Timeline

January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December

To view more years of the Newspaper Summaries click here

1924 Vashon Island News-Record Summary (Mike Sudduth)

January 1924
January 4, 1924

• Ferry Dock Undamaged – The Tahlequah ferry landing was undamaged by the storm on Christmas eve and was not out of commission as reported by the News-Record last week.  When the ferry drew in on Christmas day the apron had dropped but could have been restored to its proper position with a few minutes work.  However, car owners were notified that the road was covered with fallen trees, therefore impassable, so all returned to Tacoma.  The road was cleared early in the afternoon, under the supervision of C.H. Merry, road supervisor and his willing helpers.

• Local News – The steamer, Dauntless, which was beached and destroyed at Richmond Beach during the gale on Christmas, was one of the first boats operated by Capt. McDowell to and from Vashon Island.  The old steamer was later remodeled to serve as a tug boat.

• Southern Heights – Friends are sorry to learn that Dr. Caswell of Harbor Heights lost his yacht and boat house during the gale last Monday.  Mr. Hanson, who lives rather near the point at the south entrance of the harbor, lost a launch.  Both boats were smashed to pieces.

• Chicken Thieves Busy – A.L. Smith, who resides along Quartermaster harbor, reports that one night the first part of the week chicken thieves visited his place and took between 75 and 100 of his birds.  He issues a warning to all poultrymen to be on the look out and prepared to give all after dark visitors a warm reception.

 January 11, 1924

• “Burns Nicht” To Be Observed By Scots – Lovers of Poet will Hold Festival in Honor of Scotland’s Pride – Vashon island lovers of Robert Burns, the sweet Scotch singer, will gather again this year at the Burton high school building to celebrate the one hundred and sixty-fifth anniversary of his birth.  Mr. Smock has agreed not to make a speech this year, but will let the folk enjoy themselves instead.

• Revival Meeting At Cove – The revival meetings in progress at the Cove mission are like the revivals of old.  Rev. Paul Alfors, of Chicago, is the evangelist in charge.

• Odd Fellows Install – Island lodge has just closed a most prosperous year.  Not only has a large number of candidates been initiated, but a great deal of improvement has been done about the hall.  A new porch was constructed, running water put in the building, the hall redecorated and replastered and new hangings provided.

• The deaths of Mrs. Mable Bullard and Mrs. Anna Lorentzen, wife of Leonard Lorentzen of the Cove vicinity, were published.

• Change In Rural Route – Beginning January 16, the morning run of the rural carrier from the Vashon post office is to be reversed.  Early in the fall the change was proposed, departmental action started in November and notice published concerning the reversal of the course of travel on the route to avoid climbing one especially long, steep hill.  Orders were received this week that the proposed change is to go into effect on the above named date.

• Early Vashon History – Moline, Ill., Jan. 1, 1924 – Editor News-Record:  While I am sending my subscription for the paper, I would ask for the use of your columns in sending the best wishes of the season to my old friends and neighbors on Vashon island.  I read the Christmas number with interest as it gave some very fine reminiscences of old days when Vashon island was in the making.  With your permission, I must make some comments on the write-up of Vashon.  It certainly was not written by any of the old timers or near old timers, and was not hewing to the line.  Among the pioneers of Vashon were mentioned W.L. Livesley, J.T. Blackburn, E. Klockstad, E.E. VanOlinda, S. Conderman and M.E. Gorsuch.  As I recall the sturdy pioneers of Vashon island, I am reminded of a bit of American history.  The Pilgrims of Plymouth and the Hugenots farther south left their imprint on the pages of history.  So has the characters of the pioneers of Vashon island.  They laid the foundation.  When we landed in a small skiff of the Steamer Iola at Vashon (this we before the wharves were build) I remember the climb up the hill.  Some hill!  W.L. Livesley lived on the corner where Mr. Hansen’s residence now is.  The next place was that of James Pruit, and on the east side of the road was the new home of John Case Gorsuch, and a new house being built by C.A. Wright.  Then farther north was the place of Geo. E. Lindley and farther east the homes of Moses H. Snow and B. Reed.  At the point north of Vashon was the home of Rev. Dilworth.  The Atkinson home was north of the point.  West of Vashon were the homes of James T. Thompson and H.A. Kimmel.  E.E. VanOlinda built a small house and moved in that fall, as did Frank North.  Northwest were the homesteads of J.S. Markham and James E. Masters.  East of Vashon was the home of John. T. Blackburn, and near the Vashon Landing was the home of B.J. Jacobs, and the next place, called the Harriet place, which was later occupied by H.N. Webber, who built the pressed brick plant at Vashon.  On the south side of the road was the home of Nathan B. Ward composed of 160 acres onto which he moved the following fall.  South of that was the Cummings place, later sold to H. Harrington.  The next year Abraham Castler lived on the east side of that road, and the south of the Cummings place was the new home being built by S.W. Jacobs.  South of Vashon was the John Bostler place.  Mr. Bostler owned the 40-acre homestead on a part of which F.A. Weiss’ store now stands.  Then we had the homes of O.L. Doane and L.R. Carpenter, and the next place was the new store built by Mr. Fuller.  West of that were the homesteads of Frank Miner, L.M. Langill, W.P. Morford, C.A. Barton and others.  The problem of the pioneers was transportation, the same as that of today.  The following year Vashon had quite a boom in land sales and a number of newcomers settled there.  I recall that some of them were H. Harrington, C.W. Dow, Chas. S. Tilton, Thos. Emmick, Jas. Little, A.T. Tjomsland, the three Steen brothers, A.J. Linnestead, T. Oliverson, J.C. Hoplins, Jerome Cutler, Asa Start, Alvin Woodbury, O.D. Graves, Jasper Therkelson, Jappe Hanson and Christian Peterson.  That year Vashon got its first doctor, namely Dr. W.T. Lovering, now of Seattle.  He and his uncle, Stephen Lovering, moved to Vashon.  E.Klockstad settled the same year in the Cove neighborhood.  The old log church built by the pioneers at Vashon, I think indicates more than anything else the sort of people who made Vashon what it is today. S.J. Steffenson, 219 54th St., Moline, Ill.

• Local News – W.B. Mackie is building a new poultry house 80 x 20 feet in dimensions at this home northeast of Vashon.

• Local News – Land clearing is in full swing in several directions about Vashon.  Blasts are heard frequently, giving evidence of the industry of the farmers in what is generally a dull season.

• Local News – On January 16 Ira O. Thompson, Vashon rural carrier, will start from the post office at 9:50, going south to the Kirkland corner, then east to the Sunshine poultry farm, north and east to Vashon dock, covering the same territory but reversing the course of travel.  Patrons must change their boxes where necessary and the entire route will be covered more satisfactorily.

• The report of the financial condition of the Vashon State Bank at the close of business on the 31st day of December, 1923 showed total assets of $218,742.76.

• Southern Heights – Work on the road to Bates Beach is progressing splendidly in spite of the rain.  A great deal of work has been done in a short time.

• Ellisport – An unsuccessful attempt was made on Monday to float Mr. Larsen’s fishing boat, the Bull Moose, from the beach in the lagoon onto which she was recently blown by the high wind.  Fortunate indeed it was that she found such a safe retreat from the gale when she broke from her moorings.

• Maury – The steamer “Butler” came in to the Maury dock one day this week with a carload of feed for the Ogilvy brothers.

• Cove Comments by C.A. Renouf – At a general meeting of the members of the Cove community hall association last Saturday it was decided to change the organization from a community association to a club with reduced membership dues.  It is probable that the name will be changed to embrace the island as a whole as many friends at Vashon and other points have signified a desire to join for social intercourse and enjoyment.

• Move Mill Machinery – The big truck of the H.Steen Mill Co. has been busy the past few days moving the machinery of planing mill to the new location at Ellisport.  One building on the old site was moved also.  Mr. Steen commenced sawing at the old site some 22 years ago and has run almost continuously during all that time.  He expects to have the new mill in operation about March 1.

 January 18, 1924

• Prepare Program For Burns Night – Splendid Array of Home and Imported Talent Will Entertain.

• Young Man Stricken – The obituary of Ethan Lamereaux was published.

• Contract Strawberries – The Vashon Marketing association has signed a contract for the disposal of the 1924 strawberry crop at an increased price over last year.

• New Lutheran Pastor – Rev. G.I. Breivik of Tacoma, who succeeds Rev. Ager as pastor of the Vashon Evangelical Lutheran church, was here Tuesday looking over the field and getting acquainted.

• Woodmen Cut Wood – To demonstrate that they are woodmen in practice as well as in name a number of the members of the Modern Woodmen of American gathered Wednesday, taking saws, axes and a team and cut some 20 or more ricks of wood for E.J. Mace, who has been ill for several weeks.

• To Secure Right-Of-Way – At the meeting of the board of county commissioners on Friday of last week the prosecuting attorney was ordered to start the necessary proceedings to secure the right-of-way for the Quartermaster-Dockton road.  The contract is scheduled to be let on Monday of next week.

• Uprooting Orchard – P. McCormick is at work this week tearing up by the roots his old cherry orchard on his place near Center.  He is preparing to set the land to currants and gooseberries of which he already has a large acreage.

• Local News – A covering for the landing platform of the P.A. Petersen feed store was built this week, adding to the appearance and convenience of the establishment.

• Local News – There is on display at F.A. Weiss’ store a rutabaga raised and brought in by J.S. Markham which tips the scales at 9 ½ pounds and measures 31 inches around its tummy.

• Local News – W.S. Rendall of Maury Island was a Vashon business visitor on Tuesday of this week.  He reports that he has just installed a power shoe sole stitching machine and that he is planning to put in other modern machinery at an early date.  The installation of the sole stitchers gives Mr. Rendall the distinction of having the first and only machine of its kind on the island.

• Burton – J.M. Staples is having his store at Burton remodeled into a bakery and has installed an electric bake oven.  He hopes to bake the first bread the latter part of the week.

• Southern Heights – Bruce Hall and a couple of other young men came over from Tacoma last Sunday, bringing some dogs, and went on a hunting trip.  They treed and killed four coons on the Fisher place.  They did a kindness to the residents of the neighborhood as well as having a lively bit of sport.

• Dockton – It is rumored that Mr. Martinolich has the contract to build a freight boat to take the place of the “Rubiyat” which sank in the Tacoma harbor last summer.

 January 25, 1924

• Club Chooses Slogan And Elects Officers – Club Sanctions Organization of Junior Club to Promote Welfare – The meeting of the Vashon Island Commercial Club Tuesday evening at the Burton high school building was one of importance inasmuch as it was the time for the annual election and for the announcement of the slogan committee.  The slogan committee announced that out of the 117 submitted two were the outstanding ones.  They were:  “See Vashon island for that home in the west” and “Vashon island assures you.”  The two were submitted to a vote and the former was adopted.  The winning slogan was submitted anonymously.

• The obituary of W.E. Simmons was published.

• Dr. Swanson To Leave – Dr. H.G. Swanson has purchased an interest in Dr. Christensen’s large dental office at Bremerton and will leave the first of the week to take up his new work. 

• Boys Attend Conference – A party of Vashon high school boys left this (Friday) afternoon for Bremerton to attend the “Big Boys’ conference” held annually under the auspices of the Y.M.C.A. of Seattle.  Those who made the trip were:  John King, Roswell Johns, Rocca Okobu, Harris Ward, Elisha Morgan, Clifford Corbin, Albert Hotchkin, Donald Thompson, and Wilfred Reeves.

• Heights Folk Organize – On Saturday evening of last week a number of the residents of Vashon Heights met and organized an improvement club to be known temporarily as the Dolphin club, in honor of Dolphin Point and Dolphin precinct.  The membership numbers 50 and the purposes are to promote improvement and social conditions.

• A notice of the death of Mrs. Jennie Diller was published.

• Takes Over Greenhouse – Graham Maloney has taken over the greenhouse at Lisabeula and moved to that place this week to begin operations.  He was a trusted employee at the Beall greenhouses for many years.

• Local News – U. Uyeda, Japanese tenant on the Dr. Edwards property northwest of Vashon, is clearing quite a tract of land preparatory to putting out berries.

• Maury – Wm. Auld, assistant light house keeper at Robinson Point, moved his family this week to Turn Point on one of the San Juan islands, where he will be keeper.  His place here is being taken by Mr. Fillinger, formerly of Maury.  He has been at the lighthouse out from Port Angeles.

• Southern Heights – Mr. Smith of Harbor Heights recently purchased a horse at Tacoma, which he will use to haul feed and supplies up from the dock, both for himself and for the Jessen poultry ranch.  It is unfortunate that there is not a good road leading up from this beautifully improved beach.

• Southern Heights – Bert Hoatling, who lives at the extreme south end of the island, is busy making logging roads, preparatory to starting logging operation on different properties formerly known as the reservation, but which was sold within the past few months.  It will now be cleared and settled up.

• Southern Heights – The Forest Home poultry ranch recently set two new incubators and will soon have nine machines at work.

• Deppman & Clark this week announce that they are in the market to buy the 1924 crop of strawberries and will make contracts now.  Berries will be taken at Vashon and checks issued daily in payment therefor.

back to top

February 1924

February 1, 1924

• Change In Editors – The new managers and editors of the News-Record are Mr. and Mrs. H.S. Baker who are coming to us from Montana.  They are experienced newspaper people in middle life and have with them their two younger sons who will enter school here.  They have three other children, two grown sons, printers, and one grown daughter, teaching.  They hope to induce one of the older boys to come to Vashon and help on the News-Record.  Mr. Baker, who has been here the last three days, is enthusiastic over the island and the opportunity here for a nice business in the printing line.

• Farewell – With this issue of the Vashon Island News-Record the writer severs his connection with this newspaper.  The past seventeen months spent on Vashon Island, thirteen of which have been as editor and publisher of the News-Record, have been extremely pleasant and in that time many friendships have been made which I hope will endure.  I have tried to represent all parts of the island fairly and impartially and whatever has appeared in the columns of this newspaper has been published with an idea of rendering service to the community.  I hope to take up a work in the future that will enable me to continue to render service to the island – perhaps even more than I have done in the past.  While leaving the island, returning to my land interests near Kent, I shall continue to have the interests of this community at heart and shall watch developments with interest.  My earnest with is that the island may continue on the upgrade and secure more transportation until the best possible service may be rendered, allowing the island to develop to its utmost.  Lou E. Wenham.

• At about seven thirty o’clock Wednesday a chorus of frogs was heard arising from some point east of Vashon.  The News-Record strongly suspects that Stephen J. Harmeling, that big-hearted lover of all animal life, exhumed the harbingers of spring in the little stream on his place, remove their red flannel underwear, put on their B.V.D.’s and told them to “get busy.”  The thermometer registered 60 degrees above zero with a nice gentle rain during the day, which might have had something to do with the spring chorus.

• Local News – Peter Erickson is building a big fruit storage building on his place near the telephone office.

 February 8, 1924

• A near fire started in the garage next to the Cash and Carry Grocery, Wednesday afternoon.  C. Dippman was putting gas in the tank of his car.  He finally lit a match to look at the indicator and see how much it registered.  The gas caught fire and it took quick work on the part of the neighbors with buckets and wet blankets to extinguish it.

• Showing that many people have their eyes on this part of the west at the present time is the fact of Mr. Smock’s little advertisement in a Chicago printers’ trade journal in regard to this paper being for sale.  Mr. Smock received 40 replies and at last reports they were still coming – and from all portions of the United States.  Fortunately the writer used the telegraph instead of waiting for a letter to come and go.

• Because the names below are public spirited neighbors you are enjoying street lights at Vashon for another year.  Fred Weiss, A.H. Petersen, C. Middling, E.J. Mace, Vashon St. Bank, Deppman and Clark, News-Record, Dr. H.G. Swanson, P.A. Petersen Store, Vashon Movie, The Vashon Eggery, W.D. Garvin, P.M. Smock, Gladys Jacobs, Dr. F.A. McMurray and F.A. Treen. – T. Hansen, Treasurer.

• Berry Growers Are Signing Members – When we organized our Fruit Marketing Association last spring we, as members, signed up for one year with the option of withdrawal at the end of the season.  One hundred and twenty-seven berry growers responded to our efforts and we became the Vashon Marketing Association.  If you want to join us, call me up and I will gladly come with our contract and sign with you.  Elmer Harmeling, Member Board of Directors.

• In taking over the News-Record we cheerfully admit that we have tackled a man’s size job.  Considering the editorial work alone, our predecessors have set a high standard that it will be difficult, perhaps impossible to maintain.  However, our heart is in the work and we hope in our way to get out a paper that will appeal to our readers and do them and their island home a real service.  Any assistance you many give us in getting the news (not only the big, important things but the little things that go to make up the bulk of our lives) we shall appreciate.  In addition to being an acceptable newspaper, we hope to make the News-Record always an efficient advertising medium and we want our shop to be always known as the home of “better printing.”  The New Editors.

• Dockton – Work has begun on a 60-foot cruiser at the Martinolich shipyard and the company has the contract to build a freight boat, on which work will be started as soon as the lumber gets here.

 February 15, 1924

• Big V and Slogan Advertise Island – Community Building Also One of the Commercial Club’s First Objectives – Junior Commercial Club Will Help – The executive council of the Commercial Club met at the News-Record office on Tuesday evening 12th inst.  A matter of business in hand was the selection of an emblem to be used on stationery and labels for advertising purposes.  We are told that the design submitted by Mr. Garner was adopted.  This emphasizes the big V that has been used in our local bank advertising, and incorporates with it the club slogan: “See Vashon Island for that home in the West.” 

