75 years ago

July 30, 1944

Sunday, no newspaper published

July 31, 1944

Grays Harbor entered its third week of near drought today with loggers, farmers and fire fighters hoping for a refreshing downpour to stave off forest fires and rejuvenate gardens and crops.

Cranberry bogs at Grayland are in imminent danger for lack of rain, and continued dryness may result in a heavy loss, County Agent Floyd Svinth said today.

Water pressure in Aberdeen meanwhile remained dangerously low in the hill districts and watering of lawns and gardens is being continued on a schedule to lighten the load on overtaxed reservoirs.

50 years ago

July 30, 1969

Staff Sargeant Garold E. Messenger of Cosmopolis is a member of the Aerospace Defense Command unit that has been selected to receive the Air Force Missile Safety Plaque. Messenger is a communications technician with the 78th Fighter Wing, Hamilton AFB, Calif. His unit was cited for its outstanding achievements in missile safety while providing round the clock air defense for the west coast of the United States.

July 31, 1969

A part-time sheriff’s deputy who reported seeing a strange creature fitting the description of the legendary Sasquatch now says it was a she-bear, Sheriff A.M. Gallagher said today.

Meanwhile the report led to searches, further reports and other activity in hopes of finding the fabled ape-man of Indian legend.

The deputy was unavailable for comment Thursday. He declined use of his name earlier this week when he told of seeing what he described as an 8-foot creature with hairless feet, hands and face and with protruding breasts.

Gallagher and his deputies searched the wooded roadside, where the creature was seen. He said they found many bear tracks but no evidence of an uncommon creature.

25 years ago

July 30, 1994

Roger Davis doesn’t mind being teased by the guys at work but now they’ll have to find someone else to poke fun at.

That’s because Davis, who turns 62 in August, is retiring after 44 years as a machinist at Lamb-Grays Harbor Company in Hoquiam. The company produces among other things, cutting and packaging equipment for pulp and paper mills.

But all joking aside, Davis’ co-workers freely admit they will miss him — for his kindheartedness and extraordinary breadth of experience.

As a machinist, this silver-haired gentle giant of 6 foot 3 inches knows how to use almost all the machinery in the shop — including lathes, drills and milling machines.

That experience is something Davis continually tries to share with younger co-workers at the plant.

“Over the years, I have probably acquired a number of short cuts that I have been able to pass on to a younger generation of apprentices,” he says.

July 31, 1994

Brandon Sayamnet pitched a one-hitter and Trent Dawson went 4 for 4 as the Aberdeen Americans opened State Little League competition with a 13-0 rout of Battle Ground Saturday at Woodinville.

Sayamnet, who allowed only a second inning single, struck out a relatively modest five but was backed by excellent defense in his complete game outing.

Dawson singled and scored the game’s opening run in the second on a fielder’s choice grounder off the bat of Justin Williams.

Pinch-hitter Chris Burton’s single triggered a four-run fourth.

Sayamnet helped his own cause with two hits. Greg Isaacson also had two safeties for the Americans.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom