February Happenings in History

Feb. 20, 1962 — Astronaut John Glenn became the first American launched into orbit. Traveling aboard the “Friendship 7” spacecraft, Glenn reached an altitude of 162 miles (260 kilometers) and completed three orbits in a flight that lasted just under five hours.

Glenn was the third American in space, preceded by Alan Shepard and Virgil “Gus” Grissom who had each completed short sub-orbital flights.

All of them had been preceded by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who was the first human in space, completing one orbit on April 12, 1961 — a feat that intensified the already ongoing Space Race between the Russians and Americans. Glenn’s successful flight showed the Americans had caught up and was followed in September 1962 by President John F. Kennedy’s open call to land an American on the moon before the decade’s end.

Feb. 11, 1990 — In South Africa, Nelson Mandela, at age 71, was released from prison after serving 27 years of a life sentence on charges of attempting to overthrow the apartheid government. In April 1994, he was elected president in the first all-race elections.

Local Pages

Feb. 7, 1941. The Tribune: Street Siren and Alarm Box on First Street, Cars and Trucks Must Get Out of the Way When Siren Sounds for Fire.

“A street siren was erected early in the week on the corner at Mack’s Service Station, placed there by the Ilwaco Fire Department to give warning to traffic on First Street when there is a fire. There is also, at the base of the pole, a place where the fire alarm may be sounded by throwing an electric switch. This is the first fire alarm box erected in Ilwaco.

Chief Inman says “When that siren sounds, the cars and trucks along the street must stop, and take to the curb. We want free passage along the streets, and if trucks and cars are standing out in the middle of the street, it will be just too bad.”

Note: The Ilwaco Fire Department was very progressive in its firefighting. They had a number of pumps for fighting fires, and the most famous was the Mankiller.

This is the oldest hand fire pump of its kind on the Pacific Coast. It was built in New York in 1842 and manned by 32 men. They were stationed 16 on each side to push and pull. The Mankiller came around Cape Horn to Fort Canby and was taken on the General Miles over to Astoria to help in the fight to save the city. Jack Wilson, a former soldier at Fort Canby, bought the pumper for the town for $15.

Three cisterns were dug around the city to supply water for the pumper. Eventually, a city water system was installed and fire hydrants put in.

A note found in the archives of the museum written by Ken Inman tells some of the history of the change from hand pump to mechanical.

Museum Archives

This month, I thought I would share one of the very interesting written accounts within the museum archives here at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum. I always enjoy reading what local people experienced or observed in the past.

The archive I would like to share is from Ken Inman. Ken became Ilwaco’s fire chief in 1913 and remained chief for 30 years. Prior to that he was a member of the Cape Disappointment Life-Saving Service from 1903-11.

The following is from an interview with him sometime in the early 1940s.

“After the city put in the new water system,” said Ken Inman in his story of the Ilwaco Fire Department, “we depended on carts and hose. We had a hydrant pressure down town of 65 pounds, which was ample for any ordinary dwelling fire. We struggled along with hose carts until about 1920.

“Fire Chief Coulter of South Bend notified me they had a 1913 Ford Model T, converted into a pick-up that would carry about 500 feet of two and a half inch hose. We could have it for $48.00.

“After a lot of coaxing and arguing with the mayor and councilmen, they finally ordered me to go over and take a look at this said Ford. If I thought it was worth the money I was to pay for it, and they would reimburse me. After seeing it I could not pass up such a good deal, and I came back with it in one of the worst snow storms we could ever have in February. We kept the Ford in use until we got our new equipment, and then raffled it off for $165.

“Clyde Woodham was the winner, and he gave it to the Chinook Fire Department. The old chemical tank we sold to the Naselle Grange for $65. All the money was turned in for fire equipment in 1938.

“Here are some of the past fires as near as I can recall them. The John Howerton rooming house, located where the Doupé gravel pit is now, burned in 1915. It was close to the present Tribune office. Saunders and Wirkkala’s garage was gutted Jan 15, 1929. Saunders’ old opera house, located at the site of the Inman Garage, Aug. 16, 1921. A.T. Samuels livery barn, where the Ice Palace now stands, burned in 1930. The “Big Fire” that started the people crying for better fire fighting equipment was when the Ilwaco High School burned about 2:30 in the morning, Feb 26, 1936. It was almost a complete loss, but we saved the gymnasium.”

Local Pages

Feb. 4, 1972, Chinook Observer: Ark Café Destroyed by Fire Saturday

“Complete loss of The Ark Café and Ark Gift Shop building at Nahcotta dock Saturday morning at 2 o’clock has also destroyed jobs for eight employees at the present time, and wiped out employment for 5 people who are usually employed at the two business places during the summer months. Mr. Les Wilson, operator of the Ark building, informed the Observer that it is generally conceded that the fire must have started over in the dining room on the east side of the building and with an east wind blowing at the time greatly assisted flames in sweeping through the entire premises.

Night Patrolman John Larson informed Mrs. Wilson that he had been past The Ark five minutes or so before 2 a.m., and everything seemed to be normal at the time; yet at 2 a.m. the building was reported in flames and so far gone that it was beyond all reasonable chance for the Ocean Park Volunteer Fire Department to save the structure even though the department was on the job in short order.

There is a likelihood the fire might have started from a gas heater in the east room. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have owned and operated The Ark for the past 22 years and are taking plenty of time to think it out before any thought of rebuilding the popular eating house and gift shop.

It was reported to the Observer that Bob Scheckla of Oysterville upon coming off his night shift at Art’s Tavern in Ocean Park saw the blaze and turned in an alarm after reaching Nahcotta and discovering the fire. Mr. Wilson stated the building was covered by insurance as well as most small businesses can afford.”