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 68
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 68
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 68
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 68
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This, however, was not the original scheme in the county as will be recalled by a perusal of earlier portions of this chapter. The W. H. Smith irrigation plan will be remembered, and, also, the Van Gordon, Helm & Corke Company, whose private scheme was placed on foot a year previous to Mr. Giezentanner's editorial. This plant was to be operated by the wheel process, water being raised from the river by this means and distributed throughout the coun- ty on such levels as were available. These gen- ยท tlemen failed, however, as they relied rather too implicitly on the promises of "boomers" and land agents. It does not appear that the plan of Mr. O'Keefe succeeded to any material ex- tent, and it is now the concensus of opinion that the United States government must, event- ually, prove the most substantial reliance for Franklin county, as it certainly must for the greater portion of the Big Bend country. The first steps taken in an official way were the two bills introduced in the Washington legislature in 1897; one by Mr. C. P. Bush, of Vancouver .; the other by Mr. Land, of Seattle.
At 3 o'clock, on the morning of February 6, 1898, occurred a fatal wreck on the North- ern Pacific line near Lake, now Mesa, 30 miles north of Pasco. Two men were killed; one instantly, and two others were seriously in- jured. The locomotive, tender and mail car were wrecked, and one passenger coach was damaged. Overflowing water had weakened the road bed for several miles and a bridge near Lake gave way precipitating a portion of the train into a sluggish little stream. One of the men fatally injured was named Leland; the other Gaffverth. Peter Smith and Samuel Jones, who said their homes were in Spokane, were standing on the same platform with the other two, and went down with the mail car. All four were beating their way. Smith was caught between the wheel of the tender and the platform of the car. One of his hands and one of his legs were crushed. Jones escaped with only a few bruises. So soon as word of the
disaster reached Pasco a physician and Coroner Gantenbein, accompanied by a number of citi- zens repaired to the scene of the wreck and rendered such assistance as was possible. A brother of Leland subsequently came to Pasco and discharged all indebtedness incurred in the interment of the victim in the K. of P. ceme- tery. Gaffverth had been a street car conductor in California.
That the most flattering hopes were based on the future prosperity of Pasco and Frank- lin county in general, is proved by the follow- ing from the News-Recorder of February 25, 1898:
"Judging from the actions of the Northern Pacific Railway Company it seems as though the long-looked for boom in Pasco is near at hand, and when it comes it will come to stay, as no other place under the sun has the advan- tages that this place has to become a great city. We speak this with all truth and sincerity and not as a rattle to tickle the ears of our readers.
"In the first place the company has paid all of its taxes to date, and our warrants, in con- sequence, have created a demand and are sougth after by money lenders who are more than anxious to pay for them at their face value. In the second place a good many of the company's members are interested in the canal that is to water this county, one of the greatest irrigation schemes of modern times, upon which work is now being done and to complete which will cause an outlay of over a million dollars in this county. In the third place great improvement has been carried on here during the winter, such as additions to the company's buildings and expanding the yard by laying miles of sidetracks until we now have the largest and best equipped yards between Tacoma and Spokane, and which will equal, if not surpass, either of those cities.
"In the fourth place it is the company's in- tention to make this the east end of the Pacific division of their road, which means the erec- tion of round houses and machine shops, be-
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sides adding materially to our, population. In the fifth place they have purchased the Wash- ington and Columbia River Railway which will connect with the main line of the North- ern Pacific at this place which is a strong indi- cation that Pasco will be headquarters for that whole system. In the sixth place why should't they? Pasco will, without doubt, become the Queen City of the Inland Empire in the future whether she achieves her start in this way or has to await the medium of some other agent. For grandly hath nature done her part and nobly may we do ours."
The strong and abiding faith manifested in this extract still remains with the citizens of Pasco. The fruition of their hopes lies only in the success of governmental irrigation and this, at the present writing, appears an assured fact in the future. Therefore their present encouragement is not, apparently, unfounded, and that their most ardent hopes will be real- ized is by no means an "irridescent dream."
