The Way We Were

In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.

December 3, 1914: There have been several complaints made by citizens in regard to the unsafe conditions of the sidewalks as a result of throwing water thereon by the young people of the town in their desire to facilitate sleighing - in the interest of public safety, this must be stopped. The Clatowa came in Tuesday from a trip to the fishing grounds and brought back 11 boxes of fine salmon for C.M. Coulter. The fishing here is holding out remarkably well and all of the fishermen are making good wages.

December 1, 1939: With the season opening December 10, trappers are beginning to take to the hills to get their lines ready. They have until January 15 to make their catches, and can take everything except beaver on which the season is closed this year. After the closed season last year, they already have been surveying possible trapping grounds and report there is lots of sign of fur this winter. One trapper said he had not seen so much mink and marten sign in years. Lloyd and Al Binkley left yesterday to put in the season on their lines in the Snettisham district, going out on Al's boat, the Vagabond. Jack and Mrs. Brinley are already in the field and among others going out from town are Al Anderson, Ernest Nelson, Ray Hammer, William Weis and Charles Moore.

December 4, 1964: The Post Office department predicts another record volume of mail for this Christmas, with several billion pieces moving through the system during the pre-Christmas peak. “Last year letter cancellations in the local office totaled close to 40,000 during the month of December.” said Marjorie Sharnbroich, local Postmaster. Mrs. Sharnbroich noted that the Christmas rush is the biggest season for the Post Office, but that the country is in the midst of a mail explosion. The 72 billion pieces of mail handled during the past year is six billion more than the number of pieces delivered only three years ago. “The Post Office needs your cooperation,” she concluded.

November 30, 1989: When Ivan Simonek boarded the flight for his first trip home in 21 years, he was frustrated and concerned. In Poland, Hungary and East Germany, crowds of people had demanded - and received - widespread reforms in the Communist government that have held a strong arm over the eastern European nations since World War II. But in his native Czechoslovakia, the oppressive Communist regime remained in power - no significant changes since 1968 when Ivan and Gina Simonek fled the country in the wake of the Russian invasion. Ivan was heading back to Czechoslovakia to visit his ailing mother. Weather problems forced delays in Wrangell and again in Frankfurt, West Germany, pushing back Ivan's arrival. That was Nov. 14. Just three days later, however, Ivan discovered he arrived in Czechoslovakia just in time to participate in a most historic moment. On Nov. 17, Czech students led a march to Wenceslas Square in the heart of Prague in honor of students who died at the hands of the Nazis, Ivan said. The military harshly put a stop to the march, however killing one student and injuring many. “The government sent special riot units against the students,” Ivan said, “They didn't even try to disperse the crowd. They just surrounded them and beat them to a pulp. The government won't be able to make cosmetic changes,” Ivan said. “It's not going to work this time. The Czech people may take a long time to act, but when they do it, they want to do it right. What they want is a free election, to oust all of the leaders by peaceful means.”

 

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