USA > Washington > Lincoln County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 11
USA > Washington > Adams County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 11
USA > Washington > Douglas County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 11
USA > Washington > Franklin County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
Seventh : The seat of the territorial legislature is now situated, by the nearest practicable route, at a dis- tance of four hundred miles from a large portion of the citizens of Northern Oregon.
Eighth : A great part of the legislation suitable to the south, is, for local reasons, opposed to the interests of the north, inasmuch as the south has a majority of votes, and representatives are always bound to reflect the will of their constituents, your petitioners can enter- tain no reasonable hopes that their legislative wants will ever be properly regarded under the present organiza- tion.
Ninth : Exprience has, in the opinion of your petitioners, well established the principle that in states having a moderate sized territory, the wants of the people are more easily made known to their representa- tives there is less danger of a conflict between sectional interests, and more prompt and adequate legislation can always be obtained.
In conclusion your petitioners would respectfully represent that Northern Oregon, with its great natural resources, presenting such unparalleled inducements to immigrants, and with its present large population, and rapidly increasing by immigration, is of sufficient im- portance, in a national point of view, to merit the foster- ing care of congress, and its interests are so numerous and so entirely distinct in their character, as to demand the attention of a separate and independent legislature.
Wherefore your petitioners pray your honorable bodies will at an early day pass a law organizing the district of country above described under a territorial government, to be named "The Territory of Columbia."
Done in convention assembled at the town of Monti- cello, Oregon Territory, this 25th day of November, A. D., 1852.
G. M. McCONAHA, President.
R. V. WHITE, Secretary.
This memorial was signed by forty-one other delegates. Congressional Delegate Joseph Lane earnestly supported the bill for the formation of Columbia Territory subse- quently introduced. February 10, 1853. the bill, amended by Mr. Stanton, of Kentucky, striking out the word "Columbia" and insert- ing in lieu thereof "Washington," passed the house by a vote of 128 to 29, and on March 2. without further amendment, it was passed by the senate. It should be taken into considera- tion that the bill, as passed by both houses, did not limit the new Territory to the boundaries prescribed by the memorial of the Monticello convention. Our national legislators took a broader view of the matter. and continued the line of partition from a point near Walla Walla, east along the 46th parallel to the Rocky Mountains. This was a far more equal di-
54
GENERAL HISTORY.
vision, and included what is now the "Pan- handle" of Idaho, an area considerably larger than the present state of Washington. At that period, according to a census taken in 1853 by Marshal Anderson, the counties in the new Washington Territory contained the following population : Clarke, 1,134, Island, 195, Lewis, 616, Jefferson, 189, King, 170, Pierce, 513, Thurston, 996, Pacific, 152; total, 3,965. Of these 1,682 were voters.
The first Territorial governor of Washing- ton was Isaac Ingalls Stevens, who was ap- pointed to this office and, also, made ex officio Superintendent of Indian Affairs of Washing- ton Territory, and by the secretary of war was given charge of an exploration and survey of a railroad from the headwaters of the Mississippi to Puget Sound. In a communication to A. A. Denny, dated at Washington, D. C., April 18, 1853, Governor Stevens said :
"Herewith you will find a printed copy of my instructions from the secretary of war, by which you will see an exploration and survey of a railroad from the headwaters of the Mis- sissippi to Puget Sound is entrusted to me * A military road is to be built from Fort Walla Walla to Puget Sound. Captain McClellan, an officer distinguished for his gal- lantry in Mexico, has command of the party who will make the exploration of the Cascade range and the construction of the military road. His undertaking of the task is a sure guarantee of its accomplishment. I expect to pierce the Rocky Mountains, and this road is to be done in time for the fall's immigration, so that an open line of communication between the states and Sound will be made this year."
Isaac Ingalls Stevens was born in the his- toric and classic town of Andover, Massachu- setts, and educated at West Point, from which military institution he was graduated with hon- ors in 1837. For several years the young of- ficer was in charge of the New England coast fortifications. During the war with Mexico he was attached to the staff of General Scott.
Four years preceding his appointment as Ter- ritorial Governor of Washington he was asso- ciated with Professor Bache in the coast sur- vey. It will be seen that the duties assigned to Governor Stevens were manifold and ardu- ous. Aside from the appointive office of gov- ernor of a young, though important Territory, he was to superintend the construction of a mil- itary road from the Sound to the Rockies; sur- vey the line of what eventually became the great transcontinental highway, the Northern Pacific Railroad, and at the same time superin- tend the complicated affairs of the savage and turbulent Indian tribes between the coast and the Rocky Mountains. Certainly a heavy re- sponsibility to be placed upon the shoulders of one man. The sagacity and efficiency with which he met these heavy responsibilities have been recorded in preceding chapters of this work. It was his destiny to be called higher. In May, 1861, news was received at Olympia of the surrender by Major Anderson of Fort Sumter. "The Irrepressible Conflict" be- tween North and South had for years worn heavily on the patriotic spirit of Governor Stev- ens. He was a pro-slavery democrat, yet he loved his country and placed her national and indisoluble interests above party or purely sectional benefits. In reply to a speech wel- coming him home from his perilous expedition among hostile tribes of Indians he said : "I con- ceive my duty to be to stop disunion." These were brave words, for at this period the Terri- tory of which he was chief executive was thickly populated with avowed secessionists.
Dissensions were rife in his own party. Assaults were made by the press upon his pa- triotism and even his personal character was assailed. He was accused of attempting a coali- tion with Lane and Grim for the purpose of forming an independent Pacific republic. Vis- ionary and chimerical as was this scheme; im- possible for one of the sterling patriotism of Governor Stevens to cherish for a moment, the charge found many professed believers among
55
GENERAL HISTORY.
his opponents. With the darkening of war clouds Stevens, who had intended to stand for re-election, renounced the project and hastened to Washington to offer his services to the gov- ernment. July 31, 1861, he was appointed col- onel of the 79th New York Infantry, and was among the first of the defenders of Washington and Arlington Heights. In March, 1862, he
received a commission as brigadier general, and on July 4, was made a Major General of vol- unteers. Such was his rapid rise by promotion in the army. His death was a fitting close of a heroic life. At the battle of Chantilly he seized the flag which had fallen from the dead hand of a color sergeant, and was shot in the forehead, dying upon the field. Sudden was the revul- sion of feeling in Washington Territory when news of his death was received. The legisla- ture passed resolutions in his honor, and crape was worn by the members ten days. He died at forty-four years of age. In a letter touching upon the character of Governor Stevens, writ- ten by Professor Bache, of the coast-survey, he said :
"He was not one who led by looking on but by example. As we knew him in the coast- survey office, so he was in every position of life. * This place he filled, and more than filled, for four years, with a devotion, an en- ergy, a knowledge not to be surpassed, and which left its beneficient mark upon our organ- ization. *
* * Generous and noble in im- pulses, he left our office with our enthusiastic admiration of his character, appreciation of his services, and hope for his success."
The apportionment for the first Washing- ton Territorial legislature was made by Gov- ernor Stevens soon after his arrival from the east. The proclamation concerning the same was made November 28, 1853. designating January 30. 1854, as the day for election of legislative members. February 27 was the time set for the meeting of the legislature and Olympia the place. Nine members composed the original council: Clarke county, D. F.
Bradford, William H. Tappan; Lewis and Pacific counties, Seth Catlin, Henry Miles; Thurston county, D. R. Bigelow, B. F. Yantis; Pierce and King counties, Lafayette Balch, G. N. McConaha; Jefferson and Island counties, William P. Sayward.
Twice this number of members composed the house, viz : Clarke county, F. A. Chenow- eth, A. J. Bolan, Henry R. Crosbie, A. C. Lewis and John D. Biles; Thurston county, C. H. Hall, L. D. Durgin, David Shelton and Ira Ward, Jr. : Island county, Samuel D. Howe; Pierce county, H. C. Moseley, L. F. Thompson and John M. Chapman : Jefferson county, Dan- iel F. Brownfield; King county, A. A. Denny ; Lewis county, H. D. Huntington and John R. Jackson : Pacific county, John Scudder.
In this legislative membership we have a fair roster of the pioneer statesmen of Wash- ington Territory. The most of them have been stricken by the hand of death, but the work they did in laying the foundation of Washing- ton's future territorial and commonwealth im- provement can never be stricken from the pages of history. One of these members, Hon. A. A. Denny, representative from King county, in a paper read before the Historical Society, at Tacoma, said :
At the time of the Monticello convention, Thurston county embraced all the territory north of Lewis county to the British line, and the session of the Oregon legis- lature, just prior to the division of the territory, formed 011 of Thurston county Pierce. King, Island and Jeffer- son counties, making a total of eight counties in Wash- ington Territory when organized, Clarke county at that time extending to the summit of the Rocky Mountains. The first session of the legislature formed eight new counties. Walla Walla was formed at this session, em- bracing all the territory east of the mouth of the Des Chutes river and running to the forty-ninth parallel on the north and the parallel of forty-six degrees thirty minutes eastward to the summit of the Rocky Moun- tains, and I well remember that a board of county officers was appointed and representation in the legislature pro- vided for, but when the succeeding legislature convened, no members from Walla Walla appeared, and it was found that no organization of the county had been made for want of population, and the widely scattered condi- tion of the few who then inhabited that vast territory.
56
GENERAL HISTORY.
It will be recalled that so early as 1852 the impetuous members of the Monticello conven- tion were determined to demand admission to the union as a state should congress deny terri- torial division. But thirty-seven years were destined to pass before the culmination of such an event. And yet. during a large portion of the last half of this period Washington was a state in all but name. Her statesmen and poli- ticians indulged in commonwealthian struggles much the same as those at present exploited by older states in the union. In 1859-60 a cer- tain faction plotted for the removal of the Ter- ritorial capital from Olympia to Vancouver. It was secretely arranged by legislative manipu- lation to apportion Territorial institutions as follows : to Vancauver the capital; to Seattle the university ; to Port Townsend the peniten- tiary. An act to this effect passed both bodies of the legislature. It carried, however, two fatal defects ; no enacting clause was inserted, and it violated the terms of the organic act by attempting a permanent location of the capital. Consequently the law fell to the ground of its own legal impotence. As in Louisiana, in 1872, two legislatures were in session in Wash- ington, or rather the regular body at Olympia and a "rump" organizing at Vancouver. The supreme court's decision on the removal law brought the factions again together at Olympia. In 1861 the corner stone of a university was laid at Seattle, A. A. Denny donating eight, and Edward Lander two, acres of land for that purpose. In this circumstance, also, the Ter- ritory of Washington assumed many of the ef- fects of modern statehood, through subsequent "mismanagement" of university funds. Truly a state in all but name !
Quite similar in point of contention for the capital was the strugle for the possession of the custom-house between Port Townsend and Port Angeles. In August, 1861, Victor Smith arrived from Washington, D. C., with creden- tials as collector of United States revenue. Possessing the confidence of the national ad-
ministration he was accused of utilizing it to further an intrigue for removal of the custom- house. It was openly charged that he was speculating in Port Angeles real estate and working for his personal financial interests. Be- sides this Smith was one of the original "car- pet-baggers," even at that early day detested by the democracy in Washington Territory, which party was, numerically, quite powerful. Removal of the custom-house from Port Townsend to Port Angeles was recommended by Secretary Salmon Portland Chase, and in June, 1862, congress passed a bill making the change. A subsequent act of congress was in the nature of "a bill for increasing revenue by reservation and sale of townsites." It was at this point that the crux of Smith's real estate enterprises became apparent. Port Townsend citizens were wild with excitement. They ac- cused Smith of a defalcation of $15,000, but he promptly repaired to the national capital and showed conclusively that the alleged crime was nothing more than the transference of one fund to another. This custom-house imbroglio continued for some time, in the course of which the guns of the revenue cutter Shubrick were shotted and brought to bear on the town of Port Townsend. Finally, after many serious complications, involving numerous arrests and much ill-feeling, the custom-house was re- moved from Port Townsend to Port Angeles. George B. McClellan, afterwards general commanding the army of the Potomac, had re- ported favorably upon the change of location. Here the institution remained until December 16, 1863, when the town of Port Angeles was washed away, causing the death of Inspector William B. Goodell and Deputy Collector J. W. Anderson. In 1865 the custom-house was taken back to Port Townsend, and the same year Victor Smith was lost in the wreck of the steamship Brother Jonathan, wrecked near Crescent City, involving the loss of three hun- dred lives.
For a number of years the residents of
57
GENERAL HISTORY.
Washington had been engaged in various wars with Indians. Therefore it was not unusual that some most excellent fighting material was to be found among the ex-volunteers of the Cayuse war, Steptoe's invasion and the im- portant battle of White River. In May, 1861, news of President Lincoln's call for volunteers was received at Olympia. Henry M. McGill was acting-governor; Frank Matthias adju- tant-general. The latter appointed enrolling officers in each county in the Territory, at this period comprising twenty-two, east and west of the Cascades. The same summer Wright. now brigadier general, was placed in command of the department of the Pacific, and Colonel Albermarle Cady of the district of the Colum- bia. Colonel Justin Steinberger came to the coast in January, 1862, and enlisted four in- fantry companies, one each from Port Madi- son, Walla Walla, Port Townsend and What- com. From the Olympia Standard, of July 20, 1861, it is learned that a company had prev- iously, in May, been enlisted at Port Madison, designated at the Union Guards, consisting of seventy men, officered as follows: William Fowler, captain ; H. B. Manchester, first lieu- tenant ; E. D. Kromer, second lieutenant : non- commissioned officers, A. J. Tuttle, Noah Falk, William Clendennin, Edgar Brown, S. F. Coombs, R. J. May, J. M. Grindon, John Tay- lor. The Lewis County Rangers, mounted, were organized in June, 1861. Henry Miles, captain ; L. L. Dubeau. first lieutenant ; S. B. Smith, second lieutenant. To the four com- panies enlisted by Colonel Steinberger four more were added from California, General Al- vord assumed command in July, and Colonel Steinberger went to Fort Walla Walla. where he relieved Colonel Cornelius, of the Oregon cavalry. These troops were stationed at Walla Walla and Fort Pickett.
In 1860 the discovery of valuable aurifer- ous deposits at Pierce City, Oro Fino, Oro Grande and other points along the Clearwater, in what is now Idaho, but was then included in
Washington Territory, created a stampede which his seldon been equalled in the history of gold discoveries in the territory. At that period a treaty with the Nez Perces existed which, theoretically, estopped travel across the Indian country. Practically it did nothing of the sort. From a few hundred the number of miners increased to thousands. On the Colum- bia river lines of steamers plied between the western portions of the Territory to old Fort Walla Walla, conveying men and freight as near as possible to these seductive placer mines, where pay dirt was found averaging one hun- dred dollars a day to the miner. In May the steamer Colonel Wright came up the Columbia and Clearwater to within forty miles of Pierce City. At this landing was founded the "spas- modic" mining town of Slaterville, with its canvas saloons and rough board shanties. In July five thousand men were prospecting the country, or washing from ten to one hundred and fifty dollars a day from the earth. "Town lot" people and merchants reaped a substantial reward for their industry. It is stated that the weekly receipts of gold dust at Portland from the Clearwater district was $100,000. Deady's "History of Oregon" says: "The Colville and Oro Fino mines helped Portland greatly : and in 1861 built up the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. Loaded drays used to stand in line half a mile long. unloading at night freight to go in the morning, that involved a fortune."
It was but natural that the steadily increas- ing tide of immigration to this district should materially affect the political status of the Ter- ritory. From west of the Cascades the pendu- lum of political power swung to the east; to the vicinity of Shoshone and Walla Walla counties. More judges were required east of the mountains. District courts were estab- lished at the county seats. It was, however, the destiny of Washington Territory to lose the richest portions of these mining districts. Con- gress passed an act. which was approved by President Lincoln, March 3. 1863. organizing
58
GENERAL HISTORY.
the Territory of Idaho out of all such territory of Washington lying east of Oregon and the 117th meridian of west longitude. The popu- lation of the remaining Territory of Washing- ton was then only 12,519. Yet in 1860 it had been less than half this number.
Twelve years before the admission of Washington into the union agitation concern- ing this subject was precipitated. Congres- sional Delegate Jacobs in December, 1877, in- troduced a bill for admission, and when it was fully realized that a constitutional convention was to be ordered, the old question of 1852 sprung to the front, "Washington" or "Col- umbia"? June II, 1878, the convention as- sembled at Walla Walla. By the constitution then adopted a new eastern boundary was marked for the proposed state, including the Idaho "Panhandle" and much of the mineral territory lost in 1863. Twenty-four days were passed in "concentrating" and "smelting" the various provisions of this document, and, al- though no enabling act had been passed by Congress, the constitution was adopted by the people at the succeeding November election for delegates. As the entire proceedings of this convention were void and nugatory, it is need- less to devote space to their consideration. As illustrative of patriotic zeal and alert progres- siveness, however, the attitude of the people at this period is worthy of record.
The administration of Governor Watson C. Squire was one especially worthy of commen- dation. He was appointed in 1884, succeeding William A. Newell. Squire was a man of rare executive ability, a veteran of the Civil war, and became one of the most prominent factors in advancing the interests of the Territory and promoting its progress toward statehood. He was born May 18, 1838, at Cape Vincent, New York, and in 1861 enlisted in the 19th New York Infantry as a private, rising to the rank of first lieutenant. He then resigned, was graduated from the Cleveland law school, in 1862, and then recruited a company of sharp-
shooters of which he was given the command, being assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. He served on the staffs of both Generals Rose- cranz and Thomas and was, after the war, agent for the Remington Arms Company. In 1879 he located in Seattle, and ten years there- after was elected president of the statehood committee, holding its meeting in Ellensburg in January of 1889. In framing memorials afterward presented to congress in behalf of statehood he was most assiduously employed and his efforts met with cordial appreciation from the people of the Territory.
During the administration of Governor Squire occurred the "Chinese Riots," on the coast, opinion of his policy in the Territory be- ing at that time divided. But it is certain that his courageous attitude in behalf of law and order won the approval of a large majority of the most influential and intelligent citizens of the nation at large. It was at this period, 1885, that the first attempts, under auspices of the Knights of Labor, were made to expel China- men from the Territory. Riots occurred ; Chinese were killed and bloodshed and dis- order ensued at Seattle among the coal miners. Governor Squire, November 5, 1885, issued a proclamation commanding the establishment of peace, and to this so little attention was paid that disorder increased rather than subsided, and several Chinese houses were fired and the occupants driven away. Troops were promptly forwarded from Vancouver and, the secretary of war being informed of the conditions, Pres- ident Cleveland issued a proclamation couched in more drastic terms than had been that of Governor Squire. Its effect was temporary; in February, 1886, other outbreaks took place and in efforts to protect the "celestials" a num- ber of lives were sacrificed and conditions re- solved themselves into overt rebellion. Gov- ernor Squire declared martial law. Its pro- visions were carried out with firmness, if not severity. Order was restored, but the execu- tive found himself placed between the hostile
59
GENERAL HISTORY.
attacks of the proletariat, and the hearty com- mendation of President Cleveland, his cabinet and the members of the Territorial legislature.
Squire's administration was marked by healthy progress and steady improvement in the various industries and material welfare of the Territory. During his incumbency the penitentiary was built at Walla Walla, an addi- tion made to the penitentiary at Seatco, and an insane asylum erected at Steilacoom. At the close of 1885 the Territory was free from debt and with a surplus of $100,000. That his best efforts were ever directed to further the inter- ests of Washington is amply proven, not only by gratifying results, but by his carefully pre- pared and luminously written official reports. The one forwarded to the secretary of the in- terior in 1884 was a concise and valuable his- tory of the Territory for several years ante- rior to his administration, embracing much in- formation that had been ignored by preceding executives. In explaining his object in thus voluminously presenting these valuable statis- tics Governor Squire said :
"I have diligently corresponded with the auditors and assessors of all the counties of the Territory, furnishing them with printed blanks to be returned, and with all the managers of various educational and business institutions. Besides drawing on my own knowledge of the Territory, gleaned during a residence here dur- ing the past five or six years, I have gathered and compiled a variety of important facts from leading specialists in reference to the geo- graphical, geologic, and climatic characteris- tics, the coal and iron mining, horticultural, agricultural, and manufacturing interests, the fisheries and the flora and fauna of the Terri- tory. The data thus offered, together with the summary reports of our charitable and penal institutions, and an exhibit of the financial con- dition of the Territory, if published, will not only be of great service in encouraging and stimulating our people. but will furnish re- liable information to the intending immigrant,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.