USA > Idaho > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 32
USA > Montana > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 32
USA > Washington > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 32
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In 1888 Miles C. Moore of Walla Walla, republi- can, was appointed governor to succeed Semple, democrat, but only in time to be immersed in the
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excitement of a change of government forms, for con- gress, on the 22d of February, 1889 (very appropri- ately), passed an enabling act, proposing the terms on which the state of Washington might be admitted to the union. It commanded the governor to issue a proclamation on the 15th of April for an election of seventy-five delegates to a constitutional convention, the election to be held on the first Tuesday after the second Monday in May of that year. The delegates were directed to meet at the capital on the 4th of July for organization, and to declare, on behalf of the people, their adoption of the constitution of the United States, whereupon they should be authorized to form a constitution for the proposed state. The constitu- tion should be republican in form, make no distinc- tion in civil or political rights on account of race or color, except as to Indians not taxed, and not be repugnant to the constitution of the United States and the principles of the Declaration of Independence. It should provide, by ordinances irrevocable without the consent of the United States and the people of said states, that perfect toleration of religious senti- ment shall be secured, and no inhabitant of the state ever molested on account of his mode of worship; that the people of the state should forever disclaim all right to the unappropriated public lands lying within the boundaries thereof, or to the Indian reservations, which should remain under the absolute jurisdiction and control of congress; that the lands of non-resident citizens of the United States should never be taxed at a higher rate than the lands belonging to residents; that no taxes should be imposed by the state on lands or property therein belonging to, or which might be thereafter purchased or reserved by, the United States; but nothing in the ordinances should preclude taxing the lands owned or held by Indians who had severed their tribal relations and obtained a title thereto by patent or grant, except those lands which congress might have exempted from taxation, which
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EDUCATIONAL CONSIDERATION.
the ordinances should exempt, so long and to such extent as such act of congress might prescribe. The debts and liabilities of the territory should be assumed and paid by the state. Provision should be made for the establishment and maintenance of public schools, which should be open to all the children in the state, and free from sectarian control.
On the other hand, upon the admission of the state, sections numbered sixteen and thirty-six in every township of said state, or where such sections or parts of sections had been disposed of, indemnity lands were granted to the state for the support of common schools, except where such sections were embraced in grants or reservations by the government, and until they were restored to the public domain. The lands granted for educational purposes should not be sold for less than ten dollars per acre, and only at public sale, the proceeds to constitute a permanent school ยท fund, the interest only of which should be expended in their support. But the legislature had power to prescribe terms on which the school lands might be leased, for periods of not more than five years, in quantities of not more than one section to one person or company; and such lands should not be subject to entry under any of the land laws of the United States.
Fifty sections of selected public land within the state should be granted for the purpose of erecting public buildings at the capital for legislative and judicial purposes. Five per centum of the proceeds of the sales of public lands within the state, which should be sold by the United States after its admis- sion, deducting all expenses incident to the same, should be paid to the state to be used as a permanent fund, the interest of which only should be expended for the support of common schools. Seventy-two entire sections were granted for university purposes, none of which should be disposed of at less than ten dollars per acre; but, like the common school lands, they might be leased. The sehools and universities
HIST. WASH .- 20
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PROGRESS AND STATEHOOD.
provided for in the act should forever remain under the exclusive control of the state, and no part of the proceeds arising from the sale of the granted lands should be applied to denominational schools, colleges, or universities. Ninety thousand acres should be also granted for the use and support of an agricul- tural college. In lieu of the grant of land for pur- poses of internal improvement made to new states by the act of September 4, 1841, and in lieu of any claim or demand by the state under the act of September 28, 1850, and section 2479 of the Revised Statutes, granting swamp and overflowed lands to certain states, and in lieu of any grant of saline lands, there was granted to the state of Washington, for the establishment and maintenance of a scientific school, one hundred thousand acres, the same amount for state normal schools; for public buildings at the state capital, in addition to the previous grant for that purpose; and for state charitable, educational, penal, and reformatory institutions, two hundred thousand each; and the state should be entitled to no other grants of land for any purposes. Mineral lands were exempted from all the grants, but lieu lands were allowed in their stead, where mineral should be found on the school sections. But there should be deducted from the amounts granted for any specific object, the number of acres before donated by congress to the territory for similar objects.2
The sum of twenty thousand dollars, or as much as might be necessary, was appropriated for defray- ing the expenses of the state constitutional conven- tion. The state should constitute one judicial district, to be attached to the ninth judicial circuit. There should be appointed one district judge, United States attorney, and United States marshal, the judge to receive a salary of $3,500, and to reside in his dis- trict, and the clerks of the court to keep their offices at the state capital; the regular terms of court to
2 See p. 216, note, on the misapplication of the university lands.
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THE REPRESENTATIVES.
commence in April and November. The courts of the state were made the successors of the territorial courts, whose business should be transferred to them without prejudice.