In the early months of 1898 it was pleas- urably observed that marked improvement had manifested itself in the public school of Pasco. Some friction that had marred previous terms seemed to have disappeared. The 22d of February, Washington's birthday, was cele- brated by the students with an excellent pro- gram of exercises. It was an intelligent and creditable production in every way, and in- cluded the following numbers :
Music-Instrumental-"Over the Waves," by Miss Maud Coleman.
Song-"Welcome, Thou Festal Morn," by the choir.
Recitation-"My Native Land," by Henry Sylvester.
Recitation-"A Zealous Patriot," by Eddie O'Keefe.
Recitation - "Washington's Birthday," Flora Dean.
An Acrostic-"Washington," class of ten.
Music-Instrumental-Maud Coleman and Maurice Wilkins.
Recitation-"A Dream," Lavern Edson. Select Reading-Miss Maud Benton.
Recitation-"Three American Heroes," Gracie O'Keefe.
Recitation-"A Little Boy's Hatchet," Harry Hoffman.
Song-"I've a Tender Recollection," Edna and Delta Koontz.
Recitation-"What It Was About," The- oren Ingalls.
A Story of Washington-Three Reading classes.
Recitation-"A Tribute to Washington," Ed Hoffman.
Music, Instrumental-Maud Coleman. and Maurice Wilkins.
Recitation-"If I had a Hatchet," Charlie Edson.
A Chain of Dates-Five boys.
Reading-Extract from President Mc- Kinley's speech, Mr. Ingalls.
Closing Song-"America," Choir.
During the month of March, 1898, a most peculiar disease made its appearance among the range horses throughout the county. It was in the form of a distemper that by some was considered contagious; by others the re- sult of feeding upon some poisonous weeds. While the animals, if not used, appeared in perfectly good health, if driven until they be- came warm they would break into a sharp run, going at a high rate of speed for about three miles. They would then suddenly stop, quiver in an agitated manner, and then sink to the ground. Prodded vigorously they would vainly endeavor to rise, but once down they soon expired. The death rate at one period became alarming, but this equine epidemic came to a termination as sudden as was its first appearance. It was noticeable that such horses as were not worked until they were heated were seldom attacked by this singular and fatal plague.
The death, in a railroad accident, of John Wallace, nineteen years of age, occurred in
59
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
the Pasco yards of the Northern Pacific Com- pany, Thursday morning, April 21, 1898. As No. 2 was leaving the yard young Wallace at- tempted to gain a position on the brake beam of one of the coaches. The train was moving. At the time of the accident the victim was ac- companied by his brother, Joseph Wallace. The story of the latter is as follows:
"We were sleeping on the ground by a small fire near the stock yard. My brother woke me some time during the night and said that the train was in and we had better hurry to catch it. Even as he spoke the train com- menced to pull out. I arose hurriedly and we both ran for the main line. He, having the start reached the train two car-lengths ahead of me. I saw him catch the rods and disap- pear beneath the coach, and supposed he had reached the brake beam all right. By the time I reached the train it was going too fast for me to attempt to get on. I turned and walked down the track, but had only gone a few steps when I discovered the remains of my brother, which were cut and mangled in a horrible manner, the face being entirely cut off and scattered over the track. We are natives of Sweden and were born in Stockholm. Our parents are dead and we are tramps by pro- fession. The only relative we have in this country is an uncle. His name is Andrew Seaborg and he lives in Minneapolis."
During the spring of 1898 one of the pests peculiar to agricultural districts, was the "sage rat," but differentiated in many particulars from the well known ground squirrel that for a number of years caused great havoc through- out the Big Bend country. The following from the News-Recorder of May 27, 1898, seems to point out an effective remedy for this variety of rodent :
"The farmers of Fish Hook Flat have about solved the sage rat problem. They are plowing furrows around their fields in which holes are dug at a distance of from 20 to 30 feet apart. These resemble post holes. The
rat, finding the furrow, runs along until he goes in the hole and is stuck by the farmer who comes along with a dasher and churns him up. We are told by the farmers from that locality that this mode of extermination is effectual, the only disagreeable feature being that after a few days' treatment of this kind the dead rats create a horrible stench."
