History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 81

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 81
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 81
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 81

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).

It was on the night of July 4th that this great calamity befell Ellensburg.

The fire began in a store belonging to J. S. Anthony, between Fourth and Fifth streets, on Main. A furious wind was blowing and there was no adequate supply of water or other fire-fighting facilities. The "big fire" was a disaster of the utmost magnitude and in conjunction with other events made the date of 1889 a central point of reference in the history of the city. The remem- brances of old-timers are largely hinged upon such and such a time before and after the "big fire."

From the history of central Washington and the "Ellensburgh Capital" we derive a full statement of the losses incurred. This summary of the build- ings and the losses is a valuable historical record, for the reason of its preser- vation of the names of the business men of the time and it gives moreover a view of the extent of the different lines of business enterprises at that time.

FIRE OF JULY 4, 1889.

At 10:30 P. M. July 4th, the dread tones of the fire bell called the attention of all to the fact that J. S. Anthony's grocery store on the east side of Main Street, between Fourth and Fifth was on fire. Forthwith the people began the unequal battle, but as a furious gale was blowing at the time and water was scarce, the fight was hopeless from the start. The store melted like wax; the adjoining buildings, all frame structures and as dry as tinder, soon caught and shared a similar fate. Nothing withstood the progress of the flames toward the north, until they reached Nash's brick building, which effectually stayed their progress in that direction. The buildings to the southward and eastward of the starting place did not escape, however. By the time the fire had reached the brick and stone buildings, it was hot enough to consume these like so much straw. On the south side of Main it soon swept over Armstrong's and Imbrie's offices to O. B. Castle's keg house : thence across Fourth to the "Localizer" office, carrying everything along Main on either side of the street with the exception of Blumauer & Sons, store, Spencer's lodging house, Gass & Ramsey's and the saddlery store. Main street was swept to First, but the gale being from the northwest, the fire spread more rapidly to the southeast. All the saloons on the north side of Fourth above the keg house crumbled before it like egg shells, as did Gross's and Davidson's offices, Louis Herman's store, the old John-

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

son house and the Ashler. Here the fire was terrific, the roar of the flames being as deafening as a storm at sea. The Geddis Block, Snipes & Company's Bank and the Davidson Block all melted away before the fury of the devouring ele- ment, and the only hope of the buildings south and east was gone. They soon became enveloped in a sea of fire.

"By superhuman effort", says a paper of the time, "the Lynch Block, the Ellensburgh National Bank, the old City Hotel and all that portion of the city between Pearl and Fifth and the Presbyterian Academy was saved from destruc- tion. The greatest effort was made to save the City Hotel, directly opposite the Masonic Temple, on Fourth and Pine. The water supply, meager enough at first, was now almost exhausted, but men got on top of the building with hose and a constant stream was kept flowing over the roof and down the sides until the Temple fire had ceased and danger from that direction no longer threat- ened. This effort saved the north side of Fourth Street, the Baptist Church, the public school building and at least fifty other buildings."

While it is hardly possible to compile a complete list of the buildings destroyed, such a list would certainly include the following:

