USA > Washington > Spokane County > An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington > Part 43
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have a fine view of the vast and fertile Palouse valley to the south and the rugged Cœur d' Alene region to the east. The location of the town is on one of the highest points of the Big Bend plateau, twenty-three hundred feet above the level of the sea. In the surrounding country there is much rich agricultural land, also fruitgrowing and stockraising sections. The town was laid off by the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and the first house erected in 1880. The name Cheney is in remembrance of the late Benjamin P. Cheney, of Boston, to whom the town is especially indebted Cheney has had in the past, as well as to-day, among its citizens some of the most progressive men in the west, who have been thoroughly devoted to the interests of their town. Among them may be mentioned Hon. D. F. Percival, a native of Bangor, Maine, W. D. Switzer, a Pennsylvanian, who has conducted the drug and stationery business since 1880, and whose wife has been one of the most heroic temper- ance workers in the state. Other Pennsyl- vanians are Hon. S. D. Grubb and the vener- able J. S. Mount. Dr. Pomeroy and many others might be mentioned. Cheney has a large grain elevator, a well equipped flouring mill, the products of which find a ready sale. The creamery is doing a good business. Among the business houses are A. L. Ames, merchant tailor; G. E. Roos, bakery; O. B. Royce, meat market. In the general merchan- cise business are O. Brien & Co. and H. & W. L. Fulton.
Cheney has a reservoir system of water works, put in in 1890, at great expense. The water is piped from Fish Lake, a short dis- tance out, and it is pronounced absolutely pure. The pumping pressure in the pipes is one him- dred and eighty-five pounds to the square inch, while the standing pressure is one hundred and twenty-five pounds-ample for protection against fire.
The electric light plant of Cheney was erected in the spring of 1891, at a cost of al-
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most fifteen thousand dollars. It is at present owned by a company, for whom L. Walter is the local agent. The works are supplied with two dynamos, whose capacity is seven hundred incandescent lights.
The town is blessed with two lively and ably conducted weekly newspapers, the Free Press, managed and edited by Mr. S. L. Alex- ander, and the Cheney Sentinel, until recently edited by Mr. D. H. Stewart, but now by Frank A. Dunn.
Cheney is admirably located for an educa- tional center, and a more desirable place for a State Normal School could not be selected. The place is clean, healthy, superb in surround- ings and should in a great degree be free from demoralizing influences. In addition to the State Normal School there is a fine brick school building in a central location. The enrollment reaches well nigh on three hundred and nine grades of work is done. Cheney is well sup- plied with churches. The Christian, Congre- gational, Methodist Episcopal and Baptist and the Catholics have houses of worship. The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in Cheney in 1880, and was the first of any church organization in the city. The first sermon preached in the town was by Rev. G. W. Strong, then presiding elder in this section of country, and was preached in a butcher shop without a floor in it in October, 1880. The first public prayermeeting was held in the home of John Robbins in March, 1881. The day following this prayermeeting, Rev. G. W. Strong, the presiding elder, selected lots on which to build a church, and the edifice was completed by the first of June following. This building is now used as a private residence on the ground on which is was originally erected. John C. Tyler and his wife, Laura E., are the only remaining members of the original organ- ization, from whom these particulars are ob- tained. The present beautiful brick church, known under the corporate name of "The First Methodist Church of Cheney," was erected in 18
1889, during the pastorate of Rev. M. H. Mar- vin, and was dedicated by Revs. R. H. Manier and V. C. Evers in December of that year. The official record shows the following line of pastors in the order given : Rev. Theodore Hoagland, 1880-1881; Rev. G. W. Strong,. 1881-1882; Rev. J. W. Bluett, 1882-1884 ;. Rev. Geo. E. Wilcox, 1884-1886; Rev. Theo- dore Hoagland, 1886-1887; Rev. James Green- slade, 1887-1888; Rev. M. H. Marvin, 1888- 1889: Rev. J. W. Bluett, 1889-1890; Rev. F. L. Young, 1890-1891; Rev. R. H. Manier. 1891-1896; Rev. O. A. Noble, 1896-1899.
The church at present has a membership of about ninety and a large Sunday school and an Epworth League of between forty and. sixty earnest young people. The present pastor is Rev. W. H. Fry, a brilliant young preacher,. a native of England and educated at Manitoba University, Winnipeg. He has served since September, 1899.
