June 26, 1975 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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By LOU DONNELL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
several years the girls and I had been wanting to take the tour
Seattle so last month, on Mother's Day, we invited
grandmothers to join us and the five of us arrived at Pioneer
in Seattle. We dressed in warm clothes, wore walking shoes and
of us carried flashlights, not knowing exactly what to expect.
were about 60 of us in the group that showed up at tour-time
first we were asked to have a seat in Dec Maynard s, a tavern not
for business that early in the day. A young man, one of two
des who escorted us on the tour, first gave a 30-minute talk about
I history of Seattle, explaining how there happened to be an old
iness district under the city streets.
His narration was sprinkled with jokes so everyone was in good
mor by the time we divided into two groups for the tour. At one
int he asked how many had flashlights and about 12 of us raised our
ads. He then said, "When we come upon a rat, your job is to shine
ur light on it, freezing it into immobility, until the rest of us can get
ay." But later, just before going underground, he admitted he had
ly been kidding - "There aren't any rats," he said, "the spiders have
fen them all up."
We learned a lot of history about Seattle.
Several years ago I had read a book about early days in Seattle and
wondered why Henry Yesler had only been remembered by one
leet named after him. According to the tales told by our guide, he was
rook. He said one reason the fire that destroyed the business section
Seattle in the late 1800's was not checked by the volunteer firemen
s because when they hooked the hoses to _the fire hydrants no water
ne out. It later was discovered that Yesler s company, which had
contracted to install them, had failed to connect them to the
ter line.
When the businesses were rebuilt, a law was passed that all buildings
be brick. Whether this was to prevent another great fire or because
0uple of city fathers owned a brick company was not clear, but there
st be millions of bricks in the old buildings still down there.
Sewer problems were the cause of the eventual filling in of the
terfront and need to rebuild on a higher level, abandoning all of the
anesses underneath. Sewage from all the residences on a hill above
business section ran through a big pipe through the business district
Elliott Bay. At high tide it backed up into the toilets of the
llinesses. One toilet is still in place, built high on a throne," needing
Itdder to reach it, elevated in an effort to combat the smelly problem.
I[ The mud in the streets was so bad horses and wagons had to be
Ieued so often that they decided to elevate the streets. For awhile the
bets were anywhere from six to 35 feet above the sidewalks and
ps, with ladders at intervals.
It must have been a strange-looking city.
Finally, the businessmen decided to build newer shops on top of
old, with sidewalks alongside the streets, and gradually the business
lrict was "upstairs" and the old shops deserted. Problems with
akeasies iri the underground section led to the authorities sealing it
and for years it was closed until the fairly recent restoration of that
| section of town.
We topped the tour off with fish and chips eaten outdoors at one of
waterfront cafes. Looking at all the changes in the Pioneer Square
and along the waterfront made me realize how many changes have
en made since we moved from Seattle.
It's an interesting place to take out-of-state guests. And you'll enjoy
too.
eighbors object to dock on pilings
Controversy over a proposed
ek on South Shore arose during
hearing June 16 before the
linty commissioners following a
luest from Frank G. Breuer for
Shoreline permit to build a
ek, pier, float and deck. It was
:Plained that the original
aposal had been changed from a
Igth of 218 feet to 149 feet
th 11 piers instead of 2,0, 10
;t above beach level rather than
!feet. The ramp will be five feet
Pore MHHW. The deck is
~posed to be eight feet wide.
Neighbors in attendance at
Department of Game had
requested that a pile supported
structure be used 40 to 50 feet
out before using a floating
structure to allow cutthroat
fishermen to pass under at high
tide. A member of the audience
asked that the structure be built
in the center of the 60-foot lot
instead of on the left boundary.
One person suggested anchors be
used to secure the dock instead of
pilings.
No action was taken by the
board and another hearing was
scheduled for July 14, 2 p.m., in
What promises to be a big
social event of the fall season is a
"Things and Experiences
Auction" being planned by North
Mason Friends of the Library to
raise money for a new library
building on property they are
buying in Belfair. The event is
scheduled for the evening of Sept.
20, with many of the details still
to be worked out.
Right now members are busy
lining up things and experiences
to be auctioned off and ask that
anyone with something to donate
call Betty Bell, 275-2320.
So far, experiences donated
include a series of French lessons,
five hours of lessons in
international baking, an historical
tour of Stretch Island for a group
of four or five, a conducted tour
for six aboard the aircraft carrier
U.S.S. Constellation, and a house
and garden tour of interesting
homes in the area for a small
group. They hope that by auction
night they will have dozens of
interesting experiences for which
bidders will compete, from use of
a swimming pool for a private
splash party to maybe a short
sightseeing flight in a private
plane.., or use of a mountain
cabin for a weekend of skiing?
Maybe free lodging at a Seattle
home for a weekend in the Big
City? Anything is possible if
summer and permanent residents
take an inventory of
opportunities available to them
Two persons in Belfair
became believers of the Friday
the 13th superstition on July 13.
One is Onie Sande, dispatcher
at the local office of the sheriff's
department, who was kept busier
than usual handling calls and
reports of traffic accidents while
at work and awakened in the
middle of the night (technically
the 14th but to Onie a grim
climax to the rash of Friday the
13th accidents) by a friend of her
son who greeted her at the door
with "I hope Earl has insurance
on his car; I just totalled it." (He
didn't have collision - only
liability.)
The other was Buck Church,
owner of Belfair Texaco, whose
day started off with a Friday the
13th flair when he put his own
pickup on the hoist for a grease
job and hoisted it too high,
breaking a window of the
overhead garage door, the first
time that ever happened. Before
he finished the job he
encountered some more bad luck,
also for the first time. The air
grease gun wouldn't turn off. By
the time he completed the simple
grease job he not only had broken
glass to clean up, he had all that
slimy oil the glass was swimming
around in.
hearing objected to pilings the county courthouse.. Reports on all the accidents
I~ing used, stating that their that day in the North Mason area
l~Ws would be blocked. They BOAT FOUND were not available from WSP,
I~ed that a floating dock be A ten foot fiberglass blue and possibly because some of them
i~lt~ired. However, an engineer white boat was reported found on happened close to the same time
wed by Breuer declared that the South Shore June 18. and troopers could not get to
A LARGE THERMOMETER was erected at the shopping center in Belfair
last week by two volunteers in the Belfair Fire Department, David (top) and
Jim Hunt. It will measure the progress of the fund drive to buy a new and"
larger ambulance for Belfair and on Wednesday of last week it showed close
to $2,000 collected towards the $20,000 goal. A Walkathon to earn money
for the drive, originally set for July 19, has been changed to July 26 and
pledge sheets are available at the Belfair Firehall. A coupon for donations is
in the ad section of today's paper.
and offer to share one for a short
time with someone else to help
build a library for the
community, said Mrs. Bell.
Things, described as "high
class rummage articles" are also
being sought to be auctioned off.
So far, donations include a set of
art books, several paintings, a
punch bowl set, a Bell and Howell
slide projector and screen, four
dozen oysters fresh off the beach,
a portable transistor radio and
hand-crafted jewelry.
Hans are to make the evening
entertaining as well as profitable,
an evening to be long remembered
by those who attend. Admission
will be charged (details still to be
worked out), refreshments served
and one must be present to bid.
Guests will be mailed a printed
list of items and experiences to be
auctioned preceding the event so
they'll have time for a family
conference to decide on which
items they will bid.
Place and time will be
announced as the event draws
near; in the meantime, Mrs. Bell is
waiting to hear from everyone
with something unusual or
exciting to donate which will
make Sept. 20 a night to
remember. Or maybe someone
harboring a secret desire for a
special experience will call to
offer a suggestion and Friends of
the Library can arrange for it to
be among the unusual experiences
to be put up for bid.
true to
them all. To add to the confusion
in the sheriff's local office, several
persons who had been involved in
minor accidents in Bremerton
that day stopped in Belfair to
write up the accident reports
while reports of accidents in this
area were coming in.
No official report was
available on a one-car accident at
the intersection of Haven Lake
Road and Elfendahl Pass Road
which occurred at 3:52 p.m. The
'66 International carryall, driven
by George Rosenberry, was
totaled after rolling over. The
driver received a cut on the head
which required treatment at
Harrison Memorial Hospital,
transported by Belfair
Ambulance. (Coincidentally, the
vehicle had been purchased
recently by Rosenberry from
Dispatcher Onie's other son,
Carl.)
At 4:16 p.m. reports of a
two-car fender-bender at the Y
south of Belfair began coming
into the sheriff's office. It
evidently was not a serious
accident since no reports have
been filed but complaints of
traffic lanes being blocked and
motorists driving "every which
way" to get around the accident
scene indicate it caused some
problems for a short time.
At 4:34 p.m. a one-car
accident occurred about a mile
south of Allyn on Highway 3.
Cheryl Willis, 17, of Tacoma was
driving a '70 Toyota northbound
when it went off the roadway to
the right, rolling over once down
a small embankment. A passenger,
Prudence Willis, 1, daughter of
the driver, was taken to the Naval
Hospital in Bremerton by Allyn
aid car, suffering from a bump on
the head. Damage to the vehicle
was estimated at $600.
At 1:28 a.m. (technically the
14th) a two-car accident about
two miles north of Belfair on
Highway 3 caused extensive
damage and sent the driver of one
car, Steve Watilo, 19, of
Bremerton to the hospital with a
lacerated right shoulder. His '71
Vega was totaled. According to
WSP he was northbound on
Highway 3 when his vehicle
struck an oncoming "67 Cadillac
driven by Dorothy Krismer, 44,
of Allyn in the southbound lane,
head-on. Damage to the Cadillac
was estimated at $1200 but Mrs.
Krismer was not injured.
It was about 15 minutes later
that Wes Schuettke, 21, of
Belfair, driving a '67 Chev
belonging to Earl Sande, ran off
the road while travelling west on
North Shore Road, entered a
ditch to the right, proceeded up a
bank and struck a tree, landing
back in the ditch with the car
coming to rest on its side. He
reported he fell asleep at the
wheel. Damage was estimated by
WSP to be $700.
Next time Friday the 13th
rolls around there will be at least
two people in Belfair holding
their breaths, waiting to see if it's
going to be another one of "those
days."
RUMMAGE SALE
A big tent erected adjacent to
Sande Boat Works will house the
annual summer rummage sale of
North Mason PeeWee Association,
set for June 27 and 28, beginning
at 9 a.m. both days. Proceeds will
buy equipment for the football,
basketball and baseball teams
sponsored by the group.
DIANA HAWKINS, 10, a fifth grade student at Grapeview
School, is one of many youngsters in the area who have
signed up for the Summer Reading Club at the North Mason
branch of Timberland Regional Library. Theme of the club
this year is "The Way West." Children who complete ten
books during the summer months will receive a certificate
and a pin. Registration is open until August 1.
Another clash between
owners of property on small lakes
in the North Mason area was
staged during a hearing held June
1 6 by the Mason County
Commissioners. On one side are
those who bought their property
for "multiple use" of the lake:
fishing, swimming and
waterskiing. Opposing them are
those who believe lives and
property are endangered by
speeding motorboats on small
lakes. The hearing was held to
hear arguments for and against a
proposal to set a five mile per
hour speed limit on Haven,
Wooten and Tee Lakes.
Ther~e were multiple
arguments presented by both
factions, with neither side coming
up the winner since a
continuation of the hearing was
set for July 21 at 10:45 a.m. For
those interested in the running
battle which has been going on
for several years, the report of the
hearing, as contained in the
weekly minutes of the county
commissioners' meeting, follows.
"HEARING - Speed limit on
Haven, Woolen and Tee Lakes:
"10:45 a.m. being the hour
set for public hearing on the
establishment of a five m.p.h.
speed limit on the three
above-named lakes,
approximately 40 to 50 people
appeared. Seven letters were
received regarding the matter and
read. Commissioner Hunter
explained he had received
numerous requests to change the
boating ordinance county-wide
and since that time had received
requests from some of the smaller
lakes for changes. He was invited
to attend a meeting on the matter
by the people from these lakes
and this hearing had been called
to get input from those residents
on the matter.
