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 18
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 18
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 18
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 18
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In March, 1893, the squirrel pest reap- peared, but it was ardently anticipated that it marked the beginning of the end of the trouble. This, however, was an error. It was reported that these animals were emerging from their winter quarters in large numbers and were starving at a rate threatening total extermina- tion. Thousands of them were observed scur- rying across the snow in vain search of some- thing to eat. The Lincoln County Times com- mented on the phenomenon as follows :
"There is at least one advantage of a back- ward spring that is likely to prove of untold
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value to the grain producers of the county. The little rodents who prey upon green wheat fields and who scamper over a thousand hills in countless numbers long before this time most years, are making a desperate and unsuc- cessful struggle for existence this season. It is more than a month since they began to peep forth and though they are great rustlers in dry weather they have a great aversion for snow and cold, consequently many of them are passing to their reward and if the balance are properly looked after will soon join them."
Yet in March, 1894, the ravenous rodents reappeared in large numbers in the southern and central portions of Lincoln county. They appeared, however, to be traveling northward and it was freely predicted that they would soon disappear into the Columbia river. There was observed, also, a decrease in their numbers. In certain portions of the county many were drowned out by floods. Still, in the face of all this the squirrels apeared as pestiferous as ever. In April, 1895, the Il'ilbur Register said :
"The story as told by the Register two weeks ago regarding the destruction of squir- rels by small red lice has been confirmed during the last few days by men who have investigated the matter. J. F. Opitz, who lives on Lake creek, was in town Monday and says that there is absolutely no doubt that the lice are killing the squirrels by the thousands. Where there were twenty squirrels last year there is not one now, although the lice only affect the squir- rels in certain localities. Mr. Opitz says that his neighbors have caught a number of the squirrels in traps, which had been attacked by the lice, and in every instance the squirrels were nothing but skeletons. Jack Sterrett and others living out that way say that it is surely the lice that are destroying the pests, and all advise that the people living up here should try to se- cure some of the squirrels having the lice on them and turn them loose where they are likely to scatter the vermin."
It is evident that these lice did some good
in the way of killing the pests, but not until June, 1896, was the nuisance abated. At that period they began to die off in large numbers from disease. July 3d the faculty of the Ag- ricultural College at Pullman said : "The dis- ease is one affecting the throat. It shows itself in one or more abscesses, the outside of which resembles a crust, or scal. Later this abscess may form a large, ugly looking ulcer. The symptoms are not aggravating until toward the termination of the disease, when the affected squirrel will turn round and round in a circle, be thrown into spasms or convulsions, death following immediately."
July 17th the Sprague Herald said: "The squirrels in this section have ceased to be a pest. They are all either dead or dying."
Thus closed one of the most pestiferous afflictions which the farmers of Lincoln have ever been called upon to face.
The proposed abandonment of Fort Spo- kane met with a sturdy and. temporarily, suc- cessful opposition from the citizens of Lincoln county. The question was first broached in October, 1893. At that time General Carlin, of the Department of the Columbia, in his an- nual report recommended this course to the government, together with a number of other smaller forts. General Carlin. also, advised the establishment of a new post near the city of Spokane. This recommendation appears to have been anticipated. so far as it applied to Fort Spokane, as only a few soldiers were there in October, 1893. The Lincoln County Times was fully alive to the merits of the question. and October 20th said :
"It is well known that the city of Spokane has had designs upon the acquisition of this military post for years past merely for the ad- vantages that would grow out of government appropriations, for the erection of necessary buildings, to the city as a whole, and the inci dental advantages that would be reaped from a monthly soldierly pay roll to the bus - ness community as a part. Why should
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the government abandon a post conceded to be the best planned in this division and upon which so much money has been expended? It is near the border line, quite accessible, and will most probably be on a line of railroad at no distant day. If local advant- ages are to be considered Lincoln county pro- tests that she has prior claims which are en- titled to as much consideration as any claim that can be advanced by Spokane as a county or city."
In November of that year canvassers were in the field securing names of Lincoln county settlers remonstrating against abandonment. It was held by the signers of these petitions that the fort was as necessary then as it had been ten years previous. They claimed that, as the fort was between tivo Indian reserva- tions, Colville and Spokane, the post served as a restraint upon such "bad Indians" as might be disposed to do mischief of any description. These Indians were always able to secure whis- key occasionally, notwithstanding a close watch kept upon them by the military, and when they did so procure it they were exceedingly dan- gerous. Removal of Fort Spokane would ren- der it for easier for them to procure whiskey. At that period it was one of the best constructed posts in the northwest and upon which consid- erable money had been expended by the gov- ernment. For these and other reasons the citi- zens of Lincoln county earnestly protested against abandonment and respectfully asked that the war department should thoroughly in- vestigate the matter before acting upon the recommendation of General Carlin. Nothing was done farther in the matter at this time. In April, 1894, several companies of infantry and two of cavalry were added to the garrison, and not until the breaking out of the Spanish war. in 1898, was abandonment of Fort Spokane effected. The troops then went to the front and were not, subsequently, returned.
In 1894 what were known as the "lieu lands" were thrown upon the market in Lincoln
county. Previous to this the question had been, particularly to people residing in the north- western portion, vexatious and unsolved. For a number of years these residents had been holding lieu lands by "squatters' rights," im- proving and cultivating them, yet all the time afraid to leave them, even for a day or so, through a wholesome fear that they would be. "jumped." There were several townships of these lieu lands along the Columbia river which were especially valuable. At last, through the
influence of the Washington delegation in con- gress the lieu lands were placed on the market and the actual settlers on them could "quiet title" by purchase, which the most of them did.
The memorable Coxey Army movement which took the country by storm did not pass Lincoln county by in 1894. The "Common- wealers," as they were called were then travel- ing eastward from the Sound cities on their way to join "General" Coxey on his march to Washington, D. C. Sprague, being a railroad point of prominence, secured the majority of trouble from this source, although other towns in the county were not unmolested. May 6th a Sprague correspondent of the Spokane Re- view sent in the following :
"This morning Sprague citizens witnessed a novel sight. During the night freight trains from the west brought several hundred of the. industrial army. The passenger train also unloaded about seventy-five riding ou "blind baggage" and brake-beams. After breakfast this morning, which the industrial army re- ceived through the kindness of our citizens, the army attempted to board freight train No. 58 which leaves this station at 7 a. m. The army swarmed upon the box-cars like bees. The crew made several attempts to get them off and started several times, but each time the army would climb upon the cars again. Fi- nally the train backed down into the yard and the officials hit upon a novel and dangerous plan. They made the train a double-header with two powerful engines, also having the
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switch engine as "pusher." .After clearing the train of the army it was backed down almost to the lake west of town, and then made a fast run through our city, going at the rate of fifty miles an hour.
"About one hundred of the army started out walking east and intended to board the train going up the hill, but on account of the double- header they were fooled. \ live-stock train eastbound was brought to a halt by an indus- trial who set an air-brake from the trucks of one of the cars. The officials ordered the stock unloaded and swear they will not carry the "Commonwealers" if not a wheel turns for a month."
May 8th another dispatch was published, it appearing that a temporary check was put to the lawlessness, as follows :
"Everything is very quiet in our city today. All the industrial army took their departure during the night on the stock and freight train which left here about 3 a. m. Although about 25 Deputy United States Marshals arrived here from Spokane to escort the stock train out of town the Coxeyites all caught on going up grade east of town. There are six or seven Deputy United States Marshals under com- mand of Captain V. M. Massey stationed here to keep the Commonwealers off all trains, and some of them were more boisterous around the saloons and depot than all of the Coxeyites who have been visiting us for the last few days. There are 600 or 700 of the army strung along the railroad from Ellensburg, who will arrive here within the next few days."
