The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-01-27
OLIVER BECOMES
| TOWN OVERNIGHT
Three Story Building Moved from the
Coast and Ke.erected In b. c.
Boom City.

Oliver, B. c., about sixteen miles
north of Oroville, is springing into
existence much like many OF the mush-
room towns of the west, with the de-
cided difference that it is building on a
much more solid foundation than
many of the mushroom towns that
flourished and faded within the period
| Of few weeks or a few months &C.
cording to the nature fthe devel-
opment that gave them being. Oliver
is in the center of the big irrigation
system building just across the line
and there is every reason to expect
| that the town will hold the population
and Importance that 1t Is gaining so
rapidly now.
The following interesting account OF
how progress is being made there IL
taken from the Penticton Herald:
oliver British Columbia's fastest
growing settlement, is about to spring
into the big town class. Less than six
months ago a visitor could have
searched in vain for anything but
temporary government offices, con-
struction camp and perhaps an eating
place. Now, there is a main street with
bank, two restaurants, a bakery and
several general supply houses.
But the building to which the 500
residents lin summer) point with
pride, is the hOtel-a solid, three
story frame structure with 30 rooms,
baths and other necessary equipment,
and an outlook over some $4,000 acres
of fruit land and hillside stretching
away south to the boundary line.
Although five weeks ago a visitor
would have searched in vain for the
hotel. it is actually some IL years
older than the town itself. And there
by hangs tale.
Built originally to house residents
of Greensboro, New Westminster, fol-
lowing upon the construction of a
mill there, hotel fell upon evil
times when white lafT0r- ia Ia tlhaee the mills
gave place to Oriental. After the prov.
ince went dry" its fate was sealed as
far as profit making institution was
concerned, but it struggled on under
different auspices until its career
came to an end as the Greensboro
Club, operated by an American. Raid
ed by the police along with number
OF other similar organizations when
the campaign against beer selling
commenced, fine of $1,000 put it
out of business completely.
Failure to find suitable tenant for
the place, and under the belief as he
told the press, that Greensboro was
no longer the place for the hotel.
compelled II. E. Fairweather to find
some means of disposing of it. A visit
to Oliver solved the problem.
The hostelry was carefully dis
mantled, every section marked and
packed and nearly every package was
also marked. Mr.. Fairweather did
much of the work himself, being un-
able to find any one who would take
the contract to do it. Transported in
four cars, the sections were discharg-
ed at Penticton and taken down the
80 mile trip to Oliver from Penticton
by truck.
With the wooden parts Mr.. Fair
weather brought along all the plumb-
ing and electrical fixtures and will
complete his installation in exactly
the same places that they were before.
Even the doors will bear the same
numbers. the letters not having been
removed, while the main staircase
still carries the same linoleum and
brass covering that it wore in the
royal city.
Two weeks after the wagon loads
of studs, braces, shingles and other
parts arrived. Mr.. Fairweather had
the foundations dug for his hotel and
the frame up. When the press repre-
sentative called Mrs. Fairweather was
busy beside an immense kitchen stove
which was used to heat water to put
the plaster on in zero weather. Il fig
ure that it will cost me about $4,000
or $1,000 to complete the move, ex-
planned Mr.. Fairweather, who, by the
way, knew the valley twenty years
ago better than he does today. For
that sum, | will have a hotel that
would cost me some $4,000 or SAC, 900
to put up here
Mr.. Fairweather's confidence in
the futue of Oliver is duplicated in
the offices of all the business men. He
naid over $500 for a twenty-five foot
lot, and both the adjoining lots are
now worth far more A bank is said
to have recently paid $1,100 for a
double corner of so feet by 20"