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 20
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 20
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 20
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 20
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
"The Lord was good to the people of Lincoln county in 1897. * * * * Hard times had rattled at every door. Crops were light, and even had they been enormous, the market was dead and the prices did not pay the harvesting. A cloud was over the com- munity; business was at a standstill; the deadly mortgage was eating away the farm, and lines of care and trouble were penciled upon every face. At a time when the strain was the greatest, and many had laid down their burdens when faint and weary with de- ferred hope, by surrendering their homes, fortune lit up the gloom by a radiant smile that brought joy and comfort and luxuries to hundreds of households. The broad acres laughed with the burden of golden grain and an advance in prices lifted many into compar- ative wealth and set many more upon their feet and gave encouragement and unusual vigor to the husbandman. The touch of fortune that made the farmer prosperous sent new blood through the arteries of trade. The step of man became more elastic. cheerfulness took the place of former shadows. a feeling of renewed life and hope animated every one, and business felt the thrill or returning activity."
This encouraging access of prosperity found its reflex in the daily movements of the people. In December, 1897, nearly every
II2
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
eastbound train out of Lincoln county carried from one to half a dozen citizens on their way to former homes in the east to pass the winter with relatives and friends. The majority of these east-bound pilgrims were farmers who had been rewarded by bounteous crops, had paid off their indebtedness-mortgages and other obligations-and still had left a generous surplus. This was, by no means, the first year favorable to the farmers throughout the county, although the three previous seasons had resulted in a combination of light crops and low prices. On many of them this had exercised a depressing effect. And while there were many outgoing residents, on temporary vacations bent, reports of the generous crops of the Big Bend and the prosperity of Central Washington reached the far east and the "mid- dle west." The result was that hundreds of new settlers flocked into Lincoln county in the spring of 1898. They came from all parts of the union; they settled in all parts of the county.
April 17, 1898, Companies B and E, of the Sixteenth U. S. Infantry, who had been stationed at Fort Spokane for two years, left for the seat of war. Their point of embark- ation was New Orleans. These troops were under command of Major William H. Mc- Laughlin, and other officers of the command were Captains W. C. McFarland, G. H. Pal- mer, and C. R. Tyler and Lieutenant E. C. Carey. On their arrival in Davenport the soldiers were given a cordial reception by the citizens of the town. They departed over the Central Washington, and were heartily cheered at all the stations along the line. The fort has never since been garrisoned.
During the summer of 1898 there was de- cided in the superior court of Lincoln county a causus celebre, known as the De Rackin case. This was a suit brought by Samuel E. De Rackin against the county for payment for publishing the delinquent tax list of Lincoln county. The case attracted attention througli-
out the state and interested Lincoln county cit- izens for several years. Mr. De Rackin was for some time the publisher of the Sprague Mail, and was awarded the delinquent tax list for publication by the county treasurer. The publisher carried out his part of the work sat- isfactorily and presented a bill to the county for $4,500. The commissioners refused to al- low the bill and in lieu thereof, offered Mr. De Rackin $140. Under protest this amount was accepted by the publisher, and he immediately brought suit against the county for the bal- ance claimed. The lower court decided against him, but he carried it to the superior court and secured a reversal. At the second trial, hield before Judge William E. Richard- son, he secured a verdict for $840.60, less the $140 already paid. The last act in the case took place Monday, August 29th, when a com- promise was reached, the commissioners pay- ing $700 rather than appeal the case. De Rackin won, but others secured the money. What was left after settlement of the at- torney's fees was garnisheed by the Fidelity National Bank.
The wheat crop of 1898 was equal to that of the previous year. Prices ranged around fifty cents a bushel. Owing to the scarcity of freight cars there was some delay in moving this mammoth crop.
The close of the year 1898 marked the re- inoval from Lincoln county of an old land- mark-nothing less than a railroad. The Se- attle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway, which had created so much enthusiasm among the citizens of the county at the time of its con- struction, but which was operated only a short time, was of no use to the company which owned it and the rails were taken up and util- ized in the extension of branches in Idaho. The destroying hand of time has since erased the embankments, and a few cuts through the barren "scab land" are all that is left to indicate that a railroad ever passed that way.