The Ashler brick block, old Johnson house, Geddis Block, Odd Fellows' Hall, Masonic Hall, Snipes & Company's Bank, Willis & Bryant's store, Oak Hall restaurant, Becker & Cox's meat market, Kittitas meat market, Ames drug store, Bull Block, Ifstiger house, Shuler's blacksmith shop, Meagher's house, former residence and office of Dr. Henton, Leonhard & Ross's real estate office, City Bakery, the old Post-Office, the Oriental, Kreidel's store, Adler's barber shop, Stevenson's gun store, Davidson's Block, Davidson & McFall's Block, Davis & Adams' meat market, Anthony's store, Elliott's residence, Imbrie's real estate office, Armstrong's office, the keg house, "Localizer" office, Ramos & Meagher's office, Caro's clothing house, Round's barber shop, De Bord's barber shop, grocery store, Capital Restaurant, Lyon's saloon, New Corner, Old Cor- ner. Shoudy's Block, Chinatown, Capital drug store, Perry's drug store, La- pointe's real estate office, John Geiger's tailor shop, Wood's barber shop, Wyn- mann's confectionery, Rehmke's jewelery store, Bushnell's photograph gallery. Peed's harness shop, Peterson's saloon, Cascade saloon, Gross's insurance and real estate office, Davidson's law office, Louis Herman's clothing store, David- son & McFall's law offices, Board of Trade rooms, Walter & Company, Dr. Richardson, Dr. Newland's, Dr. Gray's, Hare & Wallace's, Dr. Musser's, Dyer's agricultural warehouse, Fish Block, new Post Office, Johnson's stables, Tacoma lodging house, four small dwellings belonging to W. W. Fish, Isabella Block, Fogarty's store, Bennett's store and warehouse, D. G. C. Baker's two resi- dences, Oldham's blacksmith shop, the Beebe residence, Lloyd Mercantile Com- pany Block, Mrs. Schnebly's residence, Holbrook boarding house, four Chinese wash houses, Chafee's residence, Thompson's residence, Crawford's cigar fac- tory, Harmon's dry goods store, Kleinberg's clothing store, Travers Brothers' hardware establishment, Pearson's place, the old Senate, the Tivoli, Delmonico Restaurant, Dexter stables, California stables, three houses of Walters & Com- pany, one stable of Walters & Company, the county superintendent of schools office with all records and papers.

It has been estimated that the two hundred houses and ten brick blocks with

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

their contents and all the other property destroyed by the fire were of an aggre- gate value of not less than two million dollars. Of course the distressed city was the recipient of much sympathy and substantial assistance in the form of money, provisions, etc., from other towns of the territory, so that actual want of the necessities of life did not exist.

Every disaster has its hero. The hero of the Ellensburgh fire was D. A. Holbrook, who at the imminent risk of his life climbed to the third story of the Ashler Block, while it was a mass of flames, for the purpose of rescuing a stranger supposed to be sick in one of the rooms. Holbrook escaped by descend- ing a burning electric light pole, though not without serious injury to arms and face. But the Ellensburgh fire developed more than one hero. Indeed one would almost conclude that the town possessed a citizenship of heroes from the fortitude and courage with which all received the blow and set about recuper- ating from it. July 6th, the people held a rousing street meeting, at which sev- eral enthusiastic speeches were made, strongly urging the rebuilding of the city at once. By the 10th, carpenters, bricklayers, graders and laborers were busy in - the burnt district clearing away the debris and laying the foundation for new blocks. Within ten days after the fire, work either on the plans or the actual construction of forty-three business blocks, averaging in cost $12,000 each, was under way, and the resurrection of Ellensburgh had fairly begun. [ End of excerpt.]

Ellensburg has surely been a sufferer from the "fire-fiend". Before the "great fire" there had been a distressing fire in 1885, in which the old Valley Hotel, a center of all sorts of activities, business and social, had been destroyed and a man had been burned to cinders in it. Following the great misfortune of 1889 came several fires, less in amount, but such as to make in the aggregate severe additions to the larger affliction. On February 24, 1890, the school building was burned, entailing a loss of $4,000, of which $2,500 was covered by insurance. April 24th of the same year witnessed the destruction by fire of the railroad round-house and machine shops. The company at once replaced the round-house.

On February 13, 1900, the splendid mill of Tjossem and Son, the best grist mill in the valley, went up in smoke, entailing a loss of $12,000 or more beyond insurance. A fire that threatened to be serious broke out in the furniture store of Tripp & Jackson on July 10, 1901. While the contents of the store were badly damaged the conflagration was checked without getting beyond control.

As already stated, the year 1889, aside from being the date of the fire, was a point of reference in other important events. It was the year of state- hood. It was the time of strenuous attempt, destined to disappointment, to locate the state capital at Ellensburg. An addition had been laid out called the "State Capital Addition," near the present location of the Milwaukee Depot.

But perhaps more important than any of those events as a point of refer- ence was the fact that 1889 represented the crest of the wave of business activity (genuine construction) and of over-speculation (largely frothy) which Ellensburg shared with most parts of the state and of the whole Pacific Coast.

