An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 44

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 44

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If the State of Washington had stopped right here, with no further effort to make herself known, the end of the Exposition would have

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arrived with many thousands of people thorough- ly familiar with the fact that Washington has a bright future and a certain promise of greatness in wealth and in numbers of people. But the fine exhibits in the general buildings are only a small part of the showing made by Washington, for this State is one of the four States in the Union that have attempted to show their natural wealth in their state buildings. The other three Seates are Illinois, California and Iowa.

Let us visit Washington at her own World's Fair home. It is easily found near the Fifty- seventh street entrance and fronting toward the great art gallery. Waving in front of it is the largest American flag, and the highest flag staff in the Union. This flagstaff, though in two pieces, spliced together now, is a single Puget Sound fir tree, 205 feet above the ground and three and one-half fect in diameter at its base, showing the availability of such timbers for masts and spars in shipbuilding enterprises. The reason the staff was spliced is that its ori- ginal length was too great to be safely trans- ported from far-away Washington around the curves in the Caseade and Rocky mountain divisions of the railroad.

Next to this great flagstaff, the building itself attraets the eye of even the most casual ob- server. Whoever saw such a foundation for any building? Logs 125 feet long, and five of them piled one on top of the other makes fifteen feet of the structure-a sort of log cabin effect on a huge seale. On the two ends of the larg- est of these logs are brass plates, bearing this inscription: "This log, 3x33 feet and 125 feet long, eut from a Washington yellow fir tree, 7 feet 8 inches in diameter and 350 feet long."

These great logs are silent but potent preach- ers of the West's greatness in timber wealth, for not a knot ean be detected in their entire length, while the grain of the wood is shown firm and elear. Above these logs, in the first portion of the structure, rises a graceful and in- strnetive edifiee, showing the heavy timbers and their uses as well as the finishing materials. Four towers ornament the building, one of

which is 100 feet high, and the other three are sixty-five feet high, each. The ground plan of the building is in the form of a modified Greck cross, and is arranged so as to give about 30,- 000 square feet of floor space.

Very little of this interior space is devoted to entertainment or reception purposes. Three small rooms, one for the ladies, one for the gen- tlemen and a center room fitted up with news- paper files, where can be found 200 Washington newspapers, are all the space devoted to recep- tion or entertainment purposes. The balance of the big building is given up to a complete ex- hibit of the State's resources. All the exhibits in the various Washington booths already re- ferred to are duplicated here, and, besides, there are many other showings of an interesting na- ture. For example, let us enter at the north wing. IIere we find one entire section of the building filled with Washington exhibits not displayed elsewhere.

The art gallery contains one handsome frontis- piece, a portrait of George Washington. Then on all sides are seen most beautiful reproduc- tions of Washington's fruits, flowers, birds, ani- mals and natural scenery. These are done in oil and water colors, and are receiving many compliments from artists of recognized merit.

Next in this portion of the building is the educational exhibit, and here is a wonder-pro- voking section, for not a few visitors have pansed and expressed their great surprise that away out in Washington they should maintain a system of schools that equals those of the older communities of the East. Pictures of buildings, samples of all kinds of school work, modeling in elay, pictures of pupils in physical- eulture exercises, displays of convincing statis- ties, all show a most vigorous and healthy con- dition of the public schools. In the further end of this wing is found a tastefully arranged room, filled with articles showing the home re- finement of the State. This is the corner de- voted to the ladies' department. Around the tops of the pretty white enamel and gold cases is a row of a native wood panels, painted by

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lady artists in Spokane Falls and other parts of the State.

From these evidences of culture yon step into the realm of material wealth. Here are seen great profusion of grains, grasses, fruits, vege- tables, logs, lay, tobaccos, and so on, all shown in every stage of growth and preparation. Two displays here are world-beaters. One of them is a pyramid of 101 bushel-sacks of wheat grown on a single acre, and the other is a similar pyra- mid of 157 bushels of oats grown on a single acre. In the case of the wheat it is not claimed to be anything like an average. It is a pheno- inenal yield. It was grown in 1890, and har- vested in the presence of many men who make affidavits to the yield, etc. It is a variety known as Northutt Giant.

The big yield of oats is not so unusual. It was taken from the rich lands near La Conver, Skagit county, where many thousands of acres of the richest river-washed soil have been diked in and reclaimed from the sea.

In front of these two pyramids is the nov- elty of the entire display. It is a model min- iature farm, designed to show the methods of farming in the famous Palouse grain section of the State. Everything on the little farm is complete. There are farm houses, barns, wagons, horses, cows, and a full crew of harvest hands at work, one set in a timothy meadow, entting, raking and stacking the hay, another set in an oatfield, harvesting a heavy yield of oats, and the greatest crew in a wheat-field, operating the headers, threshers, and other ma- chines, showing how the wheat is cut, threshed and carried to market on the same day. All the machines used, though very small, are per- fect. One field is in summer fallow and is being plowed by teams of four horses hitched to gang plows. In short, the little farm is per- fectly typical and is complete in every detail.

The display of all kinds of fruits in the fresh and preserved states are also very attractive, and show what a variety of farming occupations are open to settlers in Washington. These exhibits

are in the main hall and in the north wing and corridors. In the south wing are shown the prodnets of the Washington forests and mines. Great piles of gold, silver, lead and iron ores, fine samples of coal, coke and building-stones, and specimens of all kinds of trees and plants, show an abundance of such resources sufficient to make, in themselves, a rich commonwealth. There is one big block of coal here shown that beats the world's reeord. It weighs twenty-five tons, and is the largest single block of coal ever taken from any mine in the world. It comes from the Roslyn mine in Kittitass county.

Two other special exhibits are attractive in this wing of the building. One is the largest single piece of wood turning in the world. It is a red cedar vase, six feet high and four feet across the top. It was turned by J. L. Nygren, in the mill of the Tacoma Lumber and Manu- facturing Company. The other is a piece of carving, representing the seal of the State of Washington and typical industrial seenes, all carved most beautifully in native woods. This work was done by F. A. Palmer, in the mill of Wheeler, Osgood & Co., at Tacoma. A com- plete collection of the flora of the State occu- pies the sides of this wing, made by Louis F. Henderson.

Another important exhibit in this building is the collection of fish and animals, showing a great abundance of game birds and animals, as well as a great supply of the best kind of food fish. One central figure is the skeleton of an extinct mammoth, thirteen feet high, which was found near Spokane Falls, and is now the prop- erty of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. Flanking this skeleton, on either side, are groups of nicely mounted deer, bear and elk, while all around the building are seen large elk and deer heads, and flying from the roof trees are speei- mens of native swan, sea gulls, hawks and alba- tross. The great bald-headed eagle, emblematic bird of America, is seen perched upon several prominent places, reminding visitors that both

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he and the element of liberty he represents find sound abiding-places in the picturesque regions of the great Northwest.

One feature of the building is the manner in which the large panelings of the interior walls are decorated with fine paintings of Washington scenery.

By making such a complete display in the State building, Washington is able to convince every visitor, beyond all question or doubt, that she has within her borders all the elements of refined citizenship, of industrial and agricul- tural and natural greatness, and a future that is bound to bring her recognition as one of the foremost States of this or any other country.

No one can visit the World's Fair Home of Washington, the " Evergreen State," without a desire to visit and become a part of the citizen- ship that is laying the foundation of and help- ing to build up this wonderful commonwealth.

With the story of this wonderful display of the resources of this great State, at this most wonderful of all the world's congresses of wealth and magnificence, we close, and in the very midst of that display itself, with the largest banner, starred and striped, that kisses the breczes of our American sky over our head, we close our record of the magnificent EVERGREEN STATE.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

UDGE JOHN J. McGILVRA, the oldest member of the legal profession in Seattle, Washington, both in years and practice, is recognized as the father of the Seattle bar. Being thus prominently connected with the city and surrounding country, he is eminently de- serving of honorable mention in this volume, and it is with pleasure we present the following sketch of his life.

