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 17
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 17
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 17
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 17
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In 1890, according to the government census, Lincoln county was accredited with a poulation of 9.312. And this wonderful in- crease had nearly all accumulated since the era of railway construction through the county.
While the subject of squirrels may appear a rather unique one to occupy a place in the history of any county, old residents of the Big Bend country will agree with us that for sev- eral years, beginning with the spring of 1890, the squirrel question assumed large and omin- ous proportions. While these pests did not make their first appearance this year, it was at this particular time. however, that they came in hordes. They were. indeed, promi- nent. In political conventions platforms were framed containing "squirrel planks," and the issue appeared momentous. Columns after columns were, in the daily and weekly press, devoted to the treatment of the squirrel evil. Patent exterminators as numerous and varied as the hues of Joseph's coat were put on the market, but each in turn was cast aside and the scourge was only eliminated by the death of the pests from natural causes. A correspond- ent of the Farmington Journal wrote :
During the spring succeeding the memor- able "hard winter" of 1889-90 travelers throughout the country reported that dead cat- tle and horses were scattered everywhere. As a rule these dead animals would be found in bunches of half a dozen or more, as if the poor creatures had crowded close together for warmth. The atmosphere of some sections was permeated by a dreadful stench from these decaying carcasses. There were far too many of them too be buried and in a number of in- stances giant powder was used to blow the bodies to atoms. A gentleman thoroughly "The squirrel which proved such a pest to the farmers of Lincoln county for several familiar with the sheep industry informed the editor of the Sprague Herald that before win- 1 years was an animal indigenous to the great
93
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
basin lying between the Rocky Mountains and the Cascades and Sierra Nevadas, and is de- scribed by naturalists under the name of the 'whistling marmot of the great plains of the Columbia.' In habit it was a hibernating ani- mal and made its first appearance in this lati- tude about the middle of March, and in fact its habits were so regular that they have been known to burrow through snow-drifts of from two to there feet deep, and it returned to its burrow about the middle of August or first of September. It got in its worst destructive work in July and August, when preparing for its winter rest, and the damage was done by cutting down the grain and stripping it of the leaves, as it laid up no winter store at all. At the approach of the autumn season the mar- mot would retire to his burrow and close the mouth of it with earth and then roll himself in a ball of dried grass and lie dormant until the next spring, when he would again emerge and enjoy life for a brief period."
Those farms in the western portion of Lin- coln county appeared to be more seriously af- fected by the inroads of the pestilent ground squirrels. There the country appeared to be literally alive with them. In some instances farmers dug deep trenches around their fields in an effort to keep off the squirrels. Mr. Geer, of Geer postoffice, killed 1,100 squir- rels within the space of four days, and a farmer near Wilbur succeeded in making away with 16.000 during the summer. And al- though this slaughter continued there ap- peared to be no diminution in the exasperat- ing number of squirrels. Bounties and free poison ran the county in debt $40,000. Squir- rel scalp bounties were offered by the county commissioners. Commenting upon this the Times said: "It is astonishing the number of squirrels that have fallen victims this spring. and it would seem that the ranks of the pests must be almost annihilated by the war that has been waged against them this spring. The first wweek the commissioners were in session up-
ward of 30,000 scalps were cashed in and full returns have not yet been received. Yet while this number appears large, the mortality has made no perceptible reduction in the squirrel population."
During the autumn of 1890 the Central Washington railway was completed to Coulee City, in Douglas county. The preceding year it had reached .Almira. Some inside history concerning the building of this road was con- tributed by Mr. C. P. Chamberlin, who be- came its receiver. In his report published in February, 1896, he said :
"In 1887 a Mr. Jamieson made a survey and located a line for the building of the Cen- tral Washington railroad from Cheney, in Spo- kane county. to a point a few miles west of Coulee City, in Douglas county, Washington, a distance of one hundred and seventeen and thirty-seventh-one-hundredths miles. The con- struction of the Central Washington railroad was begun at Cheney on July 15. 1888, and completed to Coulee City in 1890. The road is completed one mile and forty feet beyond Cou- lee City, and grade built for about eight miles beyond the end of the track, or nearly to the top of Grand Coulee, on the west side.
"Starting at Cheney the road, as built. fol- lows the Jamieson survey to a point about two miles west of Medical Lake, a distance of about twelve miles west of Cheney. At this point the road, as built, leaves the Jamieson survey and runs almost dne north for about two miles, following down the stream known as Deep Creek for about three miles, crossing the stream on a 44-span trestle bridge, 703 feet long and 40 feet high, built on an eight-degree curve. The road then runs west about one mile, thence north two miles, thence southwesterly, thence northwesterly and westerly to point of intersec- tion, west of Reardan, with the Jamieson sur- vey, being a distance of eighteen miles from where the constructed line left the Jamieson survey, to point of intersecting it again. This change necessitated the making of sharp curves.
94
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
deep cuts, high trestles, sags and increase of grades and lengthened the road about four and four-tenths miles in the eighteen miles, whereas the Jamieson survey from section I, township 24, west, range 40 east, ran nearly on a tangent in a west-northwesterly direction, all the way to where the constructed line intersects west of Reardan, making scarcely any cuts, a much easier grade and distance shorter four and four- tenths miles. Nearly all the grade was built and right of way secured on the line of the Jamieson survey before the change was made to where the road is now built.
"At a point about one mile west of Daven- port the road, as built, turns south and south- west, thence west to Rocklyn, thence north- west to Creston, a distance of about twenty- two miles. Some ten miles of this distance the road, as built, passes through a belt of scab land, composed of basaltic rock, necessitating numerous rock cuts, making this ten miles the most expensive piece of road to build between Cheney and Coulee City. The Jamieson sur- vey, in covering this distance, runs west-north- west from Davenport until nearing the scab land, that road, as built, passes through, when it runs south avoiding the scab land and rock, crossing back to where the road is now built between Wilbur and Govan, making a much shorter route. The advantage of the Jamieson survey over that of road as built for above dis- tance was a saving in distance, grades, curves, and avoiding the rock cuts. At about the 86th mile post, near Almira, the road as built again leaves the Jamieson survey, runs northwest for- about two and one-half miles and thence south- westerly for about fourteen and one-half miles, intersecting the Jamieson survey again at about mile post 104.
"On the Jamieson survey the grade is de- scending the whole distance, while on the road as built it rises to an elevation of 2,108 feet, three and one-half miles west of mile post 86, making this difference; Jamieson survey, length, 16 miles; road as built, length, 18
miles; Jamieson survey, grades not exceeding 7 per cent .; road as built, six miles, .8 to 1.5 per cent. ; twelve miles, .4 to .8 per cent. grades. About the only explanation that is given for this change of the construction of the road is that about the time of the beginning of the con- struction of the Central Washington railroad there was a townsite company formed and com- posed almost entirely of the Northern Pacific officials, who were either in charge of the con- struction of the Central Washington railway, or occupying positions that gave them prom- inence in controlling and directing the affairs of the Northern Pacific Railway Company. It is a matter of regret both to the owners and to the patrons of the Central Washington rail- way that this townsite company could not have secured as favorable terms for their purpose along the line of the Jamieson survey as where the road was built."
The story of the county seat contest of 1890 between Davenport and Sprague is one re- plete with dramatic, even sensational interest. It is a recognized truth that the residents of the northern and western portions of Lincoln county never considered the county seat as per- manently located at Sprague. It had always been regarded as a matter of course that at some future day the question of relocation would again be submitted to the arbitrament of the ballot. Firm in this belief the voters time and again elected county commissioners with the distinct ante-election understanding that they should swing their official influence to prevent construction of any expensive county buildings.
The summer of 1890 appeared to be an au- spicious time in which to reopen the burning question of county capital removal. Construc- tion of the Central Washington and Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railroads through the northern part of the county had caused a rapid settlement of that portion of the Big Bend. New towns had sprung up and each had ac- quired quite a formidable voting strength. Ag- ricultural and industrial conditions surround-
95
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
ing the two towns of Davenport and Sprague were radically different from what they were during the memorable contest of 1884, six years previous. At that period the central and northern portions were little more than rolling bunch-grass prairies. Settlements were few and far between. Now the aspect was decid- edly changed. Nearly every district surround- ing Davenport and trending to the southward was occupied by thrifty farmers. It was pro- posed by the citizens of Davenport to build free of cost to the county a court house building the expense of which should be not less than $10,000. Three-fifths of all ballots cast were necessary to remove the county seat, all of which votes must be in favor of one particular place of removal.
Fully 1,200 voters signed the petition to the county commissioners, which was presented August 5th, and permission was granted by them for an election to be held in November. Thus the 1890 compaign for county seat hon- ors was fairly on, and exceedingly warm. It was the ardent, and natural desire of Sprague citizens to investigate the exact condition of the promised $10,000 for court house purposes. Davenport realized the fairness of this propo- sition and that amount was promptly deposited in the Big Bend National Bank. Mr. C. C. May, cashier, made affidavit to the following statement :
"Davenport, Lincoln County, Wash., Oc- tober 6, 1890 .- This is to certify that there has been deposited in the Big Bend National Bank of Davenport, Washington, the sum of ten thousand dollars for the purpose of erecting county buildings at Davenport, Washington, if the county seat shall be removed from. Sprague to Davenport as a result of the elec- tion to be held the fourth day of November, 1890. In case the county seat be so removed the Big Bend National Bank will pay into the county treasury the sum of ten thousand dol-
lars on the 4th day of March, 1891, for the purpose of erecting such buildings.
"THE BIG BEND NATIONAL BANK. "C. C. May, Cashier."
Saturday evening, October 18, 1890, a meeting of Wilbur business men was held in Mr. Benson's office for the purpose of discuss- ing the county seat question as it affected Wil- bur, and arriving at some positive conclusion as to which point-Davenport or Sprague- offered the least obstacle to the division of the county on a north and a south line. The meet- ing was called at the solicitation of Davenport gentlemen who had passed the four preceding days canvassing the town, and who personally gave notice to all whom they desired to attend the meeting. The deliberations were of a very informal character, and it soon became appar- ent that Sprague was regarded as being in a better position to meet the wishes of the people of Wilbur than was Davenport. Upon an ex- pression of the meeting being taken it was found that an unanimous feeling prevailed to assist Sprague in the contest.
The vote of Wilbur was an important fac- tor in this contest and to secure it Sprague put fortlı strenuous efforts. On the other hand Wilbur citizens were extremely anxious that a county division should be effected whereby a new county should be formed of which she might become the capital. The Wilbur Reg- ister joined forces with Sprague in this move- ment and Davenport was defeated by the fol- lowing vote by precincts :
Precincts.
Davenport. Sprague.
Meridian
16
19
Butte
30
3
Davenport
201
3
Union
51
I
Reardan
132
4
Condor
2.4
30
South Sprague
6
384
Sedalia
20
31
Miles
37
O
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
Brents
54
20
Earl
27
3
Grand Bluff
5
5
Willow Springs
15
9
North Sprague
7
208
Wilbur
21
68
Mondovi
I22
I
Enos
II
8
Harrington
49
18
Crab Creek
4
33
Yarwood
1.4
IO
Fairview
90
4
Liberty
19
15
Welch Creek
29
3
Grand Coulee
9
25
Sassin
I3
69
Inkster
91
3
Larene
99
3
Wilson Creek
II
12
1,204
992
Sprague received a majority over the two- fifths vote required and the county seat re- mained with her.
During the winter of 1890-1 residents of Lincoln county were seriously affected by an annoying wheat blockade. It appeared impos- sible to secure transportation for the farmers' grain ; there was a car-famine with consequent inactivity of the market. Many buyers had ad- vanced money on wheat upon which they could not realize. This condition of the local wheat market continued until after Christmas when plenty of cars were received and the congestion removed.