The recession of the wave of speculative excitement coincided most unfor- tunately with the fire, to plunge the metropolis of Kittitas County into a dark

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cloud of financial embarrassment. The business men prior to 1889 had mani- fested great enterprise and ability in reaching out in all directions in the en- deavor to bring adjacent productive regions into business relations with Ellens- burg. One enterprise of great interest, now almost forgotten, was described for us by Judge J. B. Davidson.

This was the organization of the territory up and across the Columbia River, so as to divert the trade of that vast region from Spokane and Walla Walla to Ellensburg.

This movement looking to the trade of the Okanogan and Big Bend regions was in active progress in 1888 and 1889. Thomas L. Nixon was the most active promoter of this movement. He was not himself an Ellensburg man, but the business men of the city backed the undertakings initiated by him. A steamer, the "City of Ellensburgh," was placed on the run from Port Eaton on the Co- lumbia, near the present Beverly, to Chelan and Okanogan points. Work of blasting rocks from the channel at Cabinet and Rock Island Rapids was under- taken and considerable was actually accomplished. The plans contemplated the construction of a railroad from Ellensburg to Port Eaton. Between $75,000 and $100,000 was actually pledged at Ellensburg to construct this railroad. Nearly ten miles was graded out of Ellensburg. The leading men at Ellens- burg in the enterprise were J. A. Shoudy, E. P. Cadwell. John McCandless. Frank McCandless, A. N. Hamilton, H. C. Walters, and John B. Davidson. That was one of the finest enterprises ever undertaken in Kittitas County and it was deserving of large success. But like other ambitious and hopeful aims, the times were not propitious, and the scheme could not be revived.

BUSINESS FAILURES

Beginning with December, 1889, a series of business failures began to shake the confidence of the business community. The large wholesale and retail tore of Lloyd Brothers closed its doors on the 26th of the month. Other failures followed in quick succession. But the people who had created the fine little city and had done so much to develop the valley around it were not dis- mayed to the extent of folding their hands and suspending enterprise. This is well illustrated by the fact that the city entered at once upon a bond issue for a new school building to replace that which had been burned. The electric light plant was purchased by the city for $34,000, and bonds were issued to the amount of $200,000 for water-works and a sewage system. Until 1897, the financial clouds hung low. In that year there was a marked revival. With each year following, business conditions improved. The developments in agri- cultural, orchard, dairy and live stock industries, lumbering, mining of both coal and gold-all combined to reestablish Ellensburg in the position of sul :- stantial security which she now enjoys.

The growth has not been rapid, but has been sound. The attractive vision which at one time danced before the eyes of the builders, of becoming the first city of the Yakima Valley, the capital of the state, and a great distribution center of all central Washington, gradually faded away, and the people have become reconciled to the fact that the destiny of the city was rather to provide a solid, attractive local point for one of the most beautiful and productive

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regions in the Northwest. Up to about 1893 Ellensburg led Yakima in the race for wealth and population. After that date it became clear that the geography and distribution of areas and resources were such that the largest city of the Yakima Valley must inevitably be in the central rather than the upper part. The recent great growth of the city of Yakima is the logical con- sequence of the natural centralizing of productive resources through the vast irrigation enterprises of the Government. The enormous tracts of fertile land brought into profitable use by the Tieton, the Ahtanum, the Wapato, the Sunny- side, and other irrigating projects were bound to seek some common denomina- tion of exchange. Yakima was the logical spot for that common center.

The question of great interest to the student of geographical locations and commercial and municipal evolution is whether with the immense development promised by the completion of the projects in the lower valley, between Prosser and the Columbia River, with the sure increase of transportation facilities, both rail and water, up and down and across the line of the Columbia River, the metropolis of the great Yakima Valley may not ultimately be at Kennewick or at the junction of the Yakima with the western "Father of Waters," the Columbia.

Whatever the future of the state may bring it is obvious to the observer that at this writing both Yakima and Ellensburg have an assured position as beautiful and progressive cities, commensurate in all respects with the country about them, in which the industry and intelligence of the builders have kept pace with the bounty so lavishly bestowed by Nature.

