USA > Washington > Walla Walla County > An illustrated history of Walla Walla County, state of Washington > Part 14
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ords are extant, but that it occurred in due order is evident, for on the 5th of September following the new board of commissioners assembled and by ballot determined their re- spective terms of service,-Charles Russell, one year; John Mahan, two years; and Will- liam McWhirk, three years. The records of this meeting give the essential data in re- gard to the election, which, as above noted, had occurred, though no definite record of the same can now be found. The county offi- cers, therefore, whose bonds were approved at this session of the board were as follows : Auditor, I. T. Reese: sheriff, Lycurgus Jack- son; treasurer, Nel McGlinchey; assessor, Thomas P. Page ; surveyor, H. H. Case; jus, tice of the peace, J. M. Canaday. To Mr. Reese was voted the sum of forty dollars per month for the rent of court-house.
THE COUNTY SEAT-VILLAGE OF WALLA WALLA RECEIVES ITS NAME.
The village of Walla Walla was so desig- nated by the county commissioners at their meeting on November 7, '1859, and there was simultaneously granted to it a town guvern- ment. Here also was formally established the county-seat .-- a due quota of glory and honor for one day. The great fire which occurred i1: 1865 destroyed many valuable records touch- ing the early political affairs of the county, such as election returns, assessment rolls, etc.
THE ELECTION OF 1860.
.At a meeting held on the 7th of May, 1860, the county commissioners placed the tax levy for the year at seven mills on the dollar, and preparatory for the election in July fol- lowing divided the county into five voting
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HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY.
districts,-Walla Walla. Dry Creek. Snake six thousand seven hundred dollars in scrip. River, East Touchet and West Touchet. At It is worthy of note in the connection that, in 1881, Mr. Russell purchased from the county this historic old building, which had been the scene and center of many thrilling events. demolished it, and removed the debris to his ranch. For the building which he had thuis erected at the behest of the county ho paid the sum of one hundred and twenty dol- lars, and it was not criminal salvage at that.
this election there was submitted to the peo- ple the question as to whether or not a tax should be levied for the erection of a court- house and jail, and while the records, as pre- viously mentioned, do not give the returns for said election in any respect, the fact that the two buildings were not built at that time offers adequate evidence as to the negative character of the vote of the qualified electors of the county. Prisoners of the county still continued to be sent to Fort Vancouver to languish in durance vile. The officers elected in July, 1860, were as follows: Auditor and recorder, James Galbreath: sheriff. James A. Buckley: surveyor, M. J. Noyse; assessor. C. Langley; coroner, .Almiron Daggett; jus- tices of the peace, William J. Horton, John Sheets. Horace Strong, Elisha Everetts and William B. Kelly. Of the transactions of this official corps no trace of record can be found. but at the county election held in July, 1861. the board of county commissioners con- sisted of W. H. Patton. S. Maxon and John Sheets. On the 5th of November Sheriff Buckley was appointed county assessor, S. Owens, who had been elected to the office in 1861. having failed to qualify. The sheriff had been, by virtue of his office, tax collector, and his appointment as assessor was a con- sistent action on the part of the board. That the citizens of the county still had certain yearnings for a bastile in which to confine malefactors, is shown in the fact that, on the 8th of November the commissioners awarded to Charles Russell the contract to build a county jail, at a cost of three thousand three hundred and fifty dollars. The building was duly completed in the year 1862, the con- tractor receiving in payment for his services
THE EFFECT OF THE GOLD EXCITEMENT IN 1860.
In a preceding chapter we have had occa- sion to incidentally mention the gold excite+ ment of 1860, which eventually had so pro- nounced an effect upon the growth and de- velopment of the eastern portion of the ter- ritory of Washington. Prior to 1861 there had been but little to encourage permanent settlements by emigrants in the vicinity of the Blue mountains, where now stretch far and wide some of the most productive and valua- ble farming and fruit lands in the Union. In fact, it may be said that even as late as 1861 there was obtained a very slight concep- tion of the great intrinsic value of this sec- tion as an agricultural district, land available for cultivation being considered as of limited extent. What a revelation has been made in less than a half century! Even had the art of agriculture been forced forward here at the time mentioned, there was practically no market for products, no shipping facilities be- ing available, and aside from those connected with the garrison at Fort Walla Walla there were no purchasers to be found for the prod- 11cts of the soil. Those who had come hithier and taken up ranches along the various water courses devoted the same to grazing purposes,
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their plan being to utilize the lands for cattle- . finding "a glittering ball that looked like raising for an interval of a few years, rais- ing small crops of grain for their own use in the meantime, and, perhaps, having a small residuum to sell. A well-known historian has said in regard to the conditions existing, that "had the military post been abandoned in: 1860 but few whites would have remained east of the Cascades, and stock-raising would have been the only inducement for anyone to remain there." .
But through an unexpected source there was to be given an impetus to the settlement and development of this region. That metal which men hold as the basis of all values was destined to draw its devotees to eastern Washington and to absolutely transform the character of the country. One of the most notable gold excitements known to history was soon to come. It is related that a Nez Perce Indian made his way to California at the time of the gold excitement there, form- ing the acquaintance of some miners, whom he impressed by his intelligence and dignity of bearing. Among these miners was a some- what visionary and enthusiastic man, E. D. Pearce, to whom the Nez Perce brave gave information as to his home in the far distant mountain fastnesses of what is now Idaho. He told a fantastic and romantic tale of the accidental discovery which had been made by himself and two companions while encamped for the night among the mountains which had been his haunt from childhood. A light of surpassing brightness was suddenly re- vealed to them among the cliffs, having the appearance of a refulgent star. The super- stitious Indians regarded the shining object with awe, deeming it to be the eye of the Great Spirit, but at daybreak they summoned sufficient courage to investigate, eventually
glass," the same being imbedded in the solid rock. They were unable to dislodge the ob- ject, which they believed to be "great medi- cine." Pearce became imbued with the idea that the red men had discovered a wonder- ful diamond, and he determined to secure the same if possible. Upon this seemingly trivial circumstance hinged the discovery of gold in what was eastern Washington, in 1860. Pearce eventually made his way to the dalles of the Columbia and thence came to Walla Walla, where he took up his abode. He scouted through the mountains east of Snake river and finally associated himself with a party, who were animated by the hope of finding gold, by reason of his representations, while he himself had ever in mind the won- derful diamond.
The little exploring party comprised seven men, but they were eventually ordered out of the Nez Perce country by the Indians, who were suspicious of their plans. Pearce finally induced a Nez Perce squaw to lead them through to the Lolo trail by a route which the members of her tribe seldom utilized. They proceeded to the north fork of the Clearwater river, through the Palouse country, and even- tually camped on a meadow among the moun- tains. There one of the company, W. F. Bassett, tried for gold in the soil of a little stream which traversed the gulch. He found about three cents' worth of gold in his first pan, this being the original discovery of the precious metal in those mountains, and the place being the site of the famous Oro Fino mines, in the present state of Idaho.
After washing out about eighty dollars in gold the party returned to Walla Walla, mak- ing their headquarters at the home of J. C. Smith, on Dry creek, and finally so thor-
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oughly enlisting his interest and co-operation that he fitted out a party of about fifteen men, largely at his own expense, to return to the new gold fields for the winter. Sergeant Smith's party reached the mines in November, 1860, arousing the antipathy and distrust of the Indians, who appealed to the government officers for the protection of their reserve from such encroachments. A body of sol- diers from Fort Walla Walla started out for the mines, with the intention of removing the interlopers, but the heavy snowfall in the mountains rendered the little party of miners inaccessible, so they were not molested. Dur- ing the winter the isolated miners devoted their time to building five log cabins, the first habitations erected in Oro Fino, sawing the lumber by hand. They also continued to work for gold under the snow, and about the first of January, 1861, two of the men made a successful trip to the settlements, by the utilizing of snow-shoes, while in March Ser- geant Smith made a similar trip, taking with him eight hundred dollars in gold dust. From this reserve he was able to pay Kyger & Reese, of Walla Walla, the balance due them on the prospecting outfit which had been supplied to the adventurous little party in the snowy mountains. The gold dust was sent to Port- land. Oregon, and soon the new mines were the subject of maximum interest, the ultimate result being a "gold excitement" quite equal to that of California in 1849, and within a few months the rush to the new diggings was on in earnest, thousands starting forth for the favored region.
