August 23, 1907

Stehekin Notes

Special Correspondence

E.B. Curtis came down from Bridge creek Friday.

Mrs. E.E. Shotwell visited Bridge creek this week, returning Friday.

Henry F. Buckner and A.Z. Wells were down lake passengers Monday.

A.W. Miller, of Dayton, Wash., is enjoying the hospitalities of Hotel Field for a week or two.

Prof. J.D. Huston and wife, of the Chelan public schools, came up Monday for a week’s camping and fishing.

Mrs. C.C. Campbell and Mrs. B.F. Smith, of Chelan, came up Thursday to spend a few days at Hotel Field.

John Osborn, of the Horseshoe Basin Development company, returned Monday from a trip to the foot of the lake.

L.A. Level, of Chelan, accompanied by his wife and mother, who is here from the east on a visit to her son, were in camp here several days this week, returning home Saturday.

Forest Supervisor Geo. W. Milham, of Chelan, accompanied W.E. Herring, of Washington, D.C., a forest reserve official, came up Thursday, returning down lake the same day.

Misses Louise and Carrie Schearer, Miss Marie Wagner and Miss Maude Scott were up from Lucerne Friday to attend one of the many jolly hops given almost nightly at Hotel Field.

Dr. J.E. Gandy and his son Lloyd, of Spokane, who became guests of Hotel Field July 30^th, departed down lake Monday, intending to spend a few days each at Moore and Lucerne en route down lake.

Dr. J.E. Gandy and son Lloyd returned Thursday from a visit to the Thunder creek mines, and report some rough experience in the mountains but on the whole a most satisfactory and enjoyable trip.

Dr. Grace E. Hain and Miss Jeanette Gillis, of Stockton, Cal., who have been recreating at Hotel Field and at W.F. Purple’s – also at Bridge creek – for some time, will leave here Friday down lake, en route to the coast.

Frank McCauley makes a trip to Bridge creek every other day with the Hotel Field freight team. A large amount of supplies for mining operations, as well as tourists and campers, have been taken into the mountains this summer.

J.F. Weaver, senior member of the firm of Weaver Bros., furriers, taxidermists, etc., expects to start on Thursday for Alaska, where he will spend the winter trapping and trafficking in furs. His brother, L.M. Weaver will join him in the course of a week or two.

Mr. J. Suthon and family, including his wife, three grown daughters and a little son, made the trip last week to North Bridge Creek, returning on Sunday. They were accompanied by Miss Agnes McCrary and Emma Storhow, and Messrs. W.B. Hobart and John H. Tucker, of Stehekin, and A.Z. Wells, of Wenatchee. They were a jolly party and enjoyed the trip immensely.

The people of Lake Chelan owe to Capt. E.E. Shotwell a debt of gratitude for his enterprise in furnishing so good a passenger and freight service, and in keeping the fine passenger steamer Lady of the Lake on the run throughout the season, although the business has not anywhere near justified it. A more affable captain and obliging boat officers it would be extremely hard to find anywhere.

Notwithstanding the fact that the tourist travel has been comparatively light this season, Weaver Bros., the furriers located here, have made bigger sales this year than in any one year heretofore. Outside of local and custom work they have sold bear skins, cougars, lynx, bobcat and other rugs, robes, etc., amounting to a little less than $1000 in cash. They expect to spend the coming winter in Alaska, returning here next spring.

Dr. H.B. Hinman, a leading Everett dentist, is enjoying the restful and enjoyable environments of the celebrated Hotel Field this week, having come through Cascade Pass from the west side, traveling leisurely and carrying a kodak to catch and carry away some of the glorious scenery. He said he met a world traveler on the trail – one who had visited the principal scenic points in the old world, who said the Alps presented nothing to equal the scenery in the vicinity of Cascade pass and Horseshoe basin – in which opinion Dr. Hinman heartily concurred.

There is one especially noted individual who will always be kindly remembered by tourists in connection with Lake Chelan and especially with Stehekin. Reference is had to Mr. H.N. Merritt, the old civil war veteran, also veteran fisherman, now nearly 80 years old, who has lived most of the last 18 years on the lake, and for a number of summers has let boats and conducted Hotel Field guests on fishing excursions. Always kindly and accommodating, and a most thoroughly accomplished expert trout fisherman, Father Merritt adds not a little to the pleasurable experiences to be enjoyed by the sojourners at Hotel Field.

The new bungalow being built on the Alice B. Wick property under the supervision of F.W. Vollmer is approaching completion, being only delayed somewhat by having to wait for some lumber for inside finishing, which has to be brought over from the west side. It is one of the handsomest structures in Chelan county, its workmanship reflecting great credit upon Contractor J.W. Chatfield, of Chelan, and stone mason R.M. Ward, of Lakeside. Mr. Vollmer is otherwise beautifying the property by building rustic bridges and placing rustic seats here and there in shady and inviting retreats.

There has been a wonderful amount of machinery and supplies shipped to this point and packed into Thunder creek via Park creek pass this season, a large part of it being for the mining property in which Mr. S.S. Fluhart and brother, of Seattle, are interested. There were also 15 tons of machinery arrived this week for another party in the same camp. The latter was in charge of Rev. W.W. Shenk, a Tacoma M.E. pastor, who is interesting himself more or less heavily in mining operations during his vacation. In addition to the available pack horses in connection with Hotel Field it was necessary to bring up part of the mule pack train operating on Railroad creek to transport the machinery, which started for the mining camp Thursday.