History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 86

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 86
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 86
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 86

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A later issue of the "Capital," November 11th, gives this further informa- tion about the arrival and reception of the returning soldiers :

"On a train of fourteen coaches, Company H, and other eastern Washing- ton soldiers rolled into the depot at 5:50 Tuesday evening, the 7th. The time of arrival had been spread broadcast and the result was that such a crowd as gathered to welcome them has never before been seen in Ellensburg. It is safe to say that between the depot and armory from 4,000 to 5,000 people were lined up and scattered, each trying to outdo the other in noisy demonstration. It was unfortunate that the train did not arrive in daylight as the demonstration could have been seen and better appreciated by the soldiers; nevertheless it was a magnificent affair and the reception was a success from every point of view.

"The public and private decorations were beautiful and the soldiers passed many compliments on the display. The evergreen arch on Fourth and Pearl was a beautiful structure, both by day and night, and was a handsome tribute to the good taste and industry of the decoration committee. The business men vied with each other in beautifying their windows and the result was creditable to all.

"All the efforts above referred to were good-above criticism, but to the women of Ellensburg and Kittitas Valley working under the direction of the Women's Aid Society, must the greatest credit be given. When the troops left the train Marshal Frost quickly formed the parade an dthe march to the arm- ory, with the volunteers in the place of honor, began. Besides the returning soldiers there were several companies of militia and cadets, making in all about 300 men who were to partake of the ladies' hospitality. On reaching the armory, the volunteers, amid the playing of bands and a gorgeous display of fireworks, were admitted to the banquet hall; after them the militia and cadets went in.

"The sight that met their gaze as they entered the vast hall was a beautiful

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one. The long tables beautifully decorated and loaded with the choicest deli- cacies, presented an inviting appearance under the brilliant electric lights and without a moment's confusion the soldiers were seated by companies and were soon enjoying the good things prepared for them. After they had been seated, the crowd was admitted and soon filled every inch of standing room. Large delegations were in town from Cle Elum and Roslyn and the band from the latter place contributed no small amount to the enjoyment of the occasion."

Valuable as were the events of that demonstration of twenty years ago following the Spanish-American War, the issues were as nothing compared with the solemn and stupendous issues of the World War just closed while these pages are in preparation. For in it the very destiny of the world hung in the balance, and in the maintenance of our country's part every village and hamlet, almost every farm, bore some share.

It is not yet possible to give complete records of Kittitas County, but we preserve here some general summaries as follows: Total number of names as given in the files of the "Record" over 1,000, of which 449 were found in the draft rolls; about 50 officers; number killed and missing, 25; volunteer troop of cavalry, Troop A, consisting of 110 men, Captain Sands in command, and he was especially recommended for bravery in action.

Incomplete as the record available yet is, it is well known that the Kittitas men bore a noble part, with their brothers of the nation in helping save the world from the curse of Hundom.

CITY LIBRARY OF ELLENSBURG.

An institution of much interest in connection with the intellectual develop- ment of the town and country around is the library. For a comparatively small library this is remarkably well-selected and administered, and to an unusual degree has become a practical force, especially among the boys and girls in the way of stimulating ambition and industry in the direction of genuine culture. Certain general facts in the history of this important institution may well find a place here.

It was built during the year 1909, by W. O. Ames, contractor. There was appropriated for it $10,000 by Andrew Carnegie; $1,500 subscriptions from citi- zens of Ellensburg; $3,000 by City Council of Ellensburg. The first board of trustees was J. H. Morgan, J. C. Hubbell and Mrs. David Murray, up to com- pletion of building and opening of library. Mrs. Murray resigned and Rev. J. H. Sweens, Mrs. F. A. Home and Mrs. H. Hale were appointed. The present board of trustees is €. H. Flummerfelt, J. H. Morgan, Rev. W. B. Young, Mrs. David Murray and Mrs. J. P. Munson.

The value of the building is from $12,000 to $14,000; the furniture is valued at $500.00; the books are valued at about $8,000.00.

There are 8,000 books. The library was first opened for visitors on Janu- ary 10, 1910, with the request that each visitor bring a book. 300 volumes were taken in that evening. The furniture was located and books placed on shelves and library opened for loaning February I, 1910.

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

First librarian was Mrs. J. B. Davidson, who acted for seven years until February 19, 1918. The present librarian is Mrs. H. L. Stowell.

It is fitting that the tribute made to Mrs. Davidson by the Library Trustees at the expiration of her long period of service be recorded here. As found in the records of the city office this recognition of her work is as fololws:

Mrs. Davidson during her administration maintained a very high standard of efficiency. Full of energy and an indefatigable worker, she accumulated a vast quantity of magazines and historical material-material that will be invalu- able in the years to come. One room in the basement is filled with old files of Century, Harper and other standard magazines awaiting the time when there will be a fund appropriated for their binding.

There is also a very complete collection of the newspapers of Ellensburg, from which may be gathered vitally important historical data.

During Mrs. Davidson's administration over 8,000 books were collected and some rare volumes were added.