WALLA WALLA BENEFITED BY THE RUSH FOR GOLD.
The budding city of Walla Walla profited materially by the influx of gold-seekers, who
made their way up the Columbia river and thence moved forward to Walla Walla, which became the great outfitting headquarters for those en route to the gold country. . At this point were purchased provisions, tools, camp accoutrements and the horses or mules re- quired to pack the outfits to the mines. Through this unforeseen circumstance there was now a distinctive local market afforded for the products of the Walla Walla country, and the farmer who had produce of any sort to sell might esteem himself fortunate, for good prices were freely offered. Nearly all the grain that had been produced in the coun- try was held. in the spring of 1861. in the mill owned and operated by Simms. Reynolds & Dent. the total amount not amounting to twenty thousand bushels. This surplus com- manded a high price, the farmers receiving two and one-half dollars per bushel for their wheat, while at the mines the operators were compelled to pay one dollar a pound for the flour manufactured therefrom. The inade- quacy of the local supply of food products was such that, had not additional provender been transported from Oregon, starvation would have stared the miners in the face. This fact gave rise to the almost unprece- clented prices demanded for the products essen- tial to the maintenance of life. New mining districts were discovered by the eager pros- pectors and all was bustle and activity in the mining region until the fall of 1861. In No- vember of that year many of the miners came to Walla Walla for the winter, bringing their hard-earned treasure with them and often spending it with the prodigality so typical of the mining fraternity in the early days.
Although many of the diggings yieldled from six to ten dollars per day, many of the operators feared the ravages of a severe win-
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ter and fully realized the animus of the mer- chants at Oro Fino, who refused to sell their goods, believing that starvation would ulti- mately face the miners and that they could then secure any price they might see fit to demand. In November of the year noted the prices at Oro Fino were quoted as follows ou certain of the necessaries of life: Flour, twenty-five dollars per one hundred pounds ; beef, thirty cents per pound; coffee, not to be had; candles, not for sale; and bacon and beans, exceedingly scarce. That the pros- pectors and miners should seek to hibernate nearer civilization and take refuge in Walla Walla was but natural under the circum- stances.
During the rush to the mining districts, both in 1861 and 1862, Walla Walla was the scene of the greatest activity: streets were crowded; the merchants were doing a thriv- ing business; and pack trains moved in a seemingly endless procession toward the gold fields. The excitement was fed by the glow- ing reports that came from the mining dis- tricts, and the natural result was to augment the flood of gold-seekers pouring into the mining districts in the spring of 1862, as will be noted later on. As an example of the allur- ing reports entered in the latter part of 1861, we may appropriately quote from the Wash- ington Statesman of that period, said paper being published in Walla Walla, and being the precursor of the Walla Walla Statesman of the present day. From an editorial in said publication we make the following extract :
S. F. Ledyard arrived last evening from the Salmon river mines, and from him it is learned that some six hundred miners would winter there; that some two hun- dred had gone to the south side of the river, where two streams head that empty into the Salmon, some thirty miles southeast of present mining camp. Coarse gold is found, and as high as one hundred dollars per day to the
man has been taken out. The big mining claim of the old locality belongs to Mr. Wiser, of Oregon, from where two thousand, six hundred and eighty dollars were taken on the 20th, with two rockers. On the 21st, three thous- and, three hundred and sixty dollars were taken out with the same machines. Other claims were paying from two to five pounds per day. Flour has fallen to fifty cents per pound, and beef, at from fifteen to twenty-five cents, is to be had in abundance. Most of the mines supplied until first of June. Mr. L. met between Slate Creek and Walla Walla, en route for the mines, three hundred and ninety four packs and two hundred and fifty head of beef cattle.
In the issue of the Statesman for Decem- ber 13. 1861, appears the following interest- ing information concerning the mines and the. inducements there offered :
The tide of emigration to Salmon river flows steadily onward. During the week past, not less than two hundred and twenty-five pack animals, heavily laden with provis- ions, have left this city for the mines. If the mines are one-half so rich as they are said to be, we may safely calcu- late that many of these trains will return as heavily laden with gold dust as they now are with provisions.
