An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 47

Author: Edwards, Jonathan, 1847-1929. cn
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: [San Francisco?] W.H. Lever
Number of Pages: 888

USA > Washington > Spokane County > An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington > Part 47

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).

"I have forgotten to mention that I se- cured the position of teacher of the higher grade of pupils in this Spokane school at forty dollars a month. I had about forty-five young men and women in my room, which was about 16x22. We were so crowded that there was hardly room to seat the class reciting at the time. Professor A. K. Warran, Mrs. La- mona's brother, taught the lower grades in a somewhat larger room. Among my pupils were the Ellis girls. Ida, now Mrs. S. Heath, Ollie, who married A. E. Keats, since dead. Perry Lamona and Winnie, she who is now Mrs. Fruit. Belle Dawson and her sister Eva, Ed. Nosler, Ed. Whinery, Frank Waterhouse, Minnie Morgan, now Mrs. Josie Clark, Mrs. Cannon's daughter, Judge Nashi's son, Frank, E. Hyde. Julia A. Post, Alice P. Wager and her sisters, Eva and Edith, James Stafford,

299

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

Ed. Robinson. Luella Zella and Rilla Parker. As a whole I think the school was a success and I have a very warm interest in every one who was my pupil. Two or three years after- wards I taught the first school on Five Mile Prairie in the back room of my house with about fifteen pupils."

REMINISCENCES OF THE TIMES WHEN THIS CITY WAS A LONELY LITTLE VILLAGE.

The Spokesman-Review had an article written by some unnamed pioneer on the above subject, in February, 1899 :

"In the year 1881 I first came to Spokane Falls, and in 1899 I find myself back once more to the greatest and best city in Wash- ington state. And my! how it has grown. It now has all the sister ways of cities much older. Where once stood insignificant frame buildings, stately and tall towering blocks of brick and stone structures rear their hand- some forms and the little one-street village has vanished and now, as if by the touch of some magician's wand, the bud has blossomed and bloomed in all its grandeur to a beautiful bouquet.

"In 1882 everybody in the town knew each other and nearly every person knew the other's business; if he did not know he made it his business to find out, and in most cases was successful.

"About this time a roller skating rink was opened up in Komiskey's warehouse at Cheney, then the county seat, and the young folks used to go down there from the Falls on the train in the evening and return next day. Miss Sadie Bishop was the champion lady skater of that time and won considerable fame in that line The 'rink' was a fad, you might say a craze, for little, big, old and young had the fever and were infatuated with the roller skates and the proprietor made money quick and fast. There was such a demand for skates that many people paid a week ahead for them to be reserved.

"The first variety theater that Spokane ever had was opened by a man named Rogers. It was called the Globe. and was the smallest theater building I ever looked at. Johnny Cassidy and wife, who were billed as John Cassidy and Mabel Pearl, worked, at this place of amusement. and it was often said when they were doing their turn they occupied all of the stage. Mr. Cassidy is at this writing manager of the Comique theater of this city. He is still in the business, but the team of Cas- sidy and Pearl was at that time expected to be one of America's most famous sketch teams and some day would come to Spokane Falls in their own play. traveling in their own cars, etc. I understand since the time I speak of Mr. Cassidy has had a large company on the road, but perhaps it did not suit him as well as could be expected, so he returned here. At any rate they were the favorites of the town.

"The Mozarts, Ed and Georgia, also worked at this house. It was while working at the Globe that Mr. Mozart thought that a variety performer could run a hotel, and his name would be sung thusly : 'Is this Mr. Mo- zart, who keeps the hotel?'

"So he opened up his boarding house and in a short time there were a great many people -business men calling at the hotel to inter- view the proprietor. But Ed had skipped out ; he knew how to skip, for his wife Georgia, was a skipping rope artist. I met him some years ago in Texas. At that time he was ahead of a small dramatic company.

"Harry Ellsworth, the first piano player that ever worked in a variety theater in Spo- kane, committed suicide in Minnesota years ago.

"Frank Dallam, the long-tall-wore-his- pants-in-his-boots editor and founder of the Review, was for Spokane Falls yesterday, to- day and forever. I remember that the old press broke down one day and Frank sent the 'forms' down to Cheney to be run off on the Cheney Sentinel press.

300

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

"The Nugget and Miner, papers supposed to be published in the Cœur d' Alenes, were printed in the Review office, being dated at their respective towns. But the 'matter' was sent out from the camps to the Review and 'set up' and run off here.