The ancestors of Judge MeGilvra were of the celebrated McGilvra Clan of the Highlands of Scotland. They were originally of the Clan Chattan, who suffered severely in the conquest of the Romans. The MeGilvra branch then settled along the Caledonia Canal, east and south of Inverness, their capital and stronghold. Col- onel McGilvra was chief of the clan at the bat- tle of Culloden, and led the MeGilvras and Macintoshes in that terrible fight, he himself falling in the front, and only three officers of the combined clans led by bim escaping with their lives. Major John Mohr McGilvra, a stalwart Highlander more than six feet in height, in leading his command against the English, him- self ent through the English lines and attacked the reserves sent to its support, and not until he had slain a dozen of the enemy was he laid low. The great-grandfather of our subject emi- grated to the United States prior to the Revo- lutionary War, and settled in New York State. John and Margaret (Grant) MeGilvra, natives of New York, settled after their marriage, in Livingston county, where their son, John J. MeGilvra, was born July 11, 1827. Ile was reared on the farm and attended the schools of that county until 1844, when he removed with his parents to Illinois, where he taught school for several winters, and in the summer attended the Seminary at Elgin.

Judge McGilvra commenced the study of law in 1850, under the direction of Edward Gifford, a graduate of Yale College and the Cambridge Law School. He finished his studies in Chi- cago, under Ebenezer Peck, subsequently one of the Judges of the Court of Claims, and was ad-

mitted to the bar in 1853. Ile at once entered into practice, which was continned with grati- fying success. Ile did not engage in politics except to show his colors in private conversation and at the polls; but, having known President Lincoln for a number of years, he was appointed by him in 1861 as the United States Attorney for the Territory of Washington. Ile arrived with his family in Olympia in June, 1861. The Territory then embraced the three northern counties of Idaho, and contained a population of less than 12,000. Ile traveled over the Terri- tory twice a year, attending courts, in many instances proseenting for the Territory, and looking after such civil business as came in his way, as well as conducting the business of the United States, which kept him busily occupied. Having an extensive practice and becoming weary of so much travel, he removed to Seattle in 1864, and declined a re-appointment, althoughi he was not relieved until the following year. Since then he has practiced his profession in .King and adjoining counties until about 1890, when he withdrew from the firm of McGilvra, Blain & De Vries, and retired from practice.

He served one term in the Territorial Legis- lature of 1866-'67, and during the session pro- cured an appropriation of $2,500 for a wagon road across the Cascade Mountains, through the Snoqualmie Pass. This amount was supple- mented by an appropriation of like amount from King county, and by later appropriations and contributions the road was kept open, and for many years was the only means of communica- tion across the Cascade Mountains north of the Columbia river.

In 1873, immediately after the location of the Northern Pacific terminus at Tacoma, Judge McGilvra, with others, proceeded to organize the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad Company. The Judge drew the articles of incorporation and all the papers and documents connected with that enterprise, and served as the attorney of the incorporation some two years withont compensation. The process of grading was

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started was started May 1, 1873, with a picnic party, in which nearly every man, woman and child joined, and one-half mile of road was graded at the head of the bay on that occasion. The enthusiasmn was intense and every citizen that could afford it contributed either in money or land to the enterprise, taking in return the stock of the company, paid up and unassessable. They also issued assessable stock, to which the citizens subscribed very liberally. As a result, the people of Seattle, entirely unaided by capi- tal from abroad, constructed and put into oper- ation twenty-one miles of road from Seattle to New Castle coal mines. Subsequently they carried another branch of road np Cedar river to the Cedar River, Black Diamond and Frank- lin coal mines. That enterprise, which was undertaken at a critical time in the history of Seattle, had the effect to stay the confidence of the citizens, and assisted materially in building up the town in spite of all opposition, and the unjust discrimination against it by the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. In 1876, the North- ern Pacific abandoned its northern line, known as the Skagit branch, and located its road south of Mount Rainier, through what was known as Packwood or Cowlitz Pass. They had almost the entire territory covered by the withdrawal of the odd sections of public land in their favor, and, corporation-like, still refused to submit to a restoration to settlement the lands on the abandoned Skagit Pass route. The evil was so great that it became the subject of public agi- tation. Funds were raised and Judge McGilvra was sent to Washington, where he passed two winters in an effort to procure a restoration of those lands to the public domain in the interests of settlers. The Judge was offered every possi- ble facility for doing effective work before Con- gress. He was given the privilege of the floor of the House by the Speaker, and, through the courtesy of Senator Mitchell, he had practically the same privilege on the floor of the Senate. He appeared before each committee of the Sen- ate and House to which the various bills intro- duced upon this subject were referred, and made oral arguments and submitted printed briefs, and finally succeeded in restoring to settlement those lands, amounting to upward of 5,000,000 acres. Judge Jacobs, then delegate from Waslı- ington, checrfully and ably assisted in this good work.

