125 years ago
Oct. 16, 1891
Some of the citizens living in the vicinity of the east end of Broad street were alarmed by the report of fire arms Monday night, and imagined that some one was killed. Investigation proved that George Griswold was trying to kill a Memphitis Americana (skunk) which had invaded the poultry yard and was creating havoc among the ducks and chickens. George said it killed his four-legged chicken.
• • •
Green Hayes, formerly an employee in the Hoquiam mills, and well-known to many people here, has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in the Oregon penitentiary for horse-stealing. He and one Ed Purcell stole a horse and cart from a man in Lafayette, Ore. A gentleman from this county saw Hayes about a week ago on a train in charge of an officer. Some time ago he persuaded J.A. Kelley and D.R. Jones to endorse a note with him for $400, which the endorsers had to pay. It is not altogether surprising that he got into so serious a scrape after leaving here.
100 years ago
Oct. 13, 1911
Big football game of season Saturday
The big football game of the season for Montesano is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon on the local grounds when the fast high school eleven meets the speedy aggregation from Aberdeen. Never in Montesano high school’s history has the local school had such a chance to defeat the Aberdeen high school and local football fans are worked up to a high pitch of enthusiasm over the prospects.
Montesano’s lineup includes a number of excellent men, who have starred in other seasons and who are out to make a record for Montesano this year. The return of Cooper, Devonshire, Whipple and Irwin from the national guards to their studies in the high school has given Coach Meredith an excellent nucleus around which to build.
It looks like a big year for Monte high and the fan who misses tomorrow’s game will regret it when the returns come in.
The game is called at 2:30 p.m. and will start promptly. Show your loyalty to the local school by turning out to the game and lend your financial support to the boys.
75 years ago
Oct. 16, 1941
Teacher bags first deer
Among proud deer hunters is Miss Dorothy Carlson, Montesano junior high school teacher.
A member of a group of hunters, she bagged a 230-pound buck up the Satsop recently, to date her first and only deer.
50 years ago
Oct. 13, 1966
In just a jiffy — a jetty job
Grays Harbor’s big jetty job is finished.
Umpqua River Navigation Company placed the last giant rock last Thursday completing its $4,300,300 contract for the Army Corps of Engineers in 1 ½ years, just half the time provided by the contract.
Final inspection of the 4,000-foot rehabilitation section of the levee at the entrance to Grays Harbor was conducted Tuesday, Oct. 11, Colonel C.C. Holbrook, Army district engineer, reported. Engineers from the Seattle District and officials from the Port of Grays Harbor and Umpqua River Navigation Company met to review the work before formal acceptance of the job. A co-host luncheon was held after completion of the jetty inspection.
The contractor placed 491,800 tons of rock, weighing from 8 to 20 tons per piece. Rock-placing equipment valued at $6.5 million was used in this noteworthy construction project. The rock was obtained at the Smith quarry at Camas, and barged the 175 miles to the project.
A multitude of small fishing craft as well as large deep-sea vessels will benefit from this levee rehabilitation on the frequently-tempestuous Pacific Ocean’s coastline. Harbor channel stabilization will be another prime benefit to be realized from this investment in levee renewal.
25 years ago
Oct. 10, 1991
Montesano received a new, long awaited fire truck a few weeks ago and the fire department couldn’t be more pleased.
Bought with the aid of a $200,000 levy passed in 1989, Fire Chief Don Bradshaw said he wanted to thank the citizens for making the purchase, and the firefighter volunteers who turned out the vote. “The firemen appreciate it,” he said.
Of the 36 staff members of the Montesano Fire Department, only six are paid. The rest are volunteers.
The new truck is a Pierce Arrow 1250 gallon per minute pumper truck built by the manufacturer in Appleton, Wis. The total cost came about to $198,000, said the chief.
“It becomes our first response pumper to all city fires,” said the chief, replacing the 1963 American-LaFrance pumper, which has been serving as a backup for current first response vehicle, a 1973 American-LaFrance. The new pumper will be put into service by the end of the month, after the department installs breathing apparatuses, a radio, fire extinguishers and other equipment.
Driver Dave Cochrane said the new pumper has many pluses. It has a diesel engine instead of gas, is an automatic instead of manual transmission and has half again as much power and water on board. Air masks will be more accessible and the 30 gallons of on-board foam will save a lot of time by not having to hook cans, hoses and eductor.
Chief Bradshaw left with driver Dave Lukin Sept. 18 to pick up the vehicle. In their four day trip, they passed through Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana and Idaho. At a brief stop in Rapid City, S.D., they took pictures of the new pumper at Mount Rushmore.
He said a number of firemen across the country admired the new truck at the various stops they made. Most other adults didn’t seem too excited but kids were impressed, he said.
Bradshaw said anyone who wants to see the truck is welcome to visit the fire station. The new pumper will make its first scheduled appearance at the Festival of Lights parade in December.
10 years ago
Oct. 12, 2006
Tax base growing
East Grays Harbor is growing.
Montesano was one of two cities in Grays Harbor County assessed the highest this year in new construction, according to preliminary figures released Sept. 22 by the Grays Harbor County Assessor’s office.
The city’s new construction was assessed at $10,215,804, topped only by Ocean Shores’ new construction at $24,058,692.
Neither city was reassessed this year, but new construction is assessed throughout the county every year between May and the end of July, with about a quarter of the county being reassessed each year.
The figures are for new construction within city limits only, points out Claudia Kalles, the county’s chief deputy assessor.
The new construction assessment in Montesano reflects “all those new homes being built,” mostly at the Woods at Sylvia Creek development on the west side of Montesano, Kalles said Tuesday. But, “there’s new construction all over the city.”
New construction in McCleary was assessed at $5,292,255, much higher than Elma’s lowest in the county of $1,720,289. “Elma has new construction, but it isn’t anything above the normal,” said the county’s chief appraiser, Gerry Lillybridge.
In East County, “most of the action is in Montesano and McCleary,” Lillybridge said. In McCleary, “the values are going up, and I think a lot of it is due to the spillover from Thurston County.”
“East County is growing,” said Kalles. “McCleary has a lot of new construction, and surprisingly, Oakville is picking up the pace also.”
Compared to last year, the new construction assessment in Montesano went up from $3.4 million to $10.2 million said Kalles. And, “there are tons of homes being built” in Montesano that will be assessed next year.
