125 years ago
Dec. 7, 1894
Mrs. C.P. Roberts, who has been visiting friends on Satsop the past two weeks, returned to Montesano, Monday.
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We regret to state that Mrs. J.A. Pike is quite ill, and has been for the past two weeks, with an attack of catarrhal fever.
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The old steamer Willie, the ancient relic that has plied for many years between Shelton and Olympia, sunk the other night at the Shelton wharf, and will not be put to service again. Those who have been compelled to ride upon her for several years will heave a sigh of relief.
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We have heard of planting and harvesting in certain stages of the moon, but it was a new thing when a lady of this city insisted on changing her residence during the new moon. We presume it means good luck.
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Letters uncalled for at Montesano post office for week ending Dec. 1: P.L. Coons, Gus McGill, Hebron M. Wentworth.
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Dr. Wartman has moved his dental rooms to the First National bank building.
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The family of J.M. Quimby have removed into their new residence on Broad street.
100 years ago
Dec. 5, 1919
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Foss were Elma visitors Tuesday evening.
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Mrs. F.L. Nethery is entertaining at her home Mrs. Jeanette Sutton of Seattle.
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A number of local boys went to Seattle for the Thanksgiving Day football game. They were: Marcus Tuttle, Claude Lynch, Elwood Shorey, Dick Trask and Russell Hall.
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Mr. and Mrs. Dan Cloud entertained a few friends informally at cards Tuesday night.
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Charles Smith has purchased the Coulson place in the Renton addition through William Allen. Mr. Allen says this is one of the best bargains he has sold in the year, there being a whole block of land with two good houses on it, all for $1,800.
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Mrs. Amanda Spradlin spent the last weekend in Hoquiam a guest of Miss Helen Nold.
75 years ago
Dec. 7, 1944
Out of a total of 1,060 registered voters in Montesano, only 120 cast their ballots in the city general election last Saturday, Dec. 2nd, according to an unofficial count released this Wednesday.
From the voters, Edward Engen received a unanimous vote of 120 and he will take office as mayor of Montesano next January 2, 1945, along with the following administrative assistants and councilmen who received votes as follows: Bertha Satterstrom, to be the city clerk, 120; O.M. Nelson, city attorney, 114 votes; John Kirkwood, city councilman, 116 votes; Kenneth McNeill, 113 votes, and Dr. B.F. Rambo, 119 votes.
An announcement of policies and plans for the forthcoming year will be made sometime in January after the new administration takes office, Mayor-elect Ed Engen said this Wednesday.
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Tree planting time is from November 1 to April 1. In heavy fern areas the best time is spring, after the fern breakdown. The new fern cover of summer often is a help to the seedlings, shading them from the hot sun during their tender years. Nurse cover, the foresters call the fern.
Reproduction of the tree farm is running more than 90 percent Douglas firs. In some areas it is 99 percent. Along the creeks and rivers, alder has taken over. Alder is regarded as not only a valuable species, but since alder groves stay relatively moist even during fire weather, they are counted on as potential fire breaks.
The South Olympic Tree Farm crew so far has seen no mountain beaver damage to plantings. Seedlings that were put in last winter were untouched by the “boomer” although on the Clemons tree farm, 25 miles south of this region, rodent damage to young trees has been severe. It isn’t that there are no mountain beavers on the South Olympic tree farm. There are heavy infestations, but the little beasts seem to leave the seedlings strictly alone. Why this is so, no one knows.
During the last winter’s plantings, Levin instructed his crews to put in no seedlings within 50 feet of heavy beaver infestations. This fall it was found that the boomers move around and expand their holdings quite energetically. One little tree stood untouched within two feet of a fresh burrow. Another had been practically buried by another colony’s diggings, but was still vigorous and had not been chewed on. Lacking the proven reason why the mountain beaver feeds on young conifers in some regions but leaves them alone in others, the foresters are inclined to ascribe it to forage variations.
The cascara crop on the South Olympic farm has been placed under forest management also. The cascara tree grows prolifically on many parts of the area and its bark is so valuable in medicine that the price to the picker has gone up to 20 cents a pound, dry. The tree farm management contracts the peeling to individuals, who pay four cents a pound for exclusive peeling privileges on areas as large as a section. Poaching is discouraged. In good stands, skilled peelers have made $10 to $15 a day for themselves over and above the four cents a pound that goes to the tree farm company.
50 years ago
Dec. 4, 1969
The 1969-70 winter steelhead fishing season opened Monday with most waters low and clear, reports the State Game Department.
Although the season officially began Monday, many waters were already open for weekend anglers and some produced good successes.
Those fishing the Bogachiel on the Olympic Peninsula were rewarded with bright fish. Nine anglers were checked by Game Department personnel with 10 fish. Of these steelhead, 50 percent were marked fish from the Game Department’s Bogachiel rearing ponds.
On the Snake in southeast Washington, 67 fishermen were checked with 28 steelhead from four to 15 pounds, for an indication of excellent fishing success.
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Due to excessive speeding and “squirreling” within the city limits of Montesano, the local police department will crack down on violators in the future.
According to Police Chief Bruce Curtwright, “We will no longer issue written ‘warnings’ for moving traffic violations. Effective immediately, all police officers will issue citations for such violations, and violators will be remanded to police court.”
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Advertisement for Montesano Safeway: USDA choice beef aged T-bone steaks for $1.25 per pound. Large artichokes are two for $0.29. Four-pound bag of Red or Golden Extra Fancy apples for $0.49. Four 12-ounce packages of Busy Baker cookies (banana, vanilla wafers, oatmeal and ginger snaps) for $1.
