75 years ago

Feb. 7, 1942

Fire of undetermined origin last night and early this morning reduced to a charred hulk the coastwise steam schooner, Alwill, tied up at the Hart mill dock in Raymond since December 3.

Chief George Larson of Raymond’s fire department said the conflagration started somewhere in the engine room hold, swept up to the midship section and completely wrecked the engine room, staterooms, control room, galley, crew’s quarters and boat deck. The big diesel engine was reduced to a charred wreck. A heavy ammonia tank, said to have been in the bottom of the engine room hold, exploded and was hurled to the main deck grating.

Feb. 8, 1942

Sunday, no newspaper published

50 years ago

Feb. 7, 1967

Young and sick fur seals that were not strong enough to survive the rigors of their species’ long migration from South American waters to the Pribilof Islands have been drifting ashore onto Westport-Grayland beaches.

One of them was picked up by Deputy Sheriff Dan Crisp and spent the weekend in a bathtub at the Crisp home. Another was found earlier in the week and taken to the Westport Aquarium where she is being nursed back to health by new owner Larry Smith.

Feb. 8, 1967

• Slow in starting against deliberate, resourceful Centralia, Aberdeen’s 4th-ranked Bobcats found their stride in the second period last night and pulled away steadily to outclass the Tigers, 69-49 and end a 5-game Hub City winning streak.

Center Gary Hopkins, playing despite a painfully broken callous on one foot, pumped in 25 points to pace the scoring as Dick Dixon’s cagers treated a Sam Benn Gym turnout of 1,500 to their 11th conference victory against one loss.

• Sharpshooting forwards Terry Burke and Steve Papac sparked a third stanza Montesano eruption last night in Tacoma as Coach Jim Castleberry’s determined Bulldogs broke open a tight cage fracas with Charles Wright and coasted home with a 60-47 Central League victory.

25 years ago

Feb. 7, 1992

The All Veterans’ Honor Guard of Grays Harbor will install a new president for the first time in 31 years.

Ernie Linnenkohl, who took office in 1961, is being succeeded by fellow Hoquiamite Will Carey. The “Changing of the Guard” banquet is tonight at the Aberdeen VFW Hall.

A special guest will be Nick Yantsin of Oceanside, Calif., who founded a “firing squad” to offer military honors at veterans’ funerals in 1947 when he was commander of the Aberdeen Post 5 of the American Legion.

The VFW, Hoquiam and Aberdeen American Legion posts, the 40 et 8, the Disabled American Veterans and the Catholic War Veterans contributed funds for new uniforms. The honor guard was the only one of its type in the state and quickly developed a reputation for precision and military decorum.

The honor guard received national attention when a number of dignitaries gathered in Aberdeen in 1960 when Congressman Russell Mack, R-Hoquiam, was buried at Fern Hill Cemetery.

Feb. 8, 1992

When Evelyn Ritenburgh of the Pacific County American Red Cross first learned than an apartment fire on Ellis Street in Raymond last month had left nearly 30 people homeless, she knew she had a big job ahead.

The Red Cross was already working to provide a fresh start for two other families dislocated by another apartment fire across town only a week earlier. “At the time, we didn’t know of any more than three apartments that were open,” she said.

But through “nothing short of a miracle,” and generous donations from around the state, all but one tenant have now found a new address and a few donated items to get by. Presbyterian churches from across the state began bringing blankets and bed frames into town by the truckloads. The local Seventh-Day Adventist church donated homemade quilts, and donations of clothing came from various places. “We had London Fog coats and Bass shoes, so many nice items,” said Rittenburgh.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom