125 years ago
October 20, 1893
Again has this city been visited by the fire fiend — this time with greater destruction of property than ever before.
Last Saturday evening about 6 o’clock, the people of Montesano were startled by hearing the fire alarm sounded. This feeling was intensified when it was seen that the mill of the Stetson Manufacturing company was on fire, and the blaze well underway, for it was known the water system could be of no service as the mill was outside the limit.
The mill had been running on several large orders, which were nearly ready for shipment. Mr. Stetson estimates that his loss on lumber and shingles alone was over $7,000 while his total loss was not less than $35,000. The mill property and contents were insured for $18,000.
The city is also a heavy loser by the fire — its electric light plant being destroyed. There was no insurance on the city’s property, and of course it is a total loss. Perhaps $5,000 would replace the machinery. Although the wire and supplies left are practically useless and will hardly be used even if another plant is purchased.
100 years ago
October 18, 1918
Sheriff Jeff Bartell, a deputy U.S. Marshall and U.S. Agent McIntyre met the steamer Taho on Tuesday as she was crossing the bar and seized 12 cases of liquor believed to have been en route for Harbor customers. They also arrested a winch operator and an assistant steward as the owners of the stuff. The men are in jail in Aberdeen and will probably be held for U.S. court.
This is probably but the beginning of government assisted raids and it is considered unlikely that arrests of the owner’s of the liquor will satisfy the government for long. In this case the officers have information that 40 cases were shipped out of San Francisco for the Harbor. They believe the balance of the liquor was dumped overboard as the officers’ boat approached the steamer.
***
H.H. Griffin, district federal traffic manager, was in Elma, Satsop and Montesano Tuesday investigating the probable business a workers’ train for the Harbor would get.
Previously those in charge of ship construction on the Harbor recommended that a train be put on between Elma and the Harbor cities to allow workers in the shipyards to take advantage of lower house rents in the smaller towns and to allow people whose homes are already in the towns to take advantage of the work offered in the shipyards.
Mr. Griffin did not definitely say what the fare would be but intimated it would not be over 50 cents round trip. and the fare would be the same from Elma, Satsop and Montesano.
75 years ago
October 21, 1943
Pvt. “Nick” Nicholas M. Zvono, an enthusiastic young infantryman, went out to battle Sept. 18 somewhere in the southwest Pacific area and was wounded in the action according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Zvono here this Sunday. “The degree of the wounds is unknown, further report states making normal improvement and evacuated from theatre of action,” according to the announcement from the office of the adjutant general, Washington, D.C.
***
Maybe its a military secret! Anyway, some 1,740 of the treated fibreboard garbage receptacles being made in Montesano by the local wood products plant have been made into a carload lot and shipped to the Hawaiian island of Oahu through the exporting firm of Alexander-Baldwin Ltd. of San Francisco and Seattle.
50 years ago
October 17, 1968
The Montesano Police Department issued a warning this week in regard to the many dogs running loose, causing a problem for property owners.
According to Chief Curtwright, “The dogs seem to follow the children back to school at noon and then stay around the building, often tearing up shrubs and flowers in neighboring yards. It would be greatly appreciated by both property owners and the police, if dog owners would see to it their pets stayed at home. There is a leash law on the books and we intend to enforce it.”
***
Bob Izzi’s burly Montesano Bulldogs mauled the out-manned Valley Vikings last Friday, 29 to 0.
The Bulldogs defense held the Vikings to a minus 12 yard net gained, and Valley never got deeper than Monte’s 20 yard line.
Bob Stewart was the workhouse carrying the ball 10 times for 100 yards. Rick Burke, Monte’s scatback, was outstanding as a runner (4 carries 61 yards) and receiver scoring on the 70 yard pass play. Both players scored twice in the game.
25 years ago
October 21, 1993
Ground breaking for the new Elma Timberland Library was held Oct. 19 at Young and First streets.
Arthur A. Blauvelt III, Grays Harbor representative on the Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees and Elma Mayor William Bilsland officially represented the Timberland Library district and the city of Elma.
The new library is targeted to open in spring 1994. The 6,000 square foot facility will be four times larger than the current library in a small corner of city hall.
Construction of the new library is being funded by a voter approved $650,000 20-year bond issue, a $70,000 grant from Timberland Regional Library and nearly $50,000 in corporate and private grants and years of fundraisers by Friends of the Elma Timberland Library.
10 years ago
October 16, 2008
This year’s homecoming court for Elma included King Corey Scott and Queen Savannah Pine. They capped a halftime procession of the homecoming court at halftime of the Eagles football game with Centralia on Friday night at Davis Field.
***
Rick Rakevich, an Elma Eagle in more ways than one, is one of four coaches who will be inducted into the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the annual coaches clinic at Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound.
Rakevich wrestled at Elma High School and the University of Puget Sound. He returned to his alma mater to coach for 24 years, first as an assistant to Hall of Fame coach, Rich Graham, for 10 years. During his 14 years as head coach, Rakevich’s teams had a dual meet record of 108-32-4 and collected six top-10 finishes at state, including the team championship in 1995.
***
Behind a prodigious offensive attack, Montesano upended Forks, 10-0, in a 1A Evergreen League girls soccer match on Thursday, Oct. 9, at Rottle Field.
Ashlyn Crossan, Sydney Bullington, Rachelle Ridout, Mikayla Shumate, Allison Benedict and Marissa Lindley all got in the scoring act, with Crossan picking up a hat trick. An own-goal accounted for the other Bulldog goal.
Compiled from the archives of The Vidette by Karen Barkstrom. She can be reached at kbarkstrom@thedailyworld.com or 360-537-3925.
