Historic Hood River
The Four Horsemen
Notes
These four horsemen played central roles in Hood River’s early days. To the left is F.C. Brosius, doctor and drug store owner, Hood River mayor in 1900, and builder of the “Brosius Block” which still stands on the NW corner of Second and Oak. Next is A.S. Blowers, owner of A.S. Blowers store and mayor of Hood River in 1904. O.B. Hartley was a butcher in his younger years, later proprietor of O.B. Hartley Grocery Store. Edward Mayes owned Mayes Bros. Meat Market and was on the city council in 1903 and 1912.
In a town with a small population it’s not too surprising that almost every prominent business owner was on the city council at one time or another.
Council minutes from this era are very terse and sanitized, but while researching this post I found this wonderful account of a council meeting including several of these men which shows the actual discussions could be much more colorful. If you read the article headlined, “City Levies a 10-Mil Tax” you’ll read about a possibly drunk constable mishandling money and being accused of extorting money from prisoners.
Buzz
Nice picture, and council meeting account was colorful. Good stuff. But when I counted the horses legs and divided by four, I come up with 6 horses.
Kenn
Great newspaper page, enjoyed the council meeting and the real estate ads. It also is good to see a RR will be built up the valley ~
L.E.
Is there a hint of Civil War military with the hats?
I thought the comment about Mrs. Batchelder at the Country Club Inn, stating that "the tramps have demolished the pest house". was interesting.
Also a comment about county division being raised after 15 years of silence.
Jill Stanford
I see five and five hats but a hidden face.
L.E.
In this day and age, most elected officials probably don’t know one end of a horse from the other.
In this photo day and age, horses were a mode of travel for everyone, and elected officials were probably some of the best horsemen.
Dr. Brosius served in the Spanish American War.
Amby Bowers served in the Civil War.
O.B. Hartley was nicknamed Colonel Hartley, but I could find no connection to the military. In 1900, Hartley drove a herd of cattle from where I live, Camas Prairie, Klickitat County to Hood River.
Hartley’s house, at 1029 State St. is one of those beautiful homes that is on the historic register. Hartley passed away in 1909 so the photo predates that year.
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=768
Edward Mays’ father died in the Civil War. His sister married Clyde Bonney.
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=635
L.E.
From the Looking Back section of the November 14, 1918 Goldendale Sentinel.
November 16, 1893
A litter of pigs and their mamma, belonging to O.B. Hartley, recently swam the Columbia from near the mouth of the Hood River, and last week a big steer, starting from the same place, swam up the eddy to the big rock near the ferry landing, where he climbed out and took a rest and then struck out for the Washington shore, which he reached safely.