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 16
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 16
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 16
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 16
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Such was the condition of Lincoln county railway affairs in August, 1888. On the 27th instant Frank M. Gray, of Davenport, re- ceived the following wire from D. F. Percival, Cheney :
"Grading forces commenced here on Big Bend road (Central Washington) this morn- ing under Contractor Hunt. Large force of men at work ; more will be put on. Work will be pushed as fast as possible to Davenport."
Within a few days after the reception of this cheerful message about four hundred graders were throwing dirt at different points between Cheney and Davenport, and on Octo- ber 26th Mr. Percival again wired Mr. Gray from Cheney :
"Track layers on the Cheney & Davenport (Central Washington) road commenced this morning from here. Look out for the keers when the bell rings."
Tuesday, November 27th the first train on the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad made its appearance at Medical Lake, Spo- kane county. At that time Wheatdale was its terminal point toward which it was building at the rate of two miles a day. It was the plan of the projectors of this road to complete forty-five miles to Wheatdale, near Daven- port, by December 1, 1888, and then cease work for the winter. going forward to the mouth of the Wenatchee river. on the Colum- bia, the following season. At the same period the plan of the projectors of the Central Wash- ington road was to "construct a railroad from a point on the main line of the Northern Pa- cific, at or near the town of Cheney, in Spo- kane county, extending thence in a general northwesterly direction to a point at, or near
the town of Davenport, in Lincoln county ; thence in a general northwesterly direction to the west side of what is known as the middle crossing of the Grand Coulee, in Douglas county, in the Big Bend country, and thence in a general westerly and south westerly direc- tion to an eligible point on the Columbia, near the mouth of the Wenatchee river, in the county of Douglas, all in the Territory of Washington."
Thus it will be readily perceived that these two companies had thrown out surveys over practically the same routes. But the first train to arrive "at or near Davenport," was a con- struction train of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway Company. This was on De- cember 3. 1888, and yet this terminus was then several miles south of town. From this point freight and passengers were conveyed to Davenport by teams. At this period travel was brisk and many hack and freight wagons were in active commission caring for the large volume of trade. At one time it was seri- ously considered by the company to build a rival town at the terminal point. Still Daven- port possessed so many advantages in the way of location and eligibility that this idea was abandoned.
January 1, 1889. the Central Washington was graded into Davenport and track-laying was proceeding as fast as practicable. Feb- ruary 14th this road had come within the cor- porate limits of Davenport; the town now had its first direct rail communication with the outside world. Heretofore the work of track- laying in the eastern portion of Lincoln county had been seriously hampered by snow and severe weather. Consequently the date of the arrival of the initial train was somewhat later than had been anticipated. Tuesday, February 12th, the working crew, the steam track-layer and the train accompanying with material had swung into sight around the bend, a mile or more to the east. All day Wednesday the crew worked steadily onward toward the depot
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grounds, arriving in town that evening, the finishing touches being given to the road on the day following. The scene of operations was visited Wednesday by crowds of people anxious to witness the automatic working of the patent track-layer. Each face was wreathed with a smile of satisfaction, and it was the universal opinion that this grand entree of a railroad was destined to insure a rapid growth of the town and increased prosperity. It was, in fact, a gratifying realization of one of those crowning events in the annals of a community that invariably meets hearty approval, and often enthusiastic commendation. Small wonder that upon this consummation of their hopes the citizens congratulated each other.
The construction of the Central Washing- ton railway was conducted with no grand flourish of trumpets or noisy demonstration. The company had decided to build into the Big Bend, and proceeded to carry out the plan with- out ostentation. No subsidy was voted, nor was the progress of the line advertised abroad. It was a business proposition, pure and simple. and as such it was carried out to a successful conclusion. The steady progress of the road was only anxiously watched by that section of country ready to reap the benefits of such a line. The construction was done under the di- rect supervision of Engineer C. F. Reardan, and in every respect the work was first-class. Inclemency of the weather occasionally checked work for a day or two, but the means employed for laying track were the most per- fect that the ingenuity of man had, so far, produced, and with it Mr. Reardan pushed for- ward to his objective point.