In the legislature of 1899 an effort was
A LINCOLN COUNTY WHEAT DEPOT
113
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
made to create a new county from the western part of Lincoln, and the eastern part of Doug- las counties, with Wilbur as the county seat of the new division. This project failed, and it is still claimed that the failure is owing to the abrogation by Davenport of its agreement with Wilbur pending the last contest for the county seat. There is, of course, a radical dif- ference of opinion existing today upon this question, and the situation may be briefly ex- plained as follows : The citizens of Davenport contend that the crux of the agreement be- tween Davenport and Wilbur at the time of the county seat contest in 1896, was, simply, that Davenport should remain neutral when- ever Wilbur should bring forward the county division project. On the other hand the Wil- bur people insist that the agreement bound Davenport to do all in her power to assist in the advancement of the division. And thus the respective positions remain today. The di- vision project was abandoned on discovering that Douglas county did not have the required population to leave 4,000 people in the county.
Tuesday, February 1, 1899. Lincoln county was visited by the most sudden blizzard in its history. For several days before the storm broke in all its wintry fury the weather had been so spring-like that the people had be- gun to think that winter had actually retired from the lap of Spring. Monday night a couple of inches of snow fell, but Tuesday morning was pleasant ; the wind having hauled to the southeast. Gradually, during the fore- noon. the light prevailing wind shifted to the northeast. Suddenly, about noon, snow be- gan falling, accompanied by a terrific gale. For six hours the wind howled and the falling, drifting snow was so dense that one could not see across the street ; the cold was intense. Business in all the towns of the county was practically suspended. By six o'clock the snow ceased falling, but the heavy gale con- tinued, and Wednesday morning. although clear, was cold. Beginning with this blizzard
of the Ist inst., the county fell heir to a con- tinuous spell of Arctic weather that surpassed the memory of the pioneers of the county. For several days the mercury did not rise above zero, and from 10 to 22 degrees below were common records. This atmospheric con- dition continued until the Ioth inst., an oc- currence so unusual in this climate that it ex- cited the wonderment of other states than this. This season will be remembered as the "cold winter," and as such is worthy of more than a passing remark.
In April, 1899, Fort Spokone was officially abandoned by the United States government. Since the departure of Companies B and E, to the Spanish War, the fort had been left in charge of Sergeant B. Coughlin. With him were Post Quartermaster Sergeant B. Bech- told, Commissary Sergeant A. Smart, Hospital Steward J. Sweeney and two privates. In the spring of 1899 Sergeants Couglin, Bechtold and Smart reported for duty at the new post recently established at Spokane. Sergeant Sweeney to Boise City, Idaho, and the two privates to their regiments, at San Francisco. The movable property at the fort was taken to Fort Wright, at Spokane. Fort Spokane had been a source of considerable income to the people of northern Lincoln county, as much of the produce consumed by the occupants of the fort was drawn from the adjacent neighbor- hood, and it was with regret that the people witnessed its abandonment.
The epidemic of smallpox, in its mildest form, which passed over the country in the spring of 1899 touched Lincoln county. Ser- eral sporadic cases were reported in June from the southern and western portions of the county. Stringent measures were at once taken by the authorities. Fear of the disease more than any grave results from it, created consternation in certain quarters. Every school and Sunday school was ordered closed until further notice by the sheriff. The county was scoured by officials enforcing quarantine
8
114
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
regulations. Vaccine points were in demand, and the "sore arm" became the rule; its absence the exception. There were many wild rumors afloat ; people shunned the more thickly pop- ulated towns ; business suffered in consequence. Places where a case of smallpox had never been known suffered equally with those in which the disease had appeared. Normal con- ditions however, were soon restored, and the panic became as a tale that is told.
But in the fall of the same year the people were thrown into a condition of far greater ex- citement on account of the mysterious disap- pearance of Ruth Inman from the Watson home, Parrott postoffice. Locally the event created as great a sensation as the kidnaping of young Edward Cudahy, in Omaha.
Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Inman resided at Creston. Sunday afternoon, October 22d, ac- companied by their children, they drove to the home of Mr. Watson, a few miles south of Creston. While there little Ruth played in the yard with several other children, all older than herself. When last seen by the older members of the party, who were in the house, Ruth was sitting in a buggy; the last seen of her by the other children she was going toward the house, and to them it seemed she entered the Watson residence. So far as known this was the last seen of the little girl alive. When Ruth was missed search was at once made, and 110 traces being discovered, great alarm was experienced and the neighborhood was sum- moned. Throughout the night the search was continued unweariedly. From far and near people flocked to the scene. Time and again each foot of ground was gone over with the earnestness of agonized anxiety. There was no sign of the lost infant.
November 8th, under the direction of Sheriff Gardner, a systematic search was com- inenced. Detective Joe Warren, of Spokane, was called upon and responded with his pro- fessional services. Notices were printed and distributed, inviting all who could possibly
abandon their business to join in the search. One hundred men assembled at the Watson farm house. Part of this force was mounted and again the surrounding country was beaten by footmen and horsemen. Nothing was left unexamined : wells, outhouses, ponds, badger holes, indeed, every hiding place wherein so small a body as little Ruth's might be hidden, was carefully searched and minutely examined. It was not a careless, perfunctory skimming of the surface of the ground. Each member of the party experienced a deep and intense in- terest in the proceedings. They were actuated by heartfelt sympathy for the stricken parents ; anxious to clear up the weird mystery of her taking off. It was in vain. Each succeeding day's attempt proved as fruitless as that of the first. Had she been translated Ruth Inman could not have more completely dropped from mortal ken. The people of the surrounding country were not only mystified; they were awed and astounded. It appeared certain that had the child been killed and devoured by some wild beast, at least a shred of her clothing would have been found. Then belief became strong that human agency was at the bottom of the mystery. The most gruesome stories were in circulation. Kidnaping was the fav- orite theory. Another gypsies; another In- dians. Along these lines a number of clues were run down to end in a dead wall. A large reward was offered for news of the little wanderer.
A sensational incident of the search was the part taken by Mrs. Layson, of Medical Lake. She claimed to be a spiritual medium, or clairvoyant, possessing the gift of second sight. To Sheriff Gardner she made the startling announcement that coyotes had eaten the child, and that all that was left was a little shoe with a foot in it. She declared, further- more, that she could go to the spot and find the shoe. This she would do if hier expenses were paid. Tuesday, November 14th, Mrs. Layson visited the scene of the disappearance and after
115
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
spending a day going over the country ob- served that it was a remarkably good location for kidnapers to ply their trade.
Sunday, November 19th, the mystery of the past month was cleared. The result re- vealed the saddest case of infantile suffering and death that had ever occurred in the county. On that date Hugh Johnson and F. M. Lynch were hunting cattle at a point some five or six miles south of the Watson home. They noticed what they at first supposed was a cast off "jumper." But after riding on a short distance the thought of the lost child came to them and they decided to return and examine the "rags" that had attracted their attention. Upon close inspection they discovered that this clothing was a child's dress. Without pausing for further examination they rode in hot haste to Wilbur from which place the parents of little Ruth and the sheriff were notified.
Early the following morning Sheriff Gardner, Deputy Sheriff Charles Gardner, De- tective Joe Warren and Mr. Inman repaired to the scene. What they found was horrible in the extreme; shocking to men who had seen death in all its forms. Only a small quantity of the remains could be found after a long and thorough search, and the few fragments were scattered over a large space. The skull, per- fectly denuded of flesh, a few pieces of bone and some entrails were secured. The two outer garments worn by the child were almost perfectly intact. The underclothing was torn into small shreds. The shoes and stockings could not be found. The locality where the remains were discovered was the summit of a high and rocky ridge about five and one-half miles southeast of the Watson farm. It was a mile beyond the zone encompassed by the searching parties. The country between the house from which the child had disappeared and the place where the remains of the body were found is very rough and broken. There are small lakes. deep and rocky draws and steep hills. It is almost beyond comprehension
how a child so young was able to walk so far, for the trip is a severe tax on a strong man. The back of the dress was mildewed as though it had lain in one position several weeks. The general opinion was that the child wandered and tottered along until she fell from sheer ex- haustion and died from exposure, for the night she disappeared was very cold. It was the opinion of the doctors that the child had met death in this way, and had not been touched by animals until after death.
