An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 9

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

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"Quantities of flax have been grown in the past few years in the country to the south of Spokane Falls, and it must also be brought to this great water-power to be manufactured in- to thread, cloth, etc., and the seed into oil.

"The number of manufacturing enterprises for which this place seems adapted seems very great. I may enumerate, besides those men- tioned above. the manufacture of all kinds of wooden ware, of agricultural and farming implements, wagons, carriages, furniture. leather, harness, boots and shoes, pork. beer. and iron and metal works in great variety. Large numbers of emigrants have been and are coming into this Spokane country, lured hither by the fine agricultural prospects, by the abundance of remunerative labor, the pros- pects of large manufacturing establishments, and the bright mining outlook. This influx of emigrants will be largely increased as soon as the railroads reach the country and render it cheaper and easier for them to come.

"The Spokane in the upper part of its course presents the estimable peculiarity --- especially valuable in view of its use as a water- power-of never freezing.

"It seems to be fed by many springs be- tween the falls and the Cœur d'Alene Lake, which have the effect, in the coldest weather, of keeping the temperature above the freezing point.

"Immediately about the falls the soil is not adapted to farming on a large scale, as it is more or less rocky and gravelly. It is, how- ever, on this account, particularly well fitted for building purposes.

"The total fall of the river is about one hun-

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

dred and thirty feet, divided into several plunges and rapids, and broken by islands and rocks, and so situated that its entire force can be controlled and brought into use.

"It would seem as if nature could not have done more to make this a great manufacturing and commercial center, and a beautiful, healthy and attractive place."

CHAPTER XIII.

SPOKANE COUNTY.

The Territorial Legislature of 1858-9 passed an act creating Spokane county, lying north of Snake river. Pinkney City, the name being soon changed to Colville, was made the county seat. January 20, 1863. the county of Stevens was organized for "civil and military purposes, to be attached to the county of Spo- kane for judicial purposes." January 19, 1864. an act passed annexing the county of Spokane to Stevens, the county officers of Spokane to be county officers of Stevens until the expira- tion of their term, and said Stevens county to be entitled to representatives and councilmen of the two counties formerly existing. Thus the original Spokane county was absorbed in Stevens county, which succeeded it.

ORGANIZATION OF COUNTY.

The present Spokane county was organized October 30, 1879, out of part of Stevens coun- ty. The bill was drawn by Hon. J. J. Browne. of this city, who went to Olympia to urge its passage. Hon. D. F. Percival, of Cheney, thien a member of the Legislature from Stevens county, presented it. Hon. Francis H. Cook. who was a member of the Legislature or Coun- cil from Pierce county, but resided in Spokane Falls and published the Spokane Times, op- posed the bill because of the superfluous "e" in Spokane. But it passed and the description of Spokane county was thus, "Commencing at a point where the section line between sections 21 and 28 in township 14, range 27. Willa-

mette meridian, Washington territory, strikes the main body of the Columbia river on the west side of the island ; thence west to the mid- channel of the Columbia river ; thence up the mid-channel of the Columbia river to the Spo- kane river: thence up the mid-channel of the Spokane river to the Little Spokane river: thence north to the township line beween town- ships 29 and 30 ; thence east to the boundary line between Washington and Idaho territories; thence south on the said boundary line to the fifth standard parallel; thence west on said parallel to the Columbia guide meridian : thence south on said meridian to the fourth standard parallel ; thence west on fourth standard parallel to the range line between ranges 27 and 28: thence south on said range line to the section line between sections Nos. 24 and 25 in town- ship 14 north, range 27 east, Willamette merid- ian; thence west to the place of beginning." W. C. Gray, John H. Wells and Andrew La- fevre were appointed a board of commissioners to call a special election for the election of coun- ty officers and to appoint the necessary judges and inspectors therefor. The officers to be elected were one auditor. one treasurer. one sheriff to act as cr-officio assessor, one pro- bate judge. one superintendent of common. schools one coroner and three county commis- sioners. The county seat was temporarily lo- cated at the town of Spokane Falls, to remain until located elsewhere by a majority vote of the legal electors of said county. Originally the county included the present counties of Lincoln

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COUNTY COURT HOUSE, SPOKANE

IN THE FRONT ENTRANCE IS A TABLET AS FOLLOWS:

SPOKANE COUNTY COURT HOUSE.

COMMISSIONERS, 1891. COMMISSIONERS, 1995. FRED A FENDER. A. L. THORP. WW CONNOLLY. HENRY TREEDE. 11. T JONES. FRED A FENDER. JOHN KEENAN, P F. GATES,

SUPERINTENDENT. SUPERINTENDENT.

W. A. RITCHIE, ARCHITECT. D. B. FOTHERINGHAM. CONTRACTOR.

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

and Douglas. At present the county consists of forty-eight full townships and two fractions. It is fifty-four miles in length, north and south. by thirty-six in width, and has an area of about seventeen hundred square miles and one mi _- lion, one hundred and thirty-five thousand, three hundred and sixty acres. It borders with the state of Idaho on the east, and is therefore the eastern doorway of the state, and is situate about midway between the north and sout .: line. Stevens county is north, Whitman county south and Lincoln county west of it. It is a county of scenic beauty and picturesque variety. Within its borders are found fertile prairies, delightful vales. rugged hills, a mas sive mountain, crystal streams and rivers mighty cataracts, enchanting lakes, thick for- ests of fur, tamarack and pine and a broad,long and superb valley. Though the lakes are not large, they are numerous. Saltese and Liberty lakes to the southeast. Newman lake, northeast. Clear, Silver, Medical. Little Medical and Granite lakes, west and about midway between the north and south line. Rock creek and Chapman are small lakes near southwest cor- ner. Newman and Clear lakes are the largest about four miles by two miles. The southern portion of the county is a part of the Palous country with similar characteristics of rolling hills following one another without order. This is first-class wheat land. The elevation wil average two thousand feet above sea level Moving northward we enter a timber country known in early history as Spokane woods. It is spotted with small but fertile prairies, such as Moran prairie and Fruitland, and some of the woodland has been transformed to orchards. Leaving the woods we enter the grand Spo- kane valley, which is on a lower elevation. Even one who has encircled the globe has seen but few spots equal in magnificence. Nature has been lavish in its endowment of splendor upon this favored spot. It is nearly thirty miles in length and from five to ten miles in width. The surface is undulating just enough to afford 1

fine drainage. There are seasons of the year when a view of the valley from an elevation is indescribably resplendant; when it is ablaze with green grass and a great variety of flowers. In parts the grain can be seen waving grace- fully in the breeze, and orchards with trees la- den with delicious fruit. The Spokane river winds its way through, rushing as if in haste to reach the series of falls and make the last plunge under the Monroe street bridge to the chasm below, and from thence to wind its way between hills and canyons to join the great Columbia on its way to the sea. The Spokane valley is encircled with pine-clad hills picturesquely broken up with cliffs of rugged granite and basaltic rocks, with the towering Mt. Carleton, familiarly known as "Old Baldy," away in the clistance.

The soil of Spokane valley is a mixture of loam and gravel and much of it is being suc- cessfully cultivated, especially along the river banks. The gravel causes it to dry out quickly when the heat of summer comes. The possi- bilities of the valley when under irrigation, which can be easily accomplished by the use of water from the river and Cœur d' Alene lake. is hardly conceivable.

North of the Spokane valley is found a country gorgeous in beauty and sublime in scenery. On the small prairie are found farm- ers as prosperous probably as any in the Unit- ed States. Orchard and Pleasant prairies are what their names indicate. They are gems of beauty, and those who have been fortunate enough to find homes in them can with proprie- ty say, "our lines have fallen in pleasant places." The foothills towards "Old Baldy," as well as the ravines and valleys, are being transformed to fertile fields and fruitful orch- ards. In the vicinity of Newman lake are some profitable hay farms. At considerable expense. those who live around the south end of the lake, where the water originally over- flowed, have added many acres to their hay land. Mr. Wendler's fruit farm has attracted

