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 7
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 7
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 7
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 7
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"It is confidently expected that trains will be running into the coulee by the first of July. This point will be the end of a division and the railroad company will make extensive im- provements. Round houses, shops and all the buildings necessary at a division will be con- structed. The company will spend thousands of dollars in this work, and a large force of men will be employed. It is proposed to build the round houses of brick, opening a profitable industry to some one. Quite a town is bound to spring up at this point. It will be by far the most important place between Davenport and the Columbia river. Already arrange- ments have been perfected for putting up a large number of buildings. A gentleman was on the way to the place Monday for the purpose of constructing a large hotel. A paper will be issued at Coulee City before the road is com- pleted. A very large number of lots have been sold in the town and the demand for property is so great that the price of lots is soon to be advanced. No town has ever been started on the road with brighter prospects than Coulee City, and in time it will become a very impor- tant place. The public will hear more of Coulee City in a few weeks, as it is already attracting a large number of people."
The town was platted and dedicated April 15, 1890, by Levi Salmon. Reed's plat of Coulee City was filed April 17, 1890, by G. K. Reed. Additions to the town have been platted
since as follows: McEntee's First Addition, May 29, 1890, by Philip McEntee. South Side Addition September 24, 1892, by L. McLean, as trustee. First Addition July I, 1892, by H. S. Huson and C. C. May.
Following the advent of the railroad the growth of the new town was something phe- nomenal. Its history during the first few weeks of its existence is told in the initial issue of the Coulee City News which appeared June 30, 1890, under the guidance of that veteran pub- lisher, James Odgers :
"George R. Roberts is the pioneer mer- chant, having located about one mile north of the present townsite two years ago. He has been postmaster of McEntee ever since the office was established. One year ago he took Thomas Parry, his brother-in-law, as partner. Roberts & Parry carry a full stock of general merchandise and enjoy the fruits of square dealing in a good, prosperous trade. John J. Thomas was, also, one of the first to see in the head of the coulee a good business site and an opening for a hotel and feed stable. He erected a building close to the store of George R. Roberts and has enjoyed an excellent pa- tronage from the traveling public. He has just completed one of the best hotel buildings be- tween Spokane Falls and the Sound. The long acquaintance of himself and estimable wife in this section will enable them to know and meet the wants of the traveling public.
"Barker & Madden erected the first build- ing on the present townsite, which was followed shortly by another built by Michael Fredo. Both places were used for saloons and they still cater in that capacity. The townsite com- pany held out inducements for a first-class hotel to be erected in short order. E. A. Foreman, of Medical Lake, agreed to have a hotel of twenty rooms completed and furnished in thirty days following the contract. Mr. Foreman ful- filled the agreement to a dot, and the Central Hotel is the result. James Hunter, formerly of Cloverdale, North Dakota, in looking for a
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location for a general store, settled here when the town was first located. He immediately erected a large tent and commenced business. His stock is large and new and consists of almost everything that is called for in the mer- chandise line. He is daily adding to his large stock as his fast increasing trade demands. Tony F. Richardson & Company have erected a large and commodious livery barn that is a credit to the place. They immediately stocked it with good driving and saddle horses, and several new carriages and buggies. They also run a lumber yard where all kinds of building material can be had at current prices.
"Adron & Thurman also have a livery and feed stable where they take pleasure in giving the best care to all stock entrusted to them. 'Billy,' as Mr. Adron is commonly known, has run a hack between this place and Almira ever since the town has been established, and being a rustler he still gets his share of the partonage. John Brown, our restaurant keeper, is one of those good-hearted, whole-souled pioneers who have seen the country grow up and develop for years. His tables are always supplied with the best the market affords and to feed at the City Restaurant is to fare sumptuously. Frank A. Losekamp, of the 'Blue Front,' is always on deck to sell you a suit of clothes or fit you with a pair of nice shoes. Frank has had consider- able experience in the gents' furnishing line and knows the needs of the western trade. Mr. Losekamp and wife are a worthy addition to our fast growing city. Hill & Evans, dealers in lumber, sash, blinds, coal, etc., are men of good business principles and will make it a point to deal in first-class building material and we predict for them a good trade. Bisbee & Cooper have just finished a substantial build- ing on Main street and opened up a well- ordered saloon. Both managers are well known along the line of the Central Washing- ton. For the past year both have been located at Wilbur. Davis & Raridon, formerly of Wil- bur, are now located here. They have a well
equipped shop and we are able to recommend them as first-class general blacksmiths and horseshoers.
