DEATH COMES TO MAP MAKER
Ernst C. Bechly, 81, long-time employee of the Lewis County engineer's department and well-known map maker, died at his home in Chehalis Monday.
The deceased retired from the engineering department in November 1950, after 47 years of service. Starting with the department in 1903, he became county surveyor in 1907, two years before the title was changed to county engineer.
While in the department he served under seven engineers and one of his jobs while with the department was working as a surveyor when the Mountain highway was first laid out through Mossyrock, Randel and Packwood.
One of his best know maps was one printed in 1951 of the Washington territory west of the Cascade mountains, showing in detail the various forts, Indian reservations, cities and other points in the year 1870.
Born in Sheboygan, Wisc., on July 24, 1872, the deceased moved to Chehalis in 1891. Mr. Bechly was a Spanish-American war veteran, a member of the Society of Military Engineers, a member of Elks Lodge No. 1374 in Chehalis and a member of the Reform Church.
Survivors include his wife, Grace H., at the family home; a daughter, Mrs. Constance J. Davies, Chehalis; a brother, Herman B. Bechly, Centralia, and 2 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Fissell Funeral Home, Chehalis, with the Rev. George M. Shuman, officiating. Burial will be in the Claquato cemetery.
Centralia-Chehalis Daily Chronicle of March 30, 1954 (pg 1) with photo
Ernst C. Bechly, 81, long-time employee of the Lewis County engineer's department and well-known map maker, died at his home in Chehalis Monday.
The deceased retired from the engineering department in November 1950, after 47 years of service. Starting with the department in 1903, he became county surveyor in 1907, two years before the title was changed to county engineer.
While in the department he served under seven engineers and one of his jobs while with the department was working as a surveyor when the Mountain highway was first laid out through Mossyrock, Randel and Packwood.
One of his best know maps was one printed in 1951 of the Washington territory west of the Cascade mountains, showing in detail the various forts, Indian reservations, cities and other points in the year 1870.
Born in Sheboygan, Wisc., on July 24, 1872, the deceased moved to Chehalis in 1891. Mr. Bechly was a Spanish-American war veteran, a member of the Society of Military Engineers, a member of Elks Lodge No. 1374 in Chehalis and a member of the Reform Church.
Survivors include his wife, Grace H., at the family home; a daughter, Mrs. Constance J. Davies, Chehalis; a brother, Herman B. Bechly, Centralia, and 2 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Fissell Funeral Home, Chehalis, with the Rev. George M. Shuman, officiating. Burial will be in the Claquato cemetery.
Centralia-Chehalis Daily Chronicle of March 30, 1954 (pg 1) with photo
DEATH COMES TO MAP MAKER
Ernst C. Bechly, 81, long-time employee of the Lewis County engineer's department and well-known map maker, died at his home in Chehalis Monday.
The deceased retired from the engineering department in November 1950, after 47 years of service. Starting with the department in 1903, he became county surveyor in 1907, two years before the title was changed to county engineer.
While in the department he served under seven engineers and one of his jobs while with the department was working as a surveyor when the Mountain highway was first laid out through Mossyrock, Randel and Packwood.
One of his best know maps was one printed in 1951 of the Washington territory west of the Cascade mountains, showing in detail the various forts, Indian reservations, cities and other points in the year 1870.
Born in Sheboygan, Wisc., on July 24, 1872, the deceased moved to Chehalis in 1891. Mr. Bechly was a Spanish-American war veteran, a member of the Society of Military Engineers, a member of Elks Lodge No. 1374 in Chehalis and a member of the Reform Church.
Survivors include his wife, Grace H., at the family home; a daughter, Mrs. Constance J. Davies, Chehalis; a brother, Herman B. Bechly, Centralia, and 2 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Fissell Funeral Home, Chehalis, with the Rev. George M. Shuman, officiating. Burial will be in the Claquato cemetery.
Centralia-Chehalis Daily Chronicle of March 30, 1954 (pg 1) with photo
Ernst C. Bechly, 81, long-time employee of the Lewis County engineer's department and well-known map maker, died at his home in Chehalis Monday.
The deceased retired from the engineering department in November 1950, after 47 years of service. Starting with the department in 1903, he became county surveyor in 1907, two years before the title was changed to county engineer.
While in the department he served under seven engineers and one of his jobs while with the department was working as a surveyor when the Mountain highway was first laid out through Mossyrock, Randel and Packwood.
One of his best know maps was one printed in 1951 of the Washington territory west of the Cascade mountains, showing in detail the various forts, Indian reservations, cities and other points in the year 1870.
Born in Sheboygan, Wisc., on July 24, 1872, the deceased moved to Chehalis in 1891. Mr. Bechly was a Spanish-American war veteran, a member of the Society of Military Engineers, a member of Elks Lodge No. 1374 in Chehalis and a member of the Reform Church.
Survivors include his wife, Grace H., at the family home; a daughter, Mrs. Constance J. Davies, Chehalis; a brother, Herman B. Bechly, Centralia, and 2 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Fissell Funeral Home, Chehalis, with the Rev. George M. Shuman, officiating. Burial will be in the Claquato cemetery.
Centralia-Chehalis Daily Chronicle of March 30, 1954 (pg 1) with photo
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