During this week in July 1908, D.C. Millett, former Chehalis mayor, city attorney and school board member, died at his home on Pennsylvania Avenue from heart disease.
A very large service was held at the Church of the Epiphany, with the body being escorted by the Chehalis attorneys and the vestryman of his church. The pallbearers included Frank Everett, B.F. Arnold. U.B. Harmon, Francis Donahue, W.M. Urquhart, and N.B. Coffman.
Internment was in the Claquato Cemetery, one of the of the longest funeral processions in the history of the city following the remains to the cemetery, where he was laid to rest in a vault, The Chehalis Bee-Nugget wrote.
His office was for years the rendezvous and mecca for the public spirited citizens of Chehalis.
He was instrumental in securing the athletic tract now known as Millett Field.
The original tract was small, so Mr. Millett bought more land adjacent to it and donated it to the city.
Correspondent Is Illiterate
120 years ago, in 1888
The former editor of The Centralia News was not happy with a local reporter.
The correspondent to the Chehalis Bee from Centralia, in their or her, very illiterate composition of last week says — Centralia is quite a lively little business place, we need some man with brains to come and edit a good staunch republican paper, The Centralia News wrote.
The first idea suggests itself to us is, how much would this angel contribute toward the worldly support of their ideal person to edit a good paper. Our experience with this class of would be geniuses has been, that we are yet to receive the first nickel in money or its worth in responsible composition. Where ignorance is bliss its folly to be wise.
Centralia College Continues
75 years ago, in 1933
Centralia Junior Colleges current fund balance included $30.45 in cash, $1,554.96 in four savings and loan associations, and $5,477.24 in the closed Centralia bank. Teachers had not been paid, nor had the rent to the school district.
The college would open again in the fall, with the hope of being self-supporting with an enrollment of 75 students.
Rollfs Café Under New Management
50 years ago, in 1958
Rollfs Café, 218 1/2 N. Tower, Centralia, had a new manager and chef — Tom Rector — who had 30 years of experience, with nine years as the chef at the Lewis-Clark Hotel. The 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. cook was Mrs. Alfred Harper. Mrs. A.M. Bell was the 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. cook.
Lets Go Out To Eat
25 years ago, in 1983
At the Norwester Restaurant, soup, sandwich and a salad bar cost $1.89. At Chef Johns, a July luncheon special included homemade soup and salad bar for $1.21. At the café at Yard Birds, a week-end chef special was a grilled cheese sandwich with a cup of soup for $1.39.
Packwood Man Dies
10 years ago, in 1998
Mark J. Kistenmacher, 33, of Packwood, died when his 1985 Suzuki motorcycle crossed the center line on a curve and hit a 1991 GMC truck driven by Donald A. Block, 61, of Tacoma. Block was not injured.
UFO Craze Started Here
Five years ago, in 2003
The Discovery Channel was in Lewis County as they believed the UFO craze started here.
A summer afternoon on June 24, 1947, pilot Ken Arnold saw nine high-speed objects around the mountain peaks, which moved like saucers on water. He was close to Mineral, Washington, with Rainier and Adams on his left and right.
An Unsolved History program at the end of October would devote eight to 10 minutes to the beginning of the UFO phenomenon.
Clarkson Is Flying Saucer Investigator
One year ago, in 2007
At the Winlock Library, James Clarkson, flying saucer expert and a member of Mutual UFO Network, spoke about pilot Ken Arnold who spotted flying saucers in 1947.
Since Arnold was a former United State marshal and respected businessman, his sightings were taken seriously.
