125 years ago
March 1, 1895
Giles and Charles Quimby left Wednesday for Chico, California, where the family formerly resided, going by steamer. They expect to be absent some time.
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Eugene France was up from Aberdeen yesterday. He says the logging railroad is a “sure go,” if the people of Montesano secure the right-of-way.
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Some of the boys about town have manifested a disposition to break the windows in unoccupied dwellings, and to otherwise mutilate the buildings. When any of them are caught in such an act, it seems to us that the proper remedy is a good stout switch, of fair proportions, well applied.
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W.C. Calder has been appointed special agent of the New Zealand Insurance Co., an important position, well deserved.
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Hicks, the weather prophet, says to prepare for some rough weather during this month.
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A gentleman who lives in township 21, range 7, was in Montesano yesterday and says that the people of that portion of the county are compelled to do their trading in Shelton on account of that being the only town from which a trail leads into the settlement. There are a number of families in the neighborhood, and they would prefer to trade in Montesano, but if they do so, they must have help to open up a trail to connect with the Wynooche valley road.
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Several cases of chicken pox are reported in town.
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Miss Emma Godell visited friends in Hoquiam over Sunday.
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The frogs are croaking. Likewise, some of the people. This is the first day of spring.
100 years ago
Feb. 27, 1920
Little Miss Margery Belle Moch has “gone way off” visiting to her aunt’s, Mrs. W.J. Thompson’s, at Enumclaw. Mrs. Thompson had been here visiting and took her baby niece home with her for a short stay.
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Word was received yesterday by coach Burton G. Scott that, owing to the influenza in Raymond, the basket ball game scheduled with the Raymond high school tonight has been postponed.
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What is believed to be the largest tractor in Grays Harbor county was delivered Tuesday to H.F. Blain at North river. The machine is a Case tractor and weighs without any of the attachments over 6,500 pounds.
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John Davidson writes the home folks that he was at that time in Russia and on the way soon to Japan and after that the Philippines. He was well and so glad he was a United States marine and seeing the sights.
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Work on the interior of the Church of God has been completed and regular services will be held Sunday.
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Mr. and Mrs. Walter Heusser, who were married Feb. 9 and have just returned from a honeymoon spent in Portland, have announced that they will be at home to friends in Montesano after Feb. 20.
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Lloyd Murrey and Miss Agnes Nero of Elma visited friends in Montesano one day last week.
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Miss Geneva Johnson, deputy superintendent of schools, spent the week end in Centralia.
75 years ago
March 1, 1945
Captain James Hollingsworth, Montesano flying ace, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Hollingsworth, reported as missing in action over Germany December 25, is a prisoner of war of the Germans in Stalag Luft No. 1, located at Barth, near the Baltic Sea.
As yet, Mr. and Mrs. Hollingsworth have not received official notification from the war department that Hollingsworth is a prisoner. However, this last Monday, they received several cards from short wave listeners who reported that they had heard Captain Hollingsworth’s voice over a German prisoner-of-war broadcast from Stalag Luft No. 1. The captain asked that whoever heard him to notify his parents that he was well and in fine spirits, and for them to write him and to contact the Red Cross in regards to sending him packages.
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Superintendent of Schools Ernest F. Cash announced this last Monday that the drive for clothing, shoes and bedding for Russian relief has been a success, and he expressed his thanks to the people of Montesano and the rural ares for their very fine cooperation.
The clothing was gathered by the Montesano school children, and was cleaned and repaired by the local Red Cross production unit, boxed and shipped to Portland.
The local collection consisted of 27 large boxes weighing over one ton.
The clothing when received in Portland will be made up in bales then loaded on a Russian boat and will be in Russia within two weeks.
50 years ago
Feb. 26, 1970
The Montesano City Council, meeting as a general committee after its regular session Tuesday evening, closed the doors to the press as well as to the public in order to get to the bottom of several accusations that had recently been made against Police chief Bruce Curtright. There had been no official charge nor allegation made against the chief, nor had the accusations been spelled out other than in rumor form for the public.
During the course of the regular meeting of the council several citizens had spoken in support of the police chief. Among them was Art Furnia, Jr., who said, “Our present police chief has, in my estimation, done a very good job, and I feel it would be detrimental to the city if any disciplinary action were taken based on unverified accusations.” Wayne Sims also voiced strong approval for the chief. …
The closed session of the council apparently ended on a very amicable note when it was decided that no official action should be taken in any direction; that due to the possibility of misunderstanding on both sides, it would be better to allow the accusations, rumors, etc., to die a normal death.
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“Drug use and what is the answer. Should we enact more stringent laws and enforce them, or should we embark on a mass education with the youth as well as the adult?” These were the questions asked by James Duree, Westport attorney, as he spoke before the Montesano Chamber of Commerce last week.
Pointing to marijuana and its identity, Duree said, “It is difficult, if not impossible, for the average person to recognize ‘grass.’ It must first be subjected to analysis by an expert in the field.” the Westport barrister also pointed out that some 200 to 400 million persons throughout the world use the drug.
“In the state of Kansas, there are approximately 17,000 acres of the stuff growing. This does not include the many thousands of acres where it is probably being cultivated unbeknownst to the public.”
Duree also mentioned the recent “crackdown” at the Mexican border on marijuana carriers. “I don’t agree with the manner in which that case was handled,” he said. “In the course of a week, there are 150,000 automobiles and 15,000 pedestrians who cross the border. This does not include vessels plying the coastal waters or illegal entries made at points other than the border stations. It is easily seen the enforcement of the problem is nearly an impossibility.”