The constitutional convention might, by ordinance, provide for the election of officers for full state gov- ernment, including members of the legislature, and representatives in congress; but the state govern- ment should remain in abeyance until the admission of the state into the union. Should the constitution be ratified by the people, the legislature might as- semble, organize, and elect two senators of the United States, whose election being certified by the governor and secretary of state, they should be admitted to seats in congress on the admission of the state into the union; and the officers elected to fill state offices should in the same manner proceed to exercise their functions. The election for the ratification of the constitution should take place on the first Tuesday in October. Such, in brief, was the compact to be accepted and ratified.
The delegates met on the 3d of July, at Olympia, and proceeded to business on the 4th.3 They were
3 The several counties were represented as follows in the convention: Stevens, S. H. Manly, J. J. Travis; Spokane, C. P. Coey, Geo. Turner, J. Z. Moore, J. J. Browne, T. C. Griffitts, H. F. Suksdorf, Hiram E. Allen; Lincoln, H. W. Fairweather, B. B. Glascock, Frank M. Dallam; Kittetass, J. A. Shoudy, A. Mires, J. T. McDonald; Whitman, J. P. T. McCloskey, C. H. Warner, E. H. Sullivan, J. M. Reed, James Hungate, Geo. Comegys; Adams, D. Buchanan; Garfield, S. G. Cosgrove; Franklin, W. B. Gray; Columbia, M. M. Goodman, R. F. Sturvedant; Walla Walla, Lewis Neace, D. J. Crowley, B. L. Sharpstein, N. G. Blalock; Yakima, W. F. Prosser; Clarke, Louis Johns, A. A. Lindsley; Skamania, G. H. Stevenson; Pacific, J. A. Burk; Wahkiakum, O. A. Bowen; Cowlitz, Jesse Van Name; Mason, Henry Winsor, John McReavy; Chehalis, A. J. West; Jefferson, Allen Weir, George H. Jones, H. C. Willison; Skagit, James Power, Thomas Hayton, H. Clothier; Whatcom, J. J. Weisenberger, E. Eldridge; Snohomish, A. Schooley; Island, J. C. Kellogg; Kitsap, S. A. Dickey; King, R. Jeffs, T. T. Minor, T. P. Dyer, D. E. Durie, John R. Kinnear, John P. Hoyt, M. J. McElroy, Morgan Morgans, George W. Tibbetts, W. L. Newton; Pierce, T. L. Stiles, P. C. Sullivan, Gwin Hicks, H. M. Lillis, C. T. Fay, R. S. Moore, Robert Jamison; Thurston, John F. Gowey, T. M. Reed, Francis Henry; Lewis, O. H. Joy, S. H. Berry.
From the Oregonian of July 4, 1889, I make the following excerpts: Gwin Hicks was the youngest member of the convention. He was born at
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PROGRESS AND STATEHOOD.
a conservative body of men, chosen from the various
Olympia, Oct. 28, 1857. He resided in Portland, Oregon, from 10 to 18 years of age; took a course in the university of California, supporting him- self by his trade of printing, which he afterward followed in Portland; removed to Tacoma in 1883, and was engaged on the News as editor, and afterward was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue for Wash., serving 4 years. He was, at the time of his election, manager of the Tacoma Real Estate and Stock Exchange.
Hiram E. Allen, born Aug. 1, 1857, at Crawfordsville, Ind., removed to Wash. in 1872, practised law at Spokane Falls in partnership with his brother, Joseph S. Allen. He was also a brother of Hon. J. B. Allen.
Jacob T. Eshelman, born near Memphis, Mo., in 1852, came to Cal. in 1876, taught school in Napa co., came to Wash. in 1878, resided in Klickitat co. until 1887, removed to North Yakima where he was appointed clerk of the U. S. land-office. He was nominated by the Klickitat democratic con- vention for services rendered to the party in that co. His profession was that of a Christian minister.
