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 71
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 71
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 71
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 71
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"Addresses were made by ex-Governor Moore, a director of the railroad company, ex- plaining the position of the railroad people as entirely free from any intention to retard or interfere with the work. Dr. N. G. Blalock, Maurice Bien, chief counsel, D. W. Ross, resi- dent engineer, and others spoke."
The relation of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company to the irrigation plans of the government is as follows: As has been stated it is the object of the government to divert the water of the Palouse river through a chain of lakes in the northern part of Frank- lin county, and thence into an immense reser- voir formed by Washtucna Coulee, near Con- nell and about fifteen miles long. Several years ago the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Com- pany abandoned its trackage into Connell, and a portion of the roadbed was torn up. The com- pany is now reconstructing this road, and the right of way lies directly through the Wash- tucna Coulee.
In order to carry out the present plans of the government it would be necessary for the road to relinquish this right of way, and seek some other entrance into Connell. It is ex- pected, however, that some amicable arrange- ment will be reached whereby the irrigation work can be carried on to completion.
Palouse Falls are on the Palouse river, which forms a portion of the boundary line between Franklin and Whitman counties. They are 195 feet high, and are capable of affording a fine water power, equal to any that may be found in the west. Their chief attraction is the easy and inexpensively way they may be utilized. So valuable are these falls that the San Francisco Electric Light & Power Com- pany is understood to have closed a deal for
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the purchase of them. The banks on either side are solid basalt rock, both above and below the falls. Four miles up the Palouse are the Middle Falls where, after nearly a mile of continuous rapids there is an abrupt fall of 20 feet. This is the property of the Oregon Railroad & Nav- igation Company. A mile farther up the river are the Little Falls, perhaps the most sightly of any of the falls of the Palouse. Just above them the river broadens into a lake so calm and still that the current is hardly perceptible. They have a fall of over 24 feet. At the lowest water ever known in the Palouse the flow was strong enough to generate 2,000 horse power as measured and estimated by the engineering department of the Agricultural Department at Pullman.
As illustrative of the earnestness of the Franklin county people on the subject of irri- gation, a mass meeting of the citizens was called to meet at Connell, Saturday, February 13, 1904, at 2 o'clock p.m. It was for the purpose of taking some united action in petitioning the government to establish the Palouse river pro- ject for the irrigation of Franklin county lands. The call was signed by Charles T. Hutson, Con- nell, W. T. Anderson, Mesa, W. E. Blakely, Eltopia, W. B. Smith, Kahlotus and C. T. Giezentanner, Pasco. This meeting was at- tended by 250 men from all parts of the coun- ty. Large delegations were present from Mesa, Eltopia, Kahlotus, Pasco, Page and Connell. Charles T. Hutson called the meeting to order ;
John Cooper, of Kahlotus, was elected tem- porary chairman and Henry L. King, of Con- nell, secretary. The committees on organiza- tion appointed were: M. M. Taylor, Connell; W. E. Blakely, Eltopia; D. W. Page, Pasco; W. T. Anderson, Mesa; and Raymond Bland, Kahlotus. The executive committees named were: Connell, Charles T. Huston ; Mesa, W. T. Anderson; Eltopia, W. E. Blakely; Kahlo- tus, J. O. Mckinney; Page, J. M. McIntyre. C. S. O'Brien, of Pasco, was elected treasurer. This committee was instructed to meet at the
Pasco, Franklin county, Chamber of Com- merce for the purpose of formulating plans to merge the two organizations into one. Their report concerned itself mainly with outlining the duties of officers of the organization.
November 1, 1901, the Franklin County Register, published at Connell, said:
"Franklin county produced its first wheat this year, although small patches were sown previously. To A. J. Puffer, of Walla Walla county, belongs the credit of introducing wheat culture upon the arid soil of this county, he being the first to demonstrate the practicability and success of cereal production upon the sage brush lands which comprise almost its entire area.
"Edward Corke, county assessor, who has been generally over the county and has en- joyed the best opportunity to judge of agri- cultural conditions, estimates that half a mil- lion bushels of grain was produced this year. For the first time the supply will more than equal the demand. Over 900 homesteads have been entered during the past year, and fully as many tracts have been sold by the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. That means the 1.500 farms are being improved by this time."
