USA > Idaho > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 27
USA > Montana > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 27
USA > Washington > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 27
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48 W. S. Ebey, who spent a season in the Powder River and John Day mines, remarks upon this immigration, which came by the way of Humboldt, Quecn, and Owyhee rivers. Journal, MS., viii. 55.
49 Mrs Theodore Schultz, of Valencia Street, San Francisco, in a manu- script called Early Anecdotes, gives a graphic picture of the immigration from Cal. overland. With her husband and 4 other men, with 17 pack-animals, she travelled from her home in that state to Florence mincs, encountering all the hardships of the season, the great flood, and the danger from Indians, which they luckily escaped. She was the first white woman in Millersburg. HIST. WASH,-17
258
MINING AND TOWN-MAKING.
were made in the region both east and west of the Blue Mountains, sonie of which mining ground turned out a large amount of bullion,50 and some of which is still mined, but the main rush was to the country cast of Snake River.
About the 1st of August, James Warren, a "shift- less individual, a petty gambler, miner, and pros- pector," made up a party in Lewiston for a tour through the Salmon River basin, and returned in less than a month with the report of new and rich diggings.51 Unlike the Florence mines, the Warren diggings were deep as well as rich. The mining ground extended about sixteen miles north and south along the creek, and the gold assayed from $12 to $17 an ounce.52
This proved to be one of the most valuable discov- eries made. The diggings outlasted the Florence mines, and when the placers were exhausted on the creek bottoms, still yielded to hydraulic treatment returns nearly as rich as the placers.
Notwithstanding the unsavory reputation of the discoverer, Warren's diggings were worked chiefly by practical miners and men of good character, many of whom long remained there in business.58 In Novem- ber 400 men were mining at Warren's, taking out an average of from $14 to $20 daily.54
Three years afterward the population was 1,500, which dwindled two years later to 500. When the
50 The John Day mines began to be worked in August. About 1,000 men were at work on the middle branch in September, and 500 on the north branch. Many bandsome nuggets were found in the Powder and John Day mines. Owens' Dis., IS65, 143; Walla Walla Statesman, Ang. 27, 1862; Port- land Oregonian, Sept. 29, 1862.
51 HIofer's Hlist. Idaho County, MS., 2-4; Hutton's Early Events, MS., 6. 82 Farnham's Florence and Warren, MS., 1. Edwin Farnham was one of the pioneers of Florence, where he went in 1862, and afterward to Warren. His manuscript is principally a comparison between the two camps. Farnbum later lived in S. F.
63 J. W. Scaman, Judge Beatty, Judge Taliaferro, and D. Mulford were of Calaveras co., Cal., and Mark Evans of San Joaquin. J. Bradford, another pioncer, antecedents unknown. Mrs Shultz was again tho first white woman in these diggings, and gives a good account of their law-abiding population. Rice was one of the first locators. Ilutton's Early Events, MS., 5.
54 Lewiston Gokien Age, Nov. 13, 1862.
259
PROSPECTING ON BOISÉ RIVER.
mines had been worked for ten years they were sold to Chinese miners, some of whom became wealthy.
Late in the summer of 1862, the opinion of old miners that a rich deposit would be found farther to the south than any yet discovered was verified. Many companies were searching for such a field,55 but the successful party was one which left Auburn, Baker county, Oregon, about the middle of July, proceeding east to Snake River and up it to Sinker Creek, above the mouth of the Owyhee, where, the company divid- ing, one portion returned to a point opposite Boisé River, and having made a skiff and ferried them- selves over to the south side of that stream, followed along it to a junction with the immigrant road, where they again constructed a raft and crossed to the north bank of the Boisé, where now stands the city of that name.56
Proceeding north, but being interrupted by the im- passable cañons of the country, they succeeded in entering the basin of the Boise River by following a divide which brought them to a stream twelve miles south-west of the present town of Idaho City. After prospecting this stream for three miles on the south side, they proceeded the next day down the north side into the basin and to a larger stream. Here they obtained excellent indications, and spent a week ex- amining the ground higher up, finding it to be rich for fifteen miles. While encamped at Grimes' Pass, they were fired upon by some Shoshones who had hung upon their trail for several days. Grimes, Wil- son, Splawn, and the Portuguese pursued the attack-
65 Sacramento Union, June 24, 1862.
35 The original company on this search were Joseph H. Bransetter, Jacob Westenfeldter, David Fogus from Indiana, Moses Splawn, C. Stanford, Ser- geant Smith, John Reynolds of Walla Walla, Samuel Moore of Calaveras co., Cal., John Phillips and David Rodgers of Linn co., Or., Wilsou of Portland, an Englishman name unknown, four Portuguese names unknown, all under the leadership of George Grimes of Or. City. Twelve took the route above described. What became of the six remaining is not related. Portland Oregonian, March 30 and 31. 1863; Branstetter's Discov. Boisé Basin, MS., 4.
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MINING AND TOWN-MAKING.
ing party into the mountains, when Grimes was shot and instantly killed, having at the same moment shot an Indian.57
Being too few in numbers to remain in a hostile country, the eleven returned to Walla Walla by the same route they travelled in going out, arriving about the 1st of September, and bringing between $4,000 and $5,000 in gold-dust, with which they purchased supplies for another season in the mines. A company of fifty-four men was quickly organized and armned to return to Boisé basin, where they arrived on the 7th of October.58 After a fortnight spent in determining the value of the new mines, all of the company but twenty returned to Walla Walla to obtain provisions, while those left behind occupied themselves in build- ing a stockade and cabins for the company. In spite
57 Grimes was hastily buried on the divide between Elk Creek and the principal stream, which bears his name. The body was reinterred the follow- ing summer in a grove of hackmataek, pine, and tamarack trees near the place of his death. A mining elaim was set off for his widow by his associates, and a person deputized to work it for her in order to hold it. This individual sold it for $3,000 and went away with the money. The widow, unaware of this rascality, in the summer of 1864 paid a visit to Boisé to look after her interests. The miners raised $3,000 for her by subscription. 'That amount,' said the Boise News, 'the citizens of this basin feel they owe the unfortunate lady, and they will pay it-not as a charitable donation, but as a just and equitable debt.' It was first proposed that the legislature should legalize a tax on the Boisé miners, who themselves favored this method, but it was not done. Portland Oregonian, Nov. 4, 1863. The Indian who shot Grimes had aeted as guide. He was killed by a party led by Standiffer in pursuit of the murderers of two other miners, in the summer of 1863. Branstetter's Discov. Boisé Basin, MS., 4.
68 As they were passing down Burnt River they met a company of belated immigrants from Iowa and Wisconsin, who had started in March for the Sal- mon River mines. The Indians had risen all along the route, breaking up the Overland Stage Company's stations, driving off their horses and killing whou- soever they could. This company managed to keep the road to Fort Bridger, and taking Lander's ent-off, reached Fort Hall. When within 40 miles of that place the Bannaeks threatened them, but finding them ready to fight, finally withdrew, only to attack a smaller party, nearly every one of which they killed. Forty miles west of Fort Hall the Iowa company camo upon the dead and wounded of the Adams party. See Hist. Or., ii. 19, 469-76, this series. While burying the dead they were attacked, and had some of their company wounded. On arriving at Catherine Creek, they were met by the Oregon cavalry, under Colonel Maury. who left Fort Walla Walla to escort the immigration soon after Colonel Steinberger of the'Ist Washington infantry arrived at that post to take command. One of the immigrant company mentioned above was Sherlock Bristol, now of Buena Vista, Idaho. Bristol was born in Cheshire, Connectient, June 5, 1815. He immigrated from Ripera, Wis., and is the author of an interesting manuscript on Idaho Nomenclature. After first go- ing to Auburn, Bristol in December joined the miners at Boisé.
261
BOISE MINES.
of an effort that had been made to keep the discovery secret, the returning party met on the road another company of between fifty and sixty following their former trail; and it was not many days before a rush to the Boisé mines succeeded.
The distance of the new discovery from Walla Walla was about 300 miles, and 70 due east from old Fort Boisé. The basin in which it was situ- ated is a picturesque depression among the mountains about thirty miles square, hitherto unknown to the inhabitants of the Pacific coast. The face of the country varied from grassy meadows to timbered hills and abrupt mountain precipices. The climate, so far from being severe, admitted of sleeping in the open air in November.59 The camps could be approached with wagons to within fifteen miles, with a pos- sibility of ultimately making that portion of the road passable for wagons. The first camp of the pioneers of this region was on Grimes' Creek, and was named Pioneer City, sometimes called Fort Haynes; but owing to the selfishness of the original discoverers, it received from those who arrived subsequently the cuphonious appellation of Hog'em. There are several Hog'ems on the maps of mining districts, probably originating in the same cause. Mutation in the con- dition of eastern Washington such as had occurred during the year could not but effect some political changes. The county of Boisé was created January 12, 1863, comprising all the country lying south of Payette River and between Snake River and the Rocky Mountains, with the county seat at Bannack City.60 A large number of charters were granted for roads, bridges, ferries, and mining ditches, in every
59 WVm Purvine, in Or. Statesman, Dec. 22, 1862; Boisé News, Sept. 29, 1863.
60 A county called Ferguson was also established out of that portion of Walla Walla bounded by Wenatchee River on the north, the Simcoe Moun- tains on the south, the Cascade Mountains on the west, and the 120th merid- jan on the east. The name of this county was changed in 1865 to Yakima. Bancroft's Hand-Book, 1864; New Tacoma N. P. Coast, Dec. 15, 1880, 16; Wash. Ter. Stat., 1862-3; Local Laws, 4-5.
262
MINING AND TOWN-MAKING.
part of the territory from Yakima to Boisé River, and from the 44th to the 49th parallel. The city of Lewiston was incorporated, having become, in the eyes of its founders,61 a commercial mart of greater promise than others, for the reason that it was at the terminus of river navigation, and centrally located with regard to the whole Snake River country. It had already, like older cities, large mercantile estab- lishments, hotels, mills, gambling-houses, churches, a newspaper, the Golden Age, issued first on the 2d of August by A. S. Gould,62 and a line of four-horse coaches to Walla Walla and Wallula, while along the line of the road farms were being rapidly improved.
In short, eastern Washington had outgrown the Puget Sound region, and was demanding a separate government. Committees were appointed in every mining district to procure signers to a petition asking the legislature to memorialize congress on the subject. But the legislature refused to agree to such a memo- rial. A bill was introduced, and passed in the council, to submit for ratification by the people the constitu- tion of the state of Idaho, intended to effect the desired organization, which was defeated by the lower house substituting "state of Washington."63 But congress, to which the petitioners appealed directly, regarded the matter more favorably for the mining interest, passing an act, approved March 3, 1863, or- ganizing the territory of Idaho out of all that portion of Washington lying east of Oregon and the 117th meridian of west longitude.
GI The land was still owned by the Nez Perces. Jagger & Co., Trevitt & Co., and Yates & Lane were the owners of all the wooden buildings. Or. Statesman, May 12, 1862. Its first mayor after incorporation was A. M. Kelly; recorder, R. H. Johns; councilinen, Hill Beachy, D. M. Lessey, F. II. Simmons, William Kaughman, and James McNeil; marshal. Schwatka. As early as Feb. 1862 its citizens had adopted rules for town government, and made provisions for preempting lands and holding town lots. The first coun- cilmen eleeted under these rules were Joseph Herring, Robert Dyson, and James Bowers. Dyson acted as president of the board and justice of the peace. Portland Oregonian, Feb. 20, 1862.
62 Gould came from C'al. to Portland, and was employed on the Portland Times until he went to Lewiston with a press of his own. He was afterward in Utah, and died in S. F. about 1879.
63 N'ash. Jour. Council, 1862-3, 157, 104.
263
DIVISION OF THE TERRITORY.
Although the loss of a large extent of rich mining territory was regarded with disapproval by the re- mainder of the population, the benefit to the whole of the more rapid development of all the resources of the country was cause for congratulation, both then and later, the mines having given an impetus to the growth of the territory that agriculture alone could not have done in a long period of time. The area left comprised 71,300 square miles, with a population in 1863 of 12,519, which, although small, was nearly double that of 1860.
Owing to delays, I am compelled to make room for one of the pioneers of Wash. on this page.
Charles Biles was born in Warren eo., Tenn., in Aug. 1809, and reared on a farm in N. C., removing when 19 years old to Christian eo., Ky. In 1832 he married, and in 1835 removed to Ill., soon returning to Hopkins eo., Ky, where he resided until 1853, when he emigrated to W. T. in company with his brother James, their families, and C. B. Baker, Elijah Baker, and William Downing, and their families, being a part of the first direct immi- gration to the territory, via the wagon road through the Nachess pass. Mr Biles settled upon Grand Mound Prairie in Thurston eo., farming, and some- times preaching as a minister of the Cumberland presbyterian church. He died Feb. 26, 1869, leaving two sons (one having died after emigrating) and two daughters, namely, David F., Charles N., Mrs M. Z. Goodell, and Mrs I. B. Ward.
David F. Biles was born in Ky in 1833, eoming with his parents to W. T. In 1854 he took a elaim in Thurston co., and in 1855 became a deputy U. S. surveyor, but the Indian war coming on interrupted work, and he took to soldiering in defence of the settlements, resuming his surveying when peace was restored. From 1858 to 1862 he resided in Cosmopolis, Chehalis co., but then removed to a homestead claim near Elma, on the line of the Satsop railroad to Gray Harbor, where he owns 400 acres of land. He served many years as county surveyor, and some time as sehool superintendent. He married in 1854 Miss Mary J. Hill, who was a member of the immigration of 1853, and had 5 sons and 1 daughter.
Charles N. Biles, born in 1844 in Ky, was educated in Portland, Or. Iu 1870 he settled in Montesano, Chehalis co., and engaged in surveying, and was county auditor and treasurer several terms. He married Miss E. J. Medcalf.
Another Chehalis co. pioneer is I. L. Scammon, who was born in Me in 1822, eame to Cal. in 1849-50, making the voyage on the 63-ton sehooner Little Traveller. In the autumn of 1850 he took passage for the Columbia river, which was passed by mistake, the vessel making Shoalwater bay. Making his way overland to the Columbia, he went to Salem, Or., and to the southern mines, bnt returning to W. T. took a donation elaim on the Chehalis river, where the old town of Montesano, now known as Wyneochee, grew up about him. He married Miss Lorinda Hopkins in 1844, who rejoined him in W. T. in 1859. The first sermon preached in the region of Montesano was delivered by Rev. J. W. Goodell at Scammon's house, and the second school in the county was on his place, in 1859. The children of this pioneer are, Harriet, married Edward Campbell; George, m. Clara Nye; Cornelia Jane, who died; Eva, who m. I. R. Edwards; Edith, who m. P. B. Briseoe; Ella, who m. Charles H. Finmet, county surveyor; Norman, who accident- ally shot himself when about 17 years of age.
CHAPTER VIII.
GOVERNMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.
1863-1886.
EFFECT OF TERRITORIAL DIVISION-ELECTION OF DELEGATE-NEGRO SUF- FRAGE-PARTY POLITICS-THE LEGISLATURE-PEACE AND PROGRESS -- STEAMBOATINO-NAVIGATION COMPANIES-CLEARING RIVERS-PUBLIC BUILDINGS-INSANE ASYLUM AND PENITENTIARY-LEGISLATIVE DIVORCES -GOVERNMENT RESERVATIONS-JUDICIAL AFFAIRS-ANOTHER DELE- GATE-GOVERNOR FLANDERS-GOVERNOR SALOMON-GOVERNOR FERRY -GOVERNOR NEWELL-ERA OF RAILWAYS -- MORE ELECTIONS-POLITICAL PLATFORMS-CONVENTION-WOMAN'S RIGHTS-LEGISLATURE.
WITH the setting-off of the territory of Idaho from that of Washington came the close of a long period of exciting events, and the beginning of a reign of peace and constant, gradual growth. Some slight temporary inconvenience was occasioned by the ampu- tation from the body politic of several counties be- tween two sessions of the legislature, when no provis- ion could be made for the reapportionment of repre- sentatives, the legislature of 1863-4 consisting of but seven councilmen and twenty-four assemblymen.1
George E. Cole, democrat, was elected delegate to congress in 1863.2
1 Organization was delayed from Dec. 7th to 22d by the balloting for pres- ident of council, O. B. McFadden being at length chosen, and for chief clerk, L. D. Durgin. Or. Statesman, Jan. 3, 1864. Clanrick Crosby was elected speaker by the house, and J. L. McDonald clerk. Wash. Scraps, 149. At the session of 1864-5, Frank Clark was president of the council, and James Tilton chief clerk, while F. P. Dugan was chosen clerk.
2 Cole was postmaster at Corvallis in 1858. He had been member of the Oregon legislature in 1851-3, but falling out with his party, removed cast of the mountains in 1861, and engaged in trade and steamboating, residing at Walla Walla. Deady's Scrap-Book, 41. In 1862 he was in the storage and commission business at Lewiston; but in the following year returned to Walla ( 204 )
265
POLITICS.
He received some votes of union men, although repudiated by the republican party as a peace demo- crat in war times, or of that class of politicians known as copperheads, who were amiably willing to con- done rebellion, but without the nerve openly to oppose the government. However this may have been, Cole was subsequently appointed governor of Washington by a republican administration, and again postmaster of Portland under President Grant.
At the election for delegate in 1865 A. A. Denny of Seattle, republican, was elected by a large majority over James Tilton, who, like Cole, was charged with entertaining sentiments inimical to the course of the government in suppressing secession.3
There was in Washington a party strongly opposed to the reconstruction acts of congress, which favored the readmission of representatives to congress from the ten excluded states, and demanded for the territory a vote in congress, and the exclusive right to define the elective franchise, or in other words, to exclude negroes from the polls. Among this class were to be found many of Tilton's supporters.
Denny's successor as delegate was Alvan Flanders, of Wallula, an active business man, who left the dem- ocratic party before the date of the civil war.4 Flan- ders was opposed by Frank Clark of Steilacoom, his
Walla, and ran against L. J. S. Turney and Joseph Raynor. Cole received 1,572 votes, Raynor 1,387, Turney 98. Wash. Scraps, 66. Raynor was a meth- odist preacher, who was stationed at Oregon City two years before. Walla Walla Statesman, June 20, 1863. Cole was appointed governor in 1866. His wife was a Miss Cardwell of Corvallis.
3 Garfielde and Evans labored for the election of Denny, who had been a member of the legislature from 1854 to 1861, and register of the land-office at Olympia subsequently until elected delegate. Denny was later member of a banking firm at Seattle. McFadden, A. J. Lawrence, and J. H. Lassater canvassed the territory for Tilton. Wash. Scraps, 156-8; S. F. Alta, May 2, 1867.
+ Flanders came to S. F. in 1851, and was zealously interested with Baker in forming the first republican club of that city. In IS5S, in connection with C. A. Washburn, he started the S. F. Daily Times, a republican paper. He also represented S. F. in the Cal. legislature, being reelected once or more. He was appointed by President Lincoln to a position in the mint, and after- ward to the land-office of the Humboldt district. In March 1863 he removed to Washington and entered into business with Felton of Wallula. Oregonian, in Olympia Pac. Tribune, April 27, 1867.
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GOVERNMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.
majority over Clark 5 being 153 out of 5,000 votes, so close was the contest.6
The last two elections had been carried by un- doubted republicans, and a republican executive and secretary had administered affairs for four years, when President Johnson saw fit to remove Pickering, and furnish the late delegate Cole with a commission as governor, dated November 21, 1866, as the Oregonian declared, with "partisan motives." The senate, how- ever, declined to confirm the commission, and Cole, who had qualified and entered upon the duties of his office without waiting to hear from the senate, was com- pelled to abdicate at the end of two months, and after several nominations by the president," Marshall F. Moore was confirmed as governor, and E. L. Smith as secretary of the territory. Smith arrived on the 27th of June, and assumed the duties of acting gov- ernor until the advent of Moore,8 late in the summer.
5 Frank Clark was born Feb. 10, 1834, at Binghampton, N. Y., and studied law at Lowell, Massachusetts. He came to Washington in 1852, settling in Steilacoom, where he resided until about 1875, when he removed to New Ta- coma, where he was a successful lawyer. When Clark first came to Puget Sound he took work in a saw-mill, but having an aptitude fer politics, was chosen to the legislature, after which he rose in public life to a candidacy for the delegateship. He died suddenly of paralysis Jan. 8, 1883, while en route to Lewis county to attend court. Clark was twice married, first to a daughter of R. Downey of the carly immigration, and second to L. Scho- field of Vancouver. Olympia Wash. Standard, Jan. 12, 1883; New Tacoma Ledger, Jan. 12, 1883.
G Olympia Pac. Tribune, June 27 and July 6, 1867. In the union terri- torial convention, held April 16th at Vancouver, 16 votes being necessary to a choice, Holmes, Wyche, Garfielde, Abernethy, and Flanders first received scattering votes; afterward Blinn and Denny were named. In the democratie convention, Clark, Lancaster, Dugan, Langford, Lawrence, McFadden, and Vansyckle appeared as candidates, their platform being the same as in 1865, with the addition of disapproving the exemption of U. S. bonds from taxation. Olympia Wash. Standard, May 4, 1867.
7 Wash. Jour. House, 1866-7, 139.
8 Marshall F. Moore was born at Binghamton, N. Y., Feb. 12, 1829. Hc graduated at Yale college, studied law, and began practice in New Orleans, where he remained five years, removing at the end of that time to Sioux City, Iowa, where he was elected prosecuting attorney, and subsequently judge of the court of common pleas. He again changed his residence to Ohio, where he married the daughter of P. Van Trump of Lancaster. He served through the civil war, under McClellan in Va, and in the department of the Cumber- land, participating in the battles of Rich Mountain, Shiloh, Chickamauga, and most of the battles of Sherman's (+corgia campaign. He was promoted to the rank of brevet brigadier-general for gallantry at the battle of Jonesboro'. While leading a brigade at the battle of Missionary Ridge he received severe wounds, from which he was unconscious for five days. His health was much
267
TERRITORIAL OFFICIALS.
Moore made a good impression upon the legislature, which, by the way, was the first elected and held under an amendment of the organic law allowing biennial instead of annual sessions. The amendment was made in consequence of a memorial to congress in 1864-5, setting forth that no necessity existed for annual ses- sions, and that the per diem was inadequate to the expense.9
The legislature of 1865-6 in another memorial re- quested that the people of the territory might be per- mitted to elect their own governor, judges, and other officers. The Oregonians assigned as reasons for a similar request that the federal judges did not remain in the country, and asserted that they had men among themselves competent to be made judges. The Washı- ingtonians, with more tact, refrained from referring to this thought in their minds, but simply complained of absenteeism and its evils.
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