The City Council and the Board of Trustees expressed their regret at the resignation of Mrs. Davidson from the position after seven years of faithful service

PART III CHAPTER V

POLITICAL HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF BENTON COUNTY

EARLIEST SETTLERS-BENTON COUNTY A NATURAL UNIT-AGITATION FOR NEW COUNTY-AN ACT TO CREATE THE COUNTY OF BENTON-BENTON COUNTY AN ACTUAL FACT-BENTON COUNTY GETTING READY-BENTON COUNTY-THE RAILROAD COMMISSION-BENTON COUNTY DOING BUSINESS-OFFICERS' BONDS FILED-COUNTY NEWS NOTES-RECORD OF ELECTIONS-ELECTION OF 1912- ELECTION OF 1914-ELECTION OF 1916-ELECTION OF 1918 COUNTY SEAT QUESTION-SCHOOLS OF THE COUNTY-TEACHERS OF BENTON COUNTY.

We have given in another chapter a view of the beginnings throughout the valley, including that part which later became Benton County. For the sake of brevity we are repeating briefly the essentials of that part of the history, and giving added details.

As stated in the chapter referred to the first comers into the Yakima Valley followed hard upon the close of the Indian wars. The closing campaigns of the series of wars of the decade of the fifties were those of Wright in the Spokane country and Garnett in the Yakima in 1858. In the next year a group of cattlemen began to drive stock into the middle Yakima Valley. Among these men were some of the chief makers of Yakima; Ben Snipes, the Allens, the Murphys, Nelson, Connell, Henderson and Jeffrey. In 1861 and immediately following, the first settlements were made in the Moxee by the Thorps, the Hensons, the Splawns and a rapidly increasing number of immigrants, of whom an enumeration has been given.

EARLIEST SETTLERS.

We derive from the valuable book by A. J. Splawn, "Kamiakin, the Last Hero of the Yakimas," information as to those who, in those earliest days located in the lower valley. Apparently J. B. Nelson was the first to locate in the limits of the present Benton County. Even his location was temporary. In 1864 some of his horses had been run off by thieves and in his endeavors to locate the scattered bands he with his family became established for a year at the mouth of the Yakima. Subsequently he moved to a place on the river between the later Mabton and Sunnyside, afterwards the Jock Morgan ranch. Still later the Nelsons made their permanent home near Yakima on the Naches. Various old-timers seem to have been on the borders during that early date, whose permanent homes were later in Yakima. Among others was Col. H. D. Cock, conspicuous in the Indian wars and later the first marshal of Yakima. He was active through what is now the North Prosser and Grandview regions and in 1867 and a little later established the first ferry across the Yakima below what is now the Mabton road.

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

But apparently the first permanent settler on the lower Yakima was Smith Barnum. His place was on the bottom on the south side of the river, in part the place now owned by J. B. Clements. In 1875 the Barnum place was made a station on the first mail route from Yakima to Wallula and thence to Umatilla.

During the early seventies a number of locations, at first entirely for stock raising, were made on the Yakima between The Horn and the mouth of the river. Among those early families were the McNeills, the Souths, the Mc- Alpines, Doctor Cantonwine, Joe Baxter, Lockwood, Ben Rosencrantz, Jack Roberts, B. S. Grosscup, the Robinsons and a number of cowboys, whose tenure was so short that their names seem not preserved. The place occupied by the Souths, now the home of Mr. S. Poot, is said to be the first in that region. Amy South became Mrs. A. G. McNeill, and is known to every one in Prosser as one of the best informed on early history of all that section. Her father's family located in that section in 1871. Ben Rosencrantz, now living at Pasco, though not quite so early in time as some of those named, became the most of all a permanent resident in what became later the Richland section.

He went in 1879, locating at first on the former Smith Barnum place and a short time later moving across the Yakima River. There he located a pre- emption, a homestead and a desert entry, and later acquired three sections of Northern Pacific R. R. land at half a dollar an acre. He could have got 16 sections at the same price, but did not consider them worth it.

His nearest neighbors were Robinson at the mouth of the Yakima and Bax- ter about six miles up the river. He tells us that in 1880 he got a gang-plow of Bill Jones of Walla Walla for $450, with which he broke up 80 acres of land at Badger Springs below Kiona. During that period Levi Ankeny was a fre- quent visitor on hunting and fishing trips. He pointed out to Mr. Rosencrantz what he regarded a good town site. Later the place was laid out by Howard Amon and became Richland, deriving its name from Nelson Rich, who had become associated with Mr. Amon in the irrigation enterprise of the Benton Land and Water Company. Of those early irrigation enterprises we have spoken at length in the chapter on Irrigation.

Settlements in the vicinity of Prosser, although it became the county seat and the largest town, were later in time than those on the lower section of the river.

We shall speak of the first settlers under the heading of the city of Prosser. It may suffice to note here that the first comers to that location of Prosser Falls were Col. W. F. Prosser, Joe Kinney and A. M. Ward. They located at that point in the early eighties. The Warneckes came only a little later.

