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 67
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 67
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 67
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 67
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Excellent crops of rye and wheat may be grown once in two years by summer fallowing.
"The climate of the southern portion of the county, along with a small part of Yakima and Walla Walla counties, of like elevation, is the warmest and has the longest growing season of any part of Eastern Washington. Here the growing season is from two to three weeks earlier in the spring and the same later in the fall than at Walla Walla or North Yakima. We have 300 days of sunshine in the year, and rarely does the winter temperature touch zero. The winter averages about two weeks that will keep the farmer from cultivating the soil. In the growing season there are from six and one- half to seven months free from any frost. The average mean temperature of the winter months rarely goes below freezing. The healthfulness of the climate here cannot be questioned."
To this the writer will add that he is in a position to verify nearly all of the statements of Mr. Batcheller. Wherever, irrigation is em- ployed nearly everything that can be raised in the temperate zone grows most luxuriantly. Ten years ago, in the summer of 1894, he passed through Pasco. . East of the track of the North- ern Pacific railway was a small lunch room. At the rear of this building, where water had been thrown out corn, potatoes and quite a variety of other vegetables were growing mag- nificently, a striking object lesson of the value of irrigation. But it was in the spring of that year, in May, that in some localities the irriga- tion business was carried to extremes. That was the year of the great floods in the two rivers, the Snake and Columbia. The follow- ing dispatches are from the columns of the Spoakne Review :
"Pasco, May 26 .- The intense heat during the past week appears to have had a great effect on the snow in the mountains. The Columbia river has been rising rapidly during the past week and is now fully 25 feet above low water mark and is steadily rising at the rate of a foot
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every 24 hours. Two more days' rise will cover all the low lands along the river front, while a three days' rise will carry it to the most extreme height ever known. This is unpre- cedented for this time of the year, the last of June or the first of July having always been considered the time to expect the highest water on the Columbia. The Snake river is, also, over its banks in places. The old Northern Pacific transfer boat broke loose from the fast- enings at sundown yesterday, floated down against the railroad bridge and finally got un- der it and went down stream. The steamer Frederick K. Billings started after her, got a line to the old boat, but could do nothing and finally let the derelict go."
"Pasco, May 28 .- The Columbia is 29 feet above low water and still booming."
"Pasco, May 31 .- The Columbia is upward of 30 feet above the low water mark and slowly rising. For the past two days the steamer Frederick K. Billings has been engaged in clearing the drift from the pier of the railroad bridge here."
"Pasco, June 5 .- The Columbia is assum- ing alarming proportions. It is now 35 feet above low water mark and still rising at the rate of a foot every 24 hours. This is five feet higher than ever known by the 'oldest inhabit- ant.' Sunday (June 3) the high wind started several small buildings along the river front that had so far withstood the flood. The draw bridge is nearly, if not quite under water, while another day's rise will send two or three more piers under the raging stream. This, with the large amount of drift running in the river makes the position one of anxiety to the rail- road officials. The approaches to the bridge on each side, are also, being steadily encroached upon, and cautionary signals have been on them for the past two days. So far the west side of the river has suffered the most, the village of Kennewick, on that side being well under wa- ter. Many of its inhabitants have been driven from their homes, while quite a number of
ranches in the vicinity that were planted last spring on account of the proposed completion of the irrigation canal, are now from one to three feet under water. The Snake is also the highest ever known, making it impossible for the Northern Pacific to repair the road between here and Wallula, and today the com- pany has placed its steamer, Fredrick K. Bill- ings, on the river to transfer between Pasco and that point."
Franklin county has an area of 1,244 square miles. The Northern Pacific railway enters the county at Pasca, on the southern boundary, and runs nearly directly north, 46 miles and 728 feet, dividing the county into nearly equal parts. From the northeast por- tion of the county the Oregon Railroad & Nav- igation Company's line traverses 28 miles and 3,273 feet, forming a junction with the North- ern Pacific at Connell, in the northern portion of the county. The Washington & Columbia line come in from the Snake river, three miles. This is a portion of the Northern Pacific system.
The census of 1890 gave Franklin county a population of only 696. Thirteen years later the census showed 3,615. The latter is es- timated from statistics taken from the school reports of the county superintendent.
During the year ending July 1, 1901, there were entries made in the Walla Walla land office covering 79,749 acres in Franklin coun- ty, the largest number of any county in the district for that year.
By act of the Territorial legislature of 1883 the town of Ainsworth had been named as the temporary seat of county government. Section 10 of the act provided that Ainsworth should remain the county seat until "the next general election, when the question of county seat shall be submitted to a vote of the peo- ple." It appears that this was not carried out in the strict letter of the law, for in 1885 we find in the session laws the following :
"An act to remove the county seat of
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Franklin county from Ainsworth to Pasco, in sid county.
"Be is enacted by the legislature assembly of the Territory of Washington :
"Section I. That the county seat of Franklin county, Washington Territory, be, and the same is hereby changed from Ains- worth and located at Pasco, in said county. "Sec. 2. All acts and parts of acts in con- flict herewith are hereby repealed.
"Sec. 3. This act shall take effect from and after its passage and approval.
"Approved December 22, 1885."
In our scheme of the History of Franklin County we have made a slight departure from the plan followed with the preceding coun- ties. The proceedings of the county commis- sioners have been rather closely followed dur- ing the earlier days of the county's organiza- tion. We believe that they are of interest to many of the pioneers, including, as they do, the official acts and fortunes of a large number of many of these very pioneers. It will be ob- served, also, that the descriptive portions of many of the towns in the county, together with their histories, have been carried along in the body of the work.
Official documents have traced the history of the creation of Franklin county, and its separation from Whitman. The first meeting for organization of the board of county com- missioners was held at Ainsworth, at 2 o'clock p. m., December 8, 1883. There were present Commissioners J. W. Shull, D. W. Owen and C. M. McBride. J. W. Shull was elected chair- man and A. Turnbull, clerk. The following persons were chosen to fill the respective county offices : M. W. Harper, auditor; W. B. Gray, sheriff; John Schafer, treasurer; A. W. Gray, assessor; Frank Hand, probate judge; John O'Keefe, surveyor,; Joseph Keith, coroner ; J. E. Van Gorden, school superintendent. Fol- lowing this official business the board ad- journed to meet December 20th. At this meeting there were present Commissioners
Shull and Owen, Auditor Harper and Sheriff Gray. The official bond of Auditor Harper in the sum of $3,000 was presented, accepted, and he was duly inducted into office, as was the case with Sheriff Gray, his bond being fixed at $2,000. The bond of Probate Judge Hand was placed at $1,000.
At this, the second meeting of the board, liquor licenses were placed at $300 per annum, for no shorter period than six months. At the following meeting. December 29th, the city council of Ainsworth appeared in a body and presented a proposition to build a jail jointly with the county of Franklin. The chairman of the board was instructed to ascer- tain the probable cost of such building and select a site for the same. Mrs. Flora Lives- ley was named school superintendent in place of Mr. Van Gorden. January 5, 1884, a re- quest was forwarded to J: E. Gantenbein, local land agent for the Northern Pacific Railway Company, asking for two lots in the town of Ainsworth for county purposes. The ferry license for the Columbia and Snake rivers was fixed at $25 per annum. At this period the rates of ferriage on these rivers ruled: Two horses and wagon, $3: 4 horses and wagon, $4 ; man and horse, $1 ; each additional horse. 50 cents ; each pack horse, 75 cents ; one loose horse, 50 cents; each additional loose horse, 25 cents ; one head of cattle, 50 cents; each additional head, 25 cents ; one hog, 25 cents ; each additional hog, 15 cents; one sheep, 25 cents, each additional sheep, 10 cents ; one foot man, 50 cents ; freight per ton, $1.
January 12th bids were opened for the building of a court house and jail. The con- tract was awarded to A. Forbis for $124. This building was completed in the town of Ainsworth March 3d, and accepted. It does not appear from the proceedings of the board that the proposition of the citizens of Ains- worth to join in the building of a jail and court house was ever accepted. In May of this year S. R. Smith was granted a franchise to con-
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duct a steam ferry for a period of five years, extending one mile up Snake, and one mile above the mouth of Snake on the Columbia river. Meanwhile, settlement had been made with the treasurer, of Whitman county, and Franklin's emancipation was complete.
