An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 70

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 70
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 70
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 70

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).

Fraternal Lodge No. 70, A. O. U. W., was insti- tuted in 1896 with the following charter members : E. T. Wilson, H. M. Baldwin, Daniel Carver, J. H. Dixon, J. A. Mahan, Philip Lewis, Henry Klein- berg, J. P. Becker, F. W. Pearce and T. J. Bissel. The lodge now has about sixty members. The offi- cers at present are : P. M. W., W. F. Wallace; M. W., Odelon Caron ; overseer, F. P. Hardwick ; fore- man, R. M. Shumacke; receiver, C. M. Morris; financier, H. M. Baldwin ; recorder, James Laughlin. Cascade Lodge No. 37, Degree of Honor, was granted a charter by the grand lodge June 19, 1901, its charter membership comprising Mrs. Perry Cle- man, Mrs. P. G. Fitterer, Mrs. Lillie M. Wirth, P. G. Fitterer, John Hoffman, Mrs. Rose Cummins, Mrs. Kate Coughlin, Mrs. Lottie Ackley, Mrs. M. M. Welty and Mrs. R. Shumacke.

A charter was granted Ellensburg Camp, No. 88, Woodmen of the World, September 30, 1891, the petition for such being signed by W. J. Robbins, O. J. Croup, C. A. Rousch, C. D. Rhodes, John C. Mc- Cauley, Charles J. Wilbur and S. Y. Shipman. The camp now has sixty-three members ; its officers are : P. C. C., L. L. Seeley; C. C., James G. Boyle ; A. L., W. J. Payne; clerk, W. J. Robbins; banker, T. J: Collier ; escort, L. Raskins ; watchman, R. L. Pur- din ; sentry, G. T. Atwood; physicians, J. C. Mc- Cauley, J. A. Mahan and H. J. Felch ; managers, Lambert Raskins, W. O. Ames and Fred H.

298

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

Butcher. Alki Circle, No. 272, Women of Wood- craft, was organized in May, 1900. It has thirty members whose officers are: P. G. M., Mrs. J. A. Mahan; G. N., Mrs. Ida S. Robbins; advisor, Mrs. Frank Fitterer; clerk, Mrs. Margaret E. Clymer ; banker, R. Lee Purdin ; magician, Mrs. B. A. Gault ; and attendant, Mrs. Estella Edwards.

Ellensburg Aerie, No. 120, Fraternal Order of Eagles, was organized February 10, 1901, by Grand Organizer E. P. Edsen, with fifty charter members. Its present officers are : P. W. P., W. C. Reece; W. P., M. E. Flynn; W. V. P., W. L. Smith ; chaplain, Austin Mires; treasurer, Sam Pearson ; physician, J. C. McCauley ; secretary, Thomas F. Liddell ; trus- tees, Austin Mires, W. C. Reece and E. J. Merry- man.

Kittitas Lodge No. 923, Modern Brotherhood of America, is three years old; it was organized by F. Stanton, state organizer. The lodge is in a thriving condition, having an active membership of twenty- three with the following officers: President, W. A. Thomas; vice president, Mary E. Hill; secretary- treasurer, W. J. Boyd; chaplain, Marie E. Seal; doorkeeper, John E. Moen; sentinel, Levi Fortney ; conductor, George Champie.

The Yeomen also have a new lodge in the city, its officers being: Foreman, O. Carson; M. of C., Ed- ward Fleck; Corr., S. D. Boedcher ; physician, Mrs. M. H. Shatswell; M. of A., F. G. Shakwell. Quite recently still another order organized a branch in Ellensburg, viz: the Improved Order of Red Men, Kittitas Tribe No. 26 being the name of the lodge instituted. A strong local organization also is main- tained by the Knights of Pythias, regarding which no data is at hand.

Friday evening, April 25, 1884, Ellensburg Post No. II, G. A. R., came into existence with eighteen members. The ceremonies were conducted by Capt. C. M. Holton, of Yakima City. The first officers and members of the post are given as follows in a newspaper of the period: Commander, J. L. Brown ; senior vice commander, H. D. Merwin ; jun- ior vice commander, Samuel T. Packwood ; surgeon, A. T. Mason ; chaplain, J. D. Dammon ; quartermas- ter, D. Ford; officer of the day, William Tillman; officer of the guard, B. Lewis; inside sentinel, J. J. Swett; sergeant major, H. H. Swasey ; quartermas- ter sergeant, G. W. Carver; adjutant, J. C. Good- win; John A. Shoudy, E. H. Love, J. W. Dixon, H. H. Davies, J. Wilson and J. B. Swett. This post adopted, as is the custom, the name of a well known veteran of the Civil war, the official title of the post becoming James Parsons Post No. II. In 1898 a reorganization took place and the name was changed to David Farel Post. The present commander is W. H. O. Rear, and the adjutant, Amos Smith. One of the first fruits of the organization of a post in Ellensburg is thus recorded in the Kittitas Stand- ard, June 7, 1884 :

