Montesano, had been killed in action this week while serving as a radio man in a bomber over Germany.
Isaacson graduated from the Montesano high school with the class of 1942. He was student body president, commencement speaker, active in senior plays and was staff electrician at the school.
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An official U.S. Army postal card received by Mrs. Ardie Nienau, route 1, box 29, Montesano, stated that her son, Sergeant Orville L. Wilson, 25, U.S. Army, was in an army hospital “making normal improvement” from his wounds received in action in Germany. He was wounded once before and had returned to front-line duty
Sergeant Wilson suffered a skull fracture and wounds in his right arm, according to Captain David M. Kurt, medical corps, U.S. Army, who signed the report.
Wilson attended the Aberdeen high school and later worked in Montesano where his two brothers attended the Montesano high school.
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Open tribute was paid by President V.I. Whitney of the Montesano Chamber of Commerce last Friday to members of the Montesano ration board panels for their long and faithful service as volunteer war workers during the past two years.
A large number of members attended the noon meeting when OPA officials including Ed J. Kinnebrew and Lou Tusing were the guests of honor and Mrs. Nell Kemp was officially greeted as a member of the chamber in recognition of the reorganized program being instituted in cooperation with the OPA for the betterment of service to citizens of the Montesano area.
50 years ago
March 12, 1970
“Those pilings beneath the Lake Sylvia bridge are so rotten you can stick a penknife in right up to the hilt.” Those were the words Tuesday evening of Councilman Loren Frederiksen as the Montesano City Council seriously discussed, and at times threatened, the closure of the bridge before the fishing season begins.
For sometime now the bridge issue has been a main bone of contention with the city. Several letters regarding general condition of the structure have been written to the State Park Department, but to date no answer has been received by city officials.
Back in the mid-thirties the City of Montesano dedicated the park area to the state, with the provision that the area would be maintained as a public park. The question which now arises is: Who has the authority, and right to repair the bridge, or at least place it back in a passable condition? To date, the city has apparently been unable to receive an answer from the State Park Department.
Taking the bull by the horns Tuesday evening, Mayor Steve Lewis telephoned Charles Odegaard, superintendent of State Parks, and received word that a meeting on either March 12, 13, 18, 19 or 20 would in all probability be possible, as the question of ownership and responsibility should be settled as soon as possible.
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A partial answer to the summer garbage problem of the north shore beaches was answered Monday afternoon as a contract between Grays Harbor county and Edward Schmall, of Harbor Disposal Company, was signed.
The new garbage dump, located just east of Hogan’s Corner near Ocean Shores, will observe the following hours beginning Saturday, April 4: Noon to 5 p.m. until April 30, at which time the public open hours will be noon to to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, through September 10 … . The county and Schmall also deiced on a public dumping rate of 50 (cents) per car and $1.00 per pickup, provided the pickup is full.
