An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 48

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 48

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"The assessed valuation of Spokane county for 1899 was $25,778,398, which is about 75 per cent. of the real valuation, estimated at $35,000,000.

"The constitutional limit of indebtedness is one and one-half per cent. of the valuation, which would make the constitutional limit of debt for the county $386,676.

"There are now outstanding 6 per cent. bonds to the amount of $483,000, which, to- gether with the proposed issue, will make $683.000. The $483,000 bonds were issued in 1893, when the assessed valuation was $37,- 000,000.

"The total amount of bonds proposed make an excess of the limit, but the supreme court has decided that a debt incurred in the necessary expenses of the county government is not af- fected by the constitutional limit.

"All, or nearly all, of the debt to be funded was incurred in the necessary expenses of the government of the county, and, if so decided

27,283.77

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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

by the courts, will become a legal and binding debt against the county.

"The bonds are issued upon resolution of the board of county commissioners, who are by law authorized to fund a legal debt of the coun- ty. If the courts decide that the warrants are legal then the bonds which will be used to re- place the warrants will be legal.

"When the proposed bonds are issued, the county will have outstanding $483,000 bearing 6 per cent. interest, and the above proposed issue, which will bear 41/2 per cent. interest, and there will be no floating debt of any kind.

"There has been a levy for this year suf- ficient to meet the interest on the outstanding bonds and also to meet the proposed issue.

"The proposed issue is to be 20-year, no option, gold bearing, 47/2 per cent. bonds. Parties bidding will be required to deposit a certified check for $10,000 as a guaranty of good faith.

"Spokane county contains fully 65,000 in- habitants. Spokane, the county seat, contains a population of over 45,000. The number of acres of assessable land is 884,000. As an in- dication of the promptness with which Spokane county taxes are paid I will add that less than 31/2 per cent. of the 1898 taxes remain unpaid. The 1899 rolls, which become delinquent May 31, 1900, show 50 per cent. to have been paid on April I."

BIOGRAPHICAL

RECORDS

BIOGRAPHICAL RECORDS

HON. CHARLES S. VOORHEES, of the law firm of Voorhees & Voorhees, of- fices, 508 Traders' block, is a son of the Hon. Daniel W. and Anna Hardesty Voor- hees. He was born in Covington, Foun- tain county, Indiana, June 4, 1853. In 1857 his family removed to Terre Haute, Indi- ana. He graduated in 1873 from the George- town University, studied law in his father's of- fice, was admitted to the bar in 1875 and prac- ticed for a short time with his father. From 1876 to 1882 he was assistant cashier under the clerk of the house of representatives at Wash- ington, D. C. He came to Colfax, Washington Territory, in 1882, and opened a law office. In September of the same year he was nom- inated prosecuting attorney of Whitman county on the Democratic ticket, and in November was elected, with a majority of two hundred and forty-two, running ahead of his ticket over four hundred votes. He served for two years. In September, 1884, he was nominated delegate to congress by the Democratic convention which met at Walla Walla. He was elected in No- vember by a majority of one hundred and forty- eight, defeating James M. Armstrong, and run- ning ahead of his ticket over eight thousand. He was renominated, practically by acclama- tion, by the Democratic convention which met in Tacoma in August, 1886. In the election fol- lowing he defeated Charles M. Bradshaw, Re-

publican, and William A. Newell, on the labor ticket, his plurality being two thousand, one hundred and ninety-two. In 1888 he was re- nominated by acclamation at Spokane, but was defeated by John B. Allen. While in congress he, with Hon. J. K. Toole, then delegate from Montana, worked persistently for the admis- sion of Washington and Montana. The Dem- ocratic majority in the house of representatives, by a caucus resolution, had declared that Da- kota should only be admitted as one state, whilst the Republican minority demanded its admis- sion as two states, and it was an assured fact that neither Montana nor Washington could secure admission to the Union, unless two states were carved from the then territory of Dakota. Mr. Voorhees and Governor Toole, after determined and untiring effort, succeeded in inducing enough of their Democratic friends, in the house, to vote for the bill admitting North and South Dakota, Montana and Wash- ington, to insure its passage, and the bill was signed by President Cleveland on Washington's birthday, 1889. - Had-the people of this state fully appreciated Mr. Voorhees' services in this direction, he would doubtless have been re- turned to congress. The writer has read let- ters from B. F. Shively, of Indiana, A. M. Bliss, of New York, R. J. Vance, of Connecticut, M. H. Ford, of Michigan, Marion Biggs, of Cali- fornia, and Logan Chipman, of Michigan,

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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

then Democratic members of the house, stat- ing that they voted for the bill only on account of the persistent personal appeals and indefatigable and unremitting efforts of Governor Toole and Mr. Voorhees, and also a letter from Charles S. Baker, the then ranking Republican member of the committee on terri- tories, of the house, to the effect that Montana and Washington owe their admission to the Union at that time wholly to these efforts. Mr. Voorhees also introduced and secured the passage by congress of an act annexing the Pan- handle of Idaho to this state, but that bill was pocket vetoed by Cleveland. This would have added to Washington a territory larger than Maryland and immensely rich in mineral wealth. After leaving congress Mr. Voorhees resided in Colfax till 1889, when he removed to Spokane and opened an office. In 1897 his brother Reese H. came to Spokane, and the present firm was organized. They have a very fine practice. Mr. Voorhees was married in Indianapolis November 14, 1888, to Miss Fan- nie B. Vajen, daughter of Gen. J. H. Vajen, of Indianapolis. They have one daughter, Anna Belle, born February 4, 1895.

Mr. Voorhees' early career in the political arena and in congress and his subsequent splen- did record as a practitioner of law have won for him an honored place in the annals of this state, and have proved him to be a not unworthy son of his illustrious father, the noted senator from Indiana.

JOHN ANDERSON, dealer in staple and fancy groceries, Nos. 10 and 12 South Howard street, is a native of Down county, Ireland. born March 19, 1858. He lived on a farm in the land of his birth until 1879, when he emi- grated to America. After residing four years

i !. Allegheny City and Pittsburg, he removed to Bismarck, North Dakota, where he was en- gaged in the laundry business about three years. In 1886 he came to Spokane and opened a gro- cery store on Howard street, but in 1889 he was burned out, losing all his earthly pos- sessions. Too courageous to yield to misfor- tune, however, he at once reopened a smaller business. In 1896 he opened up in his present quarters where he has built up a large and pros- perous business, and gives employment to three clerks steadily. He was married in June, 1890, to Miss Maggie Mckay, the fruit of their union being three children, viz .: Mary, Mar- garet and Henry.

HENRY FRENCH is a native of Missis- sippi. When a small boy the family moved onto a farm in Iowa, but at the age of sixteen he returned to the south and was employed as clerk in Pine Bluff and Hot Springs, Arkan- sas. In 1881 Mr. French came to Spokane, traveling by stage from Walla Walla. He ar- rived in May and soon after bouglit a lot on Howard street, between Main and Front, on which was a small store building. He added to this and opened the first exclusively con- fectionery store in Spokane. He also accumu- lated other real estate which he improved. He built a two-story brick building on the west side of Howard, between Main and Riverside streets, a two-story frame on Post street. be- tween Sprague and First, and in 1889 erected the Umatilla block, a three-story frame build- ing, corner Main and Bernard. He still owns the Umatilla block, also three store buildings on the east and one on the south. Mr. French has always been a liberal contributor to the various enterprises started for the good of the

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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

city. He helped establish the first stage line to the Cœur d'Alenes and for many years has been interested in developing claims in the vari- ous mining camps.

JAMES MONAGHAN is a native of Cavan county, Ireland, born in September, 1839. In 1856 he emigrated to New York City. In May, 1858, he came to Vancouver, Washington, and on September 20, 1860, ar- rived in Spokane county. He took charge of a ferry where the Laprey bridge now is, and soon became its owner. In 1871 he took a four years' contract to carry the mail from Cowley's Bridge to Colville. In 1873 he went to Colville and, with Louis Fenwick, opened a general merchandise store which they operat- ed until 1879. From 1878 to 1882 he was un- der contract to carry the United States mail from Colfax to Colville, via Spokane. He lived in Walla Walla for two years, then was for a long time engaged as a trader at the mouth of the Spokane river. In 1884 he went to Cœur d'Alene, and, with C. B. King, became interested in the first steamboat on the lake. They also had a post-trading station at Fort Sherman. Mr. Monaghan sold out in 1886 to C. D. Corbin and came to Spokane where he had large property interests. For many years he took government supply contracts, and he and Mr. King furnished all the ties and tim- bers and constructed all the bridges on the Spokane Northern. Mr. Monaghan has also been an extensive dealer in Spokane real es- tate, and is now interested in many mining companies. In 1893 he helped open the Cari- bou mines, serving for awhile as president and manager of the company. He once ran for the state senate, but was defeated. He was mar-