"For the first time in the history of the town, Decoration Day was observed here on Friday of last

week. About noon all the stores in town closed and in the evening an entertainment was given under the auspices of the newly organized post of the G. A. R. at Elliott's hall. This was largely at- tended by our citizens. The oration delivered by Rev. James A. Laurie was replete with patriotic allusions and in keeping with the occasion. Sam Blumauer's recitation of 'Wounded to Death' was excellently rendered, while the same can be said of the various songs sung by the choir."

ROSLYN.

The black diamond is king in Roslyn. It is more than king; it is life itself. Around its discov- ery and exploitation is centered the history of the city's establishment and growth. Roslyn's future development appears to be wholly dependent upon the mining industry, but from all indications that support is by no means uncertain or temporary. Roslyn coal is known throughout the west as one of the best commodities of its kind on the market ; for steaming purposes it has no superior and wherever it goes, it advertises the town, making the name Roslyn almost a houschold word.

The trip up Smith creek canyon, by the four miles of branch railway connecting Roslyn with the main line of the Northern Pacific at Cle-Elum, is made in a passenger car attached usually to a freight train. The roadbed follows the creek closely, tra- versing what was once a heavily timbered region. The train follows no regular schedule but comes and goes as best suits the convenience of the freight traffic,-a most aggravating arrangement at times.

The Roslyn coal fields were opened to the com- mercial world in the fall of 1886, though their dis- covery antedates that time by perhaps a few years, and small quantities of coal were taken out by pack horse and wagon during the early 'eighties. As related elsewhere in this volume, a corps of Northern Pacific coal experts visited the Smith creek region in May, 1886, and thoroughly prospected the uncovered ledges with a diamond drill. The results of their work were so encouraging that the same month a party of railway engineers surveyed a branch line from Cle-Elum to the scene, and active preparations were begun for installing a plant at the mines. Within a few weeks more than a hun- dred men were at work developing the veins.

Through operation of an act of congress, the railroad company already owned every alternate section of land in the region embracing the min- ing district, and by various means the company ac- quired the major portion of the remaining lands surrounding the mines. Included among the rail- road lands was section seventeen, township twenty north, range fifteen east, upon the south half of which, at the very mouth of the mines, Logan M. Bullitt platted the site of Roslyn. The dedication and filing papers were signed in Minnesota, Septem- ber 22, 1886, and filed for record in Kittitas county

299

KITTITAS COUNTY.

eight days later. At that time Mr. Bullitt was the vice president of the Northern Pacific Coal Com- pany and there is but little doubt that in platting the town he was acting for that corporation. The site, which was surveyed by E. J. Rector, C. E., was composed of eleven blocks; the width of the streets was fixed at sixty feet, except in the case of Pennsylvania avenue, which was made eighty feet wide, and Utah and Montana avenues and Third street, which were made half the regular width. December 13th following, Mr. Bullitt platted Brook- side addition, a small tract of three blocks lying northeast of the original townsite and in the same township. Only one other addition was ever laid out, the Dale addition, a small one adjoining the original townsite on the southwest; it was platted by Mr. Bullitt August 20, 1887.

Regarding the christening of Roslyn, the follow- ing rather romantic and facetious account appeared in the Roslyn Sentinel issued March 1, 1895 :

"A very pretty, if not exciting, little romance," reads the story, "is associated with the early his- tory of this camp, and in fact it was through this circumstance that this promising little city received its name. On the far away Delaware's shores, midst the sand hills, peach orchards and blue-blooded 'skeeters,' nestles a little hamlet which was chris- tened Roslyn over a century ago. The inhabitants were of primitive stock, high-bred and gilt-edged, and the cultured daughters of these ancient house- holds were the special objects of the adoration of numerous enterprising young men in the neighbor- ing cities. In this aristocratic retreat there dwelt a bright, handsome and vivacious maiden who was particularly dear to the heart of a brave and sturdy young man who was penetrating this wild North- west in 1886 in search of fame and fortune. This gentleman was Logan M. Bullitt, one of our earliest pioneers. It fell to the lot of Mr. Bullitt to name this camp, and it was an opportunity that he had longed for. After mature deliberation, he chris- tened the town Roslyn, August 10, 1886, after the town in which his loved one dwelled. The event was duly celebrated and the decision made public by a bulletin in the shape of a board on which the name had been inscribed with a pine coal. The bulletin was nailed to a large pine tree which stood on the site of Patrick's business property. Whether Mr. Bullitt afterward realized the delicate hopes he fondly entertained in the early days of Roslyn we know not, but if his fortunes in love were as fickle as Roslyn's career has been checkered, he has certainly had a very interesting time.

"Some little doubt exists, however, as to the manner in which Roslyn gained its name, and it may be well to state that another report credits Mr. Bul- litt with christening the camp after a country seat belonging to an intimate New York friend. In either event the name is appropriate, and, if in the future the same measure of success attends it as

has been meted out to its founders, peace, happi- ness and prosperity will be its portion."

Of course the opening of the mines attracted great numbers of business men, promoters and la- borers, though the powerful influence of the Northern Pacific Coal Company, directed as it was toward the upbuilding of a substantial industrial center, was wielded with fairly satisfying results against the parasitic, reckless class which usually infest a new mining camp. The camp has had its rough elements, to be sure, and has from time to time suffered from disturbances of a more or less serions nature, but it was not until years after its founding that the turbulent spirits gained a tem- porary sway.

The first business buildings to be erected in the new business center were a general store and a sa- loon, built and opened by the Coal Company in Au- gust. These frame buildings stood at the corner of Pennsylvania avenue and First street, diagonally across from each other, the store occupying the site of the present company building. A desire to reg- ulate the liquor traffic induced the company to es- tablish the saloon, which was the only one allowed in the town. All deeds to city property contain a clause prohibiting the manufacture or sale of in- toxicating liquors thereon. For several years the company's saloon was maintained without outside interference or competition, but at last some individ- ual opened a drinking house on private land near the city. The result was the downfall of the cor- poration saloon. Other drinking places were soon opened in the surrounding woods, creating so great a nuisance that eventually the company was forced to permit the liquor interests to enter the town, where they could be in some measure regulated.

The company also erected a large hotel on the corner opposite the store. This pioneer hostelry, which was subsequently destroyed by fire together with the store and most of the other pioneer build- ings, was capable of accommodating one hundred men.

The next business to be established, says Isaac Brown, a pioneer of 1886, was W. M. Atwood's general store, which stood on Pennsylvania avenue near First street. Then a boarding house was open- ed a little further up the avenue, John Clemer estab- lished a notion and clothing store on the site now occupied by Berg's saloon, and two livery barns were built, one on Pennsylvania avenue west of Second street by Patrick Henry, and one on Second street by Knuppenberg & Kennedy. All of these build- ings, together with a great number of rude dwell- ing houses, were built of lumber sawed by the com- pany's mill. These business enterprises, the mine and its surface works, a few professional men in- cluding Dr. W. H. Harris, the coal company's offi- cers and employees, and a large transient population formed the hustling community which, about the Ist of December, 1886, welcomed the iron horse. Some- time in the fall a train load of Italian miners

300

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

reached camp and fully 400 men spent the winter of 1886-7 there.

Among the prominent arrivals of 1887 were Bon- sel Bros., Swain & Haight and William Lombar- adini, general merchants; and L. W. Kribs, who built and conducted the Cascade hotel. Within nine months from the time of its founding, the town had a population of more than 500.

Roslyn entered the year 1888, one of the most memorable of its history, with a population of be- tween 1,000 and 1,200 people and in a highly flourishing condition. The city's first calamity was experienced that year, June 22, 1888. From some unknown cause, about four o'clock in the afternoon fire broke out in the block between First and Sec- ond streets, above the railroad, and within a very short time the entire business portion of the town was in ashes. The loss was a heavy one, estimated at $100,000, with little insurance, owing to the fact that insurance companies were asking a ten per cent. premium at the time. The fire worked a great hardship upon many struggling merchants, who lost their all. But new business houses immediately arose over the charred remains of their predecessors and in a comparatively short period business had resumed the even tenor of its way. As work was abundant and wages above the average, the early years of Roslyn were exceedingly prosperous ones. But the fall of 1888 brought a serious setback to the town. In August of that year the Knights of Labor, who had been inaugurating a series of strikes in various parts of the country, organized a strike in the Roslyn camp also. To give details here of this conflict between organized labor and the coal company would be to repeat needlessly, but the effects, though felt in other parts of the county, were naturally more immediate and pervading in Roslyn than anywhere else. One noticeable result, even at this date, is the presence of a large number of negroes in the camp, caused by the importation of representatives of the colored race to fill the places of the striking miners. Of course all citizens of Ros- lyn suffered, during the pendency of the strike, from the interruption of business and the general uncer- tainty, even peril, of the situation. At one time mar- tial law was threatened.

