The Closing of a Pioneer Era
After thirty-seven years on the land, one of Chehalis County's earliest settlers sells his river-bottom ranch for a small fortune.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The trade has been finally closed by which the large ranch belonging to James Smith, located near Cedarville, passes into the hands of W. A. Dickey, ex-manager of the Bank of Montesano. The ranch is one of the oldest in the county, and consists of acres of fine Chehalis river bottom land. Mr. Smith settled on it thirty-seven years ago, entering his claim the 11th day of October, 1854. He is one of the oldest pioneers of the county and one of its most substantial citizens. Mr. Smith received $26,000 for the entire ranch.
“Mr. Smith settled on it thirty-seven years ago, entering his claim the 11th day of October, 1854.”
This land transaction marks the transition from mid-19th century homesteading to the industrial growth phase of the 1890s. The sale of a prime river-bottom ranch represents the capitalization of the frontier, a common theme in the transformation of Washington's landscape into private, speculative holdings.
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