"M. Gilfoil & Shook are the proprietors of one of the Main street saloons. They occupy a good building, and the R. R. is always popu- lar. Both gentlemen are former residents of Davenport. In a rapidly growing town like this there are always scores of carpenters. Prominent among them is the contractor and architect, Thomas East. He has superintended the erection of some of the best buildings in town and they are monuments of his skill. Mr. East is an excellent mechanic. A Chinaman has already found his way among us and put up a wash house. He is, of course, prosperous and happy. A meat market will soon be opened here by Dan Paul whose experience recom- mends him to all.
"A bakery has just been opened and is doing an increasing business. A jeweler, we are told, has come among us, although his shingle has not been swung. A building has just been completed on Main street by a gentle- man from Wenatchee, which we are informed, is soon to be opened as a short order restaurant. A large double building is being erected on Main street near the depot which will be occu- pied on one side as a barber shop, while the other will, doubtless, be opened as a saloon."
Such were the business conditions of Coulee City in 1890, the outcome of but a few short years of municipal existence. And aside from this business activity there was considerable "life" of another description. The town was overrun with railroad laborers and, incident- ally, a number of rather sanguinary cowboys. Personal encounters were frequent and con- siderable disorder reigned for a few months. This was a condition, however, that could hard- ly be averted and one not unusual to nearly all new railroad towns. But there was a brighter side to the picture. June 27, 1890, the Coulce City New's said :
"Only surprise is pictured on the faces of
THEY WILL RAISE WHEAT BYE AND BYE.
ONE OF THE FIRST LUMBER HOUSES OF DOUGLAS COUNTY. A LANDMARK ON THE FRANK RUSHO ESTATE.
MOSES COULEE FALLS AT LOW WATER.
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those who visit out city after a few weeks absence. They hardly realize that in so short a time such substantial business houses could be constructed so far from the base of supplies. Where a few weeks ago bare crust, grease wood and ungainly knolls were to be seen, today are broad, graded streets and avenues. With the advent of the railroad in a few days the rush will begin and we may look for a still greater improvement. A model railroad yard is here waiting for the finishing touches. A round house of six stalls, built entirely of brick, black- smith and repair shops of the same material, sand house, material house, coal bunkers, two water tanks, turn table, a large, artistic depot and station house will all combine to make Coulee City resemble a railroad center of in- portance."
The Central Washington railroad was com- pleted to Coulee City and in operation in the fall of 1890. Between this time and the "boom" of 1892 the population rose to nearly 300 people. The town was on a most sub- stantial basis. But during a portion of the year 1892 Coulee City was on the anxious seat. Her condition might aptly be termed feverish. It then appeared probable that the Great Northern railway would cross the Grand Coulee at that point. In fact it was considered by many that this was the only available point where a crossing could be made. We have told in a previous chapter how the route along Crab Creek was finally selected. But the rumor that the road might, and probably would, cross at Coulee City precipitated a boom that could not have been surpassed had the road actually passed through the heart of the town. Material for the construction of the greater portion of the road through Southern Lincoln and Doug- las counties was shipped over the Central Washington via Coulee City. During the sum- mer of 1892 the town was a typical railroad camp. Residents of that year tell us that the place had a population of 1,200 to 1,500. Tem- porary buildings were run up and all kinds of
business, good, bad and indifferent was added to the town. The class of people who follow the building of railroads were there in all their commendable or pernicious activity. Coulee City gained a reputation that summer for "toughness" which was only equalled later by Wenatchee and Cascade Tunnel, at the time the army of railroad builders made those places their headquarters. But with the removal of these railroaders Coulee City resumed its nor- mal condition-that of a town possessing a class of most estimable citizens. The buildings erected for temporary use were torn down, or sold and removed to adjacent ranches. For the succeeding decade the town remained a country village, being the trading and shipping point for a vast but thinly populated territory.
