History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 73

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1134

USA > Washington > Benton County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 73
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 73
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 73

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Some additions to the voting precincts give the following as the present organization : Cle Elum, Columbia River, East Kittitas, Easton, Ellensburg, Kittitas, Liberty, Menashtash, Mountain, Mountain View, North Ellenburg, North Kittitas, Peoh Point, Roslyn, Roza, South Cle Elum, South Roslyn, Spencer Creek, Swauk-Taneum, Teanaway, Trinidad, Tunnel Camp, Ump- tanum, Upper Teanaway, West Kittitas.

ELECTION OF 1918

This election, occurring while this work is in progress, resulted as follows:

Votes Cast.

For Referendum No. 10. 1,099

Against Referendum No. 10 909

For representatives in congress,

Fourth District-

J. W. Summers, rep. 1,486

Wm. E. McCroskey, dem. 975

Walter Price, soc.

123

For state representatives-

J. C. Hubbell, rep. 1,664

G. P. Short, rep. 1.785

S. R. Justham, dem. 1,070

For sheriff --

J. W. Thomas, rep. 1,567

Frank Taylor, dem.

1,121

For county clerk --

M. A. Hofmann, rep. 1,542

A. T. Gregory, dem. 1,061

For County Auditor- M. R. Dixon, rep. 2.006

For county treasurer-

W. G. Damerow, rep. 2,056

For county attorney- A. L. McGuire, dem. 1,438

For county assessor-

W. B. Price, rep. 1,374

W. P. Hiddleson, dem. 1,202

For superintendent of schools-

S. A. Bartlett, rep. 2,007

For county engineer-

H. A. Murray, rep.

1,927

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

For coroner-

T. B. Wright, dem. 945

Murvy L. Bridgham, rep. .1,959 For county commissioners Third

For county commissioners Second Dist .-

Dist .-

J. F. Duncan, rep. 1,552

Wm. Adam, rep. 1,571

W. C. Fields, dem. 773

This election was summarized and commented on as follows by the "Record" immediately after.

Republicans apparently won every contest in Kittitas County and cast a majority of several hundred for Dr. Summers, the republican nominee for Congress. Initiative measure No. 10 was carried in this county despite a big wet majority in Roslyn and Cle Elum. The county voted against a constitu- tional convention and rolled up substantial majorities for Judges Mount, Main and Mitchell.

The closest race in the county was between W. B. Price and W. P. Hiddle- son for county assessor, Price apparently having won by a fair majority. Joe Thomas defeated Frank Taylor for sheriff in both parts of the county, while Mrs. Hofmann was an easy winner over Gregory for county clerk.

William Adam in the second and J. F. Duncan in the third districts were easy winners for county commissioners.

G. P. Short was leading man in the race for the legislature, with J. C. Hubbell a close second, while Simon R. Justham (Kid Simon) was a poor third, losing precincts in his home territory.

Returns from all six Ellensburg precincts, North and South Ellensburg, Kittitas, East Kittitas, South Kittitas, North Kittitas, West Kittitas, Menashtash, both Roslyn wards, both Cle Elum wards, South Roslyn, Mountain and Mountain View, give the following totals :

For convention, 362; against convention, 374.

For Bone Dry, 990; against Bone Dry, 708.

Summers, 1,324; McCrosky, 869.

Hubbell, 1,497 ; Short, 1,677 ; Justham, 959.

Thomas, 1,409; Taylor, 985.

Hofmann, 1,372; Gregory, 902.

Dixon, 1,255 ; Damerow, 1,824; McGuire, 904.

Price, 1,228; Hiddleson, 1,036.

Bartlett 1,300; Murray, 1,229; Bridgham, 1,254.

Adam, 1,370; Wright, 777.

Duncan, 1,298; Fields, 695.

Mitchell, 1,310; Main, 1,002; Chapman, 695; Pemberton, 566; Mills, 372; Mount, 897.

Mackintosh, 978; Tolman 812.

The above figures do not include all the precincts on some of the uncon- tested offices as in several instances the people reporting the figures to "The Record" failed to even take down figures on candidates where there was no opposition.

LATER GENERAL HISTORY OF COUNTY.

To considerable degree the foregoing outline of the political history of the county gives also the salient features of its general history.

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

During the period from 1889 to the date of this publication the county has made a solid, substantial, though not extraordinary growth. The popula- tion in 1890 was 8,777. It was estimated at 25,027 on July 1, 1917.

During this period the valley has developed from a range cattle country into a hay and dairy country with also extensive fruit interests. It is the great timothy hay section on the Pacific Coast and constitutes the main supply for the Sound cities. In 1880 the hay crop was estimated at 50,000 tons, worth prob- ably $400,000. The chief sources of income during the period since 1900 and at the present are hay, coal, timber, fruit, stock, wool and precious metals.

Undoubtedly during the later years of Kittitas history, besides the general development of which we have just spoken, the matters of greatest public inter- est may be summed up under the heads of irrigation, coal mines and the found- ing and development of the Normal School.

IRRIGATION.

We have given in the chapter on Irrigation in Part II a view of the great reservoir works at the lakes. We have also given there a view of the general irrigation development of the Yakima Valley as a whole.

In the chapter preceding this may be found some added facts relative to the pioneer canals in the Kittitas. We may add here some features of present interest not given elsewhere in regard to the large canals of this immediate region. We derive these facts directly from the officers of these canals in Ellensburg.

The Cascade Canal Company established one of the three larger important irrigating enterprises of the valley. It now furnishes water for about 12.500 acres of land in the very heart of the valley. At the present date H. B. Carroll is secretary.

A change has recently been effected in the ownership and management of this canal by which it has become a municipal corporation under state law after the fashion which has been encouraged by the Federal Government. Certain data in regard to the existing organization furnished to. the author by Mr. Car- roll, is of such interest and value that we incorporate at this point part of a pamphlet issued by the district, to which is added a transcript of the proceedings relative to the formation of the district. This may be regarded as an example of the usual procedure in such cases.

INFORMATION RELATIVE TO $700,000.00 BOND ISSUE. BY CASCADE IRRIGATION DISTRICT, KITTITAS COUNTY.

The Cascade Irrigation District is issuing $700,000.00 of six per cent. bonds, bearing six per cent. interest, payable semi-annually. There will be ten series, five per cent. of the principal being payable in eleven years and an increasing one per cent. each year thereafter except for the eighteenth year, when thirteen per cent. of the principal is re-payable, the nineteenth year when fifteen per cent. is re-payable. This leaves the balance, sixteen per cent. payable at the expiration of twenty years. The bonds will be issued in denominations of $500.00 and have attached coupons for the interest payments. They are issued

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

under the provisions of the law of the state of Washington passed in the year 1890, being sections 6430, 6431 and 6432 of Remington-Ballinger's code, and the acts amendatory thereof. The bonds are really of the nature of local improve- ment bonds, as the law provides that they shall be paid by taxes arising from assessments levied upon all the property situated within the district.

This irrigation district was organized under the provisions of the irrigation law previously mentioned. A petition signed by practically all the land owners in the district was filed with the county commissioners in the latter part of the year 1912 and when the matter was submitted to a vote of the district it was carried by a vote of 46 for the district and 2 against the district. Thereafter the district was organized and a board of directors was chosen and the question of bond issue was submitted to the voters and it carried unanimously. Pro- ceedings were then begun in the Superior Court of Kittitas County, state of Washington, to have the validity of the bonds passed upon under the provisions of the law and the same were confirmed on May 5, 1913. A transcript of the proceedings has been printed and can be furnished upon application. The bond issue has already been approved by attorneys for a firm which is supplying the district with about $31,000 worth of flume. The legality of similar proceedings and bond issues has been fully passed upon and approved by the Supreme Court of this state in several cases decided some years ago, so that any one dealing with these bonds can find every point covered by decisions.

The district itself is acquiring the canal and water rights formerly owned by the Cascade Canal Company, which was a private corporation but the stock- holders of which were nearly all land owners within the territory now embraced within the district. The canal has been successfully operated for about nine years and the idea in changing it from a private company to a public corporation is to provide for a more equitable distribution of the burden of keeping up the canal, and also to provide the additional credit afforded from the actual pledging of the lands within the district. The old company at the present time owes $112,000 of bonds and a small amount of floating debt. There are outstanding something over 9,000 shares of stock which are to be retired at $20.00 per share, and if desired these stockholders are willing to take bonds of the district in exchange for their stock.

The main reason, however, for obtaining additional money at this time is to have funds to substitute for several miles of flume which is not in a safe condition, a permanent and reliable conduit. This will comprise some 2,000 feet of tunnel which will replace a portion of the flume which is upon an insecure foundation. The balance of the flume will be replaced by either metal or con- crete structure. Practically all of the canal, aside from that previously men- tioned, is earth construction and a sum has been allotted from the amount to be thus raised to enlarge this earth canal so that it will carry the quantity of water to which the district will be entitled. This will give the district a first-class canal and insure a reliable supply throughout the season and at a very low cost for maintenance. The farmers under this canal have been paying $3.00 an acre for their water maintenance, and figuring six per cent. on their stock would make a total annual charge of something over $4.00 per acre. They have paid this without difficulty previously and are willing to pay more if necessary, but

624

HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

the average under the proposed change will be about $4.00 per acre, so that their burden will not be increased and they will secure a more ample and reliable water supply.

A summary of this engineering work has been prepared and is supplied herewith.

The water for the canal comes from the Yakima River during the earlier portion of the year and when the flow in the river gets low the water is supplied from storage from Lake Kachess. Several years ago the Cascade Canal Com- pany entered into a contract with the United States Government by which the right of the company is recognized to 150 cubic feet of water per second of time from the river up to the 20th of July of each year, and thereafter they are entitled to obtain 16,800-acre feet of water up to October 15th of each year. This water right would cover every acre of land in the district to a depth of nearly four feet. This furnishes an ample, reliable water supply for all the land within the district throughout the irrigating season. The contract further provides that from October 15th to March 15th of the following year the Company is entitled to a continuous flow not to exceed 30-second feet, this being for stock and domestic purposes. This water is supplied by the Government to the company in the latter's flume without any cost for maintenance. Lake Kachess, where the water is stored, is about six miles long and from three-quarters to a mile in width and has a drainage area of 64 square miles and a mean annual run-off of 219,000- acre feet. The water is stored by means of an earth dam with a concrete core wall and a reinforced concrete outlet conduit. The outlet conduit taps the lake thirty feet below the ordinary level making available sixty feet of storage. The capacity of the reservoir is 210,000 acre feet. This is a very valuable water right now available without any expense as the result of a settlement made with the Government at the time they took over storage works, the Cascade Canal Company having previously built a small dam at the foot of the lake which stored all the water that they needed.

The district consists of a strip of land from one to three miles in width situated in the Kittitas Valley and north of the city of Ellensburg. It com- prises all the territory north of the canal of the Ellensburg Water Company and south of the canal of the Cascade Canal Company and contains about 12,800 acres of land after excepting some small tracts which were excluded because of having creek rights or being uses for townsite purposes, and also excluding the right-of-way of the Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound Railway Company, which traverses the district through most of its length. It is nearly all first-class farming land and sells for farming purposes at from $150.00 to $250.00 per acre. The entire district is inhabited by industrious, law-abiding citizens, and is well supplied with schools and good roads, has complete mail delivery and telephone service and a portion is served by electric lights. It surrounds the town of Kittitas, comprising several hundred people and is just north of the city of Ellensburgh, and in addition to the transportation afforded by the Chi- cago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound Railway Company it is also served by the Northern Pacific Railway Company. It is about 125 miles from Puget Sound and it is the nearest valley thereto east of the mountains and it therefore enjoys the lowest freight rates and its product find ready sale and at good prices.

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

The principal farm products of the district are alfalfa, timothy and clover hay, wheat, oats, barley, vegetables and fruits, including apples, pears, prunes, cherries and plums. On account of the light rainfall during the growing season irrigation is necessary to produce crops. Hay is the principal crop of the dis- trict. In some cases timothy is grown alone, but the usual custom is to grow alfalfa and timothy mixed, which produces a desirable hay for market with an increased tonnage over timothy. Two crops of alfalfa are cut and the third crop usually pastured, although occasionally the third crop is cut for hay. The average yield of alfalfa is from 312 to 5 tons per acre, and the average price for a tenyear period about $11.00 per ton. No. 1 "mixed" hay has fluctuated in value from $10.00 to $24.00 per ton, the average for the past ten years being about $15.00. Pure timothy brings $2.00 to $4.00 per ton more than "mixed" hay. In irrigating hay land both the furrow and flooding systems are used. The periods of irrigation vary with the soil and local conditions, being from one to four weeks. There is also considerable dairying and stock raising in the dis- trict, and nearly every farmer raises some potatoes and grain. Some of the land is well suited to fruit raising, and quite a number of fine orchards are now situated within the district. The oldest of these are just coming into bearing and within a few years the fruit will be a very important crop.