The Central Washington railroad began running regular trains to Davenport. The freight business of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railway dwindled away to absolutely nothing, temporarily, and much of the pas- senger traffic was. also, lost. But the latter road effected a coup. It arranged to deliver freight into Davenport at the same rates
charged by the Central Washington, and, for awhile, so successfully did it carry out this plan that the contractor plying between the terminus of the road and Davenport had more business than he could conveniently handle.
An immediate result of the construction of a railway through a portion of Lincoln county was a large influx of settlers, especially during the spring of 1889, and considerable land was purchased. pre-empted and homesteaded. June 14, 1889. General Tyner published the following concerning the wonderful change re- cently effected in Lincoln county :
"Think of the short time ago when Lincoln county was an unknown quantity, as much so almost as Central Africa, and then think what three or four years have done. From an umnoc- cupied prairie country given up to the rever- berating echoes of the howling coyote, or the paths of roaming Indians, now the railroad track has absorbed the Indian trail; the loco- motive the coyote's yelp; new depots and ele- vators, steam elevators, which although but recently completed, handled over 100,000 bushels of unsold wheat. Now the live news- paper publishes the events of the world which the cowboy formerly peddled to straggling camps. Now families are breaking up sod on great farms over which restless herds of stock grazed at will but a few moons ago.
It may prove of interest to learn that in 1888, less than 20 years ago, there were in Lincoln county only 67 persons and firms who paid taxes on over $4,000 worth of property. The names of these and the amounts upon which they paid taxes at that period were :
Northern Pacific Railway Company. $296,- 788; First National Bank. Sprague, $22,000 ; Edward Ramm, $20,365; Harrington, Furth & Company, $25.400: John Enos, $19,800 ; Brown, Glasscock & Company, $16,095; E. M. Kinnear, $15,945: William Bigham, $15 .- 010; Gehres & Hertrich, $15.176; R. O. Porak, $10,444: 11. W. Fairweather, $10.245; Hoffman & Stevens, $10,240: C. C. May,
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$9.780; G. M. & L. C. Fisher, $9,004: B. B. Glasscock, $9.595: J. H. Lamona, $9.535: John Balf, $8,505: Pauline Robbins, $8,555; J. H. Shields, $8,565: William Dittenhoefer, $8.525; William Greene, $8,110; Jensen, Brooke & Company.' $8,650; J. H. Nicholls and wife, $7,135; David Gunning, $7.030; John Hogan. $7.720; George Benninghoff. $7,890; R. M. Bacon, $6,960; C. Hartson. $6,016 James Hubbard, $6,335; Murphy & Burns, $6,215; Frank Ringuett, $6, 135; Max Sussman, $6,310: G. C. Turner, $6,220 ; Poul- son & McKinnie, $5.025: P. Myer, $5.525: W. J. Burrows, $5.715: A. Sawyer, $5.350: Clay Fruit, $5.825; W. M. Stafford, $5.000; J. Walters, $5.275: C. W. Washburn, $5.870; E. M. Jones, $5,800: Adam Ludy, $5,040: C. O. Lybecker, $5.410; T. H. Brents, $5.460 : W. N. Bowen, $4,420: Thomas Dawant. $4,700; B. Fitzpatrick, $4,150: A. Dowell, $4,120; J. Harding, $4,020; D. N. Hyde, $4,590; I. Irby, $4,680; J. W. Johnson, $4,400; J. G. Kethroe, $4,625; Lafollette Brothers, $4,000: Joseph Lapray, $4,870; H. McCool, $4,525; H. McNeilly, $4,825; D. K. McPherson, $4.555: John Nee, $4.970: L. Popple, $4.350; I. Ravenaugh, $4.325: C. Smith, $4,850; John Turner, $4,190; W. L. Smith, $4,785; J. R. Whittaker, $4,295 ; T. R. Moore, $4,265.
During the late So's and early 90's the discoveries of rich silver mines in the Salmon River district, Okanogan, were causes of con- siderable travel through Lincoln county. All those going into the mines from the east trav- ersed the county, and there were numbers of them. The route from Spokane was by way of Deep Creek Falls and Mondovi to Davenport. Leaving Davenport the course was northwest- erly, passing Brown's and "Wild Goose Bill's" ranches where now stands the town of Wilbur, thence on through Keller, to "Wild Goose Bill's ferry on the Columbia river. The distance from Davenport to Keller was about forty miles, and from Keller to the ferry forty miles
farther. Crossing the Columbia river was ef- fected by means of a steel wire ferry, carrying a large boat. From this point the trail ran in a northwesterly direction over the Colville In- dian reservation, the Okanogan River being crossed at Jones' Ferry. Through stages ran from Spokane Falls to Ruby and Salmon City, (the latter being afterwards called Conconully ) and the trip required three days' time.
