The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1923-05-18
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
FRIDAY, MAY IS, 1928.
HOW 1T HAPPENED.

Just forty years ago tomorrow, Sat
urday, May 10, the first number OF
the Spokane Falls Review was pub
lished, that is on Saturday, May 49,
1888. 1t was an eight column weekly
printed on fair grade of book paper
and geographically quite a neat pub
LEGATION. The Review was not the first
paper published in Spokane, as the
Chronicle was in existence at the time
and several other papers had started
and then given up the ghost after a
brief existence. The Review was sub
sequently changed to daily, and II
was the first daily started that has
held out to the present day.
The founder of the Review had been
publishing paper in California for
several years, and had disposed OF
that property. For some weeks he
sought an opening in California. look
ing over that state as far south as
| San Diego. There has been much COM
plant OF late over dull times in this
state. but conditions from a business
and industrial point of view have been
gorgeously lively in Washington as
compared with the stagnation that
prevailed in California in 1882 If
there ever were deader towns than
Los Angeles and San Diego in the
fall OF 1882 We never saw them be-
fore or since. In San Diego especially,
about every othe rhouse was pla-
carded for sale or rent, with neither
renters nor buyers in sight. Many of
the business houses were vacant and
he was offered business houses and
blocks for few hundred dollars ;nat
could not be touched today for tens of
thousands of dollars. 1t may be added
that tina year saw the peak of the
hard times in California and change
set in for the better the following year
and boom struck California such as
the Pacific coast has never seen du-
plicated and has confirm III to the
present day.
Disappointed in his search the in
dividual responsible for the Review
met gentleman named Thomas
WAC had just returned from Washing
ton territory and he was fairly wild
in his praise of this north country
and predicted for it grand and glor-
ious future. Mr.. Thomas had invested
In property in Cheney, then the boom
town Of the northwest, and declared
that Cheney would make a second
San Francisco. The Great Northern
was reaching completion. and that
transcontinental road would usher in
a new era for the northwest. Fired by
the story OF the chances held out to
the pioneer in this north land MIR.
Thomas had the company of the Re-
view founder when he headed back
north in December of 1882.
The two travellers first went to
Walla Walla. for Mr.. Thomas had hor-
SEES pastured at a ranch near that city.
and start was made driving overland
with Cheney as the point of destina-
ton. The travellers started out on
wheels, but were wise enough to take
along set Of bobs and feed for the
animals. Reaching Lyons ferry. 1t
was found that the ice was running
so heavily in the Snake river that tae
cable ferry could not be operated,
There were several freighting outfits
hung up at Lyons and those held I'D
at this point had to make the best of
the meager accommodations that
could be afforded. Lyons ferry was
made the last day of the year of 1882.
and new years eve was celebrated
with stag dance, an ancient and jol-
ly lrishman furnishing the music on
an accordian. and he managed to per-
form on the instrument and dance at
the same time. 1t was-a rough gather
ing but the best of good nature pre-
vailed among the maroOned travellers.
and the festivities helped to kill time
az well as to pass muster as someth-
ing In the nature of a celebration.
About the middle of the next day
the ferry managed to make crossings
and the two seekers after the promised
land made the grade on the north side
OF Snake river. reaching an isolated
building owned and occupied by an
old stockman named Parks, who was
monarch Of all he surveyed. as there
was not another house within q radius
OF many miles. Starting out very early
the next morning there was a so mile
drive ahead to reach Sprague. Hardly
mad the travellers got fairly under way
before snow commenced falling, ana
gradually that storm developed into
one or the most severe that had been
experienced for number of years.
snow fell so heavily and rapidly that
within an hour the slight wagon
TRACKS that were being followed,
out the road which uao on