Temporarily passing the details connected with the incorporation of Roslyn as a city in 1889, we may say that the early 'nineties were not on the whole particularly prosperous ones in Roslyn, though from a newspaper of the time we learn that the pay roll for December, 1890, was $84,000, the miners working full time. The succeeding month this roll fell to $63,000, and in March, 1891, by reason of the loss of the Union Pacific contracts, the company was able to operate the mines only four days each week. This unsatisfactory condi- tion prevailed most of the time until November, 1892, when mine No. 3 was re-opened. Then the monthly pay roll speedily reached $54,000 and all winter it steadily increased.

Meanwhile, however, the community suffered from two memorable disasters which will live long in state history. The first in time and importance was the terrible mine explosion in the slope by which the lives of forty-five of the city's best known citizens were suddenly blotted out. This dire catastrophe, which spread sadness and deso- lation throughout the region, occurred about noon May 9, 1892. Its story has been quite fully told in another chapter, but a few details may here be added. For a time the shock of the disaster was overwhelming, but the sufferers rallied quickly and made the best of their bad situation. Nobly was their appeal for aid responded to by a sympathetic populace. A relief committee was organized and within a few days collected in cash $7,000 from abroad and more than $2,000 in Roslyn, besides supplies of various kinds. The Knights of Py- thias alone raised several hundred dollars. Early in June, $8,000 was distributed among the sur- viving relatives of the dead, sixty-four per cent. going to the orphans and thirty-six per cent. to the widows. Subsequently another smaller dis- bursement was made. Suits instituted against thẻ coal company were compromised by the payment of an immense sum of money to relatives of the de- ceased.

Hardly had the excitement caused by the explo- sion subsided before the citizens were again in- tenselv aroused by a bank robbery in their midst- one of the boldest and most successful ever con- summated in the state. Its complete history is also told elsewhere in this volume. September 24, 1892, was the date of this exciting event. The responsibility for this crime was never absolutely fixed upon anyone, though a small fortune was spent in searching for the robbers and two famous trials in the Kittitas county courts of suspected persons resulted.

As elsewhere stated, this robbery and the finan- c'al stringency combined with misfortunes of one kind and another so weakened Ben E. Snipes & Company's bank at Roslyn that Friday, June 9, 1893, the institution closed its doors. The failure carried away nearly $100,000 belonging to Ros- lyn citizens, almost the entire monetary accumula- tions of the camp. The blow was a heavy one and affected the community's financial condition more than any disaster that has befallen it before or since. Creditors' certificates of indebtedness are practi- cally all the depositors ever received in lieu of their savings.

Scarcely had the immediate shock of this col- lapse passed ere the city arrived at another crit- ical period in its history. May 1, 1894, the com- pany's miners and drivers showed their disapproval of a reduced wage scale by the inauguration of a strike, which lasted several months, greatly de- pressing all business and working innumerable hardships upon the community.

The leading business of Roslyn in 1895, ac-

301

KITTITAS COUNTY.

cording to the Roslyn Sentinel of March Ist, were the following :