The cattle train from Sprague was brought into Spokane at 6 o'clock on the morning of the 8th inst. The marshals found that the train was in possession of the industrials who would not move under their orders to get off the right of way, some of the army telling them that they would not dare shoot. During the ex- citement one man was clubbed. As the cattle train started up the marshals ran alongside to keep the Coxeyites off. But the latter started
to rush by them for the brake-beams and the marshals began shooting. No one was injured, but the Commonwealers discovered that the marshals meant "business."
About a dozen of the army reached Daven- port Saturday noon, May 12th. AAt the ex- pense of a number of citizens of the town they lunched at the Dale House ( since destroyed by fire ), and then continued on their way to Wash- ington, D. C., rejoicing. They came over the mountains from the west and succeeded in stealing a ride over the Central Washington Railway to within a mile or two of town. They did not move forward on their march until a little recruiting had been done. The following dispatch, under date of May 16th was sent in to Spokane from Davenport :
"A man named Rippitos, of this place. en- tertained a large number of people today with a discourse upon the Coxey movement. AAfter he had finished speaking enlistment began and within a short time nearly one hundred men had joined the army. Quarters were offered them by Jack Redick, who allows them to use his old wagon shed, where they will spend the night. \ grand demonstration took place this afternoon, the men parading. colors flying and headed by the Davenport brass band. They will remain here a few days to complete re- cruiting and will then depart for Washington, D. C."
Thus ended Lincoln county's adventure with the Coxeyites, but the same month of the same year high water was a fruitful topic of discussion as well as in other portions of the state. June 7th, the floods continuing, the bridge at Fort Spokane was carried out. Un- dler date of June 17th the Lincoln County Times said :
"People living along the Columbia river tell frightful tales of ruin and devastation re- sulting from the high waters. Houses, barns, stacks, dead horses and cattle and even human beings have been seen floating down the river. It is related that one day when the waters had
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about reached their height a man and two girls were seen strapped down to a floating raft drift- ing down the current. It was impossible to rescue them. The river was so swift and vio- lent in most places that it was almost sure death to venture into the current with a boat."
June 22d the waters of the Columbia and Spokane rivers and other streams were slowly subsiding and no further mischief was feared. It was admitted, however, that these streams had never been known, by the oldest residents of the country, to rise so suddenly or to such a height. But on June 29th Crab creek, in the southern portion of the county, became a mighty river, carrying away bridges, fences and grain. This was the first time this stream had ever reached any extraordinary height due to spring floods.
·The Northern Pacific Railway strike, in 1894, and under the auspices of Eugene V. Debs and the A. R. U., which affected the en- tire system, played an important part in the history of Lincoln county. Directly and in- directly to it may be traced some of the im- portant events which transpired later-notably the removal of the county seat from Sprague to Davenport two years later. It was the cause of certain dissensions between the two ambitious towns. One Saturday in June, 1894, a num- ber of farmers assembled in Sprague and in the name of Lincoln county, adopted certain resolutions concerning the great strike then pending. This meeting was presided over by John Cody, and A. J. Lacy, J. C. Murray and O. T. Terwilliger drafted the following reso- lutions which were adopted :
Resolved, That we, citizens of Lincoln and ad- joining counties in mass meeting assembled, in the city of Sprague, Washington, hereby express our emphatic condemnation of the plutocratic money powers that have so systematically done all that could be done to oppress' the poor generally, and of the management of the Pullman Car Company who are the direct cause of the strike on all the sections of railroads now out, and be it further
Resolved, That we hereby extend our hearty sym- pathy to all the unfortunate toilers who have been re-
duced lo enforced idleness through the iniquitous and tyrannical action of the management of the Pullman Car Company in reducing the wages of their employees to starvation price, and especially do we extend our sympathy to and hereby declare our approval of the action of our citizens who are employees of the North- ern Pacific Railroad Company in their determination to insist upon the equitable adjustment of the wages, and the restoration to their positions of the employees that have gone out, and be it further
Resolved, That we as a body assembled hereby pledge ourselves to do all in our power to alleviate any condition of suffering or want, and that we are willing to contribute everything within our power that may be needed for the purpose of the strikers or their families.
It should be remembered that this period was one of intense excitement throughout the entire country. Similar meetings and similar resolutions were held and passed in many places. Indeed, it may be truthfully asserted that these resolutions of sympathy were mild in their character compared to many others of like import. Viewed in the calm retrospection of history they do not appear at all anarchistic or revolutionary. But conditions at that time were inflammable. It is this fact that tended to bring on a strong division of public senti- ment. And to this division must be ascribed the intensifying of the bitterness which origi- nated in 1884 between the towns of Sprague and Davenport as well as between citizens of each town. The action of this mass meeting in Sprague was at once seized upon by cer- tain people in Davenport to create a spirit of animosity against Sprague. The more conser- vative citizens of that town realized that such a condition must be palliated. A dispatch from Sprague, dated July 16th, will more fully ex- plain their position :
"This evening a large meeting of citizens and business men was held and resolutions were passed for law and order. The assemblage was resolved to protect from insult and violence all men who desire to go back to work. One hundred citizens were sworn in as deputy sher- iffs. It was also resolved to enforce the or- dinance keeping boys off the streets after 9 o'clock p. m. The meeting was very enthu-
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siastic and the citizens are determined that peace shall be preserved. The following reso- lutions were unanimously adopted :
It'hercas it has come to our attention that numerous false and misleading reports have been published and circulated with regard to the condition of affairs at Sprague and the sentiments and opinions of citizens during the strike, and
Il'hercas, The reports not only do Sprague and her citizens an injustice, but are calculated to do much harm, therefore be it
Resolved, By the citizens and business men of Sprague in mass meeting assembled that we denounce as false the report that Sprague is solid for the strike ; that we believe that even among railroad employees there are a large number who are and have been op- posed to the strike from the beginning as unjust and ill-advised; that the report that Troop A of Sprague refused to return home behind non-union men is abso- lutely untrue ; and especially is it false that the people of Sprague-or a respectable portion of them-approved their alleged refusal to do so. On the contrary the citizens of Sprague are loyal to the flag and to the laws, and are outspoken in their opinion that it is the duty of a soldier to obey orders under any and all cir- cumstances, and that refusal so to do should be met with severe punishment.
We condemn the false and exaggerated reports of the disturbance Sunday night, the 8th instant, as the facts are : That beyond the throwing of rocks at a train . and the burning of one small trestle and the partial burning of another, no great damage was done and there was no "howling moh" as reported. We are quite positive that had the Tekoa militia, who were aboard the train, done their duty there would have been no disturbance whatever. Had they even made a show of resistance, instead of remaining in the cars, the hoodlums who started the row would have been in- timidated and there would have been no trouble at all; be it further
Resolved, That for the purpose of indicating the attitude of the business men in this matter, and in order to preserve law and order and aid the authorities in protecting the employees and property of the North- ern Pacific, should such aid be necessary, we organize ourselves into a law and Order league, the members thereof to be sworn in as deputy sheriffs.
Resolved, Further, that these resolutions be given due publicity and especially be furnished to papers in Spokane, Tacoma and Seattle for publication.
Thus much for the conflicting attitudes of the citizens of Lincoln county concerning the great strike. As for the strike per se, two companies of infantry were called from Fort
Spokane Sunday night, July 8th, and early Monday morning left for Sprague by special train to report for duty. A bridge was burned down in front of them, however. before they reached there, but the train crews succeeded in patching it up and they passed over. This train was manned by amateurs, a saw mill en- gineer being in charge of the locomotive. These soldiers returned from Sprague July 25th, although the strike had been declared off on the 21st inst. July 13th Division Super- intendent F. W. Gilbert, of the Northern Pa- cific, who had temporarily removed his head- quarters from Sprague to Spokane, returned to Sprague and opened up his headquarters in that town, where he held himself in readiness to act upon the application of all ex-employees for reinstatement for duty.
July 13th the Lincoln County Times said : .
"Locally there is some sympathy with the strikers, but sentiment is practically unani- mous in favor of the preservation of laws, the restoration of order and against the destruc- tion of property and intimidation of workmen by threats of violence by organized bodies."
