85 YEARS AGO
September 28, 1940
Announcement has been made in Montesano of the purchase of the Monte theater by Fred Conrad, formerly of Aberdeen from Mrs.C.L. Gwinn, Centralia.
Conrad, who was formerly associated with Warner Brother theater in Aberdeen, has been the manager in Monte for two years.
The Monte theater was opened in 1926 by the late G.W. Armour.
September 30, 1940
Men’s fashions held the spotlight at Hotel Morck this afternoon.
George Magee Jr. modeling a Timely double breasted tuxedo, accompanied Miss Betty Ann Glidden playing the viola. She wore a gown and shoes from the George J. Wolff company.
John Baker, showing boy’s department clothes, played the accordion for the pleasure of the lunchers. He wore a boy’s sport jacket with contrasting gabardine slacks, a cable knit sleeveless sweater and Tom Sawyer natural shade sport shirt.
The young high school set was given a place in the show with Elwyn Elderding modeling a Kenwood tweed, styled in a three-button drape, a tweed topcoat and Florsheim shoes.
There were many tables at the luncheon today and even more are expected to attend the luncheon next week at which entertainment will be provided by Adoline Thomas’ shop, Stieglitz Jewelers and Nina Arthur’s Beauty Shoppe.
October 1, 1940
Two Quinault cousins have found a new use for discarded hot water tanks, and a lot of spare time.
The suggestion comes from Arthur Olson and August Streater, both 19, and both members of pioneer Quinault families. The secret is to get an old tank before someone converts it into a flower box. With a blow torch whack off one end, cut a hole for a window, shape to fit over the shoulders, fasten on an air hose and — it’s definitely not “presto” — you have a diving helmet. The wearer can go down about 30 feet, using 40 pounds of window weights to help their descent. An ordinary automobile pump supplies air to the diver. The length of the dive depends upon how soon the pumper tires — usually five to 10 minutes.
October 2, 1940
Now playing at local theaters: Darryl F. Zanuck’s production of “Brigham Young” at the D&R, along with “Yesterday’s Heroes” starring Jean Rogers and Robert Sterling; “Untamed” and “Out West with the Peppers” at the Weir; “He Stayed for Breakfast” and “Military Academy” at the 7th Street; “Off the Record” starring Pat O’Brien and “Going Places” starring Dick Powell at the Hoquiam; “Brother Orchid” with Edward G. Robinson and “Haunted Gold” starring John Wayne at the Bijou; and “Dr. Kildare Goes Home” and “Slightly Tempted” at the Warners.
October 3, 1940
The weapons are paint brushes and the battlefield is the Pilgrim Heights water tower. The current foes are the “forty-ones” and the Gamma Deltas. An interested spectator is Sam Watkins, Aberdeen water superintendent.
The water tower is 50 feet high and the tank is 18 feet from bottom to top. On the ground around the tower is a high wire fence topped by an entanglement of barbed wire.
The tank, put up about 10 years ago, has become a virtual billboard for rival high school classes and organizations. On the original black paint the class of “31” drew the first sign. In succeeding months and years this was obliterated and “32’s”, “33’s” and so on were substituted until the tank has the appearance of a gigantic scratch pad. Not so long ago the Gamma Deltas, fraternity of high school age, painted their symbols. The “forty-oners” undid the work by covering them with a big “41.”
Insiders say the Gamma Deltas figure the city side of the big tower is their special province and they mean to keep it. However, Watkins said today the tower is municipal property and that the youths are trespassing. He said he was particularly concerned because the night job of painting the tank is dangerous.
60 YEARS AGO
September 28, 1965
Mike Lentz, 79, pioneer Wishkah Valley resident and well-known Aberdeen florist, died unexpectedly this morning at his home.
His father, Henry Lentz, was a contractor and Mike worked with him clearing the land for Aberdeen streets and the site of St. Joseph Hospital.
As a young man he worked for Ellis Greenhouse and in 1928 established Pioneer Florists on West Wishkah street, operating the store for 37 years.
September 29, 1965
A new appliance and television store, Brennan’s Harbor Appliance Mart, begins a Grand Opening celebration tomorrow morning. Located at 3022 Simpson Avenue in Hoquiam, the new store has recently completed liquidation of the former General Electric stock of the F.G. Foster Co.
According to owners Tom Brennan Jr. and Jim Brennan, the store is regarded as one of the most complete appliance and television stores in the area. H.A. (Q.P.) Lundgren has been named as manager of the store. Lundgren served as manager of the General Electric appliance department of the F.G. Foster Co. for 20 years. He is a native of Aberdeen, has a wife Ida, one daughter and three granddaughters.
September 30, 1965
J.C. Penney’s Toy Land opens this weekend featuring G.I. Joe action soldiers for $2.66, a “Johnny West” gun set (including a cap-firing rifle, 2 cap-firing pistols, holsters and canteen) for $3.99 and Mattel’s Skipper or Skooter doll for $1.88 (outfits 77¢) and Tonka trucks for $3.66.
October 1, 1965
Two horrified grade school girls watched a cougar attack and kill their dog early this week less than two blocks from their Copalis Crossing homes.
