The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-08-02
PICTURESQUE sQUATTERs.

] I II 1 ANAa1NS = AH ~ I - Af'''.f
! \ writer for the New York Trihun'
SAYS that +. H. Ulrm,u's PURCHASES OF
abou. .wen,y-sevyn hundred acres of
land north and Yves, II Tuxedo hlv.
caused rejoicing among the residents OF
Tuxedo Park tad CONSERVATION amone
about 4 hundred tenants 40 VIII and
sqIl;tars Mr. Harrmau's uncompro,
/ mjslag opposition .o wdyside drlmshop'
is well known. ami there are ssyera
such resorts on The various farms and
| he mouu.aln wllis embracing In his
purchases Residents " Tuxedo Park
generally say they believe ,ha, both IN,
rumshops ana the squa,ters viii have
to vacat5. and this belief is shared by
the subjects ot he discussion,
Mr. Harriman's newly acquired lands
includ" the Josiah X Meal tract the
Hudson Corey property and the Wal
worth place. sometimes called tn Ed
wards farm. between Tuxedo Park aad
Sou,hheld. and considerable property "a
Southheld village. connecting his vast
country seat. formerly known as The
Parrott estate, with his less recen, pur-
chases. Including the John \. CofIey
place and the Gilber; Turner farm. be-
tween sou:hheld AMI Central valley.
These purchases solldify his holding
from Tuxedo Park 90 within a mile q
Central Valley.
Just outside ;he north gate OF the park
in a colony ot about thirty families ot
natives and Hungar!ans This coloay Is
kaowu as wildcat. probably because Il;
is situated In a little valley a, .hc lower
homes Of .hese people are rude Nu,s ot
little value, but ,here are a few small
dwellings wi.h some pretsusi1ls II re-
sDectability.
Excep, The shoemaker. ;ha blacksmith.
the barber, the grocer AMI the tavern
keeper. the heads u the families are
hborers In ,hr employ o' rh Tuxedo
Park Association ana earns living
wages They appear TO believe that
next April Wldci; is 20 be wiptd from
the face o' the earth. "a hall dozen
told the Tribune reporter ,hl, they oal
notices tha, heir leases would aot be-
renewed next April.
Ola BIN" Guthrie, the WIIlca; COBB
bier. il optimistic concerning lis own
future. bu, admits ,ha, al the res; "
the colony. eXcsp. he blacksmith, must
60. He saIl 10 the reporter:
I'm the Oldest resIIen. D; W.ld'at,
except tho family that lives across the
railroad and I'm The only man hat ever
paid rent I've been here ever since
1866, and he park needs me 20 mend It's
shoes and .he blacksmith 90 shoe It's
horses. OF course. tho barber the grocer
and the tavern Keeper are not needed.
No, sir no notice has been served on
me and the blacksmith. bur guess
everybody else las got one. Pay rent?
Never a cent! I've done a great many
favors for Mr.. Mead. and that's why
I'm here and am likely TO stay"
Pressed to state the nature Of his IA
yOrs. he said ne had always mended the
family footwear and the harness.
The huts in wildcat are strung Irregu-
larly along both sides of the southheld
highway and there is a trough near the
center Of the group with a strong flow
Of good water from spring on the
bald hillside forming the left bank Of
the hollow. All the families Of wildcat
draw their water supply from this pub
lie tap, and there the women and girls
linger to gossip.
These girls are the descendants Of
Hungarian laborers who found employ
ment in Tuxedo Park after the adjacent
iron mines ceased to be operated. The
Influence Of a closer association with
culture and refinement derived from
this change Of employment by the heads
Of families is believed to have caused
difference between the squitters on the
outskirts Of large cities and the people
OF Wildcat.
The park association several years ago
erected club house for the use Of the
men Of wildcat, ami the mother OF Ham
llton Fish, Jr., has erected a public bath
for their use. A marble tablet on this
little brick building bears the lnscrip-
tlon:
S.....,......'''.''' ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
In Loving Memory NJ