USA > Washington > Spokane County > An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington > Part 11
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It was late in June when the Northern Pa- city Railroad was built in and through this city. It is needless to say that it was a time of great rejoicing. It dispelled the feeling of isolation from the rest of the world. It brought a pleas- ant consciousness of oneness with east and west of this grand and vast country. It dissipated distance, for it made communication with friends and relatives a matter of days instead of weeks and months. On the Fourth of July there was a grand celebration with an excursion to Cheney. It was the first ride in railway cars for some of the younger generation. Mr. James .A. Reid, now a fruit grower of Ken- drick, Idaho, who was the Northern Pacific train despatcher here when the first train en- tered the town. in an interview reported in the Chronicle, said :
"That was nearly eighteen years ago. Spo- kane was a stupid little village of about five hundred people. We used to wonder whether it would ever amount to anything-didn't be- lieveit would. But it has fooled us on that guess. "What did we do when the first train came in? Well, maybe you think everybody wasn't
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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.
happy. Fireworks? No, we didn't have any fireworks to send off if we had wanted to; but somebody did load a big lot of giant powder into the rocks where the Pacific hotel stands, and when the train came in he touched off the fuse. Did the rocks scatter? Well!
"And after that? To tell the truth, after the train came in pretty nearly every man in town felt thirsty and proceeded to take a drink ; and they kept on taking them the rest of that day. Everybody drunk? No, I guess there were a few sober men left that night, but they were pretty scarce."
Before the close of this year the sawmill passed into the hands of A. M. Cannon. It had never proved a very profitable investment and did not until E. J. Brickell became part owner and practical manager. Early in 1881 the con- struction of the second flour mill was begun by S. G. Havermale and George A. Davis. It was looked upon by those not interested as a doubt- ful enterprise. It was built where the Echo mill is now. It took two years to have it in operation with a capacity of a hundred barrels a day. Mr. Cannon erected what was consid- ered then quite an imposing three-story build- ing on the corner of Riverside and Mill where the Marble Bank building and part of the Crescent store stand today.
A new hotel on modern plans was built by Mr. Keyser on the corner of Post street and Railroad avenue. The First National Bank was organized with P. R. Moore as president, T. N. Glover, vice-president, and M. M. Cutter, cashier. The place of business was the south- west corner of Howard and Front, where a four-story brick building has been recently erected by Mr. Jerome Drumheller. Mr. Zeig- ler removed his store of hardware to where the Zeigler block now is.
FIRST ELECTION.
It was an interesting event. Mr. Forrest was re-elected mayor. The city government was brought into better working order. Mr.
E. B. Hyde was the first unpaid city marshal, who discharged his duties with a fidelity equal to a high-salaried officer. During the year 1882 Mr. S. J. Arthur built a hotel on the cor- ner of Main and Howard, where the Bennett block is. After conducting it for about a year he sold it to Mr. J. M. Grimmer, the well- known truckman of today.
FIRST FIRE.
January 19, 1883, was the coldest night of an unusually cold winter-twenty-six degrees below zero. Early in the morning the people were awakened from their peaceful slumbers by the cry of Fire! Fire! Soon nearly all the male population was on the street ready to fight the ravaging flames. In the absence of a fire department there was nothing to do but organize bucket brigades. This was done, and they made an heroic fight to arrest the progress of the flames. The fire started in the store of F. R. Moore & Co., corner of Howard and Front, and it consumed the northern half of that block. It was a heavy loss, for they were not well protected by insurance, and it needed pluck and courage to overcome it, which were not wanting. Brick buildings were erected on the burned district by Forrest, Hyde, Gandy, French and Rima. Also on other parts of Howard, by Glover and Moore and Porter. Wilson, Jamieson and Brown erected1 blocks on Riverside.
The Echo Mill was completed and making flour, with plenty demand for it, making it a paying investment from the outset.
The Review was founded by Hon. F. M. Dallam, a brilliant newspaper man who came from California. He was an indefatigable worker, and did much through his paper to pro- mote the interests of the city. He continued till 1888. He has been since a registrar of the United States land office at Waterville, Doug- las county, and is now publishing and editing the Lincoln Times at Davenport. During this year the Chronicle became the property of Mr.
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H. T. Cowley, who continued its publisher and editor, doing substantial work. for several years.
Late this year the discovery of placer mines in the Cœur d'Alene country attracted special attention to that country, resulting in a great influx of people this way. This, with the com- pletion of the Northern Pacific Railway, gave Spokane Falls 'a great impetus. During the winter it was the rendezvous of a large number of adventurous prospectors and others that fol- low in their train, giving a lively aspect to the young but ambitious city. When the season opened, or was supposed to be, there was a perfect stampede to the mountains of northern Idaho. The impetus given the city gave place to the organization of the board of trade. Tran- sportation was facilitated by running a stage line to Cœur d'Alene City to connect with boats on the lake. The expectations were such that a railroad to Cœur d'Alene was projected, which proved premature. The rush to the Cœur d'Alene was altogether too early, the winter having been a severe one. The placer mines did not "pan out" as expected, and dis- appointment awaited a large majority of the miners, who retreated almost as fast as they went in. To their impatience and lack of care- ful and intelligent prospecting is doubtless to be attributed their failure to discover the pos- sibilities of a country which has subsequently proved so profitable. The sudden subsidence of the Cœur d' Alene excitement in relation to which expectations had risen so high, had a depressing effect upon this city. But this was counteracted in a great degree by mineral dis- coveries in other directions, in the Colville val- ley and in the region of the Pend o' Oreille lake, giving this city a start as a mining center. So depression was soon followed by renewed courage on the part of the people.
During this season more brick blocks were erected. It was also marked by a fire which consumed many of the frame buildings. Among the most important additions to the mercantile
firms were Loewenberg Bros. and Great East- ern Company. The first newspaper write-up of Spokane Falls we find in a supplement of the Chronicle dated October II, 1883. It is inter- esting and it gives us a glimpse of Spokane as it was sixteen years ago. It begins with a de- scription of the "Spokane country" in its broad - est sense. Then the primary features of the immediate neighborhood of Spokane Falls are presented. The localities familiarly known as Saltese Lake and California Ranch districts to the east, Moran prairie to the south. White Bluff prairie to the west, and Five Mile, Wild Rose, Peone, and Pleasant prairies to the north. Spokane Falls is set forth as the oldest town in Spokane county, with a population of one thousand five hundred and the natural me- tropolis of eastern Washington. In it we find that there were six religious denominations represented here. five having houses of wor- ship. "The business interests comprise two banks, three wholesale and retail general mer- chandise stores, three drug stores, three grocery and provision stores, one commission. store, two millinery stores, two watchmakers and jewelers, three gents' furnishing stores, four hardware stores, two furniture stores, three agricultural implement stores, three harness stores, three livery and express stables. three blacksmith shops, one machine shop. one car- riage manufactory, two flouring mills, one saw, shingle and planing mill, one sash and door factory, four fruit and confectionery stores, two meat markets, one bakery, one soda water factory, one fruit nursery, one shoe store, two shoemaker shops, one photograph gallery, two paint shops, four contractors and builders, one hicle and fur depot, one gun and locksmith, three barber shops, two breweries, one whole- sale liquor store, eight saloons, five hotels and three restaurants. The carrying business is represented by one railroad, two express com- panies, three stage lines and two telegraphs. This is the distributing point for upcountry mails, which is a very heavy business. The
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United States land office has just been located here and will add much to the business pros- perity. Of professional men there are six law firms, six real estate and insurance agencies, eight physicians, one dentist, one college presi- cent. six teachers and two newspaper editors." The various blocks are described. The public school building, nearly completed, is referred to with pride for its architectural beauty and convenience "as an ornament to the town to be pointed out to strangers with just pride." The building was a wooden structure, 40x68 and two stories in height, with four school rooms, two on each floor. It can be seen to-day in a rather dilapidated condition on the corner of Fifth avenue and Bernard street. The only sash and door factory in town, owned by John- son, Burns & Wiscombe, is described. So also the water power, with special reference to the ease wherewith it could be utilized. It con- cludes with words that are both eulogistic and hortatory: "This fall has already witnessed an acceleration in all branches of business . which fully equals the expectations of the most san- guine. The completion of the Northern Pa- cific to the east has increased immigration and the discovery of gold in the Cœur d' Alene mountains has brought miners to this region who are getting their outfits here, and the lib- eral cash market for grain and produce of all kinds is making money plentiful. This is a good place for all active and wide-awake busi- ness and professional men, for skillful me- chanics, for capable housekeepers and for in- dustrious, courageous, intelligent farmers and laborers. It is no lazy man's paradise. If you want lands, health, labor, business, wealth and to grow up with most favored conditions in the country come to Spokane."
Among the significant improvements of the year 1884 was the issuing of a daily Evening Review, which began in May. It continued an evening paper till the fall of 1886. The difficulties have been many and the struggles intense incident to limitations, catastrophes and
emergencies, but despite all the paper has made- its regular appearance, carrying light and knowledge to many homes.
A local company started to put in a Holly water system, but lack of funds brought the enterprise to a stand-still. In the emergency an association of thirty men was started which guaranteed one thousand dollars each and the system was completed. The Echo mill supplied the water power. During the following spring the city bought the plant and reimbursed the enterprising citizens who had so liberally sub- scribed towards its completion. It is with con- siderable pride that we mention the fact that municipal ownership of the water-supply system has been a fact in Spokane ever since, and is is giving increased satisfaction, which is an unanswerable argument in favor of that prin- ciple.
The season of 1885 was a trying one on business men and some of them collapsed. The building of the Canadian Pacific Railway over the Rocky mountains proved of considerable advantage during this year.
Mr. H. McCartney had a contract to supply the railway constructors with provisions and other necessities, which was done from this city. The liquor business became a lively and lucrative one. Poor whiskey sold in Spokane at four dollars a gallon, was smuggled over the line, it is said, and sold for from ten to twenty dollars a gallon.
The discovery of the Old Dominion mines near Colville by Mr. E. E. Alexander and A. E. Benoist of this city, which proved very rich, renewed interest in the Cœur d' Alene mines, which were now becoming a magnet of attrac- tion as a quartz instead of a placer mining camp, and marked a new epoch in the city's history. This year the Gonzaga college and church buildings were completed, both brick. The C. & C. mill was built and began opera- tions. Late in the year the Traders' National- Bank was organized, with E. J. Brickell as pres- ident and Jacob Hoover as cashier. Two man-
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ufacturing plants were established, also an elec- tric plant. The Legislature passed, to submit to the people to vote upon, the relocation of the county seat. The north side of the river had begun to be settled with residences. The loca- tion of the Methodist College in Jenkins' addi- tion created considerable expectation in that direction. Some good houses for the time were erected. Jenkins, Rue, Percival, Bisbee, Muz- zy. A few had built homes in Heath's addi- tion : among the first was ex-councilman J. A. Long on Augusta and Pearl.
At the opening of the year 1886 there was a lull in business and no demand for real estate, especially in the suburbs, but it witnessed a new era in prosperity. People of all classes and oc- cupations began to flock in from all directions, and many of them with capital. The agricult- ural region of the Palouse and Big Bend as the result of extensive advertising, primarily by the railroad company and citizens of Spokane, at- tracted multitudes of people this way in search of land. Many of these were so impressed by this city and its prospects as to invest and make their homes here. This year is noted as the one in which the first branch railroad was built from here. The Spokane & Palouse was con- structed, leaving the main line of the Northern Pacific Railroad at Marshall and completed as far as Belmont. The terminus was in this city and it contributed materially to its prosperity. Mr. Paul F. Mohr, an accomplished civil en- gineer, who came here from New York City, .and Hon. A. M. Cannon were prominent factors in this important enterprise.
The mining developments were such and prospects assumed such significance in the south fork of the Cœur d'Alene river, as to lead the intrepid and successful railroader, D. C. Corbin, Esq., to construct the Spokane & Idaho Rail- way, leaving the main Northern Pacific line about nineteen miles east of the city. AAt Cœur (' AAlene city it connected with steamers and with a narrow gauge line from the mission to the mines. The enterprise proved profitable
and stimulated mining developments in the Cœur d 'Alenes.
During this year some mineral discoveries were made in the Okanogan country in which Spokane men became interested. It also wit- nessed the incipiency of the street railway sys- tem which has already developed to great pro- portions. The Spokane Electric Light & Powe: Company was organized, which absorbed the original one. Its progress from that time to this has been phenomenal.
That year the Sacred Heart hospital was built. a fine brick structure three stories in height, facing Front avenue between Brown and Bernard streets. Its doors were opened on the 30th day of April.
The Washington & Idaho Association was organized and the first Spokane County Fair was held that fall. The Review became a morning paper and began to take associated press reports. In the summer the Chronicle became an evening daily, Major E. . \. Routhe. an accomplished journalist, became associated with Mr. H. T. Cowley in editorial work. Mr. W. D. Plants launched out in the wholesale grocery business exclusively. Several three- story blocks were erected, the Keats, Hyde. Wolverton and Moore blocks. The Arlington, the first four-story building, went up. The First Presbyterian church built a neat and cozy building of brick-veneer on the present site of the towering Review building. This year the city entered on a new industrial epoch, in the organization of the Spokane Mill Company, with Mr. E. J. Brickell, a man of executive genius, as manager. A factory and mill were put in motion in connection with it. The county seat question was settled forever in favor of Spokane. It had now become the principal city of eastern Washington, at least of the upper country.
If we take a retrospective view of things for four or five years, we find that a village of five hundred people has become a city of four thousand people. A city in some respects as-
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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.
suming metropolitan proportions, enjoying many of the conveniences and facilities of east- ern cities. The limits have been extended, water power utilized, two daily papers started, a bridge spanning the river, three flour mills and two banks, and several sawmills and fac- tories, two branch railways, and wonderful progress in all the various lines necessary to make it a commercial center. The year 1877 was a prosperous one. The improvements too numerous to mention in detail. Wholesome developments in all directions. A great influx of people, many of them to take up land in the adjacent country. Railroads were projected. lime kilns built, mining prospects discovered, all contributing to the increase of faith in Spo- kane as the Queen City of the Inland Empire. In June of this year the population was esti- mated at seven thousand. It continued to aug- ment rapidly. Many business houses going up in the centre and homes in the residence por- tion. Signs of life everywhere, real estate value enhancing so that some were making a fortune in a day. The Spokane oatmeal mills were built and began operations. They were at first man- aged by a stock company, but were soon sold to Wadhams & Olney. the products being rolled oats, rye-flour, buckwheat flour, corn-meal and hominy. The mills were burned and never rebuilt.
So the city grew during 1887 and 1888. making an enviable reputation for pluck and progress. To record the material and other de- velopments in detail would fill many pages. The same rate of progress continued during the early part of 1889. The population trebled in less than three years. Spokane Falls was known all over the land as one of the most progressive cities in the Northwest, and its citi- zens as unsurpassed in energy and enterprise. In appearance it would compare favorably with many of the older cities of the east, and new comers were both astonished and delighted with the beauty of the location, the progress- iveness of the people and magnitude and pros-
pects of the city. Thirty squares were filled. with substantial business houses.
The year 1889 was one pregnant with im- portant events. But there is one that stands out conspicuous among all the others. It was the year of the
GREAT CONFLAGRATION.
All the business portion of the city was con- sumed by the devouring flames. It was a scene never to. be forgotten by those who witnessed it. Sunday, August 4. was a warm day. Many of the people were rusticating by the lakes and streams, consequently it was rather quiet even for the Sabbath day. But verily before night- fall excitement and confusion reigned. We feel justified in presenting the principal facts connected with the great fire, as they appeared in the Spokane Falls Review, the second morn- ing after it occurred, August 6, 1889.
"The most devastating fire that ever oc- curred in the history of the world, according to population, swept over the business portion of this city Sunday night.
