Little Chieftain Newspaper
Contributions from Jim Reavis
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A. C. Smith A picturesque and forceful citizen of early days was A. C. Smith. |
James C. Hutchinson James C. Hutchinsen was the first homesteader to acquire land in what is now Wallowa county. He came to the valley Oct 19, 1872, and filed on 160 acres on Upper Prairie creek. A patents was issued to him Aug. 30, 1875. When Wallowa county was created by act of legislature in 1897, the transfer from the United States to Mr. Hutchinson was the first entry in the book of deed records, and it still stands there as the beginning of the private ownership of land in the county. Mr. Hutchinson died at Lints, near Portland, and was buried in the Prairie Creek cemetery, June 14, 1914. |
L. J. Rouse Newspaper editor, banker and business man, L. J. Rouse was a well known resident of Enterprise for many years. He was prominent in all activities a generation ago, in the days reflected in The Little Chieftain.
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April 9, 1897
Enough money was subscribed to enable F. A. Reavis to send for 15 pairs of Chinese Pheasants last Monday. Soon Wallowa County will be stocked with the best game bird in the west. Now for a Rod and Gun club.
Would Rather Herd Sheep
May 28,1897
Will Allen has resigned his position in the Chieftain office and went out to herd sheep for Ed Johnson has Wednesday. Scott Henderson has accepted the position in the office
W. P. Hambelton packed up the remnants of his hardware stock and on Monday sent it to Lostine where he will soon open up a complete line of hardware goods. A town can ill afford to lose such a good citizen and honorable business man as Mr. Hambelton.
Don Gardner and Colonel Graves returned from Soake River last Tuesday. They report having caught several sturgeon.
May 28, 1897
Mr. Murray of Alder Slope left his team standing down by the mill last Monday while he went up town, but was surprised to see them soon afterwards standing across the street from the livery stable almost diverted of their harness.
Holmes Buys Pistol
June 4, 1897
W. H. Holmes, the Enterprise banker, is here on business. We found him her today in possession of an automatic toy pistol which is intended for his oldest son. Mr. Holmes claims that it is a man’s duty to teach his boys the are of self defense, especially if he is in the banking business in Wallowa County, Island City Correspondent to the Chronicle.
Aaron Wade and Jas. Dale will shear their sheep at the head of
the canyon this year. They started for that place Monday morning
with sacks, etc.
June 11, 1897
W. S. Burleigh and G. G. Hedger started awheel for Baker City last Sunday afternoon. They went to witness the Fireman’s Tournament.
A marriage license was issued last Saturday to Mr. Frank Ott and Miss Grace Lathrop. The took the stage for La Grande Monday afternoon where they were married.
June 23, 1897
Imnaha: Mrs. Mays and two sisters, Flora Veits and Master Harry Mays were seen on our streets last week
Robert Ute was in town Sunday evening. He and a Mr. Davis have a clump puller that they claim can pull almost any kind of a stump or tree.
Wade Has Strawberries
July 2, 1897
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Wade were in town Tuesday with some of the finest strawberries of the season.
July 16, 1897
Married: July 14, 1897 at the home of the bride’s parents in the city, Mr. G. M. Hendrickson and Miss Minnie Reavis, Rev. W. P. Samms officiating. None but the immediate relatives were present.
G. C. Clark of Flora was in town Saturday and had Dr. Ault extract a piece of steel that flew off a wedge and struck him in the jaw. The doctor found it lodged against the jaw bone.
A party on bicycles, consisting of Mr. And Mrs. F. D. McCully, Miss Anna Mitchell, Messrs. G. F. Conley and A. E. Donelly passed thru town Monday evening on their way to La Grande. Some of them said they were going to hear Bryan speak, but F. D. said he was going out on other business.
Little Sylvester Breaks Bone
July 23, 1897
J. A. Burleigh’s little son Sylvester, while playing Saturday afternoon fell down and fractured his collar bone.
N. C. Longfellow purchased 200 head of steers from Geo. Craig last week to be delivered in September.
The Chieftain is indebted to Luke Booth for a box of fine peaches raised in his Imnaha orchard. He disposed of his entire load at the E. M. & M. store.
Mrs. Jas. McAlister was a caller at the Chieftain office Monday and informed us that they would start for the Walla Walla country the next morning. They go to see if the change of climate will not benefit their son Charles who has been sick for so long a time.
Lake Popular in Summer
July 30, 1897
Miss Bertha Johnson (later Mrs. G. S. Reavis) returned from Boise City, Idaho on Saturday evening’s stage and rode over to Mr. Veasey’s on her wheel Monday.
A party consisting of the Misses Nettie, Mabel and Jessie Palmer, Anna and Viola Smith, Moesdamez Palmer, Steel, Van Staveru, and Messrs. Weed Steel and W. P. Samms spent last Sunday at the lake.
Dr. L. D. Reavis and lady, L. J. Reavis and lady, D. L. Reavis and lady, G. M. Hendrickson and lady, Frank Reavis and Maggie Porter arrived at the lake Thursday. The will remain a week or two. The lake is just the place to come to enjoy this hot weather.
Makes a Speed Record.
Guy McCully was a visitor in the city last Saturday. He made a record breaking trip from Lostine to Elgin some time ago, making the entire distance in three hours and fifteen minutes.
J. B. Nobles is cutting hay with his binder fro Monar Zell, Jim says it is the cheapest way, everthing considered, to put up hay and then it is so handy to feed out.
G. R. Miller, the sheepman was in town Sunday. He is happy in the prospects of good prices for his sheep and wool. He received 10 ½ cents per lb. For his wool.
Gl I. Ratcliff closed a successful term of school at Arko last Friday, and moved back to town Sunday. The patrons gathered in on the last day and had a picnic dinner.
Vera Eats Fly Paper.
August 6, 1897
Vera, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Stubblefield, ate a piece of arsenical fly paper last Friday and soon began to show symptoms of arsenical poisoning, but Dr. Ault was called immediately and the little one was soon out of danger.
We learn that Will Wursweller has purchased a stock of goods in Prineville, Oregon and will soon bid adieu to Wallowa County. His brother Albert will continue the business in Joseph.
August 12, 1897
Frank Reavis and Jake Wagner went down to the South Fork of the Wallowa River Thursday, on a fishing excursion. They expect to stay four or five days and catch all the fish in the river.
W. R. Holmes, John Calvin, Dr. Ault and B. T. Long went down to the south fork of the Wallowa river and tried their luck at fishing last Sunday. They report not a very large catch as they went too far up.
August 20, 1897
Wallowa: Scott Henderson and Jas. Zurcher of Enterprise were in town Saturday. They were out on a fishing trip and from all appearances were quite successful.
Arko: Mrs. E. Hayden, Mrs. Crisman, Mrs. Rinehart, Miss Hayden and Trudie Crisman have been visiting relatives, James Fleet and family, during the past week.
The first watermelons of the season were brought in last Friday by D. G. Ralls and Walter Applegate, from the Sturgill ranch on the Grande Ronde river.
Populists Hold Meeting
August 20, 1897
The Populist Central Committees met in Enterprise last Saturday and elected J. A. Frence as chairman. Those from a distance who attended were Dr. Barnes, G. J. Bowman, J. Schultae, O. M. Corking, Ed. A. Pollock, J. F. Burleigh, etc.
Harve Hendrickson of Paradise was in town last week and returned home Friday. Paul and Max Wilson came with him and will remain a week or two.
Sept. 3, 1897
We understand that Walter Burleigh has contracted the Lostine gold fever and is going to start a newspaper in that burg. Let the good work go on, the more the merrier.
The Lostine gold fever is running high in this city. We understand that J. K. Lawter and Roy Dale will go to Lostine this week for the purpose of starting a saloon. A town that is booming cannot get along without a saloon.
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On The Imnaha
Built about 1830, this picturesque ruin still stands on the Albert Morgan ranch on the Imnaha. It was on the place when Mr. Morgan bought the homestead relinquishment of William Himelwright in 1888. A year or two before that, two families spent the winter under the shelter of the old cabin. Mr. Morgan occupied it in his bachelor days, but built a real house after he married. |
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The First School House The first building for use as a school house on the site of the present Enterprise was erected by A. M. Wagner on the old Bennett Flat. In 1887, near where the beautiful school stands. After it had been used for some time at that location, as a school it was moved to the business street of the village and still stands at the northwest corner of Main and West First streets. On the second floor of the old building L. O. Hoffman once conducted a private academy where many residents of the town received their early education. Mr. Hoffman moved away and died in 1916. |
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Before the railroad came, produce of Wallowa county was hauled out and merchandise was brought in by freight wagons. The nearest railroad point was Elgin. This picture was taken on west Main street and the background today would show the Gotter hotel, Datil Bakery, Enterprise Packing company, D. S. T. garage and the Taylor building. |
