Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Miss Maud DeLaney was a former Spokane laundry worker turned “girl pioneer.”

Miss DeLaney had carved her own homestead out of the wilderness in the Clearwater River country near Orofino and had been happily improving it for five years.

During a visit to her folks in Spokane, she told reporters she had cleared 5 acres and was growing all of her own vegetables. As for meat and fish, she was more than proficient with rifle and rod. She had brought down 300 grouse over five years and plenty of deer. She said she liked to roam all over the surrounding country, accompanied only by her dog. 

When she wanted trout, she trekked down to the river and caught all she needed. Once, she caught 76 trout in one day. She scooped out her own trout pond near her log cabin and stashed the surplus fish there until they were needed.

“I am afraid of nothing,” said the intrepid Miss DeLaney. “The cougars and coyotes howl around my home, but they never disturb me in the slightest. In the winter I spend all my time reading, but in the summer, I have too much work to permit any pleasure of this kind.”

She enjoyed visiting friends and family in Spokane, but she always welcomed her return to the wilds.