ried in Walla Walla, Washington, November 30, 1870, to Miss Margaret McCool, native of Donegal county, Ireland. Their oldest son. John R., won the competitive examination, and was appointed by John L. Wilson to the Naval Acad- emy at Annapolis. He graduated in 1895, served two years on the Olympia in Chinese waters, then returned to the United States and passed his final examination. He was ap- pointed ensign and assigned to the monitor Monadnoc. He was later transferred to the Alert, and took part in the survey work on the Nicaragua canal. He returned to San Fran- cisco, was assigned to the Philadelphia. He participated in the flag raising at Honolulu, served in Ceneral America. and then at Apia, in Samoa, where he was killed by the natives April 1. 1899, along with Lieutenant Lans- dale. Thus nobly perished one of whose achievements Spokane is justly proud. The other children of Mr. and Mrs. Monaghan are Margaret. Ellen, James. Charles and Agnes.

GEORGE E. DARBY, a pioneer of 1884, was born in Connecticut. August 19. 1854. When a boy he came to Santa Cruz, California, where he was employed in the California Pow- der Works. He had charge, for two years, of their magazine. packing and shipping. In February, 1884. he came to Spokane and start- ed a liquor business where the Grand Hotel now stands. He is at present located in the Sherwood block. He also has a three-thou- sand-acre stock ranch, fifteen miles north of Ritzville. and in raising cattle for the market. There are usually from one to two hundred head in his pastures. For a number of years he was mining in the Okanogan country, and is now extensively interested in nearly all the

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camps of the mining region tributary to Spokane. Socially he is a member of the Elks.

M. H. CHRISTENSEN, a pioneer of March, 1883, is a native of Denmark, born Sep- tember 4, 1859. He learned the trade of a machinist in the land of his nativity, and emi- grated to the United States as soon as he at- tained his majority. He located in Duluth, Minnesota, and remained there about three years. In 1883 he came to Spokane, where he was employed for a number of years as engineer in the city water works. At the present time, however, he is engaged in the liquor business at 120 Stevens street. He resides at 717 East Indiana avenue in a beautiful home, erected in 1899 and elegantly furnished in the most ap- proved modern style. Mr. Christensen is a prominent member of the Red Men, the For- resters and the Danish Brotherhood. He was married in Duluth, Minnesota, August 8, 1884, to Miss Hannah Pearson, a native of Sweden. They have two children, Margaret, born March 3, 1888, and Mamie, born June 22, 1891.

WILLIAM W. WITHERSPOON, chief of police of Spokane, was born in Detroit, Michigan, March 3, 1851. He clerked for a time in his native city, and was also in the gro- cery business there. In 1881 he went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he was employed as manager of a commercial collection agency. In 1883 he came to Spokane, opened a grocery store and was engaged in the business for two years. He then erected a three-story brick block and two frame store buildings. He was a heavy loser in the fires, and again during the

panic of 1893. In 1884 he helped organize the, volunteer fire department, of which later he was foreman and afterward chief for two years. He was re-elected chief, but refused to serve. In 1891 he was appointed chairman of the board of public works, a position which he held for three and one-half years. During his term the large iron bridges were constructed and the extensive water works system was carried al- most to completion. In July, 1899, he was ap- pointed to his present office. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, is now a member of all the York rites and the Shrine, and has been grand master of the state. He was married in Detroit, Michigan, April 15, 1875, to Isabel Grant, native of Scotland. They have five chil- dren : Archibald, now a practicing attorney in Spokane; Herbert, bookkeeper for the Spokane and Eastern Trust Company; Eva, Charles and Florence.

ANDREW RAUB, a pioneer of 1883, was the first carriage painter that ever came to Spo- kane. He is a native of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, born December 1, 1849. He learned his trade in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and in 1880 came to Denver, Colorado. In 1883 he removed to Spokane, where he has fol- lowed his trade ever since, giving also consider- able attention to mining enterprises. He is now president of the Orient Consolidated Gold Mining Company. He was married in Scran- ton, Pennsylvania, January 3. 1874, to Mar- garet E. Lynd, a native of Augusta, Georgia. They have four children, namely : James B., Palmer K .. Arthur C. and Bula. Their oldest son. James B., enlisted in Company L. First Washington Volunteer Infantry, in 1898, and served until the regiment was mustered out, November 12, 1899. He held the rank of

G. W. LIBBY, M. D. SPOKANE

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first corporal and was in charge of one of the two squads that crossed the Pasig river first. He took part in all other engagements of the regiment.

