An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 57

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146

USA > Washington > Kittitas County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 57
USA > Washington > Yakima County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 57
USA > Washington > Klickitat County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 57

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

on Discovery bar, where, in the spring of 1874, sluices were built of whipsawed lumber and where an ounce a day to the man was averaged that season. But the next year the lead played out and in 1876 the mines were abandoned. In the late 'seventies, activity was renewed in the Swauk district; lost leads were discovered; the region became a promi- nent producer and ever since it has continued to yield considerable quantities of gold. Many who were attracted to the country by the first discover- ies remained to assist in the development of Kittitas county's latent resources, so the finding of the yel- low metal may be considered one of the most impor- tant events of the early days, not alone in its direct but in its indirect effects.

Meanwhile the agricultural development of Kit- titas valley was progressing slowly but surely. Every year brought a few additions to the laborers at work in the task of subjugating the rich country and winning from it its stores of natural wealth, but all ,were handicapped by lack of means to oper- ate on anything like an extensive scale. The first irrigation ditch of considerable size constructed in the county was the Manastash canal, built about 1874 by farmers on the creek from which it took its name. Though a comparatively small ditch, its importance was great, serving to demonstrate the practicability of irrigation under the conditions of climate and soil obtaining in the valley. After all these years of usefulness, it still continues to render valuable service.

This canal antedated but little, perhaps not more than a year, the Tanum ditch, which took its water out of the creek of the same name. Though nine miles long, it carried only a small amount of water. As yet, however, it has not been superseded by any more capacious canal, though its own capacity has been increased somewhat. It now carries five thousand inches. It was put in by the Tanum Ditch Company, a local association of which J. E. Bates was the first president. Though the Manastash and Tanum canals were not large in comparison with the huge aqueducts of later years, they were the work of pioncer farmers without adequate cap- ital, and their construction is a credit to the energy and persistence of the indomitable men who opened the way for the subjugation and settlement of the Kittitas valley.

Important though the first decade of white occupancy of the Kittitas was, it is not fruitful of events such as illumine and add interest to history's page. It was the time of small things, when men struggled with poverty, with isolation, and with a dearth of almost everything essential to comfort. It was a period of unromantic wrestling with the problem of existence, when, as George D. Virden expresses it, men were concerned with the vital question of "how they were to cover up their out- sides and fill up their insides," a problem serious enough for the majority of people in all lands and at all times. But the Kittitas pioneers were fortu-

nate in that they were working out their destiny in a land well favored by Nature. In every direc- tion was an abundance of succulent bunch grass for the sustenance of flocks and herds, while the tall rye grass along the streams furnished food for them during the winter months, greatly reducing the quantity of hay it was necessary to put up during the summer seasons. The early settlers well knew that in a land where stock may be allowed to mul- tiply almost indefinitely, there is no danger of per- manent poverty and that an abundance of every- thing was likely to be theirs, if they could but worry along for a few years. That they knew the time would come when these conditions would no longer exist is, however, evident from the energy and zeal displayed by them almost from the first in the development of agriculture by irrigation.

Another favorable circumstance was the general friendliness of the Indian tribes. That the red men would have preferred that the whites remain out of their country was evinced by their continually magnifying the drawbacks of the valley, its cold climate, deep snows, etc., but they never offered armed resistance to white occupancy, neither was reasonable ground for apprehension as to the safety of the white families presented at any time prior to 1878. That year was, however, one of not a little anxiety throughout the whole of central Washington. The unfortunate Perkins affair and the events which grew out of it have been treated at some length in connection with Yakima county, of which the Kittatis valley was then a part. In the apprehension and punishment of the dastardly murderers, the citizens of the northern section were no less active and interested than were their neigh- bors to the southward. Nor were the Kittitas resi- dents less vigilant than the Yakima people during the continuance of danger from the Bannock and Piute war. The first intimation they had that trouble might be anticipated came in July, 1878. Rumors of danger caused G. W. Shaser and Gillam to start for the range after their cattle, lest these should fall into the hands of predatory Indians. When they got as far on their journey as Selah springs they met the Burbank boys, who, as elsewhere narrated, had been fired upon by the red men. These of course told their story, and immediately upon hearing it, Messrs. Shaser and Gillam set out post haste for home. Reaching Ellensburg about eight o'clock that evening, they at once gave the alarm. The result was electrical. Messengers departed forthwith for all the outlying districts, while those who remained at home began active preparations for quartering and defending the people who should flock to their town, as well as themselves. Many of the country people were slow to take alarm, but a majority preferred to run just as few risks as possible, so flocked to the sev- eral places of defense without delay. Of these the principal were at Ellensburg, on the old Parson Hawn homestead adjoining Samuel T. Packwood's

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farm in West Kittitas, and on the A. B. Whitson place, but besides these blockhouses were built by Charles Wheeler, George Shaser and Robert Wal- lace, each erecting one on his own homestead. The stockade at Hawn's was largest of all, enclosing about three acres and being between fifteen and twenty feet in height. That on the Whitson place covered an area of not more than half an acre, but, it is said, was a cleverly designed, strong fortifica- tion, enclosing a blockhouse. The stockade at Ellensburg occupied most of the block bounded by Pearl, Main, Third and Fourth streets.

It is stated that these several fortifications, though thrown up with great rapidity by the set- tlers, were really quite substantial and capable of withstanding a considerable force supplied only with small arms. To them, during the early days of July, nearly all the white inhabitants of the valley, some three or four hundred, repaired with cooking utensils and supplies and what few fire- arms they could muster. Of the last there was certainly no great abundance at first.

Upon the assembling of the settlers, the forma- tion of a military company for home protection was one of the first measures thought of. There were in the valley several men who had seen serv- ice in the Civil war, among them Samuel T. Packwood, a resident of West Kittitas. To him was assigned the duty of organizing the company. The muster rolls, which unfortunately cannot now be found, were signed by about fifty men. Mr Packwood was of course captain and F. D. Schnebly, William Morrison and Tillman Houser were chosen for the offices of first lieutenant, second lieutenant and orderly sergeant, respectively.

Soon after the people had gathered into stock- ades, the officials of Yakima county had received from the government through the chief executive of the territory, a supply of needle guns and ammu- nition, which were brought from The Dalles to Yak- ima City by a detachment of men from the Yakima country. Of course, Kittitas valley was entitled to a just share of these, and to secure the same Captain Packwood, with a detachment of ten or twelve men, proceeded in a four-horse wagon to the county seat. It was feared that there might be some technical difficulty in the way of their obtain- ing the guns, and as the urgency of the case seemed to justify a rather high handed policy, the captain resolved to secure the weapons and ammunition first and to ask for them afterward. In the execu- tion of this plan he succeeded admirably. Not before fifty stand of arms and ammunition therefor were in possession of his men did he mention his errand to County Auditor Masters, and when at last he broached the subject to that official, the re- sult was as expected. "I have no authority from the commissioners to distribute the guns," he said. When, however, he learned that the arms and am- munition were already on the way to Ellensburg, he raised no serious objection, and seems to have

concluded that the wisest policy was to overlook the illegality of the proceeding entirely.

As soon as the military supplies reached Ellens- burg, the work of drilling the company was begun, Lieutenant Morrison serving as drill master. Much attention was paid not alone to drilling and ma- neuvering during the early part of the Indian war, but also to the maintenance of a strict guard at night. But as time passed and no enemy appeared, the irksome sentinel duty was neglected, and soon the families returned to their homes and regular occupations. The military organization was, how- ever, maintained for over two years. The guns were never called in and, it is presumed, are still in possession of the home guardsmen or their descendants.

While some of the tribes of central Washington were undoubtedly hostile in feeling, the Indians who made their homes in the Kittitas valley were very friendly. Indeed they seemed to fear an in- vasion of their red brethren in arms as much as did any of the white men.

Another Indian scarce was occasioned by Chief Moses' demonstration on the Columbia river, the story of which has been told elsewhere. Many of the settlers again sought the protection of the stockades, but careful defensive precautions were not observed as on the former occasion. Captain Packwood states that quite a large number gathered at his home during these times of uncertainty and trouble, also several friendly Indians, all of whoni were as well taken care of as conditions would permit.

These Indian scares and the prospect that trouble with the aborigines might last indefinitely, caused a few settlers to conclude that the climate of the country was unendurable and to go elsewhere in search of Fortune's favors. It is probable, too, that some intending settlers were deterred from coming by the unsettled Indian situation. How- ever, the vigor displayed by the whites in prepar- ing for defense and their energy and courage in capturing and punishing the Perkins murderers effectually put an end to all danger of an Indian uprising in future, and whatever scares there may have been since were absolutely without foundation. The promptness, determination and vigor displayed in the years 1878 and 1879 are certainly deserving of the highest commendation; and the wisdom of the course pursued by the settlers in bringing the perpetrators of atrocities to summary punishment has been abundantly justified by the subsequent history of central Washington.

The winter of 1878-9 was a mild one, and the season following it brought some encouragement to the struggling pioneers of the Kittitas country. It was about that time that Dr. Dorsey S. Baker. of Walla Walla. began preparations for the build- ing of his celebrated wooden railroad from Walla Walla to Wallula, creating a big demand for ties and other timbers. Throughout the whole of the

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winter of 1879, W. J. Harkness operated a tie and lumber camp near Cle-Elum, employing a consid- erable crew of men and, of course, greatly improv- ing the local market for farm products. Next spring an enormous drive of logs and tie timber was sent down the Yakima to the Northern Pacific Company's sawmill at Ainsworth. It was during that year, also, that the railway began building eastward from Ainsworth, inspiring the hope that the day of isolation from the outside world must soon pass, and creating a demand for the timber on the eastern slope of the Cascades. It furnished encouragement for an industry which had its first feeble beginnings as early, it is thought, as 1876, when James S. Dysart established a sawmill near the site of the present Cle-Elum. Even this was not the first manufacturing plant if Houser's dates are correct, for he says that in 1875 a grist mill was built in the county by Robert Canady. It stood on Wilson creek, five miles northeast of Ellensburg, where the brick mill now is. At first it was a small water power mill, but later Mr. Canady took in his brother as a partner and enlarged and improved the plant. Other flour mills were soon after built by Charles A. Sanders and Jerry D. Dammon. Thus it will be seen that even during the earliest days, when the people were few and for the most part poor in worldly possessions, the resources of the Kittitas country began to be developed, and promise was given of a time when it should be taking prizes at state fairs for the variety of its industries and products. Before the first decade had passed, it had begun to yield besides agricultural products and cattle and horses, considerable outputs of lumber and gold, and some manufactured articles.

The first time, and at least during the early, years the only time, that troops were stationed in the Kittitas valley was in the spring of 1879, when about two hundred cavalrymen took station near George Cooke's present place about a mile above the old Olding ranch. The troops came by order of Department Commander O. O. Howard for the purpose of watching the Columbia River Indians, who were then showing signs of restiveness. They remained several months.

As in all other parts of the central Washington country and the northwest, the winter of 1880-I was exceedingly severe in the Kittitas country. The first weeks of the winter were not unusually cold. nor did they bring much snow, but at Christmas the trouble commenced. Then the earth was wrapped in a downy coverlet nearly a foot thick. Soon this melted somewhat and crusted. Several lighter snowfalls succeeded, each one crusting. until, in January, there were twenty inches of solid ice and snow. Then came a fall of eight inches, followed by a terrific blizzard, the first, and indeed the only one, occurring since the advent of the whites. When at length the storm subsided, the canvons were drifted full of snow and all roads were effect- ually blocked. The effect upon range stock may

be imagined. Entire bands were imprisoned where sustenance could not be secured and some of them perished utterly before the snow melted or help came, while others were in the last stages of starvation, eating each other's hair and tails, when discovered.

