TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
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Told<br />
<strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pioneers<br />
,<br />
VAN DeVORE<br />
Chelan County<br />
In 1886 my wife died in childbirth. I had been married three years,<br />
having wed when 36 years old. I was unhappy and unsettled, so I<br />
went from Ohio to Iowa, <strong>the</strong>n to Colorado, where I worked in <strong>the</strong> silver<br />
mines and prospected on my own.<br />
In 1886 I came to Ellensburg', still drifting. I had never heard <strong>of</strong><br />
Chelan until a stranger told me <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ru<strong>by</strong>-Conconully mines. As<br />
ever, <strong>the</strong> lure <strong>of</strong> mining intrigued me and I came to Chelan. Two or<br />
three settlers at Lakeside comprised <strong>the</strong> community. I liked <strong>the</strong><br />
mount.ains, <strong>the</strong> lake and <strong>the</strong> climate and never left. I built myself a<br />
log cabin at <strong>the</strong> head <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lake and ran a pack train, carrying provisions<br />
to <strong>the</strong> miners.<br />
I was never lucky enough to find gold but always had hopes <strong>of</strong> finding<br />
something ahead. I saw a claim at Stehegan sell for $30,000, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> Holden claim on Railroad Creek brought $50,000, but nothing 1<br />
owned proved <strong>of</strong> any value.<br />
I took up guiding. My most illustrious guest was Mary Roberts<br />
Rhin~hart, when she made <strong>the</strong> trip about which she wrote "Tenting<br />
Tonight." It was understood <strong>the</strong> Great Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Railroad paid for<br />
<strong>the</strong> trip as an advertisement for that region. The railroad ran <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
trains through <strong>the</strong> wonders <strong>of</strong> that part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country at night.<br />
I had a chef and three helpers with <strong>the</strong> horses. Mrs. Rhinehart and<br />
<strong>the</strong> boys fished and hunted and <strong>the</strong> famous author tramped about and<br />
wrote.<br />
She was easy to please and adored everything done for her. I have<br />
an autographed copy <strong>of</strong> Tenting' Tonight. Mrs. Rhinehart writes to<br />
me every year.<br />
C. V. LOCHRIDGE<br />
King County<br />
I came to Seattle when a young man. I had grown tired <strong>of</strong> teaching<br />
school in <strong>the</strong> middle west and wanted to change my occupation. So<br />
I came to 'Vashington Territory in 1884. I went to work in <strong>the</strong> Carbonado<br />
coal mine, that is, I was working in <strong>the</strong> mine <strong>of</strong>fice. The cable<br />
had broken a day or two before and <strong>the</strong> third day I was sent down<br />
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