At Connell, Wednesday, June 8, 1898, John L. Hart, 35 years of age, met his death by falling from a car. In attempting to climb a box car while the train was in motion his grasp slipped from the ladder and he fell, striking his head against one of the journal boxes of the trucks. This, undoubtedly caused his death, as there were no other bruises on the body except that the sole of one foot was cut away by the wheels. From docu- ments found on the person of the victim it was learned that he was from Wichita, Kansas. He had made a trip to the Klondike and was en route for Billings, Montana. This fact was shown by baggage checks in his possession. A brief genealogy found in his pocket book dated back to 1744, when his great grand- father came from England to the United States. Coroner Gantenbein held an inquest and found in accordance with the above facts. Later he recived a latter enclosing $18.90 from Attorney Hart, of Seattle, to defray expenses incurred by the county in the burial of the un- fortunate victim of the accident.
July 29th fire broke out in Pasco in the general store of A. P. Gray, at 9:30 o'clock, p. m., burning the building and the entire stock. From here the flames spread to the Grand Central, an unoccupied hotel building, and thence to the general merchandise store of H. Gantenbein. All that remained of these three business enterprises, the leading stores in the city, were heaps of ashes. Mr. Gray carried no insurance; Mr. Gantenbein $300 on his building and $700 on the stock.
An account of one of the most miraculous escapes from death on the rails ever recorded
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
appears in the columns of the News-Recorder of date December 2, 1898:
"Sunday morning, November 27th, a very serious accident occurred in the Northern Pa- cific yards at Pasco, which resulted in Mr. L. McClerkin losing a foot and almost his life. It had been sleeting and freezing during the night which caused everything to be covered with a coating of ice, and when he stepped up on the rear end of the tender his foot slipped off and the engine, which was backing up to couple onto the train, ran over him. Having been knocked down he was dragged and rolled a distance of from five to eight cars' length, during which time the engine passed over a frog and switch track. Mr. McClerkin never for an instant lost his presence of mind and would halloo to the engineer to stop whenever he could catch his breath, but owing to the wind he was not heard. He says he must have been struck over forty times and each time was surprised that he was not killed. He was taken out between the first driver and the fire- box, the ash pan having passed entirely over him. With the exception of a few bruises and a crushed foot he escaped any serious injury. Dr. Smith, of Tacoma, one of the company's surgeons, happened to be on the train on his way to Walla Walla, and he took charge of the case. The doctor had him conveyed to the Walla Walla hospital where, on the fol- lowing day, the foot was amputated. Mr. Mc- Clerkin has been braking on the road for sey- eral years, and being a very careful man has never met with an accident previous to this time. The blow is a hard one as he has a wife and family to support."
Illustrative of the sanguine spirit of Pasco citizens, as well as an evidence of the many material improvements made by the Northern Pacific Railway Company in Pasco, the fol- lowing is printed in the News-Recorder of date December 16, 1898:
"The Northern Pacific Railway Company have made, and are making, substantial im-
provements greatly to the credit of this local- ity. Heretofore our people have entertained some doubts as to whether the company ex- pected to have a permanent division center here. Some of the more 'leary' ones even made suggestions that Pasco would not be on the main line when the kinks were straight- ened out of the road. The company has not only straightened the kinks out of the road but is, as fast as circumstances will permit, straightening the kinks out of the town. They have already done enough to assure the people. of their intention to do still more. The people have shown by the numerous. improvements, new buildings, etc., that they now have an abid- ing confidence in Pasco that they have not felt since the beginning of the hard times. Now is the time for our business men to shake them- selves, wake up their latent energy, and decide upon some plan whereby they can advance the interests of our town and county. You now have confidence in the county yourselves ; make others feel it. It is an easy matter to do when they realize that you are in dead earnest. What plan will you offer that will do this?"
In February, 1899, the coal bunkers of the Northern Pacific Railway Company were com- pleted at Pasco. They are the finest on the line, equipped with endless chain and buckets from which the coal is dumped into bins ready for the locomotives. For the purpose of af- fording a suitable site for these improvements the Pasco House, belonging to the company, was moved across to the east side of the track, and located a trifle north of its former site.