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

wide attention on account of the exhibit at the Spokane Fruit Fair and Industrial Exposition. The region around Mt. Carleton can only be appreciated by those who have climbed to the top of this old sentinel of nature and viewed the scene therefrom. Peone prairie is especi- ally productive in grain. When we reach the Little Spokane river there is a deep depression. This river, known in history as Pointed Heart, flows through some wild country and romantic scenes, although great changes have been ef- fected during recent years as the result of the rapid development of the northeastern portion of this county. Its waters turn the wheels of many mills and will doubtless turn many more in the near future. Spots of beauty are found here and there along the stream, especially west of Dart's mill. North of the Little Spokane the country is mostly timbered with the excep- tion of Half Moon prairie, near Wayside, and Wild Rose, which are equal in fertility with anything in the country. Five Mile prairie, about that distance from the centre of the city. is unsurpassed for grain, cereals and orchards, as evidenced by exhibits at Spokane fair. White Bluff prairie is a vast one. It is considerably spotted with scab, nevertheless large portions of it are tillable land and capable of high culti- vation, as evidenced by the waving grain fields that can be seen. In the Medical Lake and Cheney districts are found land unsurpassed in richness and fertility. In the prairie districts the soil is deep. loose and dark of color. It contains a considerable amount of volcanic ash. which gives it its forcible character as well as its great durability. Of all the prairie land. authorities have testified "The soil is rich in all constituent elements of cereals and vegetables and produces the finest quality." Frost some- time interferes with the maturity of the ten- derer vegetables and fruits.

DELIGHTFUL CLIMATE.

The climate of Spokane county is bracing and vigorous. The pinecovered hills and dis-

tant snow-capped mountains give purity to the atmosphere. As a rule residents of the Atlantic coast have a wrong conception of the climate of this region. This is quite natural when they learn that Spokane is situated between the for- ty-seventh and forty-eighth parallels, farther north than the highest point of Maine. This led them to decide that a Canadian climate pre- vailed here. But their conclusion is an erron- eous one. because they fail to take into account the warm Japan current beating upon the Pa- cific coast and the gentle Chinook winds that sweep across the state modifying the extremes of both winter and summer. Take it all in all, it is difficult to find a climate more desirable than that of Spokane county. The Puget Sound district is famous throughout America for the mildness of its climate : but for all prac- tical purposes and for enjoyment of life, the cli- mate of eastern Washington is greatly to be preferred, with twice as much sunshine and comparatively small difference in temperature.

We cannot write with authority on the ge- ology of the county. The results of govern- ment surveys and explorations have not yet been published. The mica found on Mica peaks has been declared as sufficient to supply the whole country, and of excellent quality. The marble and granite deposits within and adjacent to the county have been pronounced by experts as rich and fine in quality. The granite has come into extensive use. The Medical Lake granite has gained quite a repu- tation abroad. The Little Spokane granite is regarded as excellent in quality.

Some years ago Mr. George J. Wardwell. an expert of high standing, made an examina- tion of some of the marble and granite in the Spokane country and testified thus: "I found extensive deposits of marble exposed to view at different places on the face of the bluffs and flanks of ridges. At these places the marble was badly broken up, as might be expected, due to exposure for untold ages to atmospheric actions. A thin chip knocked from the cor-

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

ner or from the face of any of these detached masses, exposed a quality of marble of fine texture bright and sparkling, with markings varying from light to dark blue, mottled with clean white, with light and dark cloud, to sharp black with many and sinuous lines, associated with lines of white and bluish white. characteristics that would produce a great va- riety of figures and markings when sawed into slabs, monument stock, or for building or dec- orative purposes. I have also seen specimens of this marble that were polished, sand rubbed and tooled, which were all that could be de- sired in a first-class marble. I believe the density and texture will warrant me in saying that this marble will resist or sustain a crush- ing weight equal to the best building granite. say from eighteen thousand to twenty thousand pounds per square inch. AAfter examining the outcroppings at the various points along the line of strike for a distance of from fifteen hun- dred to two thousand feet, and for nearly one thousand feet in width, I found the general characteristics the same as regards markings,

color, texture, etc. The position of the de- posit. as far as it could be determined by color markings, was nearly vertical, a very desirable position for quarrying. I could discover no indication of distinct veins or beds. it being massive and free from stratification and iron or other mineral stains or defects. From what observation I have been able to make the mar- ble is as fine in texture and beautiful in color- ing and figures as any of the Eastern marbles of similar character."

