Pages of the Past, May 24

May 24, 2018 1:30 am
From the May 23, 1968, issue of The Vidette: “The Lucky Ones. Fish or Girls? — Either the salmon caught the girls or the local beauties caught the salmon. Either way, three of the lucky pageant entrants pose with their fish. Left to right are Dixie Marbut, Dorene Taylor and Laura Jurasin.”
From the May 23, 1968, issue of The Vidette: “The Lucky Ones. Fish or Girls? — Either the salmon caught the girls or the local beauties caught the salmon. Either way, three of the lucky pageant entrants pose with their fish. Left to right are Dixie Marbut, Dorene Taylor and Laura Jurasin.”

125 years ago

May 26, 1893

Alf. Harris tells a thrilling tale of an unknown monster which he saw yesterday in Silvia lake, a small body of water near Montesano. About eight feet of the body of the animal, fish, or whatever it is, was lying about one foot above the surface of the water. It was covered with long black hair. Neither head nor tail could be seen. Harris called to a companion, and the ‘sea serpent’ disappeared beneath the water. Old settlers state that it has always been said that the lake contained a sea serpent, and Indians have always been superstitious regarding the lake and refuse to go near it. This is Montesano’s opportunity to announce herself as a summer resort.

•••

Chehalis County is all right. With her great wealth of timber and fine farming lands she is bound to be one of the wealthiest counties in this great state. Added to this she has a magnificent natural harbor, which will before many years make her the gate way for a great shipping trade. The person who sticks to Chehalis county will never regret it.

100 years ago

May 24, 1918

The main factory of the Northwestern Lumber Co. was wiped out by fire, believed to be of incendiary origin, Wednesday evening at 8 o’clock. This plant was one of the two plants on the Harbor selected by Col. Brice P. Disque to cut airplane spruce for the army, the plan being to cut between 100,000 and 125,000 feet of lumber a day at this plant. About 600,000 feet of spruce per week has been the amount shipped lately. Those first at the scene of the fire claim that the odor from the fire plainly suggested burning kersene and a heavy black smoke, such as would result from burning oil, poured from the building, plainly suggesting that the fire was of incendiary origin.

•••

Wm. Shore, former manager of the Montesano Telephone Co. drove into Montesano this week after nearly two years absence, most of which was spent in mining operations in northern Yuma county, Arizona. He is as tanned and prosperous looking as one who struck it rich, and he admits good health but says good health is all he has to show for a lot of money spent in putting a hole a hundred feet deep into solid rock.

“Yes, I have just as much — maybe more — faith than I had to begin with,” he told The Vidette,” but I haven’t nearly so much money. We have given it up, because we haven’t and don’t know where to get the money to go on with the development work, but I feel certain the copper is there.”

75 years ago

May 27, 1943

Do you want a job in Montesano? If you do, man or woman, boy or girl, you have a better than usual chance to get work of almost any kind you want. That is if you want to WORK! If you are looking for a chance to just get on a payroll without delivering the goods, your chances are of course not so good.

For instance, down at the Vancouver Door Company there is need for several good skilled mill men, preferably those who know how to work in a door or sash factory. In fact, another complete shift might be put to work, according to A.J. Langhardt, president, if enough skilled door mill operators could be hired.

There is a good job for a furniture deliver man and linoleum layer at Watson-Kellogg Furniture Company. And if you want to really work, and know how, you’d be able to land a good-paying job near Montesano. That job would be on a farm.

50 years ago

May 23, 1968

James H. Weyrich, son of Mr. and Mrs. Heston Weyrich of Montesano, received a Doctor of Optometry degree during recent graduation ceremonies at Pacific University , Forest Grove, Ore.

Dr. Weyrich has been a student at Pacific University since September 1962, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in the spring of 1967. While an undergraduate he was active in Alpha Zeta Social Fraternity and vice-president of the sophomore class. While at the college of optometry, he was active in Omega Epsilon Phi International Optometric Fraternity, serving as president in the fall of 1967 and receiving the “Active of the Year Award” in 1966.

•••

The first and second grades of the Satsop school took their field trip May 15. They took a short session on the beach to look for driftwood and shells, also to do a little clam digging. Then they visited the Tahola School for the afternoon where the pupils had interesting events planned for them.

25 years ago

May 27, 1993

It will apparently be June 22 before any decision in regard to the proposed rest stop on S. Main Street or the city’s six-year-street-plan will be made, according to an agreement Tuesday evening by the city council.

Mike Warton of the state Department of Transportation was on hand Tuesday and told the council, “We have had traffic counters in place at several locations that would be impacted if the rest stop becomes a reality for the city. Those counters have indicated that Montesano can expect a 23 to 31 percent increase in traffic flow on various downtown streets if the rest stop facility is constructed. That percentage will vary,” he added, “depending on just which streets are more heavily traveled.”

10 years ago

May 22, 2008

When something is said to be as big as a football field, that’s usually pretty big. Take the gutted “turbine” building between the cooling towers at the Satsop Development Park. It’s said to be as big as four football fields. But it’s a “perfect fit” for the Brown-Minneapolis Tank Co. because BMT’s tanks are big, too — some are three stories high. The company wants to move lock, stock and “tank” to the former nuclear power plant on Fuller Hill at Satsop. With BMT come at least 53 industrial jobs and the hope of several dozen more in the future.

•••

It’s always a good time to honor those who have served in the military, defending America with their very lives, if necessary. But with Armed Forces Day just past, last Saturday, and with Memorial Weekend about to start, this is an especially poignant time of year to remember our veterans, as well as those currently serving in the military. A group of 15 Montesano High School students, all members of the newly formed LEO Club, have been working on a project to “Treat the Troops” from the community who are now on active duty. They’ve been collecting “treats,” such as snacks, books, games, toiletries and other items, as well as cash to purchase more supplies, as well as the packaging to send the goodies overseas. The club formed this year under the sponsorship of the Montesano Lions Club, and when it came time to consider their first big project, their advisor at school, April Pocklington, gave them a list of about a dozen possibilities. Flood victims could still use some help, and there are always great projects to do with young children.