SPRAGUE RIVER - 97639

September 17, 1923:   "When Wolford and Wann, partners in the general merchandise business at Yainax, decided to move from Yainax to the new town site in the Sprague River valley, known as Sprague River, the question arose as to what would happen to their business while they where moving, the four miles between the two points.

      'That's easy' remarked one, 'Put the store on rollers and we will transact business while making the trip.'

      And so it came about that every morning would see the store moving like a caterpillar down the road with a number of Indians trailing behind transacting business whenever Wolford and Wann rested from their labors of moving the store.

      It took four months to move the store the four miles, but now it is comfortably situated on the new Sprague River town site."   (The Evening Herald)

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August 21, 1924:   "The little settlement found its origin last summer when Wolford and Wann moved their store from Yainax to the railroad terminus and platted out a town.  It will be a cattle and lumber center of the Sprague River valley it is predicted."   (The Evening Herald)

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August 21, 1924:   "Four or five homes are now in progress of construction on the town site and B. E. Wolford and Dan Wann who conduct a general mercantile store there are planning on building a larger and more modern building for their business."   (The Evening Herald)

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October 11, 1924:   "A carload of flour for Wolford and Wann came in over the Strahorn railroad the first part of the week."   (The Klamath News)

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October 21, 1924:   B. E. Wolford recorded the deeds for Block 11, Lots 10 & 11 which were purchased from Oregon Utilities Company.   (Klamath County Clerk's Office Records)

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December 9, 1924:   "B. E. Wolford, well known merchant of Sprague river, is in town to purchase supplies.  Mr. Wolford was formerly a merchant of Yainax but a year ago moved his store to the town site of Sprague river.  Since that time the little community has showed a steady growth and bids fair to be a prosperous settlement in the near future.  It is located at the terminus of the O. C. & E. railroad."   (The Evening Herald)

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March 9, 1925:   "Mr. and Mrs. Dan Wann and family of Sprague River are visiting in the city for a few days, transacting business and shopping.  They are guests in the White Pelican hotel.  Wann is owner of a store at Sprague River."   (The Evening Herald)

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May 7, 1925:   "B. E. Wolford, merchant from Sprague river, braved the rough roads across the reservation to make a trip into the county seat yesterday.  Mr. Wolford reports the citizens of the Sprague river country still smiling and cheerful in spite of their isolated condition, due to almost impassable roads during the winter months, and most uncomfortable roads to travel during the rest of the year.  He reports that section of Klamath county as looking forward to a profitable year, owing to the rich agricultural lands surrounding it, the active operation of the Campbell-Towle Lumber company, with a monthly payroll of around $9,000, and the generally prosperous condition of the residents.

     Mr. Wolford says that the Sprague river community is looking forward with the O. C. & E. railroad shall give them a daily service, and believes Klamath Falls will be utilized as a shopping center for that community when this shall happen.  The Sprague river residents are elated over the prospect of their town becoming a connecting point for rail service between Klamath Falls, Lakeview, and Silver Lake, as these three lines would naturally converge at this point."  (The Klamath News)

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December 3, 1925:   "The firm of Wolford & Wann, who run a general store at this place, aremaking some improvements on their store building."   (The Klamath News)

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February 3, 1926:   "Lewis Pankey has the contract for furnishing the firm of Wolford and Wann with meat."   (The Evening Herald)

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February 4, 1926:   "The firm of Wolford and Wann has installed an electric plant."   (The Evening Herald)

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March 5, 1926:   "B. E. Wolford, prominent resident of Sprague River, has purchased a section of land in what is known as the Sprague River country.  Wolford paid $1000 to F. A. Hutto, well known Sprague River man, for lots 12, 13 and 14, in block 10 of the city of Sprague River."   (The Klamath News)

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March 6, 1926:   "Kidnapping Dan Wann and forcing him at the point of a gun to open his own safe, two robbers looted the Sprague River general merchandise store, 40 miles east of Klamath Falls, last night at 9:30 o'clock of $350 in cash, and $150 in checks in one of the most spectacular and daring robberies ever executed in Klamath county.  The highwaymen fled in a small touring car, said to be of Maxwell make, and bearing a 1925 license.

      Following the looting of the safe, Wann and Mr. and Mrs. J. Tudor, who reside on the second floor of the store, were forced to accompany the robbers four miles out a lonely road and then asked to get out.  By the time they returned to the store, the robbers had a good hour's start."   (The Evening Herald)

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March 10, 1926:   "Never again will highwaymen have as good a chance to escape as did the two 'stick-up' men who looted the safe of the Sprague River merchandise store last Friday night.

      Phone service, that memorable night, was disconnected as usual at 8 p.m.  The robbers pulled the robbery at 9:30 o'clock and made a clean get away because the victims of the robbery could not advise authorities at Chiloquin or Klamath Falls to be on the look-out.

      As a direct result of the robbery, arrangements are being consummated with telephone authorities of Chiloquin to provide for telephone service on emergency calls throughout the night."   (The Evening Herald)

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April 10, 1931:   "The Wolford and Wann general merchandise store at Sprague River was broken into early Thursday morning and a quantity of clothes of various kinds were stolen, according to word received by the sheriff's office here yesterday.

      Sheriff Lloyd Low and deputy Ross H. Brown left immediately for the reservation city to investigate the case."   (The Klamath News)

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July 22, 1933:   "The general merchandise store of Wolford and Wann is being completely remodeled.  They hope to have it completed within a week or ten days."   (The Klamath News)

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September 8, 1938:   "Fire, originating in an outhouse behind a hotel, spread rapidly in a high wind and virtually demolished the business section of the town of Sprague River late Wednesday.  The buildings razed included the Wolford and Wann store."   (The Klamath News)

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June 18, 1943:   "B. E. Wolford has gone to Ashland to stay for awhile to see if the climate there will improve his health."   (Herald and News)

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July 9, 1943:   "Death came to a well known Klamath county pioneer early Friday morning at the Community hospital in Ashland with the passing of Benjamin E. Wolford, 72, Sprague River.

      Mr. Wolford had been in ill health for several years.  He was moved to Ashland Thursday and passed away at 2 a.m. the following morning."   (Herald and News)

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