85 YEARS AGO

April 6, 1940

Aberdeen Moose will dedicate their new clubhouse in the upper floor of the Moose hall on Heron street with ceremonies beginning tonight at a pre-dedication ball and continuing through Sunday.

Dedication of the clubroom brings to a climax a membership campaign, a result of which will be initiation of a class of about 100 new members at the Sunday lodge session.

The new clubroom, planned by Clarence W. George, Aberdeen architect, utilizes part of the space formerly occupied by the Moose gymnasium. It was built so that the lodge can extend the facilities later into a dining room or enlarged clubroom by finishing the remainder of the gymnasium.

Willapa Harbor’s historic lighthouse, lit first in 1856, making it one of the earliest on the coast, is doomed by encroachment of the channel, and may be replaced this summer.

The channel, which 20 years ago was a mile south of its present location, and which only two months ago was 60 feet away, has cut to within 20 feet of the light and threatens to undermine the tower and its accompanying buildings at any time.

Plans are, it was said, to build a new combined light station, radio beacon and lookout, all in one structure, about a quarter-mile inland on higher ground.

April 8, 1940

A few hours before the road was to be closed to remove loosened rocks which threatened to fall from the hillside, a slide last night temporarily halted traffic at Aberdeen’s east entrance after striking a passing car.

Elmer T. Crawford of West Third Street said today he was driving east when the slide rumbled off the hill. A large boulder rolled in front of his car, smashing the left front wheel before he could stop his machine.

Prompt action early Sunday morning in extinguishing a series of blazes in the old Imperial hotel in Elma averted what might have been a costly fire in the heart of the Elma business district, firemen said today.

Fires had been set in four rooms and in two places in the halls of the big frame structure which soon is to be razed to make way for a new service station.

E. E. Miller, operator of a tavern in the hotel, had closed his place for the night and with his wife was serving sandwiches to Mr. and Mrs. Sandy Burnett, when smoke started pouring down the hall. They immediately turned the alarm and firemen checked the fires before they had gotten well started.

April 9, 1940

Robert Hunter of Copalis was near death today at Aberdeen General hospital with a fractured skull suffered yesterday in a wood accident at the M and B Logging company camp near Markham. Hospital attendants said his condition was very serious and held out little hope he would recover.

He was struck by a flying snag or small tree, according to fellow employees who brought him to the hospital last night.

April 12, 1940

Nels R. Westin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nels A. Westin of W. Market Street in Aberdeen, may be one of the 1,060 American citizens awaiting evacuation from Norway, the latest war zone between Germany and the allies.

Young Westin boarded the Norwegian ship Sydland about a year ago and left the vessel after a year during which he saw ports in all corners of the world. He was an oiler.

In his last letter Westin informed his parents he would tour Norway for a time and then go to Sweden before sailing for the United States. He was to cable them as soon as he embarked for the United States.

60 YEARS AGO

April 6, 1965

Hallmark cards are the latest addition to the varied merchandise offered by Herbig Jewelers, 110 E. Wishkah. Spacious aisles and soft lighting were added to display the quality card line to its best advantage.

Aberdeen’s Mike Aleksey and Jim Richardson combined on a one-hitter to subdue the Elma Eagles, 6-0. Singles by Tom Morgan, Denny Marxen and Walt Failor combined with four walks and one hit batsman to give the ‘Cats their entire allotment of runs in the second inning.

April 7, 1965

Eight Hoquiam blows combined with six Chehalis errors yesterday as the Grizzlies went on a scoring spree and thumped the host Bearcats, 11-5.

Spotted a 7-0 lead after three innings, Gene Thompson went the distance for the Grizzlies despite Bill Babcock’s two-run homer in the fourth and a three-run splurge, aided by three Hoquiam miscues, in the sixth.

April 8, 1965

The country’s newest sport is leaving a trail of fractured adolescents from Southern California to the East Coast.

Skateboarding, a sidewalk-roadway version of surfing, has become the latest youthful mania.

Skateboarding is performed on a simple piece of board, about two feet long, with roller skate wheels attached to the bottom. Learning to ride often is a period of alarmingly frequent meetings with the asphalt and the hazards of the sport have caused concern among parents and doctors alike.

April 9, 1965

The Hoquiam Library currently has on exhibit a one-woman show by Della Bushnell, Aberdeen’s best-known artist.

The show has a good variety of Mrs. Bushnell’s works and was selected to demonstrate the versatility of the subject matter used by her. Attracting considerable attention is a portrait of one of her granddaughters at age 4, which she calls “Barbara.”

April 10, 1965

A seven-year-old Seattle boy was pronounced dead on arrival at Grays Harbor Community Hospital yesterday afternoon following a Copalis Beach tragedy. According to a deputy sheriff, the boy was playing on a log that was about 30 feet long and three feet in diameter when he fell forward and the log rolled over him, pinning him beneath its weight.

April 12, 1965

A story by two local people, Dell Mulkey, photographer and Mary Lynne Reiner (Mrs. Marvin Reiner), the text, appeared in yesterday’s Seattle Time rotogravure section.

The three-page article featured “wet suit” surfing at Point Grenville and Ocean Shores. Usually thought of as too cold for surfing, our beaches are now popular for the sport because of the buoyant neoprene-foam suits. A small group of surfers who “discovered” Point Grenville for the sport have been coming all winter long from Seattle and Everett to cavort on the big surfboards.

Shown in the photographs are Paul Carkonen and Ron McDougall of Hoquiam as well as other members of the “Wave Tamers” a group of Hoquiam high schoolers who surf every weekend.

35 YEARS AGO

April 6, 1990

Yakima County’s measles outbreak is now classed as an epidemic, as four new cases brought the year’s total to 34. The state of Washington is mirroring a national explosion of measles cases, with the 67 reported across the state already 12 more than all of last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

April 7, 1990

The rust was evident in other areas. But a long layoff had no ill effects on Montesano’s hitting prowess.

Ripping 17 hits and scoring in each of the final six innings, the Bulldogs outslugged Elma, 20-9, in a non-league baseball game Friday at Eagle Field.

Winning pitcher Jared Manley collected four hits and batterymate Vern Jones drove in four runs with three singles to lead the Monte attack. Jake Papac also had three hits; Shawn Sias scored four runs and knocked in three and Kevin Vessey delivered the games biggest blow, a bases-loaded triple in an eight-run fourth innings.

April 8, 1990

Jenny Goeres of Satsop spent more than a year working on her recently-published children’s book.

But even so, when the first copy appeared in her mailbox late in February, it was “a neat surprise” she said.

“A Mom for Alexander” is the story of a young calf that is rejected when his mother has twins. He eventually meets up with another cow, whose calf had died.

The real story is adoption, explained Goeres. It’s a story that hits close to home and her heart. Three of Goeres’ four children were adopted.

April 9, 1990

Joe Collison, 30, of Aberdeen, fell from a crane bucket onto the deck of the Wishkah River Bridge this morning. He suffered lacerations to his arm and was stunned by the 10-foot fall but paramedics said he was probably not seriously injured. He was transported to Community Hospital.

Collison, an employee of Root Paint Co. in Hoquiam was cleaning one of the bridge’s under girders when two of the chains securing the bucket came loose, according to witnesses.

April 10, 1990

Aberdeen and Hoquiam restaurateur Ralph Larson said last month’s Ethnic Heritage Festival seemed to lure so many people into Duffy’s restaurants that he will pick up the tab for the stolen heritage flags.

Dorothy Cook, festival organizer and Hoquiam City Council member, said that Larson has offered to donate $110 to the Centennial Committee so it can pay for the 11 colorful flags from various countries that were stolen the night before the festival.

The flags lined the street along Central School. Within a 30-minute time period they were stolen and many of their poles were destroyed.

April 11, 1990

The Easter performance at the Ocean Shores Baptist Church this year includes singers who can’t read words yet, let alone music.

Co-directors Connie Lindsey and Donna Smith feel the Tiny Tot Choir they’ve been coaching since last year has accomplished quite a lot. It features about 16 singers none of whom are over 7 years old. At their upcoming performance on Easter, the group will recite a Bible verse and sing three numbers with sign language accompanying one song.

“It’s a lot of hard work, but we all thoroughly enjoy it,” said Lindsey, wife of Rev. Danny Lindsey. “This gives children a special part in our church service. We wanted them to get involved.”

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.