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The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA., September 13, 1934, page 5

INTERESTING PIONEER INTERVIEWS

H. Shattuck, Bickleton wheat grower, and a familiar character in Bickleton and vicinity activities, will be good and "sore" when this brief interview is published.
The News correspondent, spending considerable time in Bickleton recently, happened to contact this intrepid individual. It wasn't long before conversation was struck up and Mr. Shattuck, a "shunner" of publicity, had given the writer many interesting anecdotes and a lot of early day history. However, when the mention of a pioneer interview was made, "No," was the abrupt answer. In smoothing the appearance of this brief article over, perhaps Mr. Shattuck will accept it as a sort of eulogy and not as an effort at publicizing him.
The conversation when something like this:
"Well, sir, I have been in this country for a good many years. The exact number? It is 54.
"You know that I saw cattle grazing on the streets, or what are now the streets of Goldendale, when some of the best bunch grass in the country grew there.
"I was down on the Rock Creek section of the county when it was really "wild and wooly." I have herded, run and raised cattle in this county for a long time and during that time I have certainly made a lot of friends.
"Yes, I settled in the Bickleton country because the soil seemed just a bit better and then what few people were already here seemed a real, wholesome type, and I sure do like to have good friends.
"I have lived just long enough to know that it doesn't pay to start looking for a better place or for better friends at my age because the surest thing a person can do is run into a poorer country and a lot worse people. I am going to stay right here in Bickleton.
"There is only one thing that has kept me from coming into Goldendale oftener. That is the road. You'll have to admit, after your trip over here today that you've ridden over a lot better roads.
"I guess I have been so well satisfied with Bickleton and its people that I have not seen the need for going to new territory to either farm or make friends. Just you look around here and strike up a conversation with some of the persons here and you'll see just exactly what I mean.
"Some day, I hope to see a good road between here and Goldendale. I sincerely believe that it would cement the two sections of the county more firmly together, and give us easier access to the county seat.
"Only twice since I have lived in Bickleton have I gone to Goldendale to pay my taxes. All of the time I have sent in the payments. I was satisfied to stay here and let Uncle Sam care for my business.
"Yes, I own land here. I own 2200 acres of wheat land. And you can bet that I am proud of it. It is not made me independently rich but it has provided a comfortable living over a long period of time. Yes, there have been plenty tough times during the 54 years that I have been here. There were times when it looked terribly blue but we always seemed to pull through after a lot of hard work.
"The last few years have placed the farmer in a very embarrassing position and there are a lot of us that pulled lots of strings to keep the taxes paid.
"Perhaps I am one of the lucky ones, but I do not believe there is anyone who can say that I have not worked hard for myself and for the county as far as taxes are concerned.
"I can truthfully say, after you ask, that I have been in this county a long time and I have watched it grow from practically a western wilderness into a highly productive section of the state. I believe that there is plenty of development left for the old county yet and someday, I suppose it may even be even a better place to live.
"You know, I have listened to some who describe our county, or rather parts of our county, as a desert and as 'God forsaken,' but I believe that our productiveness disproves this statement.
"If you had time I could take you to a point not far from here where you could look out over a wide expense of summer fallow land that produces many thousand bushels of wheat. As a matter of fact, I should like to have you go with me and look over my place. I have a piece of summer fallow over here at a short distance that is a wonderful bed of soil,"the Bickleton man said.
However, the writer did not get to view this piece of land but a friend in the party went up on a knoll and looked it over. He came back and reported that it was weedless, black, rich soil which appeared to be able to raise almost anything of an edible nature. The moisture, he reported was very close to the surface, and it had all the appearance of the best sort of wheat land. This, Mr. Shattuck is very proud of.
After coming back to town, Mr. Shattuck gave a few more highlights, interesting little stories of his life and experience in farming in the eastern part of the county. Mr. Shattuck's acreage lies just north and a little east of Bickleton and he has but a short ways to travel to come to town. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why he is well known and so well thought of in his chosen home community.