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PERSONAL HISTORY OF WEBER'S "LAZY TRIANGLE PLUS" RANCH
Our Mom, Breta Ottilia Sideen Weber was born March 15, 1879 in Brakke Jampland, Sweden, coming to New York in 1904, then to Port Arthur, Ontario, and to Vancouver, Canada and then to Seattle, Washington in 1905 where she was employed as a practical nurse and later as a cook at a Renton Shingle Mill.
Our Dad, John Frederick Weber, was born in Williams County, Bryan, Ohio December 9, 1866. He came west to Seattle, and became employed at the Black River Shingle Mill at Renton where he met mom and they were married March 19, 1907.
They came to Wenatchee from the coast by train, then by steamboat up to Brewster and from Brewster to Bridgeport by stagecoach. They were both employed on Dyer Hill for a time. They decided on homesteading in the Delrio area and arrived on their 160 acres in November, 1907. The house awaiting them had no door, nor windows, nor floor. Some improvements were made, but the Webers spent their first winter in Delrio in a floorless house.
Dad was a carpenter and blacksmith by trade. Many of the houses he built or helped build are still standing, such as the Rex School. About 1915 he was separator tender on a steam engine threshing machine for Pierson and Pendell in the Rex country. In 1917 he became Douglas County Deputy Assessor for four years making practically the whole trip on foot. Dad often worked away from home. In 1932 he helped build the wooden trestle between Bridgeport and Brewster and the gymnasium in Bridgeport. For many years he served as clerk on the local election board. In 1934 he was steel sharpener for the county road crew. Even in his later years different ones would bring a piece of iron to be welded or bent. He passed away in 1954 at the age of 88.
Unlike the green woods, lakes, etc., of Sweden and the lush green of the Pacific coast, the dry sagebrush hills of our country here were quite a contrast and the longing for them never ceased in Mother's memory. As time went by the old dry hillsides had their meaning also. Among the talents Mom possessed were spinning, weaving, rowing, ice skating, and knitting. Toward her later years nearly all neighbors sported a pair of mittens she had knitted. Her personality was always of the brighter side, never missing an opportunity to joke or laugh. Her pioneering life on the homestead was not an easy one as there were no conveniences. Raising six children all of whom were born on the ranch was also difficult with cooking, baking, washing by hand, milking, packing water from the spring and many other chores. Yet time was always found to visit with neighbors.
Mother was our main incentive for education. Schooling was not easy. Terms were short - six months usually, and most of the time we were in grade school. A total of seven miles was either walked or ridden horseback. Most of the time there was no drinking water at school!
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After finishing the eighth grade there came the struggle of moving to town with a high school from which five of us graduated. John attended Washington State College and became a registered pharmacist. Helen graduated from Sacred Heart School of Nursing and is a registered nurse. After a nursing career she came back to the ranch in 1947 due to the illness of our mother. Harold attended the University of Washington where he studied pharmacy and veterinary work. Alice enrolled in Eastern State College of Education but married before she finished. Fred and George have remained on the ranch though Fred worked in the Wilbur and Bridgeport area for some time. Harold is now associated with the ranch. After being bed fast for over a year Mother passed away July 28, 1954.
The years have brought many changes. From the original 160 acre homestead we now have 21 additional homesteads or preemptions, and engage in raising grain, cattle, and hay.
The completion of Chief Joseph Dam backed up the waters of the Columbia and made a lake officially called Rufus Woods Lake. Having pioneering blood in their veins, the Weber Brothers were the first to pump water from this lake for irrigation in Douglas County. They have 140 acres under irrigation, but at the present time have about 100 acres seeded to alfalfa and grass for hay and pasture. It is one of the most elaborate systems being engineered to perfection in Douglas County. A Berkley general purpose pump with a 100 horse power motor to run 1100 gallons per minute lifts the water 150 feet from Rufus Woods Lake to the 30 acres of alfalfa delivering 1000 gallons per minute at the field. The main line consists of 600 feet of 12 inch, 2000 feet of 10 inch, and 2000 feet of 8 inch steel pipe, coated inside and out with tar, a rust preventative. There are risers every 60 feet with 7 laterals staggered at each side. There are 40 feet of 3 inch aluminum pipe with one sprinkler head on each and 17 of these on each lateral - a total of 114 sprinkler heads.
The power used to operate this pump is furnished by the Nespelem R. E. A. It was the only three phase power near enough to warrant installation. This power crosses the river at Bridgeport to Okanogan County electrifying the Duley Lake area of the reservation, then across Goose Flats to Whitmore Mountains, to Kartar, and Chief Joseph Orchard. Coming back across the river a 1680 foot span leads to our pumping station. This crossing of power line is heavy enough to electrify the entire Alameda Project.
This irrigation project was started in 1954 by building a road to the lake. Then came digging of the main line ditch, the welding of the main line pipe, etc., and completion in 1955. Mr. George Thallheimer of Nespelem was instrumental in the satisfactory results of the project. Crossing the lake daily in the hot sun, his part in the welding and putting together of the main line, installation of the pump and engineering the getting of proper materials - all paid off when he viewed these results. A perfect running operation.
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The winter of 1955-1956 brought a complete freeze out to the Weber crops which included 60 acres of tender alfalfa. Only by bull-dogged determination and grit they replanted; last year - 1957 - their first alfalfa crop produced seven and a half tons per acre.
Prior to 1955 the Weber Brothers Ranch boasted of one of the best deer hunting areas in northeastern Douglas County. At one time on opening day twenty-seven bucks were accounted for on their ranch and adjoining area. This area is not good for pheasant or bird hunting - this tribute going to the Rex area which is another wonderful deer hunting country. This is composed of about 500 acres of bitter-brush, commonly known as "greasewood" and is a wonderful browse for winter feeding. The severe winter of 1955-1956 started November 11 and ended the first of April. It took a large toll of all wildlife of our area. Many deer and most of the birds were unable to survive. Weber Brothers lost over twenty tons of hay to the deer alone. That winter is known to us and others as the "equalizer" - as only the fittest survived!
Helen Weber Marlowe
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THE SHOOTING OF BILL STUBBLEFIELD
One cold, foggy, blustery day, Jim Morris and Bill Stubblefield were returning from a horseback ride down the coulee. They decided that a drink of whiskey would warm them up and proceeded to get one from a fellow who sold it from a still in his home. He wasn't an overly friendly person, but Jim decided he would take a chance and call on him. He took with him the only gun they had and started. The still owner lived in the coulee, close to Rattle Snake Canyon.
During the time Jim was gone, leaving Stubblefield waiting for him by a spring near the town of old Grand Coulee, the fellow with the still came along and the first thing he knew, Stubblefield was in a fight with him. He shot Stubblefield twice through the abdomen. Surprising as it may seem, old Stubblefield was still able to wrestle the gun from him and to chase him off. Then he sat down, weak from loss of blood, and leaned against a tree. It was in this position that Jim found him when he returned.
It took him a little while to realize just what had happened. Then he placed Stubblefield on his horse and took him down to Thompson's ranch in the coulee. Here they placed him on a table and sent a horseback rider out to Wilbur for a doctor. He made it to Wilbur in an hour and a half and returned with old Dr. Yount.
Dr. Yount decided to operate. He opened Bill Stubblefield, placed all his intestines out on the table, washed them with a solution of strong salt water, patched up the numerous holes in them, and finishing this, sewed him up and packed him in dry salt. As the doctor left he remarked tat he didn't give him until morning to make it. Bill fooled him. He recovered to go through more harrowing experiences.
One such experience was the time he was walking along in a dense fog trying to locate where he was and get his bearings, when he stepped too far, fell over the coulee wall, and landed on a shrub growing on the bank. This was all that saved him from sudden death. He managed to get out and find his way home. This point is still known as "Stubblefield Point".
Submitted by Winnie M. Sanderson and vouched for by Emmett Shaffer,
one of the oldest living pioneers now in Grand Coulee. Bill Stubblefield
is still living, and resides with a daughter in Montana. (1958)
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THE ALBERT MACHOS
In 1914 I came with my parents, Albert and Matilda Macho, to Delrio where they operated a wheat and cattle ranch on the place now owned by Ben Starkel. We bought some state land there. We did pick up our mail about once a week at the Leahy Post Office at that time, usually on a Sunday when we had services every two weeks, but in winter our pastor found great difficulty in driving out from Waterville with horses so we had services very rarely. I believe that my father was one of the few people who had an automobile at that time. It was a 1910 Chalmers car. As I remember we found traveling a great deal more satisfactory by horse and buggy on account of the road conditions and expense of travel.
I remember the winters in the Delrio community were very severe, and the first few years we lived there everyone traveled with sleigh and horses. Many times the snow was so deep it was not necessary to open gates as one could pass right over the wire fences in places where the snow drifted. This was really an advantage as there were some twelve gates to open between our home and the Delrio Store. When Christmas came there were parties and Santa Claus always found us. If it can be of interest, I remember one Christmas in particular when mother sent to sears roebuck for five of their largest stockings of toys and then prepared a separate package for every child for many miles around us. All the neighbors were invited, a tree was set up in our very small house and all lighted with candles. Santa Claus came and gave out the sack of toys. It was all very real and wonderful for us who were small at that time.
It was many years before we had what was known as a farm to market road whereon we could travel to our post office and store in one continuous lane without any cross fences. This was really a wonderful achievement and accomplished only after the Grange was organized in our community and the farmers as a group could present a petition to the proper authorities. When this road was built it also brought the mail to our ranch each day by truck.