POPULATION.

It is naturally heterogeneous. But as a whole the people are industrious, sober, law- abiding, patriotic, progressive and prosper- ous. In intelligence they will compare well with any portion of the country. A large pro- portion are American born. The Germans are estimated as six thousand strong, and the Scandinavian natives are represented probably by a larger number. . \ more cosmopolitan city than Spokane would be difficult to find, and yet its thorough Americanism is undisputed.

CHAPTER XIV.

SPOKANE CITY TO 1880.

"There is but one Spokane."

"In earlier ages population gathered chiefly in cities, but for reasons which were tempor- ary. Men sought the protection from ma- rauders which was afforded by the walled towns. They went to their fields in the morn- ing and returned at night. But with the es- tablishment of social order, the men who tilled the soil began to live upon it. The growth of the modern city is due to causes which are per- manent. The phenomenal growth of the mod- ern city is due to a redistribution of the popu- lation."-Dr. Josiah Strong, in "The Twen- tieth Century City."

"Upon this gravel plain, just above where Hanginan's Creek joins the Spokane, is situ- ated the city of Spokane Falls, and it certainly is not excelled in the whole world as a town- site." -- Lieutenant Symons.

This is an age of concentration which leads to the congregating of people in cities. Truly it has been said that in nearly every state one city becomes the type and representation of the whole state itself-Chicago, in Illinois; San Francisco, in California : Portland in Oregon. The same statement can be applied to counties. Spokane city is Spokane county. Being that

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

Spokane is the oldest town as well as the largest city in this county, it is but fair that it should have the first and most prominent place in this history.

Spokane lies in latitude forty-seven degrees forty minutes north; longitude one hundred and seventeen degrees twenty-five minutes west, and at an altitude of nearly two thousand feet above sea level. It is the eastern gateway to the vast northwest, the largest city from the Mississippi river to the Puget Sound. It is situated about eighteen miles from the Idaho line, and about midway between the northern and southern boundaries of the state. It is four hundred miles distant from Helena to the east, and nearly an equal distance from Port- land, Seattle and Tacoma to the west, and farther from Salt Lake City, Utah, the nearest city of any considerable size to the south, and there is no city of commercial importance to the north of it. Thus it is a city most happily and commandingly situated in the center of a territory with no prospects of a rival that can obtain a like foothold. The literature of Spokane is quite extensive, and some of it even brilliant. Some attempts at prophecy have proved the authors deficient in the neces- sary gifts. But on the whole the history of the city as presented in current literature has been reliable and full of interest, and has done much to make known its advantages. To all the carly and late chroniclers of the events connected with the formative period and de- velopment of the city and county, the writer is under great obligation and cheerfully makes this acknowledgment. Great cities are often located beside great waters. It is evident that the hand of destiny or Providence marked the region around the falls as a populous city. No wonder that the groves around the falls were the camping grounds of the aboriginal Spo- kanes for ages unknown, for a more delightful spot would be difficult to find when in its nat- ural state. And a more advantageous site for a great city one may travel long to find. The

early explorer was naturally attracted here by the great waterfall of the Spokane river. I is not only beautiful and picturesque, but easily utilized as a motive power. The Spokane river flows through the heart of the city with an average volume of one hundred and twenty thousand cubic feet per minute. It flows through channels of basaltic rock and within a mile and a half it falls one hundred and fifty feet. The river has it source in the Cœur d' Alene lake, a great mountain reservoir thirty miles long and from three to six miles in width and of great depth. The lake is thirty miles east of the city. Dr. Hines says: "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is this Spokane." "The city is located in the very heart of the most perfect scenic poem. Form and color and motion have their most perfect blending. Woodlands, lawns and waters mingle green softness, gray soberness and sil- ver brightness in one long and broad picture such as no hand but that of the Infinite Artist could ever touch. Just where the Spokane river, which has come wandering down through the plains from the northeast for many miles, breaks into laughing ripples. then speeds away through the various channels for a half-mile race of flashing and jeweled beauty. and then leaps and rushes out of sight into the deep balsatic chasms of its lower flow, the city crosses plain and river, and rises up the hill- slopes that echo back the soft and incompar- able music of the cascade.