The handsome public school building in Pasco, was completed in April, 1899. The bonds voted for the same were readily sold and all bills against the new edifice liquidated. In this month, too, there were gratifying signs of an awakening on the part of the mayor, council and citizens of the county seat in be- half of municipal improvements. Saloons were ordered to keep orderly houses under penalty of having their licenses revoked; many
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
sidewalks were built and old ones repaired ; there was a spontaneous and general cleaning up of back yards and alleys ; the "hobo" ele- ment was brought under more complete sub- jection. The police justice and city marshal discharged their duties in a commendable spirit, and there was evinced on every hand a desire to promote the welfare of Pasco in every way possible. The appearance near town of a large number of loafing Indians was the cause of considerable complaint. April 22d the News-Recorder said :
"There are a number of idle, worthless Indians near the town who should be disposed of in some summary manner. It is a strange thing that Uncle Sam provides a place for these people and then permits them to prowl about small towns where they are enabled to procure whiskey at will. An Indian and 'fire water' are a bad combination. If reservation agents were fit for the positions they hold it might give the case a different complexion."
The irrigation question, like Banquo's ghost, will never down in Franklin county until the grand results which are possible are achieved. Still, there is, and ever has been, a plucky siprit manifested by the citizens, and firm reliance in many quarters upon occasional rainfalls thoughout the county. It is quite true, also, that crops and fruits have been grown prolificly without the beneficent irriga- tion which all thoughtful persons desire. The following extracts from the News-Recorder of April 29, 1899, throw considerable light upon these local conditions :
"Mr. Edward Corke came down from the Schlomer fruit farm, which he has leased, yesterday and returned this morning. Uncle Van Gordon accompanying him for a few days' visit. While here Mr. Corke informed us that the fruit trees up his way are bearing so prolific that three-fourthis of the crop will have to be removed in order that the remaining fruit will have room to develop and ripen, and, also, that the trees will be able to hold up their
loads without breaking down. The farm is situated on the Snake river about seventeen miles from town. As near as we can learn all the fruit trees in the county will have to under- go a like treatment before they will be able to hold up this season's crop. This may be looked upon with some discredit by adjoining counties whose fruit crops will be almost a failure this year, but the facts cannot be de- nied. The only trouble with us is that we ought to have more farmers; we certainly have room enough."
"It has been predicted that within the next two years all the farming land in Franklin county will be taken up, and the cultivation thereof commenced. Should such prove to be the case, and we see no reason why it shouldn't, the hearts of many thousands of people will be made glad and hundreds of happy homes spring up where all is now one great stock range, with a few exceptional farms scattered here and there over our fer- tile plains, as there are thousands on top of thousands of acres of as good land as ever the sun shone on, waiting for the industrious hus- bandman to come and to occupy."
"Heretofore a false impression has existed among the homeseekers that this county had to await reclamation by irrigation to become productive. There are divers reasons for this utterly false idea, which have caused many to be deprived of excellent homes when they might have just as well been reckoned among the prosperous of the great state of Washing- ton. The first reason is that the railroad over which the traveling public comes and goes, was unluckily, built across the most uninviting scope of country in the county. Another is that the lands adjacent to our little city has, also, the same barren appearance, and while the soil is given up by experts to be the very best, it being composed of a volcanic ash and a sandy loam, it has a light, shiftless appearance and is covered with a luxuriant growth of sage brush. This, also, has that peculiar, careworn and
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
faded-out look that can only be appreciated by the coyote, horn toad and jack rabbit, unless by those who have become accustomed to it, which makes a stranger long for the flesh-pots of Egypt. Now, as a matter of fact, they are, really, gazing upon a promised land. To them this seems but a barren waste, but in reality it is only semi-arid and a great many things can be raised here, even without water, as the splendid growth of the trees, shrubbery, early garden truck, etc., that have been started in recent years go to prove. And a very small amount of water during the months of July, August and the first part of September would make these sage brush plains a blooming para- dise. As the Columbia and Snake rivers bor- der two sides of this triangular tract of land before they form a confluence at the southern extremity of the county, which is three miles southeast of the town of Pasco, and roll on to- ward old ocean, the proposition is a very feas- ible one, and one that can be very easily over- come with no very great amount of capital if properly applied, thus giving to those who would indulge in dairying, gardening and fruit-growing, opportunities seldom, if ever, equaled."