WILLIAM F. MITCHEM, proprietor of the East End meat market, corner of East Sprague avenue and Pine street, is a native of Waukesha, Wisconsin, born December 16, 1859. He lived on a farm until seventeen years old, then left his home and came to western Ne- braska, but finally located in Marshalltown, Iowa, where he kept a meat market for several years. He arrived in Spokane in 1888 and shortly afterward opened the business in which he has ever since been engaged. In May, 1897, he was elected member of the city council for the first ward and two years later he was re- elected. Mr. Mitchem is a good business man, thoroughly reliable and honorable in all his dealings, and he enjoys an enviable popularity among his fellow citizens. His public services as a councilman have also been very satis- factory, as is indicated by his being elected to a second term of office. Socially he affiliates with the F. & A. M. He was married in Sprague, Washington, November 10, 1890, to Miss Ida Haddock, a native of Iowa. They have one child, Mildred, born in Spokane Sep- tember 19, 1895.

J. R. TAYLOR, of the law firm of Bink- ley & Taylor, a pioneer of June, 1883, is a na- tive of Ontario, Canada, born December 21, 1854. He grew to manhood in his fatherland, acquiring a thorough commercial education, then studying law in Hamilton. He afterward removed to Colorado on account of ill health

and was admitted to the bar in Denver, that state. A year later he removed to Tacoma, Washington, but after a few months' residence on the sound he came to Spokane, where, in company with J. W. Binkley, he organized the present law firm. In 1886 Messrs. Binkley and Taylor instituted the Northwestern Pacific Mortgage Company, which afterward was merged into the Hypotheek bank. They con- tinued as managers until 1896. Mr. Taylor and his partner have been very successful in their practice of law, and have built up a large and lucrative business. Their offices are now in rooms 7 and 8 Van Valkenburg block.

HARRY C. HAYWARD, manager of the Spokane Auditorium and of the Masonic Tem- ple theater, at Wallace, Idaho, is a native of London, England, born January 3. 1853. His mother was an actress and his father a veterin- ary surgeon in the British army. At the age of fourteen he was a call boy at the Queen's theater in Long Acre, London. He was after- ward employed as a performer in the Maryle- bone theater and at the Surrey. In 1871 he came to America, joined the stock company of the Chestnut street theater of Philadelphia, and, except for short intervals, has been connected with the stage ever since. In 1881 he came to Spokane as chief clerk in the engineers' depart- ment of the Northern Pacific Railroad, under H. M. McCartney, then chief engineer of these divisions. He opened for the company their first office in this city. In 1883 he became man- ager of Joy's opera house, afterward of the Falls City opera house, then of the Concordia, and finally of the Auditorium, taking charge of this building at the time of its opening in September, 1890. He was manager of the

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Grand Hotel from 1888 until it was destroyed by the fire of 1889, and during the fire the entire relief business was entrusted to him. In 1890 he became chief clerk of the Spokane Hotel, a position which he has retained to the present time. He also served for one year as city treas- urer, being elected to that office on the Repub- lican ticket. Socially he is affiliated with the Masonic and Elks fraternities. He was mar- ried in Walla Walla, Washington, in 1880, to Clara M. Kohlhauff, a daughter of William and Johanna and a native of Walla Walla. They have six children, namely : Lulu, Fred, Ralph, Margaret. Marie and Katherine.

HON. H. E. OLMSTED, M. D., offices in Traders Block, rooms 400-1-2, is a man with an enviable standing in his profession. in business circles, in politics, and as an hon- ored and esteemed member of society. He was born in Davenport, Delaware county, New York, June 6, 1848, but when he was seven years old his family moved to the vicinity of Galesburg, Illinois. In 1876 he entered the Missouri Homeopathic Medical College, grad- uated two years later, then opened an office in Plymouth, Illinois, where he practiced until 1887. He then came to Spokane and has suc- ceeded in building up a large and desirable practice. In 1897 he was elected mayor on the Citizens' ticket, and he discharged the duties of that office in an able and efficient manner for a term of two years. He is now president of the Chamber of Commerce, which position he has held since its organization, and of the board of pension examiners through two ad- ministrations, president of the board of trustees of the state normal school, president of the Spokane Industrial Exposition, and vice-presi-

