A Glance at the Past

100 years ago from the Raymond Herald

February 26, 1915

Fire destroys Frances hotel

Frances residents were called into the streets Tuesday morning by cries of fire to find the Hotel Frances in flames. Heroic work was done by the volunteers in carrying moveable furniture into places of safety from the rapidly eating flames. Remarkably quick work was the only ting that prevented a very heavy loss of property/ The great bulk of the furniture was removed before the timbers of the building fell. Well organized efforts to control the fire was the only thing which prevented the entire business section from being completely wiped out.

Raymond girls win trip to fair

Two Raymond young ladies and one from South Bend were successful contestants in the Tacoma Ledger and News contest for trips to the Panama Pacific Exposition at San Francisco, which closed last Saturday night. The announcement of the result was made in Wednesday's Ledger. The young ladies worked earnestly during the contest and won their rewards by honest effort, and their friends are very glad to know that they are to be repaid by taking one of the coveted trips.

50 years ago from the Raymond Herald

February 27, 1964

January storm has effect on employment

A week of lost employment due to snow and other conditions increased unemployment figures in Pacific County during January, but lumbering and wood products, employment was still high, according to the Employment Security Department.

Nearly all logging operations came to a standstill during the week of January 20. Snowfall was prevalent at both high and low elevations. The storm was followed by high winds and rain. Sawmills and cedar products plants, however, continued to operate on storage logs.

Local artists have pictures on exhibit

Eighteen local artists, members of the Willapa Harbor Art league, are exhibiting paintings in Raymond business establishments this month. Two of the exhibits will be on a permanent basis with changes of the paintings from time to time. These are at the Raymond branch, Seattle First National Bank, and the Raymond Federal Savings and Loan.

Scenes of Raymond, an oyster barge in South Bend, fish nets, Ruby Beach, Hurricane Ridge, Willapa Bay are featured, as well as abstracts and collages.

25 years ago from the Willapa Harbor Herald

February 28, 1990

Blame hairdryer for hotel fire

Heat from a hairdryer was blamed for a February 22 fire that resulted in $2000 in damages to an apartment at the Willapa Hotel in Raymond. Raymond Fire Marshall Bob Hathaway said it was not known who reported the fire at Apartment number 205. When seven firefighters arrived at the scene, flames had been put out with an extinguisher by an unknown person. No one was in the apartment, which is registered to Bohn Insyxiengmay.

Storms cut catch for crabbers

Relentless storms and a delayed season have crabbers feeling the pinch of a poor season, but prices have jumped 50 cents a pound in recent days. The season didn't open until January 10, almost six weeks later than expected, but then the bad weather hit.

After ten days of fishing, storms kept the crabbers out of the water for 21 days, and they returned February 11 to find many of their pots had tipped over, filled with sand and in some cases were lost in the ocean.