In July. 1889, work was commenced on the extension of the Central Washington from Davenport westward. To Contractor Kirkin- dall was awarded the contract to push the road through to a point on the western boundary of the county known as Almira. July 26th the Times published the following :
"The meeting of the committee from this town (Davenport) and the officials of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway Com- pany was held at Spokane Falls Monday, July 2Ist. The result of this conference was that Mr. Mohr offered to have his road built into Davenport in thirty days provided he received $15,000 and right of way. A representative meeting was held here Tuesday evening last (July 22d), when the foregoing proposition was presented, and the unanimous conclusion arrived at that the money should be raised and the right of way given. A committee consist- ing of Messrs. Nicholls, Ratcliffe, Newman, McAvinney, Luce, May, Finney, Edwards, Simmons, Ramm, McMillan, O'Connor, Essig, Drumheller and Forrest was appointed to so- licit subscriptions."
August 16th the Times added the follow- ing anent the same matter :
"A very enthusiastic meeting of the citi- zens of Davenport was held at the offices of the Big Bend National Bank on Monday last (August 1Ith) to hear the result of Mr. David Wilson's conference with the Seattle Com- pany's officials regarding the construction of the road to this point. Both business and property interests were well represented on the occasion and the unanimous opinion of the
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meeting was that trains would be running into town not later than October Ist, next.
"Mr. Wilson stated that he had met Mr. Paul F. Mohr, vice president of the Seattle Company at Tacoma, and had submitted a proposition to him to the effect that the people here would give the company the right of way from present end of track to Davenport ; would grade the road-bed, build culverts, leave the track ready for the ties and donate the neces- sary dépot grounds provided his company would furnish a competent constructing engi- neer, survey the road and supply all the rails, ties, fastenings, switch-stands, buildings and all other necessary materials and appliances to complete the road. This proposition was made by Mr. Wilson in lieu of that made by the Seattle Company a short time ago, in which the residents of this section were asked to subscribe $15,000 to the stock of the road. which is just about double the amount that will now be required to carry out the desired object. Mr. Wilson read a letter from Mr. Mohr stat- ing that his company would accept the pro- posal made.
"A committee was appointed to solicit sub- scriptions and a list was immediately made headed as follows: David Wilson, $1,000; May & Luce, $500; John H. Nicholls, $250."
October 11, 1889, the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railway was completed into Daven- port. But this had not been accomplished without a struggle. Of this battle between giants the Times said :
"The road bed of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern is graded into town, and by Tues- day. October 8th, the iron was laid to the Northern Pacific crossing, only a short dis- tance south of the school house and within the town limits, and the cars would today be running into the depot yards at the head of Morgan street were it not for an impediment that the new arrival ran into. It was nothing less than the opposition of the Northern Pa- cific people who are barring the crossing with
a locomotive. From an employee of the road we learn that the Seattle officials picked up a frog at Medical Lake that was the property of the Northern Pacific and had it on the ground here ready to put in Tuesday. When Superin- tendent Riordan, of the Central Washington, was notified of this fact he ran an engine down to the crossing with a force of men, loaded the frog on board and carried it off. He then had an engine stationed across the track and there it has remained up to the present time. night and day. Both parties are watching each other, the Seattle men to get across. and the Northern Pacific men to prevent it. Of course the crossing will eventually be made. but the hitch is putting the Seattle outfit to considerable expense, besides it is the source of great annoyance to the people of Davenport who are anxious to see the new road in opera- tion. Wednesday the Seattle passenger train arrived at the crossing, and the iron could be laid to the end of the grade in a few hours if the impediment were out of the way. So far the proceedings have been conducted without any violence. Further work will be tied up until the strong arm of the law makes the Northern Pacific officials give way."