THE WATER QUESTION

One of the most important questions for any municipality is that of a proper water supply. Ellensburg went through the usual stages of that ex- perience. The first city water works were privately owned. The supply came from Wilson Creek in the open ditch to a reservoir on Craig's Hill. That reservoir was one of the interesting objects of early days. B. E. Craig was the first to undertake the establishment of this system. Subsequently Carl A. Sander became chief owner of the system. He made considerable improvements in 1887. In 1891 Mr. Sander sold the system to a New York company. As is likely to be the case when any public utility of that sort is owned by outside capital, the water service became unsatisfactory.

An editorial from the "Register" of April 22, 1893, right in the midst of the tightest stage of the hard times, indicates the beginnings of an agitation for a publicly owned water system. We include that editorial here.

"Register," April 22, 1893.

EDITORIAL ON THE CITY WATER SUPPLY

For the first time in the history of Ellensburg, there are to be steps taken to regulate and control the water supply. Heretofore the system has simply been tolerated for the benefit of private use, hut the public has received no benefit or protection from it. In this respect honors are easy, for the public has paid nothing for its use.

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Following the change in ownership of the water works comes a different proposition which the city council is called upon to meet, which is that in the event the water works are made proficient as a protection against fire, the city shall pay for protection. An attempt has been made, and is still in progress, by the new company to so improve the service that the requirements imposed may be met. The necessary pressure upon the water mains is fixed by the com- pany in a proposed ordinance at sixty pounds to the inch east of Pine street as the minimum. The company has offered to reduce the price of hydrants $15 per year provided the city will waive any right to purchase the plant during the existence of the franchise which is for twenty-five years, or in other words bind the city to a contract for water at a certain price for a certain time willy nilly. The proposition further eliminates privileges of the city which are of minor importance though not altogether objectionable. It is further required by the company that the city, when paying in warrants drawn upon a fund in which there is no money, shall pay such additional sum as shall equal the price in cash.

To all these propositions the council objects, and as it now stands there are no propositions pending. The city council is alive to the exigencies of the case and proposes to carefully and prudently legislate upon this question in the best interests of the city and with fairness and justice to the company.

The problem must be met and the city supplied with water for fire pur- poses, or the business men of the city will more than pay the cost in the increase of insurance rates. Whether or not the present system has been up to the requirements of the franchise it has been the means of holding the rates of insurance at one-half what they otherwise would be. This affects about two- thirds of the taxable property within the corporation. That the city water must be paid for or shut off are the alternatives for consideration of the coun- cil, and it is safe to say that an early choice will be made. [End of excerpt. ]

The agitation for a municipal water system continued and in 1910 a vote by the people accomplished the desired end. But a rather peculiar situation resulted which continues to this day. For the Ellensburg Gas and Water Company still supplies water to portions of the city. Hence the people of Ellensburg are blessed, or otherwise, with tivo water systems. The source of water for the municipal system is deep wells, deriving their supply from a subterranean flow. These wells are equipped with three large centrifugal pumps, which pump the water into a storage reservoir holding 1.469.000 gallons. from which the water reaches the city mains. The source of the city water insures an abundant supply of clear pure water unaffected by flood or drought.

The city also owns its electric light plant, an unusual fact in a small city. All evidence indicates that this municipal enterprise is highly satisfactory. To the "Father" of Ellensburg, John A. Shoudy, is credited the first establishment of an electric system.

In 1890 the city acquired the existing light system and made large im- provements. The power is located on the Yakima River, about three miles from the city. A canal three miles in length conveys water for generating the power. The passage of the water through a pair of large turbine wheels produces about 700 horse power.

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

The power is used for running a large number of dynamos for manufac- turing purposes as well as light. The cost to the city for installing the plant was about $55,000, and it is stated that on that valuation it is a money making investment.

CITY GOVERNMENT

We have given at an earlier point in this chapter the original city charter. That charter went into effect in 1886. It has continued with no material amendments to this date.