At this time there were few large bands of cat- tle in the valley, but many had from ten or fifteen to two hundred head; Smith Brothers had more than two hundred. The losses amounted to fully fifty per cent., the heaviest losers, proportionately to their entire herds, being the owners of small bands, for the large stock owners had made greater provision for feeding, hence were able to tide a greater percentage of their animals over the severe weather.

Fortunately, the blizzard occasioned the loss of no human lives in Kittitas valley, though one man, . a Swede named Honson, was unlucky enough to be caught by it in the Yakima canyon, north of Squaw creek. He saved his life by lying down and allowing the snow to drift over him, covering him completely. When the fury of the elements had at last spent itself, he dug his way out and resumed his journey unharmed.

The stock loss sustained by the Kittitas farmers was partly compensated by the increase in prices following upon the hard winter. In 1880, a two- year-old steer was worth about $15; in the spring of 1881 the same animal would bring $20, and a year later $30. A further compensation was had in the immense crops the heavy snowfall produced the next spring. The snow lay on the ground till after the Ist of March, then started to go away quite rapidly before the warm breath of a Chinook, but fortunately the balmy wind did not last long, and most of the snow disappeared gradually, caus- ing no destructive floods. The abundance of moist- ure in the ground caused everything sown or planted by the agriculturist to grow and produce bountifully. Mr. Houser tells us that forty acres of his farm which was not plowed on account of being too wet, yielded thirty bushels to the acre of volunteer wheat, worth from fifty to seventy-five cents a bushel that season.

Although the population of the Kittitas valley in 1880 was still small and scattering, yet even at that early date, the people began to have political ambitions. They had from the first experienced much inconvenience on account of the distance to Yakima City, their county seat. Enough of their time was consumed in making long, periodical trip's to The Dalles for the purpose of disposing of their products and laying in stocks of supplies, without other long trips to Yakima City, whenever county or court business had to be attended to. The people desired one of two things, that the county seat bc removed to Ellensburg or that a new county be organized. Of course the people of the Yakima valley were opposed to both projects, especially the former, for the removal of the county seat would

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work a hardship upon all the residents of Yakima valley from Naches gap to the Columbia river. The matter was in issue in the election of 1880. Its effect was seen in the election of George S. Taylor, a Democrat, to the legislature by a majority of fifty-six over John A. Shoudy, the Republican can- didate, although the county was Republican at the time. The reason was that many Yakima valley Republicans supported the Democratic nominee, fearing that Shoudy, if elected, would attempt to divide the county or remove the county seat.

At the next election, that in the fall of 1882, the same men were candidates for the same office. This time the Kittitas valley Democrats, or many of them, supported Shoudy and the result was that he was elected over Taylor by exactly the same major- ity that the latter had received two years earlier, fifty-six.

"Between these two elections," says W. H. Peter- son, "several things had occurred to arouse and solidify the taxpayers of Kittitas valley in favor of county division. The small building, or courthouse, occupied by the county officers, was, with all its contents, totally destroyed by fire, and the board of county commissioners had to provide some place for the use of the county officers. There was no doubt that a large majority of the taxpayers of the county were in favor of renting offices, but the board, then as now consisting of three members, two living in Yakima and one in Kittitas valley, in their wisdom saw fit to proceed at once to erect a new courthouse. To get them to take this step great pressure was brought to bear on them by the residents of old Yakima. It was a subject of re- mark at the time and of no little adverse criticism among the people of Kittitas valley, that the two commissioners from Yakima valley were divided on the proposition, while the vote of the one from Kit- titas, which if in the negative would have defeated it. was cast for it. Of course the people of old Yakima were jubilant over the action of the board. They felt sure that once the new courthouse was built there would be no possibility of the removal of the county seat to Ellensburg, and that it would have the effect of postponing for a long period the division of the county. But 'the best laid plans of men and mice gang aft aglee.' ·