It is sufficient to say that this annoyance was of short duration, and when the Seattle Company had provided its own frog, it was put in without further objection on the part of the Central Washington people.
Sunday night, August 18, 1889, at 10:30 o'clock, fire broke out in the government saw mill at Fort Spokane, and within a short period everything was consumed with the ex- ception of the engine and boiler. These latter were slightly damaged, but not sufficiently to disable them. The fire originated in the en- gine room and the damage, including the loss of lumber. was estimated at $5.000.
The year 1880) will be remembered by resi- (lents of Lincoln county as "the year of the crop failure"-an event so unusual that it is well worth recording. It is not often that the
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
fertile soil of the Big Bend proves recreant to the trust reposed in it. The season was a promise and a disappointment. In the spring everything bore a most propitious aspect. The broad acres of Lincoln county were beautiful carpets of rich verdure. The grain was healthy, vigorous and heavy, and the harvest bade fair to be the largest ever garnered. But Providence willed otherwise. When the pros- pects appeared the brightest the withering blight of steady and excessively hot winds came sweeping over the country, and with it perished the hopes of the husbandman. There followed a long siege of dry, hot weather, and it is astonishing that there was anything of a crop at all left. The farmer, however, cut half a crop, but to the many who had sowed their fields for the first time this misfortune was more than usually severe. The consequences of this partial crop failure-for partial it was -was to create a financial stringency in the Big Bend which was severely felt.
A 'serious wreck occurred on the Central Washington railroad, six miles west of Wil- bur, Wednesday morning, January 8, 1890. The road had been blocked with snow for a long time and the first train out consisted of engines Nos. 100 and 447, one box car and two way cars. This train left Wulbur about 10:30 o'clock a. m., for Almira, to clear the · track. West of town a cut of eight feet deep was encountered, full of solidly drifted snow. The two engines made a run for the cut, but the hard condition of the drifted snow caused both locomotives to jump the track. The en- gines rolled over and fatally injured the engi- neer and fireman of 447, Messrs. Melcher and Burroughs. Tim Raridon, the old-time con- (luctor, who was on the head engine, jumped through the cab window before the engine fell over, escaping with a severe shaking up and a few bruises. Engineer F. Gorman, of No. 100. and his fireman, McClellan, had a very close call, but escaped with a slight scalding.
"Engineer Melcher was the most severely
injured and died in a few days. His injuries were internal, caused by being jammed in the debris, and also from inhaling steam. His fireman, James Burroughs, suffered terribly, being held against the boiler-head among the burning coals which had been thrown from the fire-box, and the escaping steam from the bursted pipes. Help was immediately sum- moned from Wilbur and all that was possible was done to relieve the sufferers. The cut where this accident occurred is about 150 feet long and the head engine, 447, had not ad- vanced within more than 75 feet before it left the rails, running on the ties about fifty feet more, when the pilot appears to have struck some obstacle, doubled up, or buckled, torn off the front trucks and shot the engine over on the right side at right angles to, and almost clear, of the track. The second engine was keeled over on its left side and imbedded in the side of the cut."
Fourteen years prior to the important de- cision of the federal supreme court in the case of the Northern Securities Company's "mer- ger" Lincoln county found herself with some- thing in the nature of a "merger" on her own hands. This was in July, 1890, and of it the Times said :
"Rumors have been in circulation here for some days to the effect that the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway Company had fallen into the hands of the Northern Pacific. The following telegram from President Oakes, of the Northern Pacific Railway Company to the Spokane Falls Globe confirms the report :
" 'The Northern Pacific Company has pur- chased a little more than a majority of the cap- ital stock of the Seattle, Lake Shore & East- ern -- that is, about $3.00,000 out of $5,000 .- 000 -- and has leased the remainder of the prop- erty upon the basis of six and three-quarter per cent interest on the outstanding bonds, and the further issue of bonds to complete the line to the International Boundary. a total of about $5,000,000. The annual rental will be about
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$8,000,000, but inasmuch as the Seattle Com- pany has thus far earned its interest, the North- ern Pacific is not likely to be called upon to make good any deficit. The Northern Pacific will enter upon the operation of the Seattle road on the 25th of July." "
This virtual consolidation of the two lines was particularly unsatisfactory to both Daven- port and Spokane. The former town had ex- pended several thousand dollars for the pur- pose of securing a competing line into the Big Bend Country, while Spokane had subscribed $175,000 in stock to the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern road.
