75 years ago
July 29, 1942
Jeff, the alligator star in Sixth street’s famed “circus” conducted by youthful impresarios, is about to leave the show.
Jeff is getting to be a big boy now, and as alligators increase in length and girth they tend to become fractious and unmanageable. Yes, these past few days have been difficult for the boys — Jimmy Beard, Billy Green, Johnny Wilson, Philip Clark, Pat O’Connor and Royce Hegg. Jeff is no more the sweet, docile creature he used to be.
So he has been offered to Woodland Park in Seattle. Acceptance has not yet been received but the chances are “pretty good” say the fellows. Not that they’re not fond of Jeff — but a growing alligator tends to become a “problem child.”
July 30, 1942
In a forthcoming Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film, “Lassie Come Home,” Lake Quinault will be depicted as a Scottish Loch, nestled down amid green, forest-covered hill and rugged peaks.
In this setting will be told the story of a dog and his young master, with the famous movie dog “Pal” playing the part of Lassie and Roddy McDowall, famous child star of “How Green Was My Valley” playing the child lead.
“Pal,” along with four moving vans of equipment and a crew of 27, already has been on location at Lake Quinault awaiting favorable “shooting” weather. They’ve been quartered at the Pacific Beach hotel.
Other points of the Olympic peninsula will appear in the film. The white sands of Pacific Beach will be integrated into the scenery while a great part of the movie will be photographed at a model Scottish village being constructed near Brinnon. Shots of Chinook pass and Lake Chelan will also be used.
50 years ago
July 29, 1967
Flames and explosions set off by a flight deck mishap killed 26 or more men and destroyed 29 U.S. jet planes today in a holocaust aboard the aircraft carrier Forrestal on her first combat tour off North Vietnam.
Additional planes among 80 or 85 aboard were reported damaged.
The U.S. Command announced 26 of the mammoth ship’s 4,300 crew were known dead. It said many others were injured or missing in the fire and blasting of bombs, rockets and fuel set off by flames from an exploding A4F Skyhawk.
July 30, 1967
Sunday, no newspaper published
25 years ago
July 29, 1992
Woodchips will be flying and hamburgers frying this weekend at the Willapa Harbor Loggers Festival and Community Picnic in Raymond.
From Friday through Sunday, the streets will be bustling with parades and the parks will be alive with music. Competitors from throughout the Pacific Northwest will be swinging axes and climbing poles at the logging show at 2 p.m. Saturday at Riverdale Anderson Park. Admission is a $2 festival button.
“Logging — Then and Now” is the theme for the celebration according to publicity chairwoman Lorraine Wrona.
July 30, 1992
Forget Barcelona. The real games are on the Harbor this weekend.
The West Coast Championship Fire Muster, drawing contestants from four states will be in Hoquiam Saturday and Sunday.
The games begin with a breakfast at the Hoquiam Elks from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday. At 10, competition begins with the reverse lay motorized pumper and the men’s motorized hose wagon contest.
After a parade at noon, competition resumes at 1 with the women’s motorized pumper, the men’s and women’s hand drawn host carts, steamers and men’s. women’s and teen’s bucket brigade.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom
