White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-06-04
Death Claims
Another of the
Early Pioneers
Robert Nichols Succumbs
to Injuries Received
In Runaway

Robert Nichols, 70, prominent grow
err and resident of the Hanford COM
lnunity since 1908, died last Saturday
afternoon, May 30, at ST. Elizabeth's
hospital in Yakima where he had been
taken an hour or two before, suffering
from injuries received when his team
of horses ran away while he was
raking hay.
He was alone at the time of the
accident and no one knows just how
he was injured Jake Tussey and G. D.
Gooch were driving out from Hanford
about 1920 in the morning when they
noticed the team running in the field.
When they went to investigate they
found Mr.. Nichols lying unconscious
by the fence There were two cuts on
the side of his head and one ear was
almost severed. One of the fence posts
had been torn loose and it appeared
that he had driven too close to the
fence and one of the wheels of the
rake had struck the post. The impact
apparently dislodged Mr.. Nichols from
his seat and he fell and was struck on
the head by the post or he may have
been kicked by one of the horses
The injured man was taken to the
Biart home nearby, where first aid
was administered. His daughter, Mrs.
Earl .Knaub, was in White Bluffs at
the time and she was reached by tele-
phone. An improvised cot in the back
of White Bluffs Motor company car
carried the injured man to Yakima,
arriving at the hospital, at about one
o'clock. He never regained conscious
ness, however, and passed away at
$3.50. An X-ray picture taken showed
ot1J Of cly1
Funeral services were held Wednes-
day forenoon in the Presbyterian
church in Hanford with Rev. Noyes
officiating, and he was laid to rest in
the White Bluffs cemetery by the side
of his wife who passed away in 1920
Robert Nichols was born in Burnt
River, Province of Ontario, Canada,
March %, 1867. He was married to
Emma Bever in Mi1lneapoils, Mime
sofa, in 1899.
He was the youngest child in large
family His father died when he was
one year old and his mother married
a second time His step-father was a
member of the Canadian Parliament.
Living in the country he could attend
school only few months in the win
ter. Determined to have an education,
he entered the third grade at the age
of 16 years He entered high school a
year later and finished the four year
course in one and a half years. He
then taught school to earn the money
with which he finished his Business
College training.
Entering the lumber business as a
common laborer, Mr.. Nichols learned
the business from the beginning and
became an expert in manufacturing
and inspection of lumber.
At that time there were no lumber
mems associations of Importance, and
various companies throughout Wis
consin and Minnesota as far down as
st. Louis saw the necessity of one gen.
eral organization and accordingly ap-
pointed a board composed of a few of
the leading manufacturers to work out
a plan Of organization. Mr.. Nichols
was one of the five men selected to
serve on this board.
The work done by this board revealed
it's benefits so clearly mat executive
positions worthy of his ability were
offered Mr.. Nichols and he aligned
himself as manufacturing expert with
the Rice Lake Lumber Co., at Rice
Lake, Wisconsin, holding that position
until the company's timber was eX-
hausted several years later.
He was then offered similar posi-
ton with the American Lumber Co.
at Albuquerque, N. NJ, a $1,000,000
corporation. When this plant was in
full operation, he was made general
sales manager, establishing sales agen-
cies throughout the United States. His
success in this work attracted the at
tention of the California Sugar and
White Pine Agencies of San Francisco
and resulted in their calling him to
give them similar service. He re-
manned with this concern number of
years.
Later he became associated with the
Red Deer Lumber Go. of st. Paul as
general manager of that company's
mills and stores, with headquarters at
Barrows, Saskatchewan, the Jumping
Off Place, 400 miles above Winnipeg
Mr.. Nichols duties here were many
and varied. On account of the isolation
of the post, great responsibility rested
on the general manager, whose work
included the purchasing of all supplies,
from baby shoes to railroad locomo-
tives
In his reminiscent moods, Mr.
Nichols told many interesting stories
of his experiences in the far north. He
always preferred outdoor work and on
account of trouble with his eyes de-
cided to take up farming and came to
Hartford in 1908 where he planted an
orchard and where he made his home
up until the time of his death.
He always took keen and active
interest in community affairs, being
identified in an active way with sew
eral Of the fruit growers organizations
that have been formed at various
times in the valley. He also took
deep interest in the solution of the
water question, being a member of
the water right owners committee
serving at the time the so-called