Early in January, 1890, Lincoln county, in common with all of eastern Washington, was visited by perhaps the worst snow storm in its history. For more than a week the settlers of the county were without communication with the outside world. Railroads were blockaded and many passengers on the various trains were snowbound in different towns. The worst feature of the storm was the loss of stock occasioned by its severity. All feed was covered by snow, and so heavy were some of the drifts that many cattle perished in them. It was, in fact, next to impossible for stock- men to ride around and drive in range cattle. However, this loss was nothing to what would have resulted in such a storm several years previous. Settlement of the country nad cur- tailed the range and there were comparatively few head of stock running at large. Farmers had learned wisdom by experience, and in the main, they had prepared for such an emer- gency by keeping up their stock and winter- feeding them. Still, the losses trom this source were quite severe.
The drifting snow blockaded the railroads as effectually as though a deluge had obliter- ated the tracks and it was only by persistent labor that the wheels were again set in motion. The wind began blowing January ist, and whirled the light snow across the country. Every cut, no matter how deep, was piled level
full, placing an impregnable face to the loco- motive. Trains on the Central Washington and Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern roads ar- rived in Davenport from Spokane Falls Wedensday night, January 1, and from that time until the 6th no train was able to make its way through. January 3d the powerful snow plow of the Central Washington left Davenport, urged on by three engines, and a passenger train followed in its wake. At Reardan the monster plow plunged into a cut and there stuck fast. Two other engines were almost pulled to pieces and considerably dam- aged in an endeavor to extricate, or force on the plow. This condition of affairs continued until Sunday, the 5th, when a rotary snow plow began work out of Cheney. This mon- ster cork-screw worked a clearing until it reached a point a few miles east of Reardan. when it, too, was disabled and taken back for repairs. Returning on Monday it had a track open and traffic was resumed east of Daven- port. The western end of the route was then attacked and opened in the course of a few days. The rival road, Seattle. Lake Shore & Eastern was not so successful in opening its track, having no snow-plow, and spring had opened before it was in running order. The town of Wilbur was cut off from all outside communication 31 days.
Following this severe storm of January the weather continued cold until March. there being another storm the latter part of Febru- ary. This, too, added to the woes of the stock- man and the railroads. This latter storm was particularly severe on stock, and that which was running at large was almost completely wiped out, while even where animals were fed there was considerable loss. During the period of the February storm cattle and horses that had escaped the January attack were emaciated and in no condition to withstand further cold weather. Settlers who had veen feeding ran out of hay, and the snow remain- ing long into the usual springtime, much of
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the stock which had heretofore enjoyed the advantage of care succumbed. In summing up this disaster the Lincoln County Times of March 7th said :
"Continual storms and severe weather have put an end to all hopes of cattlemen, and the loss among range cattle and horses amounts almost to annihilation. A loss of eighty or even ninety per cent. is not too high an esti- mate. No portion of this section has escaped. Even where the farmers prepared to feed their stock through the winter they did not calcu- late on so prolonged a season, and feed has failed. We hear the most distressing accounts of the losses and men who last fall were con- sidered well-to-do are today bankrupt
* Each day we hear the names of old settlers mentioned who have lost about all their stock. One instance is told of a cattle- man whose feed was exhausted before the last big storm. He could not witness the suffer- ings of the animals. They were all driven into a canyon and there left to perish. The coun- try west of Davenport is strewn with dead ani- mals, and their bleaching bones will long re- main sad reminders of this terrible winter. The effect of the season on cattle has conclu- sively proved one thing, and that is that the range in this section has become too limited for large bands of stock."
ter had closed in there were 40,800 sheep with- in the boundaries of Lincoln county, and that 10,875 perished in these two storms.
By the older citizens of Lincoln county the spring of 1890 will be remembered as the "hard times" period. Property was cheap : business stagnant. Each community in the county suffered from the baleful effects of short crops and an unusually severe winter. But sanguine hopes arose above this depression. It was the belief of nearly all that it was but temporary, and that with the customary "bumper crop" for which the county has al- most universally been noted financial affairs would resolve themselves into more favorable conditions.
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