My last post on the Lummi Island Lease of Gooseberry Point has provoked some noteworthy comments.
Showing posts with label Whatcom County History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Whatcom County History. Show all posts
Monday, September 20, 2010
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The First Permanent Residents of Point Roberts
The series of posts on Point Roberts has stimulated more interest than I initially thought it would.
Over the last five days, I've had a number of visitors from Universities, libraries and public schools from across the nation. So, I would like to finish this series with a short, biographical sketch of some of the first residents of Point Roberts; and try to provide researchers with an additional list of reference materials to assist them in their efforts to document the unique history of this isolated region of the United States. *Please note that I do not have a list of authors for all of the material that I found in my mother's papers.
I am fairly certain that Professor Richard E. Clark from Western Washington State College (now Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington) is the author of some of the "unsourced" historical material, as he and my mother had much correspondence regarding Point Roberts during the 1970's and early 1980's.
In the fall of 1980, My mother, (Lillian) and Professor Clark were co-hosts on a Canadian Television series titled, "Where Salish Coast Indians Once Lived." The program was comprised of two parts, 1) the Whalen farm site during Indian times and now; and, 2) Lily Point from Indian times to the present.
Pat Whalen presented background data on midden sites, archaelogical information, and the early white settlement. My mother addressed the historical highlights at Lily Point and my great grandfather's role in settling Point Roberts. She also presented background information on the scope of the cannery's work, and the role the cannery played in the community.
“Harris had a curious history. He was raised among a tribe of Indians in New Mexico, having been taken captive when a boy. He subsequently served as a scout with General Scott’s army in the Indian and Mexican wars, and had many adventures and hair breadth escapes. Leading a most romantic life, he drifted up north about twenty five years ago and settled at Semiahmoo, but soon after removed to Point Roberts, where he was engaged in stock raising. He had two daughters by an Indian wife, one of whom is married to James Atkinson, also of Point Roberts. He was best known as “Long-haired Harris.” (Lottie Roeder Roth, ed., "History of Whatcom County," Vol. I. pg. 242).
“Among the boundary commission was John Harris who was cook for Lieut. Park, and who after the commission had finished its work here took up what is now known as the Elwood place, between California and Dakota Creeks. He settled there some time early in the 1860’s, and a few years ago was murdered on Point Roberts by a Greek brigand.” (“As They Found It” The Blaine Journal, December 12, 1889).
“Indian Intimidation at Point Roberts – Mr. John Harris was in town last Friday, and complained of the threatening attitude of certain Indians from beyond the British line who came to the above named Point and ordered him off the fishing ground, stating that they were sent there by the agent and representing themselves as belonging to the United States Reservation. Mr. Harris was too sharp for them, however, and told them they had no rights there that he was bound to respect and refused to leave; that they didn’t belong to the reservation, and even if they did the place was outside the limits. This made the Indians very insolent, and nothing but the coolness of Mr. Harris, and the close proximity of his trusty rifles, prevented a collision with serious results. It is hoped that Mr. McGlynn, the agent, will guard against a repetition of these proceedings.” (The Bellingham Bay Mail, July 12, 1873).
(John Harris) has been located (at Point Roberts) for years, and owns a large heard of cattle…” (The Bellingham Bay Mail, July 12, 1873).
“Harris and Waller were the only settlers at Point Roberts; Harris, who had been engaged in the cattle business for a number of years, and Waller, a newcomer, engaged in fishing.” (Lottie Roeder Roth, ed., "History of Whatcom County," Vol. I, pg. 215).
"As a rule the rural districts were well-behaved and orderly, and crime was very exceptional. The whole northern part of the county, therefore, was greatly stirred by the report that John Harris, the pioneer of Point Roberts, had been murdered. The account of his tragedy, given by The LaConner Mail, in February 1883, is as follows: “For some months past a feud had existed between John Harris and Charles Mitchell at Point Roberts. This culminated a few days ago in an altercation in which Harris lost his life. Harris, as the story goes, was out with a shotgun when he met Mitchell; hot words ensued, Harris attempted to shoot Mitchell, who was too active for the old man. The gun changed hands and Mitchell beat Harris almost to death with it. Harris’s daughter and son in law came on the scene, drove Mitchell off and took Harris home, but he died soon after. Mitchell was taken before a Justice of the Peace at Semiahmoo and was acquitted on the plea of self-defense.” (Lottie Roeder Roth, ed., "History of Whatcom County," Vol. 1, pg. 242).
John and Kate Waller
John Waller had a plan: "Mr. Waller, who is a very intelligent and enterprising citizen of advanced years and experience, informed us tha a dozen families could make comfortable homes and farms on the Point if the Government would throw open the land to settlement, and that he himself would build a wharf and make other extensive improvements there if the government would guarantee him from loss by patenting the land." (The Bellingham Bay Mail, April 6, 1878, pg. 3).
"An echo of the John Waller tragedy came when Gus Julian, while fishing off Chuckanut Bay, in June of 1886, found the body of John Waller, who was drowned there September 18, 1885. John Waller was the pioneer fisherman of Point Roberts and had the first fish trap at that Point, which for many years had been known as one of the best fishing points on Puget Sound. It is related that Captain Henry Roeder, who had had much experience in trap-fishing on Lake Erie and at Sacramento instructed Mr. Waller as to the construction of this trap. At first the trap was a failure as the leads were not properly set against the tide. Captain Roeder corrected this for Mr. Waller and the trap was filled almost to bursting. Later, this trap location was sold for $25,000, an enormous price for that time, but a most profitable investment for the purchasers, as fish to the value of many hundreds of thousands of dollars have been taken there." (Lottie Roeder Roth, ed., "History of Whatcom County," Vol. I, pg. 431).
"In 1890, by order of the Interior Department, the government reserve, with the exception of 264 acres set apart for lighthouse purposes, was vacated, and an order made that the land should be sold in 40 acre tracts, squatters being given the prior right of purchase. This order resulted in a stampede of adventurers from the British side who flocked to the point for the purpose of securing a forty on which to speculate. The order of vacation however, provided that the settlers who had located there prior to January 1, 1884, should be permitted to perfect title under the homestead laws. Mrs. Waller and Horace Brewster, having been actual settlers on the Point at and prior to the date mentioned. For good and sufficient reasons, as above suggested, the department refused to carry out the original plans of selling in forty acre tracts, which resulted in an abandonment of the point by the adventurers and speculators sent in for that purpose, and in their stead there are now at the point seventeen actual bona fide settlers, all but four of whom are heads of families. As an evidence of their honest intention to make permanent homes at that place, it may be cited that they have already organized a school district with an enrollment of 27, and one month's school has been maintained Mr. T.J. Foley, formerly of this city, now one of the actual settlers at the point, having conducted the school without remuneration in order that the district might regularly organize. The settlers, besides building a school house and public roads, are making improvements on their claims, putting out orchards, erecting buildings, etc., and are now anxiously awaiting an order from the land department at Washington permitting them to file homesteads upon their respective locations.
...There is no contest as among individuals -- all the settlers having recently met at Mr. Foley's place and agreed upon boundary lines and sub-divisions. The land in question is of excellent quality for fruit growing and agricultural purposes, and will make pleasant homes for the occupants. A petition has been forwarded to the department asking for the establishment of a mail route from Blaine to Point Roberts. At present, the settlers receive their mail by private carriers from Blaine. That there is opposition to the opening of the reservation to settlers under the homestead act has become apparent, and has given the settlers no small amount of anxiety." (The Bellingham Bay Evening Express, Vol. 5, No. 6, April 7, 1893, pg. 1).
E.A. Wadhams and A.E. Wadhams:
Edmund Abraham Wadhams, the father of Arthur E., was born at Wadhams Mills, New York, on March 28, 1833, and was decended from an old English family of Revolutionary fame. Crossing the plains to California in 1849, he thence went to Cariboo, British Columbia, following the stampede to the new gold fields.
In 1893, he went to Point Roberts, where he erected a cannery, but in the fall of that year, sold his interests to the Alaska Packers' Association and returned to British Columbia, there erecting a cannery at River's Inlet and conducting the same until his life's labors were ended in death on the 17th of January, 1885.
Arthur Edgar Wadhams received his education in the public schools of Victoria and New Westminister, and at Badgley College in Victoria. He then entered employment at his father's cannery at Point Roberts and remained as the manager after his father sold the cannery to the Alaska Packers Association.(A History of the Puget Sound Country, Vol. II, New York: Lewis Pub. Co., 1903, pg. 303-304).
Another ex-cariboo miner, whose name is stamped indelibly on the coast through canning was E.A. Wadhams. Once, while mushing out from the Cariboo along a winding trail in the Fraser Canyon, he was buried alive under an avalanche. For hours his friends worked in vain to find him and were at the point of giving up. Wadham, pinned below the surface with a small air pocket could hear them giving him up for lost, then his wife's pleading with them to continue digging, until at last he was hauled out of the snow stiff with cold and badly shaken but otherwise unharmed. (Hugh W. McKervill, "The Salmon People" Sidney, B.C., Canada: Gray's Publishing: Ltd., 1967, pg. 48).
"Wadham's on Trial: E.A. Wadham appeared before Judge Hardin this morning to answer the charge of using a pound trap for fishing without a license. The defense urged that the waters around Point Roberts were not a part of Puget Sound but of the Gulf of Georgia and the statute requires a license for the Columbia River and Puget Sound Waters only. Mr. Hardin has the case under consideration and will render his decision this evening. " Later, the judge acquitted Wadhams. ("The Bellingham Bay Express," July 17, 1893, pg. 1).
The Wadham's Case
"The Wadhams case was again argued in the superior court this morning. The rival cannery men wish to have the case brought before the supreme court, and, if there bond is acceptable to the judge, that is where it will be settled." (The Bellingham Bay Express," July 17, 1893, Pg. 1).
Fish Case Decided
"Judge Winn decided this noon that Wadhams had a right to set as many traps as he liked, so long as he did not go within 1,500 feet of the traps of the other cannery men. This is all that Wadhams asked. This gives the cannery men a chance to catch all the fish they want, and there is enough for all of them." (The Bellingham Bay Express, July 26, 1893, pg. 1).
Point Roberts Fish
"And still there is trouble among the cannery men at Blaine. Now comes Joseph Goodfellow and wants A.E. Wadhams to show cause why he should not be held in contempt of court. He claims Wadhams is building or operating traps within 1,500 feet of those other canners. The case will be heard August 12." The Bellingham Bay Express, August 4, 1893, pg. 1).
Additional Information can be found in the publications listed below:
Richard E. Clark, "Social Change in an American Enclave Community." A 117 page socio-historical document kept in Wilson Library, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225.
Richard E. Clark, " An American Enclave Community and the Great Change." An M.A. Thesis in sociology, available at WWU.
R.C. Mayne, "Four Years in British Columbia and Vancouver Island." London: John Murray, Albermarle Street, 1862, pg. 52. 81.
Lottie Roeder Roth (ed.) "History of Whatcom County," Vol. I. (Chicago and Seattle: Pioneer Historical Pub. Co., 1926, pg. 995. 801, 242, 797, 348, 662, 663.
Hunter Miller, "San Juan Archipelago." Bellow Falls, Vermont: Windham Press, 1943, pg. 42, 43.
Arni S. Myrdal, "Recollections." This historical sketch appeared in a weekly Icelandic newspaper published in Winnipeg, Manitoba: Heimskringla, Vol. LXVIII, December 23, 30, 1953 and January 6, 1954.
Ed. C. Ellet, "Report To the U.S. Department of the Interior, General Land Office, December 28, 1904." This document is in the files of the Department and is available from Washington D.C., for a fee.
Frances Herring, "Among the People of British Columbia, Red, White, Yellow, and Brown." London: T. Fisher Unwin, Paternoster Square, 1903, pg. 231 and the whole chapter affilated with that page.
There are additional resources listed in Richard E Clark's paper, "Social Change in an American Enclave Community." Unfortunately, it will be difficult to get a look at this publication unless you are actually in the area.
The Whatcom County Courthouse has reams of documents that have not been adequately researched as does the Whatcom Museum. There is probably much undiscovered material in Seattle as well.
Thanks for your interest - I enjoyed putting this series together.
Over the last five days, I've had a number of visitors from Universities, libraries and public schools from across the nation. So, I would like to finish this series with a short, biographical sketch of some of the first residents of Point Roberts; and try to provide researchers with an additional list of reference materials to assist them in their efforts to document the unique history of this isolated region of the United States. *Please note that I do not have a list of authors for all of the material that I found in my mother's papers.
I am fairly certain that Professor Richard E. Clark from Western Washington State College (now Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington) is the author of some of the "unsourced" historical material, as he and my mother had much correspondence regarding Point Roberts during the 1970's and early 1980's.
In the fall of 1980, My mother, (Lillian) and Professor Clark were co-hosts on a Canadian Television series titled, "Where Salish Coast Indians Once Lived." The program was comprised of two parts, 1) the Whalen farm site during Indian times and now; and, 2) Lily Point from Indian times to the present.
Pat Whalen presented background data on midden sites, archaelogical information, and the early white settlement. My mother addressed the historical highlights at Lily Point and my great grandfather's role in settling Point Roberts. She also presented background information on the scope of the cannery's work, and the role the cannery played in the community.
Professor Clark presented background data regarding Indian fishing, the Wadham's cannery and John Waller's pioneer trap industry prior to Wadhams development. They used excerpts from a taped interview of Arni Myrdal in the program. (This was a program that was designed as a television course for college credit - Delta Ten produced the series).
Some of the early pioneer character sketches are derived from excerpts found in "The Bellingham Herald's Chronological and Biographical History of Northwest Washington, Illustrated." A supplement to the Bellingham Herald; Bellingham Washington, 1910).
John Harris: the First Settler at Point Roberts is John Harris.“Harris had a curious history. He was raised among a tribe of Indians in New Mexico, having been taken captive when a boy. He subsequently served as a scout with General Scott’s army in the Indian and Mexican wars, and had many adventures and hair breadth escapes. Leading a most romantic life, he drifted up north about twenty five years ago and settled at Semiahmoo, but soon after removed to Point Roberts, where he was engaged in stock raising. He had two daughters by an Indian wife, one of whom is married to James Atkinson, also of Point Roberts. He was best known as “Long-haired Harris.” (Lottie Roeder Roth, ed., "History of Whatcom County," Vol. I. pg. 242).
“Among the boundary commission was John Harris who was cook for Lieut. Park, and who after the commission had finished its work here took up what is now known as the Elwood place, between California and Dakota Creeks. He settled there some time early in the 1860’s, and a few years ago was murdered on Point Roberts by a Greek brigand.” (“As They Found It” The Blaine Journal, December 12, 1889).
“Indian Intimidation at Point Roberts – Mr. John Harris was in town last Friday, and complained of the threatening attitude of certain Indians from beyond the British line who came to the above named Point and ordered him off the fishing ground, stating that they were sent there by the agent and representing themselves as belonging to the United States Reservation. Mr. Harris was too sharp for them, however, and told them they had no rights there that he was bound to respect and refused to leave; that they didn’t belong to the reservation, and even if they did the place was outside the limits. This made the Indians very insolent, and nothing but the coolness of Mr. Harris, and the close proximity of his trusty rifles, prevented a collision with serious results. It is hoped that Mr. McGlynn, the agent, will guard against a repetition of these proceedings.” (The Bellingham Bay Mail, July 12, 1873).
(John Harris) has been located (at Point Roberts) for years, and owns a large heard of cattle…” (The Bellingham Bay Mail, July 12, 1873).
“Harris and Waller were the only settlers at Point Roberts; Harris, who had been engaged in the cattle business for a number of years, and Waller, a newcomer, engaged in fishing.” (Lottie Roeder Roth, ed., "History of Whatcom County," Vol. I, pg. 215).
"As a rule the rural districts were well-behaved and orderly, and crime was very exceptional. The whole northern part of the county, therefore, was greatly stirred by the report that John Harris, the pioneer of Point Roberts, had been murdered. The account of his tragedy, given by The LaConner Mail, in February 1883, is as follows: “For some months past a feud had existed between John Harris and Charles Mitchell at Point Roberts. This culminated a few days ago in an altercation in which Harris lost his life. Harris, as the story goes, was out with a shotgun when he met Mitchell; hot words ensued, Harris attempted to shoot Mitchell, who was too active for the old man. The gun changed hands and Mitchell beat Harris almost to death with it. Harris’s daughter and son in law came on the scene, drove Mitchell off and took Harris home, but he died soon after. Mitchell was taken before a Justice of the Peace at Semiahmoo and was acquitted on the plea of self-defense.” (Lottie Roeder Roth, ed., "History of Whatcom County," Vol. 1, pg. 242).
John and Kate Waller
John Waller had a plan: "Mr. Waller, who is a very intelligent and enterprising citizen of advanced years and experience, informed us tha a dozen families could make comfortable homes and farms on the Point if the Government would throw open the land to settlement, and that he himself would build a wharf and make other extensive improvements there if the government would guarantee him from loss by patenting the land." (The Bellingham Bay Mail, April 6, 1878, pg. 3).
"An echo of the John Waller tragedy came when Gus Julian, while fishing off Chuckanut Bay, in June of 1886, found the body of John Waller, who was drowned there September 18, 1885. John Waller was the pioneer fisherman of Point Roberts and had the first fish trap at that Point, which for many years had been known as one of the best fishing points on Puget Sound. It is related that Captain Henry Roeder, who had had much experience in trap-fishing on Lake Erie and at Sacramento instructed Mr. Waller as to the construction of this trap. At first the trap was a failure as the leads were not properly set against the tide. Captain Roeder corrected this for Mr. Waller and the trap was filled almost to bursting. Later, this trap location was sold for $25,000, an enormous price for that time, but a most profitable investment for the purchasers, as fish to the value of many hundreds of thousands of dollars have been taken there." (Lottie Roeder Roth, ed., "History of Whatcom County," Vol. I, pg. 431).
"In 1890, by order of the Interior Department, the government reserve, with the exception of 264 acres set apart for lighthouse purposes, was vacated, and an order made that the land should be sold in 40 acre tracts, squatters being given the prior right of purchase. This order resulted in a stampede of adventurers from the British side who flocked to the point for the purpose of securing a forty on which to speculate. The order of vacation however, provided that the settlers who had located there prior to January 1, 1884, should be permitted to perfect title under the homestead laws. Mrs. Waller and Horace Brewster, having been actual settlers on the Point at and prior to the date mentioned. For good and sufficient reasons, as above suggested, the department refused to carry out the original plans of selling in forty acre tracts, which resulted in an abandonment of the point by the adventurers and speculators sent in for that purpose, and in their stead there are now at the point seventeen actual bona fide settlers, all but four of whom are heads of families. As an evidence of their honest intention to make permanent homes at that place, it may be cited that they have already organized a school district with an enrollment of 27, and one month's school has been maintained Mr. T.J. Foley, formerly of this city, now one of the actual settlers at the point, having conducted the school without remuneration in order that the district might regularly organize. The settlers, besides building a school house and public roads, are making improvements on their claims, putting out orchards, erecting buildings, etc., and are now anxiously awaiting an order from the land department at Washington permitting them to file homesteads upon their respective locations.
...There is no contest as among individuals -- all the settlers having recently met at Mr. Foley's place and agreed upon boundary lines and sub-divisions. The land in question is of excellent quality for fruit growing and agricultural purposes, and will make pleasant homes for the occupants. A petition has been forwarded to the department asking for the establishment of a mail route from Blaine to Point Roberts. At present, the settlers receive their mail by private carriers from Blaine. That there is opposition to the opening of the reservation to settlers under the homestead act has become apparent, and has given the settlers no small amount of anxiety." (The Bellingham Bay Evening Express, Vol. 5, No. 6, April 7, 1893, pg. 1).
E.A. Wadhams and A.E. Wadhams:
Edmund Abraham Wadhams, the father of Arthur E., was born at Wadhams Mills, New York, on March 28, 1833, and was decended from an old English family of Revolutionary fame. Crossing the plains to California in 1849, he thence went to Cariboo, British Columbia, following the stampede to the new gold fields.
In 1893, he went to Point Roberts, where he erected a cannery, but in the fall of that year, sold his interests to the Alaska Packers' Association and returned to British Columbia, there erecting a cannery at River's Inlet and conducting the same until his life's labors were ended in death on the 17th of January, 1885.
Arthur Edgar Wadhams received his education in the public schools of Victoria and New Westminister, and at Badgley College in Victoria. He then entered employment at his father's cannery at Point Roberts and remained as the manager after his father sold the cannery to the Alaska Packers Association.(A History of the Puget Sound Country, Vol. II, New York: Lewis Pub. Co., 1903, pg. 303-304).
Another ex-cariboo miner, whose name is stamped indelibly on the coast through canning was E.A. Wadhams. Once, while mushing out from the Cariboo along a winding trail in the Fraser Canyon, he was buried alive under an avalanche. For hours his friends worked in vain to find him and were at the point of giving up. Wadham, pinned below the surface with a small air pocket could hear them giving him up for lost, then his wife's pleading with them to continue digging, until at last he was hauled out of the snow stiff with cold and badly shaken but otherwise unharmed. (Hugh W. McKervill, "The Salmon People" Sidney, B.C., Canada: Gray's Publishing: Ltd., 1967, pg. 48).
"Wadham's on Trial: E.A. Wadham appeared before Judge Hardin this morning to answer the charge of using a pound trap for fishing without a license. The defense urged that the waters around Point Roberts were not a part of Puget Sound but of the Gulf of Georgia and the statute requires a license for the Columbia River and Puget Sound Waters only. Mr. Hardin has the case under consideration and will render his decision this evening. " Later, the judge acquitted Wadhams. ("The Bellingham Bay Express," July 17, 1893, pg. 1).
The Wadham's Case
"The Wadhams case was again argued in the superior court this morning. The rival cannery men wish to have the case brought before the supreme court, and, if there bond is acceptable to the judge, that is where it will be settled." (The Bellingham Bay Express," July 17, 1893, Pg. 1).
Fish Case Decided
"Judge Winn decided this noon that Wadhams had a right to set as many traps as he liked, so long as he did not go within 1,500 feet of the traps of the other cannery men. This is all that Wadhams asked. This gives the cannery men a chance to catch all the fish they want, and there is enough for all of them." (The Bellingham Bay Express, July 26, 1893, pg. 1).
Point Roberts Fish
"And still there is trouble among the cannery men at Blaine. Now comes Joseph Goodfellow and wants A.E. Wadhams to show cause why he should not be held in contempt of court. He claims Wadhams is building or operating traps within 1,500 feet of those other canners. The case will be heard August 12." The Bellingham Bay Express, August 4, 1893, pg. 1).
Additional Information can be found in the publications listed below:
Richard E. Clark, "Social Change in an American Enclave Community." A 117 page socio-historical document kept in Wilson Library, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225.
Richard E. Clark, " An American Enclave Community and the Great Change." An M.A. Thesis in sociology, available at WWU.
R.C. Mayne, "Four Years in British Columbia and Vancouver Island." London: John Murray, Albermarle Street, 1862, pg. 52. 81.
Lottie Roeder Roth (ed.) "History of Whatcom County," Vol. I. (Chicago and Seattle: Pioneer Historical Pub. Co., 1926, pg. 995. 801, 242, 797, 348, 662, 663.
Hunter Miller, "San Juan Archipelago." Bellow Falls, Vermont: Windham Press, 1943, pg. 42, 43.
Arni S. Myrdal, "Recollections." This historical sketch appeared in a weekly Icelandic newspaper published in Winnipeg, Manitoba: Heimskringla, Vol. LXVIII, December 23, 30, 1953 and January 6, 1954.
Ed. C. Ellet, "Report To the U.S. Department of the Interior, General Land Office, December 28, 1904." This document is in the files of the Department and is available from Washington D.C., for a fee.
Frances Herring, "Among the People of British Columbia, Red, White, Yellow, and Brown." London: T. Fisher Unwin, Paternoster Square, 1903, pg. 231 and the whole chapter affilated with that page.
There are additional resources listed in Richard E Clark's paper, "Social Change in an American Enclave Community." Unfortunately, it will be difficult to get a look at this publication unless you are actually in the area.
The Whatcom County Courthouse has reams of documents that have not been adequately researched as does the Whatcom Museum. There is probably much undiscovered material in Seattle as well.
Thanks for your interest - I enjoyed putting this series together.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Jess -- Summer of 1895
All those who knew Jess, save my brother John, are now dead and buried. It is through the urging of my granddaughter, that I am jotting down a few items concerning a wonderful dog.
I selected Jess from a litter of six when she was seven weeks old. A week later I brought her home. Her mother was a spaniel, her male parent a collie. As she grew up she took more and more like her sire in appearance, but more docile, and excelled him in intelligence and aptitude, although he was a very apt dog himself.
We had then a young tri-colored she cat, which we named Tricol. Jess and Tricol soon became very good friends. They played together and slept in the same place and were constant companions. In this way they passed their first fall and winter.
One fine day, in the early summer of 1895, my wife and I set our canoe afloat. Jess and Tricol followed us to the beach. As we started to paddle away, Jess plunged into the water and followed us. Tricol made several attempts to follow her companion, but like all cats, hated to get herself wet, so she quickly decided to keep abreast of us by running along the water's edge. When we beached our canoe, about an hour later, she was there to meet us.
Not long after this, on a warm, sunny day, we went boating again, and of course the playmates followed us to the water's edge as we launched the canoe for the second time that summer. As before, Jess leapt into the water and followed close astern. This time, Tricol, without hesitating, boldly followed her companion. We immediately slowed to a mere crawl, in order to see how things were going to fare with Tricol. Although Tricol fell somewhat behind, she kept right on swimming. And thus it happened time and time again while Tricol lived. Tricol is the only cat that I have known to take voluntarily to the water; and the strangest thing of all, she seemed to enjoy it immensely.
I began training Jess when she was very young. I never whipped her nor scolded, for she was very high strung. She obeyed well when she understood what it was that one wished her to do. About the first important task I taught her to perform, was to carry a small empty milk can to my parent's home.
In a short while, Jess became a most reliable errand runner. I frequently sent her to the Cannery, where I worked, to my home or to mother's home, with an order for eggs or butter. I would write up the order or message on a piece of paper, fold it up, place it in a partly split end of a small stick and then give it to Jess. If the missive was to be delivered to mother, I would say, as I gave Jess the stick, "Go over," if to my wife, the words would be, "Go home." She never failed to deliver the message to the right place. Once I sent her with an order for eggs. When she was about half way up the two hundred and fifty foot bluff, two friends of mine, as they were starting down the bluff, happened to see Jess coming with the message, (they knew about her prowness), so they made a pretense to take it away from her, to see what would happen, but she gave them the slip; so adroitly and swiftly was it done, that they were overwhelmed with amazement. They told me about the incident a few minutes after they arrived at the Cannery.
I often had Jess with me when I worked at the Cannery. She would always lie under my work bench, and therefore bothered no one. One day I had to go out among the fish traps to direct the placing of watchman's houses on the pot of each trap. The skipper, assigned to take me out to the traps, was a deep sea captain, Oliver by name, rather harsh in manner, but none the less a very fine man. When everything was ready, I went aboard. The tide was extemely low (21 feet from the wharf to the deck of the boat). On the deck were chains, coils of rope, a big anchor, gypsy and a steam winch; there was hardly standing room in front of the pilot house. I had forgotten to tell Jess to go home when I boarded the boat. So, just as I was getting into the pilot house, Jess alighted in the only vacant space on the foredeck, barely large enough to recieve her. The deckhand, no friend of dogs, threatened to throw her overboard. Just at that moment, Captain Oliver exclaimed, "My God! not in all my born days have I ever seen anything that equals this. Johnson, don't you touch that wonderful dog."
I told the captain that I could easily send the dog home. "No, he said, "the dog risked his life to be with you; so here he stays till we are through; bring him into the pilot house."
When I first started teaching Jess tricks, she failed to understand what I wished for her to do. She was then about eight months old. I placed a small block of wood on her nose and held it there lightly while I counted up to three, then made her toss it up as I said, "Catch" but the block fell to the ground. I repeated the procedure several times with no better success. I could plainly see that she was puzzled. She already was a superb retriever. I wound up a small ball of yarn. I threw the ball several times, and she would joyfully retrieve it. Then, as I said "catch" I tossed the ball straight to her,, but she would always grab it as it struck the ground. Then I attached a string to the ball, directed her to sit down, and swung it slowly in her direction, saying “Catch” in a low voice, so as not to get her excited. I continued this playfully for a moment with a slow, rhythmic movement, then she suddenly opened her mouth and grabbed the swinging ball. I petted and made much of her and treated her to a lump of sugar, to show how pleased I was with her performance. It was easily seen that she was pleased herself. When she had repeated the act as often as I wished, I removed the string from the ball and tossed it toward her; she caught it like a veteran and was eager for a repetition. Next, I contrived to have her toss the ball from her nose with my assistance. In a trice, she mastered that trick too. Finally, I took from my pocket a cube of sugar and balanced it carefully on her nose, then playfully sung out, “one, two three, catch.” She adroitly flipped the cube and caught it. Finally, after several repetitions, I have the order “eat” and she immediately started to crunch the cube of sugar; having learned the meaning of that order. After this, I encountered no difficulties in teaching Jess any trick or task. All I had to do was to show her the mode of procedure and she would immediately comprehend, as she possessed a tenacious memory.
Jess was an excellent bird dog. She could be directed in the field or in the water just by hand signals. She could also handle cattle effectively. When she was about a year old, I sent her to drive some stray cattle away. One of the creatures was ornery, so Jess snapped at it’s right hind foot; being her first encounter with cattle, she wasn’t aware of the danger that she was running in to; the kick caught her squarely on the head and all but knocked her out. But never again, she became an expert dogger.
For a year and a half we were obliged to go once a week to Ladner’s landing for our mail. Every third week, from the end of September to the first of April it was my turn to go. Sometimes, partly for diversion and at the same time for the purpose of training Jess, I would pick up an object and show her, then lay it on the ground, stump or a fallen tree. When I first tried the experiment, I walked about a mile before I sent her back for the object by saying “Jess, go fetch.” A few minutes later, she was back with the article. Next trial, her round trip was over six miles. The object was a fir cone.
An incident of this nature took place some months later. Bent Sivertz (Bent came with us from Victoria, B.C. when we moved to Point Roberts in 1894) and I had to go to Ladner’s Landing, Bent on business, I for the mail. None of the settlers owned a horse at that time; so going from one place to another was invariably traveled on foot. On our way, Jess would often strike a scent of a bird or a rabbit, and would have chased them, goodness knows where to, had I not ordered her to “heel.” Bent marveled at how well Jess minded.
We didn’t stay in the village any longer than we actually had to, because the round trip was a whole day’s journey on foot. In the outskirts of the town we came upon a pheasant. As Jess started pursuit, I ordered her to “heel” she obeyed at once. “Under such circumstances,” Bent remarked, “not one dog in a thousand would have obeyed the “heel” order, so mildly given, as this one did.” I told Bent that Jess would obey any order instantly if she understood the meaning of the order. We stood near a fence that had recently been repaired. Close by, I saw a piece of wood, about three inches long, 1 ½ inches wide by ¼ o an inch thick, which I picked up and showed Jess just before laying it down in an inconspicuous place by the fence. Jess was all attention. Then we continued onwards. When we were close to Whalen’s place, about ten miles from the aforementioned spot, I said to Jess, “go fetch.” Off she dashed like a streak of lightening. We were now about two and a half miles from Bent’s house and three and a quarter miles from mine. Just as we were reaching Bent’s gate, Jess returned with the piece of wood left by the fence at the southern outskirts of Ladner’s Landing.
This performance was such a surprise to Bent, that he was rendered speechless for a moment. Looking at Jess and the piece of wood as he remarked, “this is the most remarkable performance I have ever witnessed; not only bringing what she was sent for, but the great distance covered while we, although leisurely, walked approximately two and a half miles; it’s amazing.”
After Jess had mastered the art of catching a ball, tossing up light objects with her nose, and her mouth – which she could do without any assistance – and catch them every time, toting a stick of wood for the stove and running errands, she would often come to me, when my work at the cannery for the season was over, and fairly beg me to perform something new. She, of course, couldn’t speak, but would playfully come and touch my hand with her ice cold nose, then scamper off a few feet, wheel around and come back again.
The first time she did this I thought she had spotted a grouse and wanted me to come bag it; but thinking back, I recalled that when this happened to be her intention, she would bound into the forest, tree the bird and start barking, which she would keep up until I came. But this time she apparently just wanted to play. I took my cap off and laid it on a huge granite rock that stood a short distance west of the house. “Jess,” I said, “fetch my cap.” At once she understood and brought the cap to me, beaming with joy. Then, I put the cap in several different places with like results. Then, dismissing Jess with a pat and a praise, I went into my workshop to complete a partially finished project. After quite some time, I went out, leaving the door a jar. In her house, Jess was slumbering away. When I called her, she came scudding out with an expectant look. “Jess,” I said, “where is my cap?” She glanced up at my bare head, then looked towards the big rock and the other places she had seen me put it before. Then she looked around, in various directions with an anxious eye. Finally, she sidled into the workshop and quickly brought the cap with a very satisfied look for she could see how pleased I was. I then treated her to a bowl of milk and some cookies.
In playing this game I always placed the cap in such a way that the visor at least could be plainly seen, but would often be out of her reach. When this happened to be the case, she would omit a subdued yelp and point or jump toward it. In this quest she took more pride than in any other diversion.
I would often have her perform for friends, which she was always delighted to do. When I built our little house, in the fall of 1894, we had very little money, so the house had to be constructed as cheaply as possible. The main house was a 12’ by 24’ foot structure with a lean-to 10’ by 14’ kitchen. The main building was divided into two rooms, a living room and a bedchamber. The bedroom had a nine foot ceiling, while the living room’s overhead interior was the full height from the floor to the peak of the rafters. This provided a space above the bedroom ceiling with an open attic that formed a huge shelf, which, with the aid of a step ladder was sometimes used as such.
I had never used this open attic as a hiding place for my cap or anything else for Jess to ferret out. One day, several friends were enjoying watching Jess doing some of her stunts. As a diversion, I had her find my cap. I told the visitors that I was going to hide an article in a place, which I had never before used for this purpose. Taking one of my friends with me, as an observer, I entered the living room, leaving the others outside with Jess.
From a step ladder I placed my cap on the edge of the attic floor, with only half of the visor exposed to view. When we came out again, the others were amusing themselves by having Jess flipping up and catching a small flat stone, expertly performed. “Jess,” I said, “where is my cap?” She looked at me and saw that I was bareheaded. She looked in likely places in the yard for a short while, then went to the kitchen door and indicated that she wanted to get in. I opened the door. She looked in every nook in the kitchen. Next, she darted into the living room, looking everywhere; then round bout the bedroom. Finding no hint so far, she went out again, this time to the workshop. After futile efforts there, she ran back into the house again. This time we didn’t follow Jess, but left her to herself. In an incredibly short time we heard that familiar subdued yelp. When we came in she was looking at the cap’s visor, then made several quick, short leaps towards it, pointing out to us where the cap was located.
I shall never forget the overpowering surprise of my friends, nor their lavish praises, which Jess seemed to understand and delightedly appreciate.
The first winter we were in Point Roberts I met a fisherman, who went by the name of Sardine Pete, a native of Sweden. He fished in various places during summertime, but wintered here. The only thing Pete had in his keeping was a small, female bulldog, which he called Nell. Nell was an excellent water dog. When a school of salmon surfaced close by, Pete would, on some occasions, let Nell jump over the side of the boat. She would then single out a fish and suddenly seize it, bringing it to the side of the boat where Pete could gaff and land it. She was also famous for retrieving ducks and Brants – which were plentiful here at that time – even in a roaring sea.
In the fall of 1896, Sardine Pete decided to go back to his native country for good. Not being able to take Nell along, he tearfully begged me to adopt her, for he said he knew I would treat her well. So out of pity, I took Nell off his hands.
At this juncture, Jess was two years old. As soon as Pete was gone and Nell ensconsed in her house, Jess started to observe the newcomer from a safe distance; she had already determined that Nell, bulldog like, had no liking for her. Although Nell displayed spitefulness towards strange dogs, she was very meek and gentle when it came to human beings. Nell was getting old and hard of hearing and at times refused to eat for days. Now and then, to whet her appetite, I would concoct a toothsome evening feed. But still, in her extreme spells, she was in no hurry to help herself, even to such a dish.
Jess was endowed with an acute sense of smell, while Nell was extremely deficient in that respect, she proved useless for tracking birds or other small game. When someone was approaching, it was invariably Jess who would catch the scent and dash off into the forest barking impetuously, for she rarely knew from what direction the visitor was coming. In a short time, Jess appeared to be aware of Nell’s weakness and began to make use of it.
Early in the summer of 1897 my wife was obliged to go to Victoria, B.C., and stay there for quite sometime. So it fell entirely upon me to take care of both the dogs. I’d feed them early in the morning before going to work, and again in the evening when I came back from the cannery.
Both dogs remained faithfully at home without being tied.
Once again Nell was having a spell of indifference to food of any sort. One evening, when I got home from work, I saw that she had not touched her breakfast. She was lying with her head on her feet in the doorway of her house, in order to prevent Jess from stealing her portion of food. On this evening, I came home unusually late. The manager was explaining to me at length the project I was to start the following day. Jess was getting extremely impatient, because of her hunger, but Nell had not taken a bite of the morning’s ration. I quickly prepared an appetizing repast for Nell, and because of the lateness of the day, gave Jess a share of the same preparation. I sat down on the doorstep to watch the two dogs. When Jess was through gobbling up her dinner, she cast a glance at Nell, who appeared to be sleeping soundly; so unhesitatingly, she darted over to Nell’s dish, to consume it’s contents.
But Jess had no sooner reached the dish when Nell sprang out of her house and bit Jess unmercifully. Nell returned to her house without eating her food. Jess ran off a short distance and sat down deep in thought. Then, without warning, she began to bark excitedly and bound off in the direction of the woods. Instantly, Nell was on her feet and dashed after Jess. No sooner had Nell whizzed by than Jess turned abruptly back and headed straight for Nell’s dish of food and began gobbling as fast as she could, knowing from past experience that Nell would be back in a short time. At this juncture, I could not find it in my heart to interfere. Only by reason of her superior intelligence had she succeeded in acquiring her objective.
Excerpt from Arni S. Myrdal's journals
I selected Jess from a litter of six when she was seven weeks old. A week later I brought her home. Her mother was a spaniel, her male parent a collie. As she grew up she took more and more like her sire in appearance, but more docile, and excelled him in intelligence and aptitude, although he was a very apt dog himself.
We had then a young tri-colored she cat, which we named Tricol. Jess and Tricol soon became very good friends. They played together and slept in the same place and were constant companions. In this way they passed their first fall and winter.
One fine day, in the early summer of 1895, my wife and I set our canoe afloat. Jess and Tricol followed us to the beach. As we started to paddle away, Jess plunged into the water and followed us. Tricol made several attempts to follow her companion, but like all cats, hated to get herself wet, so she quickly decided to keep abreast of us by running along the water's edge. When we beached our canoe, about an hour later, she was there to meet us.
Not long after this, on a warm, sunny day, we went boating again, and of course the playmates followed us to the water's edge as we launched the canoe for the second time that summer. As before, Jess leapt into the water and followed close astern. This time, Tricol, without hesitating, boldly followed her companion. We immediately slowed to a mere crawl, in order to see how things were going to fare with Tricol. Although Tricol fell somewhat behind, she kept right on swimming. And thus it happened time and time again while Tricol lived. Tricol is the only cat that I have known to take voluntarily to the water; and the strangest thing of all, she seemed to enjoy it immensely.
I began training Jess when she was very young. I never whipped her nor scolded, for she was very high strung. She obeyed well when she understood what it was that one wished her to do. About the first important task I taught her to perform, was to carry a small empty milk can to my parent's home.
In a short while, Jess became a most reliable errand runner. I frequently sent her to the Cannery, where I worked, to my home or to mother's home, with an order for eggs or butter. I would write up the order or message on a piece of paper, fold it up, place it in a partly split end of a small stick and then give it to Jess. If the missive was to be delivered to mother, I would say, as I gave Jess the stick, "Go over," if to my wife, the words would be, "Go home." She never failed to deliver the message to the right place. Once I sent her with an order for eggs. When she was about half way up the two hundred and fifty foot bluff, two friends of mine, as they were starting down the bluff, happened to see Jess coming with the message, (they knew about her prowness), so they made a pretense to take it away from her, to see what would happen, but she gave them the slip; so adroitly and swiftly was it done, that they were overwhelmed with amazement. They told me about the incident a few minutes after they arrived at the Cannery.
I often had Jess with me when I worked at the Cannery. She would always lie under my work bench, and therefore bothered no one. One day I had to go out among the fish traps to direct the placing of watchman's houses on the pot of each trap. The skipper, assigned to take me out to the traps, was a deep sea captain, Oliver by name, rather harsh in manner, but none the less a very fine man. When everything was ready, I went aboard. The tide was extemely low (21 feet from the wharf to the deck of the boat). On the deck were chains, coils of rope, a big anchor, gypsy and a steam winch; there was hardly standing room in front of the pilot house. I had forgotten to tell Jess to go home when I boarded the boat. So, just as I was getting into the pilot house, Jess alighted in the only vacant space on the foredeck, barely large enough to recieve her. The deckhand, no friend of dogs, threatened to throw her overboard. Just at that moment, Captain Oliver exclaimed, "My God! not in all my born days have I ever seen anything that equals this. Johnson, don't you touch that wonderful dog."
I told the captain that I could easily send the dog home. "No, he said, "the dog risked his life to be with you; so here he stays till we are through; bring him into the pilot house."
When I first started teaching Jess tricks, she failed to understand what I wished for her to do. She was then about eight months old. I placed a small block of wood on her nose and held it there lightly while I counted up to three, then made her toss it up as I said, "Catch" but the block fell to the ground. I repeated the procedure several times with no better success. I could plainly see that she was puzzled. She already was a superb retriever. I wound up a small ball of yarn. I threw the ball several times, and she would joyfully retrieve it. Then, as I said "catch" I tossed the ball straight to her,, but she would always grab it as it struck the ground. Then I attached a string to the ball, directed her to sit down, and swung it slowly in her direction, saying “Catch” in a low voice, so as not to get her excited. I continued this playfully for a moment with a slow, rhythmic movement, then she suddenly opened her mouth and grabbed the swinging ball. I petted and made much of her and treated her to a lump of sugar, to show how pleased I was with her performance. It was easily seen that she was pleased herself. When she had repeated the act as often as I wished, I removed the string from the ball and tossed it toward her; she caught it like a veteran and was eager for a repetition. Next, I contrived to have her toss the ball from her nose with my assistance. In a trice, she mastered that trick too. Finally, I took from my pocket a cube of sugar and balanced it carefully on her nose, then playfully sung out, “one, two three, catch.” She adroitly flipped the cube and caught it. Finally, after several repetitions, I have the order “eat” and she immediately started to crunch the cube of sugar; having learned the meaning of that order. After this, I encountered no difficulties in teaching Jess any trick or task. All I had to do was to show her the mode of procedure and she would immediately comprehend, as she possessed a tenacious memory.
Jess was an excellent bird dog. She could be directed in the field or in the water just by hand signals. She could also handle cattle effectively. When she was about a year old, I sent her to drive some stray cattle away. One of the creatures was ornery, so Jess snapped at it’s right hind foot; being her first encounter with cattle, she wasn’t aware of the danger that she was running in to; the kick caught her squarely on the head and all but knocked her out. But never again, she became an expert dogger.
For a year and a half we were obliged to go once a week to Ladner’s landing for our mail. Every third week, from the end of September to the first of April it was my turn to go. Sometimes, partly for diversion and at the same time for the purpose of training Jess, I would pick up an object and show her, then lay it on the ground, stump or a fallen tree. When I first tried the experiment, I walked about a mile before I sent her back for the object by saying “Jess, go fetch.” A few minutes later, she was back with the article. Next trial, her round trip was over six miles. The object was a fir cone.
An incident of this nature took place some months later. Bent Sivertz (Bent came with us from Victoria, B.C. when we moved to Point Roberts in 1894) and I had to go to Ladner’s Landing, Bent on business, I for the mail. None of the settlers owned a horse at that time; so going from one place to another was invariably traveled on foot. On our way, Jess would often strike a scent of a bird or a rabbit, and would have chased them, goodness knows where to, had I not ordered her to “heel.” Bent marveled at how well Jess minded.
We didn’t stay in the village any longer than we actually had to, because the round trip was a whole day’s journey on foot. In the outskirts of the town we came upon a pheasant. As Jess started pursuit, I ordered her to “heel” she obeyed at once. “Under such circumstances,” Bent remarked, “not one dog in a thousand would have obeyed the “heel” order, so mildly given, as this one did.” I told Bent that Jess would obey any order instantly if she understood the meaning of the order. We stood near a fence that had recently been repaired. Close by, I saw a piece of wood, about three inches long, 1 ½ inches wide by ¼ o an inch thick, which I picked up and showed Jess just before laying it down in an inconspicuous place by the fence. Jess was all attention. Then we continued onwards. When we were close to Whalen’s place, about ten miles from the aforementioned spot, I said to Jess, “go fetch.” Off she dashed like a streak of lightening. We were now about two and a half miles from Bent’s house and three and a quarter miles from mine. Just as we were reaching Bent’s gate, Jess returned with the piece of wood left by the fence at the southern outskirts of Ladner’s Landing.
This performance was such a surprise to Bent, that he was rendered speechless for a moment. Looking at Jess and the piece of wood as he remarked, “this is the most remarkable performance I have ever witnessed; not only bringing what she was sent for, but the great distance covered while we, although leisurely, walked approximately two and a half miles; it’s amazing.”
After Jess had mastered the art of catching a ball, tossing up light objects with her nose, and her mouth – which she could do without any assistance – and catch them every time, toting a stick of wood for the stove and running errands, she would often come to me, when my work at the cannery for the season was over, and fairly beg me to perform something new. She, of course, couldn’t speak, but would playfully come and touch my hand with her ice cold nose, then scamper off a few feet, wheel around and come back again.
The first time she did this I thought she had spotted a grouse and wanted me to come bag it; but thinking back, I recalled that when this happened to be her intention, she would bound into the forest, tree the bird and start barking, which she would keep up until I came. But this time she apparently just wanted to play. I took my cap off and laid it on a huge granite rock that stood a short distance west of the house. “Jess,” I said, “fetch my cap.” At once she understood and brought the cap to me, beaming with joy. Then, I put the cap in several different places with like results. Then, dismissing Jess with a pat and a praise, I went into my workshop to complete a partially finished project. After quite some time, I went out, leaving the door a jar. In her house, Jess was slumbering away. When I called her, she came scudding out with an expectant look. “Jess,” I said, “where is my cap?” She glanced up at my bare head, then looked towards the big rock and the other places she had seen me put it before. Then she looked around, in various directions with an anxious eye. Finally, she sidled into the workshop and quickly brought the cap with a very satisfied look for she could see how pleased I was. I then treated her to a bowl of milk and some cookies.
In playing this game I always placed the cap in such a way that the visor at least could be plainly seen, but would often be out of her reach. When this happened to be the case, she would omit a subdued yelp and point or jump toward it. In this quest she took more pride than in any other diversion.
I would often have her perform for friends, which she was always delighted to do. When I built our little house, in the fall of 1894, we had very little money, so the house had to be constructed as cheaply as possible. The main house was a 12’ by 24’ foot structure with a lean-to 10’ by 14’ kitchen. The main building was divided into two rooms, a living room and a bedchamber. The bedroom had a nine foot ceiling, while the living room’s overhead interior was the full height from the floor to the peak of the rafters. This provided a space above the bedroom ceiling with an open attic that formed a huge shelf, which, with the aid of a step ladder was sometimes used as such.
I had never used this open attic as a hiding place for my cap or anything else for Jess to ferret out. One day, several friends were enjoying watching Jess doing some of her stunts. As a diversion, I had her find my cap. I told the visitors that I was going to hide an article in a place, which I had never before used for this purpose. Taking one of my friends with me, as an observer, I entered the living room, leaving the others outside with Jess.
From a step ladder I placed my cap on the edge of the attic floor, with only half of the visor exposed to view. When we came out again, the others were amusing themselves by having Jess flipping up and catching a small flat stone, expertly performed. “Jess,” I said, “where is my cap?” She looked at me and saw that I was bareheaded. She looked in likely places in the yard for a short while, then went to the kitchen door and indicated that she wanted to get in. I opened the door. She looked in every nook in the kitchen. Next, she darted into the living room, looking everywhere; then round bout the bedroom. Finding no hint so far, she went out again, this time to the workshop. After futile efforts there, she ran back into the house again. This time we didn’t follow Jess, but left her to herself. In an incredibly short time we heard that familiar subdued yelp. When we came in she was looking at the cap’s visor, then made several quick, short leaps towards it, pointing out to us where the cap was located.
I shall never forget the overpowering surprise of my friends, nor their lavish praises, which Jess seemed to understand and delightedly appreciate.
The first winter we were in Point Roberts I met a fisherman, who went by the name of Sardine Pete, a native of Sweden. He fished in various places during summertime, but wintered here. The only thing Pete had in his keeping was a small, female bulldog, which he called Nell. Nell was an excellent water dog. When a school of salmon surfaced close by, Pete would, on some occasions, let Nell jump over the side of the boat. She would then single out a fish and suddenly seize it, bringing it to the side of the boat where Pete could gaff and land it. She was also famous for retrieving ducks and Brants – which were plentiful here at that time – even in a roaring sea.
In the fall of 1896, Sardine Pete decided to go back to his native country for good. Not being able to take Nell along, he tearfully begged me to adopt her, for he said he knew I would treat her well. So out of pity, I took Nell off his hands.
At this juncture, Jess was two years old. As soon as Pete was gone and Nell ensconsed in her house, Jess started to observe the newcomer from a safe distance; she had already determined that Nell, bulldog like, had no liking for her. Although Nell displayed spitefulness towards strange dogs, she was very meek and gentle when it came to human beings. Nell was getting old and hard of hearing and at times refused to eat for days. Now and then, to whet her appetite, I would concoct a toothsome evening feed. But still, in her extreme spells, she was in no hurry to help herself, even to such a dish.
Jess was endowed with an acute sense of smell, while Nell was extremely deficient in that respect, she proved useless for tracking birds or other small game. When someone was approaching, it was invariably Jess who would catch the scent and dash off into the forest barking impetuously, for she rarely knew from what direction the visitor was coming. In a short time, Jess appeared to be aware of Nell’s weakness and began to make use of it.
Early in the summer of 1897 my wife was obliged to go to Victoria, B.C., and stay there for quite sometime. So it fell entirely upon me to take care of both the dogs. I’d feed them early in the morning before going to work, and again in the evening when I came back from the cannery.
Both dogs remained faithfully at home without being tied.
Once again Nell was having a spell of indifference to food of any sort. One evening, when I got home from work, I saw that she had not touched her breakfast. She was lying with her head on her feet in the doorway of her house, in order to prevent Jess from stealing her portion of food. On this evening, I came home unusually late. The manager was explaining to me at length the project I was to start the following day. Jess was getting extremely impatient, because of her hunger, but Nell had not taken a bite of the morning’s ration. I quickly prepared an appetizing repast for Nell, and because of the lateness of the day, gave Jess a share of the same preparation. I sat down on the doorstep to watch the two dogs. When Jess was through gobbling up her dinner, she cast a glance at Nell, who appeared to be sleeping soundly; so unhesitatingly, she darted over to Nell’s dish, to consume it’s contents.
But Jess had no sooner reached the dish when Nell sprang out of her house and bit Jess unmercifully. Nell returned to her house without eating her food. Jess ran off a short distance and sat down deep in thought. Then, without warning, she began to bark excitedly and bound off in the direction of the woods. Instantly, Nell was on her feet and dashed after Jess. No sooner had Nell whizzed by than Jess turned abruptly back and headed straight for Nell’s dish of food and began gobbling as fast as she could, knowing from past experience that Nell would be back in a short time. At this juncture, I could not find it in my heart to interfere. Only by reason of her superior intelligence had she succeeded in acquiring her objective.
Excerpt from Arni S. Myrdal's journals
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Roberts City and Semiahmoo City, 1858
One of my favorite activities as a child was exploring old, collapsed settler homes in search of old bottles, dishes and other artifacts from the turn of the century.
Both Point Roberts and Birch Point had several old cabins tucked away on the flats or in the woods when I was growing up. My mother grew up at Point Roberts and regularly visited Birch Point (Where another Alaska Packer's Cannery was operating) so she remembered where some of the first structures were located. Most of the log huts were built by individuals who worked at the Alaska Packer's Cannery. By the time I was old enough to explore, most of the buildings had collapsed and folded back into the landscape from which they had been built; and, it took a sharp eye to pick out the outline of the remains of the rotting huts among the fallen logs, ferns and moss.
I didn't find much. A few pieces of broken china, a very moldy catalog and dozens and dozens of old bottles and jars buried in the ground.
British author R.C. Mayne describes the birth of "Point Roberts City" and "Semiahmoo City" in a series of articles and a book that was published around 1862.
The enclosed document is from my mother's collection. My mother wrote a number of historical articles about Blaine and Point Roberts and translated some of the old documents that were originally written in Icelandic to English. She passed away in July of 1998 from complications from a series of strokes.
July 12, 1858 – “Since our last visit, the greater part of the Spits and all of the level land at the extreme of Point Roberts have been “pre-empted,” half a dozen wooden huts had been built on each and called respectively Semiahmoo and Roberts City. My English readers who know only the “cities” of that old world should be informed that, in such a rapidly progressing country as America, any spot whereon a liquor-store and a post-office, with two or three huts about them, are built, is immediately named a “city.” All over the country these “bogus” cities, as the more staid Americans call them, are to be found. Many of course, to use their own phrase, “cave in” and this was the fate of Roberts and Semiahmoo Cities, for in less than six months they were deserted.” R.C. Mayne,“Four Years in British Columbia and Vancouver Island, London: John Murray, 1862, pg. 52).
"When the first runs to the diggings commenced, Point Roberts, upon or near where there was no house or any symptom of one being built, was at once fixed upon as the site of an important city and half a dozen buildings sprang up on the flat in front of the bluff, where, while the stream of boats and canoes was pouring up the river, they drove a brisk and flourishing trade in whisky especially. But when the rush subsided, and steamers took the place of boats and canoes in which the earliest minors had made their hazardous passage from Victoria, Roberts found its occupation gone, and nothing but the remains of two or three log huts marks the site of the departed city.” (R.C. Mayne, Four Years in British Columbia and Vancouver Island, pg. 81).
The doom of Roberts City was the arrival of the steamboats, which, besides being safer than the flimsy craft used heretofore, were faster. And, except on rare occasions, Roberts City was not a scheduled port of call.
But, in its short history, there is no doubt it saw a lot of life. It would not be surprising if many of those who were forced to roam by the Vigilante and Law and Order Committees of San Francisco paused here, and maybe even some of the personal feuds which began on the shores of the Golden Gate were continued at Roberts City.
It’s not too difficult to imagine the grade of liquor peddled for a high price, which “made” Roberts City, for it is not likely it was any better, and it couldn’t have been any worse, than the villainess brandy sold at Fort Langley. A letter from the Fraser River diggings to the San Francisco Bulletin, dated December 17, 1858 and appearing January 3, 1859, said “it is fortunate for both countries that the officers of the Boundary Commission did not have the opportunity of sampling the Langley Cognac, or the ultimatum once hinted at by Mr. Polk, “54-40 or fight!” might have yet to be resorted to "in order to settle the knotty question.”
Perhaps it was too much “Langley Cognac,” mixed with miner’s optimism, or perhaps they really thought they had something, but on October 7, 1858, the Victoria Gazette reported: “We are informed by Thomas E. Gray of Point Roberts, that placer diggings and auriferous quartz leads have been discovered on the Squamish at the head oh Howe Sound.
By the 19th of the month a couple of boats were being fitted up to take parties to the new diggings, for, as the Gazette stated, “Everybody in Point Roberts is perfectly satisfied that the gold lies on the Squamish instead of the Fraser and the Thompson Rivers…”
Exactly a month after this report appeared, Point Roberts had a number of distinguished visitors, headed by James Douglas, who was on his way to Fort Langley to be sworn in as Governor and to launch the new Crown Colony of British Columbia. A letter dated, “New Fort Langley, 20th of November, 1858” appeared in the Gazette for November 25th:
“Yesterday, the birthday of British Columbia was ushered in by a steady rain, which continued perseveringly throughout the whole day and in a great measure marred the solemnity of the proclamation of the Colony. His Excellency, Governor Douglas, with suite comprising Rear Admiral Baynes (commanding naval forces on the Pacific station)’ Mr. Cameron, the respected Chief Justice of Vancouver Island; Mr. Begbie, the newly appointed Judge of British Columbia; Mr. Lira, and others proceeded on board H.M. ship Satellite, Captain Prevost, on Wednesday morning, by the Canal De Haro to Point Roberts, where His Excellency remained during the night. On Thursday, His Excellency and suite were conveyed by the Hudson’s Bay Company’ s screw steamer Otter to the Company’s steamship Beaver which was lying moored within the mouth of the Fraser River…”
In this connection it is interesting to note that, although not a scrap of visible evidence remains to show the existence of the Roberts City of the gold rush era, the biographer of James Douglas, Dr. Walter N. Sage of Vancouver, B.C. is the owner of property near the site of the City.”
The dying days of Roberts City appear to be those of tragedy. On March 5th, 1859, the Victoria Colonist reported "Six unidentified persons had drowned in attempt to cross from Semiahmoo to Point Roberts." In the newspaper account names of several residents of the Point are given: Captain Alexander McLane, Thomas E. Gray, who acted as coroner at the inquest into the tragedy, and the jurors, A Prescott, W. Fitzpatrick, J. Cohn, W. Tuke, M. Erkstine, Harvey C. Snow and J.C. Baar.
Another tragedy occurred on April 17th, 1859, and was reported in the Colonist for April 30th. It said, "the second son of Captain McLane had been burned to death when fire destroyed their home." On July 18th, according to the Colonist for July 22nd, fire destroyed William Fitzpatrick’s store causing $5,000 dollars damage and also burned the “building formerly occupied by Captain McLean.”
No further references to Point Roberts appear in the Victoria newspapers until the 1890.s, and for the obituary to “Roberts’s town” we must turn to the description of the Point that appeared in the Vancouver Island Pilot for 1864.
“Roberts Point is the termination of a remarkable promontory which stretches southerly from the Delta of the Fraser River. It presents a broad face to the south, and its southern extreme is a little more than 1 ¾ miles south of the 49th parallel of latitude; the eastern point of the promontory is a remarkable white faced cliff, 200 feet high, its summit crowned with trees; from it the land gradually falls westward and terminates in Roberts Spit, a low single point, within which is a small space of level clear land, where a few wooden buildings were erected on the first discovery of gold in the Fraser River, and named Roberts town; for a few months it served as a depot for the minors, but it has long been deserted.”
Perhaps a sentinel to Roberts City still remains on the Point. Tradition says several men were buried at the base of a knarled old fir tree, on the old Sage property south of the Breakers. Some say this was a hangman’s tree, but the truth is probably less glamorous. (Bruce Ramsey, Unpublished manuscript).
The British had a company of soldiers garrisoned on Point Roberts (at the time of the boundary survey). There was quite a village on the point at the time, and several hotels one which was kept by the Wiley Brothers, and one by Captain McLean, who died a short time ago in New Westminister. The British forces opened the boundary line across Point Roberts, which is about three miles wide, and on the west side near the shores of the Gulf of Georgia sat a stone monument. Just as they were ready to place the shaft in position one of the soldiers died, and his body was buried at its base. Thus, the farthest west monument on the international boundary line is also the grave stone of a British Soldier.
The British forces remained on Point Roberts several years, and had a garden to supply them with vegetables on what is now Blackie’s spit near the mouth of the Nicomekl River. (The Blaine Journal, December 19, 1889).
Both Point Roberts and Birch Point had several old cabins tucked away on the flats or in the woods when I was growing up. My mother grew up at Point Roberts and regularly visited Birch Point (Where another Alaska Packer's Cannery was operating) so she remembered where some of the first structures were located. Most of the log huts were built by individuals who worked at the Alaska Packer's Cannery. By the time I was old enough to explore, most of the buildings had collapsed and folded back into the landscape from which they had been built; and, it took a sharp eye to pick out the outline of the remains of the rotting huts among the fallen logs, ferns and moss.
I didn't find much. A few pieces of broken china, a very moldy catalog and dozens and dozens of old bottles and jars buried in the ground.
British author R.C. Mayne describes the birth of "Point Roberts City" and "Semiahmoo City" in a series of articles and a book that was published around 1862.
The enclosed document is from my mother's collection. My mother wrote a number of historical articles about Blaine and Point Roberts and translated some of the old documents that were originally written in Icelandic to English. She passed away in July of 1998 from complications from a series of strokes.
July 12, 1858 – “Since our last visit, the greater part of the Spits and all of the level land at the extreme of Point Roberts have been “pre-empted,” half a dozen wooden huts had been built on each and called respectively Semiahmoo and Roberts City. My English readers who know only the “cities” of that old world should be informed that, in such a rapidly progressing country as America, any spot whereon a liquor-store and a post-office, with two or three huts about them, are built, is immediately named a “city.” All over the country these “bogus” cities, as the more staid Americans call them, are to be found. Many of course, to use their own phrase, “cave in” and this was the fate of Roberts and Semiahmoo Cities, for in less than six months they were deserted.” R.C. Mayne,“Four Years in British Columbia and Vancouver Island, London: John Murray, 1862, pg. 52).
"When the first runs to the diggings commenced, Point Roberts, upon or near where there was no house or any symptom of one being built, was at once fixed upon as the site of an important city and half a dozen buildings sprang up on the flat in front of the bluff, where, while the stream of boats and canoes was pouring up the river, they drove a brisk and flourishing trade in whisky especially. But when the rush subsided, and steamers took the place of boats and canoes in which the earliest minors had made their hazardous passage from Victoria, Roberts found its occupation gone, and nothing but the remains of two or three log huts marks the site of the departed city.” (R.C. Mayne, Four Years in British Columbia and Vancouver Island, pg. 81).
The doom of Roberts City was the arrival of the steamboats, which, besides being safer than the flimsy craft used heretofore, were faster. And, except on rare occasions, Roberts City was not a scheduled port of call.
But, in its short history, there is no doubt it saw a lot of life. It would not be surprising if many of those who were forced to roam by the Vigilante and Law and Order Committees of San Francisco paused here, and maybe even some of the personal feuds which began on the shores of the Golden Gate were continued at Roberts City.
It’s not too difficult to imagine the grade of liquor peddled for a high price, which “made” Roberts City, for it is not likely it was any better, and it couldn’t have been any worse, than the villainess brandy sold at Fort Langley. A letter from the Fraser River diggings to the San Francisco Bulletin, dated December 17, 1858 and appearing January 3, 1859, said “it is fortunate for both countries that the officers of the Boundary Commission did not have the opportunity of sampling the Langley Cognac, or the ultimatum once hinted at by Mr. Polk, “54-40 or fight!” might have yet to be resorted to "in order to settle the knotty question.”
Perhaps it was too much “Langley Cognac,” mixed with miner’s optimism, or perhaps they really thought they had something, but on October 7, 1858, the Victoria Gazette reported: “We are informed by Thomas E. Gray of Point Roberts, that placer diggings and auriferous quartz leads have been discovered on the Squamish at the head oh Howe Sound.
By the 19th of the month a couple of boats were being fitted up to take parties to the new diggings, for, as the Gazette stated, “Everybody in Point Roberts is perfectly satisfied that the gold lies on the Squamish instead of the Fraser and the Thompson Rivers…”
Exactly a month after this report appeared, Point Roberts had a number of distinguished visitors, headed by James Douglas, who was on his way to Fort Langley to be sworn in as Governor and to launch the new Crown Colony of British Columbia. A letter dated, “New Fort Langley, 20th of November, 1858” appeared in the Gazette for November 25th:
“Yesterday, the birthday of British Columbia was ushered in by a steady rain, which continued perseveringly throughout the whole day and in a great measure marred the solemnity of the proclamation of the Colony. His Excellency, Governor Douglas, with suite comprising Rear Admiral Baynes (commanding naval forces on the Pacific station)’ Mr. Cameron, the respected Chief Justice of Vancouver Island; Mr. Begbie, the newly appointed Judge of British Columbia; Mr. Lira, and others proceeded on board H.M. ship Satellite, Captain Prevost, on Wednesday morning, by the Canal De Haro to Point Roberts, where His Excellency remained during the night. On Thursday, His Excellency and suite were conveyed by the Hudson’s Bay Company’ s screw steamer Otter to the Company’s steamship Beaver which was lying moored within the mouth of the Fraser River…”
In this connection it is interesting to note that, although not a scrap of visible evidence remains to show the existence of the Roberts City of the gold rush era, the biographer of James Douglas, Dr. Walter N. Sage of Vancouver, B.C. is the owner of property near the site of the City.”
The dying days of Roberts City appear to be those of tragedy. On March 5th, 1859, the Victoria Colonist reported "Six unidentified persons had drowned in attempt to cross from Semiahmoo to Point Roberts." In the newspaper account names of several residents of the Point are given: Captain Alexander McLane, Thomas E. Gray, who acted as coroner at the inquest into the tragedy, and the jurors, A Prescott, W. Fitzpatrick, J. Cohn, W. Tuke, M. Erkstine, Harvey C. Snow and J.C. Baar.
Another tragedy occurred on April 17th, 1859, and was reported in the Colonist for April 30th. It said, "the second son of Captain McLane had been burned to death when fire destroyed their home." On July 18th, according to the Colonist for July 22nd, fire destroyed William Fitzpatrick’s store causing $5,000 dollars damage and also burned the “building formerly occupied by Captain McLean.”
No further references to Point Roberts appear in the Victoria newspapers until the 1890.s, and for the obituary to “Roberts’s town” we must turn to the description of the Point that appeared in the Vancouver Island Pilot for 1864.
“Roberts Point is the termination of a remarkable promontory which stretches southerly from the Delta of the Fraser River. It presents a broad face to the south, and its southern extreme is a little more than 1 ¾ miles south of the 49th parallel of latitude; the eastern point of the promontory is a remarkable white faced cliff, 200 feet high, its summit crowned with trees; from it the land gradually falls westward and terminates in Roberts Spit, a low single point, within which is a small space of level clear land, where a few wooden buildings were erected on the first discovery of gold in the Fraser River, and named Roberts town; for a few months it served as a depot for the minors, but it has long been deserted.”
Perhaps a sentinel to Roberts City still remains on the Point. Tradition says several men were buried at the base of a knarled old fir tree, on the old Sage property south of the Breakers. Some say this was a hangman’s tree, but the truth is probably less glamorous. (Bruce Ramsey, Unpublished manuscript).
The British had a company of soldiers garrisoned on Point Roberts (at the time of the boundary survey). There was quite a village on the point at the time, and several hotels one which was kept by the Wiley Brothers, and one by Captain McLean, who died a short time ago in New Westminister. The British forces opened the boundary line across Point Roberts, which is about three miles wide, and on the west side near the shores of the Gulf of Georgia sat a stone monument. Just as they were ready to place the shaft in position one of the soldiers died, and his body was buried at its base. Thus, the farthest west monument on the international boundary line is also the grave stone of a British Soldier.
The British forces remained on Point Roberts several years, and had a garden to supply them with vegetables on what is now Blackie’s spit near the mouth of the Nicomekl River. (The Blaine Journal, December 19, 1889).
A Working Day in a Cannery
Approaching Point Roberts from the water, one can see the low lying Lighthouse Point with it's sea marshes and fields of gently swaying grasses.
We follow a line of piles or thin poles that support netting made of strong twine. The meshes are about two inches square and covered with a tar-like substance. This is called a “lead,” the returning salmon think that they are near the Fraser and they begin to navigate around the obstruction in order to return to the river to spawn. They swim along the “lead,” which can be a half a mile long, until they come to the “heart” into which there is only one opening. The “heart” is encircled by a web and the fish pass on to an exit which leads them into the “pot.” The pot is constructed of web and the fish begin fighting with each other until most of their fins and scales are gone.
On this “pot” is constructed a small shelter and this is known as the night watchman’s station. The night watchman will sit here through the night with a lantern to protect the “pot” from gill-netters who sometimes robbed the pot rather than setting the nets for themselves.
The “pot” is heavy with fish and lies deep in the water, straining the lines and pilings that hold it in place. On this day, the fish are removed from the "pot" by a steam winch and placed in the scow of the boat. There are thousands of dead fish in the trap and the boat has to make multiple trips to empty the "pot."
At shore, in what is called the slaughterhouse, tugs, steamboats and scows unload their fish with picaroons, an instrument that consists of a curved hook on a long, wooden handle. The crew quickly throw the fish, one by one, on to a revolving wheel which is attached to a threshing machine for carrying the straw up the stack and away from the machine. This wheel automatically records the number of fish that are sent in to the cannery.
The silvery fish are tossed into glimmering heaps, among which several workers stand waist deep and pass them on again with picaroons to the cutters and cleaners. In some canneries, the cutters are Native American women, but in this cannery the workers are predominately Chinese. They use long, very sharp knives and cut the fish quickly and neatly. A good cutter can make $4 dollars during a ten hour work day.
The fish are then washed in several vats of salt water, placed in carts with open, slatted bottoms and taken over to the cannery by workers. Each time the cart is emptied it’s sprayed with water and sprinkled with course salt to clean it. The waste is thrown in the water, but on the Fraser River this is not allowed and a boat collects the waste and a company extracts fish oil from it before it uses the dried remains to make fertilizer.
In the main building, there are additional machines upon which the fish are laid and cut into lengths that are the right size for cans. Before the fish is added, a thimble full of salt is placed in the bottom of each can. The cans are filled by hand with small, pieces of clean, cut fish to fill in all of the spaces. This is done with great speed and dexterity.
Next, the cans are weighed and those that fell short were removed from the line and sent back to the fillers in trays.
Workers place a piece of “waste tin” on the top of the can to catch the solder from dropping on the fish when the test holes are filled. The cans are then sent to the topping machine where they turn head down in the hot solder. Once sealed, the cans are stacked on wooden trays and carried to the steam retort where they are placed in iron racks and pressure cooked in 220 lbs of steam for thirty minutes.
The cans are tested by being pierced by a hammer with a sharp point. If the can has been perfected, a jet of steam or water rises from it, if not perfected, the cans are removed and sent to a worker who re-solders the can so that it is “done over.” The good cans are soldered shut and placed in a huge drum where they are pressure cooked for an additional 65 minutes under 245 lbs of pressure. This is the most critical part of the pack and only very experienced workers are allowed to operate the steam gauges.
At the end of the cooking process, each tray of cans is pulled through a bath of lye water to remove debris and grease from the cans. The clean cans are moved to the cooling room for stacking. The heat from the cooling cans heats the cooling room for hours, so it is not a pleasant place to be on a hot summer's day. When the packing is over the cans were dipped in a bath of varnish to preclude any possibility of rust eating through them. Labels were applied by hand.
We follow a line of piles or thin poles that support netting made of strong twine. The meshes are about two inches square and covered with a tar-like substance. This is called a “lead,” the returning salmon think that they are near the Fraser and they begin to navigate around the obstruction in order to return to the river to spawn. They swim along the “lead,” which can be a half a mile long, until they come to the “heart” into which there is only one opening. The “heart” is encircled by a web and the fish pass on to an exit which leads them into the “pot.” The pot is constructed of web and the fish begin fighting with each other until most of their fins and scales are gone.
On this “pot” is constructed a small shelter and this is known as the night watchman’s station. The night watchman will sit here through the night with a lantern to protect the “pot” from gill-netters who sometimes robbed the pot rather than setting the nets for themselves.
The “pot” is heavy with fish and lies deep in the water, straining the lines and pilings that hold it in place. On this day, the fish are removed from the "pot" by a steam winch and placed in the scow of the boat. There are thousands of dead fish in the trap and the boat has to make multiple trips to empty the "pot."
At shore, in what is called the slaughterhouse, tugs, steamboats and scows unload their fish with picaroons, an instrument that consists of a curved hook on a long, wooden handle. The crew quickly throw the fish, one by one, on to a revolving wheel which is attached to a threshing machine for carrying the straw up the stack and away from the machine. This wheel automatically records the number of fish that are sent in to the cannery.
The silvery fish are tossed into glimmering heaps, among which several workers stand waist deep and pass them on again with picaroons to the cutters and cleaners. In some canneries, the cutters are Native American women, but in this cannery the workers are predominately Chinese. They use long, very sharp knives and cut the fish quickly and neatly. A good cutter can make $4 dollars during a ten hour work day.
The fish are then washed in several vats of salt water, placed in carts with open, slatted bottoms and taken over to the cannery by workers. Each time the cart is emptied it’s sprayed with water and sprinkled with course salt to clean it. The waste is thrown in the water, but on the Fraser River this is not allowed and a boat collects the waste and a company extracts fish oil from it before it uses the dried remains to make fertilizer.
In the main building, there are additional machines upon which the fish are laid and cut into lengths that are the right size for cans. Before the fish is added, a thimble full of salt is placed in the bottom of each can. The cans are filled by hand with small, pieces of clean, cut fish to fill in all of the spaces. This is done with great speed and dexterity.
Next, the cans are weighed and those that fell short were removed from the line and sent back to the fillers in trays.
Workers place a piece of “waste tin” on the top of the can to catch the solder from dropping on the fish when the test holes are filled. The cans are then sent to the topping machine where they turn head down in the hot solder. Once sealed, the cans are stacked on wooden trays and carried to the steam retort where they are placed in iron racks and pressure cooked in 220 lbs of steam for thirty minutes.
The cans are tested by being pierced by a hammer with a sharp point. If the can has been perfected, a jet of steam or water rises from it, if not perfected, the cans are removed and sent to a worker who re-solders the can so that it is “done over.” The good cans are soldered shut and placed in a huge drum where they are pressure cooked for an additional 65 minutes under 245 lbs of pressure. This is the most critical part of the pack and only very experienced workers are allowed to operate the steam gauges.
At the end of the cooking process, each tray of cans is pulled through a bath of lye water to remove debris and grease from the cans. The clean cans are moved to the cooling room for stacking. The heat from the cooling cans heats the cooling room for hours, so it is not a pleasant place to be on a hot summer's day. When the packing is over the cans were dipped in a bath of varnish to preclude any possibility of rust eating through them. Labels were applied by hand.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Lily Point Lease Agreement, 1892
One of the perks of being a “fifth generation” Whatcom County resident is having the responsibility of protecting a portion of the historical records that have been acquired by our family over the decades.My great grandfather, Arni S. Myrdal, along with his father; Sigurdsur Sigurdsson, were among the first families to settle at Point Roberts, Washington.
I'm publishing this piece in commemoration of the Whatcom Land Trust’s purchase of Lily Point, a place that I visited often with my great grandfather as a small child. And, in tribute to Arni, who worked hard to protect the environment and especially the Blue Herons that nested in the trees at Point Roberts.
I only knew my great grandfather for a couple of years before he died. He was 93 years old when I met him. But he would be waiting for me every day after school at the school bus stop and we would walk to Lily Point and other parts of Point Roberts so he could teach me about the flora, fauna and history of this unique but tiny corner of the world.
I have in my possession a map of "Squatter’s Claims" in Point Roberts in 1904. For those who are not familiar with the history of Point Roberts, it's important to note that the Point was originally set aside as a military reserve. But it's value was negligible, since it was isolated and more than seven miles away from any other U.S. possession. Eventually, a group of "Squatters" petitioned the President of the United States for Homesteader Rights. My great-great grandfather and my great grandfather were two of the "squatters" who were eventually granted homesteader rights by the U.S. government.
In 1904, the property collectively known as "Lily Point" was listed as the property of Kate Waller, Arni S. Myrdal and S. Sigurdsson, my great, great grandfather. (Our family name in Iceland was Sigurdsson- they adopted the name "Myrdal" when they immigrated to the United States).
Arni Myrdal was the former manager of the Alaska Packers Cannery, which had operated on the site in the early 1900's. It was one of the largest fish canneries ever built on the West Coast.
Point Roberts, the most Northwest portion of the United States, (if we except Alaska), is the Southern point of a peninsula of British Columbia, east of the entrance to the Fraser River and contains about four square miles of land.
Mrs. Kate Waller, arrived in Blaine in 1876, from California and homesteaded 150 acres at Point Roberts. These were the famous fishing grounds established by her deceased husband, Captain John Waller.
Captain Henry Roeder, who had much fish trapping experience on Lake Erie and at Sacramento instructed John Waller as to the construction of fish traps. Later, this trap location was sold for $25,000.00, an enormous price for that period of history, but a most profitable investment for the purchasers, as many hundreds of thousands of dollars of Salmon had been harvested there.
Drysdale's Semiahmoo Cannery put up a fair pack in 1892, and in January of 1893, A.E. Wadhams commenced work on a similar cannery at Point Roberts, where Drysdale had located and was establishing fish traps. Joseph Goodfellow constructed the trap and L.D. Pike operated the two traps. By March, W.A. Wooding's Fairhaven Mill shipped 100,000 feet of lumber for the Wadham's Cannery. In June, a lawsuit was filed challenging Kate Waller's riparian (shoreline rights), but the State Lands Commissioner found in her favor, and the other Point Roberts fisheries had to observe the fish trap license law. (Lottie Roeder Roth, ed., History of Whatcom County, Vol. I, pg. 662). During the 1930's fish traps were outlawed by Initiative 77, for fish population depletion reasons.
Arni Myrdal was also one of the founding members of the Washington State Audubon Society and worked hard throughout his life to preserve the Blue Heron population at Point Roberts. He was still participating in Audubon bird counts at the age of 95. My mother (Lily) was raised by Arni and Sara, my great grandfather and great grandmother. She was the first born of eight children, and arrived just in time for the great depression. Her parents (my grand parents) could not afford to raise her, so they left her with my great grandparents.
So, here's a bit of history regarding the leasing rights for the Cannery located at Lily Point.
Kate Waller to Edmund A. Wadhams Lease.
This indenture, made duplicate this 17th day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two between Kate Waller, of Whatcom County Washington, party of the first part and Edmund A. Wadhams, party of the second part, --
Witnesseth: That the said party of the first part in consideration of the rents, covenants and agreements hereinafter reserved and contained by the said party of the second part to be paid, kept and performed has demised and let and by these presents does demise and let unto the said party of the second part all that certain lot, price or parcel of land situate and lying in the said County of Whatcom, and the State of Washington and described as follows, to wit: Lots One (1) and two(2) of Section One (1) and lots two(2) and Three (3) of Section 12 (12) in Township numbered forty (40) North of Range Three (3) west, containing One Hundred and Thirty-seven and three quarters (137 ¾) acres of land more or less, together with the tide flats, timber growing thereon for fuel and building purposes, including the right to use the same for building wharves, docks, ware-houses and cannery, the rights thereon, and the exclusive rights of all fishing privileges and that may beholden by the party of the first part, by reason of the ownership of all the shore line of said premises and all riparian and littoral rights whatever belonging and appurtenant to said lands, including the right to drive piles and make other improvements in front of said premises, to Have and to Hold unto the said party of the second part, for and during and until the full end and term of ten (10) years commencing on the first day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety three and then next ensuing: yielding and paying therefore unto the said party of the first part or her legal representatives, the yearly rent or the sum of Twelve Hundred Dollars ($1,200) payable semi-annually in advance, that is to say the sum of the Six hundred dollars ($600.00) to be paid on the first day of July A.D 1893 and a like sum of Six hundred dollars to be paid on the first day of January and the first day of July of each and every year thereafter until the said term shall be fully complete and ended.
And it is mutually covenanted and agreed by and between the parties to these presents, for themselves and their respective heirs, executors and assigns as follows: That in case said party of the second part should erect any buildings or structures upon said premises, during the life of said lease, that, at the determination of this lease, the party of the first part, her heirs, or assigns shall pay the reasonable value of the improvements by him erected, and which shall be then remaining upon said premises, such valuation to be determined and ascertained by arbitration: each party to choose a disinterested person to estimate the value of said buildings or structures and adjust a fair and proper value thereon, and in case said persons can not agree upon such valuation, then the two arbitrators so appointed shall then appoint a third person whose decision shall fix and determine the same and shall bind all parties: said arbitration to be at the mutual expense of both parties.
And, it is mutually covenanted and agreed by and between the parties to these presents, for themselves and their representatives, heirs, executors or assigns that the party of the first part shall pay all taxes, charges and impositions, whatever on said real estate, above described and that the party of the second part, shall pay all taxes, charges and impositions, whatever on said real estate, above described and that the party of the second part, shall pay all taxes, charges and impositions upon improvements by his representatives, heirs, executors or assigns shall erect or cause to be erected upon said premises, and the said party of the second part in consideration of the premises, and of One dollar paid to him by said party of the first part, the receipt by whereof is hereby acknowledged, hereby covenants, promises and agrees to and with the said party of the first part, her heirs, executors, administrators and assigns to take said premises for the term aforesaid and pay the said rent therefore at the times and in the manner herein before specified for the payment thereof, and at the expiration of said term to quit, surrender and yield up said premises to said party of the first part or her legal representatives and further that if default be made in the payment of said rent or in any of the terms and covenants and conditions herein contained by the party of the second part, to be kept and performed, then it shall be lawful and competent for the said party of the first part or for her legal representatives at her will and option, without any legal process or warrant t re-enter upon and take possession of said premises, the same to have again, repossess and enjoy as in her first due former estate: and if said payments or any of them herein provided for, should be behind hand, or remain unpaid, for the period of thirty days after written notice by the party of the first part to the party of the second part, addressed to the premises herein before described from the days or times above mentioned, for the payment thereof, then the party of the first part, her heirs, administrators, executors or assigns shall not beholden to purchase the buildings, or structures heretofore mentioned to be erected by the party of the second part and the covenants and conditions of this lease shall become void: but without thereby excluding her or her representatives from the right to recover any other or further damages sustained by reason of such default, and the said party of the second part further covenants and agrees as aforesaid, that the said party of the first part, or her children, shall during the occupancy of the said premises by the party of the second part have the right to reside upon, build a house or houses, barns or barnees thereon or to occupy the house, now thereon, and the improvements thereon and to cultivate said premises and to maintain stock thereon in such a manner as will not interfere in or with the conducting of any business carried on by the party of the second part, or with the exclusive right of the party of the second part to conduct business thereon, it being expressly understood that the right herein reserved to said first party and her children to reside upon, improve and cultivate said premises does not extend to the use of said premises or any part thereof by said first party or her children, or any of them, for any business of any kind as one of the principals, save as hereinbefore mentioned in their right to cultivate said premises and to raise stock thereon, the principal considerations upon which said second party takes the lease of said premises is that said party of the second part secures the exclusive right to all of said premises for any business he may determine to conduct thereon, or in front thereof, save and except that said second party is expressly forbidden to maintain upon said premises for the sale or exchange of spirituous liquors, or the maintenance of any other disreputable business.
To have and to hold said premises unto the said party of the second part and to his heirs and assigns during the continuance of this lease, Signed and Sealed in duplicate this 17th day of December A.D. 1892.
Signed and Sealed and Delivered in presence of F.D. Cleaves, State of Washington, County of King, as this is to Certify that on this 17th day of December A.D. 892, before me Paul d”Heirrys, a Notary Public in and for the State of Washington, King County, personally appeared Kate Waller and Edmund A Wadhams to me known to be the persons described in and who executed the foregoing instrument and they each for themselves acknowledged to me that they signed and sealed the same freely and voluntarily for the uses and purposes therein mentioned, subscribed and sworn to before me this 17th day of December A.D. 1892, “To Secure Homesteads to Actual Settlers on the Public Domain,” and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of Horace Brewster has been established and duly consummated, in conformity to law, for the lots numbered two, three and four of Section Four, and the South West quarter of the South West quarter of Section three and four of Section four, and the South West quarter of the South West quarter of Section 3 in Township forty, north of Range three West of Willamette Meridian, in Washington, containing One hundred and Seventy five acres, and twenty five hundredths of an acre, according to the Official Plat of the Survey of the said land, returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General:
NOW KNOW YE, that there is, therefore, granted by the United States unto the said Horace Brewster the tract of land above described.
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of land, with the appurtances thereof, unto the said Horace Brewster and to his heirs and assigns, forever; subject to any vested and accrued water rights for mining, agricultural, manufacturing or other purposes, and rights to ditches and reservoirs used in connection with such water rights, as may be recognized and acknowledged by the local customs, laws and decisions of Courts, and also subject to the right of the proprietor of a vein, or lode, to extract and remove his ore therefrom, should the same be found to penetrate or intersect the premises hereby granted, as provided by law, and there is reserved from the lands hereby granted a right of way therein for ditches or canals, constructed by the authority of the United States.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America, have caused these letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed.
Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the Third day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety two, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and seventeenth.
Seal of the United States BY THE PRESIDENT: Benjamin Harrison,
General Land Office E. Mcfarland Ass’t Secretary
D.P. Roberts
Recorder of the General Land Office
Filed for Record at 11:30 o’clock a.m., January 31st, A.D. 1893 and recorded at the request of Ed L. Collier, Auditor and Recorder of Whatcom County, Washington.
The Homestead Certificates are as follows:
Patent: Kate Waller
Patent Number 38924
Homestead Certificate N0. 4390
Application 14824
Lots numbered one and two of Section one, and the lots numbered two and three of Section 12 in Township forty north of Range three West of Willamette Meridian in Washington, containing one hundred thirty seven acres and seventy-five hundredths of an acre,
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, etc, Kate Waller and her heirs, and assigns, etc.
There are additional Homestead Certificates attached and signed by Grover Cleveland and J.H. McGrau, Governor.
The University of Washington has archived photos at this location: http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=any&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=/cobb&CISOBOX1=Point&CISOSORT=subjecf
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