Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-01-09
jim BLAKE
A BOOSTER

here Is what k.G. OSterhOut, says Jim
Blake tried to do to the Orofino Elec-
trio company. When Mr.. Osterhout
thought of putting the light plant in
Orofino he went to James Blake and
talked it over with him and told how
easy it could be done by getting the
old saw mill plant Of the Bohls estate
and harness it up for electric power,
and Mr.. Blake advised him not to do it
at that time; that it was too soon, and
tried to discourage him. Mr.. Blake
then got busy and tried to get hold of
the Bohls property through one OF the
heirs. A few months later Mr.. Oster-
hout had another talk with Mr.. Blake
and he claimed that he had bought the
BOIL property and wanted to sell it to
Mr.. Osterhout, and after some figuring
they agreed upon a price and Mr.. Os-
terhout gave Blake check for $4,000
to bind the bargain. Blake has never
dared cash the cheeky but Mr.. Oster-
hout could not get him to make deed.
MIR. Blake put him off from week to
week, and finally Mr.. Osterhout found
that Mr.. Blake had not bought the prop
erty at all and had nothing whatever to
do with it.
Mr.. Osterhout also found out that
the property was in the hands of an ad-
ministrator, who lived in Spokane,
and he went there and made the deal
for the property at about $1,000 less than
Blake had sold it for. Blake found that
Mr.. Osterhout was on a deal for the
property with the administrator, and
he sent Mr.. Osterhout the follow
ing BLUFF by registered mail:
Orofino, Idaho, November Is, 1908
X. G. Ousterhaute, ESQ.,, Nez Perce,
Idaho.
Dear Sir:-I see by newspaper state
ments that you are arranging to pur-
chase, or complete purchase, from
Louis Boehl's estate, or from L. C..
Boehl, devisee of Louis Boehl, % lots
in Wright & Small's addition to Orofino,
and the sawmill, water right, ditch and
power site.
1t is unnecessary to inform you that
|, previously to your alleged purchase,
had secured contract in writing for
the purchase OF this same property,
since you were aware thereof and
were arranging with me to purchase
the same from me when secured title
under my contract Of purchase. This
will advise you that expect to enforce
my contract whether you complete your
purchase from him or not, and should
you secure this property and be able te
dispose of the same to any person
ignorant Of my rights, will hold yo,
for such damages as result to me on &C
count thereof.
Very truly yours,
j. w. Blake
This is not all; Blake tried to hur
Osterhout's credit while he was put
ting the plant in, and after he and hi
partner had the machinery all in Blak'
, wrote to bank that he knew Mr.. Os
terhout was doing business with advis
ing them not to loan Osterhout & Eng
= lehorn any money as "they were goin
5 broke down here" 1t happened tha
e this bank knew more about Mr.. Ostel
!. hout's business than Jim Blake eve
will know. Mr.. Osterhout and hi
h company were paying cash for every
t thing they got and were not askin
!. credit of any one. Mr.. Blake's knocl
i ing did not hurt much, but was anu.
e ing.
;, When the plant was in they had M
t run in debt for anything except pa
v payment on the old mill plant land
q was paid for before it became due
i Mr.. Osterhout could have put in anotht
plant like it without the help of Ji
. Blake and it would not have broke hin
a Mr.. Osterhout says he knows of nothir
n that ever came up for the good Of Or
a fino that Jim Blake has not opposed, u
less there was something tnat lOokt
a awfully like graft in it for Blake.
m M. E. Lewis of Moscow, owner
le considerable real estate in Orofin
" spent Friday and Saturday here.
le VIM. Gamble, ferryman of Gree
a visited Lewiston Wednesday.
le Maynard Brown spent Wednesday
ye Ahsahka.
Ruben Dennis is again in troub
being under arrest on charge of
in cest. He is out under 5000 bonds.
m Elois Arth will be tried Thursday
IS a charge of setting fire to pile of wo
n. at Ford creek Monday night. Fra
IN White owned the wood
70 Andrew Jenson, Ernest Jewell a
';s ;s Percy Lloyd made a twenty-five m
:" walk the first OF the week, visiting
Jenson's homestead eleven miles aw'
IN, They tramped through half foot
d. snow, and saw many signs OF game.
'ss .s Odin Loseth, a business man of |
H. derwood, Minn., is visiting his faith
M O. E. Loseth east of Orofino.
ce.
.i C. A. Coffin, superintendent Of
.;r Gr' local cement plant, left for Spok.
,,S. ,S Wednesday morning.