"Luke Brant, a comedian, made a big hit singing a song that he composed on the Cœur d' Alene mines. I only remember the chorus of the song, which I give :

'Come, get your pick and shovel,

Your pack upon your back,

And join the gang that's bound for a claim ; For away up in the snow.

Is where the boys all want to go,

To the mines they christened Cœur d' Alene.

"The miners used to call for this song and Luke would sing it for them. He was handed many a dollar by the miners. But tall, thin, big-hearted Luke died in Cailfornia, where he sleeps under the green of the grass, under the blue of the skies.

"The Globe did not last long, and when I left here there was no variety in the town.

"And my! what hustling there was in the old Review office on press day. Many a tramp printer fared well in the Review office, but it seemed that on principle all the force used to get too much of 'Pontag and Wilson's' beer, and then there was a hot time in the Review office that night. Mr. Dallam is now publishing a paper at Davenport, this state.

"The old volunteer fire department was out testing the force of the water one evening and were having a joyful time. One of the boys spied a hornet's nest in the eves of Louis Zeigler's old hardware store and they turned the water on it. The water had such force that it tore a hole in the cornice and the nozzle got from under control of the boys and struck a brand new wheelbarrow sitting on the side- walk in front of the store, and the last that was seen of the wheelbarrow it was going at the rate of a mile a minute up Riverside avenue

toward Dr. Birch's residence. Mr. Zeigler was somewhat the loser that evening, having to repair the cornice and being out the price of his new wheelbarrow.

"From where Zeigler's old hardware store stood there used to be a path that led to the old Northern Pacific depot. And every time a freight or passenger train whistle blew the boys around town used to scoot for the depot to see the train come in. Mrs. Knox had a restaur- ant situated between the store and depot. called the Palace, and the path went in front of her place. One day the whole gang of boys were coming from the station after watching the arrival of a passenger train, and the crowd numbered forty or fifty people, all hurrying to get down town, for the depot in those days seemed to be away out in the country. Mrs. Knox. happening to look out of the door, saw the crowd coming. and, rushing into the kitchen, told the cook to cook 'lots' more, as the whole Villard party were coming to din- ner. Henry Villard and party were expected that day. but for some reason did not appear. and when the crowd all passed by the door of the restaurant and not a man went in to eat. Mrs. Knox was disgusted, and said it was the cheapest 'gold' spike crowd she ever saw. When she was told that it was only the town men coming back from watching the train ar- rive, she was so angry that she discharged the cook for wasting so much groceries. But she never got over telling about the great rush she expected that day.

"John Glover and Lane Gilliam had their livery stable on the spot now occupied by the Windsor block. Hank Vaughn, the noted western character, and who was made still more famous by his shooting scrape in Pine- ville, Oregon, with Charles Long, another bad man, paid Spokane Falls a visit one time and liired a hack from Glover and Gilliam and started out for a drive. About the first thing he did was to try to drive into Al. Jones' sa- loon, but the only damage he did to the saloon

301

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

was to knock down the posts of the awning. It looked as if the whole building would come down for a while.

"Hank was famous for his fast drives all over the western country. But he always paid for what he destroyed and nothing was ever said about it. I remember one time two men undertook to ride between Ritzville and Sprague without paying fare, and they were as tough as I ever saw. Both had Colt's guns and swore they would ride or hurt some one. It was in the summer time and Hank was try- ing to take a 'snooze,' as he called it. When the conductor came through collecting fares the two bad men refused to pay. The conductor tried to explain that it was his duty to collect the fare and if they did not pay he would put them off. This was the conductor's mistake. The bad men swore by all that was holy that all the Northern Pacific employees from St. Paul to Tacoma could not make them pay fare or put them off. They flourished their guns and the passengers on the car were terror-stricken.

"When Hank saw that the conductor was getting the worst of it, he took a good stretch, yawned several times and quick as a flash struck the largest fellow over the head with his cwn silver-plated gun, took him to the plat- form of the car and kicked him off. Every one expected the other desperado to kill Hank, but he began to beg for mercy, but Hank took him by the collar and-well, I never saw a bad man get the drubbing that this fellow received. Hank was the hero of the hour and every one wanted to be the first to shake his hand. Hank kept the two guns as mementoes of the occa- sion. Vaughn was killed a few years ago by being thrown from a horse at Pendleton, Ore- gon.

"Then Mr. Joy built a hall here and had the great nerve to name it 'Joy's opera house.' It was a frame building and was nothing more than a barn. Several members of the different show companies that played at his house threat-

ened to sue him for booking them in a 'cold storage' house, instead of a theater. But they were glad to play in it, for it was to Spokane Falls what the Auditorium is to the city now. the best in the place.

