An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 41

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1056

USA > Washington > An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 41

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Boyer National Bank of Walla Walla. Ile has real-estate at Moscow, and mining interests at Mullan, Idaho, and also real-estate in Pullman, this State.

In 1884, Governor Moore served as Chair- man of the Republican Territorial Convention, held at Seattle, and in 1889 was appointed Governor of Washington, taking the office on April 9, following. During his term of office, fire destroyed the business portion of three of Washington's largest cities, and in each in- stanee the Governor's proclamation met with hearty response, not only from the people of Washington, but from all parts of the country, even from abroad. During his term of office the strieken eities of Seattle, Spokane and Ellens- burg did much to regain their lost ground, and all parts of the State have taken rapid strides onward and upward, becoming stronger in pop- ulation and richer in the development of natural resonrees. The last and brightest ineident in the term of Governor Moore was the admission of Washington to Statehood.

Our subjeet was married in 1873, to Miss Mary E. Baker, a highly accomplished lady and a daughter of Dr. D. S. and Anna Baker, of Walla Walla. The Dr. was one the best known nd influential men in Eastern Washington, and at his death one of the grandest and noblest men of the State was much lamented. His name was everywhere identified with the early history of the Territory and State. Gov- ernor Moore has one of the finest and most attractive homes in the suburbs of Walla Walla, where he lives quietly with his family. He and Mrs. Moore have three sons, Frank, Walter and Robert.

HON. D. M. JESSEE .- Among the pioneers of the Pacific coast, and one of the most esteemed among the publie men of the State of Washing- ton, stands Hon. D. M. Jessee. He was born in Russell county, Virginia, August 19, 1822, a son of Martin Jessee, also a native of Vir- ginia. When he was a lad of sixteen, he started for what was then the far West, made his way to Missouri and stopped in Sullivan

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county, where he made his home. He en- gaged in various lines of trade, one of these being that of pork-packing. In 1848 our sub- ject crossed the plains with an ox team to Ore- gon and settled in Yam Hill county, and says that his journey that year was as pleasant as any part of his life.

After his arrival in Oregon he engaged in farming and continued this occupation for three years, when he was elected Sheriff of Yam Hill county, and served two terms, from 1852 to 1856. Following this, he went into the mer- cantile business and followed that for two years, but in 1858 he was honored by the voters of the district with an election to the State legis- lature from Yam Hill county. Here he did honor to himself and his constituents, introduc- ing many important bills.

In 1861 Mr. Jessee moved to Walla Walla, Washington, where he was engaged in the mer- cantile business until 1865. For six years he served as Connty Commissioner of Walla Walla county, and during that time he was twice elected to the Territorial Legislature, again acquitting himself with honor. From 1884 until 1890 he was engaged in the fruit business, but he sold out his fruit farm. On account of having such a wide knowledge of fruit, in March, 1891, he was made Frnit Inspector for the State of Washington by Governor Ferry, which position he is still filling. He is con- sidered the best authority on fruit culture in the State.

Mr. Jessee was married, in January, 1850, to Miss Sarah J. Watt, a native of Mount Vernon, Ohio, who died in 1866, leaving four children, as follows: J. A., now living in Walla Walla; J. W., now in a bank in Dayton, Washington; Eugene, now in New Orleans; Mary, the wife of A. C. Hanson, of Arlington, Ore- gon. He was married a second time, in 1867, to Margaret E. MeIteeny, a native of Iowa, who lived until 1883, when she died, leaving one child, E. L., now residing in Dayton. Onr subject was a third time married, in May, 1885, to Mrs. Ruey C. (De Haven) Roberts

of Salem, Oregon. She was the widow of William Roberts and she had one child, Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Jessee have had one child, D. M., Jr. Politically, our subject sup- ports the principles of the Democratic party.

DANIEL STEWART, one of the pioneers of the Pacific Coast, was born in Cardington, Morrow county, Ohio, April 26, 1825, a son of William and Patient (Denton) Stewart, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of Rhode Island. The Denton family are of Holland descent, and the Stewarts of Scotch descent. The latter came to America over 200 years ago, settling in what was then Massachusetts, now the State of Maine. William Stewart, a far- mer by occupation, died near Lebanon, Ohio, in 1852, at the age of seventy years. His wife survived him five years, dying in 1857, at the age of sixty years. They were the parents of eight children, our subject being the youngest child, and only three are now living, aged respectively eighty-two, seventy-eight and sixty- seven years.

Daniel Stewart remained in Ohio until seventeen years of age, and then spent three years in Illinois. In company with Jordan Sawyer he started with an ox team for Oregon, landing in that State in the fall of 1845, hav- ing been six months and eight days in making the journey. Mr. Stewart found employment with Governor Abernethy at Oregon City, spent one and a half years on the river with Captain Gray, and was then employed in the first sawmill at St. Helens, on the Columbia river. In 1847 he enlisted in Captain Maxon's company of Oregon volunteers, to fight the Cayuse Indians for the massacre of Dr. Whit- man, and was elected Sergeant of his company, and took part in the battles of Wells Springs, John Day river, etc. In July, 1849, the brig Honolulu, Captain Newall, brought the news of the discovery of gold in California, and Mr. Stewart at once engaged passage to that State on the brig's return. After reaching California he commenced his operations as a miner in what was then called Dry Diggings, now Placerville,

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later moved up the river with a party, theirs being the remotest camp on the river, and they fared much better than the denizens of the lower camps, as the latter were all massacred by the Indians. Mr. Stewart next conducted a feed store for a time, and then began draying in San Francisco, making as high as $50 a day in the last occupation. In 1850 he returned to Ore- gon, in 1852 to Illinois, and then went to Mis- souri, where he purchased 200 head of cattle and drove them to Oregon. In 1859 onr subject continued the stock business in Umatilla county, but owing to some misfortune he lost his sav- ings of those many years of hardships and difficulties. In 1861 he came to Walla Walla, Washington, then a small town, where he has since followed various occupations.

Mr. Stewart was called upon to represent his county in the Legislature in 1865, was elected by the Democratic party, re-elected in 1870, defeated in 1874, but again elected in 1876. In the latter year he introduced a bill in the Leg- islature to regulate the tariff on railroad trans- portation: the bill was carried in the lower house, but defeated by a small majority in the Senate. During President Cleveland's admin- istration, Mr. Stewart received the appointment of Postmaster of Walla Walla, serving in that capacity four years and eight months. Although he has had many misfortunes in his younger days, he has succeeded in saving a competency.

He was married April 16, 1853, to Miss Margaret Fruit, of Monroe county, Missouri. They have had eight children, namely: Katie, wife of E. H. Nixon, of this city; Crossns, of Walla Walla; Charles B., a leading physician of this city; Thales D., also of this city; Irene, now Mrs. I. Goodman, of Oregon; Lee Ella, Ida and Robert L., at home.

MRS. CATHERINE J. (SNODGRASS) RITZ, widow of the late Philip Ritz, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, May 11, 1835. Her father, Lynn Snodgrass, was a native of Tennessee, who mar- ried Elizabeth Wilson, of Greenville, Tennes- see, and was of Pennsylvania Dutch descent. Mr. Snodgrass crossed the plains in 1852, with

a horse-and-mule team, and was one of the first immigrants who came to Oregon that year. His was the leading train on the plains, and in that way missed the depredations of the Indians, and upon reaching Linn county, Oregon, settled there, buying 620 acres of land, and there en- gaged in farming and stock-raising, dying there in 1865, at the age of sixty-four years, his wife surviving him five years. She died in 1869, at the age of sixty years. They had reared a fam- ily of six children, of whom Mrs. Ritz was the third.

Our subject was educated in the State of Tennessee, and was fifteen years of age when she accompanied her parents across the plains to the far West. Her early experiences broad- ened her faculties, and now she is a lady of great intelligence and high business capacity, as well as of varied accomplishments. The mar- riage of our subject took place April 11, 1854, when she was united to Philip Ritz, a native of Pennsylvania, who was born October 11, 1827. He was educated at his home in Pennsylvania, and, having gone to Iowa when young, engaged in school-teaching there, continuing until 1850, when he crossed the plains to California, but continued on and came into Oregon that same year. He took up a piece of land in Benton county, on the present site of Corvallis, where he started one of the first nurseries in the State.

