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 27
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 27
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 27
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 27
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J. C. Keller, of Hesseltine, general mer- chandise, 26x60, two stories ; Watson & Irwin, general merchandise, 22×56, two stories ; Tony Richardson, store, 20x42: Barker & Madden, saloon, 16x60: Joseph Simons, butcher shop, and residence, 20x36, two stories ; Reed & Od- gers, one story building. 18x36, used for a printing office and store : Robert Strutt's black- smith shop, 26x40. A Mr. Jennings, of Wil- bur, was preparing plans and specifications for a hotel on a large scale. Hartline & Tingle's hardware store was just completed. Watson & Irwin had a commodious livery barn and corral in course of construction, together with a fair stock of rough lumber. Twenty thou- sand dollars' worth of real estate had recently changed hands. In 1890 the population of Al- mira was 156. In November of that year Al-
mira became a town in the prohibition class. The last saloon had closed its doors ; the active prohibitionists had said that it "must go." and Almira was, temporarily, the only town in the great Big Bend country without a saloon.
Sunday, January 3. 1892, Almira was vis- ited by a fire which burned out several of the principal business houses of the town. Hart- line & Lingle, hardware merchants, sustained a loss of $5.000, covered by $2.500 insurance. This fire is supposed to have originated from a lamp that had been left burning in the store. From this building the flames rapidly spread to the adjoining general merchandise store of J. W. & E. E. Hartline, and in a short time only heaps of smouldering ashes remained to tell the tale. The loss of the latter firm was $5,000 covered by $3,000 insurance. D. C. Johnson lost a building valued at $1.000 upon which there was no insurance.
Four years later, January 17, 1896, three people lost their lives in a fire at .Almira : John Lewis, aged 16: Ilenry Lewis, aged 11. and William Taylor, aged 21. The Lewis boys, whose parents had separated some years before and left Almira, were living alone in a small shack in the town. The Taylor boy was pass- ing the night with them. Efforts to save these young men were unavailing, and when the em- bers had cooled their charred remains were found.
In February, 1903. the Almira Outlook editorially said :
"Three years ago ( beginning of 1900), the town of Almira was, practically, at a stand- still. At that period it had, perhaps, one hun- dred inhabitants. Many of the buildings were beginning to look old and worn. A small amount of business was done compared with what is now transacted. Nearly three-fourths of the townsite was not on the market, most of it having against it delinquent taxes of from six to ten years standing. The remainder was not considered as valuable, but was held by parties from outside whose prices were not at-
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tractive to purchasers. To all this, soon after, was added a rumor that the title to the first mentioned property was not clear, it being said that competent authority had made a report to that effect. This, however, proved to be erron- eous."
During the years 1900 and 1901 Almira took on a new life. Fresh enterprises were inaugurated in the town, the population in- creased, and from a country village it began to merge into a prosperous town. The Big Bend Outlook of January 17, 1902, said :
"Almira is still growing. If you don't be- lieve it, come and see for yourself. During the past twenty months activity in building has scarcely diminished at any one time. There has been no sudden impetus, no 'mushroom growth,' in a single night, a day, or even six months, but there has been a steady increase. With the exception of a short period last win- ter, from one to six buildings have been in prog- ress of construction during all seasons of the year."
In April, 1902, the assessor's population was given as 289. This included only resi- dents on the platted townsite.
The first steps toward incorporating Al- mira were taken Monday, April 30, 1903. A mass meeting was called to discuss the matter. About sixty residents were present and the sub- ject was warmly debated by nearly all of the leading citizens. There was manifested to the enterprise some opposition. A vote was taken, and at that time only five present registered themselves as opposed to the proposition. Then it was decided to circulate a petition asking permission of the county commissioners to vote on the question. Saturday, May 23d, was named as the date for holding the special elec- tion. To the petition there were 67 signers. The special election was held on the day named by the commissioners. There were cast a total of 85 votes, of which 43 were against the meas- ure, and only 39 in favor of incorporation. Had the majority been the other way the officers
chosen would have been as the vote shows be- low. Two tickets were in the field, the "Citi- zens," and the "Peoples."
For Mayor-J. C. Johnson, C., 65 ; D. W. Potter, P., 20.
For Councilmen-E. J. Burke. C., 72; C. F. Deets, C., 53: H. M. Thompson, C., 46; Frank Irwin. P .. 42: J. Zimmerman, C., 40; A. Nichols, P., 40; W. E. Hersperger. P., 35 : W. H. Evers, P., 35: W. . \. Rolfe, C., 30; J. W. Henley, P., 12.
For Treasurer-Van Howard, C., 62; C. M. Phillips, P., 23.
This defeat for incorporation was, doubt- less, compassed by divergent views regarding the complexion of the ticket carrying candi- dates for municipal officers. There was, also, considerable wrangling over the limits of the territory proposed to be incorporated.
The first destructive fire, involving great property loss. occurred Thursday morning. March 21, 1903. It originated in the office of the Almira News, edited by Lee McCarty. Mr. Dallam, the printer, had started a fire in the office and stepped out for a few minutes. Far- ther than this nothing is known of its inception. The building was owned by J. C. Keller. It had recently been remodeled, with an addition which was used for a lodge room. The wind carried the flames to the east, across the street. but despite this the proximity of the two Thomas Mackler buildings to the printing of- fice, proved their destruction. One of these buildings was occupied by N. O. McKee, as a saloon. The ice house of C. Rust, which stood close to these buildings, was, also, in the path of the fire as was the Rust barn. The latter was saved only by the great exertions of the fire-fighters on that side. Meantime good work was being done on the east side of the street. A large number of men carried water in buck- ets from nearby wells. Blankets were spread to partially protect some of the plate glass in the stores, especially in the new Keller brick block. Yet in spite of these precautions all but
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two lights on the fire side of the building were ruined.
For a time the Hotel Almira was threat- ened. This edifice was situated on the north side of the street. Copious showers of water and wet blankets alone saved it. Some of the buildings to the southeast were in danger for awhile, but little injury resulted. The prin- cipal losses were the buildings of Messrs. Kel- ler, Mockler and Rust, and the printing plant of the AAlmira News. The totality of the loss was estimated at $6,000.
In October of the same year another de- structive fire visited the city. On the evening of the 27th instant the residents of the place were startled by the alarm of "fire!" voiced by a number of people. A few rushed to the bell of the Baptist church where the tolling hammer was utilized to warn the inhabitants of the im- pending disaster. This fire had originated in the kitchen of the Hotel Almira, on the north- west corner of Main and Third streets, during a brief absence of those who had been in the room. Opinion was divided as to whether the fire was caused by a gasoline lamp or the stove. This portion of the building was old, well seasoned, and it burned fiercely. When discovered the conflagration was beyond con- trol. Mr. Pangborn, one of the proprietors of the hotel, rushed up stairs, rousing the guests as he went and dragging children from their beds in their night clothes. The cook was com- pelled to jump from a window. From the ho- tel the fire ate its way west and northward against an almost imperceptible breeze, to the adjoining apartments and buildings, wiping out Dean Brothers' and Chris Walter's saloons, and Knox's meat market, Potter's grocery and Nort. McKee's saloon. It then jumped across the street to the east. destroying the postoffice building, but here the flames were, for the first time, held in check. The most desperate bat- tle was that made to save the Palace barber shop, a short distance north of the postoffice on the east side of Third street. Several ladies
here distinguished themselves by their timely efforts in fighting fire. The private system of water works in connection with the barber shop materially aided in saving this property. Had it taken fire it is highly probable that several other buildings would have been destroyed. As is was $100 covered the loss in this quarter.
Other buildings that required herculean work to save were the combined residence and shop of Peter Peterson, the Hughes & King store, on the east, Hughes' blacksmith shop,on the west. Blinn's warehouse, Feller's jewelry store and Hays' implement addition on the north and the Mitchell & Salter livery barn on the southwest. The plate glass in Hughes & King's store, the Palace barber shop and Kel- ler's store was badly damaged. Among the heaviest losers from this fire were Postmaster McCleary, A. H. Knox, and Pangborn & Aldridge. The postoffice building belonging to J. C. Keller, was without insurance, but this loss was light. Not an article of D. W. Pot- ter's grocery stock was saved, and it was with great difficulty that he secured his books. He carried about $1,200 insurance. The Hotel AAlmira, owned by Mrs. F. Heffenish, was in- sured for something over $2,000, a figure much below cost. Mads Peterson owned the build- ings occupied by Henry Knox, as a meat mar- ket; they were insured. Nearly all of the buildings destroyed by this blaze were prompt- ly replaced by better structures.
