Ninety-years ago, just months before the Great Depression raised its ugly head, the Harbor was sailing on a decade of great prosperity. Construction was booming and the mills were running three shifts. Here are a few stories that reflect life and events during the summer of ’29.

KNELL RINGS FOR HARBOR SPLASH — Interest Lacking, Logging Festival Abandoned — Hoquiam — Plans for holding the annual Grays Harbor Splash celebration in Hoquiam this year practically have been abandoned by the convention committee of the Hoquiam Chamber of Commerce, L.D. Wheatley, chairman, stated today. Lack of interest on the part of business men and a feeling that the Splash would only be a waste of money, have led the committee to abandon any plans, he said.

The Hoquiam post of the American Legion will stage a carnival over the holidays and probably will arrange for a brief patriotic program and a fireworks display, Mr. Wheatley said. This will be the only official program for the holidays. — Aberdeen Daily World, June 20, 1929

NEW SPAN GATES BEING INSTALLED — The new automatic bridge gates recently ordered by county commissioners for the west approach of the Wishkah River are now being installed under the direction of Cleo Lovelace, and Arthur Foshay, patentees of the device.

The new gate automatically rises as the span lifts and throws a half-inch plate of steel across the opening. The barrier is strong enough to stop the heaviest car from plunging in the river. The gate is equipped with an automatic warning light system. — Aberdeen Daily World, August 3, 1929

CHILD STRUCK BY PLANE AT BEACH, INJURIES SEVERE – Pacific Beach – Evelyn Gropte, 9-year old daughter of G.W. Gropte, 3823 Bagley Avenue, Seattle, was painfully injured here yesterday when struck by an airplane piloted by Ross Dye, Olympia.

According to witnesses, Dye was making a landing on the beach when the child, who had been playing near the water, ran directly into the path of the landing machine. The left wing of the ship struck the child, breaking her arm in several places and inflicting severe bruises and possible internal injuries. The Gropte party, which was spending the day here, rushed the child to the Hoquiam General Hospital. They continued on to Seattle last night.

Dye, the pilot, was the owner of the plane. He was carrying passengers throughout the day and was operating one of two planes flying here yesterday. The other plane was a cabin passenger ship from Port Angeles operated by Robert Martin.

Feelings ran high among visitors here following the accident several people threatening the pilots for their alleged carelessness. Five men, all from Seattle, one of them the grandfather of the injured girl, declared that they will take the matter up with the United States district attorney to determine whether or not airplane pilots can be forced to land in restricted sections of the beach. At the same time the men proposed to seek legal aid in curbing reckless and speedy automobiles driving on beaches adjacent to resorts.

Several residents here will ask county authorities to investigate the alleged recklessness of pilots and automobile drivers, pointing out that three women and one man narrowly escaped injury and possible death but a short time previous to the accident injuring the Gropte child. — Aberdeen Daily World, July 22, 1929

WHARF BLAZES AS DEHORNERS SNORE – Nozzles Cool Timbers and Stupefied Addicts — Two fires on the old Slade dock (present day location of the Best Western Motel at the mouth of the Wishkah River), both threatening east side industrial plants, were quelled by the fire department during the past 24 hours. The first fire broke late yesterday afternoon and was fought for more than two hours before extinguished, early this morning after more than an hour’s fight.

Both fires were started by “dehorners” or canned heat (sterno) addicts, according to firemen. In the first fire several men were found prostrate near the blaze and were sobered only after liberal applications of water from the fire hose. A lone drunk was found by the blaze this morning.

Huge holes were burned in the old condemned dock in both fires, firemen stated. Because of the proximity of the fires to industrial sites on the east side, both were considered dangerous. — Aberdeen Daily World, August 15, 1929

NEW PAY PHONES TO BE INSTALLED – A new coin telephone system will be installed this week on all of Aberdeen’s pay telephones, according to F.R. Smelser, manager of the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph company. New coin boxes of the type in use in larger cities of the country will replace the old boxes at all public telephone booths and at the semi-public telephones in stores and hotels.

Under the new system, the user of a public telephone will deposit a coin before he asks the operator for a number, instead of after the conversation, the practice now in effect.

“Better service on public and semi-public telephones will result from the change,” Mr. Smelser said. “There will be no interruptions from the operator, who, under the present system, comes on the line to ask you to deposit a coin.

“To use the new type coin telephone, after installation is completed, take the receiver from the hook, listen to make sure there is no conversation being held over the line, deposit a coin and the operator will answer. If the call is not completed, the coin will be returned.” — Aberdeen Daily World, July 8, 1929

TOTEM GODS CALL “CIRCUS JIMMY” AGED INDIAN SEER – Taholah – “Circus Jimmy” is dead. The patriarchal Indian carver and weather prognosticator joined his totem gods late yesterday afternoon after a brief illness in his tiny home and workshop here. His death removes one of the best known and most colorful members of the Quinault tribe.

“Circus Jimmy”, surnamed Sly, with his long-tailed frock coat, was a Harbor character for many years. His age was uncertain, Jimmy himself not being sure. He was known by the earliest whites here and claimed varying ages, from 90 upward. He was said to be the oldest of the Quinaults.

The venerable Indian was known particularly for his weather forecasts and his totem poles. One of the larger totems, telling the story of his tribal gods, stands at the entrance of the Aberdeen city hall. The carver made many smaller totems, offering them for sale during his frequent trips to Aberdeen and Hoquiam. Many small war canoes cut out of cedar by him are played with daily by white children of Grays Harbor.

Jimmy was the district’s outstanding seasonal forecaster. By consulting his native signs, he was able to give picturesque and often very accurate forecasts of the approaching season. Scores of Harborites were guided implicitly by the old seer’s predictions.

During his lifetime, “Circus Jimmy” traveled widely. He visited most of the states of the union and during his earlier life made frequent seal hunting expeditions to Alaska as well as along the north Washington coastline.

His brother, James Sly, of Neah Bay, had arrived to visit Jimmy but a short time before his death. The body will be interred at Taholah according to tentative plans. — Aberdeen Daily World, July 5, 1929

Roy Vataja is the son of Finnish immigrants, and adds that Circus Jimmy’s totem pole that stood in front of city hall was later moved to Sam Benn Park. It was restored at the Aberdeen Museum some years ago, and now stands at the totem pole park on the south end of the Chehalis River Bridge. The story goes that he traded the totem pole to the city in exchange for a red silk necktie.