The next year after his arrival, his education and intelligence were recognized by his fellow- citizens of the county, and he was made School Examiner of Benton county, and this honorable position he held as long as he lived in Benton county. In 1862, he sold out his possessions in Oregon and moved to Walla Walla, Washing- ton, where he purchased 160 acres of land and started a nursery, one and one-half miles south of the town. He kept adding to the land until it amounted to 240 acres, all in one body. Here he put eighty acres in nursery stock, and this is one of the largest nurseries in the State. Be- fore his death he had accumulated a fortune by his good management and industry.

The husband of the subject of this sketch was

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a man of great business ability. IIe founded a town, which at the time it was made a connty seat was named Ritzville, and owned 4,600 acres adjoining it. His widow also has ninety acres on Whidby Island, forty acres on Washington Lake, forty acres on Union Lake, and fifty-nine acres adjoining Seattle. She also owns a large stone quarry near Seattle, forty acres at Blaine, besides lots in different parts of Seattle and twenty-four blocks in Walla Walla city, all the acreage amounting to over 5,000 acres.

Mr. Ritz was one of the pioneers of the coast, and through his business enterprises he made his name well known all along the coast as far as Puget Sound, and wherever it was known it was also known as the name of an honest and fair-dealing man. In the matter of securing the extension of the Northern Pacific Railroad through to the coast, Mr. Ritz was prominently identified, contributing both of his time and money for the furtherance of the enterprise. For a period of several years he went to the National capital each winter and there labored zealously to secure the completion of this great and valuable avenue of commerce, which has contributed so largely to the development and

healthful advancement of the northern coast country. His lamented death occurred Feb- ruary 7, 1889. Since that time the business has been ably carried on by Mrs. Ritz and her daughter, much assisted by Mr. W. A. Ritz, a nephew of Philip Ritz. The young man is a native of lowa, and came to Washington in February, 1889, to take charge as farmer of his aunt's large nursery, and here they are doing a business of from $10,000 to $20,000 per year.

Mr. Ritz had contemplated the building of a fine residence before his death, but as he did not accomplish it Mrs. Ritz followed out his plans and is about finishing one of the finest resi- dences of the county, near Walla Walla, at a cost of $12,000. It is a frame structure, with all of the latest improvements, heated by furnace and fire-places, with a perfect system of water-pipes and has electric light, supplied by a dynamo on the premises.

Mr. and Mrs. Ritz had two daughters: Ella C., the wife of H. M. Coss, who is a farmer and stock-raiser in Adams county near Ritzville; and Hattie May, an accomplished young lady, at home with her mother. Four children are deceased.

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CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE MINERAL WEALTH OF WASHINGTON.

LEAD-COPPER-SILVER-GOLD-COAL-IRON.

N previous chapters incidental references have been made, in the necessary course of onr history, to the gold mines and mining, that played so important a part in the early de- velopment of several parts of the Territory. A more extended, though still a compendions no- tice of the mineral resources of the State is due our readers. We give this in the repro- duction of a carefully prepared paper, furnished by the Washington Commissioners of the Columbian Exposition for publication in the " Evergreen State Souvenir," and having the endorsement of their approval and publication. It was furnished by Mr. C. E. Bogardus, assay- er and chemist, of Seattle, and is a careful and discriminating statement of the facts simply. Mr. Bogardus says:

The wealth of Washington lies in her vast mineral resources, the bulk of which consists of gold, silver and lead. Wonderful reports are given in regard to its metals. The extent of the distribution can but be convincing. The depth is to be proven; but if experience can be relied upon, nothing is lacking for the develop- ment of the mines but capital, which is gradn- ally coming forward.

The ores of the State in general are medium grade lead ores, bearing silver, the galena itself carrying but little gold. But there are belts of high-grade silver ore with but little or no lead to them, being chlorides, brittle silver, and ruby and black sulphurets of silver. Our gold is free, or in sulphurets, free gold being in quartz, tale or as placers. The sulphurets are quite generally distributed with free gold and galena, also occurring in ledges by themselves. There are a great variety of sulphurets, varying in color from a white to a yellow, bronze and black, in value from nothing, or traces, to $500 per ton, and in composition as the different ores

carry zinc, arsenic, antimony and nickel. Such variation, with apparently the same sulphuret differing in the several districts, makes them quite a study. The gold placers are not as yet extensively worked. Not being rich, they need corporations to operate them on a large scale.

There are three ore belts: The first extends the entire length of the Cascade mountains, but it becomes scattered in the southern section. The second reaches from the eastern boundary across the northern part of the State. The third is the peninsula of the Olympic mountains.

