The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-10-25
NEWS OF THE BIG BEND.
A Squatter on Cuitus .Iim's Valuable Lane
Journalism at Disadvantage.


Journalism at Disad vantage.
VAUDEVILLE. Oct 21.-An Indian known
as "Cultus Jim" has for long time held
desirable quarter section directly at the
junction of the Columbia and Chelan rivers.
With no improvements more than Siwashes
generally erect on their rancheries. this
spot has been considered worth fully $i0,-
00e, as it is mostly level and contains living
springs of abundant volume TO irrigate the
entire tract. and. besides. is presumed to
be the identical site for large city il ever
railroad should be built up the Chelan,
Pierce and down the Skagit rivers to Sc
attic. Cultus Jim neglected to obtain title
either by treaty with the government, when
the Moses reservation was thrown open to
settlers, or by severing his tribal relations
and becoming citizen and fling on the
land, and so Frenchnan named La Chap
pelle has just filed a homestead on the
coveted quarter and taken possession. Gull
tus and his followers were away on a hunt
ana returned last Wednesday To find half
dozen 'shacks" on the land. and the vail
ant Franco American in complete possess
ion. Immediately a grand pow-wow of all
the Indians in the neighborhood of Lake
Chelan was held and the tribe is swearing
Cultus has obtained a supply OF Winehes-
ter rifles from Ellensburg, and proposes to
summarily quiet title" without recourse
to the white mans tribunals. The fling
has been placed on record at the North
Yakima United States land office, and, so
far as law goes, La Chsppelie is on the in
side track: but all the best lands around
Lake Chelan have been taken possession of
49, b. t-sb
the government. and it is thought that
these Indians may side with Cultus. al
though many OF them are said to ,iisown
him on account of the traits in his charac-
ter which gave him the name of "Cultus"
which is synonymous with the American
ism IN. c." Trouble is expected. and
most OF the settlers around Chelan would
rather not be in La Chappelle's boots just
now.
The recent rains have wet the ground in
i the Big Bend from four To five inches
| deep. and blowing has commenced. Farm
ers claim that the outlook for good crop
| in iSgo could not be better than at present
Perhaps the smallest town in the world
in which a new paper Is published is
/ Oroade. the home OF the Orondo ye,rs.
! The village consists of three not very i'm
e.
{ one a. dwelling. and one for the nyinting
Office. The present population comprises
eight souls--fOur adult males, three women
and little girl. The town lies inmedi.
( aiely on the left hank of the Columbia.
, where that grand river rushes between sts.n
+ mountains on the west and high. shrupt
+ bluffs on the east The compositor on the
( Asars keeps batch" in the little room ocru-
! EtfN hN The tSpe Fa<QN =,
T army press. A kitchen table j. used for an
I imposing stone" and the cook stove serves
{ 20 warm the office snd fry the bacon for
I ooih editor and printer. BEt enc other
/ hoase can he seen from the town and
THAI Is across the Tiver az the foot OF All al
I most perpendicular mountain. which tow.
eTs abruptly iuily ora iest aooye the river.
T leaving barely enough level space at the
/ ViFer e&nk Tor = house. Where the patrou-
I axe oi the Aears comes in irotn the specta.
/ tor ean Rot see, Sc there can not possibly
/ - more than dozen persons living within
/ Aratlas Of three miles from OroEdo If
the Nf<s succeeds there, II certainly wpniA
seem that paper ough, 20 make a living
{ anywhere
\ Mr.. Stahl Is opening a wagon road 70 8
mAr@e quarry opposite the Hnse works
above Wenaiehse, On The Columbia. II j
expected that both the limestone and mar.
DIE qaAFF'es wih X fully orerated IL, the
spring
Engineer Eas.gn. wjth eorrs Of sr,rv.x.
ors, : Using az the s. on approrr. alton
mas!e IS congress roy soarnasfx sad Sev-
veytng TIE Rock Island rapids. wish axiew
70 removing distractions. They ali be
through by November 10.