USA > Washington > Spokane County > Spokane > History of the city of Spokane and Spokane County, Washington : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume III > Part 1
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HISTORY OF THE
CITY OF SPOKANE AND
SPOKANE COUNTRY
WASHINGTON
From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME III
SPOKANE-CHICAGO-PHILADELPHIA THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 707071 ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDAT ONS $915 L
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SIUn IR'AR
T DIN FOUR JATO .
ROBERT E. STRAHORN
Biographical
ROBERT EDMUND STRAHORN.
Starting out in life with less opportunity or equipment than the average Amer- ican boy, but evidently possessed of an optimism and determination which enabled him to triumph over many adverse situations and discouragements, Robert Edmund Strahorn has followed the lead of his opportunities, doing as best he could any- thing that came to hand, and creating and seizing legitimate advantages as they have arisen. He has never hesitated to take a forward step when the way was open. Fortunate in possessing a degree of earnestness and frankness that have mispired confidence in others, the simple weight of his character and ability have carried him into important relations with large interests and he is now the presi- dent of several important railway and other corporations with headquarters in Spokane. The North Coast Railroad project especially owes its inception and prosecution to him and is constituting a most important element in business activity throughout the northwest.
Mr. Strahorn was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1852. The tamily is of Scotch-Irish origin and the ancestry in America is traced back to the great-grandfather of our subject, who in colonial days came from Scotland to the new world and afterward aided in obtaining AAmerican liberty in the Revolutionary war. He continued a resident of Union county. Pennsylvania, until his death and Ins son Samuel Strahorn, grandfather of our subject, also made his home in that county. The father, Thomas F. Strahorn, there born and reared, learned the trades of a millwright and machinist and in 1856 removed from Center county, Pennsylvania. to Freeport, Illinois, and nine years later became a resident of Sedalia, Missouri. In 1878 he crossed the Rockies, following in the footsteps of his son who had preceded in 1870, and after residing for a time in Idaho and Montana he became a resident of Los Angeles, California, where he passed away in 1883. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Rebecca Emmert. was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, and was of Dutch lineage. a daughter of John En- mert, who had come to this country from Switzerland. The death of Mrs. Strahorn occurred in 1861.
Robert E. Strahorn spent the first four years of his life in the state of his nativity and was then taken by his parents to northern linois, where the period of his youth was passed in village and farm life where his work was of the hard- est. His educational privileges were very limited, as he attended school only until ten years of age. Private reading and study, however, constantly broadened his knowledge and the studions habits of his youth have made him a man of wide general information. In the school of experience, too, he learned many valable lessons which have proven of significant worth in his advancement in the busi- ness world. In his boyhood days. after his life on the farm, he first sold papers
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on the streets and then began learning the printer's trade in Sedalia, Missouri. following that occupation for five years. Subsequent to his removal to Denver, Colorado. in 1870. he was engaged in newspaper work as reporter, editor and correspondent until 1877. During the Sioux war of 1875-6 in Wyoming and Montana, he was with General Crook as special correspondent of the New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Denver News, personally participating in the fight- ing in all of the engagements with the Indians, the secretary of war commending him for his gallantry and helpfulness to the government. Moreover, he wrote most interesting accounts of that frontier warfare, which was needed in quelling the Indians in their hostile resentment of the incoming civilization.
While pursuing the journalistic profession Mr. Strahorn became interested in and to some extent identified with the railway business, accompanying as corre- spondent several surveying parties and also performing publicity work for the Denver & Rio Grande, the Colorado Central and the Union Pacific Railroad Com- panies. This opened up to him the opportunity of entering into aetive connce- tion with railway interests and he organized and condueted the publicity bureaus of the Union Pacific and Kansas Pacific Companies, during which period, from 1877 until 1884, he resided much of the time in Omaha and in Denver. He was also engaged in a confidential capacity in work relating to the extension of lines for the Union Pacific, this carrying him by stage, horseback and on foot into almost every county of every state and territory west of the Missouri river and brought to him his wide knowledge of the conditions and the opportunities of the west. His next step in the business world brought him into intimate connection with town-site, irrigation and power enterprises in Idaho, Oregon and Washington and when six years had passed in that way he returned to the east. settling in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1890. Through the succeeding eight years he devoted his attention to the negotiation of municipal bonds but since 1898 has perma- nently resided in Spokane, where he again became actively interested in develop- ment projects, his special lines of operation being in connection with the construc- tion and operation of waterworks, power and electric plants and irrigation. Those interests still. elaim his attention and energies to a considerable extent and have constituted a significant force in the improvement and upbuilding of the districts in which he has operated. His enterprise and executive ability in recent years have, moreover, brought him into prominence in railway connections as the promo- ter and builder of the North Coast Railroad. He undertook to prosecute that project in the spring of 1905 with the result that in the fall of that year a com- pany was organized and the engineering and construction work has since proceeded steadily. The system is designed to bring Seattle, Tacoma and Portland on the west into direct connection with Walla Walla and Spokane on the east and includes a new short line between Spokane and Walla Walla and another between Spokane and Lewiston, Idaho, and, with its branches, is to have a total length of seven hundred and fifty miles. Throughout praetieally the whole existence of the com- pany Mr. Strahorn has been its president and active manager. The value of the project is recognized by every business man of this section and its worth as a developing factor of Washington can seareely be overestimated. In connection with this, Mr. Strahorn has organized the Spokane Union Terminal project which will center five railways in one grand passenger terminal and provide for their concentration along one central zone through the heart of the city, with all surface
SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
or grade crossings eliminated. In working this out he overcame obstacles which in the aggregate were almost appalling.
The North Coast Railroad project has sometimes been called the railway romance of our time and our subject, its central figure, the "Sphinx" and "Man of Mystery" because of the very unusual and unique manner of its financing and building, involving many millions of dollars, without the identity of Mr. Strahorn's financial backers becoming known. The war made upon him by rival railway in- terests. and others bent upon unmasking and defeating him has been a sensation of large magnitude in the Pacific northwest, and probably more than any other of Mr. Strahorn's undertakings has emphasized his tine poise, unfaltering pursuit of an undertaking once decided upon and his undying devotion to any trust imposed in him, as well as his modesty in success. Late in the year 1910, when the larger matters desired had been accomplished, this ban of secrecy was removed and it developed that Mr. Strahorn had been the confidential agent of Mr. Harri- man from the first and the North Coast Railroad enterprise was consolidated with other Harriman lines in the northwest under the name of the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company, and Mr. Strahorn made vice-president of the larger corporation.
In order to appreciate some of the accomplishments of this great railroad builder be it stated that several hundred miles of road surveyed and in part constructed have been paid for. to the extent of several million dollars, by the personal check of Mr. Strahorn. A thousand miles of surveyed lines, a hundred miles completed in the Yakima valley, trains operating on portions of road, are a few of the things that have been accomplished in an incredibly short time and in the face of tremend- ous odds and opposition. There has been built one bridge two thousand nine hun- dred feet long spanning the Columbia; another over the Snake will be four thou- sand and seventy feet long and two hundred and seventy-five feet high, probably the highest over any large river in the United States, and this bridge will have ten million pounds of steel used in its construction. Mr. Strahorn will crect in the city of Spokane alone one bridge one hundred and sixty-five feet high and three thousand feet long; another one hundred and seventy-five feet high and one thou- sand feet long. and both to be marvelous engineering feats.
More recently these interests have organized the West Coast Railway designed to do important construction across the Caseade mountains, with Mr. Strahorn as president, and also the Yakima Valley Transportation Company, which is build- ing important electric railway lines under his direction. Among his many important personal enterprises are the Northwest Light & Water Company, owning water- power, electric lighting and waterworks plants in various cities of Oregon. Washing- ton and Idaho; the Yakima Valley Power Company, which has built elvetrie trans- mission lines one hundred and ten miles in length, connecting up and furnishing electric power to all the cities of the Yakima valley and Pasco; and the Pasco Reclamation Company, which is irrigating and otherwise developing large areas of orchard lands surrounding the city of Pasco. Besides financing and being presi- dent and manager of these and other companies. Mr. Strahorn has found time to engage in many other activities in connection with commercial organizations through- out the northwest.
On the 19th of September. 1877, Mr. Strahorn was married to Miss Carrie
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SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
Adell Green, a daughter of Dr. J. W. Green, of Marengo, Illinois, whose social graces and literary attainments (the latter best evidenced by her authorship of the popular volume "Fifteen thousand miles by stage") are eloquent testimonials to the credit her husband so freely accords her for a large measure of his success.
Mr. Strahorn is a valued member of several social organizations, including the Spokane Club, Spokane Athletic Club. the Inland Club and the Spokane Country Club, and for several years he has been a trustee of the Spokane Chamber of Com- merce, cooperating in all of its practical plans for the development of the city. His genial nature, ever-ready helpfulness and philanthropy have given him a large place in the hearts of his fellow citizens. Mr. Strahorn is a man of well balanced capacities and powers. without any of that genius which is liable to produce erratic movements resulting in unwarranted risk and failure. He is eminently a man of business sense, of well balanced mind, even temper and conservative habits, and possesses that kind of enterprise that leads to great accomplishments and benefits others more than himself.
MRS. CARRIE ADELL STRAHORN.
Carrie Adell (Green) Strahorn, wife of Robert E. Strahorn, of Spokane, is a native of Marengo, MeHenry county, Illinois, being the second daughter of Dr. John W. and Louise Babcock Green. Her parents were pioneers of northern Illi- nois, her father having removed in 1846 from Greenfield. Ohio, of which place Dr. Green's parents were founders. These grandparents of Mrs. Strahorn, on her father's side, were descendants of prominent patriots of like name of the Revolu- tionary war. Her mother, who died in Marengo in 1899, was a native of Lavonia Center. New York, and was a descendant of Aaron Burr. Dr. John W. Green. Mrs. Strahorn's father, who died in Chicago in 1893, was for fifty years one of the most noted surgeons of the Mississippi valley. He was the first surgeon to admin- ister an anesthetic west of Chicago. He served with great distinetion during the war of the Rebellion, first as regimental surgeon of the Ninety-fifth Illinois, and later as brigade and finally as division surgeon with General Grant in the Army of the Tennessee. Mrs. Green accompanied her husband throughout the famous Red river campaign, sharing every danger of field and hospital.
Carrie Adell Green had the advantage of the public schools of Marengo, supple- mented by a liberal education in the higher branches at Ann Arbor. Developing an ardent love for music, she studied to good purpose under some of the foremost American and European vocal masters, and thus. when wedded to Robert E. Stra- horn, at Marengo, September 19, 1877, she possessed to an unusual degree the graces and refinements and all the wholesome attributes and practical helpfulness of the sensibly reared young womanhood of those days.
It is not too much to say that Carrie Adell Strahorn has well maintained the lofty traditions of the sturdy, heroic stock of pioneers, patriots and state builders of her ancestry. A superb, home-loving, womanly woman always, yet she has had so much to do with the development of the frontier that her public life and ac-
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CARRIE ADELL STRAHORN
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IHRARY
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SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
complishments have been the inspiration and pride of many communities in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific coast states. It has been well said of her that she has "mothered the west."
Immediately after her marriage in 1877 she set out with her husband on the often dangerous and romantic, and always toilsome career (in a field covering nearly half our continent) the brighter aspects of which are so vividly portrayed in her famous hook "Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage," which was published in 1911 by G. P. Putnam's Sons.
Probably no other woman has so thoroughly experienced every phase of far west exploration and genuine pioneering. This, covering a period of thirty-four years while the west has been in the making, has gone through all gradations from the wilderness haunts of the hostile savage along through the rudest camps of the miner and cowboy to zealons, practical participation in colonization, and town and city building in many waste places, often far in advance of the railways. This work was particularly noticeable and effective from 1877 to 1880 in Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming, and from 1880 to 1890 in Utah, Montana, Idaho and Washington. From 1890 to 1898, while Mr. Strahorn transferred his activities largely to New England, Mrs. Strahorn pursued her musical and literary studies in Boston. Dur- ing this period however, the Strahorn's spent a portion of each year in Spokane and vicinity, or elsewhere in the Rocky Mountains. Since 1898, when they located per- manently in Spokane. Mrs. Strahorn has been everything in the life and growth of the city and state that might be expected from one so fully equipped and so ardently in love with the Pacific coast country and its institutions.
Being a frequent contributor to the colinnus of various eastern publications dur- ing all these years, she has made the most of many opportunities to faithfully por- tray the leading characteristics of far west life and development. never failing to award due praise to the heroic work .of the pioneers, as well as to enthusiastically strive for wider recognition of the merits of western resources and institutions, and our climatic, scenie and other attractions.
The camp or home of the Strahorns has always been a landmark of hospitality and a rallying point for the creation and nourishing of publie spirit and the stremi- ous promotion of every good cause. Not a few of the far west's foremost men in business, professional and political life, join her noted husband in gratefully aserih- ing much of their success to Mrs. Strahorn's untiring encouragement and general helpfulness in her home, social and publie activities at the period in their lives when such help meant everything to them. She has also accomplished much in church building and in the founding and support of educational and charitable institutions. Notwithstanding the success. financially and otherwise. of Mr. Straborn, and her prominent place and hearty participation in the social life of Spokane, Mrs. Stra- horn has not relaxed in her devotion to these more useful and serious things and is still actively engaged in literary pursuits.
EDWARD FRANKLIN WAGGONER.
Edward Franklin Waggoner is the president of the Union Fuel & Ice Company of Spokane, with offices at 107 Sprague avenue. He was born in Lostant, Illinois, February. 15, 1870, and acquired his early education in the public schools there,
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SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
while spending his youthful days in the home of his parents, John G. and Sarah E. (Cox) Waggoner. He was afterward sent to Eureka College at Eureka, Illi- nois, and when he had put aside his text-books he became a elerk in a store there. The next step in his business career brought him into close connection with the MeCormick Harvesting Machine Company as traveling salesman and colleetor, in which capacity he traveled for them in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. He dis- played notable ability in all branches of the harvesting machinery business, thereby winning the position of general agent and manager of the company's business in Washington, Oregon. Idaho. Montana and a part of Wyoming. In 1903 the Inter- national Harvester Company was formed, taking over the MeCormiek Harvesting Machine Company and Mr. Waggoner was continued in charge of the business until October 15, 1906, when he resigned to enter upon an independent business venture, organizing the Union Fuel & lee Company, of which he has since been president. The company was established as a wholesale and retail business. The business has grown steadily and substantially sinee its inception and is now one of the important and prosperous commercial undertakings of Spokane, doing a business of nearly a half million dollars in 1911.
Mr. Waggoner is also trustee and seeretary of the Masonic Temple Association and it was he who as the master of Spokane Lodge No. 34, F. & A. M., conceived the projeet of creeting a Masonic Temple in Spokane and assisted in the forma- tion of the association which erected the temple. He aeted as seeretary of the board of trustees and as chairman of its finance committee from the outset until the temple was completed, and his work in this connection has received warm eom- mendation. The association was formed in 1901; ground for the temple was broken by President Roosevelt on the 26th day of May, 1903; the corner stone was laid Oetoher 6, 1904; and the building was dedieated June 14, 1906. Mr. Waggoner is one of the best known and most prominent Masons of the state, tak- ing an active part in the work of the order and ever npholding the high standard which has been maintained by this fraternity. He belongs to and is past master of Spokane Lodge. No. 34. F. & A. M .; is a member and past high priest of Spo- kane Chapter, No. 2, R. A. M .: and belongs to Spokane Council, No. 4. R. & S. M .: Cataract Commandery, No. 3, K. T .; Oriental Consistory, No. 2, S. P. R. S .; and El Katif Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He has been awarded high honors in the order and was grand master of the state of Washington in 1906-7. He likewise belongs to Spokane Lodge, No. 228, B. P. O. E .; Samaritan Lodge. No. 52. I. O. O. F .; Spokane Council, No. 92, United Commereial Travelers; and is a Woodman of the World.
