Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Daily World Workers of the Past, Unite!

 

At least for an afternoon, anyway. Yes, we’re having an informal get-together for anyone who has faced the deadlines and gossip mines of The Daily World newsroom on Saturday, June 19, starting at 11 a.m. The place is Camp Grisdale, not the historic logging camp but the Olympia-area beachfront home of Candace Grisdale, who has graciously agreed to lend it for this purpose to her brother-in-law Brian Dirks, a scribe for the World between 1983 and 1986. Brian has teamed up with Jeff Burlingame, who wrote for the World from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s, to host this event.

Brian and Jeff will supply hamburgers, hot dogs, butter clams, and assorted supplies. We’re hoping you can chip in by bringing your favorite beverages, a side dish, chips, a salad, dessert and/or your own special diet items.

If you wish to contribute to the good of the order, please use the following guideline according to the first letter of your surname:

A-E = Side dish
F-J = Salad
K-O = Chips and/or snack items
P-Z = Dessert

Camp Grisdale has a heated swimming pool, so also bring a suit and towel if you wish to swim! It’s easy to launch a small craft (kayak, canoe, inflatable) off the beach so bring your own boat if you’d like. (We will also have a few kayaks and a rowboat on hand to share.)

Special note: We realize the pandemic isn’t quite over, so we do ask that everyone mask as you feel comfortable and respect social-distance boundaries. There should be plenty of room to spread out.

We envision this to be a “family-friendly” event so feel free to bring your spouse and young children in your care.

Here’s a rough itinerary of the day:

11 a.m. to noon: Arrival, water activities, social time

Noon to 1 p.m.: lunch.

1:15 to 2 p.m.: Introductions and remarks by anyone who wishes to give them! For instance, tell us what you remember the most about your time at the World, what working at the World has contributed to your professional life since and what you’re up to now.

2 p.m. to? Hangout and pool time

Camp Grisdale is at 4332 68th Ave. NE
Olympia WA 98516

Here’s a sneak peek of the grounds of Camp Grisdale.

And “last mile” directions

We’d like a head count no later than Monday, June 14. Please let us know if you can make it by sending an email to Jeff or Brian. Questions? Call/text Jeff at (360) 581-2745 or Brian at (253) 835-9655. Hope to see you on the 19th!

Best regards,

Jeff and Brian

 





Saturday, March 6, 2021

Charges dismissed against woman whose pet kangaroo escaped into the streets of Monroe

 

This joey named Jack was the subject of a city-wide hunt
in Monroe after escaping from a residence last October.

The saga of an Arlington, Washington area woman charged with bringing a young kangaroo into Monroe city limits last fall concluded earlier this week with all charges being dismissed in the city’s municipal court.

Before a courtroom full of curious onlookers, Judge Jessica Ness agreed with the prosecution to dismiss the case against Melinda Eader on the grounds that the city’s exotic animal ordinance simply did not extend to kangaroos.

 “As it turns out, the ordinance was intended for bears, alligators and wolves,” Eader said her public defender advised. 

The escape of Eader’s joey, named Jack, made headlines in October when it bounded into the alleys of Monroe and prompted a city-wide hunt for the eight-month-old kangaroo, which Eader had acquired just the day before from a breeder near her home. Eader said she fled that night with the kangaroo and her dog to a residence in Monroe to evade a domestic violence threat and had no knowledge she was in violation of city code by doing so. The acquaintance who gave her a ride to the residence, owned by a friend, also stayed there and while Eader slept he let the kangaroo out for a potty break. That’s when the kangaroo wiggled free from its harness and hopped wildly into neighborhood around 3:30 a.m.  

The acquaintance woke Eader, who immediately alerted authorities that the joey was on the loose then began her own frantic search. It was not too long before the hunt for Jack became a frenzy, with locals joining the fray and transmitting photos of their occasional sightings. Inevitably the news media caught wind of all the excitement, and before long three news helicopters were circling in hopes of catching a glimpse of the wayward marsupial. 

Eventually Jack was captured by a kangaroo specialist, but rather than return the pet to Eader it was confiscated and taken to a veterinary care facility in Fall City about 25 miles away. A trained veterinary technician, Eader has previously owned a kangaroo, along with a menagerie of pigs, chickens, ducks, dogs, kittens and rabbits.

Melinda Eader with the pet kangaroo she previously owned 

The following day Eader received an official email, followed by a phone call from Monroe police, letting her know not only would they not return the joey to her, but that she would be responsible for the costs associated with its care and feeding, amounting to $500 a day. She was told she could petition the court to return Jack to her, but that would take time and the clock was ticking. Or she could agree to give up ownership of Jack to the city and spare the expense. Eader, a single mother of three with limited financial resources, said she reluctantly signed papers to relinquish the animal to avoid paying the penalty. 

Eader said she heard nothing more on her case and assumed no more would come of it until mid-February when she was served notice that it was proceeding. She learned that she misdemeanor charge, if prosecuted to its fullest extent, came with a potential year in jail and other penalties. 

