With the dawning of March 2018, here’s a look back at the events that made the news 110 years ago in the pages of the March 5, 1908 Aberdeen Herald.
THE D.S. JOHNSTON CO. — The Well-Known Piano House Opens Permanent Sales Room Here — J.E. Caldwell, the popular piano salesman for the D.S. Johnston Co., returned this week, and now considers himself a permanent resident of Aberdeen, his house having decided that the Grays Harbor field was too important to leave to the care of itinerant salesmen.
Mr. Caldwell secured salesrooms at 208 South H Street, and is busy caring for a carload of pianos and organs that arrived yesterday. When urgent business called Mr. Caldwell away last November, it was thought the company had abandoned Aberdeen, but, we are informed, that was not the intention, and that gentleman is returned as soon as his services could be dispensed with at the Tacoma office.
DOG IN GRAND THEATER — Manager Benn Unable to Dislodge the Brute from the Gallery — A large dog taken to the gallery of the Grand Theater by a young logger Sunday night nearly distracted Clay Clement as well as the attaches of the playhouse. When the audience applauded, the dog would bark wildly and then some. Mr. Clement gave a mild roast to the management, and Manager Benn climbed three flights of stairs, and being badly winded was unable to do much more than threaten to kick the dog out. The young logger didn’t propose to have the animal hurt, and told Mr. Benn so with a look that meant evil. Between the dog, and the owner, Mr. Benn was perplexed but the dog won out. (The Mr. Benn referenced in this article was the portly son of Aberdeen’s Founder)
JAIL WAS EMPTY — For the First Time in Months Cells of City Bastile Without Tenants — For the first time in many months the city jail on Tuesday night was without a prisoner of any kind. Chief Birmingham took particular pride in calling attention to the fact, and also to the presumption that his golden rule scheme is working satisfactorily. The jail being empty was a refutation of the well-recognized rule of life that trouble drives a man to drink. The hard times evidently are having no such effect on Aberdeen’s population.
SOME CHANGES IN THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICE — Since taking charge of the fire department, Chief Schneider has been a busy man, making changes here and there whenever needed.
The former meeting hall of the old volunteer guard is now given up to beds, and the room looks like the sleeping quarters of a hospital.
There is at present ten men in the department, including the chief, and one man is needed. To the request for men at $10 a month and free sleeping accommodations, Chief Schneider received three responses from stalwart fellows, and wants another man.
The force, including the chief, now sleep in the city hall, and the regulars have been uniformed in suits of blue with brass buttons. All the hose in branch hose houses has been brought to the main building, cleaned and overhauled.
The department responded to two alarms during February.
In addition to the regular stories, the paper regularly ran the column, “Tales of the Town Tersely Told” which were mostly one paragraph stories about the comings, goings, and doings of the local populace. A few of these stood out:
It is alleged that the game laws in regard to the killing of deer are constantly violated. It is further stated that venison is disposed of in this city either by gift or sale.
Lillian Marshall, who was arrested on the charge of running a disreputable house and asked for a jury trial Wednesday, did not appear, and forfeited a cash bail bond of $25.
Chester Strayer, who has been employed by the C.E. Burrows Co. for the past two years, has taken the position of baggage messenger on the trains for the S.W. Johnston Transfer Co.
Edward Brunzell, who was arrested on the charge of robbing the grocery store at First and B Streets, was taken to Montesano Tuesday to await trial, having failed to provide bail in the sum of $500. Brunzell maintains a bold front in the face of almost absolute proof of his guilt.
The ladies of the Congregational Church are holding a “Koffe Klatch” this afternoon, at the home of Mrs. W.H. McWhinney, 219 North F Street.
A young man, with a grandmother and three children dependent on him, wants work of almost any kind. Inquire of Dr. B.M. MacLafferty, Room 8, Zelasko Block.
Manager Hart, of the Hart-Wood mill, received a telegram Wednesday announcing the arrival of the steamer Quinault, with Rev. Chas. McDermoth on board.
The Sea Beach cannery will be started in a few days for the packing of clams. About forty hands will be employed during the season.
Entirely unknown to either teachers or scholars, Principal Williams sounded the fire alarm this morning at the Franklin School, and, without the least confusion, the 600 pupils were out of the building in 75 seconds.
The putting in of the foundation of the new steel bridge for the Northern Pacific across the Wishkah River is a point of great interest at present for the idle and for the curious. A railway company does its work so extensively, so well and so permanently that it is well worth stopping a few minutes to notice the proceedings.
Roy Vataja is the son of Finnish immigrants and occasionally heads down F Street to study the old steel railroad bridge that still crosses the Wishkah River.