"Shortly after this a large rink was built here and called the 'Casino.' .It was the great attraction, too. Every one went. Luke Nash, the attorney, won several prizes for skating, and at last was barred from entering any prize contest. Luke held the championship for roller skating in the northwest.

"The old Spokane cornet band used to fur- nish music every Saturday evening at the Casino skating rink, and the members of the band used to leave their instruments in the hall after the concert. One night during the win- ter, after a heavy snow storm, the roof. being flat, could not sustain the weight of the snow, and caved in. Strange to say, every instru- ment that was left in the rink was broken, ex- cept the bass drum, which was untouched. A stick of timber had lodged just above it. and held the weight of much larger beams from crushing it. The drum was as good as ever, much to the joy of the man who played it."

A PIONEER SKETCH. BY J. T. LOCKHART.

Among the old settlers of Spokane was one Squire Jones. James was the first cognomen you encountered before reaching the Jones.

Join the two names, and what manner of nomenclature could surpass it in simplicity and good taste-James Jones.

He was very tall, and erect, almost to a fault. His head was unusually bald for one of its size, indicating meritorious activity of brain.

He was so thin that you could see that he had no guile in him. His walk was like one wading in water, a little uncertain about touch- ing bottom.

He never seemed so happy as when read- ing the territorial code; he searched its con- tents as if it contained eternal life.

302

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

He was so familiar with it (if not with its contents) he always went to sleep perusing it.

This book was his only library and when 'he began to read it he always fell asleep sitting bolt upright. Whether sitting in the shade or bracing up against the swaying chinook, ever maintaining his upright position (as a just judge should do), clutching his beloved code in his long bony fingers, holding tightly to his only guide in his work of jurisprudence-fast asleep.

In this wonted position he was the most emblematic figure of justice the world ever saw.

The common representation of justice, the woman holding a pair of scales in her hand, with a compress over her eyes. cuts but a feeble and sorry figure of justice, compared with the squire in his accustomed legal slumber.

When he adjourned his court, it was al- ways to a certain hour, sharp, and the record showed that the court convened at that hour sharp.

My first and last case at law was in his court. I had graduated at law, and was there- by supposed to be able to back up Blackstone in most cases of legal trouble.

On the 10th day of August, 1879, three men were tried before the squire, charged with the common crime of selling whiskey to In- dians. J. J. Browne was the only acknowl- edged attorney in the town on that day. I had not put out a shingle or showed any sign of being an attorney. I was employed, however, to defend one of the three : the other two threw themselves on the mercy of the court, without crumpling it, in the least, as the sequel will show.

Browne was for the territory, but notwith- standing that, he gave me a valuable hint how to present the argument to the court. "Talk loud and fast," he said. I took his advice and did both. What I said to the court or how fast I said it I have long since forgotten, but I re- member that A. M. Cannon said to me, after

the effort, that I had a great flow of lan- guage.

I charged my client twenty dollars in ad- vance, and from the manner in which it turned out, I have always conscientiously looked upon it as a species of grand larceny.

I always wished he had his money back. I was not at the court next morning sharp, but learned that he fined my client three hundred dollars and costs, and in default of payment sentenced him to six months' imprisonment at hard labor in the county jail at Colville. The other two prisoners made an open confession of their guilt in court, and the justice, remember- ing the proverb that "An open confession is good for the soul," set them at liberty in a bettered condition.

The jurisdiction of his court was only one hundred dollars. The failure of the Legisla- ture to make it more, however, was condoned and corrected, in this case, and raised to three hundred dollars.

My client soon broke jail and escaped to Montana.

About two years thereafter I was going to Helena. The train stopped at a station on the way, and to my surprise and delight I saw my unfortunate client come aboard to sell roast- ing ears to the passengers. Now, I said to myself, is the time to give him back his luck- less twenty dollars. But as soon as he saw me he jumped off the train and ran through the darkness, spilling his corn as he ran.

Jones refused another term of office. He then sold what is now Stratton's addition. with a house on it, for one hundred dollars, and a private ferry (a canoe) across the Spokane river, and went into the ice business.

He delivered his ice in a gunny sack, which lie carried on his back. He was so thin and bloodless that the ice thus transported never melted. The gunny sack in which he carried his ice would vibrate to and fro as lie walked, like the pendulum of an old-fashioned eight- day clock.

303

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

The term "squire" always stayed with Jones and the gunny sack, and was, it seemed, a part of the firm.

Jones continued the ice business until a kind and compensating providence came to his re- lief, and rounded him up and out, until he finally and robustly died of dropsy. And they buried him where the sound of the falls is a lasting lullaby.

He went to a higher court, where, we hope, leniency is low and punctuality is not rigidly enforced.

In his absence I have said this much for the old pioneer justice. He would have done as much or more for me. Fiat justicia, ruat coclum .- Spokane Review.

CONVINCED.

He meandered into the shop and languidly accommodated himself to the undulations of the barber's chair inquiring "the damage for a clip." When told that it was four bits, he rose up and with great determination said he wouldn't pay it, "he could get it cut in Colfax for two bits, any time."

The barber soothingly replied: "My dear sir, you are a new comer in these parts, and not yet acquainted with the difficulties under which we labor. You were aroused at what you believed an inconsiderate charge, but if you will please consider for a moment the enor- mous freights we have to pay up here, you will undoubtedly see that what you consider an extra charge is made necessary."

He considered, and again accommodated himself.

ORIGINAL NAMES OF THE LAKES.

Editor Tribune :- Permit me to contribute the following toward perpetuating the original names of some of our prominent lakes, and I wish you would suggest this example to others :

Schizui, original name of Cœur d'Alene lake (head of an awl), name given the men belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, who

were stationed on the lake. They had made themselves very obnoxious to these Indians and were nick-named by them "Cœur d'Alene" -. "men who had hearts no bigger than the point of an awl."

Kal-is-pel, original name of Pend d'Oreille lake (hanging of the ear ). Some of the women belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company who were stationed on this lake, had long, pendant ear ornaments. The Indians, in speaking of these people, described them as Pend d'Ore- ilie-"having something hanging to their ears."

It appears that these nick-names were finally adopted by the Hudson's Bay Company as the names of these lakes, and they have no connection whatever with the original Indian names. The meaning of the words "schizui" and "kalispel" is lost among the Indians : they simply know that they were the names of these lakes a long time ago. Yours truly,

ORIGIN OF NAMES AGAIN.

The trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company, located on the Columbia river, a short distance above Kettle Falls, was named after Mr. Colville, a gentleman officer of said company. The orthography of the post was written Fort Colvile. During many years Archibald McDonald, Esq., had charge of said post. He was familiar with the early doings of the Hudson's Bay Company in the Colum- bia river country. From full knowledge, he made statements to me relating to the first trading post built by the Hudson's Bay Com- pany west of the Rocky mountains in the year ISII at the junction of the two Spokane rivers. I first met Mr. McDonald at Fort Colville Sep- tember 17, 1838. During several succeeding years I was favored with frequent personal in- terviews with the well-informed gentleman. Additional statements were made to myself in writing. By word of mouth, in his fort, Mr. McDonald said to me that their early traders observed the Indians, designated Cœur d'

304

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

Alene, were sharp in trading. To one another it was said: "Be careful, or those Indians in trade will pierce you," thus implying they had a disposition to cheat, to prick, were point hearted, had a heart like an awl. That, said my informant, was the origin of the name Cœur d' Alene. The afore named gentleman, in writing, made statements that the Indians re- siding near the Pend d'Oreille bay wore large ear drops of bone, hence by the traders, who used chiefly the French language, they were called Pendant d'Oreille or, by contraction, Pend d'Oreille. In the Indian language the location of the people of the place is des- ignated by Kalispel or Kalispalm.

CUSHING EELLS, In Northwest Tribune.

According to Dr. Eells' testimony, at the junction of the two Spokane rivers was the first settlement in what is now the state of Wash- ington, and not, as some have testified, near the junction of the Okanogan river with the Co- lumbia, where the Northwest Company estab- lished a post. J. E.

MARRIAGE LICENSE.

The first marriage license issued in Spo- kane county and recorded is dated January 6, 1880, to J. W. Rozen and Mary E. Robinson; witnesses, P. A. McLean, F. M. Weger. The ceremony was performed by J. H. Leard, min- ister of the gospel. It was recorded January, 14, J. M. Nosler, auditor. One license was issued in January, one in February and two in March. In January, 1900, seventy-four mar- riage licenses were issued.

COMPARISON.

County Auditor's Financial Statement .- Synopsis of the financial condition of Spokane county from its organization up to the 30th day of April, 1882 :

Costs of assessing and census. $ 1,941.00

Auditor's fees. . 2,364.31

Prosecuting attorney fees. . 484.50

Treasurer's fees.

843.61

Coroner's inquests.

149.90

Commissioners' courts. 2,103 21

Paupers.

1,805.74

Insane. 1,558.02

Prisoners

555.75

Roads.

2,197.50

District, probate and justice courts

3,606.37

School superintendent salary.

699.05

Elections

1,079.94

Jail and jail expenses ..

1,404.66

Rent, furniture and wood for offices. 1,952.42

Printing.

318.00

Stationery and record books

897.57

Abstracts.

41.00

Counsel fees. .

140.00

Freight, expressage and moving records.

144.95

Taxes refunded (erroneously assessed ). 17.50

Interest paid on county warrants. 282.80

$24,587.80

Total amount of warrants redeemed. 20,895.48

Amount of outstanding warrants 3,692.32

Cash on hand county fund 2,165.93

To balance

៛ 1,566.59

Respectfully submitted,

Cheney, May 1, 1882.

W. H. BISHOP. County Auditor.

Record of the county, April, 1900 .- The amount of taxes collected in March, less re- bates and refunds, exceeds by nearly $100,000 the best previous month in the history of the county. Less the refunds the amount of taxes collected in March was $249,284.22.

The other interesting fact to note in the county finances is that the county is entirely on a cash basis. The only outstanding war- rants are the old county indebtedness warrants, which it is planned to refund by the sale of bonds. The statement as compiled by George H. Wallis, bookkeeper at the auditor's office, is as follows:

CASH ACCOUNT.

Cash on hand March 1, 1900. 8197,715.71

Taxes collected during March 249,284.22

Certificates of delinquency redeemed. 4,605.38

Fees county officers 2,030.23

First National bank on account ex-Treasurer Prescott's shortage. 2,498.25

Costs in state cases

281.60

Liquor 300.00

Sundries. 179.88

Total. 8456,900.77

305

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

DISBURSEMENTS-MARCH.

Paid state treasurer. $ 35,621.39

County warrants redeemed .. 27.160.39

262.47

Interest on same.

54,639.55

School warrants redeemed.

2,547.48

Interest on same.

19.20

Interest on school bonds.

941.43

Road supervisors' certificates.

60,667.46

Paid city of Spokane.

Paid outside towns 504.29

Paid to holders of delinquency certificates 5,307.62

Cash on hand April 1, 1900. 269,229.49

Total.

$456,900.77

WARRANT ACCOUNT.

Outstanding March 1, 1900-

County indebtedness fund. $168,864.07

County current expense fund. 7,624.68

County indigent soldier fund .. 95.28

County bridge fund 3,353.18

8.93

County salary fund

Total.

$179,946.14

Issued in March-

County current expense fund. $ 19,328.90

County indigent soldier fund.

245.85

County bridge fund.

460.85

County road fund.

1,500.35

Total.

$215,535.45

Redeemed in March-

County current expense fund $ 22,388.90

County indebted ness fund . 799.34

County indigent soldier fund

173.25

County bridge fund. 2,298.55

County road fund.

1,500.35

Total. $ 27,160.39

Outstanding April 1, 1900-

County current expense fund S 4,564.68

County indebtedness fund. 168,064.73

County indigent soldier fund . 167.38

County bridge fund 1,515.48

County salary fund. 8.93

Total

$174,321.20

All warrants on all funds are payable on presenta- tion except county indebtedness, which are called up to and including No. 14,640, issued May 29, 1896.

UNCOLLECTED TAXES.

Uncollected taxes April 1, 1900, on all rolls up to and including 1899-

State funds.

$148,055.41

County indebtedness fund. 42,022.02

County current expense fund. 20

100,596.29

County interest fund.

18,181.43

County bridge fund .

County indigent soldier fund. 3,363.56

County road fund . 33,967.72

School District 81. 104,624.45

Other county school funds 44,729.19

City of Spokane 164,406.59

Outside towns.

10,633.61

Total

$697.864.04

FACTS ABOUT SPOKANE.

"The debt for which these warrants were issued was created between June 1, 1896, and February 1, 1898, and was for the necessary and current expenses of the county govern- ment. The warrants bear 8 per cent. interest.

"The warrants which it is proposed to fund by this issue of bonds were incurred under the law which was in force prior to February I, 1 898. On that date the county fund was super- seded by the county current expense fund, which is used to pay the running expenses of the county government. This fund is kept practically on a cash basis.

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 Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 47

Author: Edwards, Jonathan, 1847-1929. cn Publication date: 1900 Publisher: [San Francisco?] W.H. Lever Number of Pages: 888

Author: Edwards, Jonathan, 1847-1929. cn
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: [San Francisco?] W.H. Lever
Number of Pages: 888