In the spring of 1899 a dozen or more cit- izens of Davenport interested in the project of forming a fair association met at the store of William Finney and perfected an organization. Other meetings, were held and soliciting committees appointed to receive subscriptions for stock. Several hundred shares were sub- scribed and a corporation was formed known as the Lincoln County Fair Association. Land was secured for grounds, a race track was made, a well dug and the necessary buildings erected. The association was incorporated, the . capital stock being $10,000, by A. W. Turner, I. Breslauer, William Finney, Frank M. Dal- lam and John H. Bond. The initial exposi- tion of the Lincoln County Fair Association was held at the grounds Wednesday, Thurs- day and Friday, October 19, 20 and 21. The scope and value of these fairs increase from year to year and interest is awakened by the common desire of neighbors and neighbor- hoods to excel in the special lines in which they may be interested. Since organization the fair has been held every season.
The population of Lincoln county, as given by the United States census of 1909, was II .- 969. The same year the wheat yield of the county was 6.750,000 bushels, or 750,000 more than ony other county in the state of Washington ; almost half as much as the whole state of Oregon. The cereal crop of 1901 was one of the largest ever produced in the county. Reports from the four points of the compass indicated that the yield ran from 20 to
116
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
35 bushels per acre. The acreage as well as yield exceeded that of 1900.
-
During the fall of 1901 came a large num- ber of eastern settlers to the southern portion of Lincoln county. The light lands, which before had been considered of small value, pro- duced surprising crops during the preceding year or two. This fact 'caused a rush to this portion of the Big Bend, Lincoln and Douglas counties, and the vast tract of land which had been given over to grazing was rapidly taken up in homesteads.
Sunday, April 27, 1902, Billy Gibbons. one of the noted characters of Lincoln, was fatally shot by Deputy Sheriff Nickell, of Okanogan county. One week previous to the killing a band of eight horses had been run out of the country by Billy Gibbons, George Wild and a third party unknown. Three of the horses were disposed of near Almira, at which place the trio were camped when discovered by the pursuing officials .. Constable Phillips. of Almira, in company with a party of ball players, recognized Gibbons as they passed the camp on their way out of town, Sunday morn- ing. Phillips returned to Almira and notified Nickell who had reached Almira considerably ahead of the fugitives. Gibbons and Wild sep- arated and each one came into town from dif- ferent directions. Wild was observed entering a livery stable and here he was rounded up, arrested at the point of a gun, and handcuffed. Presently Gibbons was seen to enter a saloon. Nickell followed him in; two or three as- sistant stood watch at the doors. The deputy encountered Gibbons and ordered him to throw up his hands, at the same time covering him with a revolver. Instead of complying with this order, Gibbons seized a man with whom he had been talking, and held him between himself and the officer, at the same time at- tempting to back out of the door and reaching for his own gun. Gaining it he shot at Nick- ell, and missed, but the aim of the latter was better; he sent a bullet through Gibbons'
breast, which lodged in the muscles of the back. This shot. doubtless, saved several lives, for the subsequent fusillade by Gibbons was not effective; he appeared dazed and never seemed to raise his gun high enough. How- ever. he succeeded in getting away temporar- ily, and partially out of the officer's range, mounted his horse, rode to camp, exchanged horses and galloped off. He was purused and found eleven miles out lying on the ground ex- hausted, having thrown his gun over the fence. Gibbons was taken back and medical aid summoned, but the first shot had been fatal and at midnight, Monday, April 28th, he died.
The Gibbons family, George. Hugh, Har- vey and Bill, were well known throughout the county. Bill first ran afoul of the officers in 1893, and in 1894 was convicted of wheat stealing and was sent to the Walla Walla penitentiary for a term of years. He escaped from jail at one time, but was subsequently recaptured. In August, 1898, he and one Paul had an encounter with Deputy Sheriff Mc- Namara, near Harrington, Paul escaping after an exchange of shots. Gibbons was taken but afterwards released. At the time of his death he was twenty-eight year old. The spirit of ad- venture was strong within him, and "rustling" horses and cattle was a business he followed, perhaps as much for the danger and excite- ment connected with such a life as from any pecuniary advantage derived from it. He was continually under the surveillance of the officers and his death wound received in a pistol battle with one of them was a logical culmination of the wild career he had led.
