The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1917-06-15
LOOKING BACKWARD.
Happenings When the Land Wa,
Young and Sparsely Settled.


(From the Loomis Prospector, June
Is. 1879
Few know now how near the present
town OF Okanogan came to being beat
out OF its present name twenty years
ago. The Prospector of June Is, 1897,
says that "a new town Is springing up
in the county OF which little has been
said and not great deal known even
by those living within radius of only
few miles. The fledgling that is grad
ually coming into existence without
blare OF trumpets, an elaborate blue
print plat and gilt edged prospectus
that promises abundant riches to every
lot investor, is to be known upon the
map as Okanogan City, and is located
at the junction OF Johnson creek with
4 the Okanogan river, the highest point
OF navigation reached by the steamer
lEllensburg." But the name did not sur
vive. The people OF the new burg de-
cided TO name the new town Riverside.
as Okanogan classed with the name OF
lose much OF Its entity. and Riverside
1t Is to this day. while a larger and
more ambitious town has fallen heir to
at least part OF the original name
discarded.
DR.. Paul Langhammer, who has op-
Grated to considerable extent in this
upper country, and is we'll known
through his connection with the Wyan-
dotte mill and mine, is again on deck,
armed with the necessary collateral
and as active and wide awake as ever.
He is to work the Allison group of
claims located short distance up the
ISimilkameen river from OrOville.
(That mine is what is now known as
the Owasco. Longhammer worked it
for British Columbia syndicate, and
really paid dividend or two. The
mercurial doctor afterwards went to
Rossland, where he died by his own
hand in fit of despondency. The old
mine has been worked spasmodically
and with very poor judgment from time
to time during the past twenty years,
but has been idle now, for long time)
A neat prospectus has just been is
sued by the Gold Belt Mining, Milling
& Smelling company, principal place
of business. Spokane, property ON Pal
mer mountain. This company is organ
lied for the purpose OF opening and
developing the Climax claim, situated
on the north slope Of Palmer mountain
not far from the Triune. a gold pro-
ducer that is paying every day in the
week. (The name of this new company
| was so top heavy that it could not sur
Ivive, and never got further along in
the mining stage than the issuance of
a prospectus.)
The @. S. Gold Mining and Smelling
company is recent organization that
has it's principal office in Spokane. The
group that the @. S. company proposes
J to develop is situated near Blue Lake,
half way between Loomis and Concon-
July. (For several years work was
pushed with great activity on the @. S.
and large amount of money spent
in development work, but the bright
promise of mine never materialized.
The big hole in the side of the noun
tain is still there, evidence of the zeal
of the early operators. but the property
has been in litigation time and again
and in the meantime las remained idle
for years)
Allen Palmer, an old time resident
and rancher on the Similkameen, was
in town Sunday on business visit
(Mr. Palmer is still a resident of the
Similkameen valley, and though he
shows the marks of the passage of
twenty years he is the same genial
gentleman that he was in his somewhat
younger days)
| Jack Cutchie, who owns large and
well kept farm on the Similkameen
river, was among the visitors in town
Sunday. (And Mr.. Cutchie is still re-
siding on and working that same
|"well kept" farm, as pleasant to meet
as in the olden days, but very much
grayer. He and Allen Palmer were
among the first subscribers to the
Prospector, and are readers Of the Ga
lzette to the present day.
Geo. Dorr, one of the lucky owners
of the Red mountain groap of claims,
was in town last week. Dorr was a
partner Of Fay Harris, who is now
farming on Ellemeham mountain, and
died at Loomis dozen years ago.
Joe Lenton, prosperous farmer OF
1.-THE Similkameen, was visitor in town
"Wednesday. (Mr. Lenton is still living
lon the old homestead, and holding his
Iage wonderously we'll. He is another
Ipector and still reader of the Ga
lzette.)
C. p. Rhoden left this week with all
his household goods for Fairview, B
lC. (Mr. RhOden was considerably of &
rover around, although he had large
family. After try at Fairview, hi
lwent On farm at Wauconda, finall!
drifting back to Loomis, where he fol
; lowed his trade as blacksmith. HI
ldied some ten years ago. His eldest soI
is still in Loomis conducting a store.
Clay Fruit returned to Loomis Wed
; nesday from trip to Spokane. Mr.
Fruit has the utmost faith in the flu
ture of the country, and the more h
sees of it the better he Is satisfied will
the prospect. $50 we'll satisfied wa
mr. Fruit that he remained with tn
country and is living on his farm nea
!, Tonasket today. He went into tn
sheep business and did we'll. Wit
Arthur Lund he purchased the Ian
: and laid out the town Of Tonasket, an
so we'll did he guess as to the futur
that between the exertions Of the tw
= men very flourishing town has grow
: Iup. Mr.. Fruit is on Easy street, an
islands the stress of time so we'll tha
he looks good for another fifty years.