World Gone By …
Published 1:30 am Saturday, July 19, 2025
83 YEARS AGO
July 13, 1942
Two Raymond youths were burned, one critically, when a vacuum gas tank on a car exploded early Sunday, flinging blazing fuel over the pair, Aberdeen police said.
Stanley Jenkins, 17, was in critical condition today at St. Joseph’s hospital, while Wayne Jones of the Provo Logging company, was at Aberdeen General hospital with less serious injuries.
Police said the accident occurred when the car’s fuel system failed and the boys began pouring gasoline into the vacuum tank to restart the motor. One of the occupants of the car struck a match to furnish light for the operation and the tank exploded.
July 14, 1942
A plywood bathtub — sliver proof and termite proof — has been invented by L.P. Burch, Aberdeen carpenter and boatmaker — something to replace the metal tubs during the war emergency.
Now being examined by the bureau of standards in Washington, D.C., the tub has several advantages over the old metal-porcelain type that has become a standard American fixture. It weighs about 60 pounds compared to 600 for the metal ones and it’s cheaper to make.
Heat-processed enamel is used on the surface, making it as smooth and sliver-proof as the others, Burch said. And termites won’t eat through the formaldehyde glue in the plywood.
July 15, 1942
Roy Brown, 40, Saginaw logger, died early this morning at a local hospital from head injuries suffered yesterday afternoon when he was struck by a snag at the logging company’s Brooklyn camp.
A native of Grays Harbor, Brown had worked for Saginaw since January.
July 16, 1942
Grays Harbor lost a determined fight to keep its CCC camps at least through the fire season when orders were received yesterday at the Montesano and Elma camps to close at once.
Closing of the camps at this time was considered here to be a serious blow, since the boys had been doing war project work and were to be part of the potential fire-fighting manpower in the event of enemy action.
At times the camps have had upwards of 200 boys each.
July 18, 1942
More than 500 persons marched in the “American Heroes” parade and thousands more watched from sidewalks, windows and rooftops last night as Aberdeen staged its first tribute to the heroes of the second world war.
Stretching 14 blocks and including units from all branches of the armed service and civilian defense, the parade was the largest seen here in years.
58 YEARS AGO
July 13, 1967
County commissioners C. Tab Murphy and John Pearsall today confirmed the fact that because of a request by County Entineer C.C. Kirkwood, Mayor Byron Cramer of Westport has been given an indefinite leave of absence from his county employment because the upheaval in Westport is interfering with his duties for the county engineering department.
“We feel there is a conflict here in which Cramer cannot do justice to his position with the county,” said Murphy. “We have had complaints that he was at the Westport city hall at times when he was supposed to be in the field for the county. This is not a permanent lay-off. We have been well satisfied with his work, and he can return when the Westport situation is cleared up and no longer conflicts with his county employment.”
July 14, 1967
Men and equipment poured onto the Quinault Reservation this morning to battle a forest fire that consumed timber and brush on nearly 2,500 acres of land in the Raft River area about 10 miles west of Amanda Park.
The fire, carried by winds over the fire lines last night, spread to lands being logged by Rayonier Inc. in the Crane Creek area and by Taylor Brothers logging. Heavy smoke from the blaze hovered over the Grays Harbor area this morning and dropped ashes onto Aberdeen and Hoquiam.
July 15, 1967
The smoke covering Aberdeen and Hoquiam yesterday and today, a result of the 3,500-acre fire being fought by a 450-man crew on the Quinault Reservation, is reminiscent of forest fires which in 1902 threw up smoke so thick that “people waited in vain for dawn,” as the old Aberdeen Sun put it in its Sept. 13 edition of that year.
East winds carried smoke from fires reported from between the upper Hoquiam River and Elma toward the ocean until they were halted by ocean breezes. Came the dawn and no sun.
Residents shook their watches and sawmills met their usual 7 a.m. starting time, only to shut down two hours later. Schools failed to open for it was so dark that few of the 800 students left their homes.
As men, women and children gathered in clumps, one man began preaching that the end of the world was at hand. Not a few must have believed him when at 11 a.m. the coal black zenith gave way to a blood red hue that tinted the entire sky. This changed to a deep orange and then to an olive yellow.
July 18, 1967
The North Beaches need a third full-time deputy sheriff, the county commissioners were told Monday morning by a delegation from that area.
Because of days off the two deputies now on duty are frequently reduced to one, said Charles McBride, spokesman for the delegation. Both Deputies Frank Elliott and William Moorman are doing an excellent job, he declared, but the job is beyond them.
Major John H. Phillips, Grays Harbor area commanding officer of The Salvation Army, announces its Thrift Store is changing locations, from 316 E. Heron to 201 W. Market. After many years in its present location, plans have been formulated for moving into the building behind the City Center Service, owned by Ray Janzik, across the street from the Sears Farm Store.
