The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-08-04
|illM|NAT|NG AN
OLD LAND MARK
r,,,.rual Hall with History Wiped
nnf m the Recent LOomis
COnilagratiOn.

~ 4 the old mining camp Is now but
& emory. The building was origin
~ built by the Eagles, and was more
s community hall than a hall de-
,o1.d entirely 10 the use OF fraternal
soriaties.
n tie days when Loomis was in its
me; when it, was looked upon as
4. most promising little mining camp
4 he state; when the pay roll was
Il and the beneficiaries OF that pay
MI tossed their money to the winds,
: 10 speak, and let it flutter mere and
-: when the merry and mercurial
n niper enjoyed himself according to
n Hghts. too often believing that
hekIng upon the wine when it was
4 "A was the very apotheosis of happi-
-. the camp was ripe for anything
M which benefits and pleasure
\ 1T be derived, the pleasure far out
vexhing any anticipation of benefits
y when an organizer came along and
Z imposed to organize a lodge of the
hnevolent Order of Eagles III the
!. nmp. be was received with open arms
/. "a Z response that was staggering
~ IL uninimity. If there was any one
n that camp who did not join up with
" Eagles his name escapes us at this
GnA twas big lodge from the jump
q and while the novelty lasted the
Meetings were mass gathering OF the
~ population, and the mad cap fun
~ boys had out of the candidates who
nSged through the ordeal of initia-
tn was Historically intense, for the
n1n who passed through the tests
Elew he was an Eagle and was ex-
coedingly glad that he did not haze to
q through the prescribed forms
aein
One Of the most enthusiastic Eagles
NJ Jas. Callahan. and he was con-
sanity working for the good of the
Cr1oe There was no hall with any
1acy In LO0mis large enough to
'eccemm0date the army OF Eagles. so
-. Callahan conceived the bright idea
q building hail. Being what today
designated as live wire, Mr.. Gala
na got busy. the idea hit the men,
ees a. the proper caper and at once
pans we're formulated and the project
Aunched. Finances cut no figure at
taat time. (, Ii the lodge did not have
ne money there were members of the
lodge that did, and at least one was
not backward in coming forward when
ns proposition was put up to him.
ThAt Individual was the late Dan
huichay. He furnished the sinews and
ue hall was built. 1t was a large two
story structure with lodge room,
alnlng room and necessary antirooms
O. the second floor and roomy audi
@fium on the ground floor. The build
ing was well constructed and was sup
Piled with furnace at cost amount
ing to over $4,000.
Inc lower floor has been the gath
ering place for the community in all
proceedings Of a public nature for
years. There has gathered the youth
Ano beauty of the north part OF the
county to while away the hours trip
pns the light fantastic. for dancing
nss always been the chief source of
smusement in the old camp, and some
~ tne most largely attended dances
ae'o IN the county have taken place
snuer tnat roof. The hall has not been
ussoted wholly to gatherings of pleas
uae' being really the only hall in town
~ pubic meetings in the past were
leid there. And its frame walls have
'a.ompassed many sad assemblies, has
ss"oed TO the sobs of many heart
usoken mourners, has seen and heard
ne solemn ceremonies for the dead,
ut al funerals were held from the
Eagle hall after its construction. 1t
"ss sanctuary as we'll as a place of
Joy in Its day
nu' with time and the depopulation
9 'ne camp interest in the Eagle lodge
vsned and the lodge itself passed out
= existence, leaving an Improbable
s',0e " property upon which Mr.. Null
. lay neid plaster. In the meantime,
& ouu Fellows. who had occupied
~ ~ small hall over the old Washington
lnercial store was forced to find
s'w quarters, as the owner of the
u'aing had the structure dismantled
~ = JUNK. The Odd Fellows fell heir to
~ ~, Eagle hall for the small considera-
~ ~ OF $1,000, and the mortgagor was
\" "..u 70 get rid of the elephant at those
,,suses Since the transfer the building
~ s,.s peen known as Odd Fellows hall,
uoush the change of ownership has
ser wholly eradicated the original
: "'e and the premises was spoken
:. = = Eagle hall as often as by its
Ai'nough the Odd Fellows of Loomis
are s amply able to do So according to
sorts, 1t Is said that the lodge will
~. - outsider building at present and
a. arrangements will be made for
49, ns is not known as the camp is
aow. without a hall
10. 'ne old building there is nothing
t.o..o W the clean swept lot but a pro-
,,ec''ng -. column of brick chimney that
No. ieprous finger points to the
vss,us, silent monument to the or
aion long pasesd away.
k.. s''ii the procession of tourists
~SRo MOVING