From the Archives - April 13, 2023

Moored on the north bank of the Kootenai River, the J.M. Schnatterly, a 45-foot cabin cruiser, owned by John Miles "J.M." Schnatterly, was damaged by fire April 11, 1923.

"Killed in Explosion" was the headline of the April 12 Bonners Ferry Herald. The explosion "shook nearby houses and rattled the windows. All windows in the boat were blown out and every movable piece of furniture was knocked over or moved from its place. A player piano in the forward cabin was thrown over. In a few seconds the boat was a mass of flames that shot upward at times as high as forty to fifty feet," the newspaper reported.

J.M. Schnatterly's "sudden, violent death April 11, 1923, caused the beginning of the end for the Gold & Ruby Mine." — Small Towns, Big Dreams

The Boundary County Historical Society and Museum, 7229 Main, Bonners Ferry, sponsors this column.

Visit the museum Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and you can visit the website at boundarycountymuseum.org or the museum’s Facebook page for historical photos and stories, and to see upcoming events. Or we can be reached at doyouremember@meadowcrk.com or by telephone at 208-267-7720. Thank you for your continued support.