The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1922-03-30

klamath county history.
Scheduled to write this articl,
about "Old" Linkville, I naturally ap
proach the subject In n retrospcc,iv,
and reverential frame OF mind, con
scious, however. OF the fact that. with
my pen, In the limited space allotted
for the article Il will be impossible tc
give more than a brief outline Of tn,
physical appearance Of the historic
old town. The local coloring so inse.
parateiy part Of the picture OF any
pioneer city OF tho west. my readers
especially those OF the old-days-
will miss at once, but the omission Is
unavoidable. Unless, therefore, my
readers are fortunate or unfortunate
enough to sometime in the future
catch me Or some other old'timer In
reminiscent mood. unhampered by
pen or pencil there Is much about
the historic old town they will never
get. lnstinctively. I feel that there
will be several "amens" uttered to
that last assertion.
The town. so runs its legend, was
founded In a very modest and unprc-
tentious manner on the easterly bank
OF the river about the year 1867,
close to the approach OF the present
bridge. by Geo. Nurse. who subse-
quently laid out and plated what Is
commonly known as the original
town-sitc Of Linkville. Seventeen
years iater-to be absolutely exact
on July 10th. 1854, the real. honest
to-God "old" Linkville. was stu on
the easterly bank OF the river. and
not elsewhere. The town had evident.
iy prospered for the buildings, l.. G..
the Brick store. the Linkville hotel.
and old Red house or Freize building
were creditable monuments TO that
prosperity. Between the old red house
on the corner OF Main street and
Payne alley. and the Brick store were
some smaller buildings occupied by
Baldwin & Forbes hardware. Forbes
saloon and Pete Henderson's barber |
shop. In the depression Just east OF
the Linkville hotel was the livery and |
feed stables OF J. W. Manning. On the
west side of the river resided the
Moores. withrows and Breitensteins |
I recall but one other residence west /
OF Center street at that time. viz.
that Of J. p. Roberts and family.
Near the corner OF Main and Cen
ter was the post office-wm. A.
Wright, father Of DR.. Geo. I. Wright.
postmaster. Up to that time there |
was but a single wagon track leading
from Center street into the real town
Of Linkviile. East OF Center street
there were approximately eleven
dwellings. A large barn stood on the
site OF the Jacobs building at Main
and Sixth streets; on the opposite
corner the blacksmith shop OF A. %.
Carrick. and on the opposite side OF
the street the Horton hotel. On the
site OF the Central school building
was q small l6 Z 90 structure with l
one or two OF the windows knocked
out and two or three benches scatter
ed about on the outside where Bob .
Hunsaker and Marion Hanks had
thrown them when in rebellion on be
Ing admonished by the teacher that
unless they go, that spelling lesson
there would be no vacation that sum
mer. II may be conceded that while
school In that little old
school house the young gentlemen
learned how to bust a bronco. and
rope a maverick. As a matter OF fact
my first sight OF Bob Hunsaker was
on the hurricane deck OF weaving
bronco coming right square at me rs
I rounded into Main street on July
10th. 1884. A little later | had the
pleasure OF seeing the. same young
aboard the Conger colt;
when the kimble slipped off the horn
OF the saddle. my how that boy did
pull leather.
There was very fine spring OF wa
ter In the center OF the intersection
Of Seventh and Main streets Where the
town cows and horses were wont TO
slaks their thirst; but never man In
those days. Beginning with 1854,
there was considerable building acti-
witty. and the old town build up quite
solidly from the bridge to Center
street In the next two or three years.
1t looked as though Linkville was at
last coming into It's own, but the fire
which occurred In September 1899.
wiped out every vestige OF the old
town from the bridge to Center
street. The building activity mani
Testing itself In the old part Of town
In 1854, and In the years Immediately
following extended easteriy from
Center street TO Fifth. which created
q division In Linkville. with Center
street as the dead line. That portion
west OF Center was dubbed Bunch"
town and that easterly, String"
town, Today there is a new man from |