Incorporation of Almira was finally effect- ed. The second election to vote on the propo- sition was held Friday, January 22, 1904. Quite a little opposition was manifested, in fact. for a while, sufficient to cause some of its sup- porters to fear defeat at the polls. However. this opposition was greatly exaggerated, and it served the purpose of consolidating a large vote among the friends of the project. There were cast 76 votes, 56 for, and 20 against incorpor- ation. Only one ticket for municipal officers was in the field. Following were the officials elected : Mayor. J. C. Johnson : treasurer, Van
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Howard; councilmen, Charles T. Deets, A. W. Blinn, J. C. Keller, F. E. Kunz and N. O. Mc Kee.
There are three church organizations in Al- mira, Baptists, Methodists and Congregational- ists. Of fraternal societies there are Almira Tent No. 82, K. O. T. M. : Almira Hive No. 49. I. O. T. M .: Almira Camp No. 9.204. M. WV. A .; Almira Lodge No. 192, I. O. O. F .; Almira Lodge No. 127. A. F. & A. M., and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. At present the population of Almira is about 400.
HARRINGTON.
On the main line of the Great Northern railway. fifty-one miles west of Spokane, fif- teen miles from Davenport, the capital of Lin- coln county, and twenty-five miles from Spra- gue, is Harrington. It is an important railway point with a population of 650, an increase of 200 within two years. There are in the town six large grain warehouses and one flouring mill, and the combined capacity of these cereal depots is considerably over one million bushels.
On all sides of Harrington the country may be said to be solid wheat land with an occas- ional pasture tract that is continually in requis- ition. Although in some places a number of sections are owned by one party the greater number of farmers are located on half and quarter sections, and they find this amount of land adequate to earn them a good livelihood. The town proper is well platted, both as to drainage and eligibility for building operations. On the east is School Hill, a most attractive and desirable residence location. Third street, the main business thoroughfare, runs directly north and south, with a gentle slope northward. Through the town, coursing diagonally, is .a small creek the bed of which will, undoubtedly, in the future, become the main line of a sewer- age system. Of the many fine business blocks and residences within her limits Harrington is justly proud. The usually conceived idea of
the eastern visitor to the west is that its towns are composed of clusters of rude huts thrown hetrogenously together without regard to com- fort or attractiveness. But with Harrington this is far from being the case. All the brick blocks are artistic and substantially construct- ed. The city has been built with an eye to sym- metry in its future growth. No buildings now standing in Harrington would look outre, or misplaced in a city of many thousands of in- hibants. Harrington is the commercial center of a most extensive wheat belt, and within a short distance of the geographical center of Lincoln county. It lies near the head of Coal Creek Valley, at an elevation of 1900 feet above sea level.
Its early history is replete with interest. In 1879 Adam and Jacob Ludy came to the point immediately adjoining the ' quarter section where Harrington now stands, and here they homesteaded property. They erected a small building in which to house themselves, the pio- neer structure of Harrington, and among the first habitations of Lincoln county. The fol- lowing extract from a prize essay written by Miss Gertrude Adams, is of historical interest :
"A traveler in the year 1880 who chanced to be wandering through Lincoln county, in the Territory of Washington, would have seen what at first appeared to be a barren tract of land, but on closer observation he would have discovered that the soil was very fertile and would be productive if cultivated. Near the present site of Harrington the first thing that attracted the eye would have been huge masses of rocks, piled up in picturesque attitudes, and a small stream winding its way between them. In the surrounding country might be seen a few shacks, nothing more, where certain cow- boys camped and herded their cattle.
"Of course in new countries towns are laid out certain distances apart. There was noth- ing unusual about the site chosen for this city of Harrington to make it any better than any other. First a few shanties, one of which was
.
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used as a postoffice, while the mail was carried by a mail carrier in what was denominated a 'stage.' And while the town grew quite rapid- ly, it was all the time growing to stay."
