The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1916-12-29
LOOKING BACKWARD.
Happenings When the Land Was
Young and Sparsely Settled.
(From the Loomis Prospector, De-
81, 1917

cember 81. 1917
The Prospector gives considerable
space to rich finds on Torodo creek, on
the north half of the Colville reserva-
ton. Considerable interest was being
developed in the mineral prospects of
that part of the country nineteen years
ago, and much development was done,
but paying mine never resulted.
Nothing has been heard of Torodo
creek mining properties for years.
A correspondent and the Prospector
was making a strong appeal for a road
between Loomis and Kettle Falls.
Frank Grogan reported a discovery
Of ore In his Similkameen claims that
ran Several hundred ounces silver to
the ton." Mr.. Grogan is still holding
those claims and has visions of a for
tune to be derived therefrom some
time In the future. He has 1t to reali-
20 for his optimism and sticktoative-
ness. 8
The Prospector was making consid-
cradle complaint over the cold weather
and heavy fall Of snow. which would
indicate that the winter Of 1878 was
very much similar to what the winter
of 1861 promises to be at this time.
M. LAUDER proved up on his Okla
hogan valley ranch Saturday. (That
place is what is known now as the old
LAUDER ranch. which gives the name to
Lauber's gulch, an ugly cash in the
scenery that has caused much trouble
to road makers Z since road making
commenced in the valley)
Jos. Linton was supplying the Pros
pector with winter vegetables, and
MIR. Linton is still farming the land
from which those vegetables came.
Joe Bertrand the Si1nllkameen ferry
man. was In town Tuesday, doing his
holiday shopping. (Bertrand's ferry
was located a short distance east of
Nishthawk. and the town Is built upon
a portion Of the land owned by Ber-
trand at that time. Bertrand has been
dead dozen years or more.)
Ed. Hart. who is In charge Of the
Triune property during the absence Of
his brother in tl5B east, was visitor
in town Tuesday. And Mr. Hart is still
resident Of stha kaldsn neighborhood.) }
Bert Riste, who Is connected with
the Oroville Trading Co.'S, large mer-
m <ilo ocxo xoh11oh mani nut In q fow
days visiting with friends in Loomis.
(Mr. Riste is now resident Of Mol
SOM
]. E. Samson, the popular Orovillan,
who is the manager Of the Oroville
Trading company was over to Loomis
Wednesday on business for the house
he is with (Mr. Samson is still popu-
lar resident of Oroville, but is now in
the drug line.)
Col. Bill Hughes, the widely known
cattle man, was over from the Okano-
gan river Tuesday. He reports cattle
to be in finer condition for this season
of the year than during any winter
since he can remember. (All the old
timers remember Bill Hughes, who
was quite a character in the Okanogan
country twenty years ago. Bills repu-
tation was not that of a Sunday school
teacher. He was a rough and ready
frontiersman, quick to anger and al
ways ready with the trigger finger,
and yet like all men, he had his good
points. He Is now at Anchorage, Alaska
where he Is running a pack train.)
1t was some lively in Loomis in those
days as the following item would indi-
cate: "A black eye for a Christmas
gift is not a present that everybody
would rejoice over, still in the general
distribution Of mementoes some fell in
for that kind of decoration"
w. L. Davis, the clever proprietor OF
the stage line between Conconully and
Virginia City. who owns one of the
finest ranches in the Okanogan valley
has our thanks for box of apples
that for quality could not be surpassed
|by any orchard In the state. (The
|"virginia City" city above mentioned
was the boat landing on the Columbia
river near where Brewster Is now situ.
ated. Mr.. Davis was one Of the Oldest
and best known residents Of the coun.
|ty. He died in Oroville year ago, and
Ibis family still resides here.)
The Christmas tree and its precious
fruit was largely in evidence in Loo
mis- Christmas of 1897. The Prospectol
reports the largest crowd In attend
ance at the principal tree ever seen ir
the camp.
A. ]. Decatur, Of Conconully, spen
the holidays with his daughter, Mrs
VIM. Schufeldt. (Mr. Decatur shortl!
after that time moved to Wilbur where
lhe died years ago. The Schufldts wen
to Texas, where they are still living.
The Prospector was whooping up thu
|Klondike route via Loomis which
never got any further than the whoop
|up.
Among the numerous names men
toned Of arrivals. departures and al
ways present, we note the following
and wonder where they all may b.
these holidays of 1861: Joe Goddar'
an alleged boxer of those days; VIM
|Praither, similarly inclined with hi
dukes and mentioned in connection
with matches at Loomis and Fairviev
with Goddard on the other corner
the ring; VIM. Twisp, genial EN-
ployee at the Palmer mountain tunnel
Frank B. Mcdonald, who left for Seat
tie about Christmas c. H. Brown,
prominent resident of Greenwood
Walter ]. Bowen, an old resident Q