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 32
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 32
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 32
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 32
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The morning of November 22, 1896, Spo- kane became the terminus of the passenger and freight division of the Northern Pacific Com- pany, under Superintendent Gilbert. Between forty and sixty families removed from Sprague within ten days, many of them following divis- ion headquarters to Spokane.
For a number of years following the great fire Sprague was, indeed, a stricken city. Peo- ple who had previously done all in their power toward building up the town became discour- aged and apathetic. The fire. the removal of the railway shops, the loss of the county seat, desertions of business men and erstwhile influ- ential citizens were severe blows to a once prosperous and energetic city. A heavy debt contracted by the city in palmier days was left to the new Sprague. Two years of exceedingly stringent times followed, and the town which contained 2.500 people August 3, 1895, num- bered hardly 400 during the succeeding few years. Then came a most gratifying change. Agricultural pursuits began to pay better and new life was infused into those who had re- mained and faced the storm. Speaking of the condition of Sprague in 1901 the Times of March 29th said :
"Today we can look upon our city with a feeling of extreme pride, as few places have ever overcome so many obstacles and prospered as has Sprague during the past four years. Signs of prosperity are all around us. Resi- dence property offered for sale in 1896 for $50 with no buyers is now greedily purchased for $200. More than 200,000 acres of farm lands in this immediate vicinity have been purchased and improved. Thousands of dollars have been invested by men of means who have energy and push inestimable in value. Not a vacant dwelling house stands within the city limits. Good sidewalks, good streets and a splendid water system are sustained by the city with funds to spare. While working on a local
paper shortly after the fire the editor of the Times penned these words : 'Phoenix-like, from the ashes of the old Sprague will arise a new Sprague that will be greater than Sprague has ever been.' And he still hopes to live to realize the truth of that statement."
The Sprague Roller Mills were burned at an early hour Saturday morning, January 18, 1902, entailing a loss of $60,000 fully covered by insurance. They were erected in 1887 with a capacity of 350 barrels per day.
Church societies are represented in Sprague by the Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, Free Methi- odists, German Lutheran and Catholic. The fraternal institutions comprise the A. F. & A. M., K. P., I. O. O. F., United Artisans, Mac- cabees, W. O. W., M. W. A. and Foresters.
CRYSTAL CITY.
One of the youngest towns in Lincoln coun- ty is Crystal City. It lies on the bank of the Spokane river just above the site of old Fort Spokane. It is understood that the owners of the Crystal mine are to install a smelter near their property and this has, doubtless, proved the incentive for the existence of Crystal City. The townsite was laid out December 23, 1903. by B. W. Wolverton at which time the plat was filed. There is considerable ore taken from the Cedar Canyon district which is tributary to to the new town. January 1, 1904, the Lincoln County Times said :
"The long looked for Crystal City has made a start, and several new buildings are going up, but the scarcity of lumber is retarding opera- tions. Mr. Kennet, formerly salesman for Ben- ham & Griffith, wholesale grocers of Spokane. is erecting a store and it is reported that Grutt & Sons have purchased the old O'Shea build- ing and are going to put in a store. Mr. Kennet is also putting up a livery and feed stable. J. H. Gardner is putting up a building supposed to be a blacksmith shop. Lots are going like the proverbial hot cakes, and Captain Gray says the smelter is a sure thing."
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
The new town appears to be the outgrowth, or successor, rather, of Grayville, which came into existence in May, 1899. It was located some 600 feet from the Crystal mine. But July roth, of that year, fully one-fourth of Grayville went up in smoke and ashes. The only store in the place owned by W. M. Stevens and G. J. Neumeister was destroyed entailing a loss of about $3,000 upon which there was $1,400 in- surance. Since that event Grayville appears to have languished until it was supplanted by the new town of Crystal City. The postoffice, known as Miles, was established in the early 80's.
LAMONA.
The pioneer general mercantile store of La- mona was opened in 1896 by J. M. Newland. This establishment was subsequently disposed of to J. H. Lamona who became, practically, the founder of the town. It is a pretty site for a village lying about midway between Mohler and Odessa, on the main line of the Great Northern railway. Mr. Lamona is at present a resident of Spokane.