The late news from Salmon river seems to have given the gold fever to everybody in this immediate neighborhood. A number of persons from Florence City have arrived in this place, during the week, and all bring the most extravagant reports as to the richness of the mines. A report, in relation to a rich strike made by Mr. Bridges, of Oregon City, seems to come well authenticated. The first day he worked on his claim (near Baboon gulch) he took out fifty-seven ounces; the second day he took out one hundred and fifty-seven ounces; third day, two hundred and fourteen ounces, and the fourth day, two hundred ounces in two hours. One gentleman informs us that diggings have been found on the bars of Salmon river which yield from twenty-five cents to two dollars and fifty cents to the pan, and that on claims in the Sal- mon river, diggings have been found where "ounces" won't describe them, and where they say the gulches are full of gold. The discoverer of Baboon gulch arrived in this city yesterday, bringing with him sixty pounds of gold dust, and Mr. Jacob Weiser is on his way with a mule loaded with gold dust.
Within the year more than one and one- half millions of dollars in gold dust had been shipped from the mining districts,-a circum- stance which of itself was enough to create a wide-spread and infectious gold-fever. . \n- ticipating the rush for the mines in the year
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1862. a great deal of live-stock had been brought to the Walla Walla country in the latter part of 1861, while the demands for food products led many ranchers to make provisions for raising greatly increased crops of grain and other produce to meet the de- mands of the coming season.
The winter of 1861-2 was one of utmost severity, and its rigors entailed a gigantic loss to residents throughout the eastern por- tion of Washington territory,-a section practically isolated from all other portions of the world for many weeks. It has been said that this "was the severest winter known to the whites on the Pacific coast." The stock in the Walla Walla country perished by the thousands, the animals being unable to secure feed and thus absolutely starving to death. From December to March the entire country here was effectually hedged in by the vast quantities of snow and the severely cold weather. Not until March 22d do we find the statement in the local newspaper that warm rains had set in and that the snow had commenced to disappear. One result is shown in the further remark. that "Occasionally the sun shines out. when the sunny side of the street is lined with men." The loss of stock in this section during that memorable winter was estimated at fully one million dollars, hay having reached the phenomenal price of one hundred and twenty-five dollars per ton, while flour commanded twenty-five dollars per bar- rel in Walla Walla. It may not be malapro- pos to quote a list of prices which obtained in the Oro Fino mining region in December; 1861: Bacon, fifty to sixty cents per pound ; flour, twenty-five to thirty dollars per hun- dred weight ; beans, twenty-five to thirty cents per pound; rice, forty to fifty cents per pound ; butter, seventy-five cents to one dol-
lar: sugar, forty to fifty cents: candles, eighty cents to one dollar per pound : tea, one dollar and a quarter to one and a half per pound: tobacco, one dollar to one and a half: coffee, fifty cents.
RUSH OF GOLD-SEEKERS IN 1862.
In view of the recent gold excitement in Alaska, how familiarly will read the follow- ing statements from the Washington States- man of March 22, 1862: "From persons who have arrived here from The Dalles during the week, we learn that there were some four thousand miners in Portland fifteen days ago, awaiting the opening of navigation to the upper country. Hundreds were arriving by every steamer, and the town was literally filled to overflowing." Under date of April 5th, the same paper gives the following pertinent information : "From one hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty passengers, on their way to the mines, come up to Wallula on every steamer, and the majority of them foot it through to this place (Walla Walla)." By the last of May it was estimated by some that between twenty-five and thirty thousand persons had reached or were en route to the mining regions east of the Cascades, but con- servative men now in Walla Walla regard that a great overestimate. The merchants of Walla Walla profited largely through the pat- ronage of the ever advancing column of pros- pectors and miners, but the farmers did not fare so well, owing to the extreme devasta- tions of the severe winter just passed. Enough has been said to indicate the causes which led to the rapid settlement and development of eastern Washington and Oregon .- an ad- vancement that might have taken many years to accomplish had it not been for the discov-
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ery of gold, in so romantic a manner. The yield of gold reported through regular chan- nels for the year 1862 aggregated fully seven million dollars, and it is certain that several millions were also sent out through mediums which gave no record.
