125 years ago
Aug. 31, 1894
W.A. Dickey returned Tuesday from his trip to New England. He states that times are very dull in the east. There seems to be plenty of money — the banks are full of it; but the owners seem afraid to invest, or even to put any considerable amount into legitimate business.
***
Judge and Mrs. Irwin very pleasantly entertained a number of friends at their home Wednesday evening.
***
E.A. Bacon left yesterday for Olympia and will probably remain for some time. His family will remain here for the present.
***
Last Sunday evening, someone stretched a wire across the walk near the end of the elevated road. We suppose they were satisfied when some of the passengers from the boat were sent sprawling to the ground. It may have been the kind of fun that exactly suited those who didn’t know any better.
***
This was told us for a fact: A few evenings since two couples of well-known young people were out boating for awhile, and upon returning to where they left it, the canoe could not be found. There was but one thing to do, they must walk home. The night was pitch dark, and as they picked their way home though damp grass and brush, and over a road with dust several inches deep, their frame of mind can be well imagined.
***
The Montesano ball team went to Aberdeen on Sunday, and were done up by a score of twelve to seven. Our boys are willing to try it again, though.
***
C.D. Brown has again gone east in the interests of his “new system of government.” He will look up that gentleman interested in his “system,” and he proposes to call upon President Cleveland and show him how the present times may be remedied.
100 years ago
Aug. 22, 1919
The South Side Lumber Company is losing no time in getting started on its new mill. Two weeks ago, The Vidette announced the purchase of a site below the bridges to South Montesano. Last Sunday, the first structure for the plant was completed — a blacksmith shop.
***
Four more boys were discharged and arrived home this week, and there are more comping. Those who got here this week are Lt. Joseph C. Cheney, Elmer Mobray, Corp. Eddy Murphy and Rayburn Wade.
***
William Crehan, a comparatively new rancher, whose place is just above the old Tornow place in the upper Satsop valley, was in Montesano yesterday after having fought fire for three days and nights to save his buildings and orchards.
The fire started Monday evening, and he believes must have been deliberately set by someone in the brush and logs north of his place. He had no help, except from his wife, in fighting it and says that it seemed divine guidance that the wind turned just as the fire reached his line, for the woods were only a short distance from his barn and along his orchard, yet both were saved.
***
Dr. and Mrs. F.L. Carr are expecting their daughter, Mrs. Rodman Price, to arrive here from New York soon.
***
Mrs. Harry Pickering, Mrs. Lloyd Pickering and the Misses Florence and Delia Bergstrom and Iva Barrows are spending a week at Pacific Beach.
***
Kris Kesterson, who has been serving with the 4th Engineers overseas since 1917, returned last week and has resumed his duties in Schafer Bros. store at Brady.
***
Mr. and Mrs. William Maloney, James Maloney and Miss Margaret Maloney, accompanied by Mrs. Stand and Bill Thompson motored to Hoods Canal on Sunday and spent the day there.
***
C.C. Davidson and family returned last week from a vacation spent making a 1,500 mile tour into Oregon in a Chevrolet. Mr. Davidson says the car averaged 27 1/2 miles on a gallon of gasoline and used only four quarts of oils during the whole trip.
75 years ago
Aug. 31, 1944
As has often been prove, youth is best in the long run — the kids really gave the old men a drubbing last night at Wheeler Field.
While the dads had a stronger team assembled than ever before, the kids took them like the Yanks took Paris.
The only alibi the old men had was the fact that Capt. Jerry Leetham was home on sick leave. Maybe the Leetham kids had something to do with that!
However, it was a very interesting series with two wins for the kids and one for the dads. Reports now circulating are that the old men are going to draft a few high school players early next summer and really have a ball team.
***
The exhibitions offered by local 4-H clubs to Montesano folks this Wednesday under the sponsorship of the Montesano Chamber of Commerce proved to be of variety and wide range. The exhibits were displayed in the USO rooms on Main Street as a part of a countywide program which will end on Sept. 9 in Aberdeen when final contests among various members of the 4-H units will be held.
So far, the highest percentage score of all work has been won by the Montesano 4-H canning club under Mrs. Frank Wilder. The exhibits of canned fruits and vegetables offered by this group have won far and away over any competition in sight, according to Herbert C. Reiter, who has been in charge of the exhibit.
Furnishing a splendid and colorful background to the whole 4-H exhibit was a wide variety of gladiola specimens which came from the gardens of Clarence Glenn of Montesano.