IRBY.
Where stands the town of Irby is one of the oldest settled portions of Lincoln county. The Irby ranch was taken up by Mr. I. Irby about 1878 and he held it continuously until 1902 when it was sold to V. A. Johnson. In 1903 it was sold to the Babcock-Cornish Company. Writing of Irby in 1903 the Spokesman-Review said :
"The company that will handle the prop- erty has been incorporated under the name of the Babcock-Cornish Company. One of the principal stockholders is E. J. Babcock, of Dav- enport, Iowa, the secretary and manager of the Security Fire Insurance Company. There is a large wheat belt contiguous to the ranch, but the farmers have been compelled to haul to Krupp or Odessa because the railroad hereto-
fore has not been able to acquire sufficient ground for a commercial siding. Ground for this purpose has now been obtained and within a short time the siding will be built. Work will soon be commenced in the erection of wheat warehouses, and it is believed that the first year's haul to them will amount to between 300,000 and 400,000 bushels. The corporation will es- tablish a bank at the place early in the season. and plans have also been drawn for the erection of a flour mill. On the property there is a fall on the creek that gives 60-horse power, and the mill will be placed here this summer. AAt pres- ent there is nothing at the station of Irby save the ranch and station house, Many attempts have been made to secure ground for ware- houses but the former owners would not sell. The department at Washington, D. C., has granted a postoffice for the place and it will soon be established and a store opened."
MOHLER.
In March, 1893, it was a consensus of opin- oin that in the town of Mohler, on the Great Northern railway and a few miles east of Odes- sa, Harrington had a formidable rival. August 24, 1894, the Lincoln County Times said :
"Yarwood Brothers have just opened a gen- eral store at Mohler station, and the people of that vicinity are pleased to have the convenience of such an enterprise. The new store will cer- tainly prosper and bids fair to become an im- portant factor toward the establishment of a flourishing little town. The next thing wanted at that place is a postoffice."
But in December. 1900, the Spokesman-Re- view supplemented the above with the follow- ing :
"The death knell of the prosperous little town of Mohler, situated eight miles southwest of Harrington, has been sounded by one of the two parties interested in its dissolution. Mohler is on the main line of the Great Northern rail- way and is an important wheat station on that
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
road, some 500,000 bushels of grain having been marketed there this season. There are two stores, saloon, meat market, hotel, blacksmith shop, five warehouses and other business estab- lishments, and a large amount of trading was done between these different business inen and farmers who live in the surrounding country. The Great Northern in laying out improvements for the coming summer decided to add another sidetrack to its yard at Mohler, provided the necessary ground could be secured. Yarwood Brothers, owners of the townsite demanded $1,000 for the land on which to build a siding, but this was considered entirely out of reason by the officials. The Great Northern is making preparations to tear up the siding already at Mohler, and will move the same two miles north, where a station will be erected and side- tracks put in. To make doubly sure of the case another station and siding will be located four miles southwest of Mohler. This action will cause a removal of the five warehouses now lo- cated at Moller to these new towns and thus effectually shut out all trade with Mohler. Two warehouses belong to the Great Northern, one to the Orondo Shipping Company, one to Yar- wood Brothers, and one to Crowley & Will- iams."
These drastic measures were taken by the railway company, and Mohler passed into his- tory. Following the removal of the sidetracks Great Northern trains ceased to stop at the station. In May, 1903 the Lincoln County Times sounded the following requiem over the deatlı of the once lively little burg :
"The town of Mohler, on the Great North- ern road, has gone out of business. The few little business houses that were there were a short time ago loaded on to flat cars and carried over to Downs, a distance of four miles. The sidetrack at Moller, it will be remembered, was taken up by the railroad company a few weeks ago, since which time the trains have been pass- ing through without stopping. This abandon- ment of the town by the company is believed to
have been inspired by a desire on the part of the officials to punish the townsite owners who a couple of years ago refused to part with some of their property at figures agreeable to said officials. Since that time it was given out that the place was to be wiped from the map-and it has come to pass."
OTHER TOWNS.
