75 years ago

April 11, 1942

• Messages received here by families indicate that several Harbor men in the Philippines had escaped capture by the enemy.

Monday Mr. and Mrs. John Marrs, received a cable saying their son, Frank, was “alive and kicking.”

Mr. and Mrs. W.A Sjoblom last week received a letter from their son, Lieutenant Erhard Sjoblom, from the Philippines. It was dated Feb. 7.

Captain John Clark of the marine corps is another Harborite in the islands. Last word from him was received by his wife about three weeks ago.

Recently Mr. and Mrs. Madore Emard of Central Park received a letter from their son, Arthur, who is in the navy. He was “somewhere in the Pacific” at the time.

• The men’s club of Grays Harbor Junior college will entertain at the annual Days of ‘49 celebration. The party will start at 8:30 o’clock with dancing beginning at 10. The Jaycee ‘49er dance band will play.

Tonight will mark the 11th annual presentation of the celebration at which time men and women students alike come dressed as gold miners and their gals. Prizes will be awarded for best costumes as well as best beards which the men have been growing for several weeks.

April 12, 1942

Sunday, no newspaper published

50 years ago

April 11, 1967

Site preparation and preliminary construction have begun at the Boone Street site of the Choker Inn, being built by Rognlin’s, Inc., of Aberdeen, as a dormitory for 80 Grays Harbor College men students.

The U-shaped building, fronting on Boone Avenue about 200 feet south of the college entrance will be built, owned and operated by Rognlin’s. It will operate as a motel in the summer months when the college is not is session, Emery Rognlin said. Consequently the double rooms have a touch of luxury not often found in college dormitories — private bathrooms.

April 12, 1967

An estimated 16,000 persons attended the three-day Home Products Show at the Bayview Building Material Store in Cosmopolis last Friday, Saturday and Sunday, viewing the latest in building products and appliances.

Lanky sophomore John Quigg outdueled veteran Ernie Smith at Olympic Stadium yesterday as the Hoquiam Grizzlies celebrated their home debut under new coach George Asan by tripping defending champion Kelso, 2-1, in a SWW Northern Division encounter.

The young left-hander fanned 7, walked 3 and spun a neat four-hitter in handing the touted Hilanders their second defeat of the conference campaign. Centerfielder Jim Fisher scored the tie-breaking Hoquiam counter in the fifth on a walk, a steal and a sharp single by Bruce Spencer.

25 years ago

April 11, 1992

While local fishermen agree that half is better than none, they’re not going to be celebrating the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s 50 percent reduction in salmon quotas this year.

“I guess it’s better than none,” said commercial fisherman James Merrin. “When you get something, you’re supposed to be grateful for the crumb.”

Charter boat skipper Steve Westrick said he’s just happy there’s going to be a season.

“Anything more than a zero is good news,” Westrick said. “Zero, that’s a disaster.”

Fishermen said they’re tired of being asked to fix what they didn’t break. Merrin said ocean fishing isn’t the cause of the salmon problem, particularly the spawning problem. He blames logging, speed boats and other practices damaging to the salmon’s spawning habitat.

Ocean fishermen are catching just 15 percent of what they brought in during the early 1970s Merrin said.

April 12, 1992

Robert Busenbark’s home in Elma features a variety of intricate leatherwork including vests, clocks, wallets and framed portraits. A scrapbook featuring photos of his various projects is several inches thick. Busey, as he known to everyone in town, figure that over the years he’s fashioned hundreds of billfolds, thousands of card holders and countless portraits.

In 1986 he was nominated for the annual Al Stohlman Award by the trade magazine “The Leather Craftsman,” and he won grand champion honors in the leather crafts division at the Washington State Fair in 1990 and 1991.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom