An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 48

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1172

USA > Washington > Skagit County > An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 48
USA > Washington > Snohomish County > An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 48

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).

BAYVIEW

A beautiful situation on the shore of the mag- nificent Padilla bay, upon whose bosom ships of commerce are always to be seen-this is the chief charm, the most valued possession, the most pro- nounced characteristic of Bayview. But being

239

CITIES AND TOWNS

located at the place where Bayview ridge slopes southward to the famed Swinomish flats, with the rich farm lands of the Samish flats just across the ridge, it has plenty of resources in its immediate neighborhood. On the highlands of the ridge itself many fine farms have already been made, and the home-builder is following closely in the wake of the logger, who is still busy in the forests of the ridge.

Of the incipiency of Bayview, its oldest pioneer, W. J. McKenna, has given the following concise account :

"In 1882 D. A. Jennings was doing a whole- sale grocery business in Seattle. He also operated and supplied several logging camps on the sound. One of the camps he supplied was at Bayview. owned and operated by Powell & Horndon, this being the pioneer camp in that vicinity. Being anxious to extend his business, in May, 1882, he re- quested me to find a suitable location for a branch store, and suggested that I visit Fidalgo bay, where Munks had offered a store for sale. Upon this proposition, however, I reported adversely, as much of the goods were old, the price was high and the trade limited.

"After investigating the surrounding country, it was found that the site of Bayview was situated at about the geographical center of a rich farming region, the Swinomish flats being on the south, the Samish flats on the north and the Olympia marsh only three and a half miles east. The ridge, surrounded by these flats and the bay, was estimated to contain at least eight hundred million feet of fir, cedar and hemlock timber. Jennings was al- ready interested in a camp on the bay, so I reported favorably upon the establish- ment of a store on the ridge. Mr. Jen- nings and I agreed upon terms, after which I se- lected a site. The present location was chosen be- cause there the land sloped easily to the water and was convenient of access.

"Archibald Siegfried, of La Conner, was the owner of the land and from him for fifty dollars I purchased one acre. On this were immediately erected a saloon, which was rented to Harry Botcher; a small hotel, operated by C. S. Allen, and store and dwelling for my own use. We then secured a postoffice, of which Mrs. McKenna be- came the first postmistress. The mail was brought from La Conner once every week at first, generally coming by boat.

"In 1884 I induced Mr. Siegfried to plat two blocks of eight lots each, which was duly surveyed and the plat filed for record April 7, 1884."

Thus Bayview came into existence. In 1886 William Moeller built a saw-mill, which he later sold. and two years afterward George L. and Thomas Butler, brothers, erected a shingle mill near by. This mill is now owned by J. C. Stitt. The town secured an additional merchant in Febru-

ary, 1887, in the person of Martin Coltenbaugh, who at the same time commenced a thirteen-year term as postmaster. That year, also, C. A. Norton built the Roy hotel and M. M. Jones opened the pioneer blacksmith shop. The Bayview hotel was erected by Phil Bartlett a short time later.

With the general industrial revival in 1889, Bay- view began to grow rapidly. Thirty or forty build- ings, a saw-mill, and the Methodist church are re- ported to have been added within a period of twelve months. The year previous Mr. Siegfried had been induced to plat more of his land, with the result that sixteen blocks were added to the site. J. C. Stitt and C. P. Dickey put up a saloon in 1889, which they sold in 1899, immediately afterward in- stituting a large general store and logging camp and commencing to operate the old Butler shingle mill. H. D. Detweiller also entered the mercantile business at Bayview in 1888. So rapidly did the town grow during the next few years that in March, 1894, W. J. McKenna and T. B. Elliott purchased the rest of the Siegfried farm and platted Mc- Kenna & Elliott's addition. This property is still retained by Mr. McKenna and the Elliott heirs.

After the hard times Bayview experienced the revival of prosperity that came to the whole coun- try and has since been steadily, if slowly, growing. The population of the town proper is now in excess of three hundred people.

Bayview is the home of one of the largest log- ging concerns in the state, the Ballard Lumber Com- pany, whose mills are at Ballard. The company operates a railway four miles long, built four years ago to tap the eastern end of Bayview ridge, the terminus being at the bay near the town. The daily output is between sixty-five thousand and seventy- five thousand feet of cedar, fir and spruce, and the number of men employed is between fifty and sixty, who are under the direction of manager F. A. Doty. The company owns about one thousand seven hun- dred acres. Estimates place the amount of mar- ketable timber yet standing on this great ridge at fully one hundred million feet. Joseph C. Stitt also operates a small camp on the ridge, and in town a shingle mill of fifty thousand capacity. This mill is practically new. Tugs and other boats of medium draft reach the town easily at high tide.

