From Chelan

Heavy Travel on the Lake Steamers – More Good News from the Chelan District

Written for the Leader:                                                                  Chelan, Aug. 13, 1891

August 8^th the Lake Chelan Railroad and Navigation Co.’s steamer Belle left Chelan with the following list of passengers: W.A. Sanders and T.J. Lester of Spangle, Washington; W.R. Wetsel, J.A. Ballard, wife and daughter, and Mrs. Josh Clarey of Waterville; Mr. Smill and Mr. Green of Rock Island.

At Railroad Creek the steamer transferred a company of miners, with their horses and packs, to the head of the lake.

A.H. Barnes, a prominent photographer, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Bull, of Ellensburg, left their home the 9^th, well pleased with their visit to the beautiful lake. Mr. Barnes has taken a large number of photographic views and will be able to supply all wishing them, in a short time. His views will be on sale on the steamers of the Lake Chelan Railroad and Navigation Company.

August 11^th the Belle again left with a large list of passengers and considerable freight for the mines. The passengers were as follows: M.M. Kingman, Al Pershall, P.H. Farley, Mr. McPherson, Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Wright and children, Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Merritt and children, Miss F.E. Cameron, Charles Johnson, E.F. Christie, Supt. Nichols, C. Robinson and L.H. Woodin of Chelan. At Wild Rose beach, the home of Judge I.A. Navarre, the following gentlemen of Seattle were taken on board: E.F. Blaine, attorney at law; C.L. Denny, a prominent insurance man; O.O. Denny, O.C. McGilvery and R.H. Denny, teller in the bank of Messers. Dexter Horton and Co.; also Charles Bregg, of Ellensburg, and J.R. Mitchell and wife of Moses Coulee.

V. McCollum sent down, on the 10^th a sample of ore discovered on the south side of the Stehekin river and a few miles above the head of the lake, which shows prominently free gold. The rock appears to be very rich.

Prospectors are meeting with great success in discovering rich leads of precious metals in this mining district. Already a large number are making their way to this new El Dorado.

Of three samples of ore from Bridge Creek sent out to be assayed the returns from two of them run very high in silver.

Rising Resolutions

The Miners and Settlers of Stehekin Valley Heard From

Stehekin, Wash., Oct. 21, 1892 – (To the Chelan Leader) – At an indignant meeting held here today the following resolutions were passed:

1.      Resolved, that a vote of thanks be presented to DeWitt C. Britt for the splendid write-up of our valley which appeared in a recent issue of the Chelan Leader, and that a cordial invitation be extended to his to come again.

2.      Resolved, that our thanks are due to the Chelan Leader for bringing to public notice the manner in which we have been used in regard to a certain county road appropriation.

3.      Resolved, that we condemn the article in the paper printed “At the Boat Landing at the Foot of the Lake,” signed “Stehekin,” as an outrage on the hospitality of the miners and settlers in this county.

4.      Resolved, that in our belief, if the aforesaid “Stehekin” stubbed his toes on pieces of quarts, it was when he was in the employ of the county, surveying county roads.

Signed, William Buzzard, C.H. Cole, D. Moran, Jim Scheuyealle, John Wilson, J.W. Horton, Robert Pershall, John W. Provance

J.W. Horton, a prosperous Stehekin settler, came down to Chelan Wednesday on business, returning home on Friday.

R.A. Horton has returned to Stehekin from Spokane.

J.W. Horton and M.E. Field of Stehekin started Sunday across the range to the Twitsp to meet Messers. Wilson, Weltz and Watson, state road commissioners.

Mr. Horton, of Stehekin, has killed four bears the past season.

Letter from Stehekin

Twistp Horton and Charlie Cole are on the hunt.

Jim Scheuyeaulle is getting out timber for a new house.

M.E. Field and W.J. Jewell are in the shingle business.

Gus Anderson and M.A. Almendinger have gone over the summit to do assessment work on the Eldorado.

R.N. Pershall is building an addition to the north end of his residence. He returned from Meadow Creek a few days since, where he has been doing some assessment work. If there is much ore in the camp like the specimens he brought up with him, that camp will surely be one of the best in the state, situated as it is, right on the bank of the lake, and where the climate is such that there will be no difficulty in working all winter. Mr. Pershall has been in the mining business nearly all this season. He commenced work on the Isoletta group in May and worked in that vicinity nearly all the time until the middle of October. It is understood he has represented about seven claims in the Bridge Creek district also.

Doty and Young did considerable work on the North Fork of Bridge Creek. Dr. Gage and parties from Seattle also did work in that vicinity. But probably there has been more actual money expended in Horseshoe Basin than at any other place of the same area in the county. Capt. Chas. Johnson had men at work on the Homestake and Star for some time. A.M. Pershall had several men on the Davenport and Christie claims. Ed Christie, Lloyd Pershall and Frank Samson did work on the White Cap and Opal. Harry Adams of Portland represented the Ferguson group and employed eleven men, working three shifts of eight hours each daily. He paid $2 per day and board. Five men out of the eleven have ranches at Stehekin or Bridge Creek. Two more have claims just over the summit, and two others live at or near Chelan. So it will be seen that nine out of the eleven live in this locality and receive something over $600 in wages – which is sufficient in proof of the checks being good. As it was reported that we were half starved, our bill of fare is given herewith, as follows: Potatoes, beans, cabbage, onions, ham, bacon, beef, bread, butter, canned corn, canned tomatoes, condensed milk, Worcester sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, tea and coffee. Even the last four or five days, when we ran short, we had plenty of bread, potatoes, tea and coffee, etc. Mr. Adams took a great interest in the work and did all he could to make it pleasant and comfortable for his men, and paid cash for all he had done.

Frank F. Keller

Stehekin, Nov. 13, 1895

This issue of the leader includes a list of people who are for Bryan and fee coinage of silver and the list includes Dan Devore, J.W. Horton, Wm. Buzzard, James Nicol, A. Crumrine (Meadow Creek), Henry Bullion, M. Almindinger.

The young nephew of Maj. Horton’s arrived here last week from Hillyard, and was a passenger on Friday’s boat to join his uncle at the head of the lake.

Maj. J.W. Horton and Dan Devore, experienced miners and mountaineers and two as clever gentlemen as the Leader numbers among its friends, were in town on business last week and looked in upon us for a short visit. They returned to Deer Point and expect to do a lot of prospecting and development work before winter sets in for good.

Major Horton has sold his shingle mill to Ed Merritt.

Maj. J.W. Horton, of Stehekin, dropped in to our sanctum for a nice little visit Saturday evening. Mr. Horton is a mining man who has literally held close communion with the mountains for years, and counts everyone who know him as his friend. He knows every crag and cranny and nook and mining camp in the mountains contiguous to Lake Chelan lake a school book, and to anyone needing a guide the Leader takes pleasure in recommending the Major. See his card in this issue.

Major J.W. Horton, of Stehekin, came down from the head of the lake Friday.

(The whole proceedings of the board of commissioners of Chelan County is printed here. Included is an item on bills allowed for the following road districts:

J.W. Horton was allowed $18.75 – no number for that road district; all the others have numbers.)

Major J.W. Horton, of Stehekin, was in town Monday on business in connection with his pension.

W.F. Purple and E.M. Horton, of Stehekin, visited Horseshoe Basin last week and found the snow very deep there yet. They had to go afoot from Bridge Creek.

Stehekin also sent a delegation (to the Fourth of July celebration) among whom were noticed our friends, William Buzzard and Major Horton.

Maj. J. W. Horton, who has many friends on Lake Chelan, writes that he has changed his location from Ornbaun to St. Luis Obispo California, and is getting along nicely.

Maj. J.W. Horton came down Saturday from Stehekin to take in the Fourth.

Major J.W. Horton, the Civil War veteran and pioneer of the Stehekin Valley, was a visitor at the foot of the lake over Sunday and called on the Leader Monday morning.

Hon. M.E. Field and Major J.W. Horton, of Stehekin, came down on Tuesday’s mail steamer to be present at the services and ceremonies of Declaration Day.

Major J.W. Horton was down from Stehekin over Wednesday and was a pleasant caller at the Leader office during his visit here.