75 years ago

October 2, 1942

Little Mary has a rival as far as sheep are concerned.

He’s young John Miller Jr. who is in the sheep business. He has a fine group of Romeny Marsh Rambouillets (yes, they’re sheep) which like to tag around after the Lincoln school fifth grader, who lives along the Olympic highway west of Hoquiam.

Some months the Kiwanis club’s agricultural committee, headed by F.W. Mathias, conceived the idea that sheep could be raised commercially on logged land. So they bought four Rambouillets and farmed them out to young Miller. It was agreed that Junior could pay the committee for the sheep out of revenue obtained for their sale and keep the profits.

John’s sheep thrived so under his care that his family decided what was good enough for him was good enough for them. So John Miller Sr. went out and bought 15 more sheep.

The agricultural committee is proud of its brain child and feel the project has opened the way for a new industry in Grays Harbor, especially vital during the war because of the meat and wool shortages.

50 years ago

October 2, 1967

Joel Wolff put his hands on his hips and looked toward the front of his store at 209 S. Broadway in Aberdeen.

“As far as the future is concerned, I plan to maintain the status quo,” he said. “I don’t plan on retiring.”

This week Wolff’s celebrates its 70th anniversary in business in Aberdeen, and Joel Wolff has a very simple explanation as to why the business, founded by his father, George J., has been successful.

“My father felt that it was important to make a contribution to the community,” he said. “Not for his own selfish interest but for the good of the entire community.”

25 years ago

October 2, 1992

ITT Rayonier sent clear signals Thursday that the company may be nearing a decision to close its pulp mill and artificial vanilla plant at Hoquiam, which would put nearly 350 people out of work.

ITT Rayonier is not optimistic that a buyer for the two operations will be found, according to spokeswoman Wendy Pugnetti, who added that “the options we are considering do not include continuing to operate any portion of the complex that hasn’t been sold or that we determine will not sell.”

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom