USA > Washington > Walla Walla County > An illustrated history of Walla Walla County, state of Washington > Part 38
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Leaving the banks, duly impressed with the idea that where there is so much money there certainly ought to be a large amount of trade, we find our expectations confirmed by an examination of the mercantile establishments. We find these in general heavily stocked with all kinds of new and standard goods. Some of the existing stores of Walla Walla are of peculiar interest on account of their antiquity. The Schwabacher store was founded in the 'sixties. The same is true of the hardware store of William O'Donnell, the merchandise store of Kyger & Foster, and the bakery of O. Brechtel. Some of the largest stores of the present time, however, are of recent origin, as the hardware and furniture store of Davis
& Kasar, the dry goods and clothing store of O. P. Jaycox, and the agricultural imple- ment houses of Criffield & Smitten and John Smith. The various grocery stores likewise do an immense business, both in purchasing supplies from the farmers and in disposing of their standard merchandise.
We have spoken so fully in the preceding chapter of the fruit dealers, the millers, and the manufacturers, that it is not necessary to consider them again here. Leaving these there- fore we will saunter more leisurely through the rest of the business section, and then through the residence section of the city. We find among the other semi-public institutions two excellent and well equipped hospitals. These are, first, the St. Mary's hospital, under control of the Catholic Sisters, which was es- tablished in 1870, and was extensively enlarged in 1899. The other hospital was built in 1899. and is owned and conducted by Dr. J. F. Cropp. Both these hospitals are equipped for the best surgical work and scientific nursing. Among recent acquisitions of the Walla Walla hos- pital is an X-ray instrument, which has proved of great service in some recent cases.
A ride through the residence portion of Walla Walla, especially if it be the leafy montli of May, will convince the visitor that here is one of the most homelike of Washington cities. The suburbs of the place are peculiarly attractive. Without entering into invidious comparisons, it may be said the homes of Ex- Governor Moore, W. A. Ritz, Dr. Fall, W. W. Baker, Mrs. Stone, Max Baumeister, and the heirs of H. P. Isaacs, are of themselves suffi- cient to give distinction to the outer circuit of the town. We have spoken of the pro- fusion of trees which decorate the streets and yards of the city. It may be added that it is also fairly embowered in shrubbery and
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flowers of all sorts. Of these, roses predom- inate, though there are at proper seasons per- fect banks of crysanthemumis. To the oki- timer who recalls the dismal and sun-parched desert which from 1860 to 1875 constituted the site of the town, and then views the pres- ent verdure and glow of color, flowers, shrub- bery, and fruit trees, redolent with the fra- grance of spring, the change seems almost too striking for belief.
Turning again from the solid comforts of the residence portion of the town to the public institutions, we shall find the schools worthy of an extended visit. The historic facts of these institutions have been presented else- where, but we desire to observe here the hous- ing and equipment provided for the young students of Walla Walla. The three public school buildings, the Baker, the Paine, and the Sharpstein, are admirably built and equipped. The Baker school is the oldest of the three and less attractive and convenient than the others. The Paine school is the largest of the three, and in addition to the ordinary primary and grammar grades, contains also the high-school department. The Sharp- stein school is the most recent of the three and the most thoroughly provided with all modern conveniences. We find Prof. R. C. Kerr. the city superintendent, Miss L. L. West. the principal of the Baker school, Prof. F. M. Burke, the principal of the Paine school, Prof. G. S. Bond, the prin- cipal of the Sharpstein school, and Prof. J. W. Shepherd and Miss Rose Dovell, of the high-school, to be teachers of thorough train- ing. large experience, and high ambition in their important profession. One excellent means of attaining their high standard has been the regular county and city teachers' in- stitutes.
The visitor having already become inter- ested in the educational system of the town will desire to visit the other institutions of learning. He will very naturally make his way to the largest of these institutions, Whit- man College. He will find this college es- tablished in five buildings. The oldest of these and one of the historical landmarks of the town is the rear portion of the Ladies' Hall. This building. subsequently enlarged, has be- come a comfortable home for about thirty of the college girls. Adjoining this is the Con- servatory of Music, formerly the main recita- tion hall. A small building upon the left of this is used as a Y. M. C. A. hall. Upon the north side of the street we find the two prin- cipal buildings of the college, Memorial Hall and Billings Ilall. The former of these, the gift of Dr. D. K. Pearsons of Chicago, was erected at a cost of $50,000.00, in 1899. It is without question the finest school building in the Inland Empire, with the exception of the Idaho University and the Washington Agricultural College buildings and the Spo- kane high school. Billings Hall received its name from the sons of Mrs. Frederick Bill- ings, who was the largest individual donor, though many gifts, both in Walla Walla and in the east, were received for this noble pur- pose. The most interesting contribution, how- ever, was one of nearly a thousand dollars by the students of the college. The faculty them- selves, though ill qualified to make such a con- tribution, added to this another thousand, and these subscriptions together may be said to have insured the completion of both buildings, since subscriptions in the town had practically come to a standstill, and in order to secure the gifts of eastern benefactors it had become necessary to raise the entire sum for both building's before commencement of 1899. The
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jubilee in the college and among its friends everywhere, when it was known that this de- cisive step in advancement had been taken, can never be forgotten by those who knew of it. We find Whitman College to have at the pres- ent time in all departments about two hun- dred and sixty students, with a faculty of fourteen capable and enthusiastic teachers, an excellent library of nearly eight thousand vol- umes, and a well equipped physical laboratory.
Walla Walla is evidently destined to take on more and more the character of an educa- tional center. For we have only to pass a dozen blocks south from Whitman College to find ourselves in front of the beautiful grounds and buildings of St. Paul's school. Inasmuch as we have already learned in another chapter the facts in the history of this institution, we need not here do more than enter into the com- modious and beautiful building erected in 1900, and see the excellent work that is being done by Miss Boyer and her assistants. We shall probably meet in this visit Rev. Andreas Bard, the rector of the Episcopal church, who has been a most important factor in the build- ing up of this institution, as well as one of the brilliant lights of the Walla Walla pulpit.
It would not do for the visitor to Walla Walla interested in educational matters to fail of a visit to Walla Walla College, whose fine brick building towers conspicuously upon the plain, two miles west of the city. This also has been elsewhere described, and it may suffice to say here that a considerable village of honest and industrious people of the Ser- enth Day Adventist faith has gathered around this college as a nucleus. Although devoted to the peculiar tenets of their faith, there is no question as to the excellence of the instruc- tion along the lines of study provided. And whatever may be thought of the peculiar doc-
trinal views of this sect, no one around Walla Walla doubts their sincerity of purpose and all heartily endorse their ideas of hygiene, cleanliness, and wholesome food.
In our peregrinations throughout the ir- regular and picturesque streets of the Garden city, we discover that although, as already in- timated, there is much to be desired in the way of improving those streets, yet that the town is well provided with telephone and electric service. It is said in fact that Walla Walla lias more telephones according to its popula- tion than any other town in the state. By a visit to Mr. F. J. McGougan, the present man- ager of the city telephones, we gather the fol- lowing interesting matter in respect to the tele- phone system :
Telephones were established in eastern Washington in 1886. There were at that time a mere handful of subscribers in Walla Walla, Colfax and Spokane. Upon the organization of the Inland Telegraph and Telephone Com- pany in May, 1890, three long distance lines were established. One extended from Spokane to Davenport, another to the Cœur d'Alene, and one to Walla Walla by way of Colfax. The hard times affected the telephone business like others, but with the revival of 1896 the business of both local and long distance lines received an immense growth. At the present time there are six hundred and sixty telephone subscribers in Walla Walla. AAny one of these can be placed in immediate communica- tion with ninety thousand subscribers of the Pacific States' Telegraph and Telephone Com- pany, besides many others in the territory of the Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone Company, which comprises Idaho, Utah and Montana. There are also seventeen hundred public sta- tions in the territory of the first named com- pany which can be reached by telephone.