The Northern Pacific strike also affected the Central Washington railway. Monday. July 9th, a special carrying soldiers came over the line and this was the first train into Daven- port since the tie-up. Mail for all parts of the county was brought to Harrington, on the Great Northern and other postoffices on that road, which were not affected by the strike, and distributed to the different towns by stages. Some intended for the northern part of Lincoln county was taken to Colville, Ste- vens county, via the Spokane Falls & North- ern line. then, as now under the management of the Great Northern officials, and thence car- ried by stage to Fort Spokane, and thus dis- tributed throughout the county. Saturday. afternoon, July 14th, the first train on the Cen- tral Washington, in 18 days, arrived in Wil- bur, Lincoln county. The citizens of that town turned out en masse to welcome the de-
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layed transportation. The engine was guarded by three deputy marshals.
The last act in the interesting and sensa- tional career of "Wild Goose Bill" took place in the latter part of January, 1895, resulting in his death together with that of a man named Barton Park. Concerning this double tragedy the Lincoln County Times in reporting the event said :
"The shooting affair between "Wild Goose Bill' and Barton Park, in which both were killed, occurred at the King ranch, about ten miles distant from 'Wild Goose Bill's' place on the Columbia river. There were four wit- nesses to the deed. The whole trouble was over a woman, Millie Dunn. by name, who was married to a young man by that name in Davenport a couple of years ago, but from whom she secured a divorce several months since and for some time had been living with 'Wild Goose Bill,' whose proper name was Samuel Wilbur Condin.
"Condin, who had a squaw wife, induced hier to leave and soon became greatly attached and very jealous of his young mistress. She. however, soon tired of him and took up with Jack Bratton at the King ranch. This preyed upon Condin's mind and he drank heavily and is supposed to have been well under the influ- ence of liquor when he started upon his fatal journey to the King ranch accompanied by Bert Woodin. Arriving there Condin jumped out of the wagon and went into the house and Woodin drove to the barn with the team. En- tering the house Condin shook hands with all present, Bratton, Park and Mrs. Dunn. It is said lie next asked the woman to go back and live with him and on receiving a negative an- swer, pulled a revolver and fired two shots at her, both taking effect in her left arm. It is belived that Park interfered here by firing a shot, and the woman states that at this inter- ference Condin turned upon Park, shot him through the breast and started out the door. Park, though fatally wounded, grasped a rifle
within reach and fired upon the retreating Condin, killing him, and fired another shot at Bert Woodin taking the heel off of his (Woodin's) boot. He then dropped down and expired almost instantly. Bratton, who had been the cause of hostilites, slipped out of the door as the shooting began and lost no time in placing distance between himself and danger.
"Condin had passed through many a skir- mish, and always come out unscathed and was a stranger to fear. But that he anticipated trouble and probably a fatal termination was evidenced by the fact that he had made a new will leaving the most of his property to his crippled half breed child before starting out on this last journey. Those who know Con- din best scarcely credit the story that he began shooting at a defenseless woman unless he in- tended taking his own life immediately after. The woman's left arm was badly shattered, and it is possible that it will cost her her life. Woodin and Bratton who escaped, the Times is informed, have quit the country. The re- mains of young Barton Park were brought to town last Saturday and interred in the cem- etery."
Tuesday, August 13th, occurred a bad wreck on the Central Washington railroad just east of Almira, which resulted in the death of Fireman Prytz and serious injury to Engineer Hobart. The train consisted of fourteen cars of cattle belonging to W. H. Fleet, of Coulee City, en route to Chicago, and one car of horses owned by Griffith Jones, consigned to Wisconsin. The train was com- ing down grade at a rapid rate, and when the curve was reached, near Almira, the engine and the entire train with the exception of the horse car, a cattle car and the caboose, went over into the ditch twenty feet below, piling one car of live stock upon another making a frightful wreck. Of the 314 cattle 150 were either killed or maimed, making their destruc- tion necessary. Fireman Prytz fell under the
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