The Dec. 10, 1915 Aberdeen Herald was jam-packed with a good mix of local news for readers then and now. The big news was the opening of Aberdeen’s newest bowling and billiards parlor in the Livingston building — a cool-looking structure that was demolished long ago.

Opening of Shafer bowling alleys big for Harbor – The opening of the Shafer Bowling and Billiard Parlors, in the Livingston building, Wednesday evening, was an event unique in Aberdeen: unique, for that matter, in the West. There is no other establishment of the kind on the Pacific Coast.

Ejaculations from the crowd that passed up the stairs at 7 o’clock, the opening hour, testified to the completeness of the surprise which Mr. Shafer had sprung on Grays Harbor. The parlors looked more like a very handsomely furnished club than a business establishment. A reading room, fitted with heavy library table and fine lounging chairs, in the northwest corner of the parlors, accentuates the club effect.

Within a few minutes of the opening of doors the crowd, with the pretty costumes of ladies in evidence, was spread around the rooms, listening to the strains of music, furnished by the Aberdeen band, watching the play at the dozen pool tables or, seating in opera chairs on a raised platform, taking in the bowling on the six alleys. To repeat: there has been no similar sight or event on Grays Harbor; and it could not have been duplicated in the West. Mr. Shafer had expended some $15,000 in the furnishing and equipment is no matter for marvel; rather, the wonder is that the effect was procured for that sum.

There are a dozen pool and billiard tables in the parlors, and they were all busy on the opening night, as were the six alleys. The floor space of 100 by 130 feet does not seem at all crowded, either.

This afternoon should see a gathering of ladies at Mr. Shafer’s establishment. From 2 to 4 o’clock three of the alleys will be open to them for free, for practice; and on every Friday afternoon thereafter.

Check baggage direct to house — Arrangements are to be made immediately by the Northern Pacific railway, for checking of baggage from Hoquiam and Aberdeen to depots, hotels or residences in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle and Spokane, also from those cities to hotels and residences in Aberdeen and Hoquiam. This matter, says E.A. McKenna, general agent, has been under consideration for some time and the details are now being worked out, but the arrangement will go into effect with a very few days.

Hour’s work gets feed — The Hoquiam Associated Charities the other day gave the first meal under their new plan of relief. A man put in an hour sawing slab wood into ordinary stove fuel and received a ticket entitling him to all he can eat for 15 cents.

“Jelly” loses chicks — A chicken thief visited the yard of “Jelly” Girard, 1116 North K street, Wednesday night, and got away with 16 fine chickens.

U.P. Buys ties here — The Union Pacific railway system has ordered about 600,000 railroad ties of Grays Harbor mills in the past three months. The orders total some 25,000,000 feet and 1,000 cars will be required for their shipping. The ties were sold at $8 a thousand feet, making the orders, distributed among several local mills, total about $200,000. The whole order of the Union Pacific was for about 1,000,000 ties, the other 400,000 going to mills of other sections. The ties will be distributed from Portland over the system.

Pretty Japanese baby born — Women of South Bend are making much of the birth of a Japanese girl baby, the other day, at the South Bend General Hospital. “Pretty as a picture!” they rhapsodized when they see the little 6½-pound daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hara of Tokeland.

Fred Scharfe dies in Seattle — “Count” Remembered Here Succumbs to Injury from Fall – With the death, Monday, in a Seattle hospital, of Fred Scharfe, many Aberdeen people will recall the eccentricities of the man who became known, here as in Seattle, as “the Count,” a year or so ago. Scharfe died as the result of a fall, last Sunday, from a Seattle apartment house window to the pavement 50 feet below.

During his six months’ residence in this city, Scharfe was divided between two ambitions: to obtain position as a German instructor in the high school, and to induce some actress to accept his attentions, indicated by the sending of bouquet to practically every stage favorite who played at the Grand. After he had cut out from magazines in the local Carnegie library some picture of actresses, the police, without arresting “The Count.” persuaded him to move on to Seattle.

Within the past few months, Scharfe had nursed stage ambitions for himself and had sung at several amateur nights at motion picture houses. He claimed to have been, at one time, a lieutenant in the German army.

House owner is denied right to burn his home — Fire Chief Crawford of Hoquiam, the other day denied permission to Fred Cormier to burn down his house near the Lytle mill. Cormier’s house was gutted by fire a short time ago and the shell of the house left is of no use to him. The Hoquiam fire chief, however, thought a bad precedent would be set by giving him the permit asked for, besides the expense to the city of detailing a fire company and apparatus to the scene of the proposed fire.

From the county — Montesano — Violators of the state game laws are getting it in the neck from Game Warden Esses and Judge Ben Sheeks. Charles Baker must forfeit his power fishing boat, worth some $400; John Hannul is mulcted of his net, a 185-fathom seine worth $3 a fathom; and Adolph Holppo, employee of Baker, is fined $10.

Montesano — A parrot, that can whistle like a steam engine but that has not yet learned to swear, has been picked up as a pet by Jailer Phillips at the county bastille.

Hoquiam — One of the big social successes of the year was the ball tendered football teams of Aberdeen and Hoquiam high schools by the local Elks lodge, last Friday night.

No poverty in Hoquiam? — Capt. Ephraim Dixon of the Salvation Army declares that he can’t learn of any poverty stricken persons at all in Hoquiam, among whom to distribute donations of food and clothing. Dixon wants to be told of any cases of need. He can’t find ‘em.

Roy Vataja is the son of Finnish immigrants and would have been a regular at the Shafer Bowling and Billiard Parlors.