In January, 1891, there occurred an Indian "scare" on the Colville Reservation and in cen- tral Okanogan county. A brief outline of this 1 event may not be out of place here. Cole, a freighter plying betwen Wilbur and the | north country, was murdered by an Indian boy named Stephen, or such, at least, was the sup- position. The latter was arrested and lodged in jail at Concomilly, the county seat of Okan- ogan county. A party of citizens from Alma, and other sections of the county went to the jail, removed Stephen and hanged him from a tree a short distance below Conconully. This act greatly angered the Indians on the reser-
vation, who at once threatened to go on the war path and exterminate all the white settlers in the country. At this period the Dakota In- dians afflicted with their historical Messiah craze, were on the war path, and in conse- quence anxiety was felt in many sections of eastern Washington. The citizens of the upper country petitioned the governor of the state for troops and arms with which to defend themselves. Guns and ammunition were at once forwarded, but the hostile Indians were finally induced to remain quiet without further blood- shed. It was subsequently confessed that the danger was more fancied than real, and certain newspapers went to the extent of hinting that. after all, Stephen was not the actual murderer of the freighter. Cole. While no portion of Lincoln county was directly threatened, con- siderable excitement was manifested by settlers in the northern portion, especially along the Columbia river opposite the Colville Reserva- tion.
The following from the Wilbur Register under date January 23, 1891, explains the na- ture of the scare in so far as it affected Lincoln county :
"Mr. Al Stevens, a prosperous horseman from Grand Coulee, came in from that place Monday last (January 19) with the startling information that the Indians were crossing the river in large numbers and that the settlers in that vicinity were becoming considerably alarmed. He imparted the news to Mayor Hay and at the same time requested him to use his influence in obtaining guns and ammunition for their use. The request was immediately complied with and the arms will, probably, ar- rive to-night. Mr. Stevens says that the In- dians are acting in a very mysterious manner. They cross to this side of the river and then sud- denly disappear, no one knows where. Some of the more timid are of the opinion that the Indians are gathering in some of the canyons along the river and some dark night will break out and massacre the whole settlement. This
CHIEF MOSES AND WIFE
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
is hardly probable, however, as the Indians in this part of the country are at present so few in numbers that they would hardly dare attack settlers this side of the river. If there is any outbreak it will more than likely be in the neigli- borhood of Ruby City, where the trouble origin- ated. It is all very well to be prepared, though, for it is hard to tell what the red devils would not do, and a few hundred rifles distributed among the settlers along the river would be a great 'inducement' for the Indians to stay at home."
Following the temporary settlement of the county seat question resulting in a victory for Sprague, the matter of county division was taken up at the earnest demand of the people of Wilbur. Objection was made by Daven- port to any division having a north and south line of demarcation, but the town was, apparently, willing to allow the division ques- tion to proceed provided an east and west line was adopted thus separating Sprague from Da- venport. It was hoped that by this means the latter town would eventually secure the county seat. To this proposition, however, the con- sent of Sprague could not be obtained. In the legislature two bills for county division were introduced, one by Representative Isaac M. Cushman providing for a north and south line a few miles west of Davenport, designating Wilbur as the new county seat and christening the proposed new political division as "Big Bend County." A second bill provided for di- vision on an east and west line, but nothing tangible resulted from either of these two meas- ures. Another plan which received some con- sideration but did not materialize was in the nature of a compromise whereby the county was to be segregated into three divisions, Big Bend to be designated as the western county, Grant that of the east and Sprague to remain the county seat of Lincoln county. But it was destined that the county should not only re- main intact, but that Davenport should, eventu- ally, secure the capital. The following sum-
mary of the complication was published March 6, 1891, by the Lincoln County Times :
At the opening of the campaign last fall the re- location of the county seat was the all-important ques- tion of the hour. It was believed that a more central location was generall, desired, and that its removal to Davenport would result to the financial advantage of the tax payers of the county. Davenport was regarded as well situated and therefore designated as a con- testant for county seat honors. Sprague realizing that to rely upon her merits as compared with those of Davenport was likely to result disastrously to her, formed an alliance with Wilbur whereby that town was to throw her vote and influence in the balance with Sprague, in consideration of which the latter would secure such a division of the county as that Wilbur would be the county seat of the new division. The im- probability and impracticability of the proposition was apparent to everybody except the Wilbur people them- selves. They eagerly caught at this offer and labored hard and faithfully in the interest of Sprague, and by her efforts barely succeeded in retaining that town as the county seat of Lincoln county for another term of years.