It was during the earliest days of Lincoln county's history that the establishment of Har- rington was accomplished. In 1882 the firm of Harrington, Furth & Robinson. all residents of Calusa county, California, purchased 1,500 acres of land in what was at that period the most unsettled portion of the Big Bend, and near the present site of the town of Harrington. This company's property was, in 1892, deeded to the California Land & Stock Company. Nearly all of the earlier residents came from Yolo or Calusa counties, California. These pioneers had faith in the country. They began the cultivation of wheat, at first in a small and inconsequential way. The initial movement in the project of building a town was made in 1882. Mrs. Horace L. Cutter secured control of the property, purchasing it from the North- ern Pacific Railway Company, and surveyed a townsite which, in honor of W. P. Harrington, was given his name. The townsite plat was not placed on record until May 12, 1883. Of course there was a raison d'etre for this move- ment in behalf of a townsite project. It was this: In 1882 the Northern Pacific Railway Conpany ran a survey through one corner of the quarter section of land upon which the town of Harrington is now located. Positive in the belief that the new road would be built on this original survey, Mrs. Cutter purchased from the railway company this quarter section of land. But the project to run the line over this survey was abandoned: Mrs. Cutter did not succeed in disposing of any of the lots.
Although the townsite had been laid out in 1882, it was not until the spring of the year following that the town contained inhabitants. Then Edward Willis and Charles Billings crected a small store building in which they dis- played a modest stock of general merchandise and thus launched the first store in the town o
Harrington. All of their goods were freighted in from Sprague; consequently the price of them remained rather high. In 1890 they dis- posed of the business to Fred Graff. In the fall of 1883 a postoffice was established; Edward Willis was postmaster ; Harrington was entitled to a place on the map of the state of Washing- ton. As the nearest railway point at this time was Sprague, on the Northern Pacific, twenty- five miles away, it is obvious that settlement should take place slowly. Even had it been dis- covered at that time that wheat would grow here in luxurious abundance, shipping it to mar- ket was not practicable. The few settlers were contented to raise a little stock, thus earning a meagre livelihood. But the following year saw the business enterprises of the youthful town considerably augmented by the establishment of a blacksmith shop and a hotel, although it is candidly confessed that the latter was idle the greater portion of the time. In June of the same year the Lincoln County Times was first thrown to the breeze at Harrington by F. M. Gray. And this was the signal for the ambi- tious and go-ahead town to enter into com- petition for county seat honors. This forma- tive period of her history is told in the first chapter of Part II, of this work. But Har- rington was never, really, in the race, and Mr. Gray removed his printing plant to Davenport in 1885. There was a saloon in Harrington, doing business a portion of the time, and in 1886 the citizens of the town voted on the pro- hibition question with the following result : For prohibition, 22; against prohibition. 32.
Without materially increasing its business enterprises the town continued to exist barren of startling events to mar the even tenor of its way until the construction to this point of the Great Northern railway in 1892. Preceding this momentuous epoch the population of Har- rington was quite limited, there being only five or six families residing in the town at the time work was commenced near there on the Great Northern grade. When it became known that
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the company had selected the Crab Creek route through Lincoln county, and that the town of Harrington was listed as one of the stations on the new road, the heretofore comatose settle- ment took on new life and animation. This was early in 1892. Mrs. Cutter, the owner of the townsite, disposed of a portion of her in- terest to Messrs. Glasscock, Moore and others. who formed the Harrington Townsite Com- pany. F. M. Lighthizer was employed as agent and during the summer of that year a number of lots were sold to those coming to the new town to engage in business. During this period Harrington enjoyed its most excit- ing. if not most prosperous times. Hundreds of railroad graders made the town headquar- ters. As is invariably the case there came in their wake all classes of the genus homo, in- cluding those who virtuously desired to engage in legitimate business, and those who did not. Boarding and lodging houses, restaurants, sa- loons, dance halls and gambling hells sprung up in short order to entice from the railroad laborers their hard earned dollars. On No- vember 1. 1892, track-laying was completed to Harrington.
There was, undoubtedly, a "boom" of mag- nificent proportions in Harrington during this period of railroad excitement. Crowds of pros- pective settlers flocked to the town : hotels were overrun: beds could not be secured at any price and a "shake-down" on the floor with blankets was at a premium. Several new town- site additions were laid out and platted, and one correspondent writing from Harrington de- cleared that forty carpenters were then at work on new buildings. However, the greater por- 1 tion of these improvements were temporary. With the departure of the railrood laborers a mitinber of the business men closed their stores and went elsewhere. The permanent growth during this year was not large. A number of lots were sold, however, and plans made for extensive improvements the following year.