March 7, 1902, the Register said :
"The homeseekers' movement is doing great things for Franklin county. And greater things are in store for the future. In eastern Wash- ington, whose wheat-raising possibilities for the homeseeker are especially attractive, there are a number of counties which are grain pro- ducers. These are Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, Asotin, Klickafat, Lincoln, Adams, Franklin and one of two others.
"Some of these like Walla Walla, Columbia and Whitman, are quite old settled districts, Walla Walla county being the oldest, and others ranging from three to ten years in length of time since cultivation was first started. Still, others, like Franklin, Adams and Lincoln are quite new. Of these Franklin is the newest and, consequently, the one to which most home-
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seekers will be likely to direct their attention as containing within its borders the cheapest lands. Very little of this broad area has been settled more than a few months, or years, at the outside. The entire southern part, except the town of Pasco itself, is quite new. Sheep ranged at will over its confines until this season.
"Among the Franklin county towns that have sprung up recently are Connell, Lake (Judson, now Mesa), Eltopia, Kahlotus and others. In a majority of these there is little except a railroad station. The country around Connell has, undoubtedly, a splendid future. Nearly all the railroad land has been purchased, and very few, if any, homesteads worth any- thing at all are left in the vicinity of that place ; the same being true of lands surround- ing Washtucna."
The reception of President Roosevelt at Pasco is thus described by the Franklin county Register of date, May 15, 1903:
"At the last meeting of the city council of Pasco an appropriation of $50 was made for the purpose of making suitable arrange- ments for the entertainment of President Roosevelt, May 25th. This was followed by a meeting of the citizens on May IIth, and ways and means of raising additional funds, the manner of decorating, and the method of reception were considered. It was the con- census of opinion that the entertainment of the president should not be confined to Pascoites, but that the whole county be invited to co- operate with Pasco in making the reception a credit to all. Kennewick, in Yakima county, was invited to participate in the reception, and were accorded representation on the com- mittees.
"The committees are as follows: the first named in each committee being chairman :
"Reception-Charles T. Hutson; W. T. Muse: M. M. Taylor; W. E. Quinlan ; C. S. O'Brien; R. W. Morris; W. E. Blakely; A. Livesley; B. M. Price; W. T. Anderson : L. J.
Wiltfong: Raymond Bland; E. T. Redd; Henry L. King; H. A. Hoover ; M. C. Samson; N. R. Sylvester; H. B. Pratt; L. H. Koontz; John Norling ; Jacob Klundt ; W. Spates ; A. P. Gray; Robert Gerry; Edward Spates; W. J. Girling; Frank Cardwell.
"Finance-L. E. McClerkin ; Robert Gerry; WV. T. Anderson; Charles T. Hutson; Ray- mond Bland.
"Decoration-A. S. Hamer; H. B. Pratt ; J. D. Peck; W. E. Quinlan ; H. J. Cramer ; A. P. Gray.
"At the reception a large crowd greeted the president. People were in Pasco from all por- tions of Franklin and Yakima counties. As the president stepped from the train he was greeted with resounding cheers. Charles T. Hutson, of Connell, came forward and in the name of the citizens of Pasco welcomed him in these words :
"'Mr. President :- The citizens of Pasco and vicinity extend you greeting and welcome. The welcome is not measured by the barrenness of the surrounding country and Pasco hopes, if she ever again be given the opportunity to welcome the nation's executive, that ere that time-through the national irrigation act and the aid of its friends and representatives in congress-to direct a portion of the vest volume of water now going to waste daily, in the Columbia and Snake rivers, upon the lands, and to be able to welcome him to a veritable garden of Eden. These berries and fruits are offered as a testimonial of what Pasco land will do under irrigation.'
"Mr. Hutson then handed the president a box of selected strawberries and fruit grown on the Livesley & White ranch, about four miles from Pasco, on the Snake river. The president evinced much pleasure and received the berries with the remark, 'Proof positive of the garden of Eden.' He then spoke briefly on the re- sults and benefits of irrigation and the intention of the national irrigation act. A little girl from Kennewick presented Mr. Roosevelt with a
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boquet of wild flowers which he cordially re- ceived. The depot, warehouse and other build- ings in the vicinity were decorated with a pro- fusion of the national colors. The speech occu- pied about fifteen minutes, and the people were favorably impressed with the president.
