An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 64

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 64
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 64
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 64

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).

1871-Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Olding, J. M. Perry, C. A. Sanders, Milton Kertley, Mrs. N. J. Durgan, F. D. Schnebly, Mrs. William L. German, J. H. Mc- Ewen, Catherine Morrison, Emma J. Bartholet, J. D. Dysart.

1872-Mrs. J. D. Dammon, M. M. Dammon, J. P. Becker, P. H. Schnebly, Jesse McDonald, Olive

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F. Montgomery, Jennie Ford, C. B. Walker, Mary Erickson Burroughs, James H. McDonald, Martha D. McDonald.

1874-Samuel T. Packwood, M. F. Packwood, Collie Bradshaw, John I. Packwood, Lora Erickson Shirrell, E. A. Murray.

1875-Eva Olding Shaw, R. Lee Purdin, Wil- liam B. Price.

1876-Phil. Olmstead, Amelia Houser Church- ill, Louis L. Sharp, Rose Carver, Maude Voice Gault, Mara Voice Yocom.

1877-Burt Pease, George W. Smith, Mrs. G. M. Burlingham, Mrs. V. S. Pease, A. T. Mason.

1878-E. B. Pease, Mrs. A. M. Pease, C. M. C. Pansing, M. V. Amen, Mrs. Ellen B. Rader, Matt Bartholet, Mrs. J. B. Jones, G. B. Robbins, Charles Bull.

1879- Mrs. R. N. Bull, Rose Rader Huss, J. M. Prater, Jennie Rader Bailes, W. H. Rader.

1880-W. J. McCausland, J. F. Montgomery, A. Welty, T. M. McCandless, William T. Montgom- ery, Melissa M. Welty, Virginia Gilmour, Lottie H. Becker.

1881-L. F. Ellison, R. H. Drew, J. A. Davis, C. F. Wilson, T. T. Wilson, Maria Davis, Mrs. Susan A. Montgomery.

1882-Isaac B. Taylor, Mrs. Cox, M. D. Cox, Martha E. McCausland, Moses Peffer.

1883-L. P. Burk, Horton Crandall, John W. Dixon, George W. Weaver, Mrs. E. E. Weaver, Mrs. S. S. Kiester, James Irwin.

1884-Mrs. Ella Wilson, Mrs. N. E. Smith, Mrs. Mary Phelps, Belle Cooke, C. S. Palmer, Phil. A. Ditter, Sven Pearson, Howard Ebert, Agnes Dam- mon, Mrs. William L. German, Jerry Pattenaude, Carrie McDowell, J. G. McDowell, Edwin A. Car- penter.

1885-John Voice, E. A. Willis, Lucetta E. Garrison.

1886-A. O. Wishard, Simon P. Fogarty.

1890-Robert A. Turner, by special permission.

The following figures from the assessor's rolls for 1901 will show something of the extent and value to which the property interests of the county had grown at that time: Horses, 4,840, valued at $120,000 ; cattle, 14,290, valued at $262,835 ; sheep, 52,496, valued at $104,969; hogs, 2,398, valued at $9,881 ; vehicles, 1,540, valued at $41,450; sewing machines, 999, valued at $9,212 ; merchandise, val- ued at $143.783 ; farm products, valued at $484,850; Northern Pacific property, rolling stock and per- sonal, valued at $155,676; Northern Pacific track, 93 miles, valued at $603,800 ; 429,040 acres of land, valued at $1,862,541 ; total value of city property, $316.302; 77 miles of telephone wires, valued at $8,085 ; total assessed value of personal property, $1,303,064.

As irrigation became more common in the valley it is noticeable that the cereal crops were more and more abandoned to the less fertile districts, and crops that yielded a larger revenue per acre took their

places. In 1901 only one-eighth as much wheat was sown in Kittitas county as in 1896. For the most part hay had taken the place of the grain crop, be- cause of the immense returns derived from this prod- uct in the rich valley. Good crops and good prices prevailed throughout the year, although times were quieter than during the preceding twelvemonth.