In 1881 a postoffice was established a few miles north of where now is Creston, and it was called Brents. This was the only postal station west of the old Mondovi postoffice. Pioneers of northern Lincoln county tells us that the resi- dents had a hard time to preserve the existence of this office as no one desired the honor of serving as postmaster. Nearly all the people in the vicinity at one time or another held the position. For many years Josiah Cole kept a small grocery store at Brents Postoffice. He disposed of his business about the time the Cen- tral Washington railroad was built through the county and subsequently removed to Wil- bur. Brents postoffice was discontinuted in 1890, when a postoffice was established at the station of Creston.
Hellgate is a postoffice situated on the Col- umbia river in the northern part of the county. It was formerly known as Layton postoffice, but in 1894, by petition of patrons of the office, the name was changed to Hellgate. The change was made on account of the weakness of the average penman for flourishes. Fre- quently addresses were so written the mail went to Dayton instead of the proper destination, Layton.
Rocklyn is a station on the Central Washi- ington railroad west of Davenport. The place is quite an important grain shipping point. There are three warehouses and a general store in the place. Two or three families comprise the town. The postoffice was established in Spetember, 1898. During that year the first warehouse was erected and the German Evan- gelists built a church edifice.
HAWK CREEK FALLS, LINCOLN COUNTY
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
Waukon is a postoffice and station on the Great Northern railroad in the extreme eastern part of Lincoln county. It is a grain shipping point and maintains one store.
Gravelle was platted May 18, 1889, by .1. M. Cannon and Alphonse Gravelle. The place was on the line of the old Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railroad and was quite a grain ship-
ping point during the short time the road was operated. There was a store there.
Other postoffices in the county at the pres- ent time are Tipso, Plum, Clark, Sherman, Hles- seltine, Peach, Egypt and Larene, in the north- ern part of the county, and Earl, Crab Creek and Latt in the southern portion, none of which are located on railroads.
CHAPTER VI.
DESCRIPTIVE.
To write a history of the Big Bend coun- try without the prefatory introduction of Lin- coln county would be like the play of "Hamlet" with Hamlet ten thousand miles away. If one will consult a map of the state of Washington he will see that. to the Great Bend of the Col- umbia, from the southwest corner of the Spo- kane Indian Reservation to Pasco, near the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers, Lincoln county is the door-way from the east. Within this territory, recognized as the Great Bend, are embraced a close approximation of 10,014 square miles. Practically it includes the counties of Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin. But a writer in the Spokesman- Review has more particularly generalized this limitation as follows :
"The purpose of this sketch is to define just what part of the state comprises the Big Bend country, and to call attention more especially to that part of the bend beyond the Grand Cou- lee and nearest and closest within the embrace of the great Columbia river.
"People speak of it as anywhere west of Spokane city to the Columbia, which is rather indefinite. Neither would a line drawn from where the Columbia coming down from Can- ada veers westward at the mouth of the Spo- kane river, to a little below the mouth of the |
Snake river at Wallula, enclose all of the land that belongs to the bend. Such a line, though it would touch both horns of the great crescent formed by the Columbia, would yet leave out vast areas that are part and parcel of the land in question. The line for instance would pass miles west of Davenport. And would you ask a man of Davenport his nationality he would aver he was a Big Bender. . And he would be right. In point of fact all of Lincoln county, Adams, Franklin, "Where the Barley Grows," Douglas of course, and parts of Spo- kane and Whitman counties make up this pe- culiar country. . \ Spokane county man living east or north of the city of Spokane will tell you he lives in the Inland Empire : and of course he does. Go west or north of Deep Creek in the same county and he will tell you he lives in the Bend. And though geographically he may not so far as lines and boundaries go. yet according to the character of the country and the nature of the soil he does.
"Go south of Spokane city and you are on Moran prairie: which in itself is an enviable distinction as the Moran Prairieites will care- fully explain to you, though they will not easily allow you to become one of their chosen num- ber-except at a price-the market price of Moran prairie land. Whitman
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
county is given over to the Palouse, and all within range of Steptoe Butte be- longs to it, as all within sight or ken of Pilot Rock, on the west wall of the Grand Coulee, belongs of right to the Bend. So should the northwest corner of Whitman, by virtue of the character of the soil, even as the southeast portion of Adams is of the Pa- louse. But all of Lincoln and all of Douglas is Bend country. Franklin is given over to the powers that be in irrigating ditches, and so is between the Palouse and much water.
"So the Big Bend country of Washington comprises all that land lying within the bend of the Columbia river proper, which is west of a line drawn from the mouth of the Spokane river southwest to Wallula, a little below the mouth of the Snake river. And besides this, all that land lying west of Deep Creek and south of Spokane river, from the mouth of the former to the mouth of the latter. It is a high rolling plateau, much diversified by butte and coulee and draw, and two thousand feet above the level of the sea. A land of lost creeks and blind springs, rich in a lava soil that has the knack of growing crops with the aid of a minimum rainfall. A drive straight west from Spokane will bring you through a series of well appoint- ed farms that have long ago passed the home- steading stage and have all the earmarks of prosperity. Davenport, Creston, Wilbur, Go- van, Almira and Hartline are towns along the Washington Central railway that thrive under the stimulus of the backing of farms whose soil is as good as any in Washington. You will be struck with the business activity of these towns no less than by their neat appearance. The man fresh from the sinoky east is startled, to say the least, at the newness of-say Almira, for instance. She looks as if just from the hand of the workman. Like an easter bonnet just out of the bandbox. A peculiarity of the climate is that a house looks new for years even though not painted. And whereas, in the smoky cities of the east all houses attain a uniform color in
so long a time-which is short-though the colors be ever so varied, here in the Big Bend color is color, and remains blue, green, yellow or red, as the case may be, until the pigment itself has lived the term of its natural life. The effect is one of indescribable neatness, and you can't help but believe but that the artist of the 'spotless town' famous in the trolley cars, came here for inspiration and a model.
"North of Almira and extending to the Columbia, and from Creston in the east to the wall of the Grand Coulee, is the Ridge country. This section is claimed to be the best wheat land in the state. Here is the "California set- tlement," of men who found better lands than those in the Golden State. Working with a threshing outfit there last fall, the writer has seen an output of twelve hundred sacks a day, and an average of one thousand sacks for thirty- six days running, and the machine never got beyond a distance of two and one-half miles from the spot where it threshed the first stand. This was Tipso, and it was not a good year for wheat either. West from Davenport you will drive through a long stretch of rocky land- "scab rock," as it is called. Much of the land here it fit only for grazing. But from Creston on to the Coulee you will be traversing the best wheat lands in the state, and will also be within striking distance of the famed Wilsoncreek country, south of Almira, and Hartline, in Douglas county."
That vast semi-circle or liquid periphery, the Columbia river, was immortalized by Will- iam Cullen Bryant in his poem "Thanatopsis," as "The Mighty Oregon." From the point mentioned, on the Spokane reservation, it makes a bold sweep to the westward. This great turn made by the swiftly flowing river on its way to the sea, if closely examined, will be seen to form the profile of a human face, of aspect stern, yet dignified, and looking intre- pidly across the Cascade Range to the wave- swept western limits of the state. It is with the territory bounded in the main by the Columbia
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
that this history has to deal and describe, as candidly and fairly as the ability of the writers and facts carefully collated will permit. Natur- ally, owing to its geographical position, Lin- coln county will be first considered. There has been much written so far in this work concern- ing its impressive history. It becomes the pro- vince of this chapter to describe its topography, boundaries, general agricultural and industrial classification and resources.
Lincoln county is reached and penetrated from Spokane by three railway lines, the Great Northern, Northern Pacific, and the Washing- ton Central, a branch of the Northern Pacific. What is known as the Spokane & Seattle branch of the latter system, a line fifteen miles and 961 feet in length, was completed out from Dav- enport, the county seat of Lincoln county, to the southeast, but is not at the present time in operation. The proceedings of the State Board of Equalization for 1903 gives the lengths of the line in operation in the county as follows : Great Northern. 64 miles, 4.964 feet ; Wash- ington Central, 66 miles, 375 feet ; Northern Pacific, 16 miles, 2,025 feet. The equalized rate of taxation was fixed at $6,600 per mile.
