The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1917-01-19

one full of stirring incident, for he
spent many years in the west before
called to his last account.)
A. c. Warner who has had charge
OF the compressor at the tunnel ever
since the machinery was first set in
motion. departed on a flying trip tc
california. Wednesday. He will be back
again in short time to assume his
old position. (Mr Warner was nol
Ionly an expert machinist but was ar
Exceptionally clever amateur photo
Igrapher, a business he afterwards fol-
lowed. He returned to Loomis but did
not remain for he at last removed to
Pacific Grove, California. where he is
living at the present time. Mr..
ner was among the first subscribers
to the old Prospector and has been u
reader of the Gazette since the Pros
pector turned up its toes.)
| The Prospector contains the follow
ing account of a shocking tragedy in
Douglas county, in which two men
lost their way between Grand and
Moses coulees and were frozen to
death. In those days the country be-
tween Waterville and Coulee City, or
at least many miles of the country,
was without an habitation, only a
wide expanse of wind swept prairie,
rough In Its general topography up
on which nothing grew but sage brush
and scant bunch grass. 1t was one
vast desOlation, and the man lost out
there In a fog or dark night would
J be as helpless as though adrift at sea:
ION December 20, VIM. Putnam ar
rived in Coulee City on the Central
Washington train, having been releas-
ed the day before from Medical Lake
Insane asylum. He was met at Coulee
| City by his father-in-law, Parrish
Johnson, one OF the old settlers of
Douglas county. They Immediately left
lon foot for their homes in Cold Springs
basin, 30 miles northeast of Water
willie. The first night they stopped at
the home of G. w. Holt, near st. An
|drews, about IL miles from Coulee
ICity. The next moring they left on
snow shoeR. aiming to take the centra
ferry road for home. Word was re-
ceived at Coulee City week after
wards that the men had failed to
reach their homes and alarm was felt
for their safety. A searching party
was made up consisting Of @. w. Holt,
Alfred Maggis, B. S. Dodd and Boon
Wincott to follow the trail. They found
that the men had become bewildered
land lost their route in the dense fog
that was prevailing. Although their
was not over 20 miles from
Hollis, the trail showed circuitous
travelling of over hundred miles. The
searching party returned to Coulee
City. rigged themselves with tobog-
gans, blankets and food. and for four
days followed the trail of the doomed
men. They at last came upon the body
|of Parrish Johnson, Putnam having
|parted from his few miles back. He
was lying on his face and his feet
were in a badger hole. His left hand
indicated that in his desperation he
had cut or gnawed 1t and sucked the
blood. The party then took up Put
mans trail and found that after sepa-
rating from Johnson he treveled about
seven miles, resting often at inter-
walls, until entirely exhausted he laid
down and died. They had wandered four
days without food or shelter and show
ed considerable strength and despera-
| ton in their efforts to reach their
destination" (Wm. Putnam who lost
his life in this struggle against the
elements, developed insanity a few
months before his death at Loomis. He
drove over to Loomis from his home
with load of fruit or grain, and while
| on Main street he suddenly jumped
from his wagon with Shrek and
dashed down to Sinlahekin creek and
hid in the dense brush that bordered
that stream. A crowd Of men beat the
brush up and down the creek, finally
locating the demented man. He wa
taken to his home an committed to the
Medical Lake asylum. He was in that
institution only short time when he
regained his reason, was discharged,
and It was while on his way to his
home that he met with the awful death
las related.)
| The Ladies' Aid society will meet at
1.-The residence of Mrs. J. M. Judd, next
Tuesday, at 2 O o'clock, and will devote
1.-THE session in assisting that lady In
her needle work as a slight recogni-
tion of her promptness In responding
Ito ever public charity. (This amiable
and charitable lady, who was always
so ready to aid those in need of aid,
lis still living at Loomis, and although
mot quite so active as twenty years
Iago, her response to any call for help
lis Just as prompt as it ever was.)
A. l.. Spencer arrived in town We'd
|nesday from Coulee City with load
|of freight. ut was not an uncommon
Ievent for Spencer to arrive or go out
with a load Of freight, for in those
days he was the best known and most
reliable freighter on the road. But In
this instance Mr.. Spencer returned to
ILoomis after having passed through
La very painful ordeal. On one of his
Itrips Spencer became careless as tc
THE exposure of his person to the bit
tier cold, he being exceedingly reckless
lin this respect, and the result was that
lone of his feet was frozen. He was
treated at Spokane. and had to have
1.-TWO or three toes amputated. Shortly
afterwards he gave up freighting and
located on a ranch near Wilbur. Moth
ling has been heard of him for mum
Der of years)
The Prospector tells of trip made
Iby Dell Hart that took in New York
colorado and numerous other parts O.
1.-The country. and project on foot tt