Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1912-03-28
OROF|NO THIRTEEN
YEARS AGO.
LAST STEAMBOAT RAN ON THE
CLEARWAT T R THAT YEAR.
RAILROAD CONSTRUCTED


Thirteen years ago this month the
railroad contractors moved their camps
to Oroflno and started building opera
tons in this vicinity. Gus CRUDE, who
is now farming on Whiskey Creek
meadows, was skinning mules for Eph-
rain Jones, n contractor who had n
camp at Fords Creek. w. M. Chandler
was operating the Clearwater Improve
mcnt ca. S ferry, Judge Moody was
running store and c. S. Moody was
the physician OF the town and surround
ing country. In the beginning of 1899
the only buildings in town were small
building near the depot where Buesch-
er kept store, the old log cabin near the
depot where Ben Rowland lived, the
dwelling on the Fuller homestead in
which the post office was kept, Moody's
store, small box building, dignified by
the name ''School House." and the
Clearwater Improvement Co.'S ware
house and. some small buildings occu-
pied by Indians. Mrs l.. j. Anderson
was postmistress and F. H. Blake was
deputy sheriff
During February and March II. f.
Woelk got lumber on the ground for a
meat market and Carlson Bros. assem-
bled the material for the first hardware
store opened on The townsite, Bueschel'
built the iirst section Of his store build
ing on the corner of First Street and
johnson Avenue and Jim Colgrove
started a restaurant in tent on The
ground where the Merrill House sample
room now stands.
During the spring and summer fol
lowing Jakey' Moritz built his store
Means G. Mckee built the first section
OF the building now occupied by the
White Pine Trading Co., and opened a
store which is still doing business at the
old stand, this store being thus the old
est established institution of the kind
in the town. Horace Noble built the
Noble Hotel and opened it that fall and
~ DQSlltSS
in building 16 X 24 in August. Frank
Reed was running small blacksmith
shop and Jake Bullock and w. A. Curry
were running barber shops. j. w.
Merrill started the Cash Bargain House
in tent that fall and John Clegg set up
his boot and shoe shop and incidentally
did a little ''bootlegging' on the side;
Bergerson was running his watchmak-
ing and "bootlegging" establishment
next TO Curry's shop and the Look
Here store was opened by f. NJ. Down
ing with AL Langdon, now postmaster
at Juliaetta, in charge. During the fall
DR.. Moody started the Orofino Drug
Store with C. H. Bellmcr as pharmacist
and Bundy Johnson opened the Oroiino
Bank and Chris Anderson built the iy-
cry stable now owned by DR.. Fairly.
j. S. Hogue moved his old "llalf Way"
house from near Ahsahka and erected
it on the ground where the Cottage
Hotel now stands. j. A. Parker built
the building he occupied at the time Of
the 1906 fire this year. Dr. l.. T. Reed
built the Buckhorn Hotel this summer
and several small residences were
erected. Part of the building occupied
by the Orofino Trading Company at the
time Of the fire was built this year and
w. NJ. Chandler put up the building in
which the Orofino Tribune was housed
at the time o'Jhe 1906 fire. The Oro-
fino Courier was first published in May
1899, the plant being set up in the
Clearwater Improvement Co ware
house, the paper being printed on n
five column army press. All the busi-
ness population ofthe town had adver-
tisemcnts in the Courier, the list being
complete with the names John q.
Buescher, w. Nj. Chandler, Moody K
Moody, Dr.. c. 5. Moody, John Clegg,
Look Here store (E. NJ. Downing, II.
+. Woell1 and the Nor. Pac. Ry. Co.
Capt. +. L. Rodgers was operating the
Mascot mine with Harry Caufield in
charge OF the works.
Steamboat navigation OF the Clear
water was attempted this year, the j.
M. llannatord making several trips 10
Oroiino with supplies for Wren a.
Grcenough's commissary. An attempt
to go farther up the river was fraught
with disaster TO the ferry ut this place,
the boat catching on the cable and pull
ing up the dead man. on the west side
Of the stream, thus putting the ferry
out of COMMISSION but demonstrating
that Oroiino was at the head OF naviga-,
ton Oh the Clearwater.
Mail was transported from kendrck,
to Southwick by team and from there's