Helen Macho
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ADDITIONAL PERSONAL ITEMS
Mrs. John Schweighardt of Brewster told much on the hardships endured and the struggle to make a living. Their place was not far from the present Sellers and Webers land. Her account follows:
My husband John and I came to homestead in the Delrio country by the river in September 1911. We broke the sod, fenced, and raised horses and mules. Other products were rye hay. The old dry scab rock homestead wouldn't raise anything but coyotes and badgers. Later we bought the Roe Speed place joining on the corner and moved there in 1916 and lived there until 1929 when we came to Brewster. We had to move . . . it was first the grasshoppers, then the drought. I think the hoppers came in 1924 and cleaned us out.
The children had to drive five and a half miles to the riverside School over by Roy Brandt's for two years. That year we didn't have feed and had to sell our cows - five for $105. The children's school ponies had to eat two year old straw with a little grain. One winter they went to school at Riverside - there came a big blizzard. They left in the morning with the hack; they came home about 3 p.m., their noses,cheeks, and ears frozen. The never went back to school for three weeks!
The snow was drifted over the fence posts so you couldn't tell where the road was. John put the plow on back of the front bobsled and I drove four horses. The plow would break up chunks of snow larger than any table. The wheel horses would get their feet over in the double trees of the lead horses. John would straighten them out and we would start again. Finally we met Mr. and Mrs. Jackson plowing out their share of the road.
The in 1927 we had a good crop. There weren't many combines and John did not get one until October. Gar Allen who lived in Bridgeport harvested for us. It snowed and Gar turned the horses loose and went home for a week. So there went the crop again! When we came here in 1929 we had around 300 bushels of wheat stored. John kept thinking the price would go up. We sold our wheat for 39 cents a bushel. The Bridgeport Bank went broke and we lost money there. We lost more when the Mansfield Bank went broke. John was hauling his wheat to Mansfield at the time in the winter. Twenty-seven miles with a team and sled. He and Charlie Trefry would be on the road at the same time.
We couldn't grow a garden no matter how hard we tried. We would drive for miles for fruit to can. We used to go to Bridgefarmers and Vaughan's for tomatoes and peaches, to Sellers for apricots and cherries. One year our oldest boy drove the old Ford up and down over that narrow grade to Sherricks for fruit. Before I had children, Mrs. Kavanaugh and I rode horseback to George Trefry's and picked ground cherries.
On the Roe Speed place there were lots of rattlesnakes and our oldest boy was bitten on the hand. There were no doctors closer than Brewster.
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It happened after dark. We got him to Bridgeport to Mrs. Frank Klass, a nurse, and she did what she could. He lived.
Purdy and Walter Kavanaugh were our neighbors to the west and Martha Miller and Bill Watson to the east of us.
We dug several wells and couldn't get enough water and had to haul water from Martha Miller's spring a quarter of a mile away. We lived in one small room under that big high bluff until our second son was born.
My husband John worked on the boat crew blasting out rock to make the Columbia River deeper for steamboats when three men were killed by an explosion at Parson Rapids. They sent a man out on horseback to Brewster with the report. I was alone in the homestead shack. The rider stopped at Watson's for a relay horse. He could not identify those who were killed. I got Purdy Kavanaugh's old horse and Bill Watson went with me. When we got there, the remains were covered up with a canvas on the shore. I begged John to come home and he quit. This was in February 1912.
As we make inquiries around the country about the "old days", references are constantly made to may others who deserve mention. Among the many are: the Crawleys, A. L. Tucker, George and Jack Weeks, Clyde Camp, David Ogle, C. E. Shrock, H. McCoy, Herb Buck, E. Z. Ford, Jim Trefry - all played a part in the growth of the Delrio country. Mary Fox, a teacher at many of the local schools, the George McGlothern family who came in 1911 to the place now farmed by Jack Coppess; Mrs. Rhetta Davis who some refer to as the "mother of the Grange", and Mrs. Frank Swanson whose fall on the old Grange Hall steps led to her death, were all contributors to community life. The George Nilles family; the Horace Bozarths who have been very active in local Grange and community affairs (he is now state representative of this district); Webb Buck, renowned as a horseman, all are noteworthy. Probably one of the best teamsters of his day was Alec Trefry. Many people here now can tell of his ability and a horseman and as an excellent tracker. We must add too, that the Lincoln Stock Farm in the Grand Coulee added materially to this community life for many worked there. This was first a large cattle ranch used primarily for winter range and headquarters, but later became a sheep ranch. With much land under irrigation, part of the help for this farm came from the Delrio country. Many present day ranchers at one time worked at the Lincoln Stock Farm, mostly for "Oat" Martin who managed the large concern for some years. Sam Rinker says that when he worked there, about 400 acres of alfalfa were being irrigated out of Devil's Lake. In addition, at least a thousand acres of wheat were in crop each year. One winter Bert Nace and Sam Rinker broke 40 head of horses and mules to work there. It has been said that had it not been for the Lincoln Stock Farm in 1924, much of the stock in the country would have starved for drought and grasshoppers had so greatly depleted the adjoining area.
Helen Rinker
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