125 years ago
Feb. 24, 1893
Aberdeen
The firemen’s masquerade dance on Wednesday night was a success, both socially and financially. About ninety couples participated, and some quaint costumes were displayed. C. E. Jameson and Mr. Bridges and others, of Montesano, were present, as well as a number from Cosmopolis and Hoquiam. The fire boys netted about $120, as many had purchased tickets that did not attend.
The sailors on the bkt. Cath Sudden deserted the vessel on Saturday last in a slick manner. They were being closely watched, but on that evening the cook brought in their supper to the forecastle and left them eating, going to the cabin with supper for the officers. As soon as the cook was well out of the way the crew stole over the side of the vessel and made good their escape. …
It was learned later that they were brought to Montesano in a fish boat, and went to Elma by team, taking the train next morning for the Sound. They were union men sent up as non-union to desert the vessel and cause expense, which they have done, as it will probably be necessary to go to San Francisco after a crew.
100 years ago
Feb. 22, 1918
Delegates of the Older Girls’ Association of the Western Washington Sunday School Association will begin arriving at noon today and most of them should be here tonight. Temporary Chairman Miss Johnson says that the entertainment committee still lacks 60 rooms of the needed number for them. She has been notified of more than 200 girls who are coming.
Among the guests who are coming is a large number of Chehalis High School girls who are being chaperoned by the music superintendent and one of the teachers of Chehalis High School.
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Gov. Ernest Lister, at the Eagles’ patriotic meeting Tuesday evening, after complementing Montesano and Grays Harbor and the state of Washington on what they had done showed his hearers it was only the beginning of what must be done to win the war.
It was a big meeting. The hall was crowded with men and women who listened attentively to the governor’s speech and to the other interesting talks and music.
•••
When the workers of one logging company will invest $3,185 in one night in War Savings and Thrift stamps need there be any worry about the American people’s patriotism? That is what the C. H. Clemons camps did one night last week.
“Moreover” says W. H. France, who was one of the men who went out to explain the savings plan and the need of the government, “It was no task to sell the stamps. Once the men understood what they were and that we were calling on them for help in the handling of the country’s war expenses the task was to deal out the stamps and take the money.”
75 years ago
Feb. 25, 1943
Burning slash and brush is all right, and a good thing, for day time, but the fires must be completely extinguished before dark, emphasized Bruce Hood, county defense director, late Wednesday after investigating fires reported several evenings during the past week by aircraft observers and forest lookouts.
It seems that the army still believes there is a war on with Japan and when patrol planes see fire scattered over wide areas in spite of Lieutenant-General John L. DeWitt’s order for coastal dim-out in the coastal regions, something happens. Telephones ring, and authorities jump to action.
•••
Mrs. Fred Stempel left this Tuesday, Feb. 23, for Blythe field, near the California-Arizona border, to join the Eaglets for a two month’s flying course preparatory to reporting at Houston, Texas, May 15. At the latter place she will undergo a four months intensive training course on the army airfield to fit her for becoming a member of the women’s flying ferry command, a branch of the army air corps. …
When Mrs. Stempel has finished the Texas training she will be assigned on home or foreign soil, but not on trans-oceanic flights, to transport planes from a factory to delivery point under supervision of the army air forces.
“I’d sure like to get to England to work,” said Montesano’s only aviatrix who is the mother of two sons, one of whom was born the day Eddie Rickenbacker was lost, Oct. 23, and named Richard, so he could be called “Rickie” after the world famous flier.
50 years ago
Feb. 22, 1968
“Yes, it can happen to you.”
This was the point brought home to the Montesano Lion’s Club Monday evening at their semi-monthly meeting at the Prime Boiler Restaurant. Guest speaker at the evening meeting was Sargent L. M. Woodmansee of the Hoquiam detachment of the Washington State Patrol.
A twenty-five minute movie, entitled “The Untouchables” was shown to the members. The film, dealing with death on the highways, pointed up the fact that far too many people tend to worry too much about “the other guy” when driving, instead of operating their own vehicle more defensively.
According to Woodmansee, “The three major causes of accidents are: Preoccupation, lack of corrective driving and long hours behind the wheel. The real worrisome driver is the normal person who has three or four drinks and then takes on the appearance of a ‘whiz kid’. He drives an automobile with 400 t0 500 horsepower and thinks, ‘it can’t happen to me’. It will!”
25 years ago
Feb. 25, 1993
The 150 unionized employees of Oakhurst convalescent Center voted almost unanimously to commence a strike against Elma’s only nursing home if an acceptable new labor agreement is not reached soon. The union contract covers aides, LPNs, activity coordinator, dietary, housekeeping, laundry, social services, and transporation employees.
The contact expired in December of 1992 and due to the lack of progress in bargaining a federal mediator called the parties together last week. No progress was made in that bargaining session.
“The last thing employees of Oakhurst want is to dislodge and dislocate their patients, but they believe that management is offering them little choice,” stated Joe Peterson, president of UFCW Local 1001.
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Very little, if anything, is left of a barn owned by Ken Decker, 178 Geissler Road just west of Montesano, after a blaze totaled the structure on Thursday, February 18, about 11:23 a.m. when a neighbor to the west called in the alarm. A heat lamp being used to warm some pot-bellied pigs that Decker raises, is believed to have been the cause of the fire that caused some $45,000 to $50,000 in damages, according to Montesano Fire Chief Don Bradshaw. Four pieces of equipment from Montesano and 21 firemen, as well as a tank truck from Brady responded to the fire, which had fully engulfed the structure.
10 years ago
Feb 21, 2008
The neat rows of cottonwood trees growing south of Montesano between the Wynooche River and the highway were destroyed in the storm of Dec. 2-3.
The storm acted somewhat like a small, local tornado, with an extremely strong, funneled wind,” Loren Hiner, the forester for the City of Montesano, told the city council. He recommended that the city piggyback onto a logging operation initiated by Bill Stewart who manages his family’s adjacent, 48-acre cottonwood stand.
The plantations’ location so close to the freeway these past two months has made it a daily reminder of the havoc wreaked by the storm.
What wasn’t snapped and otherwise snagged was left looking like a huge hand had flattened a wind-ruffled comb over.
News reports this week confirmed what everyone in these parts already knew: The storm of Dec. 2-3 packed hurricane-force winds in excess of 100 mph.