In May. 1902. a census of Lincoln county was taken by the assessor, and there was found to be 15.474 inhabitants, an increase of 3.504. in two years.
July 12, 1902. the Lincoln County Pio- neer's Association was organized at Crab creek, at the conclusion of an informal picnic of pioneers. The following officers were elected : Jacob Smith. Sprague, president : J. J.
II7
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
Brown, Edwall, vice president ; W. L. Crowell, Harrington, secretary; George E. Snell. Sprague, treasurer. It was thrown open to membership for all residents of Lincoln county who had become such prior to 1890.
Monday, August 4, 1902, will be remem- bered by the people of Lincoln county as a day of important and unusual events. Sometime previous elaborate arrangements had been made for a conference between the farmers of the Big Bend country and the presidents of three great railway lines. We have said that this was an unusual event, but the implication extends no further than this section of the country. For several years privious it had been the practice of President J. J. Hill, of the Great Northern Railway Company, to hold "heart-to-heart talks" with the farmers and stockmen of the states of the middle west ; these meetings assembling at various timer and at various places. But to the residents of the Big Bend this conference was an innova- tion. It was unique, attractive, and the in- terest excited was widespread.
Davenport had been selected as the place at which to hold the conference between ship- pears and the leading officials engaged in the business of transportation. Invitations had been extended to Presidents J. J. Hill, of the Great Northern, C. S. Mellen, at that period president of the Northern Pacific, and A. L. Mohler, of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company. On the day named the following distinguished gentleman connected with the transportation industry arrived in Davenport.
Great Northern-President James J. Hill ; John F. Stevens, general manager ; Louis Hill. assistant to J. J. Hill: F. S. Forest, superin- tendent Spokane Falls & Northern Railway.
Northern Pacific-President C. S. Mellen : Jules Hannaford, general traffic manager ; W. S. Gilbert, superintendent : Thomas Cooper, assistant to the president.
O. R. & N .- President A. L. Mohler, R. B. Miller, general freight agent; B. Campbell,
assistant traffic director of the Harriman lines; J. P. O'Brien, superintendent ; W. W. Cotton, general attorney.
At the Central Washington station these gentlemen were met by a reception committee, after which followed a general introduction. The freedom of the city was tendered the guests by Mayor G. K. Birge, which President Hill affably acknowledged. The visiting of- ficials who had arrived in their private car were driven to the Auditorium in carriages at 10:30 o'clock, a. m. J. Grier Long, N. W. Durham and R. H. Hutchinson represented the Spokane chamber of commence. Among other prominent visitors were Don Ryrie of Spokane, E. J. Lake of Elk. George W. Seal of Addy, Julius Siemens of Ritzville, Rev. W. R. Cunningham of Ritzville, Stanley Hallett of Medical Lake, D. W. Metcalf of Wilbur, Howard Spining of Wilbur, C. G. Garrettson of Harrington, H. C. Farrell, F. H. Mckay and H. Morarity of Spokane and a representa- tive of the Spokane Chronicle. A delegation from Reardan included the following: John Raymer, Peter Fram, Claus Carstens, C. Shannon, John Wickham, and W. B. Warren.
Farmers and stockmen from every part of the Big Bend were present in large numbers. Shortly after ten o'clock in the forenoon of this gala day the crowd. constantly increasing in size, began to gather at the Auditorium wherein the conference was to be held, and where the oratorical portion of the exercises subsequently took place. Mr. James Odgers, editor of the Davenport Tribune, presided and introduced the speakers, of whom President Hill was the first. He showed conclusively that, while he was an acknowledged genius in railway building and railway management, he was more than this, a man fully conversant with the various branches of diversified farm- ing. President Hill was followed by Presi- dent Mellen. The latter sprung something in the nature of a surprise. He announced the contemplated construction of what is known as
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.