Early in 1902, a movement was set on foot to again bring before the people a proposition to con- struct the high line ditch. Several times before this enterprise had been under consideration but some- thing occurred each time to prevent it from ma- terializing. With the advent of the new year agita- tion of the matter was resumed and on January 9, 1902, a mass meeting was held in the courthouse, at which Austin Mires was chosen president and Frank N. McCandless secretary. A permanent organiza- tion was effected, the officers being: President, Austin Mires ; secretary, Frank N. McCandless ; as- sistant secretary, Harry W. Hale; treasurer, James Ramsay. The association chose as a name the In- termountain Irrigation Association. A committee on ways and means was appointed, namely, J. E. Frost, W. D. Bruton, J. L. Mills, J. E. Burke, W. T. Morrison, Herman Schwingler, Jacob Bowers, Sherman Smith, S. T. Packwood, and Frank N. McCandless. After organizing, the association ad- journed until January 18th.

On that date another large mass meeting assem- bled at the courthouse and listened to reports. The committee appointed to appropriate water rights re- ported that it had secured 50,000 inches, at or near the mouth of the Cle-Elum river and 25,000 at Easton. Further time was requested in which to perfect the plans.

Again on March 4th, a meeting of the Inter- mountain Irrigation Association was held at the courthouse, and Ralph Kauffman, chairman of the ways and means committee, made a written report which declared against the practicability of con- structing a canal along either of the so-called high line or district routes, proposing instead the old Bur- lingame line, surveyed in 1892. The report also urged that the county look for outside capital to take up the proposition, thus declaring against the co-operative scheme advocated by the editor of the Dawn and by many others.

About this time a number of local business men met in Kauffman & Frost's office and organized a ditch corporation .with a capital of $250,000. The company was composed of S. T. Packwood, John H. Smithson, Ralph H. Kauffman, J. C. Hubbell and John E. Frost, and was called the Cascade Canal Company; officers were elected as follows : President, Samuel T. Packwood ; vice president, J. H. Smithson ; treasurer, J. C. Hubbell ; secretary, J. E. Frost. It was resolved to follow the old Bur- lingame route except that instead of following that survey down the east side of the river from Cle- Elum, the ditch should come down the west side to a point above Thorp, on John Yearwood's ranch.

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CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

This plan would give water for about 6,000 acres on the west side and about 20,000 on the east side of the valley. At a meeting of the Intermountain Association held March 15th, the report of the com- mittee on ways and means recommending the Bur- lingame route, if any, was adopted and the meeting resolved to support the Cascade Canal Company. in its effort to construct the ditch, although many con- demned the abandonment of the scheme which would allow all to take a part in the enterprise.

The Dawn informs us that during the following year contracts were let by the Cascade Canal Com- pany for the construction outline work and excava- tion of the canal. The contract for fluming was awarded to George Milton Savage & Company, of Tacoma, and the contract for excavation was given to Nelson & Heavey, also of Tacoma, the work to be completed by April 1, 1904.

Meanwhile another plan for the construction of the high line ditch was being brought to the con- sideration of the people of the valley. At the re- quest of Messrs. Wells and Lee a meeting of the Intermountain Irrigation Association was called by the president, Mr. Austin Mires, at the courthouse. The object of the meeting was to listen to a propo- sition of Wells and Lee looking to the construc- tion of a high line ditch. Mr. J. H. Wells had hitlerto been connected with a plan for the con- struction of such a canal, but the proposition had fa led because of the financial crash. Mr. Wells' proposal was as follows:

"I may state at the outset that the building of a high line ditch is of vast importance to this valley. I shall not enter into any elaborate statement. This meeting is for the purpose of hearing what we may have to say and for you to accept or reject our prop- osition. In the first place in promoting any propo- s.tion of large dimensions you must first look to its finances and I will now ask Mr. Lee to present them to you."

Mr. Lee said: "Mr. Chairman and gentlemen. About five or six months ago while in New York Mr. Wells and myself took up the question of build- ing the high line canal. We could not make any satisfactory arrangements at that time for we had to have certain securities before we could place the bonds. On presentation of the enterprise we were told that under certain conditions the money would be forthcoming to carry our enterprise to a success- ful issue. Our next step is to raise the necessary securities to protect and get the capitalist to take hold. We have the capital. We also have a con- tractor who stands ready and willing to build the canal and give the necessary bonds for the faithful performance of the work as soon as the necessary securities have been raised."

Mr. Lee then handed the chairman the following letters which were read by the secretary :

JAMES D. HOGE JR., EsQ .. First National Bank, Seattle, Wash.

Dear Sir: Would you be so kind as to give me all

the information you have as to the responsibility of Tur- ner A. Beal, Banker, No. 16 Broadway, New York. We are informed by Mr. J. H. Wells that he has disposed of all the bonds necessary to build the irrigation canal in our county, providing Mr. Wells secures certain contracts and concessions from our people. We wish to be in a position to recommend the enterprise. A letter from you would be accepted as authority.