The Congregational church was organized' in 1881 through the instrumentality of the late Father Eells and Deacon G. R. Andrus, now of Tacoma. Father Eells made his home in Cheney as early as April, 1882, and built him- self a small house a little east of the town, . which still stands. "For nearly a year and a half, while living in Cheney, his time was spent in a round of labors in nine different places in three counties. Lone Pine, in Whitman coun- ty, Cheney, Sprague, Spangle, Medical Lake, and near Cottonwood Springs, in Spokane county, Chewelah, Fort Colville and Colville town, in Stevens county."-Life of Father Eells, page 249. Nearly all the early members of the Congregational church have either moved away to other places or gone the way of all flesh. But the church is in a vigorous con- dition to-day under the efficient ministry of Rev. F. B. Doane and his accomplished wife. Both the Sunday school and Christian Endeav- or Society are doing excellent work. Mr. Doane is a native of the state of Massachusetts. He graduated from Hopkins Academy, Had-
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ley, Massachusetts, in 1885. He entered Am- herst College in September, 1886, and gradu- ated in January, 1890. He graduated from Yale Divinity School in 1893. He pursued post-graduate studies one year after receiving the degree of B. D. Mr. Doane was pastor of the Congregational church in Dayton, Wash- ington, from October, 1894, until January I, 1897, and has been pastor of the First Congre- gational church of Cheney since that time. The first pastor was Rev. F. V. Hoyt and he served it efficiently for four years. He was succeeded by Rev. A. Howell, C. E. Chase, George E. Hooker, O. F. Thayer.
Secret Societies .- The important ones are the Odd Fellows, Masons and Knights of Pyth- ias. They are officered as follows :
I. O. O. F .: J. F. Spangle, noble grand ; R. Jensen, vice-grand; J. F. Oplinger, secre- tary ; L. Walter, treasurer; Wm. Milliken, dep- uty grand master.
A. F. & A. M .: Thos. J. McFerron, wor- shipful master; Chas. Ulrich, senior warden; Able Brown, junior warden; D. J. Turner, treasurer ; W. J. Sutton, secretary ; T. F. Gra- ham, senior deacon; W. B. Webb, junior dea- con.
K. of P .: Chancellor commander, F. P. Fellows; vice-chancellor, Wm. Mills; prelate, I. J. Ballinger ; keeper of records and seal, H. A. McGowan; master of work, J. E. Corbett ; master of finance, R. C. Peterson; master of exchequer, John Ostrand; deputy grand chan- cellor, G. A. Fellows.
The State Normal School at Cheney, estab- lished by act of the Legislature, approved March 22, 1890, was opened for admission of students October 13, 1890. It is accordingly the oldest state normal school in Washington. The building and grounds of the Benjamin P. Cheney Academy were donated for the use of the school on condition that the state maintain in Cheney perpetually a public normal school for the training of teachers. Since then the school has had a somewhat checkered career,
notwithstanding which its course has been steadily onward and upward, with the excep- tion of the school year 1897-8, during which its doors were closed. Its first misfortune was the loss of its building-the old Benjamin P. Cheney Academy-by fire. After that the school was housed in a business block and later in a new public school building, which, through the enterprise of the Cheney school district, was built and furnished for the use of the nor- mal school until the state provided the present fine building. During its history, its legislative appropriation for maintenance has been twice cut off by gubernatorial veto. In each case, however, the executive opposition was later . withdrawn upon a fuller understanding of the conditions. During its days of trial it has been upheld by loyal faculties and by the enterprise of the citizens of Cheney, who have fully realized the need to the public schools of this eastern Washington institution for the train- ing of teachers. In 1898, after the school had been closed a year, the board of trustees called to the revival of the school the present prin- cipals of the school and its training department, and the citizens of Cheney subscribed a liberal fund to pay the running expenses of the school, such as light, heat, water, printing, etc. An energetic faculty was gathered together and over one hundred students were enrolled, who paid in fees for their attendance to go to the compensating of the faculty. With this show- ing of the necessity of the school to eastern Washington, the Legislature did not hesitate to renew its life, and it now emerges from all its trials, but the stronger for the conflicts.
The following is the faculty as at present constituted for 1899-1900: W. B. Turner, M. A., principal, psychology, pedagogics and soci- ology; Frank B. Babcock. M. A., vice-principal, English, Latin and history; H. C. Sampson, B. A., mathematics; Florence E. Snyder. B. Sc., natural and physical sciences; Rose Rice Turner, principal of training department and supervisor of methods ; Lilyan Walter, draw-
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STATE NORMAL SCHOOL CHENEY
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ing, penmanship and bookkeeping; Myrtle M. Graham, reading, voice culture and physical culture; R. A. Heritage, Mus. Doc., music; E. May Mackenzie, kindergartner.
The location of the State Normal School at Cheney could hardly be improved. It is in the midst of the most populous part of eastern Washington and is easy of access. The Wash- ington Central Railroad and the Great North- ern Railroad place the people of the Big Bend country within a few hours ride of the Nor- mal. The O. R. & N. and the Palouse branch of the Northern Pacific place the whole of the eastern, southeastern and southern parts of the state in close communication with the school, while the main line of the Northern Pacific and the Spokane & Northern furnish easy ac- cess to the people of the western and northern parts of the state. Spokane, the metropolis of eastern Washington, is only sixteen miles dis- tant, and the students thus have easy oppor- tunity to avail themselves of the best the west affords in the way of lectures, concerts and lit- erary entertainments. Cheney is one of the most beautiful and healthful towns of the state. It is clean, lighted by electricity, well supplied with good water, both for domestic purposes and lawns. It has two enterprising newspapers, five churches and a complete public school sys- tem.
The board of trustees, in 1896, completed the erection of one of the largest and best ar- ranged school buildings in the state, at a cost of sixty thousand dollars. The building is of brick and stone and is furnished with all of the modern appliances to be found in any first- class institution. The recitation rooms are per- fectly adapted to the purpose for which they were intended, are large, well heated, well lighted and well ventilated. The physical and chemical laboratories are supplied with the best appliances for individual work in these sub- jects. Each floor is supplied with large, roomy cloak-rooms, toilet-rooms, lavatories, etc. The corridors are large and well lighted, the stairs
easy of ascent, while the auditorium, with its beautiful stage, large gallery and comfortable modern furniture, is one of the best in the state. This building has already proved itself to be admirably adapted to normal school purposes. The present board of trustees comprises Hon. J. J. Browne, president, Hon. J. S. Allen and Hon. E. Dempsie, all of Spokane. The course of study is for five years. The average age of all students last year was 21.2 years.
The distinctive purpose of the State Nor- mal School is to train teachers for the public schools of the state. It aims to accomplish this purpose :
Ist. By giving its students accurate knowl- edge of all the branches of study taught in a complete system of public schools.
2d. By giving a thorough understanding of the laws of growth, the interests and de- velopment of childhood and an active sym- pathy with child life.
3d. By instructing students in the science and art of teaching and of school management. in methods of instruction and by affording fav- orable conditions under which to put such in- struction to the test by practice teaching in the training school.
4th. By developing in its students self- reliance, love of learning and faithfulness to duty.
The present enrollment of the Normal School is over one hundred and sixty, with probabilities of enrolling a total of over two hundred by the end of the present school year. In addition to this there are over seventy pupils in the training school and kindergarten. Its full course graduates number fifty-one, while the elementary certificate has been awarded to forty-two additional. These are nearly all teaching in the public schools of the state of Washington.
ROCKFORD.
This town is situated at the confluence of Mica and Rock creeks, about twenty-five miles
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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.
south of Spokane, on the O. R. & N. Railroad. It has been designated as the "gateway of the fertile Palouse country." It is surrounded and protected by hills covered by virgin forests and has many advantages as a home town or busi- ness location. "In 1878 Farnsworth & Wor- ley established a sawmill on the present site of Rockford, and from this small beginning has grown the present thriving town. In 1888 Rockford was incorporated as a town of the fourth class." The Rock creek valley, a basin about thirteen by twelve miles, on the south end of which the town is located, is rich and pro- ductive. The proximity of the region around Rockford to forests, hills and the Cœur d' Alene lake results in a greater rainfall than in the Palouse country, affording greater assur- ance of abundant crops. There are cultivated, in addition to the principal products, wheat and oats, the minor cereals, also timothy, tame grasses, clover, alfalfa and vegetables of all sorts. Fine clay is found adjacent to the town. On Mica Peak, six miles away, is found excel- lent mica. Within a few miles is the Cœur d' Alene reservation, in which is found some of the richest land in Idaho and the great lake can be reached by wagon road. There is hardly a town of equal size in this or any other state that transacts more business during the year than does Rockford. The stores already lo- cated here are metropolitan in style, notably that of G. B. Hurd & Company and the Coey Mercantile Company.