The first election of city officers took place on February 26, 1886. Two of the most prominent of the old-timers of Ellensburg were opposing candi- dates for the honor of the first mayoralty, one of whom, Mr. Shoudy, passed away a number of years ago, the other of whom continues to the present, still held in the same honor by his fellow citizens. These two first candidates for mayor were Austin Mires and J. A. Shoudy, Mr. Mires re- ceived 279 votes and Mr. Shoudy received 93. According to the provisions of the charter the mayor, marshal and councilmen were to be chosen by popular election, and the council was to appoint clerk, treasurer, surveyor, assessor, and street commissioner. The results of that first election were these : mayor, Austin Mires; marshal, J. R. Wallace; councilmen, Fred Leonhard, Mathias Becker, Thomas Johnson, George Elliott, F. D. Schnebly.

On March 1, 1886, the newly chosen officials met and duly inaugurated the first city government for Ellensburg. The appointees to the other offices were as follows: S. L. Blumauer, clerk; Henry Rehmke, treasurer ; J. R. Wal- lace, surveyor ; J. R. Wallace, assessor ; L. Pool, street commissioner.

This was an occasion of so much interest that the inaugural address of the mayor may well have a permanent record. We therefore are glad to incor- porate here the address of Mayor Austin Mires.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE

Gentlemen of the Common Council :- The charater of our city makes it the duty of the mayor to communicate to you at the first regular meeting in each year a general statement of the condition of the affairs of the city as well as to recommend the adoption of such measures as he may deem expedient and proper. In the performance of this duty I ask your indulgence for a few moments.

The city government was organized on the second day of March, 1886, something over ten months ago. Since that date there has been made one general assessment at the rate of three mills per annum upon the taxable prop- erty of the city, and the levy of a road poll tax at the rate of $4.00 on all male inhabitants between the ages of twenty-one and fifty years.

There has been realized from all sources up to January first, 1887, the following amounts :

General tax

$ 601.98

Liquor licenses

3,000.00

Fines

812.28

Business licenses

1,196.10

Making a total of

$5,610.36

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

The expenditures up to January 1, 1887, as reported to me by our treas- urer and clerk are as follows :

Justice's court

Street improvements

$ 329.02 1,007.16

This embraces amount paid by city for cross-walks_$624.25

Lumber

111.96

Materials, such as nails, etc.

26.70

Amount paid street commissioner

184.50

Street lamps

39.75

Fixtures

362.10

Fire department

526.00

Police force

1,663.50

Drawing and publishing ordinances

187,62

Incidental

166.00

Amount paid Kittitas County out of liquor licenses 2,000.00

Treasurer's commission

108,21

Total $6,349.61

The street commissioner's report shows that ninety persons have worked out their road poll tax, which, in money, would amount to $360.00, thus making a total of $1,367.16 expended upon street improvements for the year.

There has been constructed during the year 5,800 feet of sidewalk, 1,792 feet of cross-walk, and 270 feet of alley crossings, making a total of 7,852 feet.

There had already been a highway constructed on the extension of Third Street from Water Street to the railroad depot at the date of organization of our city government. Lately Fifth Street has been opened and graded to the line of the railroad, thus making two commodious highways from our city to the depot, which seem to me to be ample for the present.

Before leaving this subject I desire to call your attention to the fact that Hon. John A. Shoudy has filed a claim against the city in the sum of $927.50 for work done and material furnished in constructing the first mentioned high- way from Water Street to the railroad depot on the line of the extension of Third Street. There seems to me to be no doubt that Mr. Shoudy should receive a just recompense for the work mentioned. I have labored under the belief, however, that our city charter does not contemplate the payment of such claims from the general fund. But if you conclude that the city should make such recompense to Mr. Shoudy, I think you will find ample provision for doing so by the levy of a special tax for that purpose.

The peace and order of our city during the last ten months has fulfilled the most sanguine expectations, and it is in striking contrast to the order that prevailed for some time immediately prior to our city organization. Taking into consideration the fact that ours is a frontier city, and that our ten months' existence as a city has covered over a period when the Northern Pacific Rail- road has been in course of active construction through our valley, thus making Ellensburgh during all this time the actual terminal point, circumstances which invariably draw to such locations a large transient population, I am constrained to say to you the order of the place has been exceedingly good.

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

This happy state of things has been due in great measure to the laws ordained by the City Council in furtherance of peace and quiet, and to the efficiency of our city police force. It will be your province, gentlemen, to pass additional laws whenever it appears that good morals and good order will be enhanced thereby.

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 81

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