A daily stage, operated by E. C. Osborn, gives Bayview convenient connection with Whitney sta- tion, three miles away.

The school district of the town is one of the most progressive in the county, maintaining an eight- grade school and in association with district No. 13, a union high school. The school-house was built in 1889 at a cost of eight hundred dollars. and stands on block seventeen of Siegfried's first addi- tion. The property is now valued at nearly two thousand dollars. Last year the enrollment was ninety-one. The teachers are T. H. Look, principal, Mrs. M. M. Look and Lois M. Baxter.

240

SKAGIT COUNTY

Bayview also has a Methodist church, estab- lished in 1889, with Rev. B. F. Brooks as its first pastor. Rev. R. M. Schoonmaker is its pastor at this date. It has a handsome, commodious church edifice. erected at a cost of perhaps one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars.

One of the important factors in the life of this community is Bayview lodge, No. 128. 1. O. O. F., organized in 1892. In 1901, at a cost of two thou- sand three hundred dollars, it built a public hall, a very creditable building for a town of Bayview's size. The fraternity also owns the local cemetery. . 1 .. L. Inman is the present past grand: Edward Commrine, noble grand : John Monroe, vice grand ; W. J. McKenna, secretary: J. C. Stitt, treasurer, and W. J. McKenna. J. C. Stitt and A. P. Walker, trustees.

The following is a list of Bayview's business houses and professional men : General stores, W. J. MeKenna. J. C. Stitt: hotel, the Bayview. C. P. Dickey: livery, Robert Barr: restaurant. T. H. Look : meat market. Perry Gabriel : blacksmith shop. William Quigley : confectionery. Harry MeMillan : two saloons : contractor. A. C. Paulson : postmaster and notary public. W. J. McKenna : physician. J. 11. Fairleigh.

CLEARLAKE

Along the lines of the Northern Pacific, through the central portion of Skagit county, lies a chain of three small lakes, picturesquely set in a densely timbered basin among the hills. Better inland mill sites are not to be found or more convenient log- ging facilities, while the natural beauty of the re- gion is marked.

Only one of these little lakes, however, is sur- rounded by an agricultural area of any considerable extent, and that is Clear lake. the most northerly of the chain, upon the western shore of which is the town bearing the same name. The railroad passes by on this side of the lake and between it and the railroad is Clearlake's principal thoroughfare, in fact. most of the town. Perhaps three hundred and fifty people constitute the aggregate population.

As yet the town is unincorporated. though it probably soon will be. The main dependence of the inhabitants is the logging and milling industry. though agriculture is not neglected.

Robert Pringle, in 1877, settled upon the quarter section of which the Clearlake town site is a portion. becoming one of the earliest pioneers in that vicin- ity. The same vear John Isaacson took a claim at the north end of the lake, and in 1818 John Dart became a permanent settler there, but until the Se- attle, Lake Shore & Eastern came through in 1890 there was not even a postoffice in the valley.

With the building of that railroad, however. fur- nishing a convenient outlet to the region's products. came a sudden ambition for larger things. Hence.

in the spring of 1890. Jacob Barti platted fifteen acres of the Pringle claim, which he had secured, established a store and in April became the first postmaster of Clearlake postoffice.

The town site was originally named Mountain View. The following year Alexander Smith erected a hotel, now the Stevens house, on the site, and Day Brothers, Michael and John, built Clearlake's pioneer shingle mill.

Thus was given inception to the present bustling town, which grew very slowly at first, partly on ac- count of its close proximity to Sedro and Woolley, only two or three miles north. In 1894 Charles Eagan and Robert Lannigan succeeded Smith in the hotel. and another change in the middle nineties was the retirement of Mr. Bartl in favor of Niles & Rey- nolds. This store came into the hands of its pres- ent owners in 1899, when Niles & Reynolds sold out. The Day Brothers were also succeeded by John Mc- Master, and he later by the Bratnober-Wait Lumber Company, while in recent years still a new firm has acquired the mill property, the Clearlake Lum- ber Company.

With the revival of prosperous times in the late nineties, Clearlake began to grow, and it has been growing steadily since. The mill was enlarged from time to time, new logging camps started, more land was transformed into farms and all along the line greater activity was manifested.

The Clearlake mill, saw, planing and shingle combined. is one of the largest in the county and gives employment to probably a hundred men or more. The main buildings were erected three years ago and the plant is equipped with modern ma- chinery. F. H. Jackson, of Seattle. is president of the company: M. M. Cole, resident manager and superintendent. This concern also conducts a large general store. boarding house, etc. Two large camps on the hill west of Clearlake are controlled by this firm, employing from one hundred and fifty to two hundred men. At times the monthly payroll of Clearlake has reached fifteen thousand dollars. A mile and a half below the town the Clear Lake Shingle Company, R. H. Kellogg, manager, oper- ates a shingle mill also.

G. A. Chapman, connected with Beddall's store, estimates the amount of hay raised in Clear lake val- ley at two hundred and fifty tons, and of oats one hundred tons. Large quantities of cherries, apples, plums and berries are also produced.

Clearlake's business houses may be listed as fol- lows: General stores: W. O. Beddall. Clearlake Lumber Company. Starland & Bove: hotels: the Stevens, Lafayette S. Stevens, proprietor ; the Cen- tral. J. A. Frederick, proprietor : meat market, Alex- ander McDonald: bakery. A. J. Grierson; confec- tionery and barber shop. Thomas McEwen : three saloons. W. O. Beddall is postmaster and J. A. Sis- son station agent.

The town is fortunate in possessing good edu-

241

CITIES AND TOWNS

cational facilities. The first school in district No. 33, was a rough shack built of split boards, erected in 1889. Upon this site five years ago the district built a neat three-room structure at a cost of one thousand five hundred dollars. During the past year the school has been under the control of F. P. Me- Greal, principal, Mrs. F. P. McGreal and Miss Nel- lie Morrow. Last year one hundred and thirty chil- dren were enrolled.

In 1903 the Methodists erected a handsome church building in the town, over which the Sedro- Woolley pastor has charge and a little later the Con- gregationalists built their church home. Rev. A. Lennox is the resident Congregational minister.

M'MURRAY

Chief among McMurray's industries and the principal support of the population is the immense plant of the Atlas Shingle and Lumber Company. This institution covers several acres of ground on the lake shore at the northern end of town. Since the old mill, MeMurray's original saw-mill. came into the hands of the present company about nine years ago it has been practically rebuilt and thor- oughly modernized until it is now counted one of the best plants on the sound. Between fifty thon- sand and seventy thousand feet of lumber are cut daily, in addition to an average output of one hun- dred and fifty thousand shingles. As the prosper- ity of this industry has varied so has that of Mc- Murray, but, since for nearly a decade now this milt has been operated almost continuously and has been gradually increasing its scope, the town has likewise steadily advanced from a mere hamlet during the hard times to its present thrifty condition.

But while the business institution referred to in the foregoing furnishes the main dependence of the town's three hundred or three hundred and fifty inhabitants, it is not the sole support. Just over the hill to the west lies the English Logging Company's large camp, one of the largest in this region of the sound ; southward up the track is a large shingle mill at Ehrlich station, and several small inde- pendent loggers are engaged in the vicinity. Only a short distance east is the rich upper Pilchuck val- ley. a timber and farming section. A few new farms are scattered at other points along the lake or on the surrounding bench lands. Furthermore, Mc- Murray is a pleasant. healthy, pretty place and has. therefore, attracted to it some whose main object was home-building.

Lake McMurray lies at the extreme lower end of the chain of lakes along the Northern Pacific's route through the central portion of Skagit county. It is a small hody of fresh water, perhaps two miles in length by three-quarters of a mile wide, and very deep. The valley is narrow and in its original con- dition was heavily timbered with cedar. fir and spruce, principally cedar. The cool, limpid waters

of this typical mountain lake abound with fish, fur- nish a fine field, for boating and other aquatic sports and. best of all, afford the logger and manufacturer superior advantages.

It was because of the presence of such a heavy virgin forest beside a lake which was adapted for manufacturing purposes and which in addition was prepossessing to would-be home-builders that Me- Murray came into existence in 1890. When the sur- veyors of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern staked their line along the shore, it was at once a foregone conclusion that a town must soon come into exis- tence there. Immediately a town site company was organized with Dr. Marcus Kenyon at its head, which platted McMurray, so named in honor of the pioneer settler of its shores. The site selected was on the western shore, near the southern end of the lake. There the land rises gently from the water's edge to a broad plateau. The topography of the spot is well suited for town purposes, the bench land giving it a commanding, well-drained site, looking westward across the beautiful sheet of water toward the snow ranges of mountains.

Before the construction company had reached the lake, McMurray's growth began. A thirty- room hotel was nearly completed the first summer by Dr. Kenyon ; M. E. Berridge was doing a general merchandise business, and his father-in-law, Oscar Ball, had opened the postoffice before regular trains were running. This is said to be rather a remarkable case of rapid town building. the only recorded instance of a Puget sound inland town, inaccessible by steamboats or wagon roads. reaching an such advanced development ahead of the regular freight traffic. In the fall the railroad company built a substantial depot costing two thousand dollars and before win- ter set in trains were running regularly over the line.

The MeMurray Cedar Lumber Company began erecting its plant in the fall of 1890. also, and fin- ished it the following spring. It was a modern com- bination mill with a lumber capacity of sixty thon- sand and a shingle output of seventy-five thousand a day, whose operation involving the employment of a large force. The new hotel was managed by a man named Luce until the fall of 1891, when W. H. Hall took charge; he also put in the pioneer meat market in October of that year. The town grew rapidly until hard times, when it suffered severely.

However, with the passing of the old mill into the hands of the Atlas Lumber and Shingle Com- pany in 1896, and the rejuvenation of that indus- try a little later, McMurray began to revive. It has grown steadily since and assumed a permanent place as one of the substantial smaller commercial centers of Skagit county.

The town has suffered from only one severe con- flagration. This was occasioned by the burning of a portion of the Atlas plant in April, 1901. The

24?

SKAGIT COUNTY

timely arrival by special train of the Snohomish City fire engine with Charles Slater and Frank Benway in charge prevented the destruction of the entire plant and perhaps saved the town. As it was, the less was at least fifty thousand dollars.

At the time MeMurray was founded an effort was made by the Medina Land and Quarry Com- pany to establish the town of Medina on the lake opposite MeMurray. This enterprise failed, how- ever, the only two buildings erected never having been occupied.

McMurray's professional men and business houses are: Physician, Dr. William Teepell; post- master, Mrs. George La Rock : station agent, T. H. Copestick : Atlas Shingle and Lumber Company. Charles E. Patten. manager: general stores : Hughes & Blake; Starlund & Boie; hotels: Mrs. Il. D. Plattner, Harry Donovan ; meat market, N. G. Seegebarth ; bakery and confectionery, Mrs. George Keys; barber shop, Edson Sturgeon, and three sa- loons.

The pioneer school of McMurray was taught by Miss Thomas, of Mount Vernon, in a small dwelling in the fall of 1891. The next year the dis- triet built a school-house at a cost of one thousand dollars, which is still used. Professor Charles Vin- ger and wife have had charge of this school for the last three years. In 1903 the Congregationalists erected a handsome church edifice, and they have re- cently called a minister. The Catholics also have a chapel in the town. The only fraternities repre- sented at present are the Maccabees and Foresters, which have thriving local lodges.

MONTBORNE

This little mill town lies on the east shore of Big lake, the middle lake in the chain which occupies the central portion of Skagit county. The Nelson & Neal Lumber Company operate a large mill there which furnishes practically the entire support of the village.

It is also a station on the Northern Pacific, and has a postoffice and general store.

Dr. H. P. Montborne, the pioneer physician of Mount Vernon, settled on this land, upon which the town bearing his name stands, in 1884, and in 1890 sold the claim to the Virginia Land and Town- site Company, of which A. S. Dunham, president of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway Com- pany, became president. A depot was immediately established, and in 1891 a postoffice secured. Sev- eral different companies have operated mills at Montborne, the site being very favorable for mill- ing purposes. It is an attractive, beautifully situ- ated little town.

HAMILTON

The ruins of long-unused business buildings in Hamilton tell of a past exceeding the present. The towering mountains of coal and iron just across the

river, the mountains of timber in an opposite direc- tion giving prophecy of a future far surpassing past or present, while the great beauty of the level town site, dry and clean at all seasons, will permit the building of an attractive as well as a busy and prosperous city when the time is full for the devel- opment of its tributary wealth.

About the year 1817 William Hamilton filed on the land that is now the town site. In 1884 he put in a general merchandise establishment, encour- aged by the activity in the coal region just across the river, but the village did not grow much until 1889. In that year, however, it took a wonderful start. Among the promoters of its development were McNaught Brothers, C. B. McDowell, H. C. Pettit, J. W. Dermont, Colonel Wilkinson and J. C. Carlton. It speedily became a thriving place with perhaps fifteen hundred inhabitants within its bor- ders and in the country surrounding.

The Skagit County Logger tells us that in November. 1889, Hamilton had a steam saw and shingle mill, a water-power feed mill, two livery stables, a general merchandise store, a news- paper, a blacksmith shop, two hotels, a school-house and a public hall. Two stages left the town daily, one for Mount Vernon, the other for up-river points. Lots ranged in price from seventy-five to two hundred dollars.

In the spring of 1890, the Hamilton Town Site and Land Company was incorporated, with a board of trustees consisting of twelve influential capital- ists of Butte, Seattle, Fairhaven and Hamilton. It is stated that during the week ending June 5, 1890. that company sold thirty thousand dollars' worth of real estate. Very early in 1891 steps were taken looking toward incorporation. At a meeting held January 17th. J. B. Wiley, census enumerator, sub- mitted his report showing that he had found three hundred and twenty-seven people within the pro- posed corporate limits. The 4th of the ensuing March, by a vote of forty-eight to thirty-four, the people decided upon incorporation, and the fol- lowing officers were elected: Mayor, J. B. Wiley; treasurer. Graves : councilmen, Thomas Miller, C. G. Shepard. J. C. Richardson. W. H. Dexter, C. B. McDowell.

The year 1891 was one of great activity and prosperity, due to the mines and the building of the Seattle & Northern Railroad. It was assumed from the efforts of the Great Northern to secure a half interest in the town site that that company expected to do great things for the development of Hamilton. It was claimed that an arrangement had been entered into whereby the Great Northern undertook to connect Hamilton with its Puget sound system during the year, and hearts beat high with hope that not only this would be done, but that the road would be extended to Sauk and in a short time through the mountains to a connection with its great transcontinental system.

243

CITIES AND TOWNS

Unfortunately the hopes then entertained were doomed to disappointment. The mines shut down, the hard times came on, a portion of the town near the river suffered greatly from floods and a decline began, lasting yet. The Great Northern is a reality, to be sure, but it has not proved the developer that was expected. The rates demanded by it for trans- porting logs are considered prohibitive by lumber- men, causing many of them to shut down. While this and the inactivity in the tributary mines are very depressing, it is clear that present conditions cannot last always. So magnificent is the timber that the loggers have begun surveying for a rail- road to a point on the river from which logs can safely be transported by water to the sound. They assert that unless the Great Northern establishes a reasonable rate they will surely build their own road. In either case the town will profit by the increased activity which must come. The iron and coal will not always go begging and when their development commences in good earnest a splendid city will spring up on this magnificent town site.

A list of the present business houses and busi- ness men of Hamilton at the present time would include the following: Bank of Hamilton, J. Yung- bluth & Company, proprietors ; drug store, J. H. Smith ; confectionery, Morris Hamilton ; Hamilton Herald, Hans J. Bratlie, publisher ; the Yellowstone restaurant and saloon, P. Jacobino, proprietor ; J. R. Baldridge's saloon ; groceries, Thomas Conboy ; dry goods, Frank Wyman; hardware, general mer- chandise, etc., the Eagle Shingle Company; the Seattle saloon and hotel, E. R. Whitney, proprie- tor ; the Washington hotel, Mrs. M. Ferbrache, pro- prietress ; meat market, Fred Shannon, proprietor ; harness, paints, etc .. P. Gabel ; livery stable, W. W. Raymore. Four miles above the town is the J. T. Hightower Lumber Company's plant and there is also a logging camp in the vicinity in operation at present. Dr. R. G. Kellner practices medicine and surgery in the town and surrounding country. At the time of the writer's visit, the Methodist Epis- copal society, under the pastorate of Rev. Henry Harpst, was erecting a neat little church. The Catholics also have a local organization and a resi- dent priest. The town has an excellent public school, presided over last year by four instructors. G. W. Wilson is postmaster.

BAKER

Baker is an upper Skagit valley village, situ- ated on the Great Northern Railway at the junction of the Skagit and Baker rivers, from the latter of which it receives its name. At this point there is not at present very extended development, but with such rich resources as exist in the surrounding country the day of larger things cannot be far clistant.

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 Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 48

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1906 Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1172

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1172