85 YEARS AGO
May 4, 1940
The 20-man crew of the storm-battered Daisy Matthews abandoned ship in rough seas 250 miles north of the Golden Gate, Mackay radio reported today.
The Daisy Matthews reported itself in trouble in a storm 20 miles off Eureka last night. The Illinois, Texas (Oil) company boat, reported the craft in a “sinking condition” amid heavy seas and rain earlier today.
The 204-foot craft of 513 gross tons, left Marshfield, Ore., April 29 for Los Angeles.
It was built in at Hoquiam in 1916 and operated steadily out of Grays Harbor for many years in the coastwise lumber trade.
May 6, 1940
“Never, again.”
So said Emil Yuni, Aberdeen’s “Flying Finn” at 4 o’clock this morning when he walked wearily into his home after a 12-hour hike from Olympia.
“No more pavements for me,” Yuni declared. His feet felt the same way about it, he added.
Yuni won nationwide renown when he hiked 47 miles through the heart of the Olympic mountains last year between dawn and dusk. “But that was a cinch compared with pounding 50 miles of pavement,” he moaned today. “I’ll take the mountains. Pavements were made for rubber tires, not feet.”
May 7, 1940
A Grays Harbor branch of Norwegian Aid, Inc., national non-profit order directing relief for war-distressed Norwegians, was organized last night in a meeting in Our Saviour’s Lutheran church, Aberdeen.
Rev. T.T. Ove, pastor of the church, was elected permanent chairman.
May 8, 1940
The measles epidemic cut deeper into Aberdeen school attendance today with the outbreak spreading at the A.J. West school after originally being confined to one room and with more absentees from McDermoth classes.
Yesterday it was believed the peak had been reached at McDermoth with about 110 absent but this morning this was boosted to 124. West School was hit even harder today, there being 55 absent. This represents about a fifth of the enrollment.
Whitman School where most rural children are housed, has escaped the epidemic.
The Aberdeen Bobcats reached the halfway mark yesterday in their campaign for the northern division, Southwest Washington baseball championship, by walloping Elma 13-5 on the Eagles diamond. It was the fifth straight win for the Bobcats.
Led by Eddie Bionski, Roger Balcombe and Wes Freed, the Blue and Gold garnered 16 singles. Freed pounded out three doubles and Balcombe collected a pair.
May 9, 1940
Inter-City Market – “between the two cities at the stoplight” – is advertising 2 pounds of butter for 59¢, 2 dozen eggs for 39¢, a 25-pound bag of Pillsbury flour for 93¢ and a head of lettuce for 5¢.
May 10, 1940
In a lightning-like move to bar Germany from a strategic base in the far north, Great Britain today took protective custody of tiny Iceland.
The island which is linked to German-occupied Denmark by its allegiance to King Christian X, will be under British protection only until the “conclusion of hostilities,” it was announced.
The little northern kingdom is especially important in the allied scheme of things as an excellent submarine base – as well as an airplane and seaplane base.
60 YEARS AGO
May 4, 1965
Seven-foot, one-inch basketball whiz, Lou Alcindor announced today that he will enter UCLA in September.
The highest scoring scholastic basketball player in New York City history, ended his silence at a press conference in the gymnasium of Power Memorial High School, where he and his teammates have formed championship teams for the last three years.
The announcement ended months of speculation as to the future of the most coveted young cage star in the country.
A bird owned by Guy Simpson clocked 1,065 yards per minute to capture Sunday’s 150-mile event of the Grays Harbor Racing Pigeon Club.
Don House entries took second and third, with Wright Vanderwegen’s pigeon placing fourth at speeds of 1,029, 1,023 and 1,005 respectively.
Next weekend’s race will originate in Eugene, Ore.
Back by popular demand at the Hilander room in the Morck Hotel, The Happy Chappys, sparkling with “good harmony, hilarious comedy and most danceable rhythms.”
May 5, 1965
Weyerhaeuser Company joined thousands of citizens in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties last week in paying its first half taxes.
Pacific County received checks totaling $331,798.54, representing taxes on timber, timberlands and other property owned by Weyerhaeuser.
Grays Harbor was paid $293,831.99.
The Ocean Crest Resort & Dinner House is advertising Mother’s Day specials including boneless breast of chicken with wild rice, 1/2 spring chicken with orange almond sauce or fresh blueback salmon broiled in butter sauce for $4 each. A special fillet with wine and mushroom sauce in $5. All dinners include endless salad bar, hot French bread, ice cream and beverage.
May 7, 1965
Many visitors started arriving in the city today for the opening of the circuit convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The first sessions will be held in the Benn gym starting at 6:45 tonight. Attendance is expected to reach 1,200 by Sunday.
