1900-1929 HIGHLIGHTS

Many Island County Times publications in the 1920’s are missing.

(Part 1921, part 1922 part 1925 and part 1929 below)

1918

• C.H. Otto our barber was severely burned when filling the tank of his shop gasoline stove while the lamp was lit. In an instant Mr. Otto’s clothes were on fire.  He ran outside and extinguished the flames by rolling on the grass.  It is a regrettable accident and everyone in the community sympathizes with Mr. Otto on his misfortune, and wishes him a speedy recovery.
• In July Dick Wanamaker and Corporal Orville Saunders met with a serious accident. The four passengers were out for an auto ride when their new Ford stopped.  The two me took a lantern and crawled under the car and the escaping gas ignited and in an instant the two men were enveloped in flames.  Both were taken to Fort Casey Hospital.
• While a small electrical storm was in progress in this vicinity yesterday morning (7-18-1918) lighting struck the old house on the historic Ebey farm and badly damaged it.  The chimney was thrown down, most of the rustic siding torn off one end, two windows broken out and other damage done, the lightning going thru the building from end to end.

1922   

•  March – TWO DWELLINGS AND CONTENTS BURNED

Yesterday morning and high winds brought misfortune to two families in the vicinity. The dwelling of Thos. Clark on Crocket‘s Prairie, and that on the Beresford farm, just across the bay from Coupeville both burned to the ground and all their contents.  Mr. Clark and his wife were awakened about one o’clock to find the house in flames which had gained such head way that he was unable to reach the bedroom where his children were sleeping and was compelled to run around outside to a window into the bedroom.  He was badly cut by broke the glass but managed to get the four children out safely. (more)

• March – A FIRE SCARE

F.P. Race, the druggist, who had the misfortune to lose his residence by fire last winter, thot for awhile last Friday morning that his store building might be going the same direction.  There is a terra cotta chimney on the building and the soot inside caught on fire and made so much smoke that for a few moments it was thot that the building was on fire.  Water was thrown down the chimney to extinguish the flames and this caused the chimney to crack, causing Mr. Race to buy brick and build another chimney. (more)

• April – FIRE IN OLD SAW MILL

The saw mill in East Coupeville so long owned by E.O. Lovejoy but now the property of the John Paul Lumber Company came near being destroyed by fire.  The Times editor noticed the fire and ran to Mr. Nuttall to get him to help put out the fire.  Mrs. Nuttall immediately telephoned the alarm to town, and as it happened to be mail time there was a good sized crown around, and inside of five minutes a number of men were on the spot.  A bucket brigade was formed to hand water from the beach; several began throwing the burning slabs into the bay and inside of ten minutes the flames were under control.  It was a close call, and had the fire burned another ten minutes it could not have been extinguished.