Beginning in the northeast corner of the State in Stevens county is a metalline district having a galena ore with few sulphurets, carrying some zinc, which gives it a dull appearance. The formation is slate and lime. Veins are large, high in lead and low in silver. There is also gray copper in the district.

West of these and north of Spokane is the Colville district, which is the oldest galena camp in the State. The ore is clear, being in a mag- nesium-line belt. Although the ores are not high grade, they are good concentrators.

Between the Columbia and Okanogan rivers is the Colville Indian reservation, of which prac- tically nothing is known as to its minerals, pros- pectors not being allowed upon it; but those who have passed over it give flattering reports.

Immediately west of Okanogan river is the Okanogan district. Extending north and south along the river is a rich mineral belt which passes into British Columbia. The district is divided into different divisions, having varied character of ore. At the north, around Loomis and Gold Hill, are gold and galena in granite, syenite, quartzite and slate formations. A few properties (Black Bear and War Eagle, the most prominent) have had considerable work done on them. There are several fine stamp

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mills at different points doing well. Coming south near the river is a lime belt carrying high grade silver. Farther sonth near Conconnlly are medium grade galenas, with pyrites in a quartz gangue, with a syenite, quartzite and porphyry formation.

Beyond, and a little to the west, is another lime belt, rich with galena and chlorides of silver.

From this district west to the Cascade moun- tains it is entirely unexplored. But southwest limited prospecting has been done, and some ledges of gold bearing pyrites and high-grade silver have been found along the Methow river.

Nearly due west a short distance brings us to the Pieree or Stehekin river, and into an argen- tiferons galena camp of medium grade. It is on the east slope of the main range of the Cas- cade mountains at Cascade l'ass. In this vi- cinity is the Bridge Creek district, on the river by that name, a branch of the Stehekin. Here the ledges are not large, but of high-grade ore, being ruby silver and antimonial silver, with but little galena. These are the two districts which the railroad in contemplation from Lake Chelan north expects to tap, and to take the ores to the foot of the lake.

South of the Wenatchee river, ten miles from the Great Northern railroad, is the Peshastin, which is the oldest gold-producing district in the State, arrastras having been used there for years. This, with two other distriets, Swank and Niger ereek, are grouped together. The Swank produces a quantity of placer gold and its ledges are soft, bearing free gold, making it easy to handle in arrastras. The Peshastin is now very active, a forty-stamp mill having just been completed. The same class of ore extends through Peshastin and Niger creek, being tale, quartz and spar, carrying free gold, arsenical pyrites, copper pyrites and yellow iron pyrites, all of which earry gold, the copper pyrites being very rich. The formation is serpentine, syenite, silicions, slate, with diorite and porphyry dykes. There is a belt of high-grade gray copper, car- rying native copper, running through the seetion.

Looking at the southern part of the State, where free gold predominates and but little has been done, this brings us the west side of the range to Snoqualmie district, Snoqualmie Pass, sixty miles east of Seattle.

The prospecting of the three branches of the Snoqualmie has shown good results, principally in galena, and some in copper pyrites bearing gold, and some in free gold. This district, within a few miles of the terminus of Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad, should, with proper management, be a good producer.

Farther north, the south fork of the Skyko- mish river, along which the Great Northern Railroad passes, was prospected last summer, with the result of finding some gold and some high-grade silver propositions, but no distriet has been established.

From the north fork of the Skykomish a large mineral belt begins extending to the boundary north, and from the summit of the range west into the foothills. Troublesome, Silver Creek and Sultan River districts are located on streams by those names. Trouble- some district, nearest the main range, is a galena camp, but has a few ledges of high-grade silver ore, in combination with copper or as black sulphurets. By the side of this in the Silver Creek district, seventy miles from Seattle and twelve miles from the Great Northern Railroad, is the largest and oldest at present of the three. It has good-sized veins. It shows a medium grade galena in quartz and porphyry gangue with iron pyrites, bearing gold.

