An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 71

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 71
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 71
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 71

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).

Again, late in the fall of 1900, Roslyn experi- enced an invasion by contagious disease. This time the inhabitants were attacked by that light form of smallpox which swept the country upon the return or our troops from the Orient. The city council, November 4th, called Dr. Bean, of Ellens- burg, two Seattle and two Spokane physicians for consultation. They concurred in pronouncing the disease smallpox. Subsequently Drs. Simonton, Sloan and Porter, of Roslyn, disagreed with the other physicians and Dr. Mohrman, also a resident physician, upheld the report of the foreign physi- cians. However, all agreed that the disease re- sembled smallpox, was contagious and that strin- gent measures should be adopted to prevent its spread. Two pest houses were erected, a large supply of disinfectants was ordered and Dr. Por- ter, city health officer, and Marshal Frank Haight were instructed to enforce a quarantine. Twelve special officers were placed on the police force. The schools were closed and public meetings sup- pressed. In all there were several hundred cases re- ported, the large number being principally due to the unusually poor sanitary condition of the city, but fortunately the death rate was exceedingly small.

The year 1899 was a year of extensive building operations in Roslyn. Fully 150 residences were erected within six months; also a handsome Pres- byterian church. The Northwestern Improvement Company, which succeeded the Northern Pacific Coal Company, 1898, laid new side tracks and im- proved the mine works with the result that in August, 1899, twenty cars of coal daily were being taken out of the main shaft.

The city of Roslyn has been incorporated twice -once in territorial days and again since Wash- ington has been a state. The first incorporation took place in the spring of 1889 and was occa- sioned by the community's desire to install a water system. Under the terms of a general territorial act approved by the governor, February 2, 1888, providing for the incorporation of towns and vil- lages, a petition signed by B. P. Shefflette, J. E. Thomas, Isaac Brown, George H. Brown, Henry Smith, John Abrams, C. R. Bonsel, I. Bonsel, P. Laurendeau, Isaac Harris, John Berg and 115 other taxpayers residing in section seven- teen, township twenty north, range fifteen east, was presented to Judge L. B. Nash of the fourth district, asking for the incorporation of section seventeen. The judge considered the validity of the petition, as required by law, deter- mined that it was signed by a majority of tax- payers in the district and on the same day that it

was presented, February 4, 1889, proclaimed Ros- lyn an incorporated town. He named the following trustees : Isaac Brown, chairman; William A. Moore, James Graham, John Dalton and Charles Miller. Immediately the machinery of local govern- men was put into motion. Subsequently Mr. Brown resigned from the board to become the town's first marshal. However, the validity of the law dele- gating incorporating power to any branch of the government except the legislative was contested about this time and the act decided to be uncon- stitutional. This decree nullified Roslyn's incor- poration and prevented the sale of the bond issue.

The organization of the state in 1889 resulted in the adoption by the legislature of a general in- corporation law under which Roslyn was re-incor- porated in April, 1890, as a city of the third class.

Meanwhile, the water proposition demanded immediate solution, for the lack of an abundance of pure water was resulting in a scourge of typhoid fever, as many as a dozen cases in a single house being reported. The town was also without ade- quate fire protection. To improve the situation somewhat Road Supervisor Kennedy used the dis- trict's poll tax to pay for making an excavation for a pipe line and by special taxation and the securing of credit, the townspeople procured the necessary pipe and other material. The springs at the head of Smith creek were tapped and a press- ure of eighty pounds to the square inch secured. This system did faithful duty until 1898, when a pump was installed on the Cle-Elum river, two miles southwest of the city, and a six-inch pipe line laid to convey the water to a reservoir on Smith creek, just north of the city. This reser- voir has a capacity of two million gallons and is built of logs, masonry and earth. An additional pump was placed on the river in 1901, and last fall an eight-inch pipe line was laid to the reservoir, these improvements costing at least $7,000. Steel pipe is used. During the summer months the res- ervoir is kept full by the springs, and the opera- tion of the pumps is unnecessary. It is estimated that the whole system cost $12,000.

A city building was erected on Pennsylvania avenue in 1890, which is still used for office and fire department purposes. The fire equipment, consisting of hose carts and hook and ladder truck, is manned by a company of forty-five volunteer firemen. Be it said to the city's credit that, aside from outstanding current expense warrants, it has no indebtedness. The present corps of officers are: Mayor, William Adams; clerk, Thomas Ray; treasurer, Anthony Stoves; councilmen, George K. Sides, Edward Berg. Joseph Hancock, S. C. K. Graves, William Harts, Adolph Peterson and William Craig; attorney, W. J. Welsh; health officer, John Meyers; chief fire department, Andrew Attleson; day marshal, William Gallo- way; night marshal, James Wright; police judges, J. S. Simon, R. Justham. There are two justices

303

KITTITAS COUNTY.

of the peace in the precinct, Henry Smith and John Briggs.

The city's present population is approximately 4,000 people, a majority of whom are Slavs, Ital- ians, negroes and Germans, though the native American race is dominant. Of this number the coal company employs 1,500 in mining and hand- ling its 90,000-ton output of coal a month.

The city's most prominent social institution is the Roslyn Athletic Club, which has a membership of 200 ladies and gentlemen. This association owes its establishment to the generosity of Manager B. F. Bush, of the Northwestern Improvement Com- pany, who sought thus to provide the young men with an attractive, moral place of recreation. In the fall of 1902 he made his employees the proposi- tion that he would build and equip a club house if they would incorporate an association, take charge of the building, and as soon as possible repay him, without interest. The men, under the leadership of Storekeeper D. S. Kinney, accepted the offer. Mr. Bush erected on First street a handsome, two-story building, costing at least $3,000, and equipped it with a bowling alley, gymnasium apparatus, etc., at a further expense of approximately $2,000. At first only company men were admitted to membership, but this restric- tion has been generously removed and now all whose presence is approved by the club may enjoy the privileges at a nominal annual fee. The club has decided to rent the building of Mr. Bush, who was called away in 1903 to assume the general management of the Missouri Pacific Railway Com- pany, instead of purchasing it, and as this plan is acceptable to the owner, it will be carried out for the present. Only a nominal rent is asked.

The first school ever held in Roslyn was taught by D. G. C. Baker, in the spring of 1887. A vacant dwelling on Dakota street was placed at the dis- trict's disposal by the Coal company and in this schoolhouse, fairly equipped, a spring term was taught successfully, between forty and fifty pupils attending. A man named Gallagher is also said to have taught a small school in 1887. For a con- siderable time the money for school purposes was obtained principally by subscriptions from the mi- ners, who never failed to contribute generously each pay day. Isaac Brown was chairman of the first school board. In 1888 the district built a small frame schoolhouse on the hill near the Catholic church, the building being 30 bv 50 feet and divided into two rooms. This property is now occupied by Judge Henry Smith as a dwelling. The school rapidly outgrew the building, necessitating the erection in 1890 of a four-room schoolhouse costing $6,000. This building was subsequently enlarged by the addition of two rooms. But still the school grew. Another handsome, six-room building was erected alongside the old one in 1899 and these two schoolhouses, together with the old Presbyterian church, are even now taxed to their

utmost to accommodate the boys and girls of Ros- lyn. The two schoolhouses, costing perhaps $13,000, are well equipped and substantial and an ornament to the city. A nine months' school is taught, which has an average attendance of 470 pupils, the actual enrollment being 634 last year. The personnel of the present teaching force is as follows: Superintendent, W. D. Burton; princi- pal high school, G. I. Wilson; principal grammar school, O. H. Kerns; Elizabeth Wills, Agnes Norby, Elizabeth Jones, Mary Pihl, Carrie Mitch- ell, Ione Grindrod, Emma Shull, Josephine Pihl, May Mills and Inez Webber.

There are eight church organizations in Ros- lyn-the Presbyterian, Rev. William Smith, pas- tor; Baptist, no pastor at present ; colored Bap- tist, Rev. J. P. Brown, pastor; Catholic, Father Kornke; the Methodist and colored Methodist, without pastors, at present; Episcopal, also with- out a rector; and the Latter Day Saints, also with- out a pastor. Some of the churches without min- isters now expect to fill the vacancies in the near future. The Presbyterians own the finest building, a new one built last year at a cost of several thou- sand dollars. This church has also the only pipe organ in the county. The Episcopal church was established by Bishop Wells in 1895. The society purchased the old Baptist (colored) church build- ing in the spring of 1898 and removed it to its pres- ent location. A rectory was built that same fall, both buildings being situatel on lots donated by the coal company. The whole property is probably worth $2,500. At present there are about forty- five members, nearly all of whom are English mi- ners. The Rev. Alfred Lockwood, of Ellensburg, has been in charge of the Roslyn church for six years and occasionally holds services there. A thriving guild is maintained. The Catholics built their church in 1887.

Roslyn is 2,222 feet above the sea level, in the very heart of the foothills, which give the region beautiful surroundings and one of the healthiest climates to be found anywhere in the state. The great Cle-Elum precious mineral district lies within easy reach of the city, connected with it by a good wagon road. When this rich region is thoroughly opened the city of Roslyn will be among the first communities to be benefited, for it is very closely allied with the surrounding mining districts, with which it has stage connection during the summer months.

Of half a dozen newspapers established at dif- ferent times in Roslyn only one survives, the Cas- cade Miner, a weekly owned and edited by Randall Brothers. The Miner is an eight-page quarto, ably edited, tastily printed, and in every respect a credit to the community.

Roslyn's business interests are of course very great, the yearly volume running well into the millions, if we include the value of the coal. The city's pay roll alone exceeds $1,000,000 per annum.

304

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

The coal company maintains a general store, occu- pying the largest and most substantial building in the city, which carries a stock exceeding in value $125,000. D. S. Kinney is in charge of this mam- moth establishment. Other business houses are :

General merchandise, D. A. 'Brown & Company ; meat markets, Sides Brothers & Hartman, Roslyn Meat market; drugs, Roslyn pharmacy, A. Stoves, proprietor ; hardware, paints, etc., William Rees; dry goods, notions, W. J. Saxley; clothing, Gus Lindstrom; millinery, Mrs. Elizabeth Bostock, Miss Anna Kuhl; groceries, Carrollo & Genasci, Klarich & Miller; brewery, Roslyn Brewing Com- pany; sawmill, Northwestern Improvement Com- pany; candies, Wilfred Ward; undertaking, Adam & Stoves; cigars, Simon Justham, John Briggs, John Pope, John Buffo; bakery, German, Jolın Bardesono, proprietor; hotels, Halstead, Mrs. Charles Jones, proprietress, the Roslyn, Nicholas Rees, proprietor; lodging houses, the California, Mrs. DeNato, proprietress, Stephen Pothecary, James Lane; boarding house, Mrs. Weatherly ; blacksmith shop, Williams Brothers; contractors, Banister Brothers, William Adam, R. P. Lumsden & Company, J. Feigle; jewelry, T. J. Thomas, Leonard Gabler; restaurants, the Gem, Mrs. Wes- ley, proprietress, Mrs. Ellen Scott, John Buffo; photograph gallery, I. A. Kautz; attorneys at law, Daniel B. Payne, Welsh & Moore; physicians, Drs. George Sloan, L. L. Porter, A. C. Simonton, and E. Mohrmann; postmaster, James Lane; North- ern Pacific agent, W. P. Morgan; eighteen saloons; local organizations of all the leading fraternities.

CLE-ELUM.

The thriving little city situated on the upper Yakima river at the junction of the main line of the Northern Pacific railway with its Roslyn branch bears the musical name Cle-Elum, and is the third town in size and importance within the boundaries of Kittitas county. Four years ago it had less than 300 inhabitants; today it boasts a population of 1,500, and surely there is no more prosperous community in the whole Evergreen state.

Few towns in Washington are more advan- tageously situated with reference to rich nat- ural resources, accessibility, climate and beauti- ful scenery than Cle-Elum. It lies on the north- ern bank of the river at the base of the foothills. The townsite is rectangular in form, perhaps a third of a mile wide and a mile and a half in length, hemmed in on all sides by pretty, refresh- ing groves of pine and fir which ultimately blend into the great forest areas of the Cascade range. The valley winds between high, timbered hills on the north and east and a ragged, pine-clad flank of the main range on the south and west, snow-crested during most of the year. At Cle- Elum the valley swells out into a sort of wooded

amphitheater, on the northern side of which lies the town. In the poetic language of the red man, who long since bade the region a fond fare- well, Cle-Elum, or "Tle-el-lum," as they pro- nounce it, signifies "swift water." Cle-Elum river, from which the town's name is derived, debouches into the Yakima about three miles above the city. The Indian name has been ap- propriately bestowed, for the Cle-Elum is a typ- ical mountain stream, rushing seaward with a current that none but the dauntless trout could hope to stem. And neither is it inappropriate to remark here that the upper Yakima water courses in season are alive with millions of the speckled beauties, furnishing unexcelled fishing facilities to Walton's patient disciples. The pur- est of mountain water, good drainage and a dry, clear, ozone-freighted atmosphere combine to make the locality one of the healthiest spots in the country. The climate at Cle-Elum is what might be expected at the base of the range -- rather long winter seasons and delightful sum- mers, but the temperature is even and the suc- cess of an immense rosary near the town is a sufficient proof of the presence of an unusually large number of sunshiny days.

The fertile valley lands, as yet only partly developed into farms and gardens, and the foot- hills, as is well known, are underlaid with the greatest bituminous coal deposits yet discovered in the west, while within easy distance is an ex- tensive mineral district where gold, copper, iron and other metals are found. The whole region in its primeval condition was mantled by a som- bre covering of forest. Traversing the upper Yakima to its source on the summit is the North- ern Pacific's transcontinental railway system, tapping this immense mineral storehouse. Over this steel highway pass six regular passenger and a dozen freight trains daily. Cle-Elum is also the gateway of the Roslyn traffic. An hour's travel westward from Cle-Elum carries the pas- senger across the summit of the range into the luxuriant timber stretches of the Pacific slope; fifty minutes' travel southeastward takes the traveler to Ellensburg in the heart of the re- nowned Kittitas valley. Truly, Cle-Elum en- joys a convenient and favored location.

When all the upper region was an unbroken wilderness, pierced only by the trails of the no- madic Indian and the roving prospector, when Kittitas county was yet an unconsummated scheme, when the Northern Pacific had barely started on its journey coastward from the Co- lumbia river, the corner-stone of Cle-Elum was laid by Thomas L. Gamble. Judge Gamble, who still resides in Cle-Elum and still takes an active interest in its municipal affairs, visited the upper valley in April, 1883, searching for desirable gov- ernment land, and on the 28th of that month staked out the quarter-section which now forms

305

KITTITAS COUNTY.

the eastern portion of Cle-Elum's site. The ha- zel brush grew dense; massive pines and firs in dark thickets reared skyward their stately heads; the nearest settlers were miles away, but the doughty veteran and pioneer blazed out his lines and commenced the clearing of Hazel-Dell farm. His claim is recorded as the southeast quarter of section twenty-six, township twenty north, range fifteen east, and was the first one taken in that township. By hard work he succeeded in breaking a small patch of land that summer and getting it planted to vegetables. This gar- den spot returned him enough to supply his own wants and those of the few travelers who passed his cabin, which primitive structure stood in what is now Third street, just below Judge Gamble's present fine home. It remained in ex- istence until three years ago, a monument to pioneer days.

The second character in the history of Cle- Elum and the man who is responsible more than anyone else for the existence of the town is Wal- ter J. Reed, an old Pennsylvania friend of Mr. Gamble and one of North Yakima's founders. These old friends accidentally met at the Yak- ima land office in April, 1883. There they en- tered into an agreement that each should assist the other in obtaining land. Accordingly Mr. Gamble notified his friend at once of the exist- ence of an excellent tract just west of the pio- neer homestead. June 4, 1883, Mr. Reed filed a pre-emption claim to this quarter section, and became the second settler in the township. The Reed cabin, which stood on Third street near Pennsylvania avenue, was erected in the early days of September.

The ensuing year brought considerable travel into the region, due to the discovery of large out- croppings of coal, which made it reasonable to suppose that there were extensive deposits some- where in the vicinity. Gamble's snug little cabin served most of these travelers as a place for refreshment and rest. The railroad engineers reached Cle-Elum's site in August, so his diary records, and during their stay in the vicinity boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Reed in their prim- itive pioneer home. Late in the year an unusual number of homesteaders and speculators reached the settlement and commenced acquiring posses- sion of the surrounding country, but still there was no town when the new year dawned.

The year 1886, which was in so many respects a vitally important one for the upper Yakima valley, witnessed the formal establishment of the town, however. It was then that the exist- ence of a rich, bituminous coal field was defi- nitely proven and that the Northern Pacific Railroad Company entered upon the exploita- tion of the same. The discovery of these mines undoubtedly led to the immediate acceptance of the Stampede pass route across the Cascades,

and early in the spring hundreds of men were at work grading the road bed up the Yakima river. By April the crews reached the mouth of Smith creek-a small stream heading above Roslyn and in early days flowing through the Reed claim. A corps of engineers also began work surveying a branch line up Smith creek to the new mining camp.