A considerable portion of this bond issue can be taken care of here. In addition to that which the stockholders have agreed to take in exchange for their stock about $20,000 has already been placed, and the balance can probably be sold in blocks to suit the purchaser.

There are several other canals being operated in the valley, the principal ones being those of the West Side Irrigating Company and the Ellensburg Water Company. Both of these have been operated for over 25 years. The land under all these ditches is in a high state of cultivation, the farmers are prosperous and a very small proportion of the land is mortgaged under any of the three canals.

It is estimated that there are about 250 farms within the district exclusive of small-tract holdings, of which there are quite a number near the city of Ellensburg. There are about 400 people living within the irrigation district.

The canal which the district is purchasing was completed in the year 1904 and has cost about $250,000, exclusive of maintenance charges.

The assessed valuation for irrigation district purposes is something over $509,000. This is somewhat less than the county valuations as an attempt has been made to reduce the higher valuations for the purpose of equalizing the tax within the district. The irrigation district embraces portions of five country school districts and also portions of the districts within which the city of Ellens- burg and town of Kittitas are situated and all the school houses are situated within a half mile of the boundaries of the irrigation district.

The school district embracing Kittitas has $10,000 bonded debt and that embracing Ellensburg has $130,000 of bonded debt. None of the other school districts have any bonded debt. The county of Kittitas has about $100,000 of bonded debt.

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

SUMMARY OF ENGINEER'S PRELIMINARY REPORT ON IMPROVEMENTS TO CASCADE CANAL.

The headgates of the Cascade Canal are located at a point on the east bank of the Yakima River about 41/2 miles northwest of the village of Thorp, Wash- ington. From here to the crossing of the Northern Pacific Railway, near Dudley Station (a distance of about 8,000 feet), the present canal closely follows the easterly bank of the river. From this point the canal runs along the base of the foothills, in a general southeasterly direction, to a point on the east line of sec- tion 18, township 18 north, range 18 east, Willamette Meridian, a distance of approximately 34,850 feet. At this point the line turns sharply to the eastward through a short tunnel piercing a ridge of the foothills, and thence, for a distance of approximately 7,800 feet, to a point on the easterly slope of Dry Creek canyon situated about 565 feet east of the quarter post between sections 8 and 17, town- ship 18 north, range 18 east.

From this point the canal extends in a general southeasterly direction for about 30 miles, gradually encircling the valley to a point near the northeast corner of section 32, township 17 north, range 19 east, Willamette Meridian. Throughout this distance of 30 miles, the water is carried in an open ditch of approximately 90-second feet capacity at the upper end and gradually decreas- ing in size toward the lower end.

From the intake to Dry Creek, the water is carried almost entirely in a wooden flume of about 90 second feet capacity, the present improvements being designed principally to replace this wooden construction.

The following table shows the length of the various kinds of construction now in use on this section of the canal:

TABLE I.

Kind of Construction-

Length.

Wooden flume

31,930 feet

Unlined earth canal 18,734 feet

Tunnel (timber lining)

555 feet

Total distance along present canal from intake to Dry

Creek

(Same as in first report, to end of Table 1) 51,219 feet

The improvements planned contemplate the extension of the present intake about 200 feet upstream : straightening of canal alignment whereever practicable : the use of unlined earth canal in place of flume when possible : the use of steel and concrete flume in place of the present wooden flume : four short tunnels in addition to the one now in use; the lining with concrete of the present tunnel and the enlargement of the present earth canal throughout its entire length. The capacity of the canal will be increased to 150-second feet in order that the full water right may be made use of. The following table indicates the approxi- mate length of the various kinds of construction planned :

------------------- 1 I i

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

TABLE II.

Kind of Construction-

Length.

