USA > Washington > Douglas County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 42
USA > Washington > Adams County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 42
USA > Washington > Franklin County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 42
USA > Washington > Lincoln County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 42
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created the price. The Northern Pacific ap- praises every acre of its land and then grades it. At a conservative estimate to purchasers the appraisements have raised the last eighteen months 200 per cent.
"The result of the sudden rise in railroad land values has caused the advent of the specu- lator. In from two to five months sections have been sold at double the purchase money. The land office here reports instances of $2,500 being cleared in three months on a section, the land selling at $7 an acre. As in all countries thrown open to settlement it is now a case of 'get it quickly' or be left. Commuted home- steads in Adams county may be obtained from the government for $1.25 an acre for land out- side the primary railroad limits and double that figure for inside land."
August 20, 1903, Adams county was raised to the 18th class, the population having reached over 7,000, and less than 8,000. Being re- troactive this action took effect in January of that year.
The county of Adams, peopled by progres- sive and law-abiding citizens, has the lowest percentage in court record and mortality of any county in the state. In one year a total of $300,000 was expended in farm improvements and $600,000 eastern capital was attracted and spent here in the purchase of farm lands at greatly increased valuations. During the year 1900 5,000,000 bushels of wheat were sold from the county, the profits being in the hands of farmers.
CHAPTER II.
CITIES AND TOWNS.
The county of Adams has many young, but growing towns, and they are coming into prominence rapidly. Considering the youth of the county their growth and prosperity are pleasureable surprises. To Ritzville, the coun- ty seat, must of course, be awarded first place, a town with a population at present of about 2,000. It is located on the Northern Pacific Railway, sixty-five miles southwest of Spo- kane. The claim is made for Ritzville, and there seems none to dispute the statement, that it is the largest wheat-shipping station in the world. By this is meant, of course, that it is the most extensive primary shipping point, drawing the grain directly from local farmers, the first handlers of the wheat.
The first permanent settlers in north Adams county came in 1880. Early the following year the first building was erected on the site of the present town of Ritzville. This was an eight-room house built by William McKay. At that period the railroad graders on the Northern Pacific line were working in this vi- cinity. McKay's place was utilized as an im- provised hotel for the accommodation of these laborers and the transient trade connected with their trade. The arrival of the railroad in the summer of 1881 brought more people to the country. About the same time Mr. McKay erected the second building in the extremely youthful town. In this edifice Mckay put a small stock of dry goods and groceries. Mr. J. B. Whittlesey, agent for the Northern Rail- way Company, at the Ritzville station, was in- terested with Mr. Mckay in this pioneer store.
The third building on the townsite was the de- pot, erected in the autumn of 1881. No other improvements were made that year, and O. H. Greene, who, with his family came to Ritzville, in April, 1882, has said that at the time of his arrival there were scarcely fifty people in the place. School was conducted in a "lean-to" on some generous man's house. Every one drew water from the same fountain-the railroad tank-and it was not thought that water could be obtained by digging. The only meeting house was the dining room of the hotel, and the hotel was the depot. This apartment, also, served as a dance hall, and occasional theatrical exhibitions were given therein. The first ware- house in Adams county was built by the North- ern Pacific Elevator Company, at Ritzville. It was afterwards purchased by Whittlesey & Bar- ronette. The initial religious service was held at Ritzville-also the first in Adams county. This was on April 2, 1882. On that day the First Congregational church was organized. An interesting paper concerning the history of this church was read at the last services held in the old church building, Sunday evening, April 14, 1901, by Mrs. J. G. Bennett. The following is an extract from the article :
"In giving a sketch of the organization and history of the First Congregational church of Ritzville, time carries us back to the spring of 1881, when Ritzville was a fiction-a product of the imagination. Dr. G. H. Atkinson was Home Missionary for the Congregational churches of Oregon and Washington Territory at that time. The reverend gentlemen in trav-
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eling over the country had no Pullman or com- fortable day coach in which to ride. Ritzville had not at that time heard the whistle of a lo- comotive. He traveled by wagon, and the way for miles led through sections of cactus, sage brush and alkali, in summer time the earth parched and dry, overhead a blistering sun; habitations few and far between. In making one of these trips between Portland and Spo- kane, he stopped at the home of William Mc- Kay and from them learned that there were some families in the neighborhood who were Congregationalists. Mrs. McKay asked him to stop at some time when on his way to Spokane and preach, as the people would be glad to have religious service. He came again the following spring, but found that she who had so kindly invited him had passed away, and instead of a cheerful and happy home, as he found before, a lonely one greeted him.
"On the 2d day of April, 1882, the first public religious services were held in Ritzville at the home of Mr. McKay, twenty-three per- sons attending. The Rev. Atkinson preached from the second chapter of Colossians, first to seventh verse. By a vote of the congregation a Union Sunday School was organized. J. G. Bennett was elected superintendent and Mrs. J. B. Whittlesey, secretary. In the evening services were held at the home of J. G. Bennett, with twenty persons in attendance. Rev. At- kinson's subject was 'Our Heavenly Father's Care of Every Little One,' illustrated by the Shepherd's care of every one of his flock. We sang the Forefather's Day Hymn, beginning with
'Oh, God, beneath Thy guiding hand Our exiled Father's crossed the sea.'
"We had not been exiled, nor had we crossed the sea, but in some way those who sang the hymn that day could realize in a measure what the Pilgrim Fathers meant. We had left in our eastern homes all that was near and dear to us; there were just a few of us here on the
uninhabited prairie, with no settlement within many, many miles of us, with the exception of a few stockmen along the streams, among whom were the families of Mrs. Cerita Meyer and Mr. J. F. Coss. Both of these families have since become identified with us in church work.
"On the second day of April, 1882, the First Congregational church was organized with the following members and officers :. Mr. and Mrs. George Sinclair, Mr. and Mrs. William Mc- Kay and Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Bennett, these persons all having letters from the Congrega- tional church at Canton, South Dakota. The articles of faith and covenant of Roy's Manual were read by Dr. Atkinson and accepted by the members, and we were thus constituted a church of Christ. The right hand of fellowship was given by Mr. Atkinson; George Sinclair was chosen deacon and J. G. Bennett, clerk.
On the ninth day of April we organized our Sabbath School and kept it up until October, when we were obliged to discontinue on ac- count of having no suitable room in which to meet. However, we reopened the school in the spring. We met with many discouragements at times, but our motto was to persevere. Some of the children whose names were enrolled in the first Sunday Schood record of Ritzville, and are still residents of this place, are Messrs. Jesse and Claud Harris, Oscar Edwards, Charles Sinclair, Van Bennett, Mrs. Henry Horn, Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Edwards, Mesdames J. M. Comparet, E. D. Gilson, W. W. Zent, and Mrs. J. B. Whittlesey, mother of Mrs. Zent. Dr. Atkinson made two more visits during the year, and the following spring the Rev. F. H. Fruicht, with several German families, among whom were the Rosenoffs, Kanzlers, Bowers, and Thiels settled here. Rev. Fruicht came with these people as their pastor-these good . people did not believe in going out into the wil- derness with their flocks without a shepherd. During the summer the Rev. Fruicht preached twice a month for the English speaking peo- ple. That year and the following spring
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brought the families of J. L. Johnson, S. A. Wells, N. H. Greene, O. P. Tuttle and others. Rev. J. L. McCullum, pastor of the Congre- gational church at Sprague, preached once a month during the summer. The Rev. Fruicht gave his time to German work. The church was incorporated April 21, 1884.
"In the spring of 1885 Dr. Atkinson came again-this time to see what could be done about building a church. Some said 'It can't be done; there is no use talking about it.' But others said 'Yes, we must have a church, for in building churches we help the state to be founded on virtue and truth and loyalty to all that is good.'
"The subscription paper for this church was quite a modest looking sheet compared with the new church, which pledges now about $4,000. We are indebted to Mr. N. H. Greene, of Spokane, who has carefully preserved the old subscription paper for the list of names on it. They are :
"Rev. G. H. Atkinson, J. B. Whittlesey. William McKay, W. L. Ferguson, S. A. Wells, N. H. Greene, G. Scheel, J. G. Bennett, Joseph Bergmatter, T. Gazon, Peter Olson, W. F. Despain, George Sinclair, R. J. Neergaard, J. B. Lister, J. W. Ireland, J. W. Smith, J. M. Harris, F. M. Egbers and J. Allen.
"The contract was let to N. H. Greene the 25th day of July, 1885. The church was dedi- cated November 15, 1885: services being con- ducted by Rev. Atkinson assisted by Rev. F. M. Egbers. Mr. and Mrs. Egbers united with the church that day by letter from the M. E. church of Stillwell, Illinois, and Mrs. Sarah and Emma Olson by confession of faith. Dr. Atkinson's work was finished here about that time."
In the summer of 1883 Mr. J. L. John- son came from Walla Walla and purchased the store business of Mr. Mckay. A post- office was established and Mr. Johnson became postmaster. Prior to the establishment of the postoffice the mail for Ritzville people, and
-
some others, was handled at the express office by the agent, Mr. Whittlesey. During the spring of 1884 Messrs. N. H. Greene and Clark Long formed a partnership and put in the second store in Ritzville. Although the store building was small they had a large stock, and the enterprise was quite an event in the history of the town.
The first Fourth of July celebration held in Ritzville was that of 1884. The following account of the initial celebration in Adams county's capital city appeared in a Sprague paper shortly following the event :
"Ritzville celebrated our national anni- versary for the first time. The program was a success in every way and reflected credit on the ladies and gentlemen who arranged it. The choir consisting of Mesdames N. H. Greene, S. A. Wells, F. Johnson, the Misses Tuttle, Maggie Sinclair, Messrs. S. A. Wells, R. J. Neergaard and others sang the national airs with the spirit of 1776. Rev. F. M. Egbers was chaplain of the day, and Rev. R. J. Neergaard read the Declaration of Inde- pendence. Hon. S. A. Wells delivered the oration, proving himself to be a fine speaker. Justice Shepard made a short, but interesting speech, telling us that James Russell Lowell proposed a new beatitude :
" 'Blessed is he who has nothing to say and cannot be persuaded to say it.'
"The tables were loaded with everything good. Marshal Shultz kept the best of order, so nothing unpleasant occurred. The party in the evening at Mr. J. B. Whittlesey's was well attended. At the celebration proper there was an attendance of about fifty people."
The status of Ritzville at the beginning of the year 1886, when it was the only town in the county, is learned from a letter written by WV. F. Newland, February 9th, of that year. It was published in the Adams County Record. Mr. Newland who had been in the country three years, wrote the letter in answer to num- erous inquiries he had received from the east
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concerning · Ritzville and Adams county gen- erally. Extracts from this article, relating more particularly to Ritzville, are here repro- duced :
"Ritzville is the county seat on the North- ern Pacific railway. I understand that two years ago only a section house, depot and water tank were there! population now about 150. The town now contains one newspaper, three stores, two hotels, Congregational church, one livery stable, two blacksmith shops, one har- ness maker, one lumber yard, one butcher shop, one saloon (closed), one school house, 28 by 40 feet, two stories high, with 63 scholars and two teachers. The building cost $1,200 and is surmounted by a fine bell.
"It is believed that Ritzville will be as it ought, the main shipping point for a number of years, for a large portion of the Big Bend country ; a large amount of territory capable of supporting a heavy population. Ritzville is the nearest railway point to that section, with good, natural way for roads. The point that secures the trade and holds it is bound to prosper."
During the spring of 1886 a petition, signed by the electors of precinct number I, Adams county, which included the town of Ritzville, was presented to the county commissioners asking for a special election to vote on the question whether or not intoxicating liquors should be sold within the limits of the pre- cinct. This request of the petitioners was granted by the commissioners who called the election to be held in Ritzville June 4, 1886. Of this election D. Keller and F. M. Egbers were named as judges, and J. J. Comparet, in- spector. The vote resulted as follows: Total number of votes cast, 55; for prohibition, 24; against prohibition, 31 ; majority against, 7.
Ritzville was named in honor of Philip Ritz, the first settler in the "Ritzville Country." When the Northern Pacific railroad was being built through eastern Washington Mr. Ritz secured a sub-contract for grading ten miles of
the roadbed in the vicinity of his land, and when the railroad people decided to locate a station they left the naming of the same to Mr. Ritz. He decided that the station should be known as Ritzville. And Ritzville it has ever remained, although from the first, up to the present period, there has been manifested, by some people, more or less dissatisfaction with the cognomen. Indeed, in 1887 an abortive attempt was made to change it. Among the early settlers Mr. Ritz had made some enemies. Partly for this reason, partly because many of the residents of the little town considered the name less euphonious than many others that might be selected, several of the leading men of the place met in an informal way, to discuss the matter. It was decided that the name must be changed. Then came the more difficult task of selecting a new name. The result proved the wisdom of the old copy-book motto, "Many men of many minds." Each citizen present was called on to suggest a name, and, as might have been exepected, each one suggested a different one. It was developed afterward that in each case the name selected by the individuals present was the name of the town in the east from which the gentlemen suggesting it had come to the western coun- try. An agreement could not be reached ; com- promise was impossible, and the name of the county seat of Adams remained Ritzville. It is possible, too, that the postal authorities might have paid no attention to the change, and equally possible that the railway company would have pursued the same course.