Charles Adam, mayor, building contractor, who established the Roslyn planing mill in 1889; Arch- ibald Patrick, mine owner and contractor; Ros- lyn Mercantile Company, Melvin Marx and Davis Strauss proprietors; W. M. Atwood, general mer- chandise; H. P. Fogh, general merchandise; Greenberg Brothers, dry goods; Mossop Kitchen, livery; Swain & Haight, general merchandise ; Schlotfeldt Brothers & Sides, meat market; Sides & Hartman, L. F. McConihe and John Corgiat, restaurants; Roslyn Brewing Company, composed of A. F. Kuhl, Ernest and Charles D. Duerr- wachter and Schlotfeldt Brothers; W. A. Mohr, of the general merchandise firm of Bonsel Brothers & Mohr, postmaster; Carrollo & Genasci, general merchandise; Henry Rachor, cigar factory; Joseph Denny, barber; Fosberg & Duerrwachter, suc- cessors to Thomas Lund, merchants; L. W. Kribs, building contractor, postmaster from 1888 to 1892; Dr. W. H. Harris, Dr. J. H. Lyon, physicians ; E. E. Wager, city attorney; Henry Smith, justice of the peace; superintendent of schools, Prof. J. J. Charlton ; Louis D. Campbell, Samuel Mills, Brown Brothers, Henry Brothers, William Van Buren & Son, A. Perona, Steven Pothecary, Thomas Cadwell, M. Jorogeson, Mrs. Boyd, Mrs. Bryant, Louis Grossmiller, Samuel Isaac, T. M. Jones, George Koppen, Daniel Hannah, Robert Scobie, Christopher Meneghel, Edward J. Hanlan, Giovanni & Buffo, and Berg Brothers; besides whom the Sentinel gives us the list of the Northern Pacific Coal Company's officials: General mana- ger, John Kangley; assistant general manager, Thomas Cooper, successor to H. C. Lytle; super- intendent at Roslyn, George Harrison, who suc- ceeded Alexander Ronald in 1888; assistant super- intendents, Robert Pettigrew, John Shaw; super- intendents at mine No. 3, Ronald, George Forsythe ; clerk and paymaster, John L. Taggard, serving since 1888; assistant, Walter S. Lytle; manager supply house, A. L. Sowers; traffic manager, W. P. Morgan ; assistant, John D. Clemmer ; veterinary surgeon, William Thompson; check weighmen, James Heron and John Donovan.

In August and as late as December, 1896, the Roslyn mines were being operated only one and a half or two days a week, but during the closing days of that year the clouds of trouble and depres- sion which had overhung the city for so long a time were 'dispelled, and the sun of prosperity was once more permitted to shine. The period of good times, which had its inception then, still lasts, making it possible for the mining region and the town to enjoy an uninterrupted development. It was during 1896 that B. F. Bush came to Roslyn as manager of the coal company's operations. He at once began planning larger things for the coal region, and the town and country have enjoyed the fruits of his liberal policy and well directed ac-

tivity in the management of their great and only industry. Soon after entering upon his duties, Mr. Bush increased the number of working days to six in each week and still the productive power of the plant was severely taxed to fill the orders that came in. From that time until the present, with but a few insignificant intervals, Roslyn has resounded with the hum of industry, and the magnificent monthly pay roll has brought prosperity and plenty to the toilers and their families. The full dinner pail, the fat pocketbook, and the comfortable home have been the Roslyn miner's companions for the past seven years.

However, this long, prosperous period has not been without some shadows which have cast their depressing gloom over the community. The most notable tragedy during the past eight years was the brutal murder, within a few feet of his own door- step, on Thursday night, March 19, 1896, of Dr J. H. Lyon. The victim of this foul deed was among the earliest pioneers of the camp, was com- pany physician there for many years, and one of the county's most prominent and popular citizens. Rain clouds made the night one of unusual darkness and the murderers must have lain in wait for the doctor, as his body was found shortly after he had parted from Samuel Isaacs, a merchant, with whom Dr. Lyon had walked home. Death resulted from a fractured skull, the deceased having been struck twice at the base of the brain with a blunt weapon resembling a table leg, which was found near the scene of the crime covered with blood and hair. Robbery was not the object of the murder, as Dr. Lyon's pocketbook and jewelry were found undis- turbed upon his person.

The news of the murder created intense excite- ment at home and horror throughout the state, as the deceased had a large circle of friends and ac- quaintances and was prominent in society and in political affairs. The citizens of Roslyn at once offered a reward of. $400 for the arrest and con- viction of the murderer, the city offered $300, the governor of the state $500, and Kittitas county, $300, making in all a total reward of $1,500. A most determined effort was made by the authorities to apprehend the thug, or thugs. Suspicion fell upon two miners, brothers, who were known to have made threats against Dr. Lyon, charging him with having been responsible for the death of a third brother. On the strength of slight evidence and against the advice of Detective D. W. Sim- mons, the Roslyn authorities arrested the men. They were discharged at a preliminary examination held March 25th. The cunning of the criminal baffled all efforts to discover him, and no further arrests were ever made, so the mystery enshrouding one of the blackest crimes in the state's history still remains unsolved.

In 1896, also, during the month of December, diphtheria laid its clutch on Roslyn's population and by the 23d there had been three deaths out of eight

302

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

cases reported. The schools were closed, church services discontinued and all public assemblages prohibited for a considerable length of time. In- clement weather aided the disease in obtaining a foothold and only by the most persistent, skillful efforts was it finally conquered. Fortunately, the number of fatal cases was very small.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 70

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