Metal flume

24,244 feet

Tunnels (four, concrete lined) 2,874 feet

Lining present tunnel with concrete

555 feet

Concrete flume

2,044 feet

Earth canal

19,134 feet

Concrete-lined canal

645 feet

Railroad crossing

32 feet

Total distance along proposed canal alignment from

intake to Dry Creek 49,528 feet

The proposed relocation and reconstruction of the canal, from intake to Dry Creek, eliminates many bad bends in the present alignment ; places the flume out of range of falling boulders and provides ample clearance underneath for the passage of drainage water and soil accumulations from the hillsides, and gives a permanent, efficient conduit which will result in a minimum of expense for maintenance and inspection. The average grade of the new conduit is 2.4 feet per mile.

From Dry Creek to end of canal, a distance of 30 miles, the present ditch is too small to carry the increased supply of water and it is proposed to enlarge and otherwise improve this section to conform to the improvements on the upper ten-mile section.

This enlargement of the canal, together with the installation of an improved form of outlet weir at the laterals proportioned for the "cubic-foot per second of time" method of measurement, instead of the obsolete "miners' inch," will place the Cascade Canal system in a position second to none in the valley in point of efficiency and up-to-dateness.

TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS

The Cascade Irrigation District is organized under the laws of the state of Washington, under the provisions of sections 6416 to 6494, Remington & Ballinger's code. This law has been amended in some particulars by an act found in the laws of 1913 at page 558.

The status of the same kind of corporations has been quite definitely fixed by the decisions of the supreme court of the state of Washington. On the con- stitutionality of the law see

Board of Directors vs. Peterson, 19 Wash. 147; 29 Pac. Rep. 995. State ex rel. Witherop vs. Brown, 19 Wash. 383; 53 Pac. Rep. 548. As affecting the status of the district see also Kinkade vs. Witherop, 29 Wash. 10; 69 Pac. Rep. 399. Rothchild Bros. vs. Rollinger, 32 Wash. 307 ; 73 Pac. Rep. 367.

In the late case of Hanson vs. Kittitas Reclamation district, reported in 33 Washington decisions at page 194 and 34 Pacific reports, 1083, the binding

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

effect of the special proceedings for confirmation hereinafter set out is quite fully determined.

NOTICE

In the matter of the petition for the organization of an irrigation district to be known as the Cascade Irrigation district.

Notice is hereby given that on Monday, the 6th day of January, 1913, at the hour of 9 o'clock in the forenoon, at the meeting place of the board of commissioners of Kittitas County, Washington, in the city of Ellensburg, the petition following this notice praying for the organization of the Cascade Irri- gation district will be presented to said board of county commissioners for hear- ing, as provided by law; the persons giving this notice being the same as the signers of said petition.

.Dated December 18, 1912.

Then follow the same signatures as those attached to the petition next hereafter given with the exception of that of J. H. Smithson.

PETITION

In the matter of the petition for the organization of an irrigation district to be known as the Cascade Irrigation district.

To the honorable board of county commissioners of Kittitas County, state of Washington :

We, the undersigned, holders of title and evidence of title to land within the boundaries hereinafter stated and which lands are all susceptible of irriga- tion from one source, do hereby pray for an order of your board constituting the land situate within the hereinafter described boundaries to be an irrigation district under the laws of the state of Washington, being the act of said state entitled, "An act providing for the organization and government of irrigation districts and the sale of bonds arising therefrom, and declaring an emergency," approved March 20, 1890, and the acts amendatory and supplementary thereto. The proposed boundaries of such district are as follows: [Here follow boun- daries.]

Excepting from the foregoing body of land the right-of-way of the Chi- cago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound Railway Company and the land embraced in the plat of the town of Kittitas.

All the lands embraced in said boundaries are situated within Kittitas County, Washington, and the undersigned petitioners ask that upon the hearing of this petition the boundaries of such proposed district be defined and that the same be known as the Cascade Irrigation district and that an election be ordered for the selection of three directors of said district to be chosen at large, and that proper notice be given of the election for the purpose of determining whether or not said district shall be organized and for the selection of said three directors at large, and that all further acts that may now or hereafter be required by the laws of this state be taken by said board.

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 73

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920 Publication date: 1919 Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke Number of Pages: 1134

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1134