Between twelve and one o'clock, Sunday morning, July 14, 1895, the six-stall, brick round house was discovered to be on fire. The flames had spread to such an extent that it was impossible to check them with the water facilities at hand, and all the wood-work was rapidly consumed. Locomotive No. 119 was in the house and was nearly ruined.
The growth of Coulee City during the decade from 1892 to 1902 was insignificant. Still, it was the terminal of the Central Wash- ington railway, and this fact made for the bet- terment of a business that, otherwise, would have been stagnant. The town also drew trade from an immense expanse of territory. How- ever, there was very little settlement during the term of years mentioned. But there was destined to be a revival. In November, 1902, the work of grading for the Coulee City-Adrian cut-off was commenced, and business of the town improved perceptibly in consequence. Trains entering the town were loaded with laborers consigned to work on the cut-off, a piece of rocky road bed twenty-two miles in length extending from Coulee City to Adrian, on the Great Northern road to the south. Again the little town assumed the appearance of a bustling mining camp. Several hundred
36
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
laborers were at once set to work on the new road. The result was the erection of many new buildings in the town to be used for saloons and lodging houses.
In June, 1903, according to the assessor's returns, the population of Coulee City was placed at only 122. It is at the present writing June, 1904, about 300.
HARTLINE.
Late in 1888, when the Central Washing- ton and Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern rail- roads were running their surveys through west- ern Lincoln and eastern Douglas counties, there sprung into existence, in Douglas county, a town known as Parnell. It was on the survey of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railroad, and was four and one-half miles southeast of the present town of Hartline. Here, in the spring of 1889, D. F. Reeves and E. J. Brower established a store under the firm name of Brower & Reeves. This was the only business house in Parnell, and Mr. Brower soon after- ward severed his connection with the enter- prise. J. W. Hartline was interested in the building of a town at this point, and had not the construction of the Seattle road been aban- doned quite a thriving village, doubtless, would have made its appearance at Parnell. The fol- lowing from the Wilbur Register of June 14, 1889, supplies an account of one incident in the brief, ephemeral history of the town of Par- nell :
"J. W. Hartline, of the promising town of Parnell, situated about ten or twelve miles west of Davisine, was in town Tuesday to get some posters announcing a celebration of the Fourth to take place there. If Mr. Hartline is a repre- - sentative, with the amount of push and enter- prise which he possesses, of the population of that infant city, and from previous knowledge and reports from that community we believe his neighbors are alike progressive, the place is sure to come to the front as one of the sub-
stantial trading points of this section. There are about ten or fifteen miles of first-class farm- ing land between Parnell and the coulee, and about twenty-five west of Wilbur, giving ample room for a good station. They expect to have a very pleasant time the Fourth and have an interesting program arranged."
Although the town of Parnell never con- sisted of more than one store, preparations were made for the building of a city, and with the characteristic energy of the western townsite boomer, those interested in the building of the town sent out enthusiastic reports of its pro- gress. The following Parnell notes are taken from the issue of the Big Bend Empire of December 27, 1888:
"A meeting of the citizens was held at Par- nell Saturday, December 7th, to take action on matters relative to the welfare of the town, G. K. Reed in the chair and John Hartline, sec- retary. All present expressed themselves ready to rush matters, and the future prospects are bright. Such was the enthusiasm raised at the meeting that the cry was not, 'my kingdom for a horse!' but 'a kingdom for a shower of lum- ber with a sprinkling of shingles!' so that the building could go on to completion, as the mills cannot supply the demand."
"Isaac Deeter, of Terre Haute, Indiana, is now home closing his affairs to engage in the merchandise business here. Messrs. Hartline & Lingle will soon complete their livery and feed stable. A. L. Ross, of Nebraska, bought three residence lots and a business lot for a home and drug store.
"W. R. Urnley will erect a suitable building for hotel purposes, while D. D. Utt will erect two more substantial business houses, and Parnell will be on the road to prosperity, and with the coming of spring will be the second city in the Big Bend, and will make an effort to reach her sister city in the west."