In May, of the same year, Mr. Giezentan- ner, in his paper, said :
"Owing to the unusual amount of rainfall this spring trees, shrubbery, etc., have made an excellent growth. Wheat, and everything in that line is very promising. There is a marked increase in the moisture of this locality each succeeding year, and while this may be con- sidered an exceptional year, it is not an excep- tion to this rule as every close observer knows, and if the change in our climatic conditions continues, it will only be a matter of half a dozen years when everything will grow almost as prolificly as in the tropics, and without irri- gation otherwise than the natural rainfall. As it is today one wind mill is sufficient to supply one family with all the water necessary for stock, household and irrigating purposes. Our
theory that even wind mills will be done away with is based on scientific principles."
"When the Willamette Valley was first set- tled they had scarcely any more rainfall than we now have. The change was brought about by the shifting of the earth's poles. The same change is still going on and the rainfall reach- ing further east, and if the next five years show as marked increase in the precipitation as have the past five years, the people of Frank- lin county will cease to long for an irrigation canal."
Still, in the face of all this the agitation in behalf of irrigation was, as is now, kept at fever heat. Mr. Giezentanner's report of a Pasco irrigation meeting, June 20, 1899, is as follows :
"The people of Pasco have made up their minds thoroughly to have water. And when they thoroughly make up their minds to obtain a point they always obtain it, simply because when they once put their shoulders and heads together they are 'right thar', as the fellow said when he went into a 'bar fight.' For the past ten years they have been living in hopes that outside capital would become interested in put- ting in an irrigating canal in this county, as they know for a certainty that this place with water will be ahead of anything on the Pacific coast-this is no boast, but an unvarnished fact. But as there has never been anything tangible for capital to work on in the way of securing a proper proportion of the land, inves- tors have passed us by. Realizing and appre- ciating this fact a mass meeting was held at the court house last Tuesday evening and the subject exhaustively discussed. Prosecuting Attorney Ransom Olney, Fred Kurtzman, two of the largest land holders in and around town, J. W. O'Keefe and R. Gerry made some very pointed speeches on the question.
"Before adjournment great interest was manifested, but owing to the late hour no com- mittee was appointed and the announcement of another meeting to be held at the same place
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
next Tuesday evening was given out. The object of the next meeting will be to formulate some plan whereby a large portion of the land can be brought un- der one head and offered as a bonus to any individual, or company, with means sufficient to carry out the proposition. Should this plan not work, they will, probably, bond the land and themselves push the enterprise to comple- tion. As to the amount of land to be irrigated that will be decided according to the number who wish to go into the scheme, but not less than 5,000 acres will be considered as a begin- ning. After this a more extensive proposition will, undoubtedly, be taken up."
An adjourned meeting was held Tuesday evening, June 27th, and another the week fol- lowing, with this result, as reported by Mr. Giezentanner :
"A typewritten agreement was presented to the three members of the subscription commit- tee on irrigation, at a recent meeting, Messrs. Fred Kurtzman, F. Bernd and J. E. Van Gor- don, with instructions to solicit the signatures of the land owners who are interested in the advancement of our town and county, and who wish to be benefited by this irrigation move- ment. The signatures below represent the largest land owners in Pasco, as some of the men own over 1,000 acres each, including lots and acre property. The lists will be left open until all shall have had an opportunity to sign, when a substantial contract, or bond, will be arranged and offered as a payment to any one who will take up and complete the work of ir- rigating the land. We trust there will be no delay on the part of the committee or sub- scribers, as this is an enterprise which, if car- ried out, will reflect great credit on the energy of our people, as well as being a remunerative one, and the sooner it is accomplished the quicker the results will be. So, don't let any grass grow under your feet or any moss on your back, but get to the front like men, and
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