The destiny of a town, a county, a state, or even a nation, in the earlier days of its history, is sometimes shaped by quite trifling circumstances. From the time the Northern Pacific railroad was constructed through the county and a water tank had been erected at Ritzville, the people had secured their water supply from the company's tank. Consequently no attempt was made by the citizens to dig for water. And this rather inconvenient condition
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
prevailed for a number of years. The water supply of the company ran short and rather drastic orders were issued to permit no more water to be taken from the tank. This was in the nature of a bombshell in the camp of the Ritzvilleians. Attempts were at once made to procure water, and wells were commenced in different parts of the town. Apparently no water was obtainable. Then there were ad- vanced a number of cogent reasons for moving the town to where water could be secured. It seemed to be a clear case of Mahomet going to the mountain if the mountain would not come to Mahomet. However, at a point about one mile east of the present city a well of water had been "struck." Immediately preparations were made for laying out a townsite in that locality. With one exception every resident of Ritzville had agreed to make the removal. The new townsite owner agreed to give, free of charge, land in equal proportion to that held by the several property owners in Ritzville. The one exception was the proprietor of the two-story hotel building, the most pretentious edifice in the town. Arrangements could not be made for removing this building and the scheme fell through. Afterward parties were more successful in finding water, and Ritz- ville still remains Ritzville, and still stands where it was originally builded.
Early in the year 1887 the town had three general merchandise stores, one drug store, one saloon, two blacksmith shops, two lumber yards, two livery stables, one harness shop and two hotels. There were, also, a good frame school house, two stories in height, with a graded school of one hundred scholars, a good church building and a flourishing Sabbath School, but, as yet, no regular minister.
June 6, 1888, Ritzville was visited by a conflagration which nearly destroyed the town. The fire broke out in the American Exchange Hotel at 4:30 o'clock, p. m., and immediately spread to the adjoining buildings. The cause was a defective flue. The principal losers were :
N. H. Greene, merchandise, $15,000, insur- ance, $1,700; J. P. Johnson, hotel and store, $10,000, insurance, $2,300; M. H. Daggett, druggist, $5,000, insurance, $800; Charles Lemono, $1,500, insurance, $300; W. E. Blackmer, Times office, $1,200, insurance, $500; J. D. Keefer, $800, insurance, $300; Frank Stewart, postmaster, $500, no insur- ance; Carrier & Wells, $250, no insurance; Dr. Whittemore, $100, no insurance; J. B. Whittlesey, $300, no insurance; Huke & Bellamy, $10,000, insurance $4,000; D. Kellar, $500.
One grocery, two hardware stores, two lumber yards and two livery stables were saved. A southwest wind was prevailing at the time, and in a few minutes after the alarm of fire was sounded the entire business portion north of the hotel was wrapped in flames. Notwithstanding the severe losses entailed upon most of the business men they immed- iately went to work to retrieve their fortunes, and erected buildings in which to continue in business. June 8, 1898, the Adams County News said :
"Ten years ago last Monday, June 6, 1888, Ritzville was practically burned to the ground. Since that time it has more than recovered, although it was a severe blow to the town at the time."
Following this fire the first brick building in Ritzville was erected by that enterprising business man, N. H. Greene.
In 1888 Ritzville was first incorporated as a town by order of the district court. This was the Territorial law in those days, and the district courts then stood for all that the superior courts do in the present days of state- hood. The first meeting of the new council was held December 10, 1888. N. H. Greene was appointed mayor; the other members of the council were D. Kellar, P. Kretzer, Grant Tuttle and F. C. Bellamy. The latter was elected clerk. The following officers were elected : D. Kellar, treasurer; W. O. Hatch,
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
1
marshal; Philip Kretzer, city assessor; Mr. Palmster, street commissioner. Henry Zim- merman was subsequently appointed in Mr. Palmster's place. Charles H. Kegley was named for city attorney, but he was succeeded shortly afterward by S. A. Wells. All of these officers were chosen by the council.