The case was presented in Monroe Municipal Court on March 3, and Eader was appointed a public defender to represent her. But the charges were dropped when Prosecuting Attorney Carolyn Miller filed a motion for lack of probable cause due to kangaroos not being specifically covered in the city ordinance. 

Eader said she overheard some snickering within the court room among those discussing the case, along with questions as to why it was even on the court docket. 

While she would like Jack back, Eader said she has little hope that will happen. Last she’d heard her joey is in the care of the specialist who originally captured Jack in Monroe, who is acquainted with the breeder from whom she acquired him. 

(Writer's note: Melinda is our niece. This story was developed from interviews with her and official records she shared about her case).     

 

 

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Happy 135th Birthday to Albert C. Smith - the great-grandfather I never knew

When I was born and up through my early years I was blessed to have five of my eight great-grandparents still with us - three on my dad's side and two on my mom's - and regularly saw four of them until their eventual deaths. But one, my mother's dad's dad, died way back in 1915 in his early 30s. Not only did I never know him, but my own grandfather, born in 1910, would not have known his dad either as he would have died when he was just four. And I knew nothing about him too, that is until I started digging a bit.

His name was Albert Clayton Smith. I had long forgotten that but during a fit of cleaning and organization a few weeks ago I discovered among my possessions a small white cardboard box with a masking tape label in the writing of my late grandfather, Clair Smith, that said:

Clair’s Dad’s Things Albert Clayton Smith 1881 – 1915 Age 33+



As I pawed through the box I found some very curious things indeed - chicken bones, newspaper clippings, ribbons, a school graduation booklet from 1898, pamphlets, cards, a slingshot and several tiny hand-carved baskets made from walnuts. Also in there were three photos which I can only assume are of him: One tiny portrait of a toddler and two studio photos, one of he as a teen and the other as an  adult.



Included is what must have been his prized possession - a well-worn pocket watch, made by the Illinois Watch Company of Springfield.  If you look closely at the second photo above you can see a watch chain dangling across his chest - I'm guessing the watch I have was at the other end. 


There were about 40 items in all, the last possessions of our dear departed, all stuffed in this old cardboard box measuring 6 x 7 inches and 4 inches deep. Since I have these items I also feel that it is my duty to discover and share what I have been able to learn about the man, even though at this stage it isn't all that much.
I've been able to cobble together some information from the great web site that our Secretary of State's office keeps containing marriage and death records. I've learned where he is entombed from Find-A-Grave.com, with further information from the cemetery itself. And with my biggest question being how did he die at such a young age I ordered a copy of his death certificate from the State Department of Health.
Putting it all together, here's what I know so far about my great-grandfather, Albert C. Smith:
He was born November 20, either in 1881 or 1882 in Michigan. The reason the year is not certain is that while my grandfather's tape on the box says 1881, his handwritten death certificate states 1882. But his death certificate also lists his age as 33 years, 8 months which would mean that as he died on August 1, 1915 his birth year was in fact 1881, just like my grandpop said. I think someone made a boo-boo.

His parents were Frank S. Smith and Lucy Watterson. On the Secretary of State's digital archives site his mother's maiden name is listed as Ann Watuson and I can see why -- the handwriting on the death certificate could easily be read that way. The writing is far more legible on the marriage certificate though, the actual image of which can be found on the same site, and with the finer detail likely completed when those named were present, I tend to believe what is written there over what is on the death certificate. No tellin' why there is a discrepancy with his mother's first name though. I'd go with Lucy for sure but my mother's name is Ann, which makes me wonder if she was named for her paternal great-grandmother. Maybe she was Ann Lucy.
Sometime after Albert graduated from Cascade Public School in Michigan on May 20, 1898 he made the trip out west to Washington state. (The township of Cascade is in Kent County, Michigan, about 10 miles from Grand Rapids). He was also an officer - the treasurer in fact - of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor at the Church of Christ in Cascade.


At this point I do not know why he ventured out to Washington, or if he came solo or with his parents or siblings (if he had any). We do know that he became a postal carrier, but not what drew him into the trade.
A curious thing - among his belongings is a sash with the word "Conductor" sewn in. That could mean that he was a band conductor, a railroad conductor or, most likely, given the job as a mail carrier of accompanying the mail on a train. I did see a reference to such a historical job in a brief internet search but couldn't find much about it. There is nothing in the box indicating an interest in music but his son, my grandpa Clair, was a lifelong clarinet player who played for many years in the Seattle's Nile Temple Shriner Band. Had he been inspired by his dad?

Among the items in the box are two banquet programs from the Eighth Annual Convention of the Washington State Association of Letter Carriers at the Baker Hotel in Tacoma in 1908. And what a feast it was, with Ox Tongue and Chow-Chow (not the dog, the relish!) among the tasty menu choices. Albert C. is on the back of the dinner program as being a member of the Arrangement Committee, which may be why he kept two copies. He also attended the 13th Annual Convention in Tacoma in 1913, which featured a parade and a tour to the new Eleventh Street Bridge there to see the vertical lift. They also took a trip to South Tacoma on the Pacific Traction Line and made their way to the scenic Stadium High School too.
There's a strange item that I can't quite figure out what it does but likely has to do with his job as a postman. Could be a letter opener of some kind. It has a leather strap to fit in the hand and was made by the Hall's Co. Any ideas?

