April Happenings in History

April 3, 1860 – In the American West, the Pony Express service began as the first rider departed from St. Joseph, Missouri. For $5 an ounce, letters were delivered 2,000 miles to California within ten days. The famed Pony Express riders each rode from 75 to 100 miles before handing the letters off to the next rider. A total of 190 way-stations were located about 15 miles apart. The service lasted less than two years, ending upon the completion of the overland telegraph.

April 15, 1912 – In the icy waters off Newfoundland, the luxury liner Titanic with 2,224 persons on board sank at 2:27 a.m. after striking an iceberg just before midnight. Over 1,500 persons drowned while 700 were rescued by the liner Carpathia which arrived about two hours after Titanic went down.

Local Pages
April 4, 1941, The Tribune: Russian Freighter Stranded on Sands Inside River Opposite Point of Cape, Tried to Turn Back In Storm At River Mouth, and Struck the Sands
“A Russian freighter 365 feet long lies stranded on the jetty sands inside the mouth of the Columbia river at the point of Cape Disappointment. She went aground there Thursday morning shortly after midnight, and is reported to be filling with water and sand, abandoned by all except the captain.
The ship Vatslav Verovsky (Vazlav Vorovsky) came down the river from Portland laden with machinery, wool rags and lard, after discharging a cargo of furs worth a million dollars, and headed out in the night. Alarmed by the blistering weather, an effort was made to turn around, and come back up the river. Reports have it that the steering gear became jammed and the anchors would not hold against the storm. At any rate she grounded on the sands inside the river between Jetty A and the north jetty and sent out an SOS at 12:15.
The Coast Guard crews from Cape Disappointment and from Point Adams and the cutter Triumph responded. Thirty-seven of the crew, including two women were taken off early this morning, leaving 18 men and the captain aboard, but in midafternoon the remainder of the crew was taken off by the coast guardsmen, leaving only the captain on his ship.
It is said the sand is being undermined by the action of the waves at both ends of the ship and the keel is broken. The ship is plainly visible from the heights in Ilwaco. The rescued crew was taken to Hammond, Oregon and are in charge of the U.S. Immigration authorities. Captain George Conway, Columbia river bar pilot, was aboard the ship when she ran into trouble. The freighter is rated at 2677 tons, 365 feet long, 52-foot beam, and 27.8 draft. She was built for British owners in 1912.”

April 26, 1940, Chinook Observer: Biggest Clam Fritter Fries Here Sunday, Team of Horses May Be Needed To Turn Fritter, Gigantic Fry Pan Used, Free Clams On Sunday; Street Music, Contests, And Big Pavilion Dance Saturday Afternoon, Evening “Wednesday night, in making final plans for the Long Beach First Annual Clam Festival, the local chamber of commerce decided to produce the world’s largest Razor clam fritter in the popular and gigantic 10-foot fry pan which made Longview’s smelt famous. 
The skillet was transported here by freight truck from Chehalis last Friday and is in readiness for the seafood fritter which may require a team of horses to turn in process of frying. The fry will take place on the main street here near the Red Men hall at 1 o’clock Sunday afternoon, April 28.
The Jitter Bug dance band is engaged for street playing Saturday afternoon and also for the big pavilion dance Saturday night, April 27th.
Prizes will be given for the biggest Razor clam dug in the two-day period of the festival and will be judged Sunday afternoon. Prizes will also be given for the most popular clam-digging woman and clam-digging man. Winners to be picked by applause of the crowd. Three public address systems have been engaged for street use.
Free clam chowder will be served to all comers, starting at noon Sunday.
Approach Being Bettered
On Thursday, Commissioner George King and Road Supervisor Jack Petit had the county bulldozer working on First street approach, widening and cleaning, getting the driveway ready for an additional two-foot fill which should assure free and easy travel on and off the beach, said approach tender, Ralph Smith.”