"S. T. Packwood brought an action in the dis- trict court attacking the right of the board to build a courthouse without having first submitted the ques- tion to a vote of the people. In connection with this he also secured an injunction from the court restraining the county treasurer from paying any orders issued in payment for the courthouse or any part thereof pending the final determination of the case. Judge J. R. Lewis, a resident of Seattle and president of the Yakima National Bank, was the holder of these orders. He was too good a lawyer not to know that upon a final determination of the case the temporary restraining order would be made permanent. It was apparent to him that in case

the county was not divided he could not hope to realize on his warrants, as Packwood was deter- mined to fight his legal battle to a finish, but that should it be divided, the terms of division would no doubt be such as to virtually indemnify Kittitas for the payment of its proportionate part of his war- rants and in that case he could (as he afterward did) get Packwood to have the case dismissed by reimbursing him for his expenses. And so it came about that the influence of Judge Lewis and the bank instead of being wielded against county divis- ion, was exerted in favor of it."

When Shoudy's bill for the creation of Kittitas county came up before the territorial legislature, it met with practically no opposition. The mother county was vigilant to protect her every interest, but as the bill was a liberal one and fair to the old county in every respect, there was no cause for a fight. The language of the creating act is as fol- lows :

AN ACT

To create and locate the county of Kittitass and to define the boundaries thereof.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Washington: That all that portion of Yakima county situated within Washington Territory and included within the following limits be, and the same shall be known as, the county of Kittitass, viz: Commencing at a point where the main channel of the Columbia river crosses the township line between township fourteen and fifteen north, range twenty-three east, Willamette meri- dian, and running west on said township to the range line between townships eighteen and nineteen east; thence north on said line six miles to the township line between townships fifteen and sixteen north; thence west on said township line to the Naches river; thence northerly along the main channel of said river, to the summit of the Cas- cade mountains, or southeast corner of Pierce county ; thence north along the eastern boundaries of Pierce, King and Snohomish counties to the main channel of the Wenachee river; thence down said river to the Columbia · river ; thence down the main channel of the Columbia to the place of beginning.

Section 2. That Robert N. Canaday, Samuel T. Pack- wood and C. P. Cooke are hereby appointed a board of county commissioners for the county of Kittitass, with all the powers as if regularly elected, who shall hold. their offices until the next general election and until their suc- cessors are elected and qualified; and said board of com- missioners shall have power to select and appoint the. re- maining county officers, who shall serve until the next general election and until their successors are elected and qualified, for which purpose the county commissioners herein appointed shall meet at the county seat of Kittitass county, within forty days after the approval of this act, and appoint the necessary officers for said county, and perform such other duties and things necessary for a com- plete organization of the county of Kittitass.

Section 3. That the justices of the peace and con- stables who are now elected as such in the precincts of the county of Kittitass be, and the same are hereby, de- clared justices of the peace and constables of and for the said county of Kittitass.

Section 4. That the county seat of said county of Kittitass is hereby temporarily located at Ellensburg, at which place it shall remain until located permanently else- where in said county by a majority of qualified electors thereof, and for which purpose a vote shall be taken at the

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next general election provided for by statute; and the officers of election shall receive said vote and make return thereof, to the commissioners, who shall canvass the same and announce the result in like manner as the result of the vote for county officers; Provided, That if there be not a majority vote in favor of such location of county seat at any one place at such general election, the qualified elec- tors of the county shall continue to vote on that question at the next and each subsequent general election until some place receive such majority, and the place so receiv- ing a majority of all the votes cast shall be declared the permanent county seat of said Kittitass county.

Section 5. That all laws applicable to the county of Yakima shall be applicable to the county of Kittitass.

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An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 57

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146