Very respectfully,

E. H. SNOWDEN.

Ellensburg, July 17, 1902.

E. H. SNOWDEN, ESQ.,

President Bank Ellensburg, Ellensburg, Wash.

Dear Sir: I acknowledge receipt of your favor 17th inst., and will say that my acquaintance with Mr. Turner A. Beal, No. 26 Broadway, New York, has been of short duration and but slight. He is known to be identified with many strong institutions and from all that I have heard believe him to be absolutely reliable. He wrote me about the proposition you refer to and I gave him all the information I could obtain. I think that you can safely feel that you are taking no chances in dealing with him, but if you want absolute information let me know and I shall be pleased to take it up for you.

Yours truly, JAMES HOGE JR.

Seattle, July 18, 1902.

"Now, Mr. Chairman," then continued Mr. Lee, "a few words in regard to floating bonds in the eastern market. There is not a purchaser east of the Mississippi river who will buy a bond until the canal is built. After the enterprise is completed the bonds have then a financial stand- ing and the banks will then take them off our hands. However, we stand here ready to give you the high line canal."

Mr. Wells then said: "Mr. Lee spoke of se- curities. Securities placed in banks are not worth anything until you create a value for them. When you go to create a value for securities the capitalist or banker always wants something for it. Now I think we have satisfied you in regard to our financial standing. As Mr. Lee has said we have sold our bonds. We have also made arrangements with the contractor to build this canal and now we are ready to hear from you. I came here in 1892 and made you a proposition and raised all the necessary money to complete this canal but the panic of 1893 knocked me out. "On unimproved property, such as govern- ment land, etc., we want half of the property or its equivalent in a mortgage. On partly improved land we want one-third of the land or its equiv- alent in a mortgage. . We propose to place these mortgages in a bank, and when we have com- pleted our canal they become our property. We propose to classify the land. If we cannot come to terms as to valuation we will arbitrate the matter. The mortgages will run from five to twenty-five years, redeemable at any time and the interest will be seven per cent. We will charge $1.50 per acre for the water,-half-inch to the acre measured in your own lateral. I have maps, profiles, etc., that will convince the

A BUNCH OF MONEY-MAKERS. SOME PRIZE JERSEYS. MILKING TIME.

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most incredulous as to the possibility of the work. The high line canal covers 110,000 acres.

"Mr. William Ham Hall, state engineer, gave us a very favorable report. Engineer Anderson, of Campbell & Anderson, then of Denver, Colo- rado, who was at the head of the engineering irrigation bureau, and who passed on all irriga- tion bonds sold to foreign buyers, gave us a thirty-four page report in which he spoke in the highest terms of our Chief Engineer Owens' work, extracts from which are as follows:

"With more than the ordinary difficulty met with from the engineering point of view in en- terprises of this character, it is more than satis- factory to find upon examination that the sur- veys now made have exhausted the possibilities and present the best possible proportions in a thorough and comprehensive manner. With the difficulties surrounding the location of a suitable canal, that is, to the river crossing, it reflects great credit upon the engineering force to be as- sured at this early stage of the operations that the best line has been secured, as I believe it has, and it is still more creditable that the data affecting the cost, etc., of such a line have been carefully prepared so that reasonable accuracy may be secured in the estimation of cost."

The scheme proposed by Wells was a mam- moth one. The Kittitas Irrigation Company, of which he was manager and promoter, contem- plated the construction of a canal which was to be twenty-four feet wide on the bottom, forty- eiglit feet on top and ten feet deep near the in- take, and approximately 110 miles in length. Nearly $1.500,000, it was estimated, would be re- quired to build the great ditch. The Ellensburg Commercial Club endorsed the company's plan and appointed a committee, consisting of Frank Bossong, chairman, James Burke, Thomas Ha- ley, W. J. Peed, and Clarence Palmer, to assist in carrying out the work of securing the desired support. The company appropriated 1,000 sec- ond-inches from the Yakima river, to be taken from the river just below Easton, but the road of the promoter is usually beset with obstruc- tions and the pathway of this one was by no means smooth. Strong local opposition devel- oped during the fall and winter which finally gained strength enough to practically kill the project, though many contracts for water rights had been secured. This opposition was mainly of a personal nature.