• To The Young People Of Vashon Island – There will be a meeting Tuesday evening, Feb. 26, at the Vashon high school for the purpose of organizing a Junior Commercial Club.  Every young man and young woman between the age of 15 and 21 is urged to be present and join with us in this popular movement.  Vashon Island needs a large, centrally located community hall for all public gatherings and indoor sports and it is hoped to secure the support of the young people in this movement.  Vashon-Maury Island Commercial Club by the Committee, E.C. Thompson, A.J. Lewis and E.M. More.

• Giant Devil Fish Landed at Portage – Special to the News-Record – Portage, Feb. 15 – While on his way to work this morning in going along the edge of the water at Quartermaster, Fred S. Sherman saw some ripples in the water near shore.  He took some poles and started an investigation which revealed the presence of an octopus.  He called for help but no one heard him so he tackled the monster alone.  After considerable difficulty the landing was effected.  The devil fish weighed 100 pounds and it measured twelve feet across.

• Burton – The recent severe storm played havoc with streets in and north of Burton.  The rush of water here caved in the bank on either side of the drain that had been planked, cut across the street and landed in a muddy lake in Staples door yard.  We notice the road men at work and with the “cessation of hostilities” above, things will soon be back to normal.

• Local News – Vashon roads have also suffered from the heavy rains.  A fill was washed out on the main road near the H.P. Babcock home, causing a day’s work for the road men.

• Southern Heights – Mr. Strach, an enterprising logger of the south end of the island has suspended logging and has taken teams, equipment and men to clear, grade and prepare the grounds for the splendid William Jones Memorial Home for old ladies, located near Pt. Defiance Park.

 February 22, 1924

• NOTICE – The collection station for light and telephone at Ellisport will be discontinued and all people at Ellisport may send in remittance by mail to the undersigned.  Washington Utilities Co.

• Local Bank Installs Modern Burglar Hold Up Protection – It is of interest to Vashon Islanders to note that our local Bank has installed an up-to-date burglar alarm system, one which affords the maximum of protection not only from night yeggmen but also from daylight holdups.  It is a combination of electricity and poison gas and is manufactured by the Bankers’ Protective Appliance Co. of Tacoma.  The new protective system not only makes the bank’s funds safer but lowers perceptibly the banks’ burglary insurance rate.

 February 29, 1924

• Crowded House and Real Interest – All Parts of the Island Represented at the Commercial Club Open Meeting.  Good Talk by Commissioner Paul - Chester Birch, “Bishop of Vashon,” Leaves Parting Message.  Business Matters Taken Up, Committees Appointed and 15 New Members Added – Much interest was manifested in the matter of placing a big sign at Robinson point which can be read by passing steamers at a distance of several hundred feet, the sign to read in huge letters: VASHON ISLAND.

• Beloved Matron Goes To Her Reward – The obituary of Mrs. O.S. VanOlinda was published.

• Southern Heights – A bad accident occurred in our own midst last Saturday morning when little George Stoltenberg had his thumb and first and second fingers of his left hand (at the first joint) blown off by the explosion of a dynamite cap.

• H.H. Smith of the Big Wheel Products Co., Magnolia Beach is entitled to an acknowledgement for the receipt by the News-Record folks of a box if his new “lunch food” Mono-Copal.  Mr. Smith is building up a nice business we are told using about 500 pounds of raw material per day in the manufacture of his product.

back to top

March 1924

March 7, 1924

• School Elections Claim Attention – Next Tuesday is school election and the voting place in this Vashon district will be the News-Record office.  Three matters of importance to some of our readers are before us.  In some districts the question of consolidation will be voted on.  In the Vashon district the matter of $5000 bonds to take care of an old interest bearing obligation, and in all districts the election of trustees.

• Local News – The mail from Tacoma was late on Tuesday morning owing to the S.S. Virginia having lost its rudder.  On Wednesday morning the Virginia being in dry dock for repairs, the launch brought the mail arriving a little behind schedule.

• There will be a mass meeting of the men in the Methodist Church Tuesday evening at 8 o’clock for the purpose of organizing a Men’s Brotherhood.

• Burton – Mrs. Edith Staples has had installed in her bakery a larger electric oven with the capacity of 42 loaves at a baking.

• Burton High Notes – The senior class has started rehearsing its play, “The Arrival of Kitty.”

• Southern Heights – We understand that Fred Pugh has planted several hundred Japanese lily bulbs of different kinds.

• Southern Heights – We received generous samples of the new product Mono-Copal being manufactured by the Big Wheel Products Co. at Harbor Heights, and are glad to have such a plant in our midst.  The food is very nourishing as well as palatable and we surely wish the company all success.

 March 14, 1924

• Masonic Lodge Will Be Host Next Week – Annual Visit of Officials Will Include Consideration of Masonic Home Site – At this time the committee appointed by the Grand Lodge on a site for the new Masonic home will visit the island to look over the Hatch peninsula which is one of the proposed locations for the home.  Of all the sites considered by the committee none can equal for scenic beauty the place offered by Vashon Island.

• Community Church Notes – The matter of granting permission for the use of the churches, Methodist and Presbyterian, to outside parties was discussed, and a committee was appointed consisting of Thomas Steffenson and Rev. Angus Matheson to have charge of the buildings with the understanding that no one be granted the use of same for any cause inconsistent with the purpose for which they were erected.

• Vashon Men’s Club Elects Its Officers – A number of the men of this community met as per call on Tuesday evening at the Methodist church and organized the Vashon Men’s Club.  A constitution and bylaws was adopted and a drive for membership was planned.  One of the aims of the organization is to plan clean live entertainment for the men and boys of the community.

• Vashon Votes Bonds and Elects C.E. Bragg Director – In the election in the Vashon district only 44 votes were cast.  Mr. Bragg was elected director, receiving 41 votes out of the 44, and the $5,000 bond issue carried by a big majority.

• Burton by Mrs. A. Hunt – Last Friday evening about 500 two-weeks old chicks were burned and smothered in the brooder house owned by J.E. Burreson.  It is thought one of the lamps exploded.  With timely help the brooder house was saved – also the same number of chicks about 500, in another part of the room were saved.  This is quite a loss to the Burreson’s who, on account of the crippled condition of Mr. Burreson, his line of work is limited.

 March 21, 1924

• Southern Heights (Mrs. A.N. Morrill) – How nice it will be when there is a road to the extreme southern point of the island.  The view from that part of the island is splendid and when the forty homes that were bought from the government within the past year are improved, a good road will become a necessity and a driveway the length of the island will be one of the scenic features of this northwestern country.  Not long ago we went to Tacoma via Tahlequah ferry, and on the south approach to the dock counted 14 mail boxes.  Just think what that means.  Now that this portion of the island that people have not been able to secure title to until recently, has been sold, and they feel safe to improve, we feel sure we will see a great change for the better very soon.  There is no place where a ferry can cross more quickly.  When the ferry Mr. Vernon was on temporarily she frequently crossed in 8 minutes.  We have every reason to predict a great future for Southern Heights.

• Southern Heights – March 15, a community gathering met at the Lisabeula church to clean up the church grounds.  Mr. and Mrs. S.H. Berry were amongst those from Southern Heights, who helped.  Mr. Berry who was one of the pioneers to donate five acres toward the construction of the church, told us it is 28 years this month since the building was put up.  “They builded better than they knew.”

• Southern Heights – Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Burrow of Chehalis are visiting the island for a few days.  Many old timers will remember these people as they were the owners of the brick yard located between Shawnee and Burton.  Mr. Burrows is in the brick and tile business in Chehalis but likes to be on the island during the summer.

• Burton – J.M. Staples has leased the restaurant, which will shortly open up in some line of business.

• Burton – About 4 tons of herring were caught by Phil Green in the inner harbor the other day.  After phoning Seattle and Tacoma and finding no market, he was compelled to let the fish go.

• Burton – L. Wellington, photographer at Oak Harbor, Wash., was a weekend visitor at the Edson home.  It remains to be seen what these two artists cogitated over, probably a new process of photography our inmost thoughts.

• Magnolia Beach – It is reported that the road coming down to Shawnee dock is in quite bad shape.  It is hoped that it will be fixed soon for the people will begin to drive out.

• Lisabeula – Frank Paul, our county road commissioner, says the Lamb road is an assured certainty this summer, as they will soon begin to haul bridge timbers, this is good news, as it brings Cove only a short distance away.

 March 28, 1924

• Distinguished Mason Visit Vashon Island – About a hundred Master Masons met in the hall at Portage, Saturday evening, to confer the third degree and act as host to a number of dignitaries of the fraternity who came from different sections of the state to witness the work of the local lodge and visit the proposed site for the new Masonic state home and orphanage.  W.M. Martin Tjomsland introduced P. Monroe Smock who gave the address of welcome, stressing the fact that the Masonic fraternity was one of the paramount factors on the island in promoting harmony and goodwill among the inhabitants.  Sunday morning the S.S. Vashona was chartered by the lodge and carried the guests, accompanied by a score of the local members, around the peninsula, showing the wonderful possibilities of the site from a water view.  Previous to the water trip, the committee went over the tract on foot and expressed the greatest delight over the tract.  The boat carried the guests, with their local escorts, to Tacoma where an adieu was said and the committee went on their way with words of praise for the island on their lips and a conviction in their hearts that the island Masons are 100 percent right.  The committee will report to the grand lodge, which meets the early part of June, and a feeling pervades the local lodge that the report will be favorable to the Vashon Island site.

• C.F. VanOlinda has given up his position as cashier of the Vashon State Bank and is taking a vacation.  He still retains his place on the board of directors.

• Vashon Boy Scout Troop Organizes – Boy Scouts of Vashon met at Vashon M.E.Church, Thursday evening and made further arrangements for a permanent organization, 24 boys being present. 

• The pageant entitled “Dekanawida” given in the Vashon high school auditorium on last Friday evening was a great treat for all who attended.  It was given by the grade students.  Dekanawida is a representation of the first league of nations in American under the leadership of a Huron Indian whose name was Dekanawida.

• Commercial Club Leading Out in Good Shape – Transportation committee had to report that the Kitsap County Ferry Co. had denied the request for lower cash fares, giving as a main reason the increased cost of fuel oil.

• Reports have been circulated around Lisabeula that the Vashon Marketing association has not paid its members for last year’s crop.  Such reports are false; we have cleaned up everything and the growers have their money – ask them!

• Southern Heights – We are very glad to know that Mack Bridges has a new five passenger Ford.  He took his family and his father out sightseeing on the island one day last week.  The Bridges are pioneers and live just west of the ferry landing.

• Magnolia Beach – A group of Sumner girls arrived at the Blue Triangle Lodge today.

• Burton High Notes – The two students with the highest scholarship for the four years course are Une Stewart and Evind Ongstad.  These will be Valedictorian and Salutatorian at commencement May 23.

back to top

April 1924

April 4, 1924

• Local Activities and Entertainments – Vashon High Musical Comedy (The Gypsy Rover) and Vashon Troop Boy Scouts Plan First Hike

• E.M. Moore has resigned as resident manager of the Washington Coast Utilities and C.L. Garner has been appointed in his stead.

• Fire Visits Island Resort – H.B. Ritz, founder of the popular summer colony at Spring Beach, Vashon Island, estimated that a loss of from $5000 to $6000 was caused by a spectacular fire which Saturday night destroyed four furnished summer homes built on the north slope of the main ravine.  According to all information available, the fire started about six o’clock Saturday evening when a burning log, on the lot owned by Rev. Robt. J. Reid, rolled down the hill against Rev. Reid’s residence.  Rev. Reid formerly pastor of the Mason Methodist church in Tacoma, is now pastor of a church in Everett.  Workmen had been repairing the Reid home and had been clearing the lot at the rear of it starting a brush fire to burn the slashings.  Hose connected with the water system installed by Mr. Ritz was used to advantage in saving other buildings in the settlement.  The four houses destroyed were all furnished.  Two were owned by Mr. Ritz, one by Rev. Reid and the fourth by Killian J. Weiler employed in the county treasurer’s office. – News-Tribune.

• Coolidge Club Organized – A Vashon Coolidge for President Club was organized on last Thursday evening.  Alex Stewart was elected president of the club.

• Improved Ferry Service - A plan has been submitted by Dr. L.L.T. Hall et al to the Co. Commissioners of Pierce County which proposes that both ferries use the dock at Pt. Defiance and that one lie over at Tahlequah and make the first trip to Tacoma at 7:10 a.m. loading immediately at arrival in Tacoma for Gig Harbor and the City of Tacoma lie over night at Gig Harbor, leaving for Tacoma on the first trip at 7:15 a.m., and upon landing at Tacoma, loading at once for Tahlequah (Vashon Island).  The double round trip to be made in the same manner at noon and at night.  The extra trips in the interim to go to Gig Harbor, alternating at the two Gig Harbor docks.  LILLIAN L. T. HALL

• Feeds At Reduced Prices – All feeds formerly belonging to the Vashon Island Eggery will be sold Wednesday, April 9, 1924.  Doors open at 8 a.m. – E. CASON, Owner.

• Burton – A number of airplanes passed over our heads Monday.  We feel sure when they arrive at other places they will not forget to repeat our slogan – “See Vashon Island for that home in the West.”

• Burton – Watch, stop, look and listen for the blowing of the Vashon Island Mill Co.’s whistle which will wake up the country about Monday morning.  A large boom of logs is confined in Judd Creek awaiting operations.  Any noise that sounds like some industry starting up will be thrice welcome.

• Ellisport – Sole fishing is exceptionally good this spring.  Mr. Fishburn and Fred Brendall report “splendid luck” every day they go out.

• Ellisport – Mr. Miller from the Public Works Com., Olympia, was in the town in response to a request to extend the bus service to the residential part of Ellisport.

• The buzzing of airships over Vashon Island during the past week has kept us mindful of the Round the World trip and as we go to press the four planes are off toward Sitka, Alaska, starting at 7 o’clock this morning.  “Sitka by Sunday” is the slogan.  The flag ship, Seattle No. 1, Chicago No. 2, Boston No. 3 and plane No. 4, the New Orleans, constitute the fleet.  The fliers plan to attend no formal function until they reach Tokyo. 

• A.N. Sanford had planned to have an advertisement in this issue but as he is engaged in making up a mile of steel into folding camp stools, he is a very busy man.  He has his season’s output sold in advance, the stool he manufactures being larger, taller and more comfortable than those of his competitors.

• Southern Heights – Lots of “birds” flying overhead during the last week.  Pretty nice to live in the direct path between the coast cities and see the air men passing to and fro.

• Maury – The Power Shovel and Trucks are proving quite a drawing card for Maury, with their cook tent and sleeping tents they form quite a village.  There are men for two shifts, many of them from Tacoma and Seattle.  Their friends and relatives come here to see them.  Once here they admire the fine view, not to mention the island’s other assets.  Some believe they may be able to solve the problem of high cost of living by moving here.

 April 11, 1924

• Operetta Pleases Large Audience – The musical comedy, “Will Tell”, delighted the house full of people who went to see it last evening.  It furnished proof of the Island Operatic Society to produce.

• The wedding announcements of Miss Bernice Roach to Archie W. Trabert and Flora Mace to Mr. Frank Brown were published.

• Bulb Industry Thrives In Vashon by Mrs. George Sheffield – There are already a number of successful bulb growers on Puget Sound.  With its nature and location, it is generally recognized that Vashon Island could be made a center for the bulb industry.

• Maury – The Kingsbury brothers moved their logging equipment to a tract of timber east of Maury center the past week.  They now have a full crew of men and are busy logging for themselves again.

• The report of the financial condition of the Vashon State Bank at the close of business on the 31st day of March, 1924 showed total resources of $196,871.75.

• Southern Heights – We were glad to see the gravel wagons passing ferrywayward the first of this week.  Every load of gravel means a better road, and we are very proud of the south ferry road now and if we can only get the mid-day ferry once more are sure there will be much travel over our fine road this summer.

• Burton – Mrs. O.E. Cross and old resident of the island, living for years at Cross’s Landing, after whom the place was named, and now a resident of Seattle, was a visitor at the Landers’ home last week and a caller at the Burton post office.  Miss Olive Cross who has been with Sears, Roebuck house for the past five years is living with her mother, and is the only unmarried one from a large family of daughters.

 April 18, 1924

• Burtonites Boost Sidewalk Fund – The community dinner at the Burton church last evening was a very successful affair.  125 sat at the well filled tables and enjoyed the social hour which followed.  The proceeds were for building of a sidewalk which will be undertaken immediately.

• Those who got up early enough Monday morning were treated to the sight of a thin layer of snow.  It did not last long but just proved that we are in a temperate climate where intemperate things sometimes happen.

• Center – George McCormick has accepted the position of assayer at the “Lone Jack” mine Glacier, Washington.  He reports from 15 to 25 feet of snow in that vicinity.

• Lisabeula – Good news!  They commenced work on the Cove road last week and are pushing the work right along, and part of the good news is that they are furnishing work for a number of our neighbors.

 April 25, 1924

• Electric Service to Be Improved to Vashon Island – This is to announce that a new circuit is under construction from Kent to Des Moines and will be completed in the near future.  The purpose of this new 13,000 volt circuit is to give better service to Des Moines and Vashon Island.  This will give a dual service from the generating system to these points by two different routes and cuts down the chance for failure of service to a minimum on the main land.  It will be very rarely that both lines will be out of service at the same time.  After this circuit is completed we are placing regulators on the island to regulate the voltage here and hold the voltage constant and this will eliminate the irregular flashing of the lights on the island. – C.L. Garner, Resident Mgr. Washington Coast Utilities

• The obituary of Mrs. Aletta Holland was published.

• Considerable Loss In Early Fruit – Local weather reports show this to have been the coldest April for a number of years, although February and March were quite mild.  In consequence the early fruit, such as currants, gooseberries and sweet cherries, will prove a very light crop, we are told.

• P.A. Petersen, the Island Eggery man, has bought the building formerly occupied by the Pu-L-Up people, next to the Mace garage, and will use that for his main place of business in Vashon, his former warehouse on the side street being used as a storehouse for hay, etc.  The new building will be opened for business Monday, April 28.

• The Tacoma Daily Ledger of April 6 gives a full page to a write up of Vashon Island by our Southern Heights correspondent, Mrs. A.N. Morrill.  The article is accompanied by a number of fine views on the island, taken by a representative of the Ledger to embellish this article.  The Ledger people are interested enough in Vashon Island and its people to give so much space and time to this write up free of all charge.  Mrs. Morrill’s free advertising, too, is worthy of an expression of our appreciation.

• NOTICE – Attention is called to our Patrons that we are sending out with the monthly statements, a supplement to the Vashon Island Telephone Directory.  In this supplement you will find all the added and corrected names and telephone numbers not found in the old book.  Place it in the front of your book.  Washington Coast Utilities, C.L. Garner.

• Burton – The community dinner for the sidewalk benefit netted a goodly sum for the cause and the walk was put in place on Saturday by volunteer labor, making a fine improvement in the village.  The new walk makes the broken down fences more apparent.  Let’s fix them.

• Local Mention – G.E. Sisco has put up several attractive gold leaf signs for local business houses in the last few days.

back to top

May 1924

May 2, 1924

• Spring Beach – This is one of the most beautiful of the many popular beaches on Vashon Island.  It is on the southwest side due south of Camp Sealth, the home of the Campfire Girls in summer.  It is owned by Ritz of Tacoma and forms for Tacomans a choice vacation spot and Seattle people, too, find their way to this delightful place.  It is here Vashon meets society, relaxing on summer days.  This charming spot is reached only by boat.  (Photograph published)

• Island Camp Perhaps Largest In States – The information comes to the office today that Camp Sealth is one of if not the largest and most beautiful camps in America; located right here on the island.

• Where Shall We Go?  Anywhere On Vashon – A little trip over to the government lighthouse and its plant at Robinson Point, was enjoyed on Sunday afternoon by the “News-Record” folk.  This plant consists of a modern life saving station, light house and two large dwellings with beautiful grounds.  W.S. Denning and Mr. Filinger are in charge of the plant.  Going on to Luana Beach the home of Frank Hubbel one of the pioneers who not long since described this beach in song in the News-Record.  We found an interesting and altogether unique array of summer cabins and different sizes, shapes, colors and materials, lining the pebbly beach and overlooking the water north and east.  Here are all sorts of rudely built, yet entertaining play ground apparatus, and everywhere the most unusual decorations of roots and branches, shaped like people and animals and you feel that you are visiting a new sort of silent circus when you walk up the long board walk running the full length of the place.  The dwellings of the keepers of this resort are comfortable homes quite inviting in appearance.  But after all it is not a circus but an attractive beach resort, where it is said hundreds of people gather on a summer day coming hundreds of miles, some of them.  A drive westward past many good looking homes brought us to Ellisport, a natural bower of beauty overlooking the Sound, where you halt and your mouth waters for the strawberries and cream that you anticipate the enjoyment of in the Festival there in June.  One does not mind going home tho on this island for you enjoy every road and every bit of the scenic beauty that lines all the way past Portage, Quartermaster Harbor, Burton and Center to Vashon – The Island’s heart.

• Cove – For one who has tramped thru the wind and slush along South Cove highway, thru the mud for a good many moons, we wish to say thanks for the good work our road boss did over there.  While it may “make Jordan a hard road to travel,” the soft gravel at present.  It will be better further on.

• Cove – President Covington and ex-president Crosier and Doyle, master orators, discussed briefly and to the point, on the past, present and future of the Hall, its fine, new addition soon to be built and the added opportunity to present finer entertainments.

• Maury – Maury has not been immune to the prevalent forest fires as several large blazes have been burning some slashing near Maury Center and west of Center.  Different parties have been kept busy protecting their buildings.  Tho’ at this writing the danger to dwellings and other buildings seems past.

 May 9, 1924

• The big name plate over the Island entrance at Vashon H’ts harbor is in place and is good looking.  VASHON ISLAND is printed in white on blue.

• Sanford Factory’s Business Increasing – The writer took an hour off a few days ago to visit the Sanford factory which occupies the old school building two blocks north of us.  We found the visit very interesting and somewhat of a revelation.  For some years Mr. Sanford has been manufacturing a superior fishing reel which has sold all over the U.S. and given him an acquaintance with the dealer in fishing tackle and campers’ supplies.  Recently Mr. Sanford received an order for 450 camp stools of his own invention and which will be sold – at least part of them – back east, in competition with some of the well-known makes.  (Since then he has received an order for another 450.)  The Sanford folding stool has a wider canvas seat by three inches than its competitors and also has a stretching device that works instantly and makes the stool comfortable and practical.  On top of the order for camp stools come an order for tent stakes, metal ones, also a special design devised by Mr. Sanford.  The stake drives easily, holds well and is indestructible.  Mr. Sanford has designed and made his own tools and dies for the shaping and cutting of the metal parts of his inventions and he has shown considerable genius along this line.  Vashon Island people will do well to encourage this growing and deserving business.

• Call For Volunteers – Saturday afternoon, beginning at one o’clock, will be clean up day at the Vashon Cemetery and everyone interested is urged to be on hand to cut and burn up the Scotch broom before it goes to seed.

• Burton – Mr. Ethelbert Stanley is soon to be an assistant in the Edson studio.

• School Notes – The Senior play will be given on May 15.  The title of this play is “When a Fellow Needs a Friend.”

• Cove – Frank Sigrist was hauling lumber to Beaulah Park Saturday.  The park association is going to put up a combination building to be used for a dining room and a kitchen.  While they have camp stoves for cooking purposes in the park in case of inclement weather the new building can be used.

• Cove – A.M. McDonald with his big pile driver and crew of men has been at work the past week putting on a 20 ft. addition to the Cove wharf.  Business has grown to such an extent that the improvement was necessary.  P.A. Petersen’s business at the dock, both the feed mill and egg shipments, is growing by leaps and bounds.  His egg shipments some weeks amount to 350 cases.

• Cove – The new dock is rather ill shaped but could not be helped.  On driving piles on the northwest side, Mr. McDonald found only rocky bottom, so was unable to carry out that side the desired length.

• Maury – A game warden and sheriff were on the Island last week looking for evidence and witnesses against parties implicated in chasing deer with the aid of dogs.  The officials served several subpoenas on local residents.  Among those going in from here were Jim Ogelvy, Russel Carty, Charlie and Jeff Hays, and Miles Martindale.  We do not know the results of the trial nor do we know whether the parties are guilty.  No doubt good may come of this putting fear into bold hunters and others who may be tempted to break the laws.

• Blue Fox Meets Fate – Mr. C. Walters of Pembroke Bunkers catches a blue fox.  For some time there has been an animal or animals stealing from Mr. Walter’s larder, naturally his protective instincts were aroused when the intruder began to get away with the bacon.  A trap was set, the catch being a big over-fat cat.  However the trouble did not end of mornings.  The Walters found that same animal was trying to dig under the fence and get some young roosters on the inside.  Such maneuvering would never do.  The trap was set again, a dead fall.  Next morning there was the thief, a blue fox, perhaps one that was lost by parties on Vashon.  Too bad the fox could not have come thru alive.  Remember the Reward.

• Southern Heights – We suppose that many people do not know that Black road is ready for travel.  Of course it is only a dirt road and new but it is a much nearer way to reach the north end of the island.

 May 16, 1924

• The wedding announcement of Mr. Walter Steen and Miss Petra Clauson was published.

• H.H. Smith of the Big Wheel Products, Co., Harbor Heights, was at Vashon a few days ago in the interests of his business.  He tells the News-Record that Mono-Copal sales, while nothing big or exciting, are growing steadily.

• Thirty-five cars came over from the city to Vashon Island on one ferry last Sunday morning.

• Cove – Our Mayor E.S. Mabee is taking the time to do some work around home during the lay off of the work on the new Lisabeula road, waiting for powder.

• Cove – It is “all heave together” now and up goes the frame work.  Albert Abrams and Bert Moore are on the job helping Mr. Doyle on his new bungalow.

• Southern Heights – There were 35 cars went in on the Tahlequah ferry Sunday.  We understand that there will be at least one more ferry daily and 4 or 5 on Sundays, but cannot give any definite information at this time.

• Lisabeula – The road known as the Black road leading to Paradise Valley is not completed but is in good condition and we can go over it to Vashon is much shorter time than the old route; goes straight east of the church to the Fitzpatrick place and then turns north going thru Paradise Valley.

• Burton – Mrs. Whitfield, sec’y of the local D.A.R. has unfortunately lost the Secretary’s book containing minutes of meetings of that organization.  She will appreciate it if any one finding same will report to her.

 May 23, 1924

• The obituary of Dr. John Marshall Foster was published.

• Class of 1924 (Group photo published) – Vashon High School – Liv Blekestad (Valedictorian), Jean Shipley, June Cowan, Bonnie Louise Kline, Gertrude Jenney, Ellen Nordstrand, Florence Brenno, Mary Bourgious, Dayton Depue, Roco Okubo.  Burton High School – Enna Stewart, Avon Onstead, Ethel Whitfield, Clifton Morris, Aron Sherman, Hamilton Church, Ruth Auld, Beatrice Brink, Rita Lamoreauz, Ed Burreson, Ornus Spencer, Walter Heitt.

• Eighth Grade Graduates – Vilana Casperson, Verna Dunbar, Helen Olson, Naomi Tjomsland, Nellie Willhight, Nellie Eiseman, Melvin Brenno, Louis Brosseau, Harold Ward, Clarence Weiss, Donald Morgan, Donald Kirkland, Tom Yashimuro, Baxter Calloway, John Corbin, William Magill.

• Vashon Heights – The subject of most discussion was the community club house, which it is hoped will be ready for use by the middle of the summer.  A committee was named to obtain lifesaving apparatus for the Ferry dock.

• Cove – Capt. John Edwards reached port with the White Star No. II from Alaska, bringing along with him Clifton Anderson, who has spent the past year there.

• Dockton – Mr. A.J. Stuckey returned Sunday morning from Friday Harbors where he spent several days viewing the wreck of the T.W. Lake.

 May 30, 1924

• NOTICE – The Vashon Marketing Association boat will strike Vashon dock on Monday at 5 p.m. and Tuesday at 5 p.m. and each evening thereafter until further notice.  All barreling to be done at Vashon dock.  W.J. Magowan, Pres.

• Island Lad Breaks A County Record – In a closely contested meet the Burton Grammar school boys won the Annual Island Track meet from Vashon last Friday by the narrow margin of three points, the final result being 40 to 37.  One county record feel when Kenneth Lamereaux leaped an even 17 feet in the broad jump, bettering the county record by five inches. 

• Former Vashonite Will Soon Arrive – Special to the News-Record – Mr. P.S. Petelle, who has for the past five years been in New York as Export Sales Manager for the Carnation Milk Products Company has finally come to the conclusion that life on Vashon Island holds more possibilities of happiness than the hustle and bustle of a large city.  He left New York City on May 24 via motor car, and will pick up his wife and four children at Grinnel, Iowa, where Mrs. Petelle is visiting her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Whinnery, and the entire family will drive the remainder of the way to Vashon Island.  The Pettelle family intends to live on their farm which is known as Kinnickinnick Ranch.  Altho undecided as to what specialty they will follow, it is not unlikely that they will engage in the poultry business, Mr. Pettelle having had considerable experience in that line in his earlier training.  Mr. Pettelle is a Mason of long standing being affiliated with Palestine Lodge No. 486 of Atlanta, Georgia.

• Burton – Max Marsh has sold his jitney business to a Tacoma man and will leave soon for California.

• Ellisport – We were all glad to welcome the steamer Argo that came in Friday evening to begin the season’s run Saturday morning.

• Ellisport – The new mill pond is a great source of pleasure for the boys.  Swimming – much warmer than the Sound.

back to top

June 1924

June 6, 1924

• Ellisport Selected For Summer Conference – Of more than unusual interest to the people of the island comes the news that the Presbyterian Young People’s Summer Conference will be held at Ellisport on August 13th to the 19th.  The McClintock’s home has been selected as the meeting place.  Further particulars next week.

• The wedding announcement of Mr. A.T. Hutchinson to Miss Marian M. Garvin was published.

• Taylor Good Athlete – Mrs. C.F. Deppman calls attention to the report in the P-I, of the Field activities of Queen Ann High School, Seattle, on Saturday last.  In the contests, Darrell Taylor’s pole vault of 11 feet was styled a “sensation”.

• Episcopal Church – There will be no services at Christ Church, Portage for the next two Sundays as the Rector finds it too difficult to come every Sunday.

• Captain Chance Wiman – From “The Marine Digest”, a weekly magazine edited and published by Jackson B. Corbett, Jr., who has a beautiful home in Burton, we find under date of May 10 the following write up of Captain Chance Wiman whose picture also appears above through the courtesy of Editor Corbett.  Capt. and Mrs. Wiman have their home on Quartermaster harbor in a picturesque spot; the latch string is always out and many have been entertained during the more than twenty years of residence at this place.  “To navigate the waters of the Puget Sound for 40 continuous years, to play a part in the development of Seattle and Tacoma from sawmill towns into great metropolitan seaports of national importance, to watch year after year and decade after decade the growth of Puget Sound and the Northwest – that in itself is a worth while record.  It is the record of Capt. Chance Wiman, resident of the state of Washington since 1874 and Puget Sound navigator since 1884.  He belongs to both the old school and the new school.  He remembers the past but he is still looking forward, predicting for Puget Sound greater eras of growth than it has ever known before.  Capt. Wiman was born in Belleville, Canada, 61 years ago last month.  In 1874, his father, S.P. Wiman, who died 20 years ago, moved his family to Olympia, Wash., settling there permanently.  The family became connected with the logging industry which Capt. Wiman followed until May 1, 1884.  On that date Capt. Wiman walked aboard the little Puget Sound freighter Lottie at her dock in Olympia and struck Capt. Pat Doyle, the master, for a job.  Capt. Doyle promptly hired him as a deckhand.  The Lottie, a propeller vessel, was engaged in carrying lime from Roche Harbor to the up Sound ports.  Seattle and Tacoma were then small but bustling communities.  The great shipping center of Puget Sound was Port Townsend.  There the tugs made their headquarters.  There the customs house seemed established for all time.  There the ships of the Seven Seas entered and cleared.  Near the end of the summer of 1884, Capt. Wiman changed over to the sternwheeler Messenger, operating in the freight and passenger business in the Shelton, Olympia and Tacoma route.  Passenger fares in those days were much the same as now, the Messenger charging $1 for the trip from Tacoma to Olympia.  The fare between Seattle and Olympia was $1.50.  After a year as deck hand on the Messenger, Capt. Wiman transferred to the sternwheeler Clara Brown, operating in the freight and passenger business in the Shelton, Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle run.  Once each week, the vessel made a side trip going either to Roche Harbor for lime rock or to the LaConner flats for oats or potatoes.  Capt. Wiman remained three years on the Clara Brown, as a deckhand, fireman and then as mate.  He then obtained his license as master and was appointed to the command of the passenger and freight carrier Estella which had been chartered for one year by the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce.  In an effort to build up trade for Tacoma, the Chamber of Commerce operated the vessel between that port and Sydney, now known as Port Orchard.  At the end of the year, Capt. Wiman was appointed master of the steamer Des Moines, operating in the passenger and freight business between Tacoma and Gig Harbor, holding that command for slightly more than three years, or until 1894.  In that year he determined to get into business for himself and bought a half interest in a passenger and freight service established by F.W. Bibbins in the Tacoma-Quartermaster Harbor route, the two men organizing as Bibbins & Wiman.  They owned and operated the steamer Sophia.  In 1897 they built a new carrier, the Norwood, which sank recently at a dock on Seattle harbor, the vessel being a product of the Haskell & Crawford yard in Old Town, Tacoma.  In 1904, Capt. Wiman and Mr. Bibbins dissolved their partnership.  Mr. Bibbins retiring from water transportation.  Capt. Wiman and John Manson then formed the Vashon Navigation Company and built the steamer Vashon at the Martinolich yard in Dockton, Vashon Island, the vessel being the first product of that plant.  Mr. Manson was the old engineer of the Puget Sound Drydock Company, owned by the St. Paul & Tacoma Mill Company.  Its drydock plant, the only one on the Sound for large vessels, was located at what is now known as Dockton.  Capt. Wiman and Mr. Manson built the fast steamer Verona, in 1910, at the Martinolich yard.  Seven years later they built the Vashon II in the yard of Chas. E. Taylor at Burton, Vashon Island.  Mr. Taylor is now manager of the Lake Washington Shipyards which owns and operates a large shipbuilding and ship repair yard on Lake Washington.  In July, 1919, Capt. Wiman sold out to the Manson interests and joined the fleet of King County as master of the ferryboat Vashon Island.  Later he transferred to the command of the ferry boat Washington, operating in the Seattle, Vashon Heights and Harper route.  At the end of 1921 the county’s ferry fleet on the Sound was taken over by the Kitsap Co. Transportation Company which retained Capt. Wiman as master of the Washington.  Capt. Wiman is a large property owner of Vashon Island but it is doubtful if he retires from the sea for many years.  He has traversed the Sound waters for so long in all kinds of weather that they have become his home.  Up to 25 years ago most of the sound carriers burned cordwood.  Capt. Wiman recalls that back in those days, the wood was delivered to the dock at $1.50 a cord.  The price now is not less than $5.  Then the fleet began changing to coal.  Steamer coal at that time was $2.50 to $4.00 a ton.  It is now $6 to $6.50.  Higher costs of production are responsible.

• Mr. Editor: - While I appreciate fully the kindly feeling that prompted the Eastern Star Social Club and my friends to propose my name as a candidate in the Strawberry Queen contest, I do not desire to be so considered on account of the uncertainty of my being here at Festival time.  I therefore request that my name be dropped from the list of the contestants.  Yours truly, Ione Woods.

• Two Camps For Y.M.C.A. Boys – Fifty Tacoma boys, interested in attending camp this summer where they can also earn good wages for part-time work, were present Wednesday at the Y.M.C.A. and heard the details of the two camps which the boys’ department of the Tacoma Y.M.C.A. will conduct again this summer at Vashon Island and near Alderton.  Paul T. Prentiss, teacher at Stadium High School, will supervise the Vashon Island camp.  The boys will pick Loganberries and raspberries for about six weeks.

 June 13, 1924

• The Seattle Times of June 6 had a splendid article on the front page in regard to the festival and the queen’s ball.  A fine piece of advertising. 

• Our Island neighbor, P. Monroe Smock, is earning the gratitude of the citizens of King county by the very efficient and agreeable manner in which he is taking care of the difficult duties of the office of Commissioner of Public Welfare.  Those who have had dealings with this department during Mr. Smock’s incumbency are unqualified in their praise and tell us he is just the man for the place.

• Contest Warm As Climax Approaches – While the Vashon candidate, Miss Pauline Weiss, is still in the lead, according to the vote reported to us, yet the politicians tell us that it is still anybody’s race and predict that the matter will all be in the dark until the final votes are added at the dance tomorrow night.

• Strawberry season will be short on account of the dry weather.

• Ellisport Selected for Summer Conference – Of more than unusual interest to the people of the island comes the news that the Presbyterian Young People’s Summer Conference will be held at Ellisport on August 13th to the 19th.  It is especially fitting that the McClintock home should be selected as the meeting place for the Presbyterians.  J.M. McClintock and wife, who with their family homesteaded this place in 1883, were lifelong Presbyterians during the pioneer days of Tacoma, and helped to establish the church at that place, also were leaders in the same work on the island.

• Island Man Jumps Another Cougar – Mr. Stephen Lander was surprised Friday night to see a cougar spring across the front of his car and as his dogs could not take his trail he got Mr. Bruce Hall and the fox hound Don Pedro.  Owing to the dryness and the fact that a cougar travels in jumps, the dogs soon lost the trail.  The place where he saw it was three quarters of a mile from where the other cougar was shot by his brother Mr. Daniel Lander.

• Dockton – The freighter built at the Martinolich shipyard for the Lovejoy Co. of Seattle, was launched on Thursday evening of last week, and christened the “Capital.”  The freighter is to replace the “Rubiyatt” which was sunk in Tacoma harbor, and will be ready for operation this summer.

• Burton – The A.G. Nystedt home was destroyed by fire Sunday morning and the family are temporarily located in the M.E. parsonage until a new home is ready.  The fire which must have caught from the chimney reduced the house to ashes in less than half an hour or so, little besides the piano and some furniture was saved.  The property was insured.

 June 20, 1924

• Strawberry Festival Hold Attention – Queen Jean Commands All Loyal and True Islanders to Assemble – Queen Jean Shipley of Vashon bids all to come and make merry at her Strawberry Festival tomorrow.  Throughout her domain, the Queen rules with her court and she graciously presides over the Festival.  Hail Queen Jean!  Hail Spirit of the Strawberry Festival 1924!  (A photo of Queen Jean Shipley was published.)

• Thru the planning of Mrs. Covington, and the cooperation of other members of the Commercial Club, the strawberry festival queen and her maids, chaperones and invited guests enjoyed a wonderful day in Seattle yesterday.  In addition to a sight-seeing trip about the city, the program included a dinner at the Northold Inn, as guests of Mr. Colgrove of the Heights; a visit to the Seattle Rose Show, as the guests of Mr. Collier, president of the society; seeing the show “Beau Brummel” at the Strand theater; visiting the mayor’s office and presenting Mrs. Landes, the acting mayor, with a basket of Vashon Island’s finest strawberries and inviting her to the festival.  The Kitsap County Transportation Co. donated the ferry tickets to the party and the cars for the sight-seeing trip were furnished by Miller Norton, the Chandler Sales Co.  The young ladies of the party were the Misses Shipley, Whitfield, Weiss, Cowan and Larsen.  The chaperones Mesdames Covington, Shattuck, ???, Canly, Stevenson, Tjomsland and Hayes.  All who went seemed to enjoy the day immensely.

• The Island Pioneers, a venerable body of people to the number of fifty, held their first annual reunion at the Odd Fellows hall on Saturday, June 14th.  The day was replete with many interesting reminiscences told as only pioneers themselves can tell them, and the fires of those early days of conquest and victory burned again as time turned backward, for the pioneers and their friends in the meeting of last Saturday.

• Strawberry Growers Attention – Vashon Marketing Association members take notice!  Beginning June 20th the price of strawberries at Vashon dock will be at least ten cents a pound.  R.B. Bodle, Sales Mgr.

• They Are Coming Back – Special to the News-Record – The “Vashon Special” carrying the message of “America’s Garden Spot – 15 minutes from Seattle” for thousands of eyes to see on its journey from coast to coast made a record time of 4 ½ days from Times Square in New York City to Grinnell, Iowa, and left Grinnell on June 12th headed for Vashon.  The group picture was taken on the front lawn of the H.M. Whinery home in Grinnell, Iowa, each one of the group being a Vashon Islander and proud of it.  The two elderly people seated on camp stools will be recognized by many on the Island as Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Whinery, who lived here for many years and still long to be back on the old Whinery homestead.  To the left of the group are Mrs. James R. Whinery and her son, Raymond, whose husband and father now rest in Vashon cemetery.  Mrs. Whinery will be easily recognized by her Vashon friends but Raymond’s old mates will hardly recognize their former school friend in this six foot young man.  To the right of the group are Mr. and Mrs. P.S. Pettelle, who are returning to Vashon to make their home and the four boys are their boys; perhaps the most important of all as future citizens of Vashon Island.  The “Vashon Special” is due to head into Kinnickinnick Ranch – the Pettelle future home – about July 15th.  (Group photo published)

• Maury – Maury boasts two new bridges, one on the Beach road, the other just east of Brockways on the Luana road.  Thank you, road workers; Maury appreciates your work.

• Announcement – Maury Co-Op Club has the opportunity (first chance) for buying a piano, reasonably priced.  Every member is urged to attend the next meeting with Mrs. E. Miller, Thursday afternoon on June 26th.  This means you.

• Mr. Malo, the new proprietor of the Luana Beach resort is an experienced man in the business and has many plans for improvement of the cottages and grounds some of which he has already carried out.  With proper management this popular resort will do a very nice business.  The dance pavilion is one of the big attractions every Saturday night.

• Local News – Several island dogs have been invading local poultry houses of late, invariably picking out the best henneries for their raids.  L.C. Beall, Jr. is one of the biggest losers, finding over a hundred dead pullets in his hen yards last Thursday morning.  Several dogs, having been caught in the act, were shot.

 June 27, 1924

• 2,400 Guests Enjoy Berries and Cream – Good-natured Crowds Take Advantage of This Occasion to See the Island – Saturday, June 21, was Vashon Island’s great day.  Early the people began to gather from all parts of the Isle and the crowds began arriving from the two cities as fast as the ferries and boats would let them and made their way to the beautiful grounds at Ellisport where the festival was held.  Arriving at the foot of the hill by the Ellisport store one was met by a boy scout outpost who gave directions for climbing the hill.  Reaching the summit we were met by more boy scouts who directed the visitors and kept the cars outside the festival area by ropes ‘cross the different roads, which they lowered when foot passengers approached.  All day long the scouts were busy wherever there was work to do about the grounds.  The Vashon P.T.A. and the Burton Ladies Aid had stands on the grounds where ice cream, hot and cold drinks and lunches could be purchased.  The promised “strawberries and cream” were also in evidence and 2,400 persons were served with this treat.  A considerable number of families ate lunch on the premises and soon thereafter the 11-piece orchestra under the direction of Mrs. A.W. Ganly, played some very nice selections.  President Miller of the Commercial Club introduced P. Monroe Smock who gave a humorous and appropriate address of welcome, concluding it with his original poem on “Vashon Isle.”  Two buglers attached to the “Camp Fire Girls” announced the coming of the queen to her coronation.  Ropes of green held by girl scouts bounded the path of the queen’s party on either side.  Tiny flower girls led the procession to the platform where the crowning was to take place.  The queen was gowned in true royal style, her train being carried by two little people in orthodox fashion.  Arriving in front of the throne the queen knelt to receive the crown at the hands of President Miller.  (Mrs. Jaynes, the ex-queen, being unable to attend.)  After the Queen was seated on her throne there were moving pictures taken of her and her party while all were waiting for the continuation of the program.  All day long the hydroplane carried passengers out over the Sound and back above the tree tops – the festival Queen being among those to enjoy this sport.  Mrs. E.H. Miller of the Club had a ride in the plane the day before when the airman who was an old acquaintance stopped at the beach near the Miller home.  From an entertainment standpoint the program was not nearly complete enough.  There was too much time between when there was nothing doing.  But in other ways the affair was very successful.  Everybody seemed in good humor.  The weather was pleasant and there was plenty to eat and drink and any number of friends to visit with.  As an advertising stunt the Strawberry Festival would be hard to beat.

• Deppman & Clark have been very busy gathering and barreling strawberries the last few weeks.  The work at the warehouse has often extended into the wee small hours.

• It was reported last week in the Kent Advertiser Journal that the Masonic home is to be located on the main land near Des Moines and that the committee had been authorized to purchase a suitable tract of land in that locality.

• Commercial Club Votes Two Months Adjournment – North End Transportation Judged “Growing Worse” and Committee Appointed to Wait on Co. Commissioners – This meeting was the time for election of officers but at the notice of election had not been legally given, the matter was tables until some future meeting.  Mrs. Covington reported the Seattle trip of the Festival queen and her escort as reported in last week’s News-Record but gave the additional information that the queen had been presented with a white gold wrist watch and her maids each a sterling silver bracelet.  Matter of the sign for Tahlequah was again presented to the club and discussed briefly.  President Miller spoke of the transportation problem at the north end of the Island and said that recently, on several occasions the ferry had been unable to handle the traffic in a satisfactory manner, only that morning some trucks of perishable merchandise had been left upon the dock for lack of room on the ferry and the entire load of passengers and cars had been held for some time pending settlement of the wrangle which ensued.  He said that he thought a committee of club members should wait upon the county commissioners and ask that an appropriation be included in the budget to cover the enlargement or improvement of the ferry or some substantial addition to the service that will be adequate to the Island needs.  A committee was appointed for this purpose.  Matter of the tables built for the strawberry festival grounds was presented to the club by C.E. Woods and it was voted to preserve the tables for another year rather than sell them for old lumber as previously.

• Oldsmobile Parade – The Olds Motor sales people, of Seattle, brought over five Oldsmobiles last Saturday and paraded the Island, returning in the evening.  Ed Zarth is the local agent and has sold a number of these fine cars here this season.

• Lisabeula – The Cove road is progressing very fast, the big bridge crossing the large ravine near the Steed place is almost completed, and the grading is coming on fine.  The big caterpillar just lifts the dirt by the wagon loads and fills up the low places.  We can soon shake hands with Cove and call them our neighbors.

• Norman Edson submitted a picture (of his own making) of the mountain through the Seattle Chamber of Commerce to the government P.O. Dept. for consideration as a picture to adorn a new postage stamp about to be issued. 

• Center – Mr. C. Bridgeman and Mr. Hoover won the prize for pitching horse shoes at the Strawberry Festival, which was a fine large cake baked by the ladies of the Ellisport Club.

• Distinguished Visitors at Camp Sealth – Beautiful and distinguished Camp Sealth is a scene of fine activity this season.  It is beautiful more so than ever and distinguished because it is the largest camp fire in the whole world.  It is this week just closing its first period of the summer vacation.  Over 230 girls attending and others coming, Virginia Beall was the only Island girl to attend and is staying for the second period.  Constance Beall of the Island will go for this period also.  Other Island girls than those mentioned will attend later.  Miss Brown, director, hopes to have many attend.  The charge is $7 per week, board and room and all the advantages of the camp life.

back to top

July 1924

July 4, 1924

• The wedding announcement of Miss Nettie Hayes to Clifford Brammer was published.

• Cove Republicans Organize Club – Cove precinct swept into line at the head of the procession on June 27th by organizing the Cove Republican club.  Plans are already being acted upon for an open-air meeting to be held on the beach at Shipley’s Point, north of Cove, on the evening of July 11th.  A huge “bon-fire” will enliven the evening, which, together with a number of speakers that include some of the more prominent candidates, insures a more enjoyable evening.

• Institute Convenes Here Next Week – The Beula Park Institute (Western Norwegian-Danish M.E. Conference) will be held this year at Beula Park, Vashon Island, from July 11th to 14th inclusive.  A full staff of teachers have been secured.  “Beula Park” consists of a beautiful 12-acre park on the shore of the West Pass, near Cove Landing, Vashon Island.  This park is held in trust by a set of trustees for the Western Norwegian and Danish Campmeeting Association, which maintains an annual campmeeting at that place.  The District Epworth Leagues have built, and maintain, a league hut on the place with dormitory and restaurant accommodations for about 50 persons.  There are quite a few cottages already and more are being built this year, including a large and commodious restaurant for campmeeting purposes.  Bringing their own bedding, meals and sleeping quarters can be had for $2 per day.  A large attendance is expected this year.  H.P. Nelson, Dean; Mrs. E.L. Nanthrop, Registrar; O.A. Wiggen, Manager. – Pacific Christian Advocate.

• The Institute Is Not: The Institute is not one of those denatured Chautauquas which offer lazy amusement, shallow thinking and aimless loafing.  The Institute is not one of those decadent camp meetings where everybody listens and nobody learns; where old straw is re-threshed and new weed seed is sown.  The Institute is not a pleasure resort where the test of a good time is the amount of brainless “fun” which can be crowded into a six days’ holiday.

• The Institute Is:  The Institute is a true and pleasant school.  Teachers and taught, alike, are students, learning from one another as well as from books.  The Institute is a blending of dissimilar but related ideas – work and play, impression and expression, worship and fellowship, study and thinking, doctrine and life.  The Institute is a peculiar democracy; predominantly youthful, definitely Christian, mentally inquisitive, spiritually receptive, richly productive.

• A photograph of Mt. Rainier, taken by Norman Edson from Cowley’s Heights on Vashon Island, was published.

• The obituary of Mrs. C.P. Cressey, whose maiden name was Miss Hetta Ellis, was published.

• Vashon Island Pioneers Hold Annual Meeting – One of the most enjoyable meetings held on the island recently was the picnic of the Vashon Island Pioneer and Historical association on Saturday, June 14th, at the Odd Fellows’ Hall.  This was the second meeting, the first having been held at Ellisport last year.  Over fifty people, many coming from Seattle and Enumclaw, met to make the day a festive one.  Early days on the island were recalled.  Frank Miner and Mrs. John Gilman, who were among the first settlers, told many interesting and amusing stories of the early days.  Following an old fashioned chicken dinner, a business meeting, presided over by C.A. Barton, was held and officers chosen for the ensuing year.  Francis Sherman, president; Mrs. Mary Hansen, vice-president; and Mrs. Ira Thompson, secretary-treasurer, comprised the officers.  An advisory committee composed of Mrs. Chas. Van Olinda, Mrs. Frank Bibbins, and Fay McClintock was appointed.  This board will select a historian for the society.  A committee was also appointed to work with the D.A.R., toward securing a monument to be erected to the pioneers of Vashon Island.  It was voted to charge an annual fee of fifty cents for each member.  Anyone coming to the island 35 years ago and who lived here one year is eligible to membership.  The time and place of the next meeting will be determined by the advisory committee and the officers of the association.  It is hoped that next year all of the pioneers of both islands will be out to enjoy this annual event.

• Southern Heights (Mrs. A.N. Morrill) – Last week Mr. honey man called on us again, and he evidently had been sampling different kinds of berries and other fruits on the Island, for he told us that the Island fruits have every other place beat for flavor; especially strawberries.  He also told us that many other places are looking much worse than the Island; suffering more than we are from the drought.  There are many reasons why we are glad we are living on “beautiful Vashon Isle.”

• Southern Heights – There is quite a bad fire burning in the woods near the Sheffield place that started in some unknown way last Saturday noon.  We understand no damage has been done to any buildings.

• Burton – Some twenty Y.M.C.A. boys of Tacoma are employed in the berry fields of Frank Enochs and Z. Harikiwa.

• Burton – Application blanks for adjusted compensation for ex-service men have been received at the Burton post office and will be given to anyone applying for them.

• The wedding announcements of Miss Jessie Christman to Mr. William Haack and Mr. Earl Morris Odion to Miss Althilde Nilsen were published.

• Cove News – S.M. Mabee, mayor of Cove, was around circulating among friends last Monday.  He reports the new road to Lisabeula as nearly completed.

• Dockton – The freighter Marvin of Tacoma was on the Stuckey ways for a general overhauling last week.

July 11, 1924

• New Dining Room For Vashon Café – Mr. and Mrs. Leslie have recently provided a cozy little dining room in connection with their café at the Cash and Carry grocery.  The entrance is at the rear of the ice cream counter and leads one into a nicely finished and paneled apartment that is comfortable and inviting.  At present there are booth accommodations for twelve persons – three tables that will seat four each, but another room opening out of this one is also being fitted up which will double the capacity.  This provides an accommodation that has been needed here for a long time – a place where you can eat a good meal in comfort and with a certain measure of privacy just about as you can in your own home.

• New Dentist Arrives At Vashon – Vashon has a new dentist in the person of Dr. V.C. Coutts of Tacoma who has taken over the local dental practice of Dr. Swanson and is now in charge.  Dr. Swanson has many friends and patrons here who will regret to lose him but he has built up a fine practice in Bremerton.

• The daily schedule of the Beulah Park Institute was published.

• Notice – I am agent for the Savage Washer and Dryer for Vashon-Maury Island and will be glad to demonstrate in your home without obligation.  W.D. Garvin, Vashon.  Phone Black 152.

• Some of the Vashon property owners have had some meetings lately to discuss the feasibility of putting in water works to supply this locality.  Sufficient water is available at the Ellsworth farm it is said but the engineer’s estimate of the cost of raising the water to the necessary height to give the needed pressure and piping same to the users has not been made yet according to last reports to this paper.  A number of our people would like to use water for lawns, bath rooms, etc. if it was available and quite a cut in insurance rates would result from the installation of a modern system of water supply.  Some of those interested have expressed themselves as being willing to invest $500 a piece in the proposition and one or two who have a great deal at stake would probably go in a bit heavier.

• The Magnolia Beach Improvement Association held its annual meeting Tuesday and the following officers were elected:  Mr. Chas. Mudgett, President; Mr. Stanley Morrison, Vice-President; Mr. Sharp, Secretary; Mr. Sam Wilson, Treas.; Mr. Simpson, Attorney; and I.H.Case.

• Lisabeula – It has been suggested that Cove and Lisabeula hold a Jubilee picnic on the finishing of the new road.  There’s a nice picnic grove half way between so let’s go.

• The report of the financial condition of the Vashon State Bank at the close of business on the 30th day of June, 1924 showed total resources of $231,354.85.

• Maury – James Linton reached the island from Boston in time for the 4th, and expects to be in the region until the opening of school in the fall.  One year more and Robert and himself will be full-fledged doctors.  Out of a class of 125 the two Lintons were awarded this year the gold key membership in the honorary medical fraternity.  This award is made only to five members of the class during the course and to 5 others at the end of the course.

 July 18, 1924

• Civil War Veteran Dies – Almost a pioneer, and one of the honored and best-known residents of Vashon Island passed on last Friday afternoon when Judge E.E. VanOlinda died at his home here.  (His obituary was published here.)

• The obituary of Grace Ferguson Knieriem was published.

• The obituary of Mrs. K. Paulson of Cove was published.

• D.A.R. Picnic – The Elizabeth Bixby chapter, D.A.R., held its annual picnic at Ellisport grove on Wednesday, July 9th.

• Notice! – If 25 people from each of the following communities attend Mr. Baker’s entertainment July 22nd, at Federated church, Vashon, busses will run from: Ellisport, Burton, Center and Portage and the rate will be 25 cents, round-trip.

• The obituary of Alfred William Allen was published.

 July 25, 1924

• Island Popular with Epworth Leaguers – The Beulah Park institute which came to a close Tuesday, the 15th of July last week, was the most successful ever held here, and a wonderful event for the young people.  We are only a small conference, and only about seven leagues of our little conference can partake on account of distances.  But anyway, nearly 100 young people met over Saturday and Sunday.  The other days we were not so many, averaging about 50 or 60 all told which was more than double the attendance of former years.  Thus our really first Beulah Park institute passed into history.  (Extract from letter received by Editors from H.P. Nelsen, Dean.)

• Federated Church – The Christian League of the Vashon Federated church was reorganized last Sunday evening into the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor of Vashon Island.

• The service station of the Cash & Carry, Vashon, has been greatly improved lately by the installation of a 560 gallon tank to take the place of the small tank used previously and a modern pump and filter of the most approved type.

• A pitifully small attendance enjoyed the concert at the Federated Church, Tuesday evening.  Rev. Ward Baker, the star of the program is certainly a master of the violin and his claim to be a “tone master” was justified fully in his work here.

• Capt. C. Wiman is reported as nearly having a fatal accident one day last week when a grader that was being loaded on his ferry with a caterpillar skidded, just missing him.

• Local News – Smoke settled over the Island late Thursday evening from the forest fire between Three Tree Point and Seattle.  No fire is reported on the Island as we go to press.

• Local News – T.D. Soper, a property owner here and former resident, but now of Santa Monica, California, is here for a brief visit.  He owns the dairy farm occupied by Antone Bourgeois.

• New Books in Burton Library – The Burton Public Library has recently procured and has now on its shelves for service the American Government compiled and written by Frederick J. Haskins.  The following is a list of new books purchased for the Burton Public Library.  THE ABLE McLAUGHLINS by Margaret Nelson.  SCARAMOUCHE by Rafael Sabatini.  A GENTLEMAN OF COURAGE by J. Oliver Curwood.  TOUNGES OF FLAME by Peter Clarke McFarlane.  SEIGE by Samuel H. Adams.  MADAME CLAIRE by Susan Ertz.  THE HOME MAKER by Dorothy Canfield.  BRIDGE OF THE GODS by Balch.  PEACOCK FEATHERS by Temple Baily.  THE MYSTERIOUS RIDER by Zane Grey.  THE CATHEDRAL by Hugh Walpole. 

• Burton – Five Seattle parties have purchased lots 13 and 14, including the spring, on Burton beach near the Geo. Taylor home and are building a ware room to store their camp outfits for the winter.  In the spring they will erect a community house for their own use and a cabin for each family surrounding this building.  They are now clearing the lots for base ball and tennis grounds and getting ready for building next spring.  The five interested parties Dr. H.F. Keltner, W.N. Brown, J.C. Smith, Dr. R.M. Roberts and Theo. Coy.

• Southern Heights – All the southern portion of the Island is rejoicing because the Lamb road, bringing the north and the south ends of the Island about four miles nearer together, is now open for travel, and we, at least, would like very much to get better acquainted with the people living in and around Cove and Colvas.  We like the way the people in that part of the Island do things, and think we might do well to copy, if we can not do something original.

back to top

 

August 1924

August 1, 1924

• The wedding announcement of Miss Gladys Stevenson to David O’Dell was published.

• Flag Donated To High School – The School Board of District No. 176 takes this opportunity to extend thanks in behalf of the people of the district to Mr. and Mrs. Peter Woeck for the beautiful flag lately donated to the Vashon high school.  The flag was made to order and is a very handsome one.

• A “young visitor” at Whitfields on Sunday nearly caused a tragedy while admiring a rifle stored in Mr. Whitfield’s office.  Unaware of its load he snapped the hammer and a bullet crashed into a testament from which William studies the men’s class lesson, but at that moment reposing in a pigeon hole in the desk.  Solicitous friends are advising Will to hereafter carry the Testament in his vest pocket, as recommended by the class leader – for Will would have been hard to miss had the bullet gone in his direction, and the book would undoubtedly have saved his life had the bullet gone in the direction of his heart.

• An S.O.S. call was sent from the foot of the little hill east of the Vashon Meat Market last Monday afternoon.  A touring car headed for the 4:15 Northend ferry, carrying two men who were strangers to the writer, turned completely over into the ditch by the road side.  The car had evidently gone close to the edge to let some pass and the fill had slipped some, emptying the car and its contents into the weed forest that flourishes at this point and hides the small precipice to the unsuspecting stranger going over the road for the first time.  Indeed, a person might travel the road for some time without suspecting the steepness of the bank or the depth of the hole as long as the weeds are so rank and thick as at the present time.  The writer is not informed as to whether the budget will permit of this nuisance being abated at public expense or not but it is to be hoped that the danger at this point and other similar places will be minimized before any fatal accidents occur.  In this instance the men were apparently not hurt.  Mr. Mace from the garage assisted by the eggery truck and several neighbors who volunteered got the car out of the ditch and started the occupants on their way.

• Magnolia Beach – Some very attractive hand made posters advertising the Cabaret for next Saturday night are being shown.  As this is in the hands of the young people, and there is quite a bit of talent here, it promises to be a successful affair.

• The program of the Western Washington Baptist Assembly at Assembly Point, Burton, Washington, was published.

 August 8, 1924

• A listing of the leaders and speakers at the Ellisport Summer Conference being held Aug. 13 to 19 was published.

• Island Runners Will Compete For Cup – The Columbia Athletic Club of Cove will stage a marathon run from Vashon to Cove on Labor Day.  The winner will be presented with a fine silver loving cup.  This marathon is scheduled in the interest of promoting Island athletics.

• The schedule of the Presbyterian Summer Conference being held in Ellisport Aug. 13 to 19 was published.

• Burton Department – Two hundred and eight registered on opening day at the B.Y.P.U. Assembly grounds, two less than last year, but many more will arrive during the week.

• Burton Department – In as much as everyone in Burton and its neighborhood is benefitted by the electric light maintained on the Main street, it is thought unfair that only a few should bear the cost of the illumination.  So, it is planned that in the near future a big community baked bean and brown bread supper will be given and the year’s light budget be provided for.  The affair will be under the auspices of the Men’s Class of Burton, the date of the supper to be announced in the near future.

• Burton – The program for the remaining days of the Western Washington Baptist Assembly at Assembly Point, Burton, Washington was published.

• Maury – Residents of Grandview Boulevard have adopted a large building program for the near future.  Mr. Simmons has the foundation layed for a new house while Fred Nelson has a chicken house and barn under construction.  Good work!  Better homes will help make Grandview Boulevard all its name implies.

• Maury – The Kingsbury Bros. Logging Co. are busy this week moving from east of Maury Center, the scene of past logging activities, to a tract of timber near Maury Center; already fallers are busy in the woods and an air of industry prevails.

 August 15, 1924

• Federated Church – The Daily Vacation Bible school which is to begin in the Vashon Community church at 9 a.m. next Monday is something new on the island and many are lookin’ forward with great deal of interest.

• Notice – The H. Steen Mill Co., Ellisport, Wash. Is now ready for business.  We manufacture Lumber and Boxes of all kinds.  After a year of moving and rebuilding, we shall be pleased to have our old customers return and as many new ones as appreciate Good Lumber and Good Service.

• Commissioners Vote Ferry Improvement – Request of Vashon Island Commercial Club to Modernize Washington Heeded with Appropriation $1700 – Request For Improvements On Ferry “Washington” – To the Honorable Commissioners of King County:  The Vashon Island Commercial Club, a representative body of two hundred members, respectfully represents that the Ferry “Washington” is an antiquated boat, running from Seattle to Vashon Island, without a single modern comfort of travel, and as a county owned utility it should be improved in keeping with the times and the increased traffic.  The discomforts of the boat consisting mainly of windows too high to see out of; seats that are hard benches, and toilets that should be condemned, are the subjects of wide complaint, and injurious to the development of the Island, as well as an unnecessary hardship on travelers, both regular and tourist.  We believe that at small expense much of this can be remedied, and therefore ask you to make provision in the forthcoming budget as follows:  1. For lowering windows $750  2. For modern seats $750  3. For toilets $200.  We submit also that the Marion Street Dock House is in a wretchedly, unsanitary condition and that provision should be made at once for the use of all the docking property obtained from the port of Seattle and for strictly dock purposes, and that a suitable sum be appropriated for the improvement of said dock house and an overhead landing at the ferry slip.  For the want of such an improvement the ferry passengers and autos are compelled unnecessarily to lose five and ten minutes at every unloading at the Marion Street Dock.  Dated at Vashon Island, August 9, 1924 Respectfully submitted, Vashon Island Commercial Club by E.H. Miller, President, E.C. Thompson, O.H. Lincoln, Peter Woeck and C.J. France, Committee.

• The above petition was presented to the county commissioners last Monday by the committee in person, headed by Mr. Miller, and the News-Record is most happy to report to its readers that the commissioners acted favorably on the petition and agreed to include the $1,700 asked for in the current budget.  Vashon Island is to be congratulated on having commercial club officials who are always awake to the Island’s interests.  The people of the Island are also grateful to the County Commissioners for their cooperation in this matter of ferry improvement, and it is to be hoped that the following petition to the Port Commission may not pass unheeded.

• Request For Improvements Upon Ferry Dock At The Foot Of Marion Street – To the Honorable Commissioners of the Port of Seattle – The Vashon Island Commercial Club, a representative body of two hundred (200) members, represents that the ferry landing at the foot of Marion Street is, in its present condition, entirely inadequate to handle the volume of business coming over the same, and, in the opinion of this Commercial Club, should be improved at once in the following particulars:  1. An overhead landing should be constructed along the north side of the ferry slip in order to permit foot passengers to embark and leave the ferries without being compelled to pass down stairs to the loading slip used for automobiles.  At present this portion of the dock is used for rubbish and fish boxes and is both insanitary and a serious fire hazard.  Furthermore, it is important on the morning trip, that the ferry land on schedule at ten minutes to eight, but owing to the inconvenience of passengers leaving the ferry through the narrow stairway, unloading is unnecessarily delayed from ten to fifteen minutes and all automobiles held back that length of time.  Installation of an overhead landing would remove this serious obstacle.  2. We ask the use, for transportation purposes, of all of the Marion Street dock property owned by the Port, for which is was acquired, for the reason that the present facilities are absolutely inadequate to care for the constantly increasing traffic, due to travel by automobile and ferry.  The present dock house is used mainly for commercial purposes and the handling of passengers is a secondary consideration.  The fish house on the south side of the dock should be thrown into one unit in order to enlarge the present facilities.  3. Remodeling of the whole dock property, including the so-called waiting room, is imperative to meet the modern demands of traffic as the space for passengers is so small that they are congested about the ticket office and very often compelled to wait in large numbers on the sidewalk outside the building, interfering with street traffic.  Furthermore, the waiting room is unsanitary and filthy; the toilets being a disgrace and a shame, and a menace to the health of passengers in the dock.  We believe the time is at hand for the development of the water front to meet the growing needs of traffic by ferry and auto and that the port should do its share of development in this regard.  Not to do so is to injure and retard the development, not only of Vashon Island and traffic from across the Sound, but to injure and discourage traffic by tourists and others from Seattle.  The Commercial Club of Vashon Island speaks for a community of five thousand people, citizens of King county and the Port of Seattle, taxpayers who are entitled to consideration in this matter and to receive their share of the benefits from bonds voted for the Port for transportation purposes, and we hold that the large income heretofore derived, and to be derived, from rents of this port property should be used for improvements of the dock and betterment of travel.  Dated at Vashon Island this 11th day of August, 1924.  Respectfully submitted, Vashon Island Commercial Club, by E.H. Miller, President, W.D. Covington, R.B. McClinton, S.M. Shipley, E.C. Thompson, W.J. Magowan, Committee.

• Editorial - Nature is sincere.  When a few months ago, a couple of Island young folks took a chance at parenthood for the sake of the momentary pleasure offered them, she took their love murmurings at face value and paved the way for a life together by placing a united responsibility upon them.  It is not necessary or right to seek out punishment for those who so early in life (both being under age) have broken one of the rules intended to safeguard society.  The mischief has been done and the next step is to give right advice as to the most manly and womanly way to meet the obligation that the situation imposes.

• The program for the Community Day Vacation Bible School, a school into which boys and girls 4 to 14 gather under competent teachers and are taught Religion by Precept and Practice, was published.

• Burton – Burton is full, beach is full and even the hill folks are getting full, since a larger water pipe was recently laid out to the assembly grounds.

 August 22, 1924

• The death notice of Leslie J. Nye, son of W.T. and Abbie J. Nye, was published.

• Commercial Club Scores Again – Responding to the petition of our Commercial Club the Port Commission replies that they’ve ordered certain needed improvements in the waiting room and toilets at the Coleman dock used by the patrons of the Washington ferry.  In regard to the larger relief asked for in the petition, that matter is referred back to the County Commissioners by the Port officials.  The Commercial Club has asked for a public hearing of the whole matter, the latter part of this month on some date that shall be convenient for the officials involved.

• A few members of the executive council of the Vashon Island Commercial Club met in the Vashon State Bank, Tuesday night.  S.E. Brokaw of the Washington Auto Club had been over, it was stated, and logged the Island with the purpose of preparing official signs, which will be put up at proper places all over the Island at an early date.  It was the sense of the meeting that the Club should offer a liberal reward for the conviction of any one guilty of mutilating or destroying these signs.

• E.C. Thompson’s Portable Provision Store – With its ice-cooled supply of fresh meats, fresh fish, cured meat, fresh vegetables and Island-made bread, is a welcome visitor to many housewives.  This portable store is fully equipped and modern in every way.  (Photograph published of the Daily Needs truck)

• The wedding announcement of Christian W. Leonhard to Miss Gladys Eva Collings was published.

• Dockton – Mr. C. Berethick and his fishing crew returned Tuesday on the “North Western” after a successful season at the Salmon banks near Friday Harbor.

• The deputy sheriff has been on the Island for several days looking up delinquents on paying car and driver licenses.  He found a number such, who had put off until tomorrow.

 August 29, 1924

• The wedding announcement of Miss Margaret Cristman to Mr. Earl Y. Danner was published.

• Hospital Bed Furnished – The Island Orthopedic has finished raising the money to establish and maintain a bed at the Orthopedic Hospital for the coming year.  Mr. L.C. Beall, Sr. and Mrs. T. Hansen have had this matter in charge.  $250.00 was required to do this.

• Rev. C. August Peterson, who just returned from Norway, will speak at the Cove M.E. Church next Sunday in the morning in the Norwegian language.  Sermon in English by the pastor in the evening. –H.E. Anderson

• School Opens Tuesday, Sept. 2 – J.E. Lewis New Superintendent Complete Corps of New Teachers

• Axel Bjorkland has just completed a cement cistern to stabilize his water supply.  The cistern is 13 by 13 and 9 feet deep.  It took 21 sacks of cement.

• The Women’s Foreign Missionary Society will meet in the M.E. church at Vashon, Wednesday, Sept 3. 

• Magnolia Beach – The Centralia Daily Chronicle had a splendid write up of Magnolia Beach week before last which was copied in the Tacoma Tribune.

• The wedding announcement of Miss Jeanette Fenton to Mr. Arthur Poultney was published.

• Burton – The home of Andrew Jercovich was destroyed by fire Sunday morning.

• Maury – A minor fire and one of unknown origin occurred at Portage early this week when the waiting room on the old ferry dock burned caused some excitement as a fire is wont to do.  Nevertheless loss, even though not great, acts as a warning to all for carefulness in regards to fire.

• Editorial – A vote for Ira Case for representative is a vote for an Island man who twelve months in the year is working for the best interests of the Island.  He has some definite plans to benefit the whole island and if you send him back he will give a good account of himself.  Mr. Case should have a big vote here, as he is not only a good man for the place but the only candidate the Island is entering in the race.

• Magnolia Beach – Wednesday morning saw the departure of a gay lot of young people on a canoe trip around the two islands.  They returned Friday afternoon.  Mrs. Ed Oleson was the chaperone of the party.

back to top

 

September 1924

September 5, 1924 missing

September 12, 1924

• Port Commission Denies Responsibility – A committee of five from the Island Commercial Club, Messrs. Miller, Stewart, Covington, Martin and West, met with the port commission at Seattle on Wednesday of this week and argued over two hours the matter of needed improvements on the Marion St. Dock property, previously discussed in these columns.  The outcome of this meeting was that the port commissioners claim no obligation or authority in the matter and refer same back to the county commissioners.  It is expected to have a joint meeting of the port and county commissioners early next week to take the matter up again.

• Vashon School Notes by News Writing Class – The raising of the new flag presented to the Vashon grade and high schools by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Woeck featured the program for Defenders’ day, Friday.

• Vashon School Notes by News Writing Class – The freshman class met Wednesday and elected officers.  Blue and gold were selected as class colors.

• Return Acreage Survey Cards – Please – The Department of Agriculture has sent out cards thru the post office to make a Special Crop Acreage Survey.  The information desired is important and our local postmistress, Miss Jacobs, is requesting that these cards be returned to the post office at once to assist in the report wanted.

• We have an opportunity of getting that splendid boat Suquamish to run on the east side the year ‘round.  Persons who will in any way, freight or passenger, give it their support will please drop a postal card to Frank Hubbell, Luana Beach, Portage, Wash.

 September 19, 1924 missing

September 26, 1924

• Commissioners Turn Deaf Ear – Special to the News-Record – Petition of the Commercial Club for an upper deck exit from the ferry to the Marion Street dock was denied at conference Tuesday of the Port and County Commissioners at the latter’s court, which was attended by President Miller and members of the Club.  The County said they could not and the Port would not and though all is not lost, it is hard for Islanders to “judge not.”  This conference was held at the suggestion of President Cotterill of the Port after a hearing two weeks ago at which he declared the Port had no power, funds or obligation to make improvements on the dock property – that the County by contract had relieved the Port of all ferry dock burdens except the income of about $4,000 for a year.  To the members of the Club present, it was apparent that the Commission felt elated in getting out of ferry problems by this contract.  At the conference, Mr. Cotterill said that he would let the County do it as the County has assumed only $60,000 of $202,000 bonds with which the dock and certain boats were purchased, and because the income from the dock was not enough to pay interest on the remaining bonds.  The County’s position is that any such expense by it should be provided in the budget – possibly next year.  So that’s that.  However, the Port is going ahead with improvements asked by the Club in betterments of the waiting room and toilets, and closing off the fish market from interfering with ferry traffic; all of which is appreciated.

• The S.M. Class of the Federated Sunday school enjoyed a corn and marsh mallow roast at the old brick yard near Vashon dock last Saturday afternoon.

• Highway Safeguarded – Special to the News-Record – County Commissioner Frank Paul is still doing good work for Vashon Island.  This time it is guarding and draining the highway on the north end.  In response to the request of a special committee of the Commercial Club, headed by President Miller, Capt. McClinton and others made a few weeks ago, Mr. Paul stated that he had plans for protecting the dangerous hill curves on the highway with 8 x 8 posts and 2 x 6 rails, painted white and that the work would go forward at once as funds were available in the permanent highway fund.  Near the last curve on the hill, drainage from a large watershed courses down the gutter to the east of the roadway, causing flooding, caving of the hill and threatening the foundation of the pavement.  This Mr. Paul has remedied for all time by having laid about 100 feet of 24-inch drain tile to carry flood water; and just in time to avert trouble from the season’s rain.  Another project of Mr. Paul’s is a better grade for the South end ferry road.  This is a larger matter and must be provided for in the budget, hearing on which takes place the first week of October.

• Burton High School Notes by Senior English Class – The Manual Training dept. under Mr. Haley’s directions is starting our fine this year.  The first year boys have been making nail boxes, drawing boards and work benches.  One member of the advanced class is building a row boat, while the others are beginning their various projects for the year.

• Vashon School Notes by News-Writing Class – A new pennant will take the place of the old senior pennant in the assembly hall.  The background of the new pennant is royal blue with a white “V” on which the letters V.H.S. in old English style stand out in blue.  Against the blue background 1925 stands out in white letters.  All members of the senior class expressed their approval of the new pennant.

• Maury – Early last week a construction company came to the island and began building a camp at the old Groves place setting up sleeping tents and other ways getting into readiness to begin construction on the new Dockton road.

• Local News – The Vashon Island Mill at Quartermaster is being wired for electric lights.  Thos. Steffanson is going the work.

back to top

 

October 1924

October 3, 1924

• So the People May Know – We have paid Peter Monroe Smock $560.00 rent in the short time we have been here, besides purchasing repairs and parts for machine and motor amounting to $40 more and paying $40 to Mr. Wenham for type that was supposed to be part of the outfit until after the agreement was made to lease at a certain figure.  To make this seem all right to us we were to have credit for same on the November rent but Smock did not intend us to be here in November so of course he planned to work us for whatever we paid Mr. Wenham.  Our rent has been paid as follows:  March 8 - $80, April 3 - $80, May 10 - $80, June 6 - $80, July 14 - $80.  In August four payments from the 15th to the 20th aggregating $80.  Sept. 15 - $80 – total $560.00.  On Oct 2 the landlord comes around and wants to know how things are coming and you tell him “Fair”, but that it’ll take probably “four or five days to collect in enough” to square up with him.  He does not say anything verbally but goes home and writes a notice for us to get out in three days.  Two months ago the gentleman told the writer that he had a certain payment to make on the 14th of each month and that if he got his rent by that time it was just as good to him as the first.  The Bakers are not getting a square deal on this as the coming months would ordinarily be more profitable in the printing business than the summer time.  We had the assurance from Mr. Smock when we planned to move here that he expected to hold his job for four years at least and that we would not have to worry about leaving at the end of the year.  I told him at the time that we would not think of moving out here for just a few months as we could not afford it.  And so it has proved.  We are barely recovering from the expense of the move now.  We have worked hard, for we love the work and believe in it as a very necessary form of public service.  We have hung on, hoping that a stock company or some way of financing the paper would be developed.  Some friends have been very kind and very loyal.  For their sakes we are sorry we cannot remain, to serve until nature should bid us rest.  The $80 rent has been so excessive that we have been unable to make anything or save anything, we also owe two or three people that should be paid, so – If anyone knows themselves in debted to us for the current year subscription, please pay same before or by tomorrow evening, Saturday, Oct. 4 – H.S. Baker.

• Capt. Holliday Cited For Bravery – Twenty-six years ago, Capt. Presly Holliday, and Island man, led his cavalry troop into a post of extreme danger on the Cuban battlefield and held the position.  This week he received a citation from the war department as follows:  Citation For Gallantry In Action (Silver Star) – Presly Holliday, captain, Quartermaster Officers’ Reserve Corps (Quartermaster sergeant, Unites States Army, retired), then sergeant, Troop B. 10th Cavalry United States Army.  For gallantry in action against Spanish forces at Santiago, Cuba, July 1, 1898.

• Maury – After a profitable fishing trip in Alaska the Bull Moose with her crew docked again at Fernheath, the home dock, last Friday.  Captain Larsen and men were glad to get home and welcomely received.  Other Mauryites in the crew were Kenneth Rivers, Cris Tokel and Lloyd Larsen.

• Burton High School Notes by Senior English Class – We are glad to have Kenneth Rivers back with us.  He has been fishing in Alaska all summer and just arrived at home Friday, 26th.  He is an industrious junior and soon will make up in his studies for the past months absence.

• Vashon School Notes by News-Writing Class – Mrs. Edith Morton, the first principal of Vashon High School, was a visitor on the Island Thursday, Sept. 25.  She was principal at Vashon for eight years.

 October 10, 1924

• Local News – While the proposed $1,750 to improve the seating, lighting and lavatory fixtures on the “Ferry Washington” was cut from the budget we do not despair.  Such a live commercial club as the island has, with such efficient high grade men as E.H. Miller, W.C. Meredith and Alex Stewart boosting things, with over a hundred others just as ready to do their level best for the good of the island we aren’t worrying much over a small defeat like the above. 

• A Statement – Following H.S. Baker’s statement as to his relations with P. Monroe Smock, I feel it is only due Mr. Smock for me to make a statement concerning my relations with him, both as an employee and lessee of the Vashon Island News-Record.  I was employed by him for four months.  During that time his treatment was all that could be wished by anyone.  When he took the position of commissioner of public welfare he proposed to me that I lease the plant.  I took charge the first of January, 1923, and continued to operate it until February 1, 1924.  For several months I paid $100 per month rent and then it was reduced to $80 – the same as Mr. Baker.  By industry and economical administration I was able to make a comfortable living for my family and went away from the Island with a sufficient sum of money to have made it well worth my while to have resided here.  During all my time as lessee my relations with Mr. Smock were most cordial and could not have been more satisfactory.  When it came time that I thought I should return to my farm I asked Mr. Smock to release me from my contract, which he gladly did, after having had time to look about for a successor.  At all times I cooperated with him and he furnished me with no small amount of news matter and I did what I could for his interests.  In fact, I could not have asked for more pleasant relations.  When I left, the News-Record was full of advertising and news matter and was paying a good profit each month.  The machinery was in perfect running order and the material was in excellent condition.  On Monday of this week I returned at his request, to assist in straightening out a most distressing condition and get the plant running satisfactorily.  I made a great sacrifice of personal interests and returned to find the machinery almost wrecked, type and other material strewn about, the cutter broken and a great amount of material needlessly destroyed and damaged.  It took me two hours to get the first line of type set on the machine.  Then it was necessary to get other men more skilled than I in the mechanism of the linotype to get it to work again.  The damage to the machinery and business in general amounts to many hundreds of dollars more than Mr. Baker paid Mr. Smock.  I still hold two notes given by Mr. Baker, which are many months past due, amounting to $120, which Mr. Smock is compelled to take up at once.  I make this statement freely, without favoritism to Mr. Smock or malice towards Mr. Baker.  Mr. Baker simply is not a newspaper man nor a printer and found himself beyond his depth at Vashon.  It is only that Mr. Smock should be shown in his true light to Vashon Island residents that this statement is written.  Lou E. Wenham.

• Vashon School Notes by News-Writing Class – A fumigation of the entire school building took place last Saturday, according to directions of the County Board of Health.  All books were opened to assure their being thoroughly disinfected.  “A stitch in time saves nine,” believes Mr. Lewis.  Although no contagious diseases are known in the school or community, the school was fumigated as a precautionary measure.  Approximately 300 books have been moved from the Vashon library to the high school for the students’ use.  The first aid room will be changed to a library.  A study table and shelves, making the books handy to all students, will be made.  A new card index rack has been purchased, making a system of charging books possible.  The books from the stockroom are also to be moved downstairs.  A new set of Compton’s encyclopedias will be added to the source material for reference.

• Vashon School Notes by News-Writing Class – “Greta, the Singing Girl,” is the operetta which in all probability will be given by the Glee Club this semester.

• Editorial – That You May Know – We are sorry Mr. Baker could not make a go of the News-Record.  If it were not for the wrong impression left by the article last week we’d not say a word.  Mr. Baker had a lease on the paper which was to expire Jan. 1st next.  This lease was signed by himself and wife before T. Hansen, a notary public, and may be inspected at this office by anyone interested at any time.  It provided for him to pay us $80 per month for the building and equipment.  The rent was to be paid monthly, and not one month did he pay according to agreement.  The plant was going from bad to worse.  We saw the wreck that was ahead, and on September 15th offered to cancel the lease, employ Mr. Baker at a regular salary, or let him run the back end on a 50-50 basis.  To neither of these three propositions would he consent.  He was back on his agreement for rent $160.  He was back eight months on his agreement with us concerning Mr. Wenham’s material $120 more.  The agreement called for his removal with or without notice.  But we gave him notice, and all this notice was for him to either pay his rent or quit.  Anyone may see the original notice at any time at this office.  So he quit and he still owes us the $160 on the contract and he still owes Mr. Wenham $120.  He used up about $50.00 worth of material, broke our big 23-inch paper cutter, wasted our type, allowed our job press to become utterly foul, and our $3000 linotype is so badly treated that only an expert mechanic can tell us what the money damage will be to put it in good working order again.  The $40 he claims to have put in equipment on the machine isn’t paid, and we will show the bill which came today to anyone at any time who is interested.  We have had the damage inspected by those who actually know, and can offer proof by those disinterested that the damage done to the whole business will exceed $1,000 and yet this man says we haven’t given him a square deal.  He chose to quit rather than pay the rent.  That’s all there is to the matter.  Our only way is to take back what is left of this once wide-awake newspaper and make the best of it.  If it could be turned back to us now in as good condition as it was turned over last January, we’d gladly refund to Mr. Baker every cent he has paid us in rent and give him money enough to return to Montana to boot.  But this cannot be done.  What’s done cannot be undone.  But we are going to do our best to again give our readers a local paper in which they may feel a just pride.  It will take some time to have the machinery overhauled and in good running order.  It will take time to again get all our old faithful correspondents back to “normalcy.”  It will take time to win back the support of some of our old advertisers.  It will take time to get out an eight-page paper, full of general, state and local news in the post office each week on time.  But all of these things we expect to do before Santa Claus comes down the chimney next December.  All we ask is for readers to pursue a course of “watchful waiting.”  Find out whether we shall honestly try to do these things or not.  If you are finally persuaded that we are publishing a newspaper on the island for the benefit of the island, as well as to earn a living for the wife and three Vashon Island babies, then we ask your continual confidence, kind words and cordial support.

• Dockton – Mrs. Isaac Anderson left for Seattle Sunday where she will be on jury duty for the month of October.

• Dockton – A number of relatives from this place attended the funeral of Nick Berry Tuesday at Tacoma.  The young man was drowned in Alaska when the fishing boat Meridian, on which he was one of the crew, went on the rocks. 

• Burton – People looking up for airplanes when they hear a humming noise have found it comes from the new motor that has been installed at the Gravatone Press and which is kept busy with holiday orders.

• Burton – Monday night the Burton Trading store was broken into, several dollars were taken from the cash register and the safe tampered with, but the attempt to open it was unsuccessful.  Admittance was gained by breaking out one corner of the glass window, inserting the hand and turning the night latch.  Investigations are going on which will result, it is hoped, in putting a stop to this thieving.

 October 17, 1924

• Local News Of Vashon And Vicinity – Registrar W.D. Garvin reports that in the Vashon precinct there were 188 registered for the general election out of a possible 200 or a little less than 95 per cent.  That’s a pretty good showing.

• Local News Of Vashon And Vicinity – Today a “stranger within our gate” remarked about the modern high-class busses being operated on the Island, and we paused long enough to tell him that Messrs. Middling and Staples, the proprietors, are not only giving the Island people excellent transportation service, but are winning the esteem of our visitors by their courteous and painstaking treatment.  With a capital outlay of upwards of $20,000, these men show their faith in the Island’s future, and their two big comfortable busses are one of our best assets.

• Cove Comments (C.A. Renouf) – We are mighty glad to see Messrs. Smock and Wenham running our local newspaper craft once more.  It takes expert knowledge these days to keep such craft afloat and in the running.  Soon after the late (unlamented) crew took charge, we had a hunch that things were going askew, and later were certain of it, when with a lee shore abeam, and the storm signals up, they commenced jettisoning the literary cargo.  But now the old experienced crew are once more in charge we will see the good ship weather cape despair on the starboard and cape Doubt on the port, and make for open water and safety.

• Cove – The dance at the Community hall last Saturday was a great success.  Also in addition, water has been piped to the kitchen and a sink installed so that we will be up to date with further improvements to follow.  The building is really our club house and I think we are justifiably proud of it.

• Local News Of Vashon And Vicinity – Elsewhere appears the financial statement of the Vashon State Bank as called for, at the close of the day’s business October 10.  This statement shows this sturdy little bank now has a business which totals almost a quarter of a million dollars.  Mr. Hansen, the president, has watched it grow from a humble beginning into a typical Island institution, and while many big banks have risen waxed fat, and then failed, the “Home Bank” has pursued a safe and sane policy which now holds for it the confidence of the entire Island.

• Southern Heights (Mrs. A.N. Morrill) – We have been requested to give the correct pronunciation of “Tah-le-quah” and with the editor’s help, will endeavor to give it correctly.  The accent is on the last syllable.

• The Purple And Gold Tiger – Published Weekly by the Newswriting Class of Vashon High School – “The Purple and Gold Tigers” has been chosen by the journalism class to head their news columns in the Vashon Island News-Record.  The name will also represent the school’s athletic teams.

 October 24, 1924

• Lisabeula (Mrs. C.H. Howard) – The Editor has been talking about the advantages of the Island.  It surely can stand a lot of dry weather, as we had a longer dry spell than at any time in our 11 years of living here, and we thought we wouldn’t have very much garden, but it flourished and grew in spite of dry weather.  There must be water below that helps out.  I expected no pears, beans, or many tomatoes this year, but had plenty as usual.  We canned as many tomatoes as in other years, so it is remarkable the drought the Island can stand.  And fruit; the trees were all loaded and it seems a pity to see so much lying on the ground decaying.

• Shenandoah Sails Over Vashon Island – Islanders witnessed last Sunday at high noon a sight which would have been hailed as a miracle a hundred years ago.  The big dirigible, built by Uncle Sam as a strictly war ship, and named the “Shenandoah,” sailed almost directly over the Island last Sunday and was so near we could almost read the name on her side.  From the angle which we first saw her she looked like a mighty fish swimming in the air.  Her outline is a perfect figure of a fish, even to the fins and tail.  She was going north over Seattle and Bremerton and we could see her plainly visible for upwards of twenty minutes.  She has now departed southward, but the memory will linger in the minds of some on the Island for three-quarters of a century.  Their children and grandchildren will be told about October 19, 1924, after October 19, 1781, is forgotten.

• Local News – E.S. Cohn, representing the Fox River Butter Company of Seattle and New York City was on the Island Wednesday of this week, meeting some of our poultrymen, and found his way into this office.  He says our wonderful development on the Island in the poultry business is a surprise to him.  His ad appears in another column.

• Local News – The S.S. Suquamish will make a special run from Seattle, leaving there Thursday night at 11:15 October 30th, to Vashon Heights, and the fare for the trip from Seattle to the Island will be 50 cents.

• Local News – M.R. Dunsford has taken over the output of wood from the Williams mill and this week carries an ad showing some attractive prices.

• M.H. Morrisey says Lisabeula is at the front in the registration of voters as there are 80 registered in that precinct out of a possible 86.  We are told by Foreman Merry that Maury precinct made an almost perfect registration record.  The big test will come at the election, and if we can get the figures we will publish the percentage of the vote to the registration in the different precincts.  Let’s see how many precincts can get out a 100 per cent vote.

• New Business Bldg. For Vashon Town – Material is now being delivered for a new building in Vashon to be erected between the Dew Drop Inn store on the south, and the F.A. Weiss General Merchandise store on the north.  The building will be 16 x 40 feet and will be occupied by H.N. Rodda for a meat market.  It is expected to be ready for occupancy by December 1st.  It will be a modern constructed frame building, with store front flush with the lot line, and the Beall-Hansen company is promoting it.  The work will be done by William Nye and S.E. Watson.  Following the completion of this building the above-named company expect to have a modern front, flush with the street and lot line, constructed for the F.A. Weiss store building, making the corner look real “citified.”

• Center News – Parklyn Poultry Ranch is building a large new feed room.

• Southern Heights – Our busy logger, Mr. Otto Strauch, has commenced logging on what was the Indian reservation, and that will mean work for quite a crew of men this winter.

 October 31, 1924

• Vashon Heights To Have Electricity – Concurrent with other planned development of the Island is the announcement made by the local manager, C.L. Garner, that the Puget Sound Power company will at once begin work on an extension of their service to and including the Vashon Heights dock.  This line will add 2.4 miles of new main line and 2.6 miles of lateral lines.  It will serve from the start 53 new users and more will be added from time to time.  This added service will call for an entire improvement of the system from Portage north.  This increased voltage will require the company to install a new transformer bank at Vashon.  The general system will be revamped by having all the old iron wire replaced with the best copper wire now used, so that not only will the Heights get a new service, but other parts of the Island will find their service improved.  Mr. Garner states it will be well on to Christmas before the work is completed. 

• The wedding announcement of Miss Evelyn Campbell to Eugene VanOlinda was published.

• Local News – The Steen mill loaded a scow with 100,000 feet of lumber on Thursday for export trade.

• Local News – Ed Mace, who has been on the Island since he was small enough to be called “Eddie” has just completed an addition to his garage, 20 x 40 feet, which will provide additional space for auto supplies and display cars.

• P.S. Petelle of the Kinnickinnick ranch at Center has been spending his time and money this summer in improving his ranch and developing some pure-bred stock as a side issue.  The Petelle’s came here last spring from New York City via automobile, enjoying every mile of the trip.  Mr. Petelle was for a number of years at the head of the Carnation Milk company’s branch office in New York City, but the call of the country dinning in his ears so loudly that at last he yielded, and is now as happy in his Island home as a clam at high tide.

• Boys Will Be Boys – Last Sunday Eddie Mace and Buddie Rand thought they’d have some real sport in flying their kites during the gusty afternoon, and accordingly fitted ‘em out with a spanking big one to which the usual string was attached.  Up it went, higher ‘en higher, until it pulled the end of the cord into the hands of the boys.  But one thing remained for the boys to do – either be satisfied, or make their string longer.  It seems Eddie, who is the older of the two boys, couldn’t find any more string but did find a long piece of fine wire which was accordingly attached and up went the kite sky-scraping.  Then all of a sudden, like the famous one hoss shay, bingo, biff, bang!  Something happened – it grew dark – the boys were stricken prone on the ground – their heads felt as if a threshing machine was pounding out Whidby island wheat in their ears – their hands were burning like the stomach of a sage brush cowboy the next morning after a trip to Vancouver – they were carried into the house and “first aid remedies” administered.  Then they were all right!  The wire had come in contact with a live high tension wire and the short circuit shot through their bodies for a second enough electricity to kill all the bootleggers in Seattle.  The boys say: “Never again, for me.”  Query?  Will boys EVER be old enough to let “such things be?”  P.S. Buddie has a wife, and Eddie is a grandpa.

• Burton – The Vashon Island Mill company received a good sized boom of logs last week which will keep the mill running for some time.  The company expects to make another shipment of lumber this week – part of their output goes to San Francisco, some to the East Coast, and Japan.

• Burton – We would suggest that any merchant caught in the act of selling paraffin to the Hallowe’en kids, be brought before Justice Armbruster, by Deputy Sheriff Morrill, and either fined the limit, or be let out on bail with the promise to obliterate all paraffin marks from windows the next day.  As this is impossible, they would get their just desserts anyway.

• Burton – A couple of boys from high school were found guilty last week, of stealing all the parts that could be taken from Elmer Stone’s car, also from a car left on Burton wharf by a Vashon man.  They were fined and put on probation, with the warning that another act of depredation will bring them before the Juvenile Court in Seattle, where they will be summarily dealt with.  It is hoped this is the end of various thieving acts that have been going on for some time.

• Dockton – Dockton’s new chemical fire wagon was given a trial last Sunday and was pronounced a success by the designers, Mr. Middlecoff and Mr. Stuckey.

• Dockton – The old skeleton ship, which for several years has marred the beauty of our waterfront, drifted across the bay to land on the Burton peninsula last Sunday.

• Dockton – P. Manson is now employing several men in repairing his pile-driver on the gridiron.

• The Purple and Gold Tiger – Published weekly by the Newswriting class of Vashon High School – A balcony will be built in the gymnasium directly over the former seats, by the manual training students.  It will be made large enough to seat from 100 to 150 people.

• Burton High School Notes by Senior English Class – The Physics department has just received a large assortment of new apparatus.  Among the list we find Boyles’ Law apparatus, an aneroid and a mercuric barometer, an electric motor, electrolysis apparatus, a lens demonstration set and many other things too numerous to mention.

• Explanation – We owe the people of Vashon Island an explanation on the light and power failure Wednesday night.  Through a misunderstanding of the operating department the new line from Kent which was built for just such an emergency was never O.K.’s for service and the repair men not knowing that the new line was ready for service did not put it in but repaired the break in the old which caused the long delay in the service.  The proper steps have been taken to prevent this from occurring again on the main land. Adv. Puget Sound Power & Light Co.

• Southern Heights – Fifteen of the neighbors gathered at Fred Pugh’s Thursday evening, and enjoyed listening to President Coolidge’s address received by radio.

back to top

November 1924

November 7, 1924

• Vashon Island Hens Win National Contest – J. Algeo’s Pen Wins First Place In Egg Laying Contest at Puyallup – For the second time in three years Vashon Island carries off the blue ribbon in the egg laying contest carried on at Puyallup, and proclaims to the whole poultry world that it is neither an accident, favoritism, nor fraud.  The contest was so easily won this year there was no fun in it.  J. Algeo, of Burton, who lives near the Tacoma ferry landing entered five birds that laid in one year 1408 eggs, and his nearest competitor was the pen of the Alberta Ranch, Santa Cruz, California.  Out of 750 hens entered in the contest there were seven that made a record of more than 300 eggs.  Here again we score on Vashon Island as Mrs. W.D. Covington is the winner of one of these ribbons, having a hen that deposited 302 eggs in the nest in exactly 365 consecutive days.  The pen of Mrs. Covington closed the year with 1268 eggs to its credit and was second high from this Island.

• Max Marsh Married In California – He was married to Miss Irene Faull, recently of Center.

• Republicans Sweep State And Nation – Coolidge and Dawes Win From Ocean to Ocean, Hartley Runs Wild – Vashon Island rolled up 933 votes in spite of the rain that fell steadily most of the day.  All the precincts polled an unusually heavy vote, but we have to hand the pup to Maury and Jim Ogilvy for they won.  Maury precinct had 96 registered voters and 94 of them got to the polls to vote.

• The 1924-1925 Price List of Island Nurseries and Fruit Farm, Stephen J. Harmeling & Son, Vashon, Washington, was published.

• The Purple And Gold Tiger – Published Weekly by the Newswriting Class of Vashon High School – Adverse weather conditions made the trip planned by the high school students for Wednesday, October 29, to attend the football game with Moran, impossible.  Reports received from the United States weather Bureau by J.E. Lewis, principal, by long distance telephone, advised against the trip.  A later call from the captain of the Argo, a steam launch chartered to take the entire student body to Bainbridge Island for the game, reported the unsuccessful attempt of the craft to make Vashon on account of the storm.

• Southern Heights – The high tide and winds are doing some damage along the beach in the vicinity of Magnolia and south, taking out some bulkheads and threatening the logs.  A large maple tree in Mrs. Boxer’s yard had to be cut down as it was threatening to carry the house into the bay, we are told.

 November 14, 1924

• Former Island Man Recognized As Artist – Gunnar Ugland Gains Public Notice Because of His Ability as a Carver of Wood (story republished from the Long Beach Press and Telegram.)

• Local News – The Fox River Butter Company announce their removal from 83 Marion Street to 1516 Railroad Avenue where they will now be found six days out of the week.  The move was necessary to obtain more room, and they now have a long time lease on 10,000 square feet of floor space in their present location.

• Respected Pioneer Answers Last Call – Fred Kuentz, an Island resident for more than twenty years, died about midnight last Monday night at the Seattle general hospital.  His obituary was published.

• The Purple And Gold Tiger – Published Weekly by the Newswriting Class of Vashon High School – Hot and cold showers for both girls’ and boys’ dressing rooms in the gymnasium will be installed at once.  The necessary equipment, consisting of a tank, stove, and plumbing, will cost approximately $45.00, according to Mr. Brown.  The expense will be borne by the student body. – Work will be started soon on garages to be built east of the gymnasium, according to Mr. Brown.  The garages will be built for the cars that are regularly brought to school.  By the present plan, the garages will be paid for jointly by the car owners.

• Southern Heights (Mrs. A.N. Morrill) – Monday morning found ice and frost in Tacoma, snow in places north of Seattle, but the dahlias at the Sheffield Dahlia Farm are still blooming, and so are our own.

 November 21, 1924

• Island Leghorns Winning Records – L.C. Beall, Jr., Getting Prize Winning Reports from All Over United States – An interview by the News-Record man with L.C. Beall was published.

• Ferry Hearing Next Monday – Big Delegation Asked to Attend at 2:00 p.m. in Commissioner’s Room – President Miller asks for a big delegation of Vashon Islanders to attend the ferry hearing next Monday afternoon at the courthouse to consider the matter of removing the Portage ferry slip to Fauntleroy, and the action of the board on the application for the proposed run.  The following petition is now on file with the board:  To the Honorable Commissioners of King County:  In response to the request of the Kitsap County Transportation company for the consent of Vashon Island to the removal of the Portage pontoon, We, the undersigned, residents of Vashon Island, acting through the Commercial Club, do hereby approve said removal, for the use of a ferry to Fauntleroy, with the proviso that the Company agrees to the following:  1. Service to Fauntleroy to include a night boat to and from the Island with not less than three trips per day.  2. Rates for autos to be based on a reduction of the present rates, and fair to all concerned, distance and changed conditions considered and subject to adjustment by the County Commissioners.  Cash passenger fares not to exceed twenty cents.  3. The present ferry schedule of three trips per day to the Marion Street dock to be maintained.  4. Should a change be made, however, so that substantially all the auto traffic is carried by way of Fauntleroy, the passenger service from Vashon Heights to Seattle is to be maintained by a boat equal to the Bremerton, Hyak or Vashon II, and all rates to Fauntleroy materially reduced.  Dated at Vashon Island this 8th day of November, A.D., 1924.  By E.H. Miller, President, Vashon Comm. Club.

• Editorial – The Ferry Question – Like the poor, the ferry question seems to be always with us.  This week the Cove Comment man takes a shot at the matter in his letter.  Some things must be remembered concerning this ferry question in order to deal justly by everyone concerned.  In the first place the county has turned over the operation of all ferries belonging to it for a period of ten years – and a little more than two years of that time has now passed.  An effort was made at the beginning of Mr. Paul’s administration to make a number of changes regarding ferry service from Vashon Island to the mainland.  Every opinion handed down by the prosecuting attorney’s office was in favor of the present arrangements and against all changes.  The county has absolutely washed its hands of the ferry situation until the term of the lease expires.  The present operation and lease has seven years to run.  The present policy of the prosecuting attorney’s office remains unchanged.  It is like butting your head against a stone wall to undertake to make radical changes when all the cards in the deck are running against you.  The proposed Fauntleroy run will in no way interfere with the present run to the Marion Street dock.  This was the first matter the News-Record took up with the president of the Kitsap County Transportation Company.  Mr. Hinkley assured the writer that the present ferry schedule, with rates, run, and service to the foot of Marion Street will permanently remain as it now is.  This being true, the News-Record withdraws its opposition to the proposed new run to Fauntleroy, for the one thing we have been working for, both in season and out of season, is more and better transportation to and from the Island.  The more ferries and boats we have making daily schedules to the Isle of Vision the better.  If the Kitsap county company has made some ???? running the ferry from Marion Street to Vashon Heights, and wish to put on another independent run from Fauntleroy to the Heights we are in favor of it.  We believe a good motto is to keep all we have and look for more.  Mr. Renouf evidently thought the proposed run to Fauntleroy was to supplant the present run to Marion Street.  If such were the case we would be up in arms at once.  But it is not so intended.  The Marion Street run will remain the same.  The proposed Fauntleroy run will be an entirely new proposition, and will have nothing to do with the present Vashon Heights – Marion Street service.

• Cove Comments (C.A. Renouf) – I can’t for the life of me see wherein we would benefit by the proposed change of terminal of the north end ferry from Seattle to Fauntleroy.  Fauntleroy would mean a loss of about an hour or more on the trip to and from Seattle, with the added inconvenience of crowded cars on the return trip.  In other words, it would take the folks longer to get to Seattle and back and cost more rather than less.  What Vashon wants and wants badly is the resumption of the ferry service from Portage to Fauntleroy instead of Des Moines, in addition to the present north end service, and until we get adequate service the prosperity of the Island will be held back.  Our future depends on adequate service at a reasonable rate.  Seattle business men should take notice that it is easier on the whole for Vashonites to get to and from Tacoma, as transportation is at present and quite a few of the folks are now taking advantage of the fact.

• Portage – T.B. Allison’s garage was entered by thieves some time Sunday night and six new Ford tires stolen.  Entrance was made by breaking in a window.

• The Purple And Gold Tiger – Published Weekly by the Newswriting Class of Vashon High School – A stove has been put in the gym because of the cold weather.

• Committee Meets; Plans For Community Home – The committee of women working on the Community Home project met at the home of Mrs. C.J. Robinson at Vashon recently.  While no definite plans could be made without consultation with the committee from the commercial club, a number of splendid working ideas were advanced.  Four possible locations were discussed, and will be investigated as soon as possible.

• Brief Local Items Of General Interest – The new meat market at Vashon is nearing completion.  F.J. Shattuck having finished plastering the same this week, and it will be ready for occupancy within a few days.  Men are at work this week laying a cement walk in front of the property, and extending the same in front of the Weiss store.  That side of the street will be all dolled up for Thanksgiving.

• Brief Local Items Of General Interest – Last week T. Hansen, Stephen Harmeling and Prof. R.E. Stafford went to Seattle where they were duly initiated into the order of Knights Templar.  A move is under way to establish a Commandery on Vashon Island.  Next year the triennial conclave of that order will meet in Seattle and many thousand members from all over the U.S. will attend.

• Maury – Miss Dobbs, grammar grades teacher of Maury school has been called away because of the sickness of a near relative.  There being no substitute teacher the children are enjoying a vacation.

• Burton – The Vashon Island Mill Company shipped 60,000 feet of lumber to Los Angeles last week.

• Burton – Activity on Burton Hall corner is increasing.  R.C. Brammer of Tacoma has rented the work shop next to the Gravatone Press, and is establishing an up-to-date sheet metal works, with latest equipment and machinery.

• Burton – The play “Neighbors” by Zona Gale, is to be given at the high school Saturday night, November 22.

• Burton – Sunday night William Herdman’s boat house on Burton beach was broken into and his canoe stolen.  So many depredations are taking place that some protection is essential.

 November 28, 1924

• Fauntleroy Ferry Run Abandoned – President Hinkley Withdraws Application for Permit.  Joshua Green Shows Hand – The excitement on the island, the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners, and the general interest that was aroused over the proposed supplemental ferry run from the north end of the island to Fauntleroy cove passed into nothingness like “the baseless fabric of a dream” last Tuesday afternoon when President Hinkley arose before the county commissioners and said:  “Gentlemen, I withdraw by application.”  The whole affair proved to be another “Battle of Squirt – with nobody killed, and nobody hurt.”  It seems that L.J. Coleman went to the side of Mr. Hinkley a few hours before and whispered into his ear that Joshua Green had bought a tract of land suitable for a ferry landing adjoining the Hinkley tract at Fauntleroy, and reading between the lines was seen the threat of Green to put on a competing ferry from Manchester to Fauntleroy, should Hinkley undertake to put on another line from Harper-Vashon Heights to the same place.  Green is a millionaire, and by cutting rates to “an irreducible minimum” would get the business, with the inevitable result of putting the Hinkley crowd out of business.  It seems Green doesn’t care an iota about the Vashon Island business, but does claim the whole of the mainland peninsula as his “preserves.”  This action leaves the island where it was last summer.  At a meeting of the Commercial Club held at Burton Tuesday evening the matter was thoroughly discussed and a motion prevailed to turn the whole matter over to the transportation committee, of which C.E. Wood is chairman and pledged the support of the club to any person or firm that would open a new line of transportation from the island to the city.  F.J. Shattuck, in behalf of the West Pass Transportation Company, made an offer that if the island would grant the use of the Portage ferry slip and dock, and build a ferry slip and dock on the mainland, at either Des Moines, Three Tree, or Fauntleroy, that the West Pass people would put on a permanent ferry run within sixty days.  The club voted to back such a proposition.  President Miller, with a few other devoted club members, has given to the ferry matter unsparingly of his time and attention, and it is hoped by his wise leadership that some way may yet be found to obtain for the island that adequate transportation to which it is justly entitled.  At the club meeting Judge Elect Charles H. Paul was present and gave a mighty fine address on the spirit of community endeavor, urgin the island to go on in the plan for a community home, and thanking the island for the flattering vote it returned to him at the last election.  He was entertained at the T. Hansen home.

• Ellisport – A wild cherry tree that had stood on the lawn of one of Mr. Wigmore’s cottages for more than thirty years was so badly broken by the high wind a short time ago it was found necessary to cut down the whole tree.  It seemed like the passing of an old friend to see it go.

• Meat Market Opening – Mr. H.N. Rodda, proprietor of the Vashon Meat Market announces that he will be in his new place on December 1st ready to meat and greet all old customers and give the glad hand, and good meat to any new ones that come along.  This new shop will be sanitary from the floor to the roof, and Howard promises the same courteous treatment in his new home that he has given in the one from which he is now leaving.

• Attorney Stewart Wins Big Verdict – Supreme Court Holds With Him that Certain Municipal Bonds are Not Negotiable – In the burglary of the Vashon State Bank a few years ago a number of notes and bonds were stolen there from.  Among these were bonds belonging to Frank Manker of Lisabeula, in the sum of $1,000.  These bonds were issued by the city of Seattle, and a few weeks after they were stolen, some of them turned up at the American Savings Bank & Trust Company.  The coupons were turned in for payment.  Frank Manker, the owner of the bonds, knowing them to have been stolen, took the matter up with Alex Stewart and R.D. Hamlin, attorneys in the Arctic building, who filed suit in the superior court against the bank and the city of Seattle, protesting payment on the grounds that the bonds being stolen, and not negotiable instruments, belonged to Mr. Manker no matter where found and that the bank could not obtain title to said bonds without the consent thereto of the owner, Manker.  The bank argued that it had purchased the bonds for value, in good faith, and that it was an innocent purchaser, and therefore was the bona fide owner of said bonds.  The whole question hinged on whether such bonds are negotiable instruments or not.  Manker’s attorneys argued they were not – the bank plead they were.  The superior court held with the bank and Manker lost his suit.  Not satisfied that the superior court had followed the law in the case Messrs. Stewart and Hamlin, Manker’s attorneys, appealed the case, and carried it to the Supreme Court.  Last week by unanimous decision the Supreme Court reversed the decision of the superior court, and thus Manker wins his case.  Other bonds other than those of Mr. Manker have turned up in the same American Savings Bank & Trust Company as a part of the loot stolen in the robbery of the Vashon State Bank, suit for which is pending.  The decision of the supreme court will have a far reaching effect, as hereafter the purchase of this class of stolen property will be worthless, no matter for how small a sum it may be bought from the thieves and robbers.

• The Purple And Gold Tiger – Published Weekly by the Newswriting Class of Vashon High School – Group pictures of each class and a picture of the entire high school, including the faculty and Mr. Shaw, gymnasium instructor, were taken last Wednesday and Thursday by a Seattle photographer.  Individual pictures of the seniors will be taken for the annual next Monday.  The grades from the first to the eighth also had group pictures taken.

• Lisabeula – A fire at the church was narrowly averted last Sunday evening, when the rope holding the hanging lamp broke.  Mr. Manker seized the lamp and ran outdoors with it before any damage was done.

• Too Late To Classify – LOST – Chevrolet crank between telephone office and Ellisport hill.  Return to News-Record office and receive reward.

back to top

December 1924

December 5, 1924

• Another Pioneer Passes To Reward – Prof. William Jones Dies in California Following Brief Illness From Heart Trouble – His obituary was published.

• Who’s Woozy Now? – This is December 4th and as we write there is a flock of over a hundred robins back of this office, hopping about in the grass and singing as merry songs as ever were heard on a May day in Iowa.  The song of the meadow lark is repeated these mornings, the grass is as green as the famous “greenback” currency, and mail carrier Thompson just passed with a windshield motto asking you to send Xmas mail early.  Xmas and robins!  Ho, hum!

• Another New Ferry – The Pierce County Commissioners this week approved and let the contract for a new ferry to ply between Pt. Defiance and Tahlequah and Gig Harbor.  The new boat will cost $36,000 and will accommodate thirty cars.  It is to be ready for occupancy on Jan. 1st 1927 and will make regular runs each day to and from the island.  While others are talking about boats Pierce county goes ahead and builds ‘em.

• Dockton – Funeral services for Anton Holland were held at the Community Church, Friday, November 28.  Rev. Haess of Tacoma officiating.  The burial was at Maury cemetery.

• Dockton – The fishing boat “Meridian” which went on the rocks up in northern waters was towed down to be put on the ways at the Martinolich shipyard, to be rebuilt for the owner J. Berry of Tacoma.

• Enumerators Are Chosen For Island – I.M. Krokset will list the North End and W.C. Whitfield will look after the South Part - I.M. Krokset of Cove and W.C. Whitfield of Burton have been appointed enumerators for the agriculture census of Vashon Island.  The gentlemen have commenced their labors which will occupy their time until the first of February.

• Tweedle Dee – Or Dum? – Two weeks ago we announced we were to have a ferry run to Fauntleroy.  Last week we announced it had been abandoned.  This week we announce it is going on for a certainty, and we’ll be hung if we announce next week it has been called off.  Our hair has turned gray already over this ferry matte, our head aches, we cannot sleep nights, but we here announce for the last time we have quit worrying about if for fear we wind up in Sedro-Woolly.  P.S. It will either go to Fauntleroy or it will not.

• Center News – Earl McCormick was a lucky boy last week getting eight ducks with one shot.

• Dockton – J.S. Johnson has bought the trolling goat “I & L” from L. Nass.  The latter will go to Puget Island to engage in fishing when the season opens there.  Mr. Nass also sold his car, his brother Andrew of Purdy was the purchaser.

• Dockton – A. Holand dies at the Norwegian Hospital in Seattle, Tuesday morning, after a lingering illness of more than a year.  The deceased was a respected neighbor for the past twenty years and our sympathy is extended to the bereaved family.

• Ellisport – The mill office and engine room for the donkey engine for the Steen Lumber Co. are nearing completion.

• Ellisport – Mr. and Mrs. Pyle are planning to build a “Play House” for the use of their guests the coming summer, where they can dance and amuse themselves in various ways.

• Burton – Robert Stewart had several fingers and a thumb on his left hand badly cut in the planer at the High School Monday morning.  It is hoped he will not lose any part of the hand.

• Burton - W.C. Whitfield is census enumerator of agriculture.  If that isn’t stated right and W.C. will explain what it all means, we’ll be glad to ditto it next week.

• Maury – Mrs. Kate Forbes went to Chicago as a witness for Col. Forbes in the trial now raging, not against him, as stated in last week’s editorial.  She says he is innocent.

 December 12, 1924

• Sudden Death Of Lyman Hinkley – President of Kitsap County Transportation Company answers last summons without warning – A big strong man, right in the prime of his life, was stricken by the hand of death without a moment’s notice.  It seems he and his wife were returning from a theatre party and were walking along the sidewalk side by side when Mr. Hinkley fell to the ground.  He was a most genial sort of man, and everybody who knew him found him to be upright and obliging, with a desire to make all this business undertakings a success, by rendering the greatest possible service.

• P.T. Garber is the new News-Record foreman taking the place of Mr. Stevens who has accepted a position in Anacortes.  Mr. Garber is a “family man” with a wife and two sons.  He was formerly “ad” man on the Seattle Daily Star.

• Dr. McMurray says parents should be careful never to spank a boy on a full stomach.  He says it is best to always turn the boy over before applying the spanking.

• Ways And Means Committee Appointed for the All Vashon Island Community Home.

• Burton High School Notes – The time schedule of the school was changed last week.  School is called at 8:45 as usual, periods commencing at 9:00.  The lunch hour is limited to one-half hour only; school again being resumed at 12:30 and dismissed at 2:45.  This gives more time for practice in athletics, so all the students can be home before dark.

• Maury – On Wednesday evening of last week several teams with grading equipment and feed passed over Maury Island enroute to Dockton where they will begin grading that end of the new Dockton road.

• Burton – 125,000 feet of Jap Squares were shipped Sunday from the Williams mill.  O the same day 12 sections of logs arrived to keep the mill running for some time.

• Southern Heights – Death has taken an old settler from the southern extreme of the island.  Michael Havilin passes away at the home of his daughter in Tacoma sometime during the past week.  He was eighty-five years old, and had been a fisherman for many years.

 December 19, 1924

• Hampton M. Butler Passes To Reward – Well Known In Educational Work.  Fifteen Years In Philippines – The obituary of Mr. Hampton M. Butler was published.

• Cove Comments – The old snow man is on the job as I write, and so am I scraping the snow off the hot houses. 

• The wedding announcement of Miss Pollie Hayes to Claud Mathew as published.

• The death notice of Mrs. Pernecie A. Turner, daughter of Wm. Metcalf, was published.  She was married to John S. Turner shortly after the Civil War.  She is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Walter I. Jones, of Vashon.

• Ellisport – Did you see the northern lights Monday night of this week?

• Ellisport – During the days of high winds many tugs and crafts of different kinds take advantage of our quiet, sheltered bay to escape the rough waters encountered farther out in the Sound.

• Notice of Sale – By order of Justice Court I will sell to the highest bidder for cash only one STAR automobile, Touring Model, 1924.  Sale to be held at the residence of P.M. Armbruster, Justice of the Peace, Burton, Wash., Monday, Dec. 29, 1924, 10:00 o’clock a.m.  Thos. Steffanson, Constable

• Burton (Mrs. A. Hunt) – If the pipes haven’t thawed out yet or don’t intend to without bursting, or all your winter’s spuds are shedding frosty tears, don’t let your angry passions rise – get out your Victrola records that sing something about “When the Springtime Comes, Gentle Annie” and “The Roses Bloom Again.”  Meredith has some to loan!  It will chase away a little of that resentful spirit when you pay the plumber and groceryman!

• Burton – Mr. Ben Metting, to date, has pulled out over six hundred apple trees from his place – and has five hundred more to come out – trees that have not been attended to and are profitless.  In their place, Mr. Metting will put in sour cherries and smaller fruit.  This Herculean job would have discouraged most men.

December 26, 1924

• “The Storm”, and original poem written by P. Monroe Smock, was published.

• Pneumonia Calls P.A. Petersen – Puts Up Brave Fight Against Dread Disease But Passes Quietly Away In Tacoma General Hospital – The obituary of Peter August Petersen was published.

• Editorial – The Other Fellow’s Woes – During the recent storm each island citizen seemed to think his woe was the greatest.  Without measuring up the different woes, it would be a fine thing to think for a moment of the woes of the other fellow.  Take the power company for an illustration.  When the lights went off Tuesday night at two o’clock the first thing was to find the cause.  This was done by a process of elimination.  It was found that everything on the island was intact and a few hours proved the mainland was O.K.  It must be the cable, was the quick conclusion.  Scows and tugs were on the waters trying to locate it.  They worked day and night.  Beginning at the Des Moines side, it was lifted and repaired in several places.  But it didn’t carry the current and the Portage side was raised and repaired.  Still no response, when finally it was reeled entirely out of the water and 2,000 feet was gone!  It was evidently caught by a passing ship and torn in two.  It was found to be burned in 19 different places.  Men are at work overhauling it in Seattle and in a couple of weeks it is hoped to have it back on duty.  Meanwhile the company chartered the tub “Roosevelt”, and installing a generating plant on it within 48 hours, she is not supplying the island with power and light at a cost of four times the revenue of the island.  The company are arranging to ward off such emergencies in the future, and announce it will not happen again, when the island will be so long cut off.  One most interesting thing about the whole affair is the fact that the boat that is now down at Portage generating our light was the first boat to reach the North Pole.  This is the boat used by Capt. Peary 14 years ago when he discovered the pole.  It was especially made for that trip.  Its hull is three foot thick and was so constructed to allow it to “freeze in” without danger.  The crew are all jolly fine fellows who look upon such unusual incidents as a “part of the day’s work.”

• Lisabeula – Mr. and Mrs. H. Smith’s home near Crosses Landing was broken into and robbed one night last week.  About four hundred dollars worth of goods consisting of silverware, bedding, pillows, a fine Graphophone and a lot of records, and many other things.  Mrs. Smith was in Seattle at the time and Mr. Smith is on a boat running out of Seattle.  So keep a gun loaded.

• Lisabeula – This cold spell came on us like a thief in the night while we were sleeping.  The coldest on record, many cars frozen up and water pipes bursted, a harvest for plumbers and garage men.  You know the old adage, “Its an ill wind, etc,” as it stopped the floods and high water damage in the valleys.

• Southern Heights – Only the lights along the south ferry road are burning every night just the same old cheery way, the most of them throwing shafts of light farther than the best city lights, and we are not inconvenienced when the “power is off” so it is case again “of no great loss without some small gain.”  Our fine phone company and operator have given us splendid service considering they had so much to contend with and we wish this splendid “convenience” a most happy prosperous 1925, and we wish for Vashon-Maury islands the best year they have ever known.

 

back to top