One of the most important factors in the
building up of the country around Harrington and one that has resulted in much good to the town was the operations of the California Land & Stock Company, whose headquarters had been established at Harrington. This company was organized in 1892 with a capital of $300,- 000. Previous to this a number of non-resi- dents owned about 3,000 acres of land in the vicinity of Harrington. They combined their property at the time and added to it until it now it controls more than twenty-five sections. The officers of the company are Jacob Furth, of Seattle, president ; W. P. Harrington (after whom the town was named). of Calusa, Cali- fornia, vice-president ; Luke Robinson, San Francisco, treasurer ; John F. Green, Harring- ton, manager. Many thousands of acres of land in this vicinity are sown to wheat each year, and several hundred head of horses are employed to take care of the crops.
Fire visited Harrington Friday morning, March 2, 1894, causing a loss of about $25,000, nearly all covered by insurance. The principal sufferers were the owners of the Wilson build- ing. valued at $4,000; proprietors of the Great Eastern Clothing Company, $15,000; King & Reeves, druggists. $3,000. These buildings were of brick, and among the best edifices in town. This conflagration was the work of an incendiary.
Friday, May 11, 1894. the coal sheds of the Great Northern Railroad Company were de- stroyed by fire, involving a heavy loss.
From the building of the railroad in 1802 until the spring of 1898 the growth of Harrington, while not of "boom" pro- portions, was steady and sure. The mam- mothi cereal crop of 1897 produced a reaction from the heavy depression of the preceding five years, and. in common with all the other towns in Lincoln county. Harrington enjoyed the benefits of this revi- val. In the spring of 1898 there were in town four general merchandise stores, a harness shop, hardware and furniture store, drug store,
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two hotels, livery stable, blacksmith shops, meat market, barber shop and two saloons. During the summer and fall of this year the town en- joyed a most substantial growth. Quite a number of new residences and business houses were erected, and Harrington was on the crest of the wave of prosperity.
January 18, 1899, the First Presbyterian Church of Harrington, was dedicated. This was the first church edifice to be erected in the place, and cost $2,600. The initial steps to- ward holding religious services in Harrington were taken as early as 1884. when the citizens built a public hall to be used for church, school and other assemblies. For ten years this build- ing supplied all the demands in this line in the village. During the autumn of 1894 the Pres- byterian Church Society was organized by Rev. Norman McLeod, with a membership of nine- teen. These were Mr. J. Brace, elder, and wife ; Mr. and Mrs. Langtnour ; Mr. and Mrs. Gun- ning : Mr. and Mrs. Hayes ; Mr. and Miss Or- nan ; Mr. and Mrs. Durie and two daughters : Mrs. Margarett Plough : Mrs. W. F. Glasscock ; Miss Eva Thomas; Mrs. John Harding and Mrs. Thompson. Dr. N. McLeod was pastor at large for the Spokane Presbytery, but served the church at Harrington for more than two years, holding services in the school house, Ploughi's hall and the German Methodist church building. At the end of that time the work in the Harrington field stopped, no regular preach- ing services being held for about two years, with the exception of such services as were given by C. A. Phipps and Dr. T. M. Gunn. synodical missionary.
January 1, 1899, the business houses of Harrington included three general merchan- dise stores, a harness shop. five hotels and res- taurants, three confectionery stores, two livery stables, two blacksmith shops, two lumbe: yards, a bank, newspaper, grocery store, butcher shop, and a hardware, implement and furni- ture store. April 6. 1900. the Harrington Cit- isen said :
"It is doubtful if any other town in Lincoln county has done so much toward material de- velopment in the past year as has Harrington. The principal enterprise carried to a successful consummation during the past twelve months was the erection, at a cost of $25,000, of the handsome flouring mill of the Harrington Mill- ing Company. This magnificent manufactur- ing plant was built almost exclusively by local capital during a dull year, and bespeaks vol- umes for the enterprise and energy of the peo- ple. To illustrate the amount of business done chiring the years 1898 and 1899, the following table showing receipts and shipments of goods via the Great Northern railroad is given :
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