75 years ago
July 6, 1942
A lightning fire, which burned about 140 acres of slash and cutover land in Saginaw company holdings in the North river district, was under control today, District Fire Warden O.B. Wedekind said.
He reported the fire, which started July 4 when the area was subjected to a severe lightning and thunder storm, was curbed by 100 men.
July 7, 1942
It might have been France in June, 1940, or the low countries the spring before. But it was last week in peaceful Washington where airplanes so far have been friendly.
A car and trailer, piled high with furniture and other household goods, was driving on Highway No. 99. An airplane dived toward the car. The driver twisted the wheel to avoid the plane and ended up in the ditch. The plane crashed in a field 50 feet away.
Driver of the car was Jack Anderson, former city of Hoquiam employee, who was taking his family to their new home in Sweethome, Ore. None of the occupants of the car was injured, and no report was received on the plane’s occupants.
50 years ago
July 6, 1967
• Westport was without a town clerk today following yesterday’s ouster of the long-time clerk Mrs. Helen Beall, by Mayor Byron Cramer; Louise Peters, deputy clerk resigned last night, and the town marshal, J.E. McLendon was operating the town office today, while resignation of more town employees appeared to be in the offing.
Mayor Cramer said last night that his firing of Mrs. Beall was “a regrettable necessity” caused by “upcoming changes in town policy” and did not reflect on her conduct of the clerk’s duties.
• Wear good, sturdy walking shoes if you have an appointment on the seventh floor of the Becker building.
Beginning yesterday, operation of the 41-year-old Becker Building elevator was suspended for six weeks while a new automatic self-service elevator is being installed in the Harbor’s tallest building.
The management has provided rest facilities on each floor and an errand service on a one-week trial basis for tenants of the building.
July 7, 1967
Mayor Byron Cramer said last night that Town of Westport business will be conducted as usual at the town hall today and Monday pending appointment of a new town clerk to replace Mrs. Helen Beall, who Cramer discharged Wednesday.
Despite Cramer’s statement’s, an inquiry today found that of the town’s nine regular employees, only two — Town Marshal J.E. McLendon and Deputy Marshal Everett Roman, reported for work this morning.
25 years ago
July 6, 1992
Carl Brownstein, who teaches at the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building in Port Townsend, is the lead shipwright for a project at the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority to build a couple of long boats.
The first one under construction now is a replica of the one carried aboard Capt. Robert Gray’s Columbia Rediviva in 1792. Long boats were used to carry fresh water, furs, cannons and even the ship’s anchor. A long boat was equipped with sails and 10 oaring stations in case the wind didn’t cooperate.
“I’ve built 64 different boats,” said Brownstein, “but I’ve never built anything like this. A lot of the boats I build are somewhat historical but I’ve never built a replica before,” he said looking over the skeleton of the boat that sits in the shipyard building at the confluence of the Chehalis and Wishkah rivers.
July 7, 1992
Moments after the shining silver B-17 bomber “Sentimental Journey” landed at Bowerman Field in Hoquiam Monday, one of its crew members fell lifeless to the asphalt beside the plane. But quick action by two off-duty local paramedics — Jim Heikel of Hoquiam and Aberdeen EMT Bill Mayne — gave Arthur Pautz, 71, of Mesa, Ariz. a second chance to live. They immediately started performing CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Meanwhile, Bill Maki of Aberdeen, used his new amateur radio to call for help.
Hoquiam paramedics were on the scene quickly and continued efforts, administering an electric shock. After several minutes, paramedics stopped pumping his chest and a fleeting smile across the face of one of the paramedics indicated that Pautz was again breathing.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom
