Here’s what was happening in the news this week:
100 years ago
Mr. J. Ely discovered an old letter while cleaning out his wheat bins. The letter was addressed to him from a friend in Springfield, Penn., and dated Sept. 30, 1876. The letter inquired as to the opportunities for a home and business on the island. The writer noted that the letter was of interest to those who had struggled through and were enjoying prosperity on the island. Questions included: “If a colony of 11 or 20 families should come out there would there be an opening for them where they could all locate together and form a district by themselves, making their own laws, etc.?” and “Do you ever need any doctors?” Mr. Ely said he could not recall how he answered the questions, though his friend never moved to Puget Sound.
A.D. Fish, state dairy commissioner, toured Oak Harbor in the interest of more quality dairy products. Mr. Fish said the State of Washington was manufacturing more butter than its citizens consumed and was now an exporter of dairy products. He noted it was essential that farmers manufacture only the best.
75 years ago
An iron lung, recently purchased by the Island-Snohomish county chapters of the Foundation for Infantile paralysis, was to be a major display at the Island County fair. The lung, which cost $1,000, was funded by donations from citizens and funds raised by the foundation. A physician familiar with the lung’s operation and purpose was to be on hand to explain its use.
Game Protector Dode Bercot announced that a total of 4,265 Chinese pheasants had been released on the island. It was the largest number of birds to be released by the state. All but 265 of the birds had been raised by state game farms. The rest had been raised by members of 4-H clubs on the island.
Registration of “aliens” was set to begin the following week at the Coupeville post office. According to an act of Congress, all aliens ages 14 and older were required to register between Aug. 27 and Dec. 26. Those younger than 14 were to be registered by their parents. Registration included fingerprinting. Those noncompliant were to be fined $1,000 and sentenced to six months in prison.
50 years ago
The future of the proposed senior citizen’s village for Coupeville was still undecided after special sessions held by the county commissioners and Coupeville Town Council. The elected officials from both governing bodies met with Gary Kahn, a representative of the Public Housing Administration, to resolve questions which had thus far remained unanswered. The PHA, a branch of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, would sponsor the village entirely. Kahn stressed that his was a passive agency, requiring a request from local government to act. Either the county commissioners or council could make an application for funds, though neither had decided for or against the issue at that time.
The Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival was deemed a great success. The following year’s festival was to be planned by a recently selected board, who was set to meet to discuss whether the festival should be a perpetual one, displaying artists’ work year-round.
A young man, Petros Wontamo, traveled to Oak Harbor from his home in Ethiopia to take part in a student exchange program. Wontamo planned to complete his high school education in Oak Harbor in preparation for college and, potentially, a future career in journalism. He hoped to obtain a scholarship to attend a university in Jerusalem.
25 years ago
Candidates for Island County prosecutor stated their positions on the death penalty and a burgeoning caseload during a public forum in Coupeville. The most divisive issue, and that of most interest to audience members, was capital punishment. Republican Bill Hawkins, deputy criminal prosecutor for the county, said he is a supporter of capital punishment. His opponent Errol Scott, a Democrat and public defender for Snohomish County, said he is opposed to it. The two also disagreed on how they would handle the backlog of cases if elected. The lengthy murder trial of Darrin Hutchinson, in addition to the four to six adult felony cases filed each week in the county, had contributed to the backlog.
Mussel farmers in Penn Cove responded to a report of baby seals trapped in nets. The nets did not belong to the farmers, but they reacted quickly to free the seals nonetheless.
Island County employees received $530,000 in pay raises as the county commissioners accepted new standards for salaries. The pay increases were accompanied by new job descriptions for every county position.
