B rit ish ▁occupation ▁of ▁Oregon ▁Country , ▁in ▁effect ▁since ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 8 , ▁eventually ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁Oregon ▁B ound ary ▁Dis put e ▁after ▁a ▁large ▁infl ux ▁of ▁American ▁sett lers ▁along ▁the ▁Oregon ▁Tra il . ▁Great ▁Britain ▁c eded ▁its ▁claims ▁to ▁lands ▁in ▁Pu get ▁Sound ▁and ▁the ▁central ▁and ▁lower ▁Columbia ▁Bas in ▁by ▁the ▁Oregon ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁ ▁The ▁Hudson ' s ▁Bay ▁Company ▁w ound ▁up ▁its ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁years . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁American ▁sett lers ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Sp ok ane ▁were ▁J . J . ▁Down ing ▁and ▁S . R . ▁Sc r anton , ▁cattle ▁ran ch ers ▁who ▁squ atted ▁and ▁established ▁a ▁claim ▁at ▁Sp ok ane ▁F alls ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 . ▁T ogether ▁they ▁built ▁a ▁small ▁saw mill ▁on ▁a ▁claim ▁near ▁the ▁south ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁falls . ▁James ▁N . ▁Glo ver ▁and ▁Jas per ▁Math en ey , ▁O reg oni ans ▁passing ▁through ▁the ▁region ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁recognized ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁River ▁and ▁its ▁falls ▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁water ▁power . ▁They ▁realized ▁the ▁invest ment ▁potential ▁and ▁bought ▁the ▁claims ▁of ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁saw mill ▁from ▁Down ing ▁and ▁Sc r anton ▁for ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁$ 4 , 0 0 0 . ▁Glo ver