Going north on the divide from Silver Creek is the Monte Cristo district, about ninety miles from Seattle, at the head of two rivers,-the Sank, running north into the Skagit, and the south fork of the Stillaguamish river. The ores vary. One elass is a galena, carrying some pyrites bearing gold; another is an arsenical, antimonial pyrites, which is the gold ore of the distriet; another is the ordinary yellow iron pyrites, bearing gold. The ledges have great width, varying from two to forty feet. This distriet has awakened great interest, for it is

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foremost in the rank of development. A large syndicate owns most of the district, and is in- vesting several millions of dollars in building a railroad to the mines, developing the property, erecting a smelter, etc.

On the south fork of the Stillaguamish river is the Stillagnamish district, which extends sev- eral miles along the river and is near the rail- road that is nearly completed to the Monte Cristo district. This district produces a greater variety of ores than any other. It will be the largest copper camp in the State when fully developed, the ore being gray copper, copper pyrites and peacock copper, all of which carry silver and gold. There are also the galenas and antimonial iron pyrites similar to those in Monte Cristo, and some free gold ledges.

The country from here north and east of the Sank to the summit has been prospected but little. Across the summit from the Horse Shoe Basin district, at the head of the Cascade river, is the Cascade district, consisting of good, clear galena ore, having but little gold. Ledges have been discovered assaying $5,000, the ore being a mixture of galena, quartz and pyrites carrying ruby silver and black sulphurets of silver. Thunder creek, a branch of the Skagit, shows some high-grade chloride ores.

The Olympic mountains, situated as they are on the peninsula, without trails or means of transportation, and being so high and steep, make it difficult for the prospector to accom- plish much. Although good gold, silver, lead and copper ores have been discovered, yet noth- ing can be done with them now, unless within a few miles of water transportation.

Stated in general, the formations in the galena districts, in the Cascade mountains, are prac- tically the same, being granite, gneiss, syenite, quartzite, some slate, with porphyry dykes. The gangue of the ores consists in quartz and por- phyry, carrying in every district pyrites, some of which bears gold, copper in most places yield- ing gold, but occasionally silver, and antimony in the pyrites usually indicating gold. The galenas in all the districts carry more or less zinc.

Washington ores are so characteristic that one must know them in different parts of the State to judge intelligently; but no one, after giving the subject a thorough examination, can but wonder if the mineral resources will prove to be as large as the present showing indicates. This outline, setting forth briefly the conditions of the districts at present, will be incomplete in six months, owing to continual development and the discovery of new districts. All mining men who have given the districts an unpreju- diced investigation, pronounce them to possess the best surface showing ever seen, and assays confirin the statement. Nature, having uncov- ered the ledges in the way of natural develop- ment, has accomplished what would have cost man thousands of dollars. So we are not build- ing our hopes on theory and delusive projects.

COAL.

The first discovery of coal in Washington was made in 1852, and the first mine was opened on Bellington Bay in 1854. The coal from this mine was shipped to San Francisco add was the only coal shipped out of the then territory until 1870, when exportation com- menced at Seattle, from the Seattle, Renton and Talbot mines, in the vicinity. A prominent writer says: "Washington is the Pennsyl- vania of the Pacific coast." It is more. It can supply the entire Pacific coast with coal for centuries. It can supply all the wants for iron of our great nation for an equally long period. How important all this is, can best be realized when we consider the fact, long well-established, that the richest mines in the world, and those best calculated to increase the national wealth, are those of coal and iron. Compare the growth of the population of England and Wales with the development of their iron and coal mines. In 1821 the population was twelve million, and the coal output fifteen million tons. In 1881 the population had increased to twenty-six million, and the coal production to one hundred and forty-seven million tons. It is a signifi-

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cant fact that almost the only locality in the wide world which resembles England in soil, climate and natural resources and productions, including inexhaustible deposits of iron and coal, is to be found in the western part of the State of Washington. Washington possesses what is probably the largest coal area of any State in the Union. Coal exists in eighteen of the the thirty-four counties, and the estimated area of the coal fields is over 1,000,000 acres. The character of the coal ranges from lignite to anthracite, although the anthracite deposits have not been sufficiently developed to enable ns to speak with any certainty as to the quan- tity. The mines now in operation are, with the exception of those at Roslyn, all west of the Cascades. These coal fields are all within a radins of forty miles of tide water, and the cost of mining and transportation to tide waters varies from 82 to $2.50 per ton. The follow- ing is quoted from an exhaustive report on the Washington coal fields, by an experienced min- ing engineer:

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 41

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902 Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1056

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1056