Shari Mullan, 10, and Lora Burghes, 9, were picking blackberries along a railroad track near their homes when a cougar bounded from the brush onto Burghes’ 50-pound chow-shepherd dog. The girls watched for a few seconds then ran home. That night, Lora’s father, Gene, found the dog that that had died from the cougar attack.
The following night Fred Yeats, a neighbor, took a coyote call and his 22 Hornet rifle and went after the cougar. He stumbled across a dead four-point buck and when he looked up from the deer, the cougar was staring at him some 50 yards away. One shot brought the animal down.
October 2, 1965
One of the finest shows any sidewalk superintendent could hope to see is going on now at the Umpqua River Navigation Company’s docking area southeast of the boat basin at Westhaven, where work preparing for actual construction of the new south jetty is going rapidly forward.
One of the unusual sights Friday was a 30-ton dump truck swinging through the air from the boom of the immense floating crane anchored a few hundred feet offshore. The crane was moving the truck from a barge to the newly-built docking area, where it could be driven ashore.
• After a lapse of almost five months, The Journal, South Bend’s weekly newspaper, resumed publication this week with an issue coming out Friday under wholly new management. New owner of the newspaper is North Pacific Press, Inc., of which Hal Schlitz of Myrtle Creek, Ore., is president. Active publisher is Jack Laughlin, a veteran of 25 years experience in the newspaper and printing field.
Prior to a halt in the publication last March, the Journal had been published by the Hazeltine family for more than 75 years.
October 4, 1965
Aberdeen churches are cooperating to make Wednesday night “church night” and are enlisting the cooperation of other organizations in the city.
Under the plan, each church schedules its youth activities on Wednesday night along with other church activities such as mid-week services, choir practice, etc. The community is asked to cooperate by not scheduling any other youth activities for that night. in the hope of inspiring youth to participate more actively in the youth programs provided by their churches.
35 YEARS AGO
September 28, 1990
They’re folding the sails today at the tall ship Lady Washington in Aberdeen, saying a four-month disagreement with state auditors has resulted in frozen grant funds.
The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport put the padlock on the gate this morning. It’s closing to the public — at least temporarily — while it considers the options, said Fred Bruener, an Aberdeen accountant who serves as board chairman.
The Seaport is caught in the crossfire of differing opinion between auditors and state officials who approved various Seaport expenditures. But while the funds are in limbo, the Seaport doesn’t have enough cash to keep the ship open to the public.
September 29, 1990
• It was July 7, 1930. Barely 10 months earlier lives were tossed into turmoil by the stock market crash and the beginning of the Great Depression.
And yet, fostered by a vision of the future for the children of Grays Harbor, a group of educators from the Aberdeen School Board, headed by W.O. McCaw, decided it was time the Harbor had a school of higher education.
In August of 1930, the articles of incorporation were signed to create Grays Harbor Junior College. On Sept. 29, 112 students walked through the doors of the new two-year college, which was housed in the old Franklin Elementary School on Market Street where Franklin Field is located today.
The Quinault Elks rolled relentlessly to a 42-0 rout over Wishkah last night in Amanda Park. The Elks rumbled for 329 yards on the ground.
“I was afraid this was going to be a long night,” said Wishkah coach Rob Ashler, who has only four seniors on his undersized squad of 15. “They’ve never played under the lights before and this was something completely new to them.”
John Weese, one of the rare Quinault seniors, got 39 yards in three carries. Sophomores Derek Lisherness and Tom Carlyle got 47 in 7 and 64 in 8, respectively. Junior Dan Quintanilla gouged out 82 yards in seven shots.
September 30, 1990
While most schools strain under the burden of larger classes and increasing numbers of students, Satsop School remains an island of the past.
The 56 students in kindergarten through sixth grade are housed in the large red school house built just after the turn of the century.
The kids sit side-by-side with students from other grades and can hear lessons through open doorways between the three classrooms. The staff includes three full-time teachers, two aides, a part-time music specialist, a business manager and a janitor.
“I know mostly everyone here — and I just started,” first-grader Krista Hinkkanen said as she surveyed the playground during recess.
“It’s a family unit more than a school, said Marsha Hendrick, who teaches grades 4 to 6 and acts as superintendent and principal.
October 1, 1990
A four-engine plane slammed into a mountain ridge and exploded Sunday while trying to douse a stubborn forest fire caused by an earlier plane crash.
The double tragedy left four men dead and about 15 acres ablaze just east of the Wynooche Dam reservoir in the Olympic National Forest. Firefighting efforts were continuing today.
The first plane, a Cessna, had been participating in a Civil Air Patrol training exercise Saturday when it went down. On board were two men, one from Bremerton and the other from Spokane.
The Lockheed with a crew from Honeyville, Utah and Minneapolis, Minn, had just dumped its first load of fire retardant and was pulling out of the burning canyon when it smashed belly first into the 1,500-foot ridge.
October 4, 1990
This may be the last S.O.S.
The tall ship Lady Washington — buffeted by financial and political storms — may go on the auction block unless there’s a last-gasp bailout plan.
Under another scenario, the ship may be quietly sold for $1.95 million to a private individual who expressed an interest several months ago, the last time the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport almost folded. Unconfirmed reports describe the possible buyer as a Japanese businessman.
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.
