|
Skagit River Journal600 of 700 total Free Home Page Stories & Photos (Also see our Subscribers Magazine Sample) The most in-depth, comprehensive site about the Skagit Covers from British Columbia to Puget Sound. Counties covered: Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Snohomish & BC. An evolving history dedicated to committing random acts of historical kindness |
Home of the Tarheel Stomp Mortimer Cook slept here & named the town Bug |
|
The home pages remain free of any charge. We need donations or subscriptions to continue. Please pass on this website link to your family, relatives, friends and clients. |
|
Our favorite cat tale:
Fairhaven's James F. Wardner and the
|
'What'll you feed 'em, Mr. Wardner?' 'Fish! There's so many salmon around Eliza Island that you couldn't get any more of 'em in the water unless you made 'em smaller. I've hired a real cat man, Sam Weller of Cincinnati, to run the ranch, and he'll have a crew to seine fish and feed the fish to the cats.' |
The next week the Black Cat story was featured on the front page of the Fairhaven Herald. Because Wardner was known nationally as a boomer in both Idaho and Washington, other editors picked it up, including those in San Francisco who reprinted the story and then telegraphed it to the New York Tribune, where the headline read, "Black Cat for Profit." National magazines followed with similar stories. In Looking Back, Koert and Biery note that the story took on a life of its own:Wardner says: 'Sorry Earle, nothing new today.'
Any time, any amount, please help build our travel and research fund for what promises to be a very busy 2011, traveling to mine resources from California to Washington and maybe beyond. Depth of research determined by the level of aid from readers. Because of our recent illness, our research fund is completely bare. See many examples of how you can aid our project and help us continue for another ten years. And subscriptions to our optional Subscribers Online Magazine (launched 2000) by donation too. Thank you.
We recently visited our newest sponsor, Plumeria Bay, which is based in Birdsview, just a short walk away from the Royal family's famous Stumpranch, and is your source for the finest down comforters, pillows, featherbeds andduvet covers and bed linens. Order directly from their website and learn more about this intriguing local business.
Seeing the reporter's disappointment as he turned to the door, Wardner shouted:
'Wait a minute, son! I'll give you a story on a whopping big deal I've been keeping under my hat. I've got a 2,000 acre island about six miles from here under option. I'm going to buy it, build a dock and a lot of shelter houses here and there, and raise black cats for their pelts. Thousands of 'em! Maybe a million!'
The reporter began scribbling. He asked: 'What'll you feed 'em, Mr. Wardner?'
'Fish! There's so many salmon around Eliza Island that you couldn't get any more of 'em in the water unless you made 'em smaller. I've hired a real cat man, Sam Weller of Cincinnati, to run the ranch, and he'll have a crew to seine fish and feed the fish to the cats.'
'Who'll you sell the cats to?'
'We won't sell cats, we'll sell their pelts, I figure we'll turn out 500 skins every month after we get rolling, and they are worth $2 apiece on the fur market.'
'What're you going to call the business, Mr. Wardner?'
'Consolidated Black Cat. Co. Ltd. we're issuing $200,000 worth of capital stock and it's a sure-fire deal.'
Editors recalled that Wardner had promoted real estate and mining developments, had pioneered California orange groves and hog ranches, had founded several banks, started a river-navigation line between Jennings, Montana, and Canadian points, and had conceived hundreds of other ventures. His first business venture had been when he was eight years old and had raised rabbits on a grand scale in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.In Wardner's autobiography, he is coy about the company and the story. He notes that the product did not equal his anticipation. In Miki Gilliland's article, "Entering Bellingham," published by Bellingham's Bayside Press in 1989, we find that:
After this publicity many investors wrote for information, some had profited heavily in Wardner's previous ventures, some sent money to purchase stock in Consolidated Black Cats Co., Ltd. At his parlor window, Wardner looked from the hill overlooking Bellingham Bay, raised his glass toward faraway Eliza Island, the site of his imaginary black-cat ranch, and drank a toast to the venture.
Later he was to say that he had "turned over the trials and tribulations of a constantly increasing cat business" to Sam Weller who was a "wizard with cats," and went gold prospecting in the Cascade Mountains.
Writers claimed that black cats were worth $2 when taken to the Consolidated Black Cat Company owned by Wardner. A story from the New York Tribune said that several carloads of black cats were shipped from San Francisco and the cats were sheltered on the island. The felines lived on a diet of fish caught in the surrounding waters. The cats were free to lie in the sun and wander around at will. Not one dog was allowed on the island. Newspapers claimed that cat fur made excellent muffs and capes which were quite popular. In addition, people in Missouri and Arkansas created a plaster made from black cat hide if the cat had been killed in the dark of the moon the writer said.
The Seattle Times seemed to be thrilled when the cat ranch was reported to have been sold. 'The vicious and cannibalistic experiment of putting cat into cat by means of soup resulted disastrously to the cats. Mr. Wardner's idea of an endless chain won't work in the industry . . . Goodbye to you! Goodbye to the cats forever. In good Latin, Scat, get out in the peace!'
Today there are many wild cats who roam Fairhaven. Penny Tillson, editor of the quarterly magazine, Fairhaven Gazette, is a believer. She said the cats were brought back to Fairhaven and have intermarried with orange strangers and grey tabby travelers. Her personal descendant of a Wardner farm survivor sat on her pillow and refused to care. er personal descendant of a Wardner farm survivor sat on her pillow and refused to care.
'People will have to believe whatever they choose,' she mewed. 'But I do believe my relatives. You know it's only dogs who lie.'
|
The Mason Block was erected in 1890 at the southeast corner of 12th street and Harris avenue in Fairhaven. One of James F. Wardner's banks, the First National, opened in Christmas week, 1889, across the street in the new Fairhaven Hotel. Wardner's Cascade Club was also in this building, as was one of Wardner's offices, possibly the one where he spun his cat tale for the Fairhaven Herald reporter. Now also known as Sycamore Square, the building has over the years housed the Black Cat or Le Chat Noir restaurant. For this drawing, the artist stood southwest from the Mason Block, about where the Waldron Building stands today. This is from a rare copy of the Fairhaven Illustrated magazine of 1890.
|
'Your bed!' exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, in astonishment.Thus Sam Weller demonstrates fealty to Pickwick by submerging his identity under his master's experiences. In Victorian England, the manservant, although invariably from the working class, often identified with the wealth of affluent employers and swore their fealty even if the boss took a fall. The servants vied for such a position from the time they were children, just as American children imagine themselves as firemen or astronauts.
'Yes, my bed, Sir,' replied Sam. 'I'm a prisoner. I was arrested this here very afternoon for debt.'
'You arrested for debt!' exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, sinking into a chair. 'Yes, for debt, Sir,' replied Sam; 'and the man as put me in 'ull never let me out, till you go yourself.'
|
Also from the Fairhaven Illustrated magazine of 1890, these photos show the interior of the Mason Block and Wardner's Cascade Club, where he and other financiers met to boom the town. The upper left photo is of the hallway and entrance; upper right is the reading room; lower left is the billiards room; and lower right is the card room. From the Bourasaw collection. |
Read how to sort through our 700-plus stories. |
|||
|
|
|
|
debuted on Aug. 9, 2009. Check it out. |
Would you like information about how to join them in advertising? Oliver-Hammer Clothes Shop at 817 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 90 years continually in business. Peace and quiet at the Alpine RV Park, just north of Marblemount on Hwy 20, day, week or month, perfect for hunting or fishing. Park your RV or pitch a tent — for as little as $5 per night — by the Skagit River, just a short drive from Winthrop or Sedro-Woolley. Alpine is doubling in capacity for RVs and camping in 2011. Joy's Sedro-Woolley Bakery-Cafe at 823 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley. Check out Sedro-Woolley First section for links to all stories and reasons to shop here first or make this your destination on your visit or vacation. Are you looking to buy or sell a historic property, business or residence? We may be able to assist. Email us for details. |
|
Tip: Put quotation marks around a specific name or item of two words or more, and then experiment with different combinations of the words without quote marks. We are currently researching some of the names most recently searched for — check the list here. Maybe you have searched for one of them? |
|
View My Guestbook Sign My Guestbook |
Mail copies/documents to Street address: Skagit River Journal, 810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, WA, 98284. |