John R. Kinnear, of King co., was born in Indiana, but removed to Woodford co., Illinois, at the age of 7 years. He was reared on a farm, and educated at Washington high school, Eureka college, and Knox college, where he took a regular course. He enlisted in the army during the war, and served three years as a private, being in 20 great battles. After the close of the war he took a course at the Chicago law school, and practised in Paxton, Ill., for 15 years. In 1883, he removed to Seattle, and in 1SS4 was clected representative from King co. In 1888 he was elected to the council, but the passage of the enabling act prevented his taking his seat. In June 1889 he was chosen a member of the constitutional convention, and took an ac- tive part in framing that important instrument. He was chairman of the committee on corporation, and secured the insertion of the clause in the con- stitution prohibiting trusts, and another prohibiting persons or corporations supporting armed bodies of men in the state, for any purpose. He received 130 votes in the republican state convention for governor.
George Comegys, born in St Charles co., Mo., in 1839, came to Or. in 1850 with his father, educated at the Willamette university, admitted to practise law in the supreme court of Or. in 1877, removed to Whitman co., Wash., in 1878, engaged in law practice, stock-raising, aud mining, repre- sented Whitman co. in the legislature of 1881, and was speaker of the house.
William F. Prosser, born in 1834 near Williamsport, Penn., had an aca- demic education, taught school, studied law, emigrated to Cal. in 1854, en- gaged in mining; was the first republican candidate for the legislature in Trinity co. in 1860; went east to enlist in the union army in 1861, served in the army of the Cumberland, was commissioned major, and lieut-col and col in the Tennessee cavalry regt; located after the war on a farm near Nash- ville, was elected to the legislature of Tenn. in 1867, and to congress in 1868; was postmaster at Nashville for 3 years, was a commissioner to the centen- nial exhibition at Phila in 1876; was appointed special agent of the general land-office for Or. and Wash. in 1879, served 6 years, and was removed by a change of administration; located a land claim where the town of Prosser was laid out in Yakima co., elected auditor of that co. in 1886, and member of the convention in 1889. He married Miss Flora Thornton of Seattle.
Jesse F. Van Name was born in Earlsville, La Salle co., Ill., in 1857, educated in the public schools, taught school, went to the Black hills, to Kansas and Colorado, read law with Judge McAnnelly of Fort Collins, went to New Mexico and Arizona, and in 1SS2 came to Wash. Taught school in Cowlitz valley, and resumed law studies, was appointed clerk of the 2d judicial dist, and was admitted to the bar, locating in Kalama in 1889.
R. O. Dunbar, born in Ill. in 1845, came to Or. in 1846, was educated at Willamette university, studied law with Hon. Elwood Evans in Olympia, and began practice in 1870; removed to Klickitat co. iu 1877; was elected mem-
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
classes. The constitution which they framed for ac-
ber of the territorial council in 1879, prosecuting attorney of the district in 1882, speaker of the house in 1885, and probate judge of Klickitat co. in 1888.
B. B. Glascock, born in Ralls co., Mo., in 1843, came to Yolo co., Cal., in 1832, removed to Wash. in 1883, locating at Sprague and engaging in farming and stock-raising. Was a member of the California constitutional convention in 1878, and member of the senate for the two sessions imme- diately following the adoption of the new constitution.
A. J. West was born in county Roscommon, Ireland, in 1839, emigrated to Ontario, Canada, received a common-school education, taught school, and worked in a lumber-mill. When the war of the rebellion broke out he went to Mich., enlisted, was commissioned Ist lieut, volunteer infantry, fought in 16 battles, was wounded while charging Fort Wheaton, was in command of his company at the surrender of Gen. Lee, and was commissioned captain in May 1865, a few days before his discharge. Engaged in lumbering in Mich. for 14 years at Saginaw, and filled several town and county offices. In 1884 removed to Aberdeen, Chehalis co., and went again into the manu- facture of lumber.
N. G. Blalock was born in North Carolina in 1836 on a farm, was educated in the common schools, except one ycar in Tusculum college, Tenn., paying by laboring nights and mornings for his tuition; entered Jefferson medical college in 1859, graduating in 1861, and being commissioned asst surgeon of the 115th Ill. vols in 1862, and was discharged on account of ill health iu 1864. Came to Wash. in 1873, invested in dry foot-hill lands reputed worth- less for agriculture, but which proved most productive. In 1881 he raised on 2,200 acres 90,000 bushels of wheat. In IS78 and 1879, built a flume from the mountains down into the valley, 28 miles, costing $56,000, for the purpose of conveying lumber, wood, and rails. His improvements greatly stimulated farming in Walla Walla valley.
