allen.html

The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA., June 21, 1934, page 4

INTERESTING PIONEER INTERVIEWS

Several days ago, a News correspondent called on Dr. Allen Bonebrake at his office in Goldendale. The newspaper representative called on the local physician as a part of his daily business routine and, naturally, engaged the doctor in conversation. Before the talk between the two men traversed very far, a wealth of interesting information was being given the correspondent and he found that Dr. Bonebrake is a true Goldendale and Klickitat County pioneer.
Barring the interruptions which were necessitated on the part of the correspondent in seeking various explanations, the story, as Dr. Bonebrake unfolded it in a very interesting manner, sounded, perhaps, something akin to the following:
"I was born on January 21, 1852 in Marion County, Iowa. It was near the county seat, Knoxville. When I was but 10 years old, my parents moved to Oregon. We settled in Douglas County and stayed there for four years.
"In 1866, when I was 14, my parents decided that they did not like Oregon as well as they did Iowa, so they made up their minds to back track to the state of their first selection.
"When we finally arrived back in Iowa, we located this time in Monroe County. Here I was sent to school, the best of the country schools at that time. Understand that the schools in those days, even the city schools, would not compare with our present school systems over the country.
"I went to my country school for quite a few years. I remember that when I became 17 years old, my parents decided to return to the Oregon country, so we packed our personal belongings again and set out on the trip which brought us back to Oregon.
"This time that we settled in Coos County, north of Gold Beach in Curry county. Here I studied farther and eventually obtained work in the locality as a schoolteacher.
"In 1880, I made up my mind that I would continue my studies and I decided to make medicine my life's work. At that time, Willamette University had a medical school located in Portland. It was considered a very good school for those days, so having been able to make a few dollars as a school teacher in southwestern Oregon, I went to Portland and studied medicine.
"I spent the next three years of my life at what I considered real, hard work. Anyone now studying medicine in our universities would bear me out in this statement. I believe that I studied as hard, for a young fellow, as could be expected.
"Following my graduation in 1883, I went to Dayton, Washington, where there was an opening for a physician. I was fairly successful and had a nice practice but I did not particularly care for the town at that time.
"Incidentally, the reason why I had chosen to locate east of the mountains (Cascades) was that I had almost had my fill of that rainy, muddy, gloomy-day country.
"Naturally, there were no automobiles in those days. There were no improved highways. Even the main streets in the bulk of the towns were dirt streets and became almost impassable following the deluges which so typify the country west of the mountains.
"Of course, there were lots of calls at night and them for some distance. It was necessary to don your heaviest garb, most of the time one was forced to ride horseback for a team or a horse with a hack and buggy would oft times find itself stuck fast in the quagmire performed by the incessant rains.
"I felt that it would be much more pleasant to make the calls into my territory on fairly dry roads. Not only that, I liked the sunshine. Those dark, gloomy, cloudy, overcast days were a bit disheartening to me for I have lived in that atmosphere long enough, I felt. So that's the reason I moved into this country.
"From Dayton, where I stayed for one year, I came to the Goldendale section. I have practiced almost continuously here since the day I arrived. Of course, there have been a few trips at times, and a vacation or two, but I have seen this city grow from near infancy.
"At the time I came here, there was another physician in Yakima, who wanted me to form a partnership and practice there, but I did like this valley, the climate and the sunshine, so I definitely decided to make Goldendale my home.
"In those days, the Yakima section was suffering a severe epidemic of malaria and typhoid. It was due to the poor water there at that time. There was a world of work for a doctor in that town but I felt that the health of my family, as well as myself, was worth more than what material gain there might be, so Goldendale remained my choice. And, as I might say, that I have certainly no complaint to offer for my health as well as my family's has been fine during our residence here."
At this juncture of the conversation, The News representative asked Dr. Bonebrake if he had not been active in the administration of civic affairs in his earlier days. It was pointed out to him that the first council records of the city were now in The News office and that Dr. Bonebrake's name appeared often as mayor in the records. He responded with the following statement:
"I do not recall, just now, when I was elected mayor, but I do know that I served nearly 20 years in that capacity. One of the bright spots of my life is recorded in my administration as mayor.
"When I first started my work as mayor, the city decided to bond itself for the water system. Shortly before the completion of my 20th year as mayor, the city was able to pay off all of the bonds and the system could justly be called Goldendale's own. I always will believe that our water here is some of the best obtainable and that its consistent quality and coolness is something for which the local resident may be proud.
"As far as bonds are concerned, and the financial set-up for both city and county, I believe that both may lay claim to very successful days. I can remember no time, oh, perhaps a season or two when farm prices were unreasonable low, when the county or the city has been embarrassed for finances. The county, now is practically on a cash basis and the city, I find, is in excellent financial shape.
"It was 1885 when I married Miss Letitia Flannary. Her folks, at that time, all resided in this section. She had preceded me here by seven years.
"We have two children, a son, Crede of Seattle, and a daughter, Mrs. Adria Sleeper, of Goldendale. A son, Holt, passed away at the age of 17.
"My hobbies, aside from my medical practice?
"Well, in my younger days, I certainly enjoyed my hunting and fishing. But, as you might suspect, my outing days are about over for I can't get around quite as fast as I used to. However, as you ask, my health is just fine and I feel very grateful in not being bothered with any particular physical trouble.
"One of the outstanding events of my life as far as hunting is concerned occurred in 1920 when I spent the summer with my son, Crede, who was working a mine on the Yukon.
"He had asked me tocome up there for a vacation and hunt for moose and grizzly bears. I spent three months with him and didn't get to shoot at any game as big as that but the climax of the trip came as we were treking over the final mountain barrier, at the bottom of which I was to take a steam boat for the river trip which would eventually get me back to Goldendale.
"My son placed his arm on my shoulder in said: 'Father, it is a shame that you have spent so much time here and did not get that moose or grizzly'.
"I replied that I was satisfied for I had had a wonderful vacation and trip and that the hunting was merely incidental.
"At that moment, my son pointed out a large bull moose down on the trail. After a series of tactful movement and of heading the moose into an advantageous position, I was able to take a nice shot at him. I killed him and he had a wonderful set of horns. This incident, indeed, is an outstanding event. I think it would be in any man's life.
"I recall that I told my son when he intimated that because I had not been able to shoot a bear or a moose, that I had caught a thousand fish and killed a billion mosquitoes.
"Another thing I recall with pleasure is the multitudinous varieties of flowers in that northern country. I have listened many times to conversations where one or more individuals would boast of the many varieties of flowers grown in a certain community.
"In the Yukon, where I was spending that vacation, I could lay down on the ground, cirlce my arms ahead of me, and count at least 20 varieties of wild flowers. Only a few have a fragrance, howevee.
"The Heliotrope, Sun Flower and Lilly of The Valley, where three that I remember now that held rich fragrance we so often expect in flowers. Why the others did not possess more fragrance I do not know.
"I dug up several varieties of wild flowers and berries and attempted to cultivate them here, but I had no success.
I remember that Chrysanthemums grew wild in profusion of there. They have been developed to a wonderful extent by hot house operators in the states, but they were certainly beautiful when I view them in their native haunts.
"Of course, more recently I have not taken so many trips or strenuous vacations. Occasionally, I visit with friends in the southern Oregon country. I like to go there and see those familiar landmarks of my boy hood, those that still remain, and I have many friends down there."
At this point, a patient appeared in Dr. Bonebrake's office and The News representatives made in exit.
It is certainly true, that statement concerning Dr. Bonebrake's apparently good health excellent health. Despite his age, 82 to be exact, he maintains his offices here in Goldendale, possesses an enviable practice, and has been able to accumulate a host of friends in his many years of labors in this community.
He laughs about the coincidental connection of his name, "Bonebrake," and his profession, and despite the fact that Ripley has capitalized on this fact, denies that he breaks any more bones in his work than is absolutely necessary to the successful, convalescence of his numerous patients.