It was not until September that a postoffice was established at the new town with E. J. Brower as postmaster. Shortly afterward the
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
store, which constituted the town, was removed to the present site of Hartline and Parnell ceased to exist. The reason for the abandon- ment of Parnell and the upbuilding of the town of Hartline was the failure in construction of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railway. A railroad was the great desideratum and the boomers gave up their project at Parnell and transported their lares and penates to where a railroad was sure to come.
In the spring of 1889 John W. Hartline took up the quarter section of land upon which Hartline is now situated, having been located on the same by James Odgers. This homestead Mr. Hartline commuted. Here he erected a small shack just east of where the Hartline pub- lic school building now stands. This cabin was the first edifice on the Hartline townsite. Mr. Reeves, who had conducted the store at Parnell, in 1890 erected a store building on Mr. Hartline's land and moved his stock of goods up from his former place of business. This action was taken by Mr. Reeves because it was considered certain that the Central Washing- ton railway would extend west earlier than the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern, and the new site was on the surveyed line of the former road. A postoffice was secured at the time of the removal to the new place and named Hart- line in honor of the homesteader of the land on which the postoffice was established. Mr. Reeves was named as postmaster. Hartline that same year enjoyed an era of prosperity. P. J. Young erected a dwelling house and a sec- tion house was built by the railway company. Grif Humphrey came down from Broad Ax Springs, in Lincoln county, and established a blacksmith shop. P. J. Young put in a small stock of lumber and in the fall of the year, there being several families in the new town and in the vicinity, a school was established. This pioneer educational institution of Hartline was held in the J. W. Hartline shack, and con- sisted of eight scholars who were instructed by Miss Alice Cope.
The town was platted June 5, 1890, by John W. Hartline. Additions to the town have been platted since as follows: Hammerly's Addi- tion, April 7, 1902, by John Hammerly. Hill's First Addition, October 8, 1902, by James H. Hill.
The coming of the railroad did not bring with it an abnormal prosperity as was the case with so many other places along the line. George R. Roberts erected a platform along the track before the railroad was in operation and bought wheat in the new town, thus distin- guishing himself as the pioneer grain dealer. He did not, however, locate here permanently at this time, and soon disposed of his business. Late in the year 1891 was established the sec- ond store, by D. C. Johnson, which continued in operation two years.
In 1891 the town of Hartline contained the following people : D. F. Reeves and wife; P. J. Young, wife and three children; Grif Humphrey, wife and two children. Within a radius of a mile or two of the town lived Carey Carr, William Bundschue, James Hill, H. H. Ames, Charles Ames, D. F. Ames and William Hart. In 1893 John and George McDonald established themselves in the grain business in Hartline and Coulee City, building a warehouse in each place. John looked after the firm's interests at Hartline; his brother attended to the Coulee City business. In 1894 Mr. Reeves died and the store building and goods were pur- chased by McDonald Brothers, who continued the business for eight years. The next store to be opened in Hartline was erected by Patrick Kane in 1898.
Until 1902 Hartline did not accomplish much in the way of improvement. It was a trading point for the few settlers in the vicin- ity; only this and nothing more. Two ware- houses conducted by John McDonald and George R. Roberts took care of the wheat raised in the vicinity, while the stores of Mr. McDonald and Patrick Kane comprised the business houses of the place. In the year above
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mentioned the town received an impetus that advanced it to one of the more prosperous vil- lages of eastern Douglas county. The most important enterprise of this year was the erec- tion of a large brick store building by M. E. & E. T. Hay, of Wilbur, an edifice that would be a credit to a city of several thousand inhab- itants. Other enterprises of this year were the establishment of the Hartline Standard by Spining & Bassett, of Wilbur ; the building of a hotel by R. S. Faubion, erection of a public hall and lodge room and several other business houses, the Hays' lumber yard, Dr. Harris' drug store, etc. These improvements were the result of rapid development and settlement of the surrounding territory. The improve- ments of 1902 were supplemented the follow- ing year by others, notably the establishment of the Hartline State Bank.
