The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1911-07-07
OLD LAND CASE SETTLED
The Loomis Townsite After
Many Years Controversy
Amicably Adjusted.
HANGING FIRE FOR 20 YEARS
Holding Back the Growth and I'm
provemant of a Once Prom
ising Mining Camp.

The announcement made that the
interior department, in response to a
petition and application some time
ago presented by the people of that
place, has permitted the withdrawal
of the scrip placed upon the land en-
braced within the limits of the town
of Loomis nearly dozen years ago,
and that the said land will soon be
open to entry and the perfecting of
titles under the provisions of law
regulating the appropriation of the
public domain for townsite purposes
marks the end of one of the longest
drawn out controversies for the pos
session of public land in the history
of the state.
A brief resume of this case that has
tied up considerable quantity of
valuable land for a long period, Gre
ated bitter enemies and hard fought
contentious, checked the advance and
paralized the prospects of what once
promised to be a thriving and pros
porous town, may be interesting at
this time when an amicable settl-
ment of the protracted controversy
has been finally reached.
Loomis is prettily located on the
east side of the Sinlahekin valley, at
the southern foot of Palmer noun
tain, at the only natural and availa-
BILE pass through a high and rugged
mountain range extending unbroken-
ly, with this single exception, from
the Smilkameen river at the north to
Fish lake on the south, distance OF
some thirty miles. When the Black
Bear and War Eegle gold mining
claims were discovered on Palmer
mountain the excitement attracted the
usual crowd that follows gold dis
coveries and rough an typical min
ing camp sprung up on the present
Loomis townsite. The place was first
known as Loomston, named after the
late J. A. Loomis, who conducted the
first store in the Sinlaheiin valley,
on the creek of that name, few nun
dred yards west of the town.
Spokane capitalists secured the
Black Bear claims, and the indica-
tions were so nattering that Sam Sill
verman was sent in to take charge of
DEVELOPMENT work. A five stamp mill
was erected and equipped and active
mining inaugurated, the first OF
long series of mining operations in
that locality, all of them, from one
ureS.
Mr.. Silverman, believing that con-
siderable town was to spring up as
a result of his mining operations
conceived the idea of securing the
land under the placer mining laws,
procedure that has been successful
in a number of instances in this state,
and thus be in a position to make a
neat cleanup. Indeed so strong was
his confidence that the trick could De
turned that he had plat made of
the proposed town, plats that are IN
existence today, and from which some
of the streets have derived their name
so far as the streets are known by
name. Prior to Mr.. Silverman's move
or possibly simultaneously with 1t,
a resident named Napoleon Sabourln,
who has since died, made application
to enter the land as homestead. The
clashing of interests preclpltated q
contest, which was held before the
officers of the United States land Of
flee at Waterville. The contest was
one of the most stubbornly fought
during the incumbency of the officials
in charge at that time. decision
was rendered in favor of the home
steader. The case was carried up TO
the court of last resort, through which
land cases can be appealed, and the
decision of the Waterville land Office
everywhere sustained.
This prolonged litigation extended
over several years and in the interim
quite a town had sprung up on the
land in controversy. The homestead
er realized that it would be difficult,
if not impossible, under the circum-
stances to make proof on the land
and secure patent under the home
stead laws. In order to protect him
self. and as he thought expedite the
securing of title, Mr.. Sabourin en-
tered into an agreement with John
BOYD by which that gentleman was
to secure patent to the land by means
of scrip. An understanding was cas-
ily reached with those residents OF
the camp who had made improve
ments by which title to lots were to
be transferred at nominal figures, and
not a single protest was filed against
the proposition at that time. But i'll
| fortune seemed to follow every effort
to secure title to the ground About