As a grain market Rockford is pre-eminent, having some of the heaviest buyers in the state, and a flouring mill which has no superior in the state, making the wheat market here of the best and keeping the prices paid to farmers at the top notch. To-day Rockford is one of the ·most important stations on the O. R. & N. Company's lines between Spokane and Colfax, and this supremacy it will continue to occupy unless the history of the past has no bearing on the future. The population is but little, if any, short of one thousand, with every pros-
pect of steady growth. The people of Rockford are industrious and progressive, seeking in every reasonable manner to promote the inter- ests of their town. The rising generations are provided with liberal educational advantages, an excellent school system being sustained. An effort is made to engage only the very best teachers in the public schools. Religious priv- ileges are not wanting. The following denom- inations are represented in the place : Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, United Brethren, the first three having commodious houses of worship, and all being served by able pastors. Among the business houses are the G. B. Hurd & Company, carrying a large stock of dry-goods, clothing, hardware, tinware; D. C. Farnsworth, drugs, chemicals, patent medi- cines, etc .; Mrs. M. Cogswell's racket store; A. H. Bugbee's grocery ; Miss Brockman, milli- ner; O. M. Reid, watchmaker and jeweler. Drs. Witter and Creighton are skillful physi- cians. The Coey Mercantile Company carry a large stock of dry-goods, groceries, boots and shoes. The Maucelona and Waltman Houses are popular hotels. The town is well served by the Rockford Enterprise, a clean, bright and newsy weekly paper.
Valley Roller Mills, Sheldon Milling Com- pany, proprietors .- This mill was built in 1889 and in 1897 was thoroughly overhauled and practically made a new mill. The principal business of this mill is the manufacture of flour for export. They have agencies at Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Hong Kong, China. The daily capacity of the Valley Roller mills is three hundred barrels and their brands are Fancy Patent, Klondike, White Star, Su- perfine and Oriental.
FAIRFIELD.
It is only common for travelers passing through this town to make reference to the propriety of the name. It is about thirty-five miles south of Spokane on the O. R. & N. R. R. Starting late in 1889, it grew rap-
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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.
idly and has won its way into prominence on account of its advantageous location. It is sur- rounded by broad acres of the most fertile ag- ricultural country. It has assumed prominence as a wheat market, as can be seen by the num- ber and size of the warehouses, W. Walser, Centennial Mill, Spokane, D. T. Ham & Com- pany. Fairfield is not only beautiful in situa- tion, but solid and substantial, with bright pros- pects for the future. The public school system is well established and of a high order. The place is well supplied with churches, ministered . to by cultured and consecrated men. The mer- chants are prosperous. D. T. Ham & Com- pany conduct an immense wheat business. The Coey Mercantile Company do a large business in general merchandise. W. H. Butler carries a complete stock of fancy groceries, and also Pierce Green, C. A. Loy & Company, hard- ware; Fisher Sawyer, meat market; B. H. Williams, harness; J. L. Spath, dry-goods, clothing, etc. The travelers are accommodated by G. W. Crawford, and Andrew Anderson is ever ready to supply a first-class meal. The banking business is conducted by the Coey Banking Company, and the Fairfield Standard is ever on the alert to serve the public and never fails to improve an opportunity that promises to promote the interests of Fairfield. A good authority has remarked that "a notable feature of the town of Fairfield, and one that we can- not refrain from mentioning, and which could be copied with profit by many cities and towns we know of, is that every citizen of Fairfield is ready and willing at all times to speak a good word for his town. They all 'swear by Fairfield' and never miss an opportunity to sound her praises in loud, truthful and unmis- takable tones."
LATAH.
It would be difficult to find a more favora- ble town site in every respect than that of Latah, situated about forty miles southeast of Spokane on the O. R. & N. R. R. It takes its musical
name from the historical stream ordinarily known as Hangman creek, on the banks of which it is built. The word Latah is from the Nez Perce language, and according to some authority, means "camping ground," or "place well supplied with food." The vicinity used to be well supplied with a root growing along the creek which was used as food by the Indi- ans. It was a yellowish root, slightly bitter and sweet to the taste, and in appearance sim- ilar to a carrot. The camass root also grows plentifully there, and the Indians made annual trips to dig it on the way home from their fish- ing trips below the falls of Spokane river. Benjamin F. and Lewis Coplen built the first house in Latah. Lewis took up one hundred and sixty acres in the fall of 1872, and Benja- min early in 1873. The town was laid out on the latter's claim in 1886.
The surface of the land around the town is quite level and undulating. It has an un- failing water supply, the beautiful Latah creek having its sources in the mountains of Idaho. Major R. H. Wimpy settled within two miles of Latah in the early 'seventies. The first post- office in the southern part of the county was at his house as early as 1875. called Alpha. The schoolhouse still retains the name. Latah was originally called Alpha, but was soon changed. This is fortunate, for there are many reasons why the euphonius Indian names should be retained. Mr. B. F. Coplen is recognized as the founder of Latah, and has been closely identified with its interests and progress. Among its most successful business men are E. Ham & Son. There are in the town four gen- eral merchandise stores, one boot and shoe store, one blacksmith shop, one livery and one large warehouse. The rich agricultural coun- try wherewith it is surrounded is a guarantee of continued growth and prosperity. There are three churches in the town, Methodist Epis- copal, Baptist and Christian, and also a lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Latah has attracted special attention as the
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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.
place where mammoth bones of animals were discovered in 1876, by the Coplen brothers. They were the largest known, weighing three thousand pounds each. The longest tusks were ten and fourteen feet. They were exhibited around the country for a season, and then taken to Pacific University, Oregon, and later to Chicago, where they were mounted, and they are now in Lincoln Park.
DEER PARK.
This town is on the Spokane Falls & North- ern Railroad, about twenty-five miles north of Spokane. It has a population of three hundred, with three general merchandise stores, the own- ers of which are P. Kelly, Dan Weis and A. Baldwin. Also a blacksmith and harness shop and a livery and feed stable. Jeff Moore con- ducts a hotel in the place. Dr. Prince attends to the sick as well as dispensing the necessary drugs. The most important industry is the mill of the Standard Lumber Company, Mr. W. H. Short, president. It employs about thirty-five men. The boarding house, con- ducted by Mrs. W. H. Short, is far superior in every respect to the ordinary saw-mill ac- commodations. The managers have always in mind the comfort and elevation of the men. The company has a large stock of lumber on hand, and is also running a mill at Newport on the Great Northern Railroad. Mr. Short has contributed greatly to the growth of Deer Park, and has done much to promote its moral and religious welfare. There are as many as eight saw mills within ten miles, all getting their supplies at this town. This, with the ad- jacent agricultural region of Half Way and Wild Rose, makes it a place of growing im- portance. One of the earliest settlers in this vicinity is Peter Myers, who in early days con- ducted a hotel on the old Colville road. There are seventy-five scholars enrolled in the public schools, with prospects of large increase in the near future. Accordingly they are planning
to add another room to the school house and employ two teachers.
The Congregational church edifice, in view of its pleasant and prominent location, and ar- chitectural beauty, attracts the attention of the passerby. The church as an organization is substantial and exerting an uplifting influence in the community. It has an enviable repu- tation for its missionary spirit and systematic and liberal offerings. The pastor, Rev. F. McConaughy. a graduate of Oberlin College and Theological Seminary, is a man of excel- lent qualities. He is a scholarly man. a deep thinker, affable, spiritual minded, and an inde- fatigable worker. His wife is a model associ- ate pastor, ever ready for every good work. Mr. McConaughy ministers to a large field, reaching from Chattaroy to Loon Lake. A Methodist Episcopal church has been recently organized and served by Rev. H. A. George, in connection with Wayside and other fields.
MEAD.
It is the second station north of the S. F. & N. Railroad. The west end of Peone prairie reaches almost to the town, making it the sup- plying point of an extensive and fertile agri- cultural country. Cushing & Bryan conduct a large mercantile store and are doing a profit- able business. There is also a blacksmith shop in the place, and a school house with about sixty scholars. The Methodist Episcopal church has regular preaching in the school house, and also a Sunday school. A Modern Woodmen organization has been in existence for several years and is in a flourishing con- dition. The postoffice is in the Cushing & Bryan store.
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