75 years ago

October 29, 1944

Sunday, no newspaper published

October 30, 1944

Frederick Grover Harper, 35, Copalis Crossing and Charles Speaks, 54, Moclips, were killed at an Aloha Lumber company camp this morning when they were hit by a wild cable whiplash, company officials reported.

The crew was moving a donkey engine, using a heavy cable, when the buckles broke and the line went wild, Frank Milward, superintendent of the Aloha company, said. “The line whipped back, catching the men with a snap,” he said.

50 years ago

October 29, 1969

Gasoline prices plummeted sharply overnight as station owners selling the major brands are taking dead aim on a problem they thought they dispensed with after September’s gasoline war — the cut-rate dealers.

The major brands were selling this morning for 31.9 and 32.9 cents a gallon for regular grades.

The cut-rate stations were selling for 29.9 cents this morning, while a self-service station was offering its product for 27.9 cents.

“It is a proven fact,” one Shell dealer stated, “That if you let the cut-raters sell for much less than you do, that they will grab a large share of the market.”

October 30, 1969

A preliminary 1970 city budget of $3,741,462 — which would be .3 of a per cent lower than this year’s final budget — was handed to the Aberdeen city council by Mayor Harold Schmid, last night.

The budget, balanced in its present form, is lower primarily because of a decrease in capital expenses — last year’s budget included a $110,000 levy to purchase two new fire trucks.

Yet the new budget provides for salary increases which in most cases approximate eight per cent — and involves wage settlements included in wage contracts drawn up with the fire and police departments.

25 years ago

October 29, 1994

Owning a toy store has been all fun and games for Shirley and John Christiansen, but they take their job seriously.

In fact, the owners of The Thought Shop in Montesano take their job so seriously they have become an example for up and coming entrepreneurs in the Harbor area.

In August, the Christiansens were featured on the cover of Connections, a newsletter published quarterly by the Washington Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

The couple had taken an Entrepreneurship 101 class at Grays Harbor College in January, 1993 after John and 600 others were laid off from the Grays Harbor Paper Co. the previous November. He’d been at the mill nine years.

After taking the class, the couple put together a portfolio and started the business. They also had to do market analysis and they eventually secured a couple of grants.

Their store is unique for the region. It offers mostly toys that stir the imagination, like Erector sets, complicated puzzles, wood toys, Playmobil toys, educational games, wildlife figures and materials for teachers.

October 30, 1994

Two Grays Harbor individuals and two relay teams earned state berths in the Southwest Washington District AA girls’ swim meets Saturday at The Evergreen State College.

Aberdeen’s Jillane Reynvaan advanced in two events. She was second in the 100-yard breaststroke and third in the 200 individual medley.

Hoquiam’s Mandie Svoboda was third in the 50 freestyle. Aberdeen’s 200 free relay team of Breezy Carter, Reynvaan, Ericka Jones and Kelly Flanagan broke a school record and met a state qualifying time to take second.

The Bobcat 200 medley relay team of Christie Murray, Reynvaan, Stefanie DeWitt and Flanagan, fourth in the final, had previously clocked a state time.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom