85 YEARS AGO
December 21, 1940
Buried in hogged fuel, apparently when part of a big pile collapsed upon him, Winton L. Greenleaf, 30, Grays Harbor PUD employee, was smothered to death this morning at the power district’s Electric park plant. He was a member of the Marine corps reserve and worked at the Aberdeen Plywood plant until it was destroyed by fire early this year.
Contracts covering new wage and working agreements between the IWA No. 2 union and 10 local mills were being signed today giving some 1,400 to 1,500 workmen five cents an hour boost in pay and an annual paid vacation of one week.
A.T. Sharpley, business agent for the boommen and rafters union, announced an agreement was accepted by his union last night for a 55-cents a day wage increase, giving the men $7.55 a day instead of $7.
December 23, 1940
The old Willapa Harbor light at North Cove was dark last night.
Faithfully, for more than 80 years in storm and calm, it had flashed without fail for sailing ship and steamer and all the craft that ride the sea. But it was no fault of the light or the vigilance of its keeper that its lamp was not lit, but because yesterday it was abandoned to its fate.
Coast guardsmen removed the expensive French prism lens, pulled out the old oil lamp and all equipment that could be moved and gave the tower over to the sea. It still stood today, but the surf swished within six feet of the base this morning.
Heavy surf resulting from Saturday’s terrific gale slashed another 10 feet from the shore Sunday morning, and it is believed the old light’s fate now is just a matter of days.
December 24, 1940
Although Saturday night’s gale that destroyed hundreds of trees and blocked miles of highway in the Quinault-Queets-Clearwater area was one of the most severe in years, the damage was not comparable to the 1921 Olympic peninsula blowdown when trees fell as though slashed with a scythe.
It will be several weeks before scalers from the Taholah Indian service and others can obtain estimates of the timber destruction. Approximately 500 trees were over the highway between Quinault and Forks. Five state highway crews were called in to buck the trees to clear enough passageway for automobiles to pass through.
Joe Fulton, Quinaylt forest ranger, said the blowdown over the weekend “might run a third as heavy as the one in 1921.”
December 25, 1940
Part of the publicity build-up for the East-West Shrine Charity game in San Francisco is a picture of several of the All-Americans visiting a patient at the Shrine Hospital. There, hundreds of little boys and girls of all races and creeds are treated each year with no worry of doctor bills.
While the visit is good publicity it also has an effect on the players. George Karamatic told us when he returned from the game three years ago that every member of the West squad tried just a little harder because of the crippled kiddies.
“We didn’t need a pep talk about defending the West’s honor after seeing the boys and girls in the hospital,” George said.
December 26, 1940
Joseph Quinby, Aberdeen youth home for the holidays, had nothing but praise for the navy’s air force and the opportunity which is opened to him through specialized technical training as an enlisted man. Quinby had four months at the San Diego aviation radio school and now is at Sand Point.
He goes on frequent flights in the big two-motored patrol bombers as part of the training to help keep the radio communication system of the big ship in operation. He said by the time he completes his enlistment he will have become a highly trained radio technician.
Fate overtook the old North Cove light house today.
Undermined by a heavy surf that rolled in on a big tide, the seaward wall collapsed into the newly-made beach. Willapa Harbor coast guardsmen believe the entire structure will go this week.
When the lighthouse was built in 1857 the beach was more than a mile away and the builders confidently believed the light would stand for centuries.
60 YEARS AGO
December 22, 1965
A new shopping center is planned for South Aberdeen on a 34-acre tract of state-owned land just north of Grays Harbor College on the east side of Boone Street, it was learned today.
The State Department of Natural Resources pinpointed the property as a large solid triangle formed by Harriman, Boone and Huntley streets.
According to a department spokesman, Sears Roebuck and J.C. Penney are among the retail firms that have indicated strong interest in locating stores in the new shopping area.
St. Joseph Hospital, completing 75 years of service to the people of the Grays Harbor area, commemorated the event with a dinner held in the Hillier Union Building on the Grays Harbor College campus and attended by the medical staff, the governing board and the local sisters.
Especially honored were Drs. F.N. Berken, E.L. Calhoun and K.D. Graham Sr., who for more than half of these 75 years have served the hospital as valued members of the medical staff and in earlier years were instructors in the hospital’s school of nursing.
December 23, 1965
An Aberdeen taxi driver, Martin Knutson, 59, was taken to Grays Harbor Community Hospital last night after being severely beaten and robbed by three men near Clark’s Tavern south of Cosmopolis. The victim had been badly beaten, kicked in the head and put in the trunk of the taxi. He was able to get out and a passing motorist on the Raymond-Montesano highway found him.
Knutson is a driver for Red’s Taxi in Aberdeen and resides in Elma.
Pay n’ Save Drugs, Inc. will begin an estimated $60,000 remodeling and expansion program at the first of the year that will nearly double its floor space, Robert Donaldson, Aberdeen manager said today.
With the acquisition of the space now occupied by Karl’s Shoe Store at 207 S. Broadway the new facility will have 16,000 square feet. Karl’s will move to a new location between Kress’s and Earl Morgan’s on Wishkah Street.
December 25, 1965
Mrs. Alva Wilson, elementary school librarian at Raymond for about 15 years, was critically injured in the Greyhound bus accident near Medford, Ore. yesterday. She was on her way to San Francisco to spend the Christmas holiday with friends.
The bus, which carried 38 passengers, skidded on a patch of ice. The crash claimed 12 lives and injured 26. Mrs. Wilson has not regained consciousness since the accident.
December 27, 1965
Einar Edresen, 83, died suddenly this morning at the Zenith House, Seattle, where he had been since moving from Hoquiam about two years ago.
His father owned and operated the Endresen Spar and Lumber Company in Aberdeen and was known in many parts of the world as a fine spar maker. Einar joined his father in the business and was one of the last spar makers in the country. It was this company that made the timbers for the Culebra Cut work on the Panama Canal.
Kress, located at Broadway and Wishkah in Aberdeen, is offering its roast young tom turkey meal, including giblet gravy, dressing, two vegetables, cranberry sauce, roll and butter — 67¢ each or 2 for $1.
35 YEARS AGO
December 21, 1990
Marylou Springer, 34, a teacher at Central Park Elementary School, died early this morning at her Aberdeen home. Suffering from a brain tumor, she had been forced to give up teaching in October, but with her husband organized a party for her class at Mazatlan Restaurant in Aberdeen this week. She had been battling pneumonia for the past two weeks, which had put her health in critical condition, family members reported.
The mercury plunged to 11 degrees overnight in Aberdeen, the coldest day of the year on the Harbor and one degree colder than the chilliest night of 1989’s arctic deep freeze. It’s only been that cold three times in the last 24 years. A low of 10 degrees was recorded in 1968, 1972 and 1983. The all-time low in Aberdeen is 6 degrees.
December 23, 1990
Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz sent him a birthday card. University of Washington aides have chatted with his younger sister, Catherine, about school. For Mark Bruener, that’s all part of the sometimes exhilarating-sometimes aggravating recruiting game.
One of the nation’s most heavily-recruited tight ends, the 6-5, 225-pound Aberdeen High School senior can’t even estimate how many colleges have inquired about his football services. The list has included the entire Pac-10, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Brigham Young, Southern Methodist and several Northwest Big Sky and small college teams.
Right now the Huskies and Trojans rank as his top two choices and the Huskies have the advantage of being longtime family favorites. “I don’t think my dad (Fred) has ever rooted for another team,” Mark related.
December 24, 1990
The low temperature overnight in Aberdeen was 25. Freezing drizzle was falling at midnight, making already slick roadways even more hazardous.
The SouthShore and Wishkah malls report that business was booming as slick roads helped keep shoppers on the Harbor.
On Saturday, KayBee Toys had its best day in the last six years, said Darcy Peterson, SouthShore Mall’s marketing director. JC Penney had its best sales day of the year, while on Sunday Jay Jacobs chalked up its best receipts in three years.
December 25, 1990
It may have prompted traffic accidents for some and transportation inconveniences for many, but at least the cold spell was well-timed. Harborites this morning awoke to the first white Christmas in at least 29 years.
The scanner at The Daily World crackled with non-stop accident reports throughout the afternoon.
December 26, 1990
When Ocean Shores Elementary students start rummaging through cupboards for after-school snacks, Nancy Jones of Ocean Shores hopes they’ll consider mixing up a fruit salad, tacos or other healthy munchies.
“Some of them, all they think they can do is cookies, potato chips or candy,” Mrs. Jones said.
But she and her husband, Don, are hoping to change that.
Last week they taught grade-schoolers how to peel fruit and use a cutting board and sharp knife to chop it into bite-size pieces.
Don has been a 4-H leader for more than 30 years and she has been a leader for 50 years as well as having taught preschool for 22 years.
“Working with kids didn’t throw us,” she said. “We’ve taught everything from beginning cooking to bread making.”
December 27, 1990
Westport Mayor Harold Lyle Hardy Sr., an immensely patriotic man whose political career is filled with civic accomplishment, died Wednesday after suffering a heart attack. He was 58.
A vigorous community booster, Hardy is credited with being instrumental in establishing the city’s Street of Flags to welcome visitors as they drive into town.
He also spearheaded efforts to establish the Maritime Museum in 1985 and a nearby whale display in 1986.
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.
