100 years ago in Spokane: Maritime hero finally receives long-awaited Congressional medal

Henry Schomer of Spokane finally received his Congressional gold medal award – 28 years later.

The story began in 1892 when a fishing boat capsized near San Francisco and drifted onto rocks near Cliff House. Schomer, who lived at Cliff House at the time, rescued the fisherman from drowning.

A year or so later, Schomer was informed he would be awarded a Congressional gold medal that had been authorized for life-saving at sea. Schomer, however, was headed for Alaska. He was told the medal would be forwarded to Cliff House and be held for him until his return.

However, Cliff House was dashed into the sea during the great San Francisco earthquake.

Schomer naturally assumed that the medal had been lost, and believed that was the end of it.

It turned out, however, that the medal had not been held at Cliff House. Because government officials did not know the whereabouts of Schomer, it remained in storage for more than two decades.

Finally, a government investigation revealed Schomer’s whereabouts, 1214 E. Rockwell in Spokane. Schomer finally held the weighty solid gold medal in his hands.

He was as surprised as anyone, because he didn’t even know the government was looking for him.

From the economic beat: The Spokane Daily Chronicle reported that Spokane was “slowly but surely” becoming a manufacturing center.

The paper noted big payrolls at an Armour meat-packing plant, the Inland Empire Paper Co. mill, the Diamond Match Co. and the Portland Cement Co.