The population in June, 1903, as given by the county assessor, was 140, but the increase since then has been considerable and Hartline is today a town of about 300 population. It is one of the principal grain shipping points in the Big Bend, supporting five warehouses. In point of population it is the third town in Douglas county and contains many wide awake and enterprising citizens, public-spirited and enthusiastic in behalf of their locality. No town on the Central Washington railway is more beautifully located, and no other is blessed with a more plentiful supply of pure water. Three miles to the north rises quite a niajestic ridge, comprising exceedingly fertile soil. To the east is another slight raise, more properly a wave or roll of earth, which trends southeast, passing eight miles south of town. All the ter- ritory lying between the two is comparatively level, and the view in a southwest, or westerly direction is, practically, unobstructed for fifteen or twenty miles. Hartline enjoys a perspective more extensive, perhaps, than any other town in eastern Washington. The townsite proper is situated on nearly a dead level. That por- tion of territory north of Hartline known as
the "ridge country," was first settled in the 80's with the first rush of immigration into the Big Bend. The earlier settlers who came were informed by the few pioneer stockmen that the lighter colored soil south of the ridge was worthless except for stock range. People from the Mississippi Valley states were easily per- suaded to avoid the light colored land. The darker soil of the ridge was what they were more accustomed to, and so long as there was land to be had in the darker soils no one would settle farther south. Gradually the ridge land was taken and a few took homesteads on the flat. The enforced hasty and crude methods of farm- ing during the earlier history of settlement did not yield satisfactory results in that locality. In pioneer farming the ridge had a great deal the best of it, and the knowledge that the lighter soils could be made just as profitable as the other came as a gradual revelation. The differ- ence between the two soils is this : the heavier, darker soil of the ridge packed or settled down more rapidly and the wild nature disappeared more rapidly than it did from the lighter, dryer soils. But the slightly better average moisture is offset by the advantage of much earlier seed- ing in the spring for the lighter lands, which enables them to avoid an occasional risk which the ridge cannot escape. But both the ridge and flat produce immense crops of wheat and their productiveness has been the principal, in- deed, the material cause of Hartline's acknowl- edged prosperity.
WATERVILLE.
Waterville, the county seat and metropolis of Douglas county, is situated in the north- western part of the county, distant about nine miles from the Columbia river to the west. It is an inland town,. 28 miles east from Wenat- chee, the nearest railway point. Daily stages run from Waterville to the steamboat landing on the Columbia river, and also to Coulee City, the western terminus of the Central Washing-
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ton railway, 45 miles to the east. Waterville is 2,600 feet above sea level. The townsite is as lovely as one could have selected within this scope of the country, the table lands gradually sloping to the south and affording easy and natural darinage to the place. Says the Big Bend Empire, published at Waterville :
"Talk about scenery! What's the matter with the view that may be had any day from Waterville? To the south skirt the Badger Mountains. Farther away to the west extends the Cascade range with their snow-capped peaks rivalling one another in their ambition to reach the skies. As the eye follows along to the north it will see Mount Chelan, the home of every wild animal known to a north tem- perate zone climate, and a landmark for all tribes of Indians to the northwest. Next the beholder views the rugged mountains of Okan- ogan county, their bosoms filled with gold and silver, and rivers glistening with mountain trout. When this interesting panoramic view has been satisfied let the eye rest on the great expanse of rolling prairie of thousands of acres, here and there dotted with the cabin of the im- migrant, where peace, happiness and content- ment dwell as nowhere else in the Big Bend.
"In the midst of this scene is the mighty Columbia river winding its way through the center of diversified resources as though to serve as a medium to float the overproductions of the country to the sea. When an observa- tory has been erected at Waterville no city in the world can excel her in extent and variety of natural scenery."
The quarter section of land which is now known as the original townsite of Waterville and Green's First and Second Additions, was taken as a squatter's claim by Stephen Boise in 1883, the year that witnessed the arrival of the first settlers to Western Douglas county. At this period the government had not accepted the survey of this part of the country and Mr. Boise could only secure a squatter's right. A private survey had been made, however, and
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