dent of the Golden Lion Little Four Con- solidated Mining Company, and of the Con- quest Mining Company. He is also interested in many other mining enterprises. Socially he is a member of the Elks. and is very promi- nent in Masonry, having taken all of the thir- ty-three degrees, and having been command- er-in-chief of the consistory for the past six terms; is at present worshipful master of Oriental Lodge. No. 74. and vice-president of the Pacific Coast Masonic Veteran Asso- ciation. He is an ardent admirer of Will- iam Mckinley and is honorary president of the Mckinley Club of the county. He is also a member of the county medical society, ex-president of the State Homeopathic Med- ical Society, and a member of the American In- stitute of Homeopathy. He was married first in: Victoria. Illinois. April 15. 1869. to Miss Ella Laing. native of Illinois, by whom he has two daughters. Amy L .. wife of Bert M. Tay- lor, a farmer in Tecumseh, Nebraska, and Carrie E., wife of Frederick Taylor. a farmer at Fairfield, Nebraska. He was married again at Plymouth, May 15. 1882, to Miss E. L. Sutton, a native of Illinois.

JOSEPH H. BOYD. president and man- ager of the National Iron Works, on Haver- male Island, and a pioneer of 1883. is a native of Devonshire. England. born January 6. 1842. When six years old he became an orphan and lived with his brother till eleven. when lie went to sea as an apprentice. In 1857. after traveling over most of the globe. he left the sea and turned his attention to mining. In June. 1861, he went to Orofino. Idaho, the first mining camp in that state. He is now interested in many properties in British Columbia, the

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Cœur d'Alenes and the Okonogan country. After living on Puget Sound and in Idaho, he went to Portland, Oregon, where he gave his attention to the real estate business and to iron works for about fourteen years. In 1883 he came to Spokane and opened a hardware store, under the name of the J. H. Boyd Hardware Company. He was burned out in 1889, losing forty thousand dollars, above insurance. He started again. taking in the Weaver & Goss Hardware Company of Rochester. New York. In 1890 he consolidated with Holly, Mason, Marks & Company, and was a member and di- rector of that firm until 1897, when he sold out. In 1887, he brought his machinery from Portland and incorporated the present com- pany, of which he is president and manager. They are engaged in manufacturing gasoline and steam engines, boilers, elevators, architect- ural iron, quartz mills and crushers, concentra- tors, ore cars, buckets, and general mill and mining machinery, wrought iron, iron and brass castings. etc. Mr. Boyd is possessed of unusual executive ability, and owes his wealth and prestige as a manufacturer solely to his own energy and good judgment and to his splendid faculty for managing large enter- prises. Socially he is a member of the F. & A. M., the K. P. and the Red Men. He was mar- ried in Portland, Oregon, August 9, 1871. to Mina Epperly, a native of Butteville. Oregon. They have three children. Edith, Edna and Graham.

FRANK W. SMITH, wholesale and retail dealer in cigars and tobacco, corner of Howard and Sprague, was born in Coloma, California, May 9. 1863. The family moved to Nevada in 1870 and lived in that state for several years. Frank was educated in Boston, then worked in

his father's store until 1886, when he came to Spokane. He was engaged in the gents' fur- nishing goods business for a year, then went into a wholesale and retail cigar and tobacco business and is doing well. Mr. Smith is also a partner in the firm of G. L. Taft & Company, wholesale and retail cigar and tobacco dealers at No. 614 Riverside avenue. He is a charter member of the Elks and one of their board of trustees. He took an active part in organizing the Spokane Athletic Club, was president for two years and has been a member of the board of managers of the Spokane Club for the past four. He was also manager of the Spokane Fruit Fair of 1896.

Mr. Smith is a man of good executive abil- ity and one of the successful and respected busi- ness men of the city.

ALBERT D. HOPPER, vice-president, general manager and treasurer of the Spokane Falls Gas Light Company, was born in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, October 24, 1867. He was educated at the University of Pennsyl- vania. His family have been connected with the gas meter business ever since its introduc- tion into the United States. Mr. William Hop- per, Albert's uncle, became acquainted with Theophilus Code on the ship coming from Europe, and, as they became acquainted, Mr. Code told him that he was following a shipment of gas meters and intended to start a manu- facturing plant at the place to which they shouldi prove to be consigned. So they went in to- gether and were thus led to Philadelphia, where they started the first gas meter factory in the United States. Mr. Hopper's father succeeded his uncle, and remained in the business until his death. The young Mr. Hopper naturally

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An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 48

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