The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-02-09
4 LEAF FROM THE PAST.

LEAF FkOM THE IASI.
From an advertisement published
in another column of this issue, signed
by tile register of the Waterville land
office. 1t will be seen that the Looms
townsite Is finally drawing to a settle
ment. no doubt to the great relief of
those who claim lots and parcels of
land within the limits of the proposed
boundaries some of whom have waited
for years to see the question of own
prship settled 1t has been prolonged
and unfortunate tangle this conflict
over the method of adjudicating the
townsite. and while it has been the
subject of repeated notice in the past
review of the case may not be unin-
teresting.
The land upon which Loomis is To-
Gated was first settled over 90 years
ago. The chief attraction that drew
people to the spot was the discovery
of mineral on Palmer mountain. and
what was really responsible for its
growth was the starting up of the
Black Bear mine, and the carrying out
OF the improvements necessary pre-
liminary to treatment of the ore. Much
was expected from that property but
it developed "A disappointment. 1t was
owned by Spokane people, and that
widely Knownmine operator, Sam
SilVcrman. was sent in to take charge
of the mine. A flume and ditch several
miles in length was constructed to
plal nly ~ N
the center of the town, the object be-
ing the operation of a five stamp quartz
mill that in the meantime had been
erected and equipped. The subsequent
history at The mine is anotherr story
Mr. Silverman conceived the idea of
cleaning up pot of money by enter
ing the land as a placer claim. He
was checkmated, however, by one Ma
poleon Sabourln. who contested Mr.
Silverman's application, claiming the
land as "A homestead The contest was
fought out before the register and re-
cciNcr of the United States land office
at Waterville. in the early 90s and was
one OF the most important and pro-
tracted contests heard in that office
during the first four years of its eX-
istcnce. The local land officers de-
cidcd in favor of the homesteader, and
the case was carried up through the
various channels of appeal to the sec
rctary of the interior, the decision of
the Waterville Office Deing sustained
from start to finish.
The camp was named after j. A.
Loomis. the pioneer merchant of north
crn Okanogan county, and for time
vas known as Loomiston, the post
office department subsequently abbre-
Waiting the name to plain Loomis. Dur
ing the slow process of hearing and
reviewing through the divers courts
OF higher resort Loomis continued to
grow. and by the time the matter was
finally adjudicated and Sabourin was
granted the right to homestead the
land quite a village had grown up.
Fearing that this accumulation of pop
ulation might initiate against the per-
tcCting oi I homestead entry Mr.. Sa-
bourin entered into an agreement with
John Boyd TO scrip the land. Then
further heart breaking delays result
ed As luck would have it the scrip
to cover the land was purchased from
person aCcusedof. and indicted for.
iraudlent land enteries and dealing in
spurious scrip ard the scrip filed by
MIR. Boyd was held up until the ter
mination of the pending legal pro-
ccrdings Time Is not thn essence OF
any procedure before the United
States supreme court and wears slipped
Nv befole the scrip was released. Then
faCtional trouble broke ou' among the
people Of ,he camp. the population
taking sides for and against the ap-
plication OF the Boyd scrip Finally
reason prevailed. the people got to-
gcthcr ard it was decided to petition
to have the land entered as a COVE n
mcnt townsite. This consumed more
time, but at last the end is in sight,
Put what changes have taken place
in both the town ana the people since
the inauguration Of the Si.Verman-Sa-
bourn controversy, and what oppOr-
tunities 10 make a flourishine toWr
have slipped by Those who pass
through l.ccmis today and note the
number OF vacant and run down houses
can form little idea what the camp has
been, or what it might be now had it
been possible to secure title to lot,
when the place was first settled The
time was when I.oomis was the largest
and liveliest town in the county Work
and money was plentiful, and the camp
had a general air of great prosperity
| However, men are afraid to make per-
manent improvements on land for
which they might never obtain title,
| and the result was that the buildings
in a majority of cases were mere shells
| Had stable growth marked the early
! days OF the camp Loomis even now
with all the drawbacks against which
| it has had to contend would be a town
of some importance both in size and
from a business point of view. But