 
Albert most likely lived in the town of Whatcom, one of four that would merge to become greater Bellingham. Among his possessions is a metal business card from the L.L. Berens, Jeweler and Optician. I suspect he kept that card because it's where he bought the ring for his betrothed, or it could be just where he had his pocket watch watch fixed.



He married in Bellingham on June 17, 1908 to Ida May Duxbury. He was 26, she 28. I do have memories of Ida May (she went by May), who died when I was six and spent her final years living in an apartment my grandpa Clair had for her in the back of his real estate office in West Seattle. I still have the sled she gave us (or at least that grandpa gave us in her name, come to think of it). I have a poster of a Duxbury embroidery from the mid 1800s - a cat named Smut - hanging on our wall at home. The Duxbury name is common in Hixton, Wisconsin, where she was born. Unfortunately their marriage certificate does not state precisely where they were married but my supposition is that it was at the First Baptist Church, one of the oldest churches in town. I do have the pastor's name (F.A. Guile) so perhaps church records could verify.

Let's see, what else does the box reveal?

Not much, really. Here are more photos of bird beak and bones, nut baskets and the little sling shot he must have had as a toy when a kid.




A hunting license from 1909 (cost: $1) tells us that he might have been an outdoorsman. Oh, and he was witness to what must have been a very exciting thing to happen in 1908 - the visitation of the Atlantic Fleet (a.k.a. Great White fleet) to Bellingham Bay! An elaborate program in the box describes the history and sites of Bellingham and includes pictures of the eight Navy battle ships that steamed in. Judging from the program, it looks like it was quite a spectacle. That would have been the year before the big Seattle-Yukon Exposition too.

There's a very ornate small tin cup, and a tiny pill box from a local pharmacy.





There is a velvet heart, and a delicate lace card that he kept.




What I really wanted to know though, above all things, is how my great grandfather died and why so young. Unfortunately it was a cruel death, one from which he no doubt suffered for more than a year before the disease finally got him. He died from pulmonary tuberculosis, also called consumption at the time and by other names too. It's a disease that slowly attacks the lungs, eventually sucking all of the air out of you. You catch it from others so perhaps it was something he picked up in his rounds as a postal worker. Again that's just conjecture on my part. Albert's death certificate says he was treated for it between February 4, 1914 through his death on August 1, 1915. It must have been awful for him, and I feel badly for my great-grandmother too as well as my grandpa Clair who had to watch it all though young eyes then grow without the care or guidance of a dad. TB was sweeping the country back then - vaccines were not yet fully developed and it was killing thousands a year.

Many who had TB were placed in sanitariums for treatment. I do not know if that was an option for Albert. His death certificate states he died at 208 Alabama Street in Bellingham, a home built in 1910 that still stands! I even found a photo of it and checked records to make sure it was the same place. There are three sanitariums for Bellingham listed in the 1910 Polk Medical Register and Directory of North America. I suppose it's possible that the house on Alabama was built for that reason and not the actual home of Albert and Ida May - again more research is needed.





Albert is entombed at the mausoleum at the Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham. His wife Ida May's ashes are scattered there with him. Now that I know that I will make a trip soon to pay my respects.

So that's the story, at least what I know to date, of my late great-grandfather, Albert Clayton Smith. Sadly my mom recalls nothing of her grandfather. I'll give my uncle Stuart who lives in Oregon a call to see if he knows anything more. I'm sure he must based on things his dad likely told him, but I wanted to get this out in honor of Albert's 135th birthday, which I just discovered today upon the arrival of his death certificate in the mail. Call it mail carrier Karma, if you will.

So Happy Birthday, Grandpa Albert! I wish life had not been so short for you, but it's because of you that I'm around so am glad some of the clues you left behind revealed a little about who you were. It also raises the question for me - and perhaps those of you reading this - what will you leave behind for your descendants? And will it all fit in a small white box?






Sunday update: I had that conversation with my uncle Stuart today. He confirmed there is a railroad connection - in fact he has a second watch that Albert used on the railroad. He wasn't sure what his job was, so when I discussed the mail angle above he agreed that's probably correct. Stu also noted that he had two siblings, a brother named Archie (wife Clara) who lived in Bellingham and a sister named Carol (wife of Lloyd Dexter), and they lived in Manchester (on the Kitsap Peninsula near Bremerton). I remember Carol visiting but was not sure of the family connection.  In fact we still have some of Uncle Lloyd's tools.  Stu remembers visiting Archie and Clara in Bellingham because they lived two doors away from his maternal grandmother. He said that's where he was at age five when they received word that President Roosevelt had died. Archie is listed as a witness on the marriage certificate. Stu also recalls that Albert's widow, Ida May, remarried briefly to a fellow named Cal but the marriage didn't last very long. He remembers visiting the cemetery with his parents from time to time when he was growing up. He has a family photo with Albert and others at his home in Gresham.