H. W. Fairweather, born in St Johns, N. B., in 1852, came to the U. S. in 1865. He was in railroad employ in Wyoming for 3 years, came to Wash. in 1871, was again in the service of transportation companies, and relieved D. L. Baker of the management of the Walla Walla and Columbia River railroad. In 1879, became superintendent of the Idaho division of the N. P. for 3 years; in 1883, passenger agent of the N. P. and O. R. & N. companies, filling this position for 6 years. He was president of the Ist National Bank of Sprague, and director of the Ist National Bank of Spokane Falls; was mayor of Sprague, and chief of ordnance with the rank of colonel on the staff of Gov. Moore. He married Miss Matilda Curtis in 1885.
Francis Henry was born in Galena, Ill., in 1827, was a lawyer by profes- sion, served as a licutenant in the Mexican war, came to Cal. in 1851, and to Wash. in 1862, residing permanently in Olympia; served three terms in the territorial assembly; was delegate to the constitutional convention of 1878; served 4 terms as probate judge of Thurston co .; was president of the board of trustees of Olympia; chicf clerk of the legislative council of 1887-8, clerk of the supreme court, and treasurer of the city of Olympia.
H. C. Willison was born on a farm in Tippecanoe co., Ind., in 1845, graduated from the university of the city of New York, served on the medical staff of public charities and correction of New York, came to Wash. in 1873, settled at Tacoma, was appointed physician to the territorial asylum and penitentiary at Steilacoom in 1874, and was instrumental in securing the passage of a bill establishing the hospital for the insane on more sanitary aud humane principles than the former contract system. He removed to Port Townsend in 1885, where he continued to practise medicine.
M. M. Goodman, born in Mo. in 1856, came to Cal. in 1870, attended the Pacitic university, graduating in 1877, studied law, and was admitted to the bar. In 1880 he removed to Wash., locating at Dayton. He was the only democrat elected to the territorial council in ISSS.
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PROGRESS AND STATEHOOD.
ceptance or rejection by the people was an instrument
C. H. Warner was born in the state of N. Y. in 1836, migrated in 1847 to Wis., and in 1854 to Ill .; was educated at Mt Morris, Ill., college, taught school. and studied law. In 1862 he came to Cal., engaging in cattle-raising in Sierra co .; in 1867 went into flour milling in Oakland; in 1879 came to Wash., and engaged in milling at Colfax. He was a member of the legisla- ture in 1883; appointed register of the land-office at Walla Walla in 1885; was chairman of the democratic convention which met at Walla Walla in 1884, and also of the territorial democratic committee.
J. P. T. McCroskey was born in East Tennessee in 1828, came to Cal. in 1852, via Panama, settled on Santa Clara valley, made some money in wheat-raising and lumber-making, returned to Tenn., purchased a planta- tion, and set up a cotton-gin aud large flouring-mill; but the civil war caused serious reverses, from which he had not recovered, when in 1879 he removed to Wash. with his family of ten children, and located on 640 acres 9 miles north of Colfax.
Samuel H. Berry, born in Osage co., Mo., in 1849, received a liberal education, was principal of the Linn high school, and county surveyor, mi- grated to Wash. in 1881, and located in Lewis co., where he pursued teach- ing and surveying, and was county auditor for four years.
James Z. Moore, born in Jefferson co., Ky, in 1845, removed to Mo. in 1836, was educated at Miami university, Oxford, O., graduating in 1887, and attending Harvard law school at Cambridge, Mass. In 1868 he was admitted to the bar in Owensboro, Ky, and had a very successful prac- tice. In 1884 he was a delegate to the Chicago republican convention, and was elected the Ky member of the republican national committee. In 1886 he removed to Spokane Falls, Wash., and was member of a prominent law firm.
Edward Eldridge was born at St Andrew, Scotland, in 1828, went to sea in 1841, to Cal. in 1849, and to Wash. in 1853, as mentioned in this history. He made himself one of the finest homes in the country, at Bellingham Bay; has held various offices, was speaker of the house in 1866, president of the conventions which nomimated Denny, Flanders, and Garfield for congress, one of the three delegates at large in the constitutional convention at Walla Walla in 1878.
R. S. Moore was born in Scotland in 1828, immigrated to Conn. in 1831, to Iowa in 1848, to Ill. in 1850, and to The Dalles in 1852, removing in 1853 to Steilacoom. He was county commissioner of the first territorial elections for territorial and county officers in 1854, and twice re-elected; was first lieut of co. D, Ist regt of Wash. vols during the Ind. war of 1855; and was one of the company that cut a wagon-road through the Nachess pass in 1853.