The point of junction of the two roads was the natural place for a town, and Mr. Reed, quickly realizing this, on July 26th, platted and dedicated sixty-five acres of his pre-emption claim as a townsite. Thomas Johnson was in partnership with Reed in this venture. They adopted the name Cle-Elum, by which the set- tlement had already come to be known. June 20th Mr. Johnson had brought up his large saw- mill from Wilson creek, and set it on the river above the townsite, thereby increasing the pop- ulation of the neighborhood by forty or fifty.

The mill was engaged principally in manu- facturing lumber for the railroad company. It produced as high as 40,000 feet a day, and fur- nished nearly all the timber used in the construc- tion of the Columbia river bridge at Pasco.

By the terms of his agreement with Mr. Reed, Mr. Johnson obligated himself to secure the es- tablishment upon the former's land of a railway depot. This he was enabled to do easily on ac- count of his influence with Northern Pacific officials, and in due time the depot building was erected. Mr. Reed anticipated the rush of tran- sients by erecting, in July, on the corner of Rail- road street and Pennsylvania avenue, the hotel which bears his name, and which, though now greatly enlarged and improved, is still accommo- dating the traveling public. It was even at that time a well furnished frame structure, two and a half stories in height and sixty by thirty-two feet in floor dimensions.

Under the terms of the Reed-Johnson agree- ment, U. G. Bogue and H. S. Huson, Northern Pacific locating engineers, were given half the proceeds from the sale of lots during the first year; Logan M. Bullitt, of the Northern Pacific Coal Company, also came in for a small share. October 11, 1886, the long expected railroad train reached Cle-Elum and in November the iron horse began its journey over the Roslyn branch toward the bustling mining center at its termi- nus.

Late in the summer of 1886, two general stores were established at Cle-Elum-those of Thomas Johnson and Theron Stafford. John- son's store, the pioneer, was housed in a large frame building on Pennsylvania avenue opposite the Reed hotel, while Theron Stafford, a former merchant of Teanaway City, removed his stock into the frame building now occupied by Kel- logg's bank, Pennsylvania avenue. In Septem- ber, F. J. Cummings opened a blacksmith shop

306

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

and a livery stable, the latter of which was sub- sequently occupied by Thomas Brothers. In Oc- tober, a third general store was established, that of Wakefield & Tillman. It stood at the corner of Pennsylvania avenue and First street. Oscar Cash also opened a blacksmith shop some time in the fall, and before Christmas several saloons, restaurants and other accessory business institu- tions were likewise opened to the public. It is almost needless to remark that at this period in Cle-Elum's history its population was decidedly typical of a western boom town and the daily and nightly life of its people a strenuous one. There are, however, no serious crimes chargeable to the account of the town during its earliest his- tory.

With the growth of the region's population, came a demand for a school. In order to secure the formation of a district, it was necessary that twelve families should reside within the limits of the proposed district. Now at this time fam- ilies were rather scarce in eastern Kittitas but by extending the boundaries sufficiently the re- quired dozen could be secured. The county com- missioners on recommendation of D. G. C. Baker, decided to overcome legal obstacles, so, on Au- gust 2, 1886, established the desired district with the following boundaries :

"Commencing at the southeast corner of sec- tion twenty-five, township twenty, range fifteen east, running south to the Yakima river, follow- ing said river west and northerly as a boundary to the mouth of the Cle-Elum river, taking the top of the dividing ridge between the Yakima and Cle-Elum rivers and following the said di- vide northerly to the township line; thence along said township line to the divide between the Cle- Elum lake or river and Teanaway river; thence easterly and south on said township line to the southeast corner of section twenty-five, town- ship twenty north, range fifteen east, the place of beginning."

Messrs. Reed and Gamble, who were ap- pointed directors, immediately transformed the old Reed cabin into a schoolhouse and furnished it with benches, blackboard, etc. The district had no taxpayers at that time, but Mr. Reed fur- nished board to the teacher at his hotel, while the salary of the pedagogue was paid by sub- scription. The attendance ranged from half a dozen to thirty. The Reed cabin continued to serve as a schoolhouse until 1890, when a more commodious building was erected.

November 2, 1886, Cle-Elum precinct, which then included Roslyn, held its first local elec- tion, choosing G. W. Campfield as constable and H. C. Witters as justice of the peace. Witters was later succeeded by T. L. Gamble, who for ten years faithfully discharged the duties of that important though comparatively humble judicial office.

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 71

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