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TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State

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Told<br />

<strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pioneers<br />

dresser drawers, but <strong>the</strong>re were pines at my front door and pines at<br />

my back door nature in <strong>the</strong> raw. I carried water from <strong>the</strong> lake. The<br />

driftwood <strong>of</strong> ages, white as scrubbed pine, washed up on <strong>the</strong> beach<br />

for fuel. I was never homesick a day and lived every moment <strong>of</strong> my<br />

life. We added to our homestead. The first fortv acres is known as<br />

•<br />

Smith's Addition. We planted an orchard. Later, when <strong>the</strong> dam<br />

was built, this was inundated.<br />

Finan,(Jes<br />

Mr. Woodin had his saw mill but was not selling lumber fast enoug-h.<br />

He actually made <strong>the</strong> people believe that <strong>the</strong>y could not get title to<br />

even a town lot unless <strong>the</strong>re was a house built on it. The result was an<br />

over night production <strong>of</strong> little shanties, which caused a tenderfoot<br />

child to ask his mo<strong>the</strong>r why <strong>the</strong>re were so many privies in Chelan.<br />

The First White Ba<strong>by</strong><br />

In September, a year from my arrival, my third child was bol'll<strong>the</strong><br />

first white child to be born in <strong>the</strong> new town <strong>of</strong> Chelan. A physician<br />

from 'Vaterville was to attend me. Mr. "\Voodin's son broke his<br />

arm, a messenger rushed to Vlaterville to summon <strong>the</strong> doctor, and I,<br />

conveniently, had my ba<strong>by</strong> while <strong>the</strong> doctor was <strong>the</strong>re. The fact that<br />

<strong>the</strong> young doctor had never before delivered a child did not daunt me.<br />

Tmgedy Strikes<br />

On New Year's day, 1889, George Steward staggered into my house.<br />

I did not know him, save as a workman. He babbled <strong>of</strong> Texas and<br />

said Steward was not his name. I nursed him, but he died. There<br />

was an eclipse <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sun and George passed away while it was at its<br />

full. They buried him beside an Indian grave. This was <strong>the</strong> first<br />

death in <strong>the</strong> settlement. George Steward was one <strong>of</strong> those whose relatives<br />

would never know what had happened to <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

First N etospaper<br />

In 1891 <strong>the</strong> first newspaper was published.<br />

editor, printer and janitor.<br />

Tenderfeet Arri,ve<br />

Dewitt C. Britt was <strong>the</strong><br />

I have to laugh today as I did fifty years ago, over <strong>the</strong> women who<br />

later joined <strong>the</strong> pioneers. They boasted <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> luxuries <strong>the</strong>y had left<br />

behind <strong>the</strong>m in <strong>the</strong> East. One lady could not enjoy her meals because<br />

<strong>the</strong> "bone" dishes (semi-circular plates, an affectation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 80's,<br />

used for holding small bones) had been forgotten. When she was not<br />

present, <strong>the</strong>y would hold out <strong>the</strong> picked chicken bones and say, "Dear,<br />

dear! 'Vhat, no bone dishes 1 We won't come here any more."<br />

"My fa<strong>the</strong>r was a lawyer." "Mine was a physician I came from<br />

St. Louis," "I came from Chicago," and so on just as though we all<br />

49

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