Having faithfully fulfilled her promises she con- fidently expected that Sprague would redeem her pledges by aiding the north and south division over the Rocky Canyon. * Very naturally Sprague could not afford to aid such a division as it would have left her in a helpless condition to contend with an adversary in the event of another contest. It was but natural that she should try to protect herself, and if by a reiteration of her good will she can succeed in bringing Wilbur to her support gain, when she needs her, why, she will do it.
It was in the latter part of September, 1891. that Lincoln county, in company with the Big Bend, achieved distinction at the Tacoma Grain Exposition and this too in a manner that ac- corded her high standing among the grain- growing sections of the coast as a cereal pro- ducing country. The managers of the expo- sition placed Lincoln as the first county in the state in a showing of wheat, oats and barley: Walla Walla county the first in fruits and Ya- kima county the first in hops. Each county in the state was represented by most attractive dis- plays, and a strong effort was made by Whit- man to carry away the laurels in the cereal ex- hibit, but the honor was accorded to Lincoln county,
7
98
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
In March, 1892, the formal transfer of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway was made to the Northern Pacific Company. Still the road had been under practical control of the latter company for nearly a year previous.
The Big Bend Chief tells an interesting tale of the discovery of the Great Northern route down Crab Creek by the Urquhart Brothers, the well known stockmen. Presi- dent James J. Hill had surveyors out trying to locate an eligible route down to the Colum- bia river, but the grades were all steep. The Urquhart Brothers, who were watching with decided interest the movements of the company, became acquainted with the difficulty exper- ienced by Mr. Hill. Mr. Donald Urquhart, therefore, wrote the Napoleonic railroader a personal letter agreeing to find him a route de- void of "toboggan slides." At first nothing was heard from Mr. Hill, but one evening, some weeks later, a party drove up to Mr. Urquhart's home and desired to remain over night. The following morning they stated that their errand was to find the route of which Mr. Urquhart had written to Mr. Hill. Accordingly Donald hitched up a team and after a month or two spent in running surveys proved the correctness of his statement made in the letter. The en- gineer who made the survey met the party at Rock Island and could hardly believe the evi- dence of the field notes. More especially was he hard to convince as he had made several in- vestments along the northern route for himself and friends with almost a certainty that the road would be constructed along that survey. The only error made by Mr. Urquhart was at Trinidad, where the loop is now made to avoid crossing the canyon at that point. He still maintains that the can- yon can be bridged with safety. With- in a year from the time that the letter was written to Mr. Hill the whistle of the locomotive might have l'een heard in the Crab creek valley.
The Great Northern Railway was built through Lincoln county in 1892. Preliminary
surveys were made all over eastern Washing- ton and many rumors were afloat as to the probable course through Lincoln county. For a period it appeared reasonable that some of the towns in the northern portion of the county would be on the line as it was thought that the crossing of Grand Coulee would be made at Coulee City. In fact the Great Northern Com- pany filed their map in the Waterville land of- fice showing this route. September 30, 1892, the Great Northern was completed to the Co- lumbia river.
For many years non-resident stockmen were in the habit of driving their herds to Lin- coln county each successive summer. Early in the year 1892 a mass meeting of Lincoln stock-raisers was held at Fellows station, on the Central Washington railway and organized the Lincoln County Stock Protective Associa- tion. The following resolution was then adopted : "Resolved that we will no longer suf- fer such grievance, and we hereby give notice to non-resident stockmen that any further at- tempt to encroach on our ranges will encounter the united and determined opposition of this organization. A word to the wise is sufficient."
In the spring of 1892 the two companies of soldiers then stationed at Fort Spokane were called to the Coeur d'Alene mines where they took an active part in the labor troubles at that point. They remained during the summer, re- turning to the fort November 17th.
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