Apathy was rapidly gaining a firm hold on the people of the county when a new promoter ap- peared with a plan that seemed certain of success. A. S. Black. a Colorado irrigation expert of pre- eminent ability and a practical builder, is the man referred to. At the National Irrigation Con- gress held in Colorado Springs early in 1903, Mr. Black had become interested in the Kittitas project through the representations of Delegate

P. A. Getz, of Ellensburg. In April he appeared before the citizens of this county and late in the same month the Ellensburg Commercial Club ap- pointed a committee consisting of Chairman Briggs F. Reed, W. J. Peed, Dr. J. A. Mahan, Andrew Olson and C. H. Flummerfelt, to inves- tigate the scheme. A citizens' committee, of which Dr. J. C. McCauley was chairman and C. R. Hovey secretary, was also appointed at a mass meeting.

Both committees recommended a general in- dorsement of the enterprise as feasible, timely and substantially backed. Mr. Black's proposi- tion appeared to contain all the elements neces- sary to immediate success. In brief it was as follows :

For a consideration of $35 per acre, payable in ten annual installments without interest or other charges, provided . contracts were signed for not less than 30,000 acres of irrigable land, he would build a satisfactory canal within a reasonable length of time. Upon the expiration of ten years, the water right owners should have the privilege of purchasing the canal and its franchises at cost with ten per cent. added, and thereafter maintain it themselves. If not so pur- chased at that time, the contracts to remain in force as formerly except that an annual main- tenance fee of $1.50 per acre should be paid. The legal standard of water measurement in Washington, the second foot or one cubic foot per second of time, was to be used and rights were to be sold on the basis of one cubic foot per second of time for each one hundred and sixty acres of land. As customary in all such cases, Mr. Black was to have a legal first lien on the lands supplied with water, and purchasers of water rights were to furnish abstracts of title to their lands. Mr. Black covenanted that when contracts for 30,000 acres were ready for record, he would furnish written evidence from some reputable bank in Colorado that he had had prac- tical experience in the construction and mainte- nance of irrigation canals and that he and his associates had the necessary financial backing to complete the works proposed. He agreed fur- ther that within thirty days after the abstracts were furnished and duly prepared for record that work should be commenced on the canal and carried to completion within a specified time.

An appeal went forth from the committees the last of April asking the people of the valley to accept the offer at once, and within a few days persons holding more than 5,000 acres in the ag- gregate had entered into the required agreement. The Commercial Club committee, whose mem- bers were among the leading citizens of the county, opened headquarters in the office of P. A. Getz for the receiving of land pledges. The time limit fixed by Mr. Black for securing the necessary 30,000 acres was thirty days from May

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Ist. All interested in the project labored with unusual energy. Many gave days of their time to securing the desired contracts, and Palmer Brothers' livery stable, of Ellensburg, furnished free transportation to all who would take up the matter with land owners. The newspapers ac- corded considerable space to furthering the pro- posal; in fact, never before in the county's his- tory was so much interest manifested in irriga- tion matters.

But the hopes of all were to receive a sudden setback. Friday afternoon, May 29th, all busi- ness houses were closed and business generally suspended that all might attend a mass meeting called by Mr. Black in the opera house of Ellens- burg. Several hundred citizens gathered, believ- ing that the long-sought high line ditch was now an assured fact and that at the meeting Mr. Black would set in motion the plan outlined. Instead, he stated that he was unable to do anything for them and so far as he was concerned, the matter was ended. His explanations were plainly with- out substantial foundation ; the true reason of his action lay deeper.

- A more astonished and crestfallen audience than his was after this unexpected announcement probably never confronted a public speaker. The committees of citizens, which had so proudly taken their seats upon the platform in anticipa- tion of the victorious ending of their work-and better work was never before done in Kittitas county by committees-were utterly crushed by the turn events had taken. Indignation blazed from every eye. A few denunciatory speeches by wrathy citizens followed, Prosecuting Attor- ney Warner taking the lead, after which the meeting adjourned amid confusion.

While Black withheld the real explanation of his remarkable action from the general public, he subsequently made the matter clear to at least two reliable, interested citizens. The man from Colorado, it seems, had attempted to carry out a scheme of unusual boldness. He never for a moment intended to desert his irrigation project in this county, but was simply playing to secure better terms than his original proposition gave him. He thought that when he had thrown the people into the slough of Despond by his sudden and radical coup, they would be ready to accept any proposition he might make. The result showed that he had completely mistaken the tem- per and spirit of the Kittitas citizens.