While he was City Attorney of the city of Seattle, in 1876 and '77, the east half of the

Maynard donation claim, embracing 320 acres now in the heart of the city, was declared to be vacant public land by the Commissioner of the General Land Office. The city of Seattle ap- plied to enter these lands under the town-site laws. As City Attorney, Judge . MeGilvra made the application and argued the case before the Register and Receiver of the Land Office at Olympia. There were several contestants wlio had filed homestead and pre-emption claims on the same lands. Obtaining a favorable decision from the Land Office, the case was appealed to the Commissioner of the General Land Office, who affirmed the decision of the local land office. Subsequently, and after the expiration of Judge McGilvra's term of office, the case was compli- cated by the intervention of other parties claim- ing the right to locate the land with Valentine serip. The result was that the city finally lost the case through the inattention or incompe. tency of the attorney who represented the case. Judge McGilvra was the first resident attorney who settled in Seattle, and for many years was on one side of nearly every case on the docket.

In 1864, the Judge purchased 420 acres of land bordering Lake Washington. IIe then constructed the Lake Washington wagon road, now known as Madison street, at a personal ex- pense of $1.500, and from that time on has con- tinned to improve his property. He was one of the first contributors to the Madison street cable road, which he subsidized by giving twenty-one acres of property on Lake Washing- ton for park and terminal facilities.

Judge McGilvra was married in Chicago, in 1855, to Miss Elizabeth M. Hills, a native of Oneida county, New York. They have three children living: Carrie E., now the wife of Judge Thomas Burke; Oliver C .; and Lillian.

Judge MeGilvra's career has been one of uni- form success, and in his extensive business he has always found it advisable to have one or more partners, several of whom have risen to positions of distinction in their profession. Among them we mention James McNaught, the present attorney for the Northern Pacific Rail- road Company; and Judge Thomas Burke, at- torney for the Western Division of the Great Northern Railroad Company, who is an estab- lished authority ou corporation law.

While the Judge has retired from active practice, he still retains his office and takes an active interest in the discussion of all questions pertaining to the city's and State's improve-

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ment. The last question of importance to which the Judge has given considerable atten- tion, and has debated through the press and otherwise, is that of what is called the Park and Boulevard system of Seattle, about which there seems to be a sort of a craze at the present time. The system projeeted is estimated to cost some $10,000,000, covering an area of 100 square miles, with forty-five miles of boulevard from 150 to 250 feet wide, with about 150 miles of roadway altogether. In opposing this wild seheme, the Judge gives his reasons, which are: that the vast sum proposed to be expended in such a scheme could be better and more prof- itably spent in building up business and com- meree; that Seattle is not suffering for the want of parks, the whole surrounding region, inelnd- ing the beautiful lakes, heing of itself a grand system of parks. He further takes the position that the seheme originated principally with the real-estate men, and is intended more to boom real estate than for any other purpose, and that real estate has already been boomed beyond its present value.

For several years past, Judge MeGilvra has spent much of his time traveling with his tam- ily, and has visited nearly all portions of the Pa- eifie coast, from Alaska to the city of Mexico, also many portions of the interior and Atlantic eoast as far south as Florida. Last year, they went to Europe, visiting England and Scotland, and then made a trip on the continent, through France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Bel- gium. This last trip was quite fully described in a series of letters, written by the Judge dur- ing his journey, and published in the Seattle papers. All of these letters were of great in- terest to and fully appreciated by the many per- sonal friends and fellow citizens of the Judge.

OREN B. HASTINGS was one of the most prominent pioneers of Washington and one of Port Townsend's earliest and most highly honored citizens. He was a native of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and his parents were of honored New England stock. In early life he learned the process of manufacturing woolen goods, and in 1838 started upon his journey westward. His first stop was in Ilan- coek county, Illinois, where he followed his vocation for a time.