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Every city, town, and even village in the west is now reached by telephone. The equipment has been constantly improved, and conversa- tions can now be carried on at a thousand miles distance more casily than at a hundred miles ten years ago. The increase of subscribers during the year 1900. in the territory of the Pacific State Telegraph and Telephone Com- pany was 21.206.
The lighting system is at the present time under the management of the Walla Walla Gas and Electric Company. The ancestor of this company was the Walla Walla Gas Com- pany. founded in 1881 by .1. Pierce and C. M. Patterson. In 1887 Messrs. Wadsworth and Bromwell, of San Francisco, and Mr. C. E. Burrows, of Walla Walla, became the owners of the gas plant. In 1888 the Walla Walla Electric Light and Power Company was incor- porated. The business does not seem to have been a financial success until the city agreed to adopt the arc lamp for public lighting. In 1889, accordingly, the Walla Walla Gas and Electric Company was incorporated hy a union of the two companies with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars. At that time a substantial stone and brick building was erected. and a 140-horse power engine was in- stalled. This proved inadequate for the grow- ing needs of the city, and in 1892 the com- pany established a water power on Mill creek. upon the place of E. G. Riffle. After the es- tablishment of this power excellent service was provided, but during the past two years it has been found that the great increase in demand for lights has necessitated another in- crease in power. The company is, therefore, planning to erect a stand pipe upon their prop- erty on Mill creek, which will greatly increase the capacity of the plant. The number of arc lights now provided in the city is 77.
The immensely augmented demand for electric lights and the apparent financial suc- cess of the present company has encouraged other capitalists to consider the advisability of a new system. The city has passed an ordinance granting a general form of franchise with certain privileges and certain requirements of any company which may choose to enter into the electric business. Under this general op- portunity a plan for a very extensive electrical apparatus at the forks of the Walla Walla river has been framed by several of the moneyed men of Umatilla county and of Walla Walla. This company has already secured a franchise for the purpose of bringing light and electric power to the city. Gustavus N. Miller. the company's engineer, has recently given the fol- lowing information in regard to the enterprise :
"The plant is to be situated at the forks of the Walla Walla river, about twelve miles almost due south of this city and the buildings and machinery there to erected will cost in the neighborhood of two hundred and fifty. thou- sand dollars. The power is almost unlimited and is by far the easiest acquired that I have ever seen where so great a head could be ob- tained. It will be necessary to pipe the water a distance of fourteen thousand, five hundred feet in a barrel flume and at the place of dumping a head of two hundred feet will be easily obtained. This will mean at least four thousand horsepower and the advantages of such a giant force when chained and turned to the uses of the hands of man are too great to be realized at a single thinking.
"The flume will be 54 inches in diameter and will be constructed of wooden staves, laid lengthwise. The minimum flow of water at the dry season will be fifteen thousand gallons per minute and during the other portions of the year much greater. The electricity gen-
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erated will be conveyed to this city by means of four wires and the energy lost in transmis- sion will be practically nothing. There will be required in the city of Walla Walla a dis- tributing station in order that the fluid can be sent out to the different portions of the city and transferred into light or power which ever the case might be.
"It is also the intention of the company to run lines of wire to both Athena and Weston and I think to Pendleton, also. Also. it is high- ly probable that a large amount will be used by the farmers both for the purpose of operat- ing their farm machinery and to light their homes. Take for example during the harvest season. Any farmer can own an electric motor. When harvest comes around he will cut his grain and haul it all to one point in the field where his separator has been established and connected with his motor. It does away not only with the necessity of having an en- gine for this work but also with salaries which would have to be paid to both an engineer and a fireman.
"An electrical line to Milton, Waitsburg, and other points would also pay, I think, and will probably be built within a comparatively short time. There is a fine chance for Walla Walla to improve along this line and it will undoubtedly be taken advantage of by some- one within the next few years."
It is hardly necessary to say that in ad- dition to its other means of communication with the rest of the world, Walla Walla has complete telegraphic communication, but as a historical item of interest we are reminded by an old-timer with whom we converse that it was on June 1, 1870, that Walla Walla was first connected by lightning with the outside world. This pioncer telegraph line was built by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company.
James Henderson was the first operator in. Walla Walla, and the office was located on the southwest corner of Main and Third streets. The passage of the first messages was made a great occasion in the little city. A\ minute gun was fired and there was band music of a joyful nature. The first message transmitted was from Mayor Stone to Mayor Goldsmith, of Portland, and read :
To the Mayor of Portland-Greeting: Al- low me to congratulate you on the completion of the telegraph that places the first city of Oregon in connection with the metropolis of Washington, and to express the hope that it is but the precursor of the iron rail that is to unite us still more indissolubly in the bonds of interest and affections.
FRANK STONE, Mayor of the City of Walla Walla.
To which came back the following re- sponse :
PORTLAND, June 1, 1870, Mayor Frank Stone, Walla Walla-Your sentiments are re- ciprocated. May the completion of the tele- graph between Walla Walla and Portland tend to still further the prospects and good feelings of both cities, and your territory and our state.
B. GOLDSMITHI, Mayor.
While observing the lighting systems and the various communication systems of the city, our attention is called to the fact that there are no street-car lines in Walla Walla. Conversation again with an old-timer discloses the fact that during the boom year of 1889 a car line was built from the O. R. & N. station to Second street, where it divided, one branch going to Whitman College, the other branch to the city
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cemetery. After the disastrous collapse which followed so closely upon the heels of the boom (although it is proper to say that the collapse affected Walla Walla less than any other city on the Pacific coast), it became obvious that the street-car line was premature. Neverthe- less the company continued operating it for several years, although at a loss, and then granted to a local company the privilege of using the line without other expense than its maintenance for several years longer. Even under these conditions the company did not find the line sufficiently patronized to make it profitable. Accordingly in 1898 the line was entirely abandoned and the roadbed taken up. This pioneer street-car line would doubt- less have paid. even in spite of the hard times, had it not been for the great number of horses and carriages and bicycles in the town. On account of its having been for years a center of stock and agricultural interests, Walla Walla has abounded in horses. The people, moreover, have had the habit of both riding and driving to such an extent as not to "take" naturally to street-cars. By reason also of the large number of well equipped livery stables, carriage hire is very low. Visitors from the sea-board towns, where from a dol- lar to a dollar and a half is the ordinary hack fare, are much astonished to discover that in Walla Walla hack fare anywhere within the city limits is only "two bits." Furthermore, on account of the level site and wide streets of the town, it is an ideal bicycle town. And in spite of the fact. as we learn, that bicyclists have had much tribulation from city ordi- nances in regard to the use of sidewalks, Walla Walla is said to contain more bicycles per capita than any other town in the state. The number of bicycle tags issued by the city mar- shal to date is eleven hundred and fifty. These
tags were issued in pursuance of an ordinance by the city council, imposing a tax of a dollar upon each bicycle. The announced purpose of this tax was to make a system of bicycle paths throughout the town. Thus far this laudable plan has languished, and many and violent are the anathemas which bicyclists of all ages and sexes pronounce upon the heads of the "town dads."
Our observations thus far have extended over the business, educational, and communi- cation phases of the life of the city. We can not do justice to our subject without learning something of the social, intellectual, and moral life of the place. Walla Walla is often called a "moss-back" town, and it is apparently true that the controlling influences are conservative and disinclined to venture into new schemes in either business or society. It appears also that the general spirit of the place is rather individualistic than co-operative, and that pub- lic enterprises, looking to municipal betterment, are not readily adopted. The people therefore "abuse" each other for their supposed lack of public spirit. In spite of this Walla Walla is conspicuous for its simplicity, hospitality, and general sociableness of its people. As noted elsewhere, there are numerous strong lodges of all the standard fraternities. The frequent entertainments and celebrations of these fraternities make occasions of interest and profit for all the people of the place. All manner of social gatherings are frequent and influential for good. One of the most potent public benefactions is the public library and reading room, where strangers may find en- tertainment, and young people of the place. who might otherwise acquire indolent and vicious habits, can gain solid benefit.