The people rallied forthwith from the confu- sion into which Black's shameful conduct had thrown them, reconvened and chose M. E. Flynn and S. C. Boedcher chairman and secretary re- spectively of their meeting. A committee was appointed consisting of A. L. Slemmons, Jerry Vanderbilt, W. M. Kenney, James Burke and C. V. Warner to confer with Mr. Wells or others regarding canal matters. This committee, how-

ever, never received any substantial encourage- ment and the high line ditch still exists in pros- pect only.

Whatever help has since come to the people of Kittitas valley in the way of irrigation canal construction has resulted from the efforts of Samuel T. Packwood and his co-laborers of the Cascade Canal Company, heretofore mentioned. They are just completing a ditch to cover 15,000 acres. The same company is now considering the matter of constructing a high line canal somewhat lower than the proposed Wells ditch, and as this corporation and its president, Mr. Packwood, have invariably carried through ev- erything they have undertaken, there is every reason to believe that if the construction of the proposed canal is found practicable under exist- ing conditions, it will soon be undertaken and pushed to a successful issue.

One melancholy event of the year 1902 may perhaps be noticed briefly. On May 10th, Oscar Rentzsche's saloon, Ellensburg, became the scene of a sensational tragedy, in which John B. Stan- ley lost his life. His slayer, John W. Ellis, walked through the front door opening on Third street, and called Stanley to him, presumably to speak to him. Stanley came out from behind the screen and was shot down without warning by Ellis in the presence of a score of people. The latter immediately gave himself over to the authorities. Both men were gamblers and well known in sporting circles. Each had a sangui- nary record and the testimony showed that a long standing feud existed between the men; also that Stanley had repeatedly said that he and Ellis must separate or one of them must die. A few days previous to the shooting the men met on the ball grounds near Ellensburg and a shooting affray in the presence of several hundred people was narrowly averted.

Ellis was at once tried in the superior court for the murder of Stanley, convicted of man- slaughter and sentenced by Judge Rudkin to eleven years in the penitentiary. On appeal Ellis secured a new trial and in May, 1903, was acquitted and discharged from custody.

Events of the last year or two are too fresh in the memories of all to require detailed narra- tion here. Crops were excellent in 1903, prices good, conditions propitious, prosperity univer- sal and progress the watchword everywhere; and the current year gives promise of being superior even to its predecessor. The development of Kittitas county, begun under unfavorable con- ditions and carried on in the face of obstacles and discouragements, continues to go forward with ever increasing momentum, keeping pace with the advance of this great commonwealth of Washington and the rapidly expanding Pacific.

Perhaps the most pleasant, inspiring and uni- versally interesting of recent occurrences was

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the President Roosevelt reception, May 25, 1903. The president's train pulled into the station at nine o'clock A. M., amid the wildest demonstra- tions of the thousands of people who had gath- ered from the stores and shops and homes of Ellensburg, from other towns of mountain and valley, and from farms far and near. The school children, the band, the Grand Army of the Re- public and the Spanish war veterans were all in evidence and aglow with his reception. He ad- dressed to the assembled multitudes the fol- lowing words of greeting and sound wisdom :

Mr. Mayor, my fellow citizens, my fellow Americans : It is the greatest pleasure to be with you today. First of all let me greet those whom I know. Others will not specially grudge my specially greeting the men of the Grand Army and representatives of those who did even more than the men of the Civil war, the women. (Cheers and applause). For while the men went to battle, to the women fell the harder task of seeing husband or lover, father or brother, going to war, and she herself having to stay behind with the load of doubt, anxiety, uncer- tainty, and often the hard difficulty of making both ends meet in the household while the bread winner was away. In a state like Washington with its record of active, vig- orous life, its representatives of the men who fought, I do not wonder that her sons did so well in the Philip- pines. I am not surprised that you here should have sent a company which, as I understand, lost more than almost any other company of all the troops in the Philippines. They were my brethren, my comrades in our war, which was a very little war compared to yours, but still we had a job to do, and we did it. (Applause).

Let me say a special word of greeting to those at the other end, the children. I have greeted the veterans; now I want to greet the children specially. I am very, very glad to see you. I have just one word to say to you. It applies almost as well to your elders. I believe in play. I believe in work. Play hard while you play, when you work do not play at all. (Applause).

In congratulating you of Washington upon your lum- ber, your commerce, upon your great coal fields, upon cattle upon a thousand hills, in congratulating you upon all your products I congratulate you most upon the chil- dren. They seem all right in quality and in quantity. I believe in your stock, and I am glad it is being kept up. (Applause).

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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 64

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