Page:Pen Pictures of Representative Men of Oregon.djvu/209

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his line of business. Mr. Biichtel was married in 18r)3 in Orof^on City, tak- ing his wife from the old and highly respected Oregon family of LatoiiretteB, his wife's first name closely resembling his own— Josephine. This union ha«  been a prosperous and happy one, not a breath ever having been l)r<)nght against Joe Buchtel's private and family relations, even in the nwst l)ittor political contests, when a man's character is sifted like fine Hour. Flis family now consists of a wife and five children two married daugliters and three sons, whose ages range from twenty-one to eight years. He lost one bright and most hopeful son, Albert Z., at the age of twenty-tliree years. Politically, Buchtel is a Republican. Loyal to the cdto, decided and unyielding, during the Rebellion he could be nothing but n warm- hearted and true patriot. When the rebels laid down their arms lie grounded the weapons of his warfare and has since l)een what may be termed a conservative Republican, too generous hearted to be a bitter par- tisan and too honest to vote for any one whom he deemed unfit for any office, even if forced upon his own party ticket. In 1880 he was elected Sheriff" of Multnomah county, for two years filling the position with credit to himself and to the great satisfaction of all worthy citizens of the county. He introduced many reforms in the management of the jail and other de- partments of his office. He was firm but kind to a fault. Many hundreds of dollars were given from his private purse to the prisoners, when they Avere discharged, that they might have a start to get a living, and most of these were never returned to burden the county with expense. Mr. Buchtel has held other important positions in the associations to which he has be- longed. He joined the Masonic order in 1853. Also the Odd Fellows and the Encampment. Was elected Grand Representative and attended the National Grand Lodge at Atlanta, Georgia. Has been an active fireman for twenty-six years, and a member of Number Two ever since its organiza- tion, and served as Foreman of that company and then served as Chief En- gineer of the department for two years. He is an inventor, and will soon put in operation his electric signal fire hose, by which the fireman at the pipe can command the engine. He invented the silver-saving photo holder and the atmospheric background in photography. Mr. Buchtel, besides looking after his photograph gallery, is the lessee of City View Park, and proposes in time to make that a desirable public resort, in some respects equal to the famous Woodward's Gardens in San Francisco. He is turning his attention to the purchase and raising of blooded stock. Tliis vnW yet become an important enterprise in his hands, and the time will come when the kindness of heart, integrity of purpose and native energy of the subject of this sketch will be fully appreciated in Oregon.


CAPTAIN GEORGE W. BELT,

Who is one of the best known among the young men of the State, was born near Salem, Oregon, on the 13th day of August, 18.51, and nearly the whole of his life has been spent in the city of Salem. He was educated at the Willamette University, but did not graduate, leaving that institution at the beginning of his senior year. During the period of his attendance iit the