The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-10-31

poses, although that does not seem
reasonable, as one of the commits
sioners is interested in the townsite.
and he is not man who would divert
public funds Tor his own personal
benefit. Anyhow, the Tonasket town.
site was laid out at that spot, some
IL miles south OF Oroville, and those
| behind the project commenced whoop-
ing it up. They were whoopers with
big whoop, and the result of their
efforts towards making a town in a
not any too attractive or prepossess-
ing locality shows just what influ-
ence live wires have on town building
when they combine to build a town.
Surroundings cut no figure when such
people are bent upon putting life into
community, or supplying a commun-
ity to put life into. Tonasket is the
newest town in the county but the
builders have accomplished more in
two years than has been accomplished
in the older ones in dozen or twenty
years. The improvements so far made
IN Tonasket are of better character
than in the older communities, and the
signs OF building under way are indie
ative of steady and larger growth
There is large and mOdernly equip
ped flour mill, large creamery, two
general merchandising establishments,
those of A. J. Nickle and Oliver Tufty,
carrying big and well selected stocks
OF goods, with two large concrete store
buildings we'll under way, those of
Cloud Dodge and Chas e. Blackwell.
The finances of the place are taken
well care of by the First National
bank of Tonaskct, with that successful
banker, Arthur Lund, at the head.
There are two hotels with other lines
OF business represented. Along the
railroad are three or four mammoth
warehouses, indicating that the mer-
chants are preparing to handle goods
of every description in immense
quantities. The two concrete store
buildings would be a credit to any
town, or even city. The store of
ClOud-DOdge Is almost ready for oc-
cupancy, carpenters putting in the
shelving and painters putting on the
finishing touches. The room is 5Ox9O
in the clear, with an entire plate glass
front, and is as nobby a store interior
as can be found anywhere. The firm
has apparently spared no expense in
putting up modern, convenient and
substantial building, and it will be a
JOY to do business in such surround
ings, both for the customers and the
proprietors. There are inside toilets
and wash rooms, the building is wired
for electricity, and is splendidly light
ed by front, side and rear windows.
The concrete walls are double, there
being a two-inch air space all around,
insuring warmth in winter and a
pleasant temperature in summer. Take
it all in all there is not a feature in
the big store that could be improved
on. The Blackwell block is still in
process of construction, and it will
be some time before it is ready to
throw open to the public. From out
ward appearances it promises to be
the finest store in the county when
completed, as it should be, for by the
time it is ready for occupancy it will
represent the expenditure of from
$4,000 to $4,000.
| The growth of Tonasket will not
| halt with the completion of the build
| ings now under way. 1t is too late
in the season for many new improve
ments to start up this fall, but it is
safe to predict that with the coming
of spring building operations will be
resumed and continue on from year
to year until Tonasket becomes an
important center of trade. There are
good reasons to predict a bright fu-
ture for Tonasket. In it's relations
to surrounding tributary country the
townsite was very fortunately select
ed. 1t is at the only crossing of the
Okanogan river between Oroville and
Riverside. To the east and west there
are large sections of old and we'll
settled agricultural lands, the trade
from which will naturally gravitate
to Tonasket. Then there is consid-
cradle valley land up and down the
river that is ideal for fruit culture
If the irrigation projects under con-
sideration. that will extend from OrO-
vile to a point south of Tonasket, are
carried out, large acreage that at pres
ent is barren will come under the
ditches With the application of water
this land will speedily be put in fruit
and prove an important contributary
factor in the support of Tonasket. But
above and beyond all things else is the
civic spirit prevailing in the cOmmun'
ity that will have the greatest influ
ence in building up the town. AS in
dviduals the residents of Tonaske
may have differences of opinion. They
may clash in matters of business, poll
tees. religion, or any of the many sub
jucts upon which men divide, bu
when it comes to pulling for theil
town, when any proposition advanced
is for the general veal, then the!
are unit. and forgetting individual
dissensions shoulder to shoulder the.
work for a common cause. When on,
sees what has been accomplished a
Tonasket almost wholly through tn,
instrumentality of combined effort, on,
cannot help wondering how large an,
prosperous a city Oroville would hav
!. been today if the same spirit had ami
mated the people from the day tn
railroad first reached this point. 1t i
sickening to think Of the time AM
opportunity lost. That has nothing
; to do with the subject in hand an
) further than to awaken regrets. To
nasket has the pull together habit
and so long as it continues Tonaske
will grow Hats off to the enternris