George Turner was born in Medina, Knox co., Mo., in 1850, and bred a lawyer. He held the office of U. S. marshal for the southern and middle district of Alabama, and was appointed associate justice of Wash. in 1884 by Arthur. He was chairman of the republican state committee in Ala. from 1876 to 1884; member of the national convention from Ala. in 1876-80-84, and in the latter two, member at large and chairman of the delegation; and was one of the 306 in the convention for Grant.
Theodore L. Stiles, born at Medway, Ohio, educated in the public schools, at the Ohio university, and at Amherst, Mass., college, studied law at Columbia college law school, and entered a law office in New York as a clerk for one year, after which he began practice. In 1877 he went to India- napolis, thence to Arizona in 1878, remaining in Tucson until 1887, when he came to Wash. and settled in Tacoma.
James Power, born in Ireland in 1849, but reared in Ohio, was by occu- pation a printer, and worked on the Ohio State Journal. In 1870 he removed to Washington City, where he worked in the government printing-office until 1873, when he came to Wash. and started the Mail at Whatcom, re- moving it in 1879 to La Conner. He served as inspector of the Puget Sound
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
well adapted to their needs. It dealt with corporations
district for some time, and represented Whatcem, Snohomish, and Island counties in the upper house of the legislature in 1883.
John F. Gowey, born in North Lewisburg, Ohio, in 1846, was admitted to the bar in 1869, member of the Ohio legislature in 1873-4-5, and pros- ecuting attorney of his county twe terms, 1876-9. He was appointed receiver of the U. S. land-office at Olympia in 1882, serving four years, and was a member of the territorial council at the session of 1887-8. Leaving the practice of the law, he became president of the First National bank of Olympia, and mayor of that city.
Austin Mires, bern in Des Moines ce., Ia, in 1852, came te Or. with his parents in 1853, whe settled on a farm in Umpqua valley, where he resided until he was 21 years of age, being educated at the different academies in Douglas and Polk counties, and in his turn teaching and learning the print- ing trade. He was appointed mail agent in 1887, resigned in 1880, and went te Ann Arbor, Mich., where he took a law course at the university, gradu- ating in 1882. He was admitted to the bar iu Or. in 1882, and elected chief clerk of the senate of the Or. legislature. In 1883 he removed to Wash., locating at Ellensburg. When the town was incorporated, Feb. 26, 1885, he was elected mayor, serving two terms; was subsequently city attorney and city treasurer; and was elected vice-president of the Ellensburg National bank on its organization.
Addison A. Lindsley, born in Wis, in 1848, and reared in N. Y., came to Portland in 1868; occupation, surveyor and civil engineer; removed to Cal. in 1874; was elected surveyor of the city and county of San Francisco in 1879; removed to Wash. in 1881; was a member of the legislature from Clarke co. in 1885-6; and was engaged in dairying and stock-raising on Lewis river.
Lewis Jehns, born in Germany in 1827, came to the Pacific coast in 1852, and worked at the trade of a painter until 1866. when he began merchandis- ing at Vancouver, and was engaged in manufacturing business on Puget Sound and Columbia river. He built the first barrel factory in the territory, at Puyallup, in 1883, and in connection with others established the First National bank at Vancouver, of which he was elected president. He repre- sented Clarke co. in the council; held the office of mayor for 6 years, and was appointed by Gov. Squire a trustee of the School for Defective Youth at Vancouver.
J. J. Weisenburger, bern in Bureau co., Ill., in 1855, came with his pa- rents te the Pacific coast in 1862, settling in Nevada City. He was bred a lawyer, admitted to practice in 1879, and removed to Wash. in 1883, locating at Whatcom, where he was city attorney and justice of the peace.
D. Buchanan, born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1820, immigrated te Wis. in 1850, and to Ritzville, Wash., in 1885. Occupation, farmer.
E. H. Sullivan, born in Eaton co., Mich., in 1850, migrated to Neb. in 1855, and te Or. in 1862, removing to Wash. in 1877. He was admitted to the practice of the law at Celfax in 1880, where he continued to reside, and was elected prosecuting attorney in 1884.
D. J. Crewley, born in Banger, Me, in 1854, of Irish parentage, came to Wash. in 1880, and practised law at Walla Walla, as a partner of John B. Allen, delegate in congress.
R. Jeffs, born in New York in 1827, came to King co., Wash., in 1857, and was justice of the peace for 15 years.
Dr J. C. Kellogg, bern in Yates co., N. Y., in 1821, came to Wash. when it was a part of Oregon, settling at South Bay, Whidbey Island, where he continued to reside, and served several terms in the legislature.
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