In this installment of A Look Back in Time, the Friday, July 19, 1935, edition of The Chronicle featured a story about Chehalis Chamber of Commerce members getting ready to attempt to break their own world record set in 1931 for cooking the world’s largest cheese omelet.
Randle resident Ray Goble was recovering in the Morton hospital after he survived being gored in the chest by a bull he owned while leading it away from a barn, according to the Tuesday, July 19, 1955, edition of The Chronicle.
And in the Saturday, July 19, 1975, edition of The Chronicle, it was reported that Morton resident Gery Kelly was planning a protest of the Morton Police Department after she claimed law enforcement entered her home illegally without a warrant and arrested her husband on a charge contributing to the delinquency of a minor after police said they observed a 20-year-old drinking a beer on their property.
A Look Back in Time is compiled using Chronicle archives at the Lewis County Historical Museum along with digital archives on newspapers.com.
Friday, July 19, 1935
• Chehalis Chamber of Commerce members were getting ready to attempt to cook the “world’s largest cheese omelet” using a “frying pan nine feet across“ at the upcoming 20th annual Farmers’ and Merchants’ Picnic, The Chronicle reported. The picnic was scheduled for Aug. 8 at Chehalis’ Alexander Park. “Negotiations are under way now to secure two chefs to supervise construction work on the big dish. How many eggs and how much cheese will be needed to fill the great pan has not been determined, but it is known that thousands of eggs and tens of pounds of cheese will be needed.” The City of Chehalis already held the record for making the world’s largest cheese omelet at the 1931 annual picnic at Alexander Park, where 7,200 eggs were used to cook a massive omelet. While still producing breakfast for thousands of attendees in 1935, the second giant omelet maxed out at 6,000 eggs. Chehalis’ record stood until 1941, when the City of Long Beach commissioned a giant frying pan larger than Chehalis’ after borrowing Chehalis’ pan to cook the “world’s largest clam fritter” for Long Beach’s inaugural Razor Clam Festival in 1940. Currently, the largest omelet on record today was made in Portugal in 2012, using 145,000 eggs.
• Forty Alpha residents sent a resolution to state Highway Director Lacey Murrow to get surveying done for the development of a Centralia-Morton-White Pass highway, The Chronicle reported. The residents sent the resolution following a Centralia Chamber of Commerce hearing outlining the proposed highway at the Alpha Grange. In attendance at the meeting were Chamber President O.E. Nelson, Chamber roads and highway committee chairman C.C. Swartwood, Chamber manager Robert Conrad and Lewis County Commissioner C.A. Young. “‘The chamber feels that a great deal was accomplished at this meeting, as the road project was unanimously accepted by the Alpha people, who pledged their support in assisting with the promotion of the highway,’ Swartwood said.”
• The dedication for the newly completed Lawiswis Campground in East Lewis County near Packwood was set for Saturday, The Chronicle reported. Speakers included Columbia National Forest supervisor K.P. Cecil, Eastern Lewis County Citizens’ League President R.T. Siler along with a “hill billy band” performance. “Opening at 12:30 o’clock with a picnic lunch, at which circles of the Lewis County Garden Club will act as hosts to invited guests, the dedication will continue at 1:30 with speaking and entertainment.”
• A 1935 Chevrolet pick up truck with “only 2,000 miles” was listed for sale in The Chronicle’s classifieds for $265.
Thursday, July 19, 1945
• Centralia resident Roy Steele visited McChord Field to receive the U.S. Army Air Force’s Air Medal with one silver and four bronze Oak Leaf clusters, which was awarded posthumously to his son, Army Air Force Staff Sergeant Perry M. Steele, The Chronicle reported. “The airman, a native of Centralia, entered the service in March, 1941. He went overseas in November of the following year and flew more than 60 missions before meeting death.” Perry Steele, who served as a gunner and engineer, was killed in action on Nov. 9, 1944, while flying over Europe.
• U.S. Army Air Force Private C.C. Hackney, of Randle, was one of nine crewmen killed in a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress training accident crash at the Smoky Hill Air Field in Salina, Kansas, according to an Associated Press story featured in The Chronicle. The crash occurred “three miles south of the base yesterday, field officials announced. The accident was caused by bad weather, the report said.”
• The U.S. Office of Price Administration (OPA) removed its ration restrictions on new 1942 model passenger cars, The Chronicle reported. During World War II, U.S. auto manufacturers halted production of consumer cars to assist with building tanks, planes and other military vehicles for the war effort at the beginning of 1942. In response, the OPA secured around 520,000 1942 model cars to slowly distribute to dealers throughout WWII, but as the war was drawing to an end and manufacturers were designing new 1946 models for the consumer market once more, rationing was no longer needed. “All that remains of about 520,000 passenger cars frozen for rationing early in 1942, are priced at March 1942 levels plus storage charges. The latter item led to dealers’ fears they might have difficulty selling the older cars when the new models appear.”
• A three-bedroom, two-story home with a yard “like a park with lots of fruit and shrubbery” in Centralia was listed for sale in The Chronicle’s classifieds for $5,000.
Tuesday, July 19, 1955
• Randle resident Ray Goble was recovering at the Morton hospital after being gored by his own bull at home, The Chronicle reported. “He was leading the animal from a barn when attacked. The bull’s horns caught Goble in the chest and he was tossed over a fence.” Despite the brutal attack and bleeding, Goble was able to crawl to his aunt’s nearby home, who took him to the hospital.
• The Chronicle featured an Associated Press story about a prison fight where two correctional officers were beaten at the state penitentiary in Walla Walla, which the Warden Lawrence Delmore Jr. blamed on a “home brew” secretly made by inmates. “Delmore said two inmates apparently became intoxicated on the brew and attacked A.R. Thompson, foreman of the prison laundry, and John Bates, a repairman. Neither was seriously injured.” The inmates involved were Robert Sheehan and Thaddeus DuPuy. “Delmore said the two convicts were assigned to the prison ice plant, and ‘evidently made some home brew over the weekend.’”
• Ten “youth” all arrested on Monday were in the custody of either the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office or Centralia Police Department, The Chronicle reported. “In Centralia, two juveniles, 15 and 17 years old, were taken into custody by police after they were seen attempting to steal gas from a car. Liquor was found in their car at the time of their arrest. One youth is from Centralia and the other Rochester.” Pe Ell resident Bill Arrington, 20, and another unnamed 16-year-old from Pe Ell were also arrested by Centralia police and charged with possession of liquor, who also picked up two runaways from Quincy, 14 and 15. Out near Randle, Aberdeen resident Duane McLean, 22, was charged with contributing to the delinquency of minors after he and three other Aberdeen youths drove their car off the road in East Lewis County. The other youths, two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old, were taken to the county’s juvenile ward in Chehalis. “Lewis County sheriff’s officers said they believe the youth’s car is the one involved in the stealing of two or three cases of beer from a beer truck in Chehalis Monday.”
• Former Centralia resident and engineer John S. Ward died in Seattle at the age of 71, The Chronicle reported. A Centralia High School alumni, Ward was the founder of Cascade Contractors, Inc., and the Ward Construction Company, which specialized in the construction of dams, bridges and power plants. “The firm, reorganized today, is engaged in a major contract for phase two of The Dalles Dam at The Dalles, Oregon.”
• A four-bedroom home with a "separate rental unit” in Chehalis was listed for sale in The Chronicle’s classifieds for $8,240. A five-bedroom “modern” furnished home on Salzer Valley Road was listed for rent for $40 a month.
Monday, July 19, 1965
• Winlock resident Edward Wakkurl, 83, was “killed instantly” on Sunday afternoon after he stepped into the side of a southbound Great Northern Railway freight train traveling through the South Lewis County community, The Chronicle reported. “He died of multiple injuries according to Dr. L.G. Steck, Lewis County coroner … A resident of Winlock for 20 years, Wakkurl was formerly of Toledo. He was a retired farmer.”
• Two 19-year-old Winlock residents, Lonnie Bradshaw and Roy Brown, were recovering from injuries sustained in a car crash on Saturday, The Chronicle reported. “State troopers said Bradshaw’s vehicle ran off the highway on a curve, flipped over and threw him out. Bradshaw received head injuries and was listed in fair condition Monday, St. Helen Hospital attendants reported.” Brown was not thrown from the vehicle but still received head injuries along with cuts and bruises. He was listed in “good” condition. “Officers said Bradshaw’s 1956 model sedan was a total loss.”
• Lewis County Planning Commission members officially endorsed the creation of the Lake Creek Watershed District 1, which included the entire Morton Valley and Davis Lake area, The Chronicle reported. The watershed project began in the early 1900s and “a more permanent foundation for the project is being sought. The purpose of this district is to drain the valley east of Morton and to lower the water level in Morton. Ernie Geissler, county engineer, reported that the highway department is investigating alternate locations for the southerly end of the Kosmos-Morton-Elbe highway. He said that the westerly route is most favored, though no definite decision has been reached.”
• A “nearly new” three-bedroom home with a two-car garage in Centralia was listed for sale in The Chronicle’s classifieds for $17,750. Downtown Chehalis one- and two-bedroom apartments with kitchens were listed for rent for $40 a month.
Saturday, July 19, 1975
• Morton resident Gery Kelly was organizing a protest to picket the Morton Police Department after she claimed the police illegally entered her home without a warrant on July 12, The Chronicle reported. Law enforcement entered the home at around 9 p.m. and arrested her husband, Dan Kelly, along with a 20-year-old. “The youth was charged with illegal possession of alcohol while her husband was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.” The 20-year-old allegedly had a beer can in his hand, but Gery claimed it belonged to another adult present. According to Morton Police Chief Lee Green, his officers were driving by the residence when they noticed a minor drinking beer. “He noted the people at the residence were holding a ‘kegger.’” Gery claimed law enforcement entered the residence and told everyone they were all under arrest, but when asked to produce a warrant, could not. “Mrs. Kelly said the demonstration was planned to draw attention to the fact that police are not acting as peace officers anymore.”
• Local children were treated to free pony cart rides in Centralia thanks to Centerville Western Stores owner Richard “Dick” Baker, The Chronicle reported. “Children were taken on tours of the downtown area as part of Centralia’s annual Fiesta Days celebration. The festivities, which include an arts and crafts show and other downtown attractions, conclude today.” Baker founded Centerville in 1975 along with his wife Joan, and grew the business to 19 locations throughout Washington state and Oregon. Dick downsized the business in 2001 following Joan’s death, and passed along the remaining Centerville store to his daughter, Trish Hubbard, upon his death in 2022. In celebrating the business’ 50th anniversary this year, Hubbard is planning a celebration at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds in November to hold a celebration like her father did for the 40th anniversary a decade ago, as previously reported by The Chronicle.
• Fred and Alice Arnold, owners of the Rainbow Falls Dairy Farm in Dryad, were set to be honored as the 1975 Lewis County Dairy Family of the Year, The Chronicle reported. “The public is invited to visit the modern, 162-acre dairy farm of the Arnolds at Dryad on the north side of the Chehalis River adjacent to the Rainbow Falls State Park … The Arnolds have 120 head of Holstein dairy animals. They are currently milking 50 head with the average milk production per day per animal of 50 pounds. The cows on Rainbow Falls Dairy Farm are treated as individuals and permitted to produce milk at their own leisure. The goal of the Arnolds is high quality milk, not necessarily quantity. The Arnolds believe if the cows can be kept happy and contented without stress that they will produce more milk.”
• A three-bedroom home with a “sunken living room” and “large lawn” in Adna was listed for sale in The Chronicle’s classifieds for $29,000. A two-bedroom duplex with garden space available on Winston Creek in Mossyrock was listed for rent for $110 a month.
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To submit historical photos or documents to The Chronicle for potential publication, email Chronicle reporter Owen Sexton at owen@chronline.com or call The Chronicle during business hours at 360-737-3311.
