The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-12-27

| furnishings are in keeping with the
cabinet finish, and are all that could
be desired for utility. In such quar-
ters the OrOville Lumber Yard ia fixed
Tor business. out for business and pre-
pared for doing all the business that
may come that way.
A little history of the Oroyille Lum-
per yard and a casual mention of the
force behind the enterprise in the per-
son OF the genial and wide awake 8.
Z. Mitchell is not inappropriate in
connection with this mention of the
change of base. s. c. Mitchell. the
FOUNDER of the business, came to Oro-
vllle In 1905. He was very favorably
impressed with the location of the
town in It's relation to the surround
ing country. and instinctively felt that
there was a future for it. Mr.. Mitchell
is an expert bOOkkeeper, and his first
employment was keeping books for
the Washington Commercial company.
When railroad work at last started in
this vicinity Mr.. Mitchell accepted a
position as bOOkkeeper for Porter
Bros, railroad contractors, who had
been awarded extensive contracts for
construction between Nelson, on the
east, and the international boundary
on the west. When the track reached
OrOville Mr.. Mitchell decided that the
time was opportune for getting into
business himself, and decided on a
lumber yard, as that is line with
which he is familiar from the raw ma
terial in the log to the finished product
in the yard. He took in as a partner
that we'll known old timer, Silas Fritz,
and March l3. 1907, the Oroville Lum-
ber Yard was launched. The follow
ing year Mr.. Mitchell bought out Mr..
Fritzs interest, and subsequently dis
posed OF half interest in the busi-
ness to Porter Bros, and the firm has
since been known as s. c. Mitchell &
Co. In spite of the panic of 1907, and
fire that put a crimp in the stock
on hand, March 13, 1909, the second
second anniversary of the starting in
business. severely bent the firm, Mr.
Mitchell has stuck to the game, taking
the backsets with philosophical resig-
nation, never losing his nerve and a
determination to win always upper
most, with the result of the new yard
which cannot be surpassed in Qunti-
ty and quality of material in any of
the smaller towns of eastern Washing
ton.
Upon asking Mr.. Mitchell as to what
he owed his success, he replied: Hon
orable dealing, careful attention to
customers wants, together with 30
years experience manufacturing and
selling lumber" Having got the prin-
ciple right the rest was easy. There
are men and institutions that cannot
be kept down, and M Mitchell is
registered in that class. In defiance
of close times, a jolt from fire and the
backwardness of the country in de-
veloping, the lumber business grew
under Mr.. Mitchell's admirable man.
agement. and Mr.. Mitchell expanded
with the business. There is no such
thing as heading off a growing and
aggressive business, and safety lies
in going with the tide. Mr.. Mitchell
has caught on and made good, and will
keep moving on the lines that he has
hewn out.
Beginning with the new year the
Home, Sweet Home" advertisements
of this firm will appear in the Gazette
from week to week, and they will car
ry a message that will appeal to all
contemplating building.