In addition to his other business interests he is a director and a member of the executive committee of the International Casualty Company and also a director in the Western Soap Company, one of Spokane's largest manufacturing institutions. He is now serving for the second term as a trustee of the Chamber of Commerce and has eooperated readily and effectively in its measures and plans for promoting publie progress. His political allegianee is given to the Republican party and he takes an active and helpful interest in its work, yet would never consent to be- come a candidate for office. He wields an influence which is all the stronger, per- haps, because it is moral rather than politieal, and is exercised for the publie weal rather than for personal ends.
On the 16th of February, 1898, Mr. Waggoner was married, in Chicago, to
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SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
Miss Nellie MeKibben, a daughter of Captain J. M. and Margaret MeKibben, of Shelbyville, Ilinois. They have two children, Edward F .: Jr., and Margaret. In the social circles of Spokane they are well known and the hospitality of the best homes is cordially extended them. His business interests have brought him a wide acquaintance in the northwest and through Masonry he has become even more widely known, standing as a prominent representative of that order which has ever ineuleated principles of high and honorable manhood and promoted good citizenship.
S. A. STANFIELD.
S. A. Stanfield is one of the widely known residents of Lincoln county, who has been more or less actively identified with the agricultural and business interests of Odessa for more than twenty years. He was born in Umatilla county, Oregon. on February 10, 1869, and is a son of Robert N. and Phoche (Atwood) Stanfield. natives of Illinois. In the early '50s they crossed the plains to California, whence they later removed to Oregon, settling in Umatilla county where the father filed on some government land and engaged in agricultural pursuits.
The carly years of S. A. Stanfield did not differ save in details from those of other lads reared on ranches on the frontier at that period. He attended the public schools in the acquirement of an education until he was eighteen years of age, and when not engaged with his studies assisted his father with the operation of the ranch. By the time he had attained his maturity he was thoroughly familiar with the practical methods of tilling the fields and caring for the stock. In 1887, he en- gaged in stock raising for three years, meeting with very good success. At the expiration of that period, in 1890, he came to Lincoln county and filed on a home- stead near Odessa, and for fourteen years devoted his entire time and energy to the cultivation and improvement of this place. As he is a man of practical ideas who intelligently directs his efforts toward the accomplishment of a definite pur- pose, he prospered in his undertakings. He brought his land into a high state of productivity and erceted good substantial barns and outbuildings as well as a com- fortable residence on his ranch, making it one of the attractive and valuable prop- erties of that section. In 1904 he disposed of it and withdrawing from agricultural pursuits removed to Odessa. Here he established a meat market that he con- ducted with very good success for two years, and then disposed of it. After selling his business he went to Grant county. Washington, and bought a section of land that he cultivated for about a year. Renting this property in 1907. he passed the following two years in and about Spokane, subsequently returning to Odessa. In 1909 he again took possession of the meat market he had previously established, but only conducted it for a brief period. closing out the business in 1910. Prior to this he had acquired a fine tract of land adjacent to Odessa upon which he lo- cated and here he has ever since resided. His land is all under cultivation and is well adapted to the raising of fruits and alfalfa in which he is specializing with very good results. Mr. Stanfield has prospered in his undertakings and is the owner of some very fine land, that is constantly increasing in value. He sold his section of land in Grant county. Washington, as the cultivation of the ranch on which he is living brings him an income that is more than sufficient for the needs of himself and family. In addition to these properties he has a nice residence in Odessa and is a stockholder and director of the Odessa Mercantile Company.
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