Digital Bob Archive

MARCH 21, 1881-The mining camp Rockwell is growing fast and since he was elected Recorder for the Harris Mining District on February 9, Richard Dixon has recorded nearly 40 new town lot locations, about the same number of new placer claims, and a few lode claims. Steps are now being taken to lay out blocks, lots and streets in an orderly fashion. At a miners? meeting held today it was decided that blocks shall be 200 feet square with eight lots to the block. The streets running north and south are to be 30 feet wide and the cross streets 34 feet wide. A committee of three was named to make a rough survey of the townsite, after which Captain Glass of the Jamestown will be asked to send one of his men to run the street lines with instruments. Members of the committee are Howard Franklin, Frank McMahon and J. M. Cooper and they will start to run lines at once.

On the waterfront, ?French Pete? Erussard has nearly finished the log cabin he plans to use for a store and has swapped a placer claim in the basin to J. E. Chapman for $300 worth of carpenter work, finishing the interior. Meanwhile, Pete moved his stock of trade goods from the little sailboat, which the miners call ?The Flatiron,? to a tent. Sales have been slow because Pete was mostly trading with the Indians along the coast and his stock runs heavily to beads, mirrors and other gewgaws instead of the beans, bacon and flour miners need. Pete claims, however to have placed a large order in Portland, to arrive on the mail steamer California which is due any day.

Things are looking up in the local mercantile business. Ed de Groff, representing the Northwest Trading Company, has arrived from Sitka with seven other men and a stock of goods. This is a substantial firm with headquarters in Portland and has recently opened a store at Sitka and several trading posts among the islands. De Groff is looking for a store location here but says the company is building a covered scow to be sent here with an even larger stock of goods. The first question Rockwell miners are asking de Groff is whether the company will sell goods on jawbone, since most of them have been working a very lean pay streak this winter. He has assured them that any man with a valid mining claim can get credit.