The chief center of public entertainments and amusements in the place is of course the
MAIN STREET, WALLA WALLA, IN 1877.
MAIN STREET, WALLA WALLA, IN 1901.
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Walla Walla opera house. This very im- a number of interesting facts. It is estimated portant feature of a town was erected by D. that over fifteen thousand people receive their mail through the Walla Walla postoffice. About thirty-five hundred receive their mail through the boxes. There are four carriers at present on the city routes, with great need of another. There were two new clerks added during the past year, and the business of the office warrants another. The gross receipts of the office for 1899 were $16.378.36. Those for 1898 were $15,178.29 and those for 1896 were $12,717.19. This record shows a steady and remarkable increase, and that for the year 1900 shows the same ratio of gain, being $17,437.17. There is reason to expect that, in the near future there will be established in Walla Walla a system of free rural delivery, and when this is done it will add for the farmers of Walla Walla one more reason for an affirmative answer to the question, "Is life worth living?" WV. Small in the year 1884. In the next year, on account of a defect in the construction of the roof, a great weight of snow caused the building to collapse. It was but by the nar- rowest margin that a great number of people escaped being crushed within the ruins, as the collapse occurred but an hour or two be- fore a large fair was to have been opened. In the year 1894 the opera house came into the possession of Paine brothers, who made great improvements in it and equipped it in a first class manner. At the present time C. F. Van de Water is the lessee and manager of the opera house. There is an almost constant series of operatic and theatrical entertainments, mostly of a standard quality. We find a sentiment among the more cultured people of the place that the Shakesperian drama and other high class performances might be en- couraged to a larger degree, with both greater benefit to the public and greater profit to the manager.
For a comparatively new city, the church life of Walla Walla is active and efficient. A liberal stranger, however, is impressed with the idea that there is too large a number of weak churches, and that therefore the moral and religious energy of the place is not utilized to the best advantage. We are told . that a religions census by the pastors of the city pro- duced the following general result: Number of families visited, 1,622; number of persons reported, 6,042; number of church attendants, 3.733; number of church members, 2,146; number of Sunday school attendants, 1.677.
A reliable index to the intellectual condi- tion of a place is its amount of postoffice busi- ness. A visit to this institution and an inter- view with Postmaster E. L. Brunton reveals
From the postoffice we proceed to the City Hall, and here by an interview with city clerk R. P. Reynolds we gather a number of in- teresting facts in regard to the city work and finances, in addition to those already given un- der the head of the water works and sewerage systems. Among them we learn that the gen- eral receipts of the city for the year 1900 were $45,268.04, and the expenses $32,629.38. There is a floating indebtedness upon the city of $27- 806.41. In connection with the City Hall is the City Fire Department. And concerning this we find a very complete summary in a spe- cial number of the Daily Statesman, which we quote.
"In addition to a paid fire department, Walla Walla has what might be considered the irost efficient volunteer fire service of any state in the country. It has a complete apparatus, consisting of two of the latest steam fire en-
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gines and a modern chemical engine, one hose wagon, and one Watrous aerial truck, and five paid men.
"The city has a volunteer force of over 125 men who respond to every alarm. There are three volunteer companies in Walla Walla, each of which is limited to a membership of 40 men. The entire .department is under the direction of a chief, who, at the present time is Dr. Y. C. Blalock, one of the veterans of the volunteer service. Dr. Blalock is ably assisted by W. H. Weber, as first assistant, and Frank Ennis, as second assistant. The several offi- cers of the organization are :
"J. W. Mackay, president; John Smith, vice-president; Harry Debus, secretary, and J. F. Krepps, treasurer.
"One of the oldest of the three volunteer companies is the Tiger No. 1, which has 40 members. Many of Walla Walla's oldest citi- zens have at different times served with this company. The officers at present are :
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