20 years ago, Dec. 22, 1994
40 years ago, Dec. 19, 1974
Exxon Searches Valley For Mineral Deposits
Exxon is one of three corporations in the process of drilling for ore on Okanogan National Forest land, according to deputy forest Supt. Bill McLaughlin.
McLaughlin, speaking Dec. 9 to the Okanogan chamber of commerce, said the right to prospect and mine national forest land is protected by the mining act of 1872.
Mining is regulated by rules recently adopted by the Forest Service.
Along with Exxon, Quintana and Monetary Mining are exploring for veins of minerals. McLaughlin said forest agency geologists expect copper to be found in the area, but the companies plan to mine anything which would be worth the expense, either by open pit or cave type mining.
Exxon and Quintana are drilling in the Goat and Fawn creek areas above Mazama and Monetary Mining is working the Buck pass-Buck mountain area.
Exxon is also expected to try the Buck creek and Loup Loup area soon, McLaughlin said.
The deputy superintendent said Hawley Woolschlager, in charge of keeping track of mining on the forest, has been making frequent checks on drilling operations and has found the three companies “very cooperative” as far as forest regulations go.
McLaughlin said the Forest Service has control over what is done with the surface but not what is done underneath it on forest lands.
He speculated a test court case, should one arise, would be a question of whether recent Forest Service regulations have priority over the old mining act.
60 years ago, Dec. 23, 1954
Operation Skywatch to Get Early Start Here
A new building has been erected in Twisp that in the very near future will be the reason for extensive contact and recruiting for occupants.
This building is the Ground Observer Corp “Skywatch,” and it is going to require a great deal of cooperation from the citizens of Twisp to make it an effective part of our air defense warning system.
By looking at a map anyone can see the value of Twisp for a skywatch location. Not only is it the first city of any size due south of the Canadian border, but a GOC post here could give very good coverage on any low flying aircraft trying to use the Methow valley as an avenue of approach.
It is requested that anyone who is interested in helping maintain this vital civic function contact Fred Horner of Twisp or write T-Sgt. R.H. Lund, Okanogan.
The tentative plans for the schedule of operation are two hours once a week, hours of your choosing. To fill a schedule of this type it will require 168 people, this putting two people on each two hour shift once each week. In addition to this a back up list of substitutes who can take over on short notice for those who can’t take their scheduled shift is a very valuable asset to an effective skywatch post.
80 years ago, Dec. 21, 1934
Bill Smith, Lucky Boy
Bill Smith, Wenatchee, representative of Goodyear, is the luckiest gentleman we have heard of this Christmas season. Approaching the south end of the Carlton bridge Monday evening, his car skidded on an icy stretch, and Bill missed the bridge. Flippancy in mentioning the incident seems justified in that the driver and car went over the bank to the water’s edge, Smith emerging without a scratch, though body of the car was somewhat mussed up.
MORE CHRISTMAS CHEER
Cheer for Christmas is contained in the news that many banks, closed in the depression, are paying out a dividend to depositors in the amount of millions of dollars, and affecting every community in the state except the Methow valley, where there were no bank failures.
100 years ago, Dec. 24, 1914
Misses Jessie and Louise Vanderpool, of Winthrop, were passengers out this week to spend their holiday vacation at outside points.
As Mr. Ferd Haase, of Winthrop, sent us one fifty just in time to make us a merry Christmas, we wish him one too, a fat New Year, and lots of ’em.
Invitations are now out by Misses Ora Filer and Violet Bolin for an oyster supper at the school house next Monday evening, at seven, 50cents the plate.
Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Bolinger, of Methow, are enjoying a holiday visit from their children, Miss Blanche and Clayton, students of the University of Washington.
Dance and turkey supper tonight.
Mrs. H.E. Marble and daughter left Monday to spend Christmas and New Years at the home of her mother in Sumner, and to visit her son in Tacoma, promising to return early in 1915.
An occasional automobile is seen skidding up and down the boulevard, despite the snow that covers the ground. Fact is it is not extra good going for any particular kind of rig.
The days are now getting longer again, and by careful observation, you may note that the sun is out three quarters of a second earlier this morning than yesterday, in round figures.
If this blame scarcity of news keeps up we are going to follow the P.-I. system, and string the matter out one word to a line.