| Friday, January 1, 1897:
People of Blaine will remember the BILES brothers that abided with us here in Blaine about a year ago. It will also be remembered that Fred BILES was sent to the state prison at Walla Walla for a four year term on a plea of guilty of forgery. His brother Frank, who had previously served a term at Walla Walla for firing a building in Fairhaven, went to Alaska last February. Frank worked at a lumber mill in Wrangle for about nine months. During the time of his employment he became intimately acquainted with W. R. LEAR, the postmaster at Wrangle. LEAR is an old timer of this county. He was at one time a resident on Semiahmoo spit, and was in the employ of the government at Fort Bellingham in 1861. While BILES was loafing around the postoffice he commenced a systematic rifling of registered letters. Among others a registered letter of Whitman PALMER's mailed to Queenie PALMER, his daughter at Blaine, was opened and $20 abstranted. Mr. GOODWIN is out $5 that he mailed to his wife at the the Wrangle office. BILES was taken in custody by officials of the government and is now in the California state prison at San Quinten. The Wrangle postmaster has promised PALMER payment of the $20. Maudie ALLEN, daughter of Robert ALLEN, a former resident of Blaine, died at her home in Seattle on Dec. 21st. The deceased was sixteen years of age. Robert ALLEN will be remembered by residents of Blaine as one of the street contractors and street commissioners of this city in 1890-91. He is a son of Mary J. ALLEN and brother of Frank and George ALLEN of this place. Mrs. ALLEN has gone to Seattle to remain a short time with the bereaved parents.
Christmas was celebrated in excellent shape at the M. E. church on Thursday
evening. A beautiful tree heavily laden with presents occupied one corner
of the church building. The room was decorated with Chinese lanterns and
the church edifice presented a thoroughly genuine Christmas appearance. J.
B. RAMAGE had general supervision of the entertainment, the program of which
appears below. Everything moved along with clock-work regularity. The little
folks performed their part in superb fashion. The room was packed from end
to end, and everybody got a present. Following is the program
rendered: A mass meeting of citizens and residents of Blaine will be held at the council chamber on H street Saturday evening, Jan. 2d, to consider the matter of raising funds to carry on the Blaine public schools. SCHOOL TEACHERS, ATTENTION --- A school teacher is wanted for the Blaine public schools for a three or four months term. W. J. GILLESPIE, School Clerk. A. B. BARRETT is a victim of carbuncles this week, being confined to his house by a large one on his neck. Miss Grace SCAMAN came home on the Utopia from Townsend on Tuesday for the holiday. Orvis JOSEPH leaves to-morrow by steamer Utopia to college at Seattle, after the holidays. Mrs. ELLIS will reopen her school at the South ward school house on Monday, Jan. 4th.
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Friday, February 19, 1897: Mrs. Elizabeth ROEDER, wife of Capt. Henry ROEDER, and mother of Victor ROEDER, couonty treasurer, and Mrs. C. I. ROTH, died at her home in Whatcom on Friday, Feb. 12th, 1897. Four hours before her death Mrs. ROEDER passed her 71st birthday. With the exception of Mrs. ELDRIDGE Mrs. ROEDER was the first white woman located in Whatcom county. In early days, while Capt. ROEDER was away from home, a scrimmage with the Indians took place on the bay and one red man was killed in the ROEDER house and another in the yard. Mrs. ROEDER has been ailing for the past six years, suffering from rheumatism and kindred diseases, but has borne her sufferings with patience and fortitude. The funeral was held from the ROEDER residence on Sunday last. Charles ODGERS left on Thursdays' train for San Francisco. He intends locating in Northern California. Geo. HUNT of the Custer shingle mill was in town on Saturday. Pierce BUTLER has been heard from and is now sojourning in Hot Springs, Ark. He expects to remain there until winter breaks up. The Journal will reach him at Hot Springs and keep him posted on Blaine people. Queenie PALMER was a passenger on Wednesday's train. She goes from here to Everett where she will be joined in about a week by Mrs. PALMER. From there both will go by the steamer Willapa to Fort Wrangle, Alaska, to join Mr. PALMER who has a lucrative position at that place. On Wednesday, Feb. 17th Chas. VOGT of Birch Bay received an injury to the index finger of the left hand that necessitated amputation near the second joint. Charlie was at work cutting feed for his stock in a cutting box when the injury occurred. Dr. REEVES dressed the wounded member and the patient is doing well. A colored man named Alfred MOORE was found dead in his shack at New Whatcom on Monday morning. He was in a kneeling position when found, his head resting on a chair. He had been dead probably four or five hours. He had been employed in the B. B. I. Co. mill for some time. The coroner ordered the body taken to BRACKETT's undertaking parlors from whence it was buried Tuesday at 2 p.m. He has a brother in Oblo and a sister in Virginia. Drs. BIGGS and HENDERSON gave as the result of the autopsy the opinion that he came to his death from natural causes.
COMMISSIONER'S PROCEEDINGS.
