The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1911-12-01
MOLSON CASE OPENED
COMMiSSlONERS DE( (lS!O\ Is AD-
VERSE 70 THE HOME
STEtDER.
A LONG DRAWN OUT CONTEST
Scraps OF the Early History OF the Big
Homestead TOWnSite
Fight.

Col. f. +. Newland was in town
Wednesday from Nelson on his way
to Tonasket Col. Newland owns a
tract of alfalfa land down the river. on
which he raised bumper croN this
year, and his mission there at this
time was to deliver the hay therefrom
which he recently sold to the Oroville-
Riverside stage line. The nay is to
be hauled to the middle station of the
line near Tonasket.
Col. Newland brought word from
Nelson that another decision has been
received in the Nelson townsite home
stead case, this time in favor of the
people who are asking for govern
ment townsite. This case has been in
the tribunals of the interior depart
ment for number of years. A great
deal OF money has been spent by both
sides in fighting tie case. 1t has been
all but settled a number of times, only
to be reopcned on some technicality
or other, and just at present a deed to
the land seems to be as far off as ever
The stcry of Nelson is a long one
and a history of many difficulties. Like
all controversies the question has Cwo
sides, and it yet remains for the gov
ernment to decide which is the just
the opening of the reservation to home
the opening of the reservation to
homestead entry. man by the name
of mining claims on the divide and
launched a townsite boom. Ii was
never claimed that there was a great
amount of mineral in the locations,
but the work was religiOusly done, and
had Mcachem remained in possession
no doubt the ground would have been
EN- wanted a toWnsite, and the laws
were much more lax then than at the
present time. Meachem had the back
ing of number of rich Canadians in
mis- enterprise, prominent among whom
was President Nelson of the Canadian
Bank of Commerce, and the gentleman
for whom the embryo town was
naemed. Many thousand dollars were
spent in and around the new town,
among the other places for getting rid
of the coin being the building of the
present TOnasket creek road from
Nelson to Oroville, a thoroughfare
which by the way, has received little
attention since. Meachem had an abil-
ity to spend money, the like of which
is not the possessor of every man, and
in time his resources came to an end.
The Canadians refused to come
through again and Meachem sought
new fields, passing forever out OF the
history of Nelson, at least so far as
being an active factor was concerned.
He left many debts and for time the
town was in the hands of receiver
appointed by the federal court, for
most of the buildings We're the prop
erty of the defunct townsite company.
Soon after the opening of the reserv-
alton j. II. Mcdonald, who had been
conducting a livery stable in the town
during it's boom days, attempted to To-
cate the land as homestead In this
he was opposed by other residents OF
the townsite, the leader among whom
was c. A. Blatt, owner of the hotel and
the man who acquired the ownership
of most of the buildings with the pass
ing of the Meachem regime and the
ending of the receiVership. Later, APP
plication was made by Mr. Blatt and
others for government townsitc. This
brought matters to an issue and every
stage of the proceeding has been bit
terly fought. The advantage appeared
to be first with one contestant and
then with the other. Finally McDon-
AIDS homestead filing was accepted by
the Waterville land office and proceed
ing of final proof We're begun by him
Though contested at every turn the
proof finally reached the secretary ol
the interior and We're by him approved
and a receivers receipt was issued tC