75 years ago
February 12, 1944
Sergeant Robert E. Campbell, son of Mr. and Mrs. L.C. Campbell, Hoquiam, has been with the Ninth Marines in the South Pacific for more than a year. And according to a recent letter he and his fellow Marines were “fighting mad” when they heard the news of recent strikes on the Harbor and in Seattle.
Sergeant Campbell was suffering from running sores on his feet and a heat rash all over his body and his letter said in part:
“My feet are so raw that I can’t walk without having my shoes untied and very loose. Boy, they are really a mess.
“We heard over the news … about some strikes up in Seattle and on the Harbor. We sure as hell aren’t enjoying this damned place a bit — and if eight cents an hour is more important than winning the war — then tell the strikers to go clear to hell for me! They sleep in a warm home at night, drink liquor, eat home cooked meals and get eight and nine dollars a day. And still they want eight bents an hour more!”
February 13, 1944
Sunday, no newspaper published
50 years ago
February 12, 1969
By Vadset’s Seagulls performed like champions in the stretch last night . They kept their cool and pulled away from the gallant Elma Eagles in the last three minutes of play to clinch the West Central League championship with a tingling come from behind victory.
The 71-56 verdict extended Raymond’s win skein to 19.
John Donahue’s third-ranked Eagles led by 6 at halftime and were still very much in it with 3½ minutes remaining.
A standing-room only crowd of about 1,200 was on hand for the showdown, and a couple of hundred more fans paid four-bits apiece to watch the tilt on Elma’s closed-circuit TV system, which piped the program to a room adjoining the gym.
February 13, 1969
John Evans, Todd Berken and Dave McKay paced Aberdeen High School swimmers to their fourth victory in five starts yesterday notching two victories each in the Bobcats 53-42 dual meet win over Mt. Tahoma High of Tacoma at the Miller Natatorium pool.
Evans’ victories came in the 200 medley relay with Berken, McKay and Jim Carrosino and the 400 freestyle relay with Tom Berglund, Tom Millam and Rich Schouboe. Berken’s other victory was in the 100 breaststroke and McKay’s second triumph came in the 100 flystroke.
25 years ago
February 13, 1994
The historical Redskins will become the more politically correct Mustangs at North River School next year.
The red and white school colors may be changed along with the mascot.
The North River School Board heard this week that the nearly 60 students in grades K-12, along with the faculty and staff choose the Mustangs over the other two finalists — the Wolves and the Herons.
“We had to change the mascot,” explained Light Habersetzer, student body president, “because some people say that ‘Redskins’ and ‘Indians’ are derogatory toward Native Americans.”
February 13, 1994
The old Lokie Polson No. 3, a veteran of the glory days of steam railroading in the timber camps, made its final run on Grays Harbor Friday as it was hoisted onto a lowboy trailer and hauled off to the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad in Elbe.
Built in 1908, the old engine had worked for Polson Railroad and most recently for Rayonier. It’s been out of commission for some time and was moved from Promise Land Park outside of Hoquiam to the Polson Museum in 1988 where it sat rusting until Friday.
The old locomotive was turning into a liability problem for the museum so the board and Rayonier, which still owed it, donated No. 3 to the scenic railroad where it will be restored to running condition at a cost of about $135,000 according to Polson board member LeRoy Stallcop.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom
