Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1932-06-09
IS Year Old Paper
1<Shows Local Changes


dergoing remodeling, Vashon Island
News of July 2, 1914 was discovered.
It is interesting and amusing, yet
withal sad, to read the paper and to
compare conditions then and now.
The front page bore a number of
display advertisements, among them
Weiss Bros, at Vashon; G. F. Van
olinda, at Portage; E. O.. Rindal, at
Cove.
Among the leading articles, "vashon
Electric Company Takes Over Phone,
told of the purchase by the vashon
Electric Company of the interests of
the Inland Empire Telephone g. Tele-
graphs Island interests.
Three Tree Point eighteen years ago
seemed to be the logical point OF con-
tact with the Island. The laying of
a telephone cable to the Point was
under discussion. An extension of the
street car line to Three Tree Point
was about to be consummated and
"It is the expectation of the Port
Commission, working in conjunction
with the city of Seattle, to establish
a ferry between Three Tree Point and
the Vashon wharf, the matter having
been favorably settled by a vote of
the people" Showing that in the
good old days the city Of Seattle didn't
have so many troubles Of its own, and
could give little thought to its next
door neighbors).
The fruit industry, then was re-
ceiving consideration and Henry Huff,
state horticultural inspector had just
made visit to the Island, leaving for
his home in Sumner by boat from
Lisabeula, after an inspection of the
orchards from Burton to Vashon' His
statement in part was "vashon is the
best fruit district in Western Wash
ington,' and II have been over the
state and outside of Wenatchee and
Yakima there are no better apples
raised than on Vashon," but Mr.. Fluff
went on to state that "the greatest
drawback was the failure of the aver
age grower to introduce modern
methods, and inefficiency in spraying"
At the time this old paper was pub
lished the strawberry season was
drawing near its close, and the straw
berry festival was matter of history.
One item stated that it had been
estimated that about 100000 crates of
strawberries had been shipped from
the Island during the season. No men
ton of the price was made. Another
item told that ~. B. Powles and Co.
had sent to Seattle its team and
wagon, which had been used by Lee
Palmer in handling Strawberries, as
Representatives of other commission
firms had quit the field" Still an
other from the Cove items stated that
1.-THE wharf at Cove was so congested
with teams Tuesday that there is talk
OF enlarging the wharf. There were
16 shippers and seven or eight teams
lined up with produce and two more
on the way"
The political situation was brewing
then as now, and petition for the
,,.,on ~ ryou,,t,, Cn,,,,,,icc o,,arc K,,nd
son and Hamilton had been filed, with
a faction opposing the recall on the
score of the $4,000 it would cost the
county taxpayers.
"a petition asking for the creation
of district in which it shall be UNI
lawful for live stock to run at large
on certain territory of Maury Island
had been granted by the county COM
missioners.
News items stated that summer
residents "by the hundreds" were
flocking to Burton, every house was
filled and many were living in tents.
Dwelling on the charms of Vashon
Island in particular and the North
west in general the editor stated that
th& times was not far distant when
tol It's would flock here by the thous-
ands.
Another item shows that the county
hospital then as now was a bone Of
contention. 1.-THE report made by the
state board of examiners on the King
County hospital shows Superintendent
Richardson as being unfit for the job.
l. half what the report says is true
he should be Immediately let out"
Still another told of the refusal of an
Island man, now dead, to resign from
his county Job while under fire. All
of which goes TO show that for quite
o few years showing up rotten politics
has been great American sport, and
that grating has simply increased in
proportion to the development of the
country.
Among the advertisers were the