-Soldier's Relief Fund: Samuel WATKINS $10, M. A. FILMORE $10, A. J. TAYLOR $8, Amos BEARD $10, G. W. FOSTER $10, Geo. L. RAMSGALE [RAMSDALE].
-A contract was entered into between Whatcom county as lessor and Edward DANILES as lessee, for the shingle mill known as the Ellery ROGERS mill. -John SUCHKANAN was allowed the $300 exemption from personal assessment of taxes. -Reports of following road supervisors were approved: John MEDJO, F. M. BLOOM and C. B. COLEMAN. -The resignation of Miles GREEGAN as supervisor of road district No. 2 was accepted. -The resignation of N. K. JEFFRIES as J. P. of Clearbrook precinct was accepted.
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Friday, April 23, 1897: A retail liquor license was granted to Robert RUNYON at Point Roberts. It was ordered that C. L. GOODRICH be appointed road supervisor of district No. 2 to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Miles CREEGAN.
SOLDIER'S RELIEF FUND
M. A. FILLMORE $10, Samuel WATKINS $10, A. J. TAYLOR $8, Amos BEARD $10, G. W. FOSTER $10, Geo. L. RAMSDALE $10, William FLANNERY $10.
Edward A. LEES, a jeweler from New Whatcom, has come to Blaine to remain, and will locate in the premises now occupied by D. R. McELMON, who intends to go to the Kootenai country about the first of May. In the meantime Mr. LEES will occupy the office room adjoining the post office, where he will be prepared to attend to any work in his line. F. A. VALENTINE, agent of the Canadian Pacific railway, and Miss F. B. STOTLER of Tacoma, were married at Whatcom Saturday last, at the residence of Rev. W. A. MACKEY. Archie HAMMELL's house in Whatcom was burglarized on Friday night while the family were away and $75 worth of property taken. The depredator was escaping by the backway just as Mrs. HAMMELL was returning home. Thus far they have no clue as to his identity. S. C. TRACY of Birch Bay had the misfortune to severely cut his hand with a penknife the first of the week. Miss Ada SCOTT has opened a dress-making bazaar alongside Mrs. GEERLE's millinery store. M. B. BYLAND came up on Tuesday's train to get ready to open a saloon in the premises formerly occupied by FISCHER Brothers. Born, Friday, April 16th, to the wife of Lester W. DAVID, a son. Dr. KING is in attendance and reports mother and child doing well. John KALLSEN will operate a salmon trap at Point Roberts the coming season.
C. C. WILLSON DEAD
"C. C. WILLSON, a member of the G. A. R., died at his residence, 505 Twenty-first avenue, yesterday, aged 53 years. During the civil war Mr. WILLSON was a member of Company F, Twenty-first Iowa regiment. The funeral services will be held to-day at the residence at 2 p. m. under the auspices of the G. A. R. The members of Stevens Post, No. 1, will assemble in their hall in the Hinckley building at 1 o'clock sharp."
The above is an extract from the Seattle Post Intelligencer of the 18th inst. Mr. WILLSON, assisted by his son Elmer C. WILLSON, were the publishers and owners of the Blaine Tribune that was started in 1891 and suspended publication in the spring of 1893. He was also connected with WILLSON & MILLER in the management of the International Post, that was issued for a short period in 1890. Since the termination of Mr. WILLSON's residence in Blaine he has resided in Seattle and been in the employ of a job printing firm, and held a position under the city government of Seattle during the administration of ex-Mayor PHELPS. The deceased was an active and industrious citizen of Blaine during his residence here, and always took a leading part in business matters and social gatherings connected with our local post of the G. A. R. While the WILLSONs were residents of Blaine Elmer C., the only son of the deceased married his present wife, a daughter of ex-Mayor JOHNSTON and a sister of Mrs. F. E. BROWN of this city. We are informed that the death of Mr. WILLSON resulted from cancer of the stomach. He had been ill for the past two or three months. The Journal voices the sentiment of the people of Blaine in extending to the bereaved widow, son and daughter of the deceased the sympathy of this entire community.
Friday, April 30, 1897: A man named Mat JENNER was capsized from a small row boat and drowned just outside the harbor here during the afternoon of Monday, while attempting to make the harbor. He was a pioneer on the coast, and was well known by several people around here. The coroner was notified and came up on the train and returned the same evening, not deeming it necessary to hold an inquest. The remains were interred in the Blaine cemetery Wednesday. Lester and Maude SWEET were the graduates at the closing exercises of the Excelsior school last week. They were presented with diplomas by the teacher, J. H. KIRKPATRICK. Word has been received that O. W. DAY of East Sound, this state, a brother of A. A. DAY of Blaine, committed suicide by shooting sometime Saturday or Sunday last. He left a letter giving his reasons for the mad act. The relatives of deceased have our sympathy in their bereavement. Otto CLAUSEN of Scribner, Neb., is visiting with the DAHL family, and will spend the summer here. He is a cousin of the DAHL boys and expects his father out in a short time to look over the country. Charles COOKER, a shingle packer at the Dakota Creek mill, while trying his hand at knot sawing yesterday morning, got his fingers too close to the saw, and as a result has his arm in a sling. The middle finger on his left hand was split nearly the entire length, but Dr. KING, who dressed it, thinks he can save the finger. C. A. PHILLIPS and Ed and William HOMES have purchased the Deming shingle mill of W. A. PARKER, and are now operating the mill. In the matter of claim of Alfred DAHLBURG [DAHLBERG] for exemption from personal tax, the treasurer was instructed to cancel personal tax assessed against said DAHLBURG.
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June 25, 1897: Frank WALLER, son of Mrs. Kate WALLER of Point Roberts, has acquitted himself most creditably in his studies in the Seattle public schools during the last school year. His average percentage for the entire term was 97. Because of his high standing he was not obliged to take the examination.
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July 16, 1897:
The mysterious disappearance of Lawrence REAMS, the 12-year-old son of Wm. REAMS who lives at Millerton, one mile from Everson last Monday evening, is causing his parents untold anguish and anxiety. It appears that the little fellow had gone as usual for the cows. His protracted absence alarmed his parents, and his father started in search of him. He scoured the country, but the search proved unavailing. Many theories have been advanced as to the probable fate of the boy, but idle theorizing will not appease the anguish of the distracted parents. Mr. REAMS was in Blaine last Wednesday still pursuing the thus far unsuccessful search for his lost son. When the little fellow wandered from home he wore a pair of blue overalls, a woolen shirt and a black felt hat that had been perforated with bullet holes. His hair was close-cropped and of dark color. If any person should meet a boy answering this description they will confer an inestimable favor on the grief-stricken parents by communicating the fact to them.
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Friday, August 27, 1897: B. H. KEITH, manager of YOUNG & WILLIAMS cannery, left last Wednesday for a brief visit with his family at Colby. The foundation for the LAMAR building on the corner of Washington avenue and Martin street is about complete. Mrs. C. C. McDONALD and children, Miss Ida BERTSCH and James CAIN went to the Nicomekl river on a fishing trip last Wednesday. James and Claude HALL, who have been employed here during the fishing season, returned to their home at Ilwaco last Friday. Harwood MORGAN of Seattle was in town several days during the week on business connected with the Pacific Northwest Canning company. B. F. SMALLEY of Seattle, insurance adjuster, arrived to adjust the loss by fire last Wednesday of the Pacific Northwest Canning Co.'s cannery. A force of men were engaged early in the week laying the foundation for PRESTON & PINE's livery stable, which is being erected on Martin street. L. D. PIKE of Point Roberts was in town Tuesday. Miss Clara VINUP wheeled to Whatcom last Saturday. C. WRIGHT of Point Roberts, was in town Monday. E. A. LEES went to Whatcom on his wheel last Saturday. Rev. R. D. BAILEY went to Whatcom on his bicycle last Tuesday. Blaine has been infested with quite a number of tramps during the past. J. C. KAYLOR left Newark, Mo. last Tuesday for Blaine, where he will make his future home. His family will soon follow. Mrs. D. C. RICKMAN arrived last Saturday from Astoria, and was the guest of her sister, Mrs. Byron KINGSLEY of this city, over Sunday. Mrs. RICKMAN will remain with her parents, Mr. & Mrs. HENSPETER of Birch Bay, during her husband's absence in the Yukon mining region, the latter having sailed North on the Willamette. Harry W. STEWART, who several months ago shot and seriously wounded Jasper NESSELROAD, last Friday appeared in open court in Whatcom and plead guilty to the charge of assault with intent to kill. Judge HADLEY sentenced him to five years at hard labor in the state penitentiary at Walla Walla. Miss Addie ROPER will leave on the steamship City of Seattle, which sails from Seattle early next week for Skaguay (sic) bay. Miss ROPER will doubtless remain at this point until spring, when she will proceed to the mining region. Duke PRIGMORE and E. G. BRAND of Whatcom have returned from Skaguay (sic). Mr. PRIGMORE will return North on the Starr, which sails next Thursday, with 16 horses, which will be used for packing over the mountaneous ascent. GARDNER & WILLIAMS have about completed an addition to their place of business on Washington avenue. Friday, September 3, 1897: Miss Maude ANDERSON of Whatcom arrived on Tuesday's train, and is a guest of Mrs. J. H. HITCHCOCK. Miss Nellie CRILLY will soon leave for Tacoma, to assume the duties of teacher of music in the Annie Wright Seminary. Mr. and Mrs. REES, former citizens of Blaine, but at present residing in New Westminster, were visitors Wednesday. Geo. H. CHARLOT of New Whatcom was in town Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Robert GILDY attended the old settlers picnic at Ferndale Sunday. Louis W. TERRY of Portsmouth, Ohio, arrived last Tuesday on a visit to his brother, Geo. TERRY of this city. A. S. HOTCHKISS and family, former residents of Blaine, recently left Ouray county, Ohio, in a wagon bound overland for this city. Miss Grace BUTLER who has been visiting relatives and friends in Blaine and Drayton during the past month, returned to her home in Seattle last Sunday.
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Copied by Susan Nahas 2002-2005