"It originated at 6:15 P. M. in the roof of a lodging house on Railroad avenue, the third door west of Post street. A dead calm pre- vailed at the time, and spectators supposed the firemen would speedily bring the flames under control. This could have been done it proper precautions had been taken. But the superin- tendent of the water works was out of the city, and for some reason the men in charge failed to respond to the call for more pressure.
"The heat created a current of air, and in less than half an hour the entire block of frame shacks were enveloped in flames, and burning shingles and other debris filled the air, ignit- ing several adjacent blocks at the same time.
"Opposite the block in which the fire orig- inated stood the Pacific hotel, one of the hand- somest structures in the Northwest. It was soon ablaze, and by that time a high wind pre- vailed from the southwest, and it was evident that the entire business portion of the c'ty was
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in danger. Mayor Furth ordered that buildings be blown up with giant powder to check the spread of the fire. This order was speedily put into execution, and the explosives added to the reign of terror. The picture was weird, grand and awful, as block after block yielded to the demon of destruction. The sky was overcast with black clouds, and a strong wind sprang up from the northeast, fanning the flames furiously, while an upper current continued to carry the burning timbers in an opposite direction.
"The Grand hotel, the Frankfurt block, the Windsor hotel, the Washington block, the Eagle block, the Tull block, the new Granite block, the Cushing building, the Falls City opera-house, the Hyde block, all the banks, and in fact every house between railroad avenue north to the river, from Lincoln street east to Washington street, with the exception of a few buildings in the northeast corner, were totally destroyed.
"Meanwhile, a sudden change in the di- rection of the wind carried the fire southward across Railroad avenue, and destroyed the Northern Pacific passenger and freight depots and several cars. The freight depot was a mammoth structure, and was filled to the roof with valuable merchandise, very little of which was saved.
"The terrifying shrieks of a dozen loco- tives, commingled with the roar of the flames, the bursting of cartridges, the booming of giant powder, the hoarse shouts of men, and the piteous shrieks of women and children. Looking upward a broad and mighty river of flame seemed lined against the jet black sky. Occasionally the two opposing currents of wind would meet. creating a roaring whirl- wind of fire that seemed to penetrate the clouds as a ponderous screw, while lesser whirlwinds danced about its base, performing all sorts of fantastic gyrations. In this manner the ap- palling monster held high carnival until about to o'clock, when with a mighty crash the
Howard street bridge over the Spokane river went down. A boom of logs took fire and shimmered for hours on the crystal surface of the river, and many times flying pillars of fire crossed the river, igniting the mammoth lumber and flouring mills that line its banks ; but by heroic efforts its career was checked on the south side of the stream. But looking back, the beholder witnessed a scene of desola- tion that was fearful to contemplate. Frag- mentary portions of the naked walls of what were four hours before magnificent structures of brick and granite stood like grim sentinels above the surface of a burning sea, and all was devastation and ruin.
"The burned district embraces thirty blocks besides the depots. The only brick business houses left standing are the Crescent block and the American theater.
THE ORIGIN.
"At about a quarter past six fire was discovered in the lodging house over Wolfe's lunch counter. Officers Smith and McKernan were promptly on hand and one ran to give the alarm while the other went to the scene of ac- tion. The officer, Smith, states that if a few. pails of water could have been obtained the whole fire could have been stopped at once. In a few minutes, however, flames broke out in the next house adjoining and shortly the whole block was a seething mass of flames. People began hurrying out of the houses surround- ing, and household goods were hastily brought out on the streets, only to be consumed in a short time.
BLOWING UP BUILDINGS.
"The firemen had been working manfully and well, but could do nothing, and giant pow -- der was resorted to, and every minute or so there would be a loud report, and a great mass of cinders and refuse would be seen going up in the air and falling promiscuously in all di- rections. The crowds at the reports would star!
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and run back and dodge the missiles that were hurled down on them from above. The scene on Riverside avenue at this time was inde- scribable. Merchants were running around offering large sums to draymen for their ser- vices, and in some cases endeavoring to make them stop by main force. The people were continually dodging the teams that were driv- ing through the streets at break-neck speed. All along Post street were goods being burned that the owners had struggled to get out of their houses and places of business. It was now apparent to all that the city was doomed and all were seeking a place of safety.
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