While there he was united in marriage with Lucinda Bingham, who was born in Littleton, New Hampshire, but removed to Hancock county, Illinois, with her parents when ten years of age. Being generously endowed with courage, perseveranee and endurance, attributes necessary to the snecessful pioneer, in 1847 Mr. Hastings gathered together his worklly possessions, and, with his wife and one son, and a comfortable pioncer's ontfit, set forth upon that long and wearisome journey across the plains, bound for the Pacific coast. Suffering the vicissitudes of slow and toilsome travel, he duly arrived at the spot in Oregon where the city of Portland now stands, which then eon- sisted chiefly of the eabin of F. W. Pettygrove. He bought a lot on the original town site, and put up a log cabin. Ilis first work was to sup- ply the troops on the way to the Cayuse war.

During the mining exeitement of 1848-'49 he went to Stanislaus county, California, and engaged in mining, and also eondneted a trad- ing post, in which enterprise he made about $10,000 in six months' time. This money he invested, in Portland, in the mereantile busi- ness with Dr. D. S. Baker. The locality proved unhealthful, and, in the fall of 1851, aecom- panied by Mr. Pettygrove, he came to Olympia; thence, with an Indian canoe, they worked their way down the sound, looking for a place of settlement. Arriving at Port Townsend, they found A. A. Plummer and Charles Batchelor, and being pleased with the locality decided to fix their stakes.

Arranging with Messrs. Plummer and Batch- elor to build a log cabin, Messrs. Hastings and Pettygrove returned to Portland, and in the spring of 1852 Mr. Ilastings purebased a small sehooner, and with their families the two men embarked for the sound. On arrival their elaims of 640 acres to man and wife were harmoniously arranged and located. and shortly afterwards Mr. Hastings opened a small trad. ing post on the site now occupied by the James- Ilastings briek block.

Later Messrs. Pettygrove and Plummer were taken into the firm, they having previously elerked for Mr. Hastings. Subsequently the firm was dissolved, and for a time Mr. Hastings was engaged in agricultural pursuits in the valley. Following this, he engaged in general merchandising, which he successfully conducted up to 1874, when he retired from active busi- ness life, turning over the management to his

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two sons, Oregon C. and Frank W. Ilis death occurred in June, 1881, in his sixty- seventh year.

In polities Mr. Hastings was a Republican, strong and fearless in his convictions, and was frequently honored by his fellow citizens by election to responsible public positions.

IIe represented this county in the Legislature, and served as Justice of the Peace, Sheriff, Probate Judge, and Treasurer of Jefferson county, discharging the duties of the same with entire satisfaction to all.

He was always in the lead in progressive effort, and sustained an unblemished reputation. Perfectly temperate in his habits, conservative in his ideas, and kind and courteous to his fellow citizens, he was universally beloved and respected, and left as a heritage to his children a name of which they may be justly proud.

H ON. JOSEPH A. KUIIN, a resident of Port Townsend and a representative in the development of that city, was born near Gettsburg, Adams county, Pennsyl- vania, September 1, 1841, and was the fourth in a family of six sons born to Colonel Joseph J. and Jane (MeCabe) Kuhn, natives of the same State.

Colonel Kuhn descended from Holland ances- try, who emigrated to Pennsylvania about 1650, and the two elder Kuhns were soldiers of the Revolutionary war. At the age of twenty-two Joseph was elceted Colonel of State militia, and in subsequent life was elected Associate Judge of Adams county, and was completing his third term of service at the date of his deatlı.

Joseph A. was reared upon the farm, and attended the public schools until his eighteenth year. Ile was theu sent to Calvert College, Maryland, and remained until 1859, when he determined to strike out for self-support. In June, 1860, he arrived at Omaha, Nebraska, which eity was his headquarters for the follow- ing six years, he being engaged in the arduons and adventurous business of freighting to vari- ons points in the Rocky mountains,-Denver, Salt Lake, Fort Laramie and Virginia City. In 1866, with a mule train, he crossed to Stockton, Callfornia; thence by steamer to Portland, Oregon; and then across to Olympia

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 44

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