In February, 1862, food products and merchandise commanded the following prices at Florence : Flour, one dollar per pound; ba- con, one dollar and a quarter; butter, three dollars; cheese, one dollar and a half; lard, one dollar and a quarter ; sugar, one dollar and a quarter ; coffee, two dollars; tea, two dollars and a half ; gum boots per pair, thirty dollars ; shovels, from twelve to sixteen dollars.
POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE YEAR.
The status of affairs in Walla Walla county at the opening of the year 1862 was radically different from what it had been at the time of the last county election, and the matter of choosing incumbents for the vari- ous official positions had become one of no little importance. The rapid increase in popula- tion and the varying character of those who had taken up their abode, for a greater or less time, witliin the boundaries of the county rendered it imperative that men of ability and sterling worth should be selected to adminis- ter the affairs of the county, where lawless- ness and crime walked side by side with vir- tue and rectitude. Many rough characters were attracted to the mining districts, and a large proportion of these had slight regard for the value of human life or for personal probity. Political affiliations had but little weight, under the circumstances, with the better element of the county's population; it was recognized as essential that good men should be chosen for office, rather than that the party lines should be strenuously drawn.
A call for a mass convention was issued prior to the July election, the same bearing the signatures of the following named represent- ative citizens : R. H. Archer, J. D. Agnew, Quin. A. Brooks, C. S. Bush, D. S. Baker, W. A. Ball, J. Buckley, O. L. Bridges, S. Buckley, A. J. Cain, H. J. Cady, E. P. Crans- ton, F. A. Chenoweth, W. W. De Lacy, J. P. Goodhive, H. M. Hodges, W. P. Horton, J. Hellmuth, H. Howard, J. B. Ingersoll, W. W. Johnson, R. Jacobs, Kohlhauff & Guich- ard, E. E. Kelly, A. Kyger, S. Linkton, M. Lazarus, N. Northrop, E. Nugent, J. M. Norton, W. Phillips, W. H. Patton, R. R. Rees, I. T. Reese, A. B. Roberts, B. Sheede- man, J. A. Simms, A. Schwabacker, John Sheets, D. J. Schnebly. J. Van Dyke and D. Young.
For some unknown cause the convention, which assembled in Walla Walla on the 21st of June, 1862, failed to place candidates in nomination, but that various candidates were put forward is shown by the records. The election occurred on the 14th of July, the re- sult being as follows: For representative in the territorial legislature N. Northrop received 355 votes; S. D. Smith 317, H. M. Chase 302, and F. A. Chenoweth 132; other officers elected being: Edward Nugent, district at- torney; James McAuliff, treasurer; H. M. Hodgis, assessor; W. W. Johnson, surveyor; J. F. Wood, superintendent of schools ; L. C. Kinney, coroner; and James Van Dyke, John Sheets and S. S. Galbreath, county commis- sioners. James Buckley was appointed sheriff. serving until February, 1863, on the 7th of which month Isaac L. Roberts was appointed as his successor, holding the office only to the 17th of March, when he resigned, E. B. Whit- man being appointed. to fill the vacancy. James Van Dyke resigned the office of com-
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missioner in August, 1863, and on the 5th of September of that year H. D. O'Bryan was appointed to the office. S. S. Galbreath failed to qualify as commissioner at the time of his election, but held the office by appoint- ment. the same having been made on the 5th of August. 1862.
MATERIAL PROGRESS OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY IN 1862.
The onspeeding tide of gold-seekers did not fail to bring in its wake a due quota of permanent settlers, for the resources of the Walla Walla valley began to receive a more grateful appreciation. Quite a large number of emigrants settled along the creeks and rivers skirting the base of the Blue mount- ains at the north and west. Farmers pro- duced little to sell, and prices continued to bo high. Sufficient grain had, however, been raised to warrant the erection of another flouring mill, the same having been built by A. H. Reynolds, on Yellow Hawk creek. This was originally known as the Frontier mill. later as the Star. Captain Medorem Crawford, who was in command of the emi- grant escort of about eighty men, crossing the plains in 1862, and whose statements may be considered as authoritative as any data available, estimated the number of wagons on the road for Washington territory and Ore- gon at sixteen hundred, and the number of persons at ten thousand. A large number of emigrants, principally from Iowa, settled in the Grande Ronde valley, being people of ster- ling worth and invincible courage,-the true
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