The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1917-04-20
LOOKING BACKWARD.

LOOKING BACKWARD.
Happenings When the Land Wa,
Young and Sparsely Settled.
(From the Loomis Prospector, April
Is. 1881
Monday afternoon J.. A. Loomis
started to Ellensburg in company with
Geo. w. Loudon and J. NJ. Judd in
response to a letter from his brother
in-law, J. M. Hubble of that city, di-
recting that Mr.. Loomis be sent to
him il in condition to travel. This Is
one of the sadest cases that We have
been called upon to chronicle since
residing In Loomis. For some time 1t
has been apparent that Mr.. Loomis
was gradually losing his mind. and
two or three weeks ago he showed such
violent symptoms that 1t was neces-
sary to watch over him day and night.
His friends hoped that his derange-
ment would be but temporary, but up
to the time of his departure he showed
no signs of improvement. fMr. Loomis
was one of the first to opeN store in
the northern part of the county. He
was at first located in log cabin, on
the bank of Sinlahekin Screek, just
west of Loomis, building. that Is still
standing. He carried stocFof general
merchandise, freighting in his goods
by team from Spokane and fEllensburg
After establishing the store he took
in Guy Waring as a partner. Mr.. War
ing is still in the county, a resident OF
the Methow valley. At the time men,
toned above insanity developed and
the unfortunate man became so vio-
lent at times that he kept the camp
In a state of constant excitement and
expectancy. After his trip to Ellens-
burg his dementia became more pro-
nounced and he was confined in the
Medical Lake asylum. where he died In
about year. Mr.. Loomis came west
from Vermont, we believe. and was a
man of education. and In his normal
condition a very pleasant man to
know.)
Parties up from Conconully inform
us that the commissioners have ap-
pointed F. j. Fine constable for this
place, and he will probably enter up
on his duties at once. The BOARD made
a good choice in the selection of Mr..
Fine for the position. He Is a young
man of excellent habits, quiet and un-
assuming, and possesses the neces'
sary qualifications to fll the bill. AL
though a printer, he Is willing to turn
his hand to anything in tHa shape OF
work. The FIJI. Fins wht Vas select
ed to perform the duties Of constable
was the Fred J. Fine who established
the Gazette, who has so many friends
iu this locality, and who is now hold
ing down a responsible position in the
state land department. The appoint
ment of a constable at LOomis was
demanded by the law abiding people
of the camp, because there was no
peace officer nearer than Conconully,
and Loomis was pretty not PROPOSE
ton In those days, there being little
respect for law or order. Fred filled
the bill" all right for some time, ana
the general atmosphere was more
peaceful while he was in office)
1t was some lively around Loomis
nineteen years ago. This issue of the
Prospector mentions pleasant little
episode in which a boisterous citizen
rode through the business stree. firing
off a Winchester rifle IS fast as he
could pump cartridges into the cham
Der, while citizens flew for storm Gel
lars, and another event Of hostile
character is thus humorously men,
toned: "A street scene Monday was
one man chasing another around With
a knife. So long as no gore was start
ed little thing like that attracted no
particular attention"
The announcement was made of the
arrival of new girl at the home OF
Mr.. and Mrs. o. s. Stocker.
Conditions as to war were exceed
ingly similar April nineteen years
ago that they are today. The news of
the declaration of war against Spain
was expected every day. There was
strong sentiment against war at that
time as there is today, as there was
before the breaking out Of the civil
war, prior to the Mexican war. the
war of 1912, and the revolutionary
war. The pacifst has always existed
and always will. Disloyalty is not q
new habit, and 1t is just as reprehen-
sible today as 1t has been in the past.
Wednesday e. M. Pember removed
his saloon stock to Teroda creek Cat
that time considerable cxciten ent de-
veloped over the mineral showing
around Toroda, and a large number of
people rushed to those digeings.
Nothing in the way of mine develop
ed, and Teroda Is now very much of
memory.)
An assay made of quartz from the
Nest Egg claims, owned by P IIar-
ris, John Boyd and Geo. w. Rogers
gave a value of $50 per ton in gold.
The Nest Egg was situated on the west
side of Sinlahekin creek, lust above
the old Al Thorp ranch, but like so
many other promising mining proper
ties In this upper country from which
SO much was expected 1t has long been
forgotten and abandoned,
Mention was made of new ledge of
gold bearing quartz being encountered
in the Golden Zone, but that was al
most a weekly announcement in those
days. The Zone is still where 1t always
was, but as yet is not Il producer as
was so confidently expected twenty
years ago.
A quartz claim of j.. P. Dexter. three
miles south Of Loomis, was attracting
considerable attention, not sufficient
however. to result in the making of q