75 years ago
February 16, 1944
The steam schooners Esther Johnson and Davenport, fixtures in the Harbor’s timber trade to California for a great many years, have fallen victims to the war in the South Pacific in recent months, according to word received by Wilson Brothers Lumber company, former owners of a controlling interest in the Esther Johnson.
The Esther Johnson reportedly was torpedoed and sunk while the Davenport was destroyed by fire. Presumably both were operating in an inter-island service for American armed forces.
February 17, 1944
The present fuel oil reserve supply in this area will be exhausted by April 1, and possibly before, if the army or navy draws heavily from it during the next two weeks, Paul DeClos, OPA fuel rationing representative, said yesterday at a meeting of Grays Harbor fuel distributors and rationing board members.
“Certain types of oil are already running short at the oil fields, and civilians should know that military demands must be met first,” he said. “The amount of storage space is limited and the army and navy are both using an increasing amount of oil from Northwest storage tanks.”
50 years ago
February 16, 1969
Sunday, no newspaper published
February 16, 1969
Coach Byron Vadset’s Raymond Seagulls, topped ranked among the state’s Class A hoop teams, completed a sweep of their 20-game regular schedule Saturday night with an 84-37 romp over the Moclips Hyaks in their final test before Southwest district tourney play starts Thursday in the competition for state tournament berths.
Pat Rogers wound up as the game’s leading scorer with 19 tallies followed by Rick Hoffer with 17. Elmer Capoeman hit for 11 for the Hyaks.
Raymond High School marked Homecoming in connection with the game with Sharon Allison crowned as queen at halftime and Lesli Dilk and Linda Lead named as princesses to the royal court. A reunion of former RHS court performers was also held with many cagers of bygone days registering at the game. They were honored at a coffee hour in the home economics room during the evening.
25 years ago
February 16, 1994
A celebrity gala to benefit timber communities won’t funnel much money back to Grays Harbor but it “built bridges” between urban Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula. That could be more important in the long run, say organizers from the LogJam Alliance.
Proceeds from last night’s event will help pay for the second part of the LogJam Festival, a celebration of the Olympic Peninsula’s cultural heritage in two weeks.
The LogJam Alliance, which organized last night’s gala at the Intiman Theatre on the Seattle Center grounds, is a coalition of Puget Sound activists working with community leaders from Grays Harbor and Forks to raise money to establish a revolving loan fund for Peninsula entrepreneurs.
February 17, 1994
The Aberdeen City Council last night approved a contract that will bind the city and federal government to construction of the long-awaited $13.78 million South Side Dike project.
It’s been more than two years since Aberdeen voters approved a $4.5 million bond issue by a huge majority, and people have been wondering whether there was a hold up.
The answer: Paperwork. Mountains of it.
Plans for a proper levee to protect the South Side go back more than 50 years. The 4.1-mile long levee is designed to protect the low-lying, flood prone area.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom
