In this installment of A Look Back in Time, the Thursday, June 7, 1945, edition of The Chronicle featured a story about the Rowe and Thompson pre-fabricated housing manufacturer in Chehalis receiving an Army-Navy E Award for excellence in production after the company produced pre-fabricated barracks for the U.S. Army during World War II.
An unnamed Napavine man was committed to a psychiatric hospital after he wandered into a Napavine tavern, stabbed a dog in its foot, poured a soda into a man’s pocket and poured a beer into another man’s hat, according to the Tuesday, June 7, 1955, edition of The Chronicle.
And in the Monday, June 7, 1965, edition of The Chronicle, it was reported that Lewis County farmers were facing a rough start to the spring planting season after a lack of rain over the previous two weeks left newly planted crops struggling.
A Look Back in Time is compiled using Chronicle archives at the Lewis County Historical Museum along with digital archives on newspapers.com.
Friday, June 7, 1935
• Following its sale to Richard Winston and W.A. Fraser, the Tenino Shingle Mill was set to reopen on Monday, The Chronicle reported. “Winston was formerly foreman of the Malone Mill, and Fraser is an experienced shingle man, now living near Rochester. Both will make their home in Tenino. The new operators are expected to employ 12 or 14 men, and may use two or three shifts.”
• The Centralia Police Department increased the broadcasting range of the department’s radio system, The Chronicle reported. To increase the broadcasting range, power to the police radio station was increased from 15 watts to 50 watts according to Centralia Police Chief Milton Jastram, allowing the department to communicate with both the Seattle and Portland police departments. “Jastram said the new range of the local station may lead to the installation of receiving sets on the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office patrol cars, and will keep state highway patrolmen between Portland and Seattle in touch with Centralia. The local station recently was listed as one of the best of its size in the Northwest by a federal radio inspector.”
• A Napavine farmer suffered several injuries after a piece of farm equipment exploded while he was operating it, The Chronicle reported. “While Lester Beal was operating a separator on the Beal farm south of here the machine ‘blew up,’ cutting several gashes in his face, shoulder and chest and nearly severing a thumb.” He was listed as being under a physician’s care.
• Chehalis resident Lizzie Keller was retiring after an 18-year career as a taxi driver, The Chronicle reported. “She believes she had established a record of some kind in never having had an accident. Asked about interesting experiences, Mrs. Keller says that she has been held up four or five times, the last time being two years ago.”
• Barrelling of the 1935 strawberry crop had begun at the National Canning Company in Chehalis after the first harvest deliveries had arrived, The Chronicle reported. “It is expected the movement will be in full swing in the coming week, according to manager Carl Boe … The fruit coming into the local markets is perfect in quality, as it is being harvested under ideal conditions.”
• The Chronicle featured a public notice from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office that the sheriff would be at the courthouse on July 13 auctioning off two plots of land owned by the county. The first plot was in an addition in Chehalis and had a minimum starting bid of $250. The second plot was out in East Lewis County and had a minimum starting bid of $200.
Thursday, June 7, 1945
• Chehalis’ Rowe and Thompson pre-fabricated housing manufacturer was awarded the Army-Navy E Award for excellence in production for the company’s World War II efforts, The Chronicle reported. During WWII, Rowe and Thompson produced pre-fabricated and insulated barracks units for use in the Pacific Theater. “‘The award consists of a flag to be flown above your plant and a lapel pin which every man and woman in your plant may wear as a symbol of high contribution to American freedom,’ Robert P. Paterson, under-secretary of war, declared when he announced the Chehalis firm had qualified for the award. ‘This award is your nation’s tribute to your patriotism and to your hard work in backing up our soldiers fighting on the fronts.’” The award presentation ceremony was set for the following Thursday at Rowe and Thompson with the U.S. Army band performing and Chehalis Chamber of Commerce Virgil R. Lee acting as master of ceremonies. Rowe and Thompson were still producing barracks for the Army at the time too, as they were in the midst of fulfilling a $2,230,000 contract for 2,804 more barracks.
• Two locals fighting in World War II’s Pacific Theater had been listed as missing in action and a third was listed as wounded by the U.S. Department of War, The Chronicle reported. Wounded was U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Leo Grunenfelder of Centralia. “The Navy Department said Seaman First Class Earl Davis … of Chehalis was missing in action, and Second Lieutenant Clyde Ames … of Oakville, was also missing.”
• “Veteran Daily Chronicle Employee” Fred Crawford was in critical condition at the Lewis County General Hospital after being kicked by a horse on his farm on Tuesday, The Chronicle reported. “Family members said the accident occurred about 7:30 p.m. in the barn when the Centralian entered a stall of a mare with a colt. They said they believed the kick did little more than bruise him, but the wrenching from the unexpected blow caused internal injury involving the surgical operation from which Crawford was recovering.”
• U.S. Army Air Force Second Lieutenant James Reuther of Toledo was awarded the Purple Heart Medal at Fort Lewis after being wounded on his fifth Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombing mission during World War II, The Chronicle reported. “Last March the lieutenant piloted his badly shot-up B-17 bomber to a crash landing near Canterbury, England, a spot situated only seven miles from where his brother, Staff Sergeant Robert Reuther, was located. He had already landed another badly damaged B-17 back in England on his fourth mission without injury.”
• A three-bedroom home on 35 acres near Winlock with a barn, farm animals included and 20 acres of berries and fruit already planted was listed for sale in The Chronicle’s classifieds for $6,500.
Tuesday, June 7, 1955
• An unnamed 28-year-old Napavine man received a committing order to a psychiatric hospital from the Lewis County Superior Court following a “disconcerting foray” where he brought a shotgun and caused trouble at a bar, The Chronicle reported. According to Lewis County Undersheriff Henry Valentine, the 28-year-old appeared at a Napavine tavern with a shotgun, which he was told to leave outside and did. From there though, things turned a bit violent and strange. “In the tavern, he drove the blade of a large knife he carried through a dog’s foot, pulled it out, wiped it on his trousers and then sauntered to the bar. There, he poured a bottle of pop into a man’s pocket. Then he took another patron’s hat, poured it full of beer and kicked the hat outside. By that time, most of the tavern’s population was outside. Deputies Henry Brown Jr. and Gene Mann took the man into custody with no trouble. He asked if they were the ‘dope’ investigators he had been looking for. They said they were, and he cheerfully agreed to accompany them.”
• Harold Fairchild, a 22-year-old Oregon man charged with auto theft, was fined $360 in Lewis County Superior Court by Judge John Murray after pleading guilty, The Chronicle reported. Fairchild had stolen a car belonging to John Rogich of Morton earlier that year. “The vehicle was later found a total wreck at the bottom of a 75-foot embankment.”
• W.R. Williams of Centralia was a guest of honor at the Centralia Elks Temple following his retirement after a 38-year career on the railroads, last working as an engineer for the Northern Pacific Railway, The Chronicle reported. “During the evening, the honored guest was presented a life-time membership in the Society for the Preservation of the Memory of Steam Locomotives and the Men who Ran Them, a reclining chair and a machinist’s vice … Williams says he expects to do a little more fishing, use the chair and vice, and wants his friends to remember he still lives at 112 S. Gold St.”
• “Pioneer” William T. Hendricks of Pe Ell had passed away in Centralia on Monday, The Chronicle reported. A retired farmer, Hendricks had spent most of his life in Pe Ell. “Born April 2, 1870, he came to Pe Ell in 1881. He was a member of the Pe Ell Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons.”
• A three-bedroom home in Centralia with a fenced yard, birch cabinets, attached garage and a utility room was listed for sale in The Chronicle’s classifieds for $11,750. A partly-furnished four-bedroom home in Centralia was listed for rent for $30 a month.
Monday, June 7, 1965
• Lewis County farmers were facing peril with some of their crops after two straight weeks with no rainfall, The Chronicle reported. According to Lewis County extension agent Ralph Roffler, both hay and silage crops were already on the light side. “Since the 80-degree weather late last week, spring-planted grain, peas and new grass clovering seedlings are beginning to suffer … Weather trouble for croplands started in March, when precipitation was only 50% of normal. Less rain, plus a lot of drying winds, prevented any buildup of soil moisture reserves.”
• Participating business owners had declared the 12th annual Centralia Fiesta Days festival a success, The Chronicle reported. “The two-day program was greeted by large crowds of shoppers and spectators, who enjoyed the festivities under warm, clear skies. Co-chairmen for Fiesta Days, John McNiven and Sanley Farr, and Chuck Dunham, chairman of the retail trades committee of the chamber, planned the promotion.” During the festival, some 20 decorative booths lined the streets in downtown Centralia and 500 barbecued chickens were given away. “Other attractions included an art show, a fiesta dance and skating party, and special shoppers’ bargains.”
• Two Winlock men along with three other juveniles were arrested for underaged drinking the previous day, The Chronicle reported. The two Winlock men were Hoy Brown and Lonnie Bradshaw, both 19. Brown and Bradshaw were in a car drinking with a 17-year-old married couple and another juvenile. “Brown was charged with illegal possession and consumption of alcohol while a minor and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors.” Bradshaw received the same charges.
• A three-bedroom house in Centralia with a family room, fireplace, built-in oven and range and dishwasher was listed for sale in The Chronicle’s classifieds for $19,900. A new two-bedroom “A frame” duplex in Chehalis in was listed for rent for $100 a month.
Saturday, June 7, 1975
• The Weyerhaeuser Company had finished construction of a new employee center and greenhouse at the company’s Rochester facility, The Chronicle reported. “The 5000-square-foot employee center has a finished exterior of dark stained cedar plywood. Interior appointments include a lunchroom with kitchen equipment, tables and chairs, lockers, showers and restrooms for employees.” The employee center cost $250,000 to construct and would serve the 60 to 140 seasonal workers usually seen at the Rochester facility. “Carrying an estimated $240,000 price tag, the Dutch design greenhouse covers 15,000 square feet. Much of the activity there will be experimental in nature.”
• A total of 14 campgrounds were now open in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest’s Packwood and Randle districts, The Chronicle reported. “Although a large amount of snowfall, some of which fell unusually late in the spring, has kept many campgrounds closed, Gifford Pinchot National Forest Officials in the Packwood and Randle ranger districts have announced that many are now open for public use … Although high water is prevalent in most of the upper mountain streams, in the Randle district, legal size fish have been planted in the Lower Iron Creek, the north fork of the Cispus River, and Twin Loche Ponds. Fish will soon be planted in Yellowjacket Creek. No streams have been stocked in the Packwood district.”
• Both the Chehalis Police Department and Lewis County Sheriff’s Office responded to the second bomb threat in three days in the Chehalis Industrial Park on Friday, The Chronicle reported. “At 1:09 p.m., a secretary in Moduline Industries, Inc.’s office in the Chehalis Industrial Park, received a telephone call from a male subject warning her that a bomb would explode in one of Moduline’s buildings in the park … A thorough search of the area by deputies and Chehalis police uncovered no evidence of a bomb, a deputy said.” This second bomb threat came after the first on Wednesday at the Lewis County Mall. “A search there also failed to turn up a bomb.”
• A “charming Cape Cod hillside” three-bedroom house in Chehalis with a two-car garage was listed for sale in The Chronicle’s classifieds for $39,800. A new two-bedroom house in Centralia was listed for rent for $170 a month.