The removal of J. W. Shull from the coun- ty in August required the appointment of a successor. C. M. Smith was named for that position. In January, 1885, Fredrick Kurtz- man was appointed treasurer to succeed John Schafer. The first grand and petit jurors drawn in Franklin county comprised the fol- lowing gentlemen :
Grand jurors-Carl Moritz, J. McCarthy, J. E. Van Gorden, Henry Gantenbein, Jr., J. J. Durant, Edward Parkinson, Maurice Hani- gan, W. R. Kohlborn, D. W. Owen, W. B. Mizell, Thomas Winn, Jr., M. W. Harper.
Petit jurors-E. C. McBride, Max Hurdin, W. J. Hess, A. P. Gray, R. A. Gantenbein, B. Farley, John F. Buchanan, C. M. Burger, P. H. Barnholdt, F. L. Schumann, Daniel Page, Gibson Savage, D. D. Sylvester.
Following the separation of the new coun- ty of Franklin from Whitman, the boundary line between the small section of Douglas county in the northwestern corner, had never been run by surveyors. February 17, 1886, the following order appeared upon the record of the Franklin county commissioners :
"In the matter of the division line between Franklin and Douglas counties; It is ordered that the county surveyor, proceed at once to the above named place and make an official survey of said line as is described in the law in the creation of Franklin county, and that the surveyor make an official return thereof."
There being no newspaper published in Franklin county so early as May. 1886, the Walla Walla Journal was designated by the commissioners as the official organ of the new county. An act of the Territorial legislature had removed the county seat from Ainsworth to Pasco. Accordingly, on November II,
1886, we find an order addressed to the county auditor to advertise for bids to remove the county court house and jail to Pasco. This action was to be in accordance with "plans and specifications on file in his office." By February 7, 1887, this was accomplished, the work accepted and bill for same, amounting to $218, allowed. Pasco was now the capital of Franklin county de facto as well as de jure.
February 9, 1888, Pasco had a newspaper, the Headlight. On that date the auditor was instructed to advertise for bids for the erection of a building for county purposes. But at the commissioner's meeting of February 21st, all these bids were rejected and James O'Connell was employed to draft new plans and specifi- cations for a building 36 by 56 feet in size, two stories high, and present the same at a subsequent meeting of the board. May 7th a special election was called for June 9th for the purpose of submitting the question of building a county court house, and to authorize the is- suance of bonds, not to exceed $10,000, for such purpose. About this time the name of Ainsworth was changed to Pasco Precinct. From this period the identity of the former place gradually faded from the strong light of publicity.
May 8, 1889, but little progress had been made in the way of a new county building. On that date the commissioners entered the following order :
"In the matter of a building for county offices it is ordered that the auditor advertise for twenty days in the Pasco Headlight; in one newspaper published in Walla Walla, and in one newspaper, published in Spokane Falls, for proposals for the erection of said county building according to the plans and specifica- tions now on file in the auditor's office, and that an extra session of the board of county commissioners be held on Monday, the 3d day of June, 1889, for the purpose of opening and considering said proposals."
On the day specified the board convened.
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It was then found that C. L. Miller had sub- mitted the lowest bid, $2,227.92, and he was awarded the contract. The bid of James O'Connell was $3.340; that of C. S. Austin, $3,300. Pasco was at this period in charge of a board of trustees. In November of this year they applied to the board for permission to use one room in the new building, and one cell in the county jail, for town purposes. This request was granted, and Room B, and Cell No. 2 set aside for Pasco. This permission, however, was tentative upon the payment of a monthly rental of $5.
During the month of November there was a wholesale change in the names of the streets of Pasco. This action was taken on the peti- tion of the Pasco Land Company. East Clark became Market: East Lewis, Court; East Columbia, Mechanic; East Shoshone, Hager- man; East Bonneville, Lincoln, and Fir, Main streets. Agitation for the incorporation of Pasco began in May, 1890, At the commis- sioners' meeting on the 5th inst., a petition was presented headed by D. W. Owen, and which was granted, asking for a special election to vote upon the proposition. Election day was set for May 24th, to be held in the court house. It was also provided that the qualified electors vote for mayor, five councilmen and treasurer. Officers appointed to serve at this election were Charles P. Anne, inspector; M. J. Fox and Robert Taylor, judges. This proposition was defeated by a vote of 18 for; 37 against.