The first city election was held at the office of the county auditor, the first Monday in April, 1889. R. J. Neergaard was inspector and Grant Tuttle and Henry Kretzer, judges. The city councilmen elected at this election were P. L. Kretzer, V. Oswald, Charles Weiss, Clark Long and J. H. Mescher. Clark Long was chosen chairman of the council, P. L. Kretzer, city clerk, J. C. Adams, city attorney, J. H. Mescher, city assessor, C. F. Weiss, treasurer, T. J. Hallen, marshal, C. R. Bard- well, street commissioner, A. L. Coffee, city surveyor.
The last meeting of the council under this incorporation was held February 3, 1890. At that time the state had been admitted into the union, and under the new constitution this incorporation was illegal. So, in common with all other towns that had been incorporated under Territorial laws, it was necessary to reincorporate in order to obtain a valid city government for Ritzville. Accordingly this was done. June 23, 1890, a petition was pre- sented to the board of county commissioners asking that the town be incorporated under the state law, and as a town of the 4th class. A census had been taken by F. P. French, government enumerator. He stated that within the boundaries proposed to be incor- porated there were 300 people. This petition was granted by the board who named July 12th as the date in which the electors in the proposed limits of the town should vote on the proposition. Incorporation was carried by a vote of 30 to 7. The area affected by this incorporation was about 440 acres, and its limits were described as follows :
All that portion of Adams county, Washı-
ington, bounded by and included within a line running from the southwest corner of south- west quarter of section 23, in township 19, north of range 35, east of Willamette merid- ian north to the northwest corner of the south- west quarter of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 14, in township and range aforesaid; thence east to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of southeast quarter of said section 14; thence south to the southeast cor- ner of southwest quarter of northeast quarter of said section 23; thence west to center of said section 23; thence south to southeast cor- ner of northeast quarter of southwest quarter of said section 23; thence west to place of beginning.
The vote on the question of incorporation and for the various town officials was as fol- lows :
For incorporation, 30; against, 7.
For Mayor-R. J. Neergaard, 37.
For Treasurer-P. L. Kretzer, 37.
For Councilmen-N. H. Greene, 36; C. E. Hershberger, 34; J. W. King, 37; W. C. McAllister, 37; S. H. Watkins, 35.
It is plain to see that these five were elected. Scattering votes were cast for Henry Kretzer, R. C. Egbers, J. L. Johnson, W. E. Blackmer, Fred Shepley, Clark Long, one each, and for F. R. Burroughs, 2. For this election H. W. Kretzer was inspector, and J. M. Harris and Henry Kretzer, judges, and W. E. Kerr and D. A. Darling, clerks.
The first meeting of the new council was held shortly after the election. S. A. Wells was named as city attorney, and S. L. Cronce, clerk. W. E. Kerr was named as marshal, but he failed to qualify for the position, and J. S. Galloway was appointed.
The second church erected in Ritzville was that of the Methodists, built in 1889 at a cost of about $1,400. It was dedicated by Pre- siding Elder W. C. Gray. The officers at the time of the erection of this building were: W. T. Koontz, pastor; F. M. Egbers, class
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leader; W. C. McAllister, school superin- tendent; O. W. Hatch, W. C. McAllister, W. E. Williams, J. M. Skelton, and F. M. Egbers, trustees.
Although it was not until this date that a Methodist church edifice was erected in Ritz- ville, services had been conducted there since 1883. The following from the pen of F. M. Egbers, published in the Ritzville Times, pre- sents an interesting history of the eary Meth- odist services held in the town, and in Adams county :
"On arriving at the present townsite of Ritzville, in 1883, I found myself to be one of the first Methodists of the place. The Con- gregational church was built in 1885, and for five years was the only church in the place. During the five years it was the writer's priv- ilege to sound the gospel trumpet over the bunch grass prairie of Adams county. Some- times we preached in school houses; at other times we worshipped in the cabins of the set- tlers or in such buildings as we could use. The house in which the writer preached the first sermon and which was used as a school house was one owned by Mr. J. L. Johnson.
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