"Commissioner Hunter stated
that alternatives had been
discussed, such as limiting boat
size, limiting horsepower, limiting
the number of boats and skiers on
the lakes at one time, hour
regulations, speed, lake size, etc.
The five m.p.h, speed limit was
chosen in order to generate
interests for the hearing, to get
the input of the people involved.
"Grant Kidrick of Wooten
Lake presented a petition signed
by 46 people opposing the setting
of a speed limit on Wooten Lake.
He also presented a letter from
Composit Structures Corporation
of Kent, opposing the setting of a
speed limit on lakes. Mr. Kidrick
felt the five m.p.h, speed limit
was brought up by a minority,
and it is a request the rest of the
residents have to respond to
annually. He stated that allowing
50 yards from shore, the
remaining skiable water is
approximately 43% acres. He
stated the County Boating
Ordinance is being observed, and-
there are no problems. He stated
also that the plat sets out that all
property owners will have
'unrestricted use of the
waterway," and he vigorously
opposes the 5 m.p.h, speed limit.
He would, however, concur to the
working out of hourly
arrangements.
"Clifton Moss of Haven Lake
stated they have rules that there
will be no skiing before ! 1 a.m. or
after sundown. These rules are
based on the county ordinance,
but they do not work. There are
no teeth in the ordinance. He
stated he nearly lost his son last
Memorial weekend to a skier and
that not all the facts are being
presented. He fears for himself
and his family if they venture out
on the lake any distance. He
asked how rules could be
enforced. The public uses it also.
"Vern Ceary of Wooten Lake
agrees with Mr. Moss. He stated
you would have to have someone
onthe lake to enforce the rules at
all times. It takes too long to get
help from the sheriff's office for
enforcement. He stated he has
seen skiers on Wooten Lake after
dark with no lights. He feels they
need more enforceable laws and
someone to enforce them. He
stated that out of the 96 lot
owners very few favor an
unrestricted speed. One boat with
a skier stirs up the whole lake,
and he has seen five and six boats
out at once. Kitsap County has an
ordinance prohibiting waterskiing
and their residents come to
Wooten and Haven Lake to ski.
They even have inboard-outboard
motors on the lake.
"George Tewail agrees, stating
it is only a matter of time until
some child gets killed or drowned.
He has had his dock completely
destroyed by boats. He stated a
neighbor's child was almost killed
a week ago. There is one boat
capable of going 80 m.p.h, and
the waves go clear over the heads
of swimmers. He has seen one big
boat dragging three skiers at one
time. He stated he won't use his
own 20-foot boat because of the
oil on the water.
"Doug Kidrick stated he had
not pushed Ceary's dock as
claimed. Why not close down the
highways and airports if you are
concerned about people being
killed. In the last five years, he
stated, he has had to pull five
fishermen out of the lake. He
inherited his property from his
father but still pays taxes and he
would like to see evidence that
the lake is being covered with oil.
He stated he was not a waterskier
himself but is opposed to the 5
m.p.h, speed limit.
"Jeanne Fishback of Wooten
Lake stated that Patterson Lake
in Olympia has a five m.p.h, speed
limit and it is overgrown with
seaweed and so polluted it is
filthy. Everybody there is
unhappy with the restriction but
can't get it off now. She feels
TINY MINDY WERNER of LakeLand Villages finds the
perfect way to cool off during a warm summer's day.
everyone has a right to enjoy the
water and keep it clean.
"Marvin Haydon of Wooten
Lake stated last year a helicopter
set down on the lake and took
water samples and stated it is one
of the three cleanest lakes in the
county. He stated there are five
lakes in Mason County over 200
acres for skiers; Kitsap County
only has three; Thurston County
only one. Also, that the skiers do
not stay 50 yards from the beach;
it would come closer to 25 feet.
Henry Boclay of Wooten Lake
stated he came close to getting hit
by skiers in his canoe several
times. His beach is cut from the
waves caused by the high power
boats. He stated they were
taxpayers and he feels the
majority of the people want peace
on the lake and should be able to
use it as they prefer.
"Kay Nolan and Mrs. Morgan
stated the lake is getting very
dirty. It was Mrs. Nolan's
granddaughter who was nearly
killed last Memorial Day. She
stated they cannot swim across
the lake any more for waterskiers.
The waves come clear over the
dock and their property is
receding rapidly. They favor the 5
m.p.h, limit strongly. Nancy Moss
stated it may be a 60-acre lake,
but one lagoon is only five feet
wide. If a power boat is on the
lake they have all the rights and
everyone else has to run scared.
"Mr. Barclay of Wooten Lake
stated they must have a speed
limit on Woolen Lake if there is
to be any peace, quiet or safety.
Chuck West of Wooten Lake
stated he paid $16,000 for a lot
and owns his own power boat.
Last year he used it two times. He
stated he is also a sportsman and a
skier. He bought the property for
himself and family and
lake. Fishermen should be
allowed to fish and skiers should
be allowed to do their thing. Mary
Kidrick stated she skis, swims,
etc. Her children are restricted
from swimming when skiers are
on the water and she agrees with
fishing rights. She stated they will
restrict people from skiing in the
wrong direction and will do all
they can to keep the regulations
as set up. She believes the lake
should be for multiple use.
"The chairman advised the
residents should get together and
work things out for everyone's
enjoyment. Mrs. Morgan of Haven
Lake asked how can we work
things out when at meetings you
are told to shut up and sit down
because you are not a waterskier?
Commissioner Hunter stated he
could not make a decision at this
point, but wants to review what
has been said. Commissioner
Auseth stated he lives on a lake
himself and has heard all these
arguments before. Things and
people change from year to year.
Art Laugen feels something
should be worked out for
multiple use.
It was moved by
Commissioner Hunter that the
hearing be continued until July
21 at 10:45 a.m. Some of those
present stated they would prefer
an evening meeting.
Commissioner Hunter stated the
board will try to come up with
what they feel can be done and
discuss the matter among
themselves, the sheriff, etc. He
stated also that most problems
would not exist if the existing
ordinance was adhered to.
Commissioner Auseth seconded
Commissioner Hunter's motion
and it was carried unanimously.
ADVANCED TRAINING
grandchildren. He stated thatPrivate Gerald A. Hunter Jr.,
outsiders are the problem. Hewhose parents live on Star Route
stated that if 51 percent of the 3, Belfair, has completed eight
residents petitioned the fisheries weeks of advanced individual1
department, they could take training at the U.S. Army Armor
fishing off the lake, or set speed
limits, or whatever. He stated • Center, Fort Knox, Ky. •
there would be waterskiing on the During the trianing, students
lake or they would have to have a
sheriff to prevent it.
"Mr. Erickson asked what
was wrong with the parents who
allow their children to 'swim
during waterskiing hours. Mac
Kidrick of Wooten Lake stated
the majority of the fishermen
exceed 5 m.p.h, to the middle
part of the lake. She stated she
had not seen any accidents on
their lake and none had been
reported to the sheriff's office.
They have accidents on Lake
Washington too, and it is an
extremely large lake. Would they
close Lake Washington down for
one accident? How can you
legislate common sense? Herb
Jorez of Woolen Lake stated he
was opposed to the 5 m.p.h.
speed limit. There is room for
everyone to do his thing on the
learn the duties of a tank
crewman, including the firing of
the tank's armament and small
weapons. They also receive
instruction in field radio
operati6n, map reading and tank
maintenance and repair.
THEFTS REPORTED
Theft of guns and vandalism
at the Cliff Benson residence on
the Mason-Benson Road was
reported to the sheriff's office
June 17. Golf bags and clubs were
reported stolen from the coaches'
room of the gym at the high
school on June 16. Dorenda
Wiseman of North Shore reported
a stove stolen on June 14. Seven
or eight stereo tapes were
reported stolen from a car parked
in the Belfair shopping center
June 14.