The original petition for an irrigation dis- trict in Franklin county was presented May 7, 1890. It was headed by W. H. Smith and signed by a number of other public-spirited men of the county. This petition was accompanied by a bond which was approved and the request for an election granted, with the provision that the district be divided into five districts, or sections. The election was set for Saturday, May 31st, the vote on the proposition to be taken at the court house at Pasco. The name selected for the enterprise was "The Pasco
Irrigation District," and the officers named to preside at the election were E. H. Parkinson, inspector ; John Toles and Alexander Gordon, judges. The result of this election was 105 vctes in favor of the proposition and none against it. The commissioners' record shows the following :
"It is ordered that the Pasco Irrigation District be, and is hereby declared duly or- . ganized according to the boundaries as de- scribed in the election notices for the same, and the following persons are declared duly elected as officers of said irrigation district : Director Division No. 1, Fred Kurtzman ; No. 2, J. C. Helm: No. 3, A. S. Brown; No. 4, J. J. Durant; No. 5, L. M. Morgan. Treas- urer District, Thomas Winn; Collector. W. L. Rockwell; Assessor, E. H. Parkinson."
The death of County Auditor Thomas Winn, in June, 1890, necessitated the appoint- ment of a successor. On the 10th inst. David H. McCullagh was selected. The following resolutions was, also, passed by the board :
"Whereas, That in the death of Thomas Winn, late auditor, and clerk of Franklin coun- ty, and clerk of this board of county commis- sioners; Be it therefore
"Resolved, That this board and the county of Franklin have lost a faithful and efficient officer and the people an honored and esteemed citizen. That the sympathy of the board be extended to the family of the deceased and a copy of this resolution be spread upon the minutes, and a copy forwarded to the family of the deceased."
In August, 1890, the taxable property of the county was found to be $645,000. Esti- mated expenses for the ensuing year were $7.254. At about this period an economical stroke was executed by combining the offices of auditor and county clerk, and sheriff and assessor.
Another election on the proposition to in- corporate Pasco as a city of the fourth class was held May 4, 1891. The proposed name
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was the "Municipal Corporation of the Town of Pasco." J. J. Durant was named as in- spector, and F. P. Speck and Charles W. Pinnez, judges. It appears, however, that nothing resulted from this move, for on Au- gust II, 1891, a special incorporation election was called for the 29th instant, at Pasco, to vote on the question. Election officers named were D. W. Owen, inspector; W. P. Gray and George W. Haynie, judges. The result was favorable to the friends and advocates of in- corporation. Seventy-five votes were cast, of which fifty-five were for the proposition and twenty against. Ransom Olney was elected the first mayor of Pasco; George W. Haynie, treasurer ; Fred Kurtzman, J. W. O'Keefe, D. WV. Owen, James Waters and W. H. Whemire, councilmen.
Thus a progressive, enterprising spirit had at last attained to supremacy, and the new or- ganization on assuming charge of municipal affairs proceeded to work for the best interests of the town of Pasco.
February 7, 1893, the resignation of Mrs. Marguriette Speck, as county superintendent of schools, was accepted, and Clara W. Wilkins, was appointed to supply the vacancy. During the same month the exorbitant ferry rates across the Snake and Columbia rivers were materially reduced. In the earlier portions of this chapter we have given the rates then in vogue. We now find hogs listed at five, and sheep at one cent a head as against 25, 15 and 10 cents, the prices at that period prevailing. One span of horses, wagon and man are now cut to $1.50, thus reducing the original rates one hundred per cent. Footmen are now listed at 25 cents in- stead of fifty cents, the original figures. Other rates were reduced in proportion.
The death of county auditor and clerk, W. H. Brown, in September, 1894, necessitated the appointment of a successor, and on September 22d. Adrain S. Brown was chosen. The fol- lowing resolutions, passed by the then commis- sioners of Franklin county, E. Timmermann,
V. D. Lay and John F. Grose, are here intro- duced as a matter of more than passing interest, not only from their novelty as a portion of of- ficial records, but as an evidence of unusual sincerity on the part of the board. In these days of official jealousy and sharp competition in all walks of political life, the following warm testimonials to the official character of office holders will be duly appreciated :
"Pasco, Wash., Jan. 6, 1897-Whereas, the term of office of Adrian S. Brown, as county auditor and clerk of the board of county com- missioners, will soon expire, and
"Whereas, we, the members of said board deem it proper to express in behalf of said coun- ty official our due regard for his worth as such county official and his standing as a citizen, be it therefore
"Resolved, That in Adrian S. Brown, Esq., we recognize a citizen of the highest moral character and integrity ; that as a county official he has ever been faithful and courteous, dis- charging the duties of his position with credit and ability ; and in a manner highly creditable to the county and satisfactory to this board.
"Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the records of the proceedings of this board."
"Pasco, Wash., Jan. 6, 1897-Whereas, Mr. F. P. Speck, Esq., the prosecuting attorney of this (Franklin) county, whose term of office is about to expire, and
"Whereas, we, the members of the board of county commissioners of Franklin county, Washington, consider it proper that we should express our appreciation of his services as an officer and his standing as a citizen, therefore be it
"Resolved, That in Mr. F. P. Speck, Esq., we have always found an upright, honorable man, possessed of the highest morals and in- tegrity and as an officer of painstaking and re- liable character, and be it further
"Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this board."
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The valuation of Franklin county, October 3, 1898, was $821,235.
The rapid extinction of the town of Ains- worth was accentuated October 3, 1898, when the commissioners, on petition of the Northern Pacific Railway Company, "vacated, set aside and annulled" the greater portion of the town plat of the erstwhile capital of Franklin county. What a change was this from the flourishing and prosperous season of 1884, when the great $1,300,000 bridge was thrown across the Snake river. Then was Ainsworth one of the busiest places in the state of Washington-a town of magnificent proportions if not of "distances." Business enterprises of every description were taxed to their utmost capacity. The streets were lined with people. Competing hotels were taxed to their utmost to supply the demands of the transient and local custom. As a railroad camp, per se, the like, perhaps has never been seen in the state. It, was, moreover, the county seat and the prospect then was that it would remain so for years to come. All this, however, was but a transient glory, as light and unsub- stantial as the down blown from the thistle. With the completion of the magnificent rail- road structure, departed the people who had but lent their presence temporarily to the ex- altation of Ainsworth. There was no more heavy monthly pay-roll. There were no more eager traders at the stores; the hotels were de- serted; the noise of the steel hammer riveting iron bolts was hushed to the deathly stillness of the desert, or the low hum of the drowsy insect. And thus silently, though reluctantly, Ainsworth gradually passed from the map.
In common with other counties throughout Eastern Washington, Franklin was afflicted with the squirrel pest. Especially were they numerous and aggressive in 1899. June 2d the commissioners passed an order authorizing the county auditor, to supply, free of charge, two ounces of strychnine to each person cultivating 160 acres of land, and the same proportion of the drug for an additional number of acres.
The intense interest that was early mani- fested in the subject of irrigation is thus de- scribed by Mr. C. T. Giezentanner in the initial number of his paper, the Franklin Recorder, published January 8, 1897 :
"This county has a great many thousand acres of arid land that will prove most valuable when once reclaimed by irrigation. It is bor- dered by the Columbia and Snake rivers, but owing to the fact that the land is so far above the water that a ditch would have to be taken out at such a distance from Pasco, with any small amount of capital the scheme has been thought to be almost impracticable. But this difficulty has been overcome by the persistent efforts of Mr. J .. W. O'Keefe and a few other citizens of Pasco who have devised a great scheme for pumping water up over the banks and on to the high land. They have a patent on this pumping apparatus, and the best of all is they now have the machine constructed and are placing it in position on the Snake about three miles from town.
"Quite a number of capitalists, after in- vestigating the principle and power of the ma- chine have taken hold and its success is assured. Mr. Courtwright, one of the men interested, is here and is helping to lay the plant for a trial test. The intention of the company is to place several of the machines along the Snake and Columbia rivers and water the whole county. These plants can be put in for much less than any other system of water works and their power is unlimited. They will run night and day without any attention whatever, and will throw a perpetual stream of water. There is nothing about them that will wear out, and when once in operation they will do the same work as a gravity ditch. This is the first step in the way of permanent irrigation for Frank- lin county, and the people who are interested are very much elated over the prospect, and from indications it will only be a matter of time when this county will vie with any other irri- gated county in the state."
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