Thursday, August 20, 1904, a man named Hunt was run down by an engine in the Pasco railroad yards, about 2:30 p. m., and his head and both arms were severed from his body. Mr. Hunt was a car repairer. The Walla Walla passenger had arrived and he started across the tracks to the train to examine it. A large freight engine just then backing down ran over him. Deceased left a wife and two small children. They accompanied the remains to Walla Walla, where the funeral was held.
About 184,000 bushels of wheat was the amount marketed from Franklin county ranches during the year 1903. There was re- ceived at Connell, 91,400 bushels ; at Kahlotus, 65,100; at Page, 17,648; and at other points an aggregate of 10,000 bushels. This record is made from the estimates of the warehouse men and railway agents.
Connell, thirty-five miles north of Pasco, is rapidly coming to the front. At present it contains in the neighborhood of 350 inhabitants. As has been recorded in the earlier portions of this chapter, the plat of the town of Connell was filed with the county commissioners, and by them approved, February 12, 1903. The town was founded, however, two years prev- jous to this, and had, at the time of the filing of the plat, made a substantial growth. No- vember 30, 1901, Mr. H. B. Drifting, in a letter to the Franklin News-Recorder, said :
"Connell has improved rapidly since I was here last. There are now two hotels, two harness shops, two stores, two hardware stores, a drug store, two feed stables and several new buildings going up, including a church which will be used for a school house this winter. The Northern Pacific Railway Company is enlarg- ing its well in order to supply the increasing
demand and also that the new settlers might have water. I am surprised at the amount of business done at this place, and I have been told that it all sprung up within a year."
When Connell was established the site was a school section leased by F. D. Mottet, a sheep man. In 1902 Mottet gave up his lease to allow opportunity to the purchaser of the school sec- tion to plat a permanent townsite and sell to business men permanent locations. October II, 1901, the Ritzville Times (Adams county), said :
"Connell, the little burg just across the line in Franklin county, which dates its existence from the first of last January, seems to be com- ing right along with other towns in this sec- tion of the country. A few months ago its only establishment was a general merchandise store, which was very 'general' in one sense, a 16 by 30 foot shed serving as business quarters and family residence. The proprietor now oc- cupies a substantial, two-story structure, 24 by 60 feet, and from all reports does a thriving business despite the competition of another store. The town, also, has a hardware store, a drug store, harness shop, blacksmith shop, two hotels, livery stable, two lumber yards and more business houses are to follow soon."
So early as November, 1901, a camp of the Woodmen of the World was organized at Connell. Camp No. 626, with 42 charter mem- bers. The officers were: A. H. Huston, con- sul commander ; Emery Troxel, advisor : W. G. Van Valkenburg. clerk ; Ernest Sohm, banker; Herman Sohm, assistant clerk; Benjamin Leonard, escort ; Joseph Moser, -- Brimm, Walter Monske, managers. The same year the German Methodists built a church edifice, the only one in the town, 24 by 36 feet in size. The Presbyterians and other denominations hold services irregularly.
Saturday, February 15, 1902, at a school election held that day it was voted to issue bonds to the amount of $2.500 to be used in the erection of a school house for the Connell
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district. There was not one dissenting vote, which fact well illustrates the patriotic and en- terprising spirit of the pioneers of Connell. Commenting upon the conditions of Connell the Ritzville Times, of date March 21, 1902, said :
"Connell sprang up last year (1901), a sudden rush into the country making a town necessary. Connell has a number of stores, a newspaper, United States land office, fine depot and yards, two hotels and many other build- ings. It is a lively town, somewhat handi- capped on account of being on a school section."
The new German Methodist church was ap- propriately dedicated Sunday, March 29, 1902. The services were well attended, the building being scarcely large enough to hold the number of people who attended the morning and even- ing services. The morning service was in Ger- man and the afternoon service in English. Pre- siding Elder Lange conducted the services and preached an eloquent and instructive sermon. He was assisted by Revs. Buehler and Beckley, Fiegenbaum and Sohm. The church was elab- orately decorated for the occasion.
