Pages of the Past, Feb. 1

A weekly collection of stories from The Vidette’s archives.

125 years ago

Feb. 3, 1893

The smallpox case at Hoquiam caused considerable uneasiness in this city and the council met on Monday to confer with the health officer and to take steps towards keeping clear of the dreaded disease. Mayor A. C. Little issued a proclamation ordering vaccination, and committee was appointed to secure a building to be used as a pest house in case it was necessary to have one. In consequence of the mayor’s order the doctors have been kept busy vaccinating the people who were bound to take all precautions.

100 years ago

Feb. 1, 1918

Every general who has been on the battle fields of France agrees that the most necessary thing to win this war is to maintain the morale of the army; to keep the minds of the boys from breaking under the terrible strain which modern war imposes upon them; to keep the boy knowing, whether he is a son of a good home, or whether he is a naturalized alien without chick or child in the country, that he is not fighting for himself, but for a great principle and for us, and that we feel friendship and love and loyalty for him.

75 years ago

Feb. 4. 1943

“I’m in the army now, so wish me luck.” So says a young man, who had an industrial deferment, and who turned down a lucrative public relations job in Washington, D.C., for the exiled Philippine government, and a job with the U. S. Employment service.

So, it’s Pvt. Julius B. Ruiz now. Last week he was a member of Co. C, at the Fort Lewis reception center, awaiting assignment for basic training.

“We have a great country. Filipinos call America their country also, and it is worth fighting for. After the war is won, I’ll work for the government,” said the buck private in a letter to friends here.

Recently Ruiz toured the U. S. Filipino centers, which have an aggregate of 250,000 people, including the second generation, “studying cooperative measures between them and white Americans, as regards various phases of the war effort” and made a 10-page exclusive and confidential report to President Quezon, exiled in Washington, D.C.

•••

The Vidette had a birthday this week, and our 60th, too; but we don’t feel especially old. In fact we feel like the first editorial in that first paper of Feb. 1, 1883 — “We’re here, we’ve come to stay and we mean business.”

One of our subscribers, who has taken The Vidette continuously since 1883, made us very happy by presenting us Monday with a delicious angel food cake, of her own making. (Thank you, lady, we like the inference.) The subscriber is Mrs. Clarence Flower and she, as well as we, wanted a co-founder, J. E. Calder, to have a piece; so at the close of the day’s work cake and coffee were enjoyed in our shop. We wonder if there’s another 60 year old paper in the state where a founder can talk over the first edition with the present staff?

50 years ago

Feb. 1, 1968

County Commissioner John Pearsall is happy that he remembered to “buckle up”, his seat belt that is.

Pearsall and Commissioner Leighton Powell were involved in a traffic mishap Jan. 25, when the county car Powell was driving crashed into another vehicle near Grays Harbor City.

Commissioner Powell was taken to Grays Harbor Community Hospital, where he was treated for cuts, bruises, and other painful injuries, none serious. Pearsall came out of the accident a bit shaken,” but that was all.”

Pearsall had his seat belt buckled on. Powell did not.

•••

Montesano children have fewer cavities than any others in the harbor area, according to the Washington State Health Service, and its all due to the fluoridation of the city water supply.

Figures in a study just released by the state health agency reveal that Aberdeen youngsters are not so fortunate, because the study shows a general increase since 1963 in the average decayed-missing-filled (DMF) rates in students surveyed last fall in Aberdeen.

Students surveyed in Montesano, however, showed significant decreases in all age groups in the DMF rate since 1961, when the city began fluoridating its water.

•••

A vacant house on Barrett Road in Brady owned by Clyde Dills, was nearly destroyed by fire Monday evening, January 29.

The Montesano Rural Fire department received the call at 10:03 p.m., but the fire was well underway by that time. Neighbors told firemen they had heard an explosion earlier, but thought no more of it until flames began to light up the night sky.

25 years ago

Feb. 4, 1993

The county commissioners on Monday decided to support a request by Jim Walls, executive director of the Grays Harbor/Pacific Resources Conservation and Development Agency (RC&D) that will improve ‘Friend’s Landing’, a fishing facility on the banks of the Chehalis River south of Montesano. The RC&D is not a government agency and in order for a project to be eligible for federal and/or state grants a governmental agency, such as the county, must be the lead agency.

In explaining the proposed project, Walls told the commissioners, “We have envisioned an asphalt covered ‘trail’ all around the lake at the site that would not be available only to physically handicapped persons, but also to those who may be blind. However, in order to qualify for funding, we must have a governmental entity apply for the funds.”

•••

Meeting Friday, January 29, in Olympia, the State Parks and Recreation Commission opted not only to raise camping rates at all State parks, but to implement a $3 per day Use Fee at Lake Sylvia State Park beginning May 1, as well as other State park facilities. The Day Use fee will apparently not be applicable to those automobiles that drive in, through and out of the park site, but only to those that park inside the gate.

10 years ago

Jan. 31, 2008

The reappointment of three members of the Grays Harbor Public Development Authority appears to be caught in the crossfire of potshots taking place between the three county commissioners.

The confirmations of Ron Rogstad and Jack Thompson, both of Aberdeen, and Steve Poler of Montesano — have been postponed twice since Dec. 10. On Monday, The PDA’s attorney … used the public comment period of the commission meeting to ask about the holdup.

•••

The deadline to seek assistance through FEMA and other government agencies to cover losses sustained in the December storm is next Thursday, Feb. 7.

Federal officials are trying to get the word out that the application is paramount to winning eventual assistance. Even those who aren’t sure whether they qualify are urged to submit an application before the deadline.