The T.J. Potter heading down river toward Ilwaco and Astoria.

September Happenings in History

Sept. 2, 1752 — The British ended their use of the Julian calendar, switching instead to the Gregorian calendar, resulting in a major adjustment as Wednesday, Sept. 2, was followed by Thursday, Sept. 14. The correction resulted in rioting by people who felt cheated and demanded the missing 11 days back.

Sept. 2, 1930 — French aviators Dieudonne Coste and Maurice Bellonte made the first non-stop flight from Europe to the USA.

Sept. 20, 1973 — The much-hyped “Battle of the Sexes” took place in the Houston Astrodome as tennis player and women’s rights activist, Billie Jean King, defeated self-styled male chauvinist Bobby Riggs in three straight sets. Riggs, a retired tennis champion, had been critical of the quality of women’s tennis.

The Local Pages

Sept. 1, 1905, The Pacific Journal: “Steamer T.J. Potter Will Run to North Beach Until September 17, Boat is Money Maker This Season”

“Official notice of the extension of the Steamer Potter’s running time, from Sept. 3 to Sept. 17 has been received at the local offices of the I.R.& N. Company. Commencing yesterday she began the every other day schedule.

For the first time in many years the I.R. & N. Company admits that the big excursion steamer has been a paying investment. Already her earnings have been in excess of $20,000 and it is believed that this figure will be increased to $30,000 before the season is over.

The summer traffic this year has been a record breaker. During July, the combined lines of the O.R. & N. and the I.R. & N. transported 15,000 passengers and while the attendance dwindled somewhat in August still the month has been a good one.

The beach hotels and boarding houses have all done a thriving business and throughout the season have been crowded to their capacity.”

Sept. 6, 1921, Chinook Observer: “Telephone and Electric Light Wires Placed: Workmen Busy, Chinook to Have a Central Telephone Operator”

“Linemen have been busy in Chinook this week taking down the poles and wires of the old Davis system, and getting ready to string the wire on the new poles recently erected by the Ilwaco Light & Power Company.

The wires have been stretched from Ilwaco up as far as the Chinook river and the men are now putting up the insulated cross-arms. All of the telephone wires have been moved to the poles on the opposite side of the street.

Chinook now has a regular central telephone station, D.C. Eager, manager of the North Shore Telephone system having moved his headquarters from Knappton to this place.

This move was made necessary by the abandonment of the Fort Columbia station, and in the interest of better service and more economical management. Mr. Eager…has taken over the central business of the Ilwaco Telephone Company, much to the relief of Dan Williams, who has heretofore run it as an accommodation in his grocery store.”

Sept. 4, 1953, Chinook Observer: “Plug Fishermen and Moochers Vie for Honors”

“A 47-pound 5 ounce salmon was leading the race for the $1,000 grand prize in the Chinook Salmon Derby at the half-way mark Wednesday night. Five days remained for someone to weigh in a bigger prize-winner before the derby closes Labor Day night.

Dr. Barney Bybee of Portland landed the big Chinook on a Spar-x pearl pink Monday, earning him the daily $100 prize and trophy and a lead in the derby race…

Moochers vs. Trollers

Two camps, the herring fishermen and the plug trollers are battling for the top honors and superiority in the derby. While the plug exponents were leading in the early race, the moochers got in their lick Wednesday when they took all honors, with the women garnering all but one prize…

While mooching… with herring has been tried on the river for the past two years, this is the first season it has reached such a peak of popularity. It is estimated that from half to three-fourths of the fish caught in this derby have been with herring. While moochers lose lots of fish, particularly the big prize-winners, they have been boating more salmon per fisherman than the plug users.”