July 19, 1967
A petition seeking the recall of Westport Mayor Byron Cramer and charging him with malfeasance in office was filed this morning in the town clerk’s office by 13 members of the Westport Business Citizens Committee.
The petition charges Cramer with violating his oath of office and with being guilty of at least two acts specified in the state Constitution as being grounds for divorce.
Chairman of the recall committee is Bjarne Nilsen, former mayor of Westport, and the operation president of Point Chehalis Packers.
33 YEARS AGO
July 13, 1992
Reiner’s Harbor Honda in Aberdeen has loaned a SeaDoo GTS three-seater to the Ocean Shores Police Department as part of a national program.
The machine will be used to patrol the city’s 23 miles of interconnecting lakes and canals, and also for rescue in the ocean.
Police officers and reservists donned wetsuits Thursday to test the new equipment on Duck Lake.
“I like that!” one reservist said as he pulled up to shore. “It’s a kick.”
“That thing is quick,” said Lt. Mike Styner. “You could outrun anything out there.” The SeaDoo can reach speeds of nearly 40 miles an hour.
July 14, 1992
Jack Evans, who operated Evans Sign Co. in Aberdeen for 35 years, decided to take action following the dramatic surf rescue May 26 of two girls who fell victim to a vicious rip current off Ocean Shores.
Evans, 74, enlisted the help of Daily World cartoonist Bob McCausland of Grayland to illustrate two dozen signs about the dangers that lurk in coastal waters.
The signs will be donated to the cities of Westport and Ocean Shore. They depict a falling silhouette of a boy, slipping off a large log as a wave crashes down. “Danger Floating Logs Can Kill” and “Surf Waders Beware — Current Can Drag You Into Deep Water” are emblazoned on the 3-by-4 1/2 foot signs.
July 15, 1992
A vacant parcel on the main drag into Westport may soon be an amusement park if an option to lease agreement the Port of Grays Harbor approved Tuesday pans out.
The complex would include miniature golf, batting cages, bumper cars, an amusement arcade and moped and bicycle rentals and sales, said Dan Barnette, real estate manager for the port.
July 16, 1992
When Elma High School students return to classes in the fall, they will have access to the “outside world” and sit within arm’s reach of the future, according to school officials.
Elma computer instructor Dan Warren, persuaded the Elma School Board Wednesday night to buy state-of-the-art computer equipment to replace the school’s aging lineup of Apple computers.
“They’re crashing at various times,” Warren said of the computer equipment. “They’re all literally dying. The kids refer to the ‘Apple computer lab’ as ‘the dinosaur room.’”
The board unanimously voted to spend $127,000 for 30 new Macintosh computers.
Warren touted the merits of the new system that come with the computers, which he said will link the students with other computer systems worldwide via the INTERNET system.
INTERNET is a global network of data bases, a veritable electronic bank of information, he said, and added that students and teachers will be able to access information from countless sources.
“It allows you to get to the future,” Warren added.
July 18, 1992
Three members of the Weatherwax High School class of 1942 were honored Friday, prior to their class’ 50th reunion.
Ron Endicott, Merle Williamsen and Ed Cooper died in the course of World War II, said class member and reunion coordinator Don Taylor.
Each was honored by several classmates who left a remembrance at the war memorial outside Aberdeen City Hall.
Endicott was a seaman on the battleship West Virginia during the attack at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Williamsen served as a tailgunner in an Air Force Bomber squadron and Cooper served in the Army.
July 19, 1992
One yellow rubber duckie proved finer than all the rest Saturday at the 3rd annual Hoquiam River Festival.
A flock of more than 200 fake fowl floated down the river during the Rubber Ducky River Race.
No. 161, entered by Monica Hughes of Amanda Park caught the wind and tide just right. It led the procession as if it were the mother duck with a very large family following behind.
Monica, 11, will receive $90 for her little ducky’s effort.
Hoquiam Police estimated that between 4,000 and 5,000 people crowded onto Levee Street for the festival sponsored by the Hoquiam Parks Department.
• Area softball teams will compete for a good cause at Beerbower Park on July 25 and 26.
That weekend, the Dave Reed 11th Annual Memorial Slow Pitch Tournament takes place.
Jennie Reed, mother of a McCleary youth who was killed by a drunk driver, started the scholarship fund from money donated by friends and family after his death.
Dave Reed was returning home from Seattle after Labor Day weekend in 1981 when he was hit by a drunk driver.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom, Editorial Assistant at The Daily World. You can contact her at karen.barkstrom@thedailyworld.com or call her at 360-537-3925.