"The divine marvel of its jeweled setting is matched by the human marvel of its own growth and beauty. Only twenty years ago a pioneer explorer, searching for a way through an uninhabited wild, accompanied only by his wife a pioneer like himself, found himself so bewildered in the unpathed intricacies of pine forests and basaltic precipices at the nightfall of a long June day of weary travel, that he was compelled to stop and halt and camp for the night under a pine tree's protection without food for supper or breakfast. The morning woke them with the tremulous music of near

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

waterfall filling the air. They found that they had camped where the spray of Spokane falls almost moistened their brow. Against the gray breast of a distant hill a few blue wreaths of smoke from some Indian wigwam was all that told of humanity near. Then the writer first saw this spot ; but he did not dream that night of all that he would see here only twenty years later."-History of Washington.

· It is difficult for us to follow or even con- ceive the rapid transformation which has re- sulted in the scenes now familiar to us. Many of us can hardly imagine the conditions as they were less than three decades ago, before any changes had resulted from human labor and in- genuity. There was naught then but a wide prairie surrounded with hills and pine trees. Here and there Indian tepees might be seen with white smoke rising from the centre and around them some so-called braves loafing lazily.

What was then the wild man's hunting ground has become the fertile fields or been transformed to the great metropolis with all the comforts of modern civilization. When Messrs. J. J. Downing and L. R. Scranton, the first white men to attempt to establish a home near Spokane falls, came here in 1872. there were but few white men in the upper Spo- kane country. As far as we can trace, there were less than a dozen families within the con- fines and adjacent to the present county of Spo- kane. Mr. James Monaghan took charge of a ferry and subsequently built a bridge on the Spokane river about twenty miles below the city of Spokane at what is known as La Pray bridge in the early 'sixties. It is on the northwestern corner of the county. At this place Mr. Mona- ghan planted the first orchard in the county. which is now in good bearing condition. Mr. Guy Haines settled at Walker's prairie on the original mission ground in 1862. He had been a quartermaster at Fort Vancouver and passed through the prairie on his way to Colville with General MeClellan a few years before this and 4

had been impressed with the beauty of this spot. Mr. Haines lived on it till recently, and owns it still. but resides in Spokane. Mr. Haines tes- tifies that when he passed through the Spokane valley from Walker's Prairie to Rathdrum in 1862-3 that a French Canadian by the name of Camile lived about twelve miles east of the val- ley on the north of Spokane, about where the Myers place is now, two or three miles east of Trent.

He had been in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company, and had an Indian wife. A son of his is now a sub-chief of the Cœur d' Alenes. There was also a French Canadian who had been in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany, by the name of Antoyne Plænit, living on the south side of the river about twelve miles from the falls. He had an Indian wife, and reared a family, some of which are now living. on the Flathead reservation.

William Newman came to this country as early as 1860 as an escort to the boundary sur- veyors. He was in the United States army, and had come this way from Fort Simcoe. He settled near the lake bearing his name. prob- ably as early as 1865.

Mr. Stephen Liberty came from Canada to Fort Benton, Montana, in 1866. He was at Rathdrum in 1869. Soon after this he visited. the lake now bearing his name, Liberty, fifteen: miles east of the city. It seemed to him a ver- itable paradise for stock. He settled on the shores of the lake in 1871, and planted an or- chard which is now the Mckenzie place.

Mr. Joseph Moran settled south of the city on the prairie bearing his name. He was killed by a bull in 1890.

Mr. Le Fevre and Mr. Labrie were the ear- liest settlers in the Medical lake country. They were engaged in sheep-herding. Mr. M. M. Cowley settled seventeen miles east of the city and started a general merchandise store in 1872 and continued in business at that point for & me years until he removed to Spokane, where he has been identified with the Traders' National

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

Bank and other interests for over a dozen years.

We are now prepared to enter directly upon the history of Spokane, which comes in the regular order with that of the county.

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An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 9

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