Friday, April 25, 1902, James Christian- son, a young lad, was assisting Charles Baldwin in caring for a bunch of cattle 'belonging to his father and Mr. Orchard, that were being pastured about six miles west of Connell. While they were watering the cattle at a spring Mr. Baldwin suggested to the boy that he take his horse and drive up the cattle that were scattered along the coulee, while he, being the stronger, would draw the water. Some little time after the boy departed the horse returned riderless with the saddle hanging beneath its breast. After going some distance Mr. Bald- win found the boy badly mangled and uncon- scious. He hastened for assistance and the lad was brought to his home, dying on the way. On examination it was found that one of the boy's arms was broken in several places, his chest was crushed in, there was a fracture of the skull and markes of severe bruises on other parts of the body. Where the unfortunate boy
was discovered there were signs that he had been dragged quite a distance on the ground, and a stirrup, that had been detached from the saddle was found near by.
In May, 1902, articles of incorporation were filed with the secretary of state for the organization of the Franklin County Bank, lo- cated at Connell. The officers of the institu- . tion were F. D. Mottet, president ; B. S. Wads- worth, vice-president; M. M. Taylor, cashier; F. D. Mottet, James C. Cunningham, B. S. Wadsworth, George Mottet and M. M. Taylor, directors. The capitalization of the bank was $25,000. Recently the Bank of Connell was established, giving Connell the benefit of two excellent financial institutions, and affording great convenience to the farmers and business men of that vicinity. These are the only two banks in Franklin county at the present writ- ing (August, 1904.)
The wheat industry gained great impetus in 1902. May 30th the Connell Register said : "Several hundred thousand bushels of wheat will be harvested in the country adjacent to Connell this year, and it seems there are no preparations being made to erect suitable ware- houses at this station to accommodate it. It is important that all of this wheat be marketed here and suitable facilities should be at hand to properly handle it."
There are at present three warehouses and two more in process of construction which will be ready to receive a portion of this sea- son's crop.
At an election held August 8, 1902, the voters of Connell school district decided to accept the two-acre tract in the southwest cor- ner of the northwest quarter of section 3f. town 14, range 32, E. W. M., as a site for the new school building for which $2,500 in bonds had been voted. Plans for the contemplated edifice had been decided upon, and the school board advertised for bids for its erection.
September 3, 1902, Gottlieb Werner was found dead in a room in the Connell Hotel.
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having committed suicide by hanging himself to a clothes hook. Werner was a homesteader living near Rye Grass, and had been away har- vesting on Eureka Flat. He had come to Con- nell for lumber and supplies. While in Connell he reported having lost one of his horses and appeared quite despondent. He drank some during the day. Subsequently he was induced to go to bed at the hotel. As he did not re- spond to a call the following day, on the re- quest of the landlady Deputy Sheriff Ulrich broke open the door of the room, when the dead body of Werner was discovered.
The Franklin County Sunday School Con- vention assembled at Connell Tuesday, Decem- ber 9, 1902, with an excellent attendance, prin- cipally from the northern portion of the coun- ty. Pasco was represented by Edna Byers and Edward Hoon.
The afternoon sessions were held at Joyce's Hall; evening sessions in the German Metho- dist Church building. At the latter ses- sions the church was filled to its utmost seat- ing capacity. Instructive and interesting ad- dresses were given by Rev. H. Fiegenbaum, of Connell, E. P. Rine, of Ritzville, W. C. Mer- ritt, State Sunday School Worker, G. J. Sohm, Connell, and Messrs. Edward Hoon, of Pasco, and W. R. Young, of Connell. The solo by Miss Lilah Maas and the numbers by the quar- tette were pleasant features of the convention.
The officers elected for the ensuing year were Edward Hoon, Pasco, president; Wil- liam F. Maas, Connell, vice-president ; Miss Edna Byers, Pasco, secretary; Joseph Jan- osky, Connell, treasurer.
The work of surveying the Connell town- site began Saturday, December 6, 1902, by officers of the Franklin County Bank, Mr. Sayles, of Walla Walla, having charge of the details. The lots were given an area of 25 and 50 feet frontage. Sixty acres were platted; affording in the neighborhood of 350 lots available. Of the tract platted 36 acres were
on the west side of the Northern Pacific rail- road tracks; 24 on the east side.
In December of the same year a number of the east side business men met with the officers of the Franklin County Bank, the purchasers of the Connell townsite lands, and perfected arrangements for the organization of a corpo- ration to be known as the Connell Land & Im- provement Company. It was capitalized at $20,000. The ostensible object of the organi- zation was to overcome the factional feeling and friction which had heretofore existed be- tween the east and west side people of the town, and to consolidate all business interests that all might work in unison for the success of the town. By the terms of the agreement the business men were to have one-half of the stock, and the bankers were to take over the other half. Provision was, also, made for an equal division of the controlling interests and corporation officers. The incorporators were F. D. Mottet, George Mottet, B. S. Wads- worth, M. M. Taylor, L. W. Taylor, Ernest Sohm, Herman Sohm, William F. Maas, G. J. Sohm, Otto Ulrich, C. W. Crabill and W. R. Young.
Articles of incorporation were adopted and the following officers chosen: B. D. Wads- worth, president; C. W. Crabill, vice-presi- dent ; W. R. Young, secretary ; L. W. Taylor, treasurer; C. W. Crabill, Herman Sohm, Otto Ulrich, B. S. Wadsworth, F. D. Mottet and M. M. Taylor, directors.
This movement resulted, practically, in the transfer of the franchise granted Herman Sohm for the construction of water works in Connell to the new organization known as the Connell Land & Improvement Company, which went ahead with, and completed the work. The water is taken from a large well on a rising piece of ground west of the town, whence it is distributed throughout the village. At present there is a good pressure, but this can be increased by means of a tall tower which
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has been built, and surmounts the pumping works. Friday, April 17, 1903, the Connell Register said :
"Just before noon, Wednesday, the Rein- bolt crew which were drilling for the Connell Land & Improvement Company on the hill in the western part of the towsite, having reached a depth of 268 feet, struck a vein which prom- ises to afford an abundant supply of water. Soon after the drill reached the water vein, the drillers repaired to lunch, and on their re- turn they found thirty-seven feet of water standing in the well. An exhaustive test was given that afternoon and Thursday. Bucket- ful after bucketful were drawn out in rapid suc- cession for several hours with no apparent sign of diminishing the supply in the well. There is every indication that the well will furnish an adequate supply of the finest kind of water .. The news that water had been struck came as a surprise to many. Considering that the well was started on such high ground it was thought that a much further depth would have to be gone before water would be secured The work of establishing a pumping plant, erect- ing reserve tanks and laying water mains will be rapidly pushed and within a short time the 'long-felt want' of Connell-a water system- will have been satisfied."
June 19, 1903, the Register again said :
"Connell is proud and happy over the pos- session of such an excellent water system as the plant has proved to be. Well may the farmers of the adjoining country who depend on Con- nell for water rejoice with her. Ever since the trial last week the pump has been going daily, giving out a four-inch stream of water. Every day long strings of farmers' teams have lined up and received loads of pure, sparkling water, and have gone on their way rejoicing. The pump has now been running for a week and there has not been the slightest indication of the supply of water in the well being reduced.",
The new townsite of Connell was opened Thursday, January 15, 1903. Several choice
lots were purchased by merchants who ex- pected to soon begin building. The townsite company placed on the market nearly three hundred business and residence lots at prices ranging from $50 to $300, according to loca- tion and advantages. The general design of the new town is excellent. The streets are wide, runnnig directly through the entire plat, the main business streets trending north. The principal streets running east and west were named Main, Franklin and Mottet ; those run- ning north and south A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The most favorably located lots were all dis- posed of early in the day. Many were disap- pointed in being compelled to accept second choice.
The Modern Brotherhood of America was organized in Connell February 10, 1903, by District Manager C. W. Kent. It began with a charter membership of 23. The officers were C. H. Meyers, president ; C. O. Bench, vice-president ; W. R. Young, secretary ; Her- man Sohm, treasurer ; B. D. Leonard, conduc- tor; Mrs. C. O. Bench, chairman; C. W. Crompton, physician; C. W. Crabill, watch- man and Alfred Dressel, sentinel.
A change took place March 27, 1903, in the personnel of the officials at the Northern Pacific Railway station, at Connell. Agent H. F. Nichols left for Spokane to accept a posi- tion in the chief dispatcher's office. His place was filled by C. H. Burt who had been pro- moted from day operator at Cheney. H. T. Thompson, the former night man at Connell, relieved Mr. Burt at Cheney, and E. J. Cam- pion, from St. Paul, Minnesota, became night man at Connell.
During the month of March, 1903, a large number of buildings were moved from the west to the east side of Connell. They were, in the main, business edifices. This work was done by Mr. Vinyard, a housemover from Sprague. May I, 1903, the Register said :
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