Lincoln is bounded on the north by Ferry county and the Spokane Indian reservation, separated by the Columbia and Spokane rivers ; on the west by Douglas ; on the south by Adams and a portion of Whitman counties, and on the east by Spokane county. Its area is 2,299 square miles, or about 1,471.360 acres. The mean elevation of the county is about 2,000 feet above sea level. One of the highest points is at Davenport, which is 2,470 feet. Geographi- cally illustrative of the size of Lincoln county General Tyner said: "If a single county in Delaware or Rhode Island should be enlarged to the dimensions of Lincoln county, then the balance of either of these states would not af- ford room enough on which to hold a world's exposition."
East and west across the county the distance is 54 miles ; north and south an average of 45
miles. Of this arca four-fifths is rolling prairie ; the remainder timber land lying along the streams in the canyons of the Columbia river. The soil is a decomposed volcanic ash of vary- ing depth, exceedingly fertile, and while it is an ideal soil for wheat culture it is equally adap- ted to nearly all descriptions of agricultural products indigenous to the temperate zone. Of the entire area of the county about 750,000 acres are agricultural, 400,000 grazing and about 300,000 acres timber lands. . \ writer in the Northern Pacific Railway Bulletin says:
"The agricultural lands are rolling, undul- ating prairies, and for the most part produce equally well throughout the county. Occasion- ally, however, in some of the lower altitudes the rainfall is deficient and on this account the agricultural lands are graded, first, second and third class. The first-class lands are quite well settled and under cultivation, and here but little opportunity exists for cattle raising, which is one of the great industries of the county, but in the second and third-class districts there is sufficient "open range" contiguous to enable the farmer to graze his cattle on the range during eight or ten months of the year, and pasture them on his stubble and feed at his straw stacks in the winter. Thus it is that examples of the most thrifty and industrious farmers in the county are found upon these second and third- class lands. The yield of wheat varies from 14 bushels on the third-class lands to 45 bushels per acre on the choicest lands. While the staple crop of the county is wheat, oats, barley and rye yield equally well on the rolling foot lands. The wheat fields of the Big Bend country find no competitors outside of the state of Washı- ington, and here their only rivals are those of the far-famed Palouse country, which is sim- ilar in character and soil. The harvesting of the crop is always carried on under the most favorable conditions. No rains prevail to dis- color the grain, nor winds to shell it. The threshed wheat lies in piles on the field or on railway platforms, sacked, and ready for ship-
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
ment without danger of injury by the elements.
"Fruits of all kinds also thrive here, such as apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, prunes, grapes and all sorts of berries. Peaches, apricots and grapes grow only in deep canyons. By diversifying his products, includ- ing stock-raising, the farmer of Lincoln county finds himself prosperous."
The report of the Washington State Bureau of Statistics, Agriculture and Immigration, for 1903. published at Olympia, states that the total number of acres of land in Lincoln county, ex- clusive of town and city lots, was 1, 140.392, and that the total number of acres of improved land was 373.159 at the date of publication of the report. Since then these latter figures have been materially increased. The valuation of real and personal property in the county for 1903 is given as follows :
Valuation of land, including city and town lots, exclusive of improvements, $5,941.325 ; valuation of improvements on land, town and city lots. $969,589 ; valuation of land, town and city lots, including improvements, $6,910,914: valuation of personal property, $2.399.981 ; valuation of railroad tracks, $955,610; total valuation of real and personal property includ- ing railroad tracks, $10,266.505.
Assessors' returns for the same year show 18.414 horses, mules and asses of an average value of $25, and a total value of $406.350; 20.310 cattle, of an average value of $16 and a total of $324.960; 1.174 sheep at a valuation of $2 a head, and totaling $2,348; 6,840 hogs of a total valuation of $19.440. But it should be re- membered that all these figures have wonder- fully increased since the date of the publication of the report. Yet at the present writing they are the only late authentic reports obtainable.
The claim is made, and authentically sus- tained, that Lincoln is the largest wheat pro- ducing county in the United States, raising in 1900 and 1901 more bushels of this standard cereal than any other one county within the limits of the union. The two principal varie-
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