Aberdeen school lunches next week: Monday, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter sandwiches, vegetable sticks, fruit wedge; Tuesday, Beef on bun, buttered whole kernel corn, fruited cabbage slaw, rice custard; Wednesday, Chili, toasted cheese sandwich, carrot sticks, Jello with bananas; Thursday, Hamburger gravy over mashed potatoes, buttered string beans, hot roll and butter, celery sticks, oatmeal cookie; Friday, Oven-baked fish stick with tarter sauce, fried rice, peach-cottage cheese salad, buttered spinach, raisin-batter bread.
May 10, 1965
Jacob Goldberg, founder of the Goldberg Furniture Co., died in his sleep during the night Friday at his home in Olympia. He was 98 years of age.
Mr. Goldberg was born in Austria and as a young man lived in Calgary, Canada and Minneapolis, Minn., before going to Devils Lake, N.D. where he established the first Goldberg Furniture Store. Stores were later opened at Jamestown and Minot, N.D., and in Aberdeen, Olympia and Everett.
35 YEARS AGO
May 4, 1990
Fireman Apprentice Patrick W. Lock of Aberdeen was among the crew of the USS Rentz when it saved a humpback whale tangled at sea in a fishing net.
While conducting routine operations off the coast of Baja, Calif., a forward lookout spotted the dying whale wrapped in 50 feet of fishing net and buoys. A 26-foot motor whale boat was launched and slowly steered close enough to the whale that a six-man crew used knives and hacksaws to cut away the tangle of netting.
Lock, a 20-year-old son of Dean and Jaswant Lock of Aberdeen, is a 1988 graduate of AHS and an engineman aboard the Rentz, homeported in San Diego.
May 5, 1990
Culminating almost a year and a half of work, the Westport Shipyard was scheduled last night to launch one of the most luxurious yachts ever built on the South Beach.
The Daily World learned through numerous sources that the 102-foot yacht was reportedly built at an estimated $4.6 million and that it was commissioned by the Nordstrom family.
• Hoquiam is relishing its role as a giant killer in the Black Hills Soccer League. Two days after shocking Olympia, the Grizzlies scored a late goal for a 1-1 tie with defending league champion Tumwater.
The Grizzlies’ goal was a picturesque as it was dramatic. With two minutes left in regulation, forward Jesse DeLong drove a free kick about 20 yards out to Ken Huff who flicked it off his head to forward Josh Earley, who in turn flicked it past a stunned Tumwater goalie.
May 6, 1990
• Their students have been saying it for years.
But last week, Aberdeen High School science teacher Gregory Books and choir instructor Pat Wilhelms were notified that the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction also considers them superior teachers.
The two were among 40 in the state — five from each congressional district – to be honored with the Washington Award for Excellence in Education.
“If you spend 30 seconds with either one, you’ll know they love what they do,” said Aberdeen High School Principal Larry Parsons.
They both work “extremely hard,” have “excellent” student communication skills, creativity, energy and vast knowledge of their subject, he said.
Weatherwax High School’s production of “Sound of Music” opens Thursday evening and continues Friday and Saturday.
“This is the biggest undertaking I’ve ever tried,” director Pat Wilhelms said, “but with a strong cast it has really come together.”
This if the fourth musical since Wilhelms took the choir director position. The other shows were “Oklahoma,” “Guys and Dolls” and “Carousel.”
May 7, 1990
Buffeted by a chilly west wind and high anxiety, Congresswoman Jolene Unsoeld stood surrounded by about 40 frustrated timber and dock workers in front of the Aberdeen IWA hall Sunday afternoon.
For nearly three hours, Unsoeld and the crowd debated the complex, emotional and intertwined issues threatening thousands of jobs on the Olympic Peninsula — old-growth timber trees, spotted owls and log exports.
May 8, 1990
For his leadership and keen interest in historic preservation, the State Historical Society will present Rep. Max Vekich of Cosmopolis its highest honor Friday – the Robert Gray Medal.
The annual meeting and awards banquet will take place at the Nordic Inn in Aberdeen as the history buffs begin some serious planning for the 1992 Maritime Bicentennial.
Vekich played a lead role three years ago in securing $1 million in state funds to build a replica of the tall ship Lady Washington. He has also endorsed the 7th Street Theatre renovation project and preservation of the Pike Place Market in Seattle.
May 10, 1990
Former Mayor Walt Failor was close to tears as he received a prolonged standing ovation from members and guests of the Aberdeen Rotary Club Wednesday. Club President John Hughes presented him the club’s highest award — “Service Above Self.” The inscription of the plaque says: “To Walt Failor for a half-century of selfless service to the people of Aberdeen. Sportsman, businessman, mayor, friend to young and old: with deepest appreciation from the Aberdeen Rotary Club.”
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom, editorial assistant at The Daily World. You can contact her at karen.barkstrom@thedailyworld.com or call her at 360-537-3925.