The same general statement may be made in regard to Kennewick. C. J. Beach made the first filing on Government land in that vicinity, Doctor Livingston built the first house, and Joe Dimond was the first in business. Of Kennewick, too, we shall speak at length, and need not use further space here. Most of the pioneer history of what may be termed the permanent Benton County, follow- ing the cowboy days, is connected with irrigation, and of that we have written at length in an earlier chapter. During the decade of the nineties and onward two great wheat farming sections have developed. These are the Horse Heaven and the Rattlesnake Mountain sections. Both these regions have scant rain- (47)

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fall, though more than the valley. The soil is of the finest, and in the native state both regions were perfect seas of the finest bunch-grass. It is needless to say that the stockmen found a paradise in those two vast areas. The former has nearly as much land available as the entire Yakima Valley; that is, about half a million acres. This great plateau offers so inviting a field for irrigation that much attention has been devoted to investigation with a view to a water supply.

It has been proposed to impound the chief sources of the Klickitat River at the base of Mount Adams, fed by never-failing glaciers, and convey a ditch along the crest of the Simcoe Ridge, whence laterals could be constructed reach- ing the Columbia River on the south and the Yakima on the north. The region around Cleveland, Bickleton and other little places in Klickitat County as well as the section eastward in Benton is a gently rolling plateau, and under water it would duplicate the Yakima country itself for beauty and productiveness. The question of water supply, however, is a serious one, and Government engineers doubt whether the proposed reservoirs will be adequate to the immense demands of half a million acres. Meanwhile the Horse Heaven Irrigation District has been formed and the farmers and stock-raisers of that region will be all ready to utilize the water if a way can be found to convey it to them.

The Rattlesnake region is not as large as the Horse Heaven, but it has the advantage of lower altitude for a large part of its area. The soil is equally good and a number of enterprising wheat farmers have reaped sufficient products to give their section a standing as one of the regular grain supply points of the state. But the great feature of the Rattlesnake region is that large areas are accessible to the Sunnyside extension of the High Line Canal. Probably nearly 200,000 acres will ultimately become irrigated, and the wonders of Yakima and other old irrigation sections will be repeated in the former stockman's paradise. Another unique feature of this remarkable section is the natural gas in the Rattlesnake plateau about twenty-five miles north of Prosser and an equal dis- tance west of Richland.

It had been known twenty or more years ago to stockmen that there was gas sufficient to furnish light and warmth for the winter days which occasionally visited that ordinarily balmy section. In fact the gas burned there for years unheeded except by cowboys in their winter range. Within a few years pro- moters have organized a company for getting this great possibility before the investing world. It is as yet too soon to forecast developments, but there is every reason to anticipate that the next historian of Benton County will chronicle a great manufacturing center supplied from these subterranean resources of heat, power and light.

There is still another area of Benton County, not belonging strictly to the Yakima Valley at all. This is the southern section bordering the Columbia River. This section is arid and semi-tropical in climate, but has the same vol- canic soil, capable of anything with water.

There are several little stations, as Mottinger, Plymouth, Paterson, Carley, Luzon, on the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle R. R., at which beginnings have been made in the production of fruit and alfalfa.

The two remarkable features of this river section are the artesian well near

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Luzon and Blalock Island in the Columbia, the latter commemorating the name of Dr. N. G. Blalock of Walla Walla, one of the noblest and most revered of all the builders of the State. With the developments sure to come, this section will some day be one of the garden spots of the world.

In giving these views of the county we have digressed a little from the story of settlement. It may be said, however, that the development in all these sections was initiated before the creation of the county. We see, moreover, . from this general picture the fact that there was abundant need of a new county in the vast area still left to Yakima after the early excision by which Kittitas was removed.

BENTON COUNTY A NATURAL UNIT.

Furthermore the area upon which Benton County was erected is a natural unit. It is, too, not surpassed by any county in the state in the percentage of land which may be utilized. With the exception of the bluffs along the Columbia River on the south and the lofty ridges of the Rattlesnake Mountains, it is entirely cultivable land and under water will sometime become a veritable garden of delights. one of the choice home lands of the continent.

With all the natural conditions and their possible developments which the eastern half of Yakima County afforded, it is not surprising that the inhabitants felt a growing desire for a separate organization.

In 1901 Nelson Rich, one of the best builders in the lower valley, still at this writing living in Prosser, was in the legislature for Yakima County. Supported by the sentiment of his part of the county he initiated measures looking to a new county.

The proposal contemplated a county to be known as Riverside, taking the region east of a line running north and south three miles west of Mabton. Correspondence from Olympia to the "Yakima Herald" denotes that Mr. Rich met with considerable opposition. Remonstrances poured in. It was pointed out that the new county would have to assume indebtedness of $66,000 and erect new buildings worth $100,000, thus being heavily handicapped with debt at a time when they were in no condition for burdens. Klickitat County also opposed the proposal, not wishing to lose the Horse Heaven country. The bill introduced by Mr. Rich never came to a vote, and everything waited for a new advance.

AGITATION FOR NEW COUNTY.

In 1902 the agitation for a new county was renewed. On July 30th a mass meeting at Rich's Hall in Prosser formulated a plan for a county with boundaries diminished from those of the former demand. Still another meeting was held at Prosser on December 18th, by vote of which a bill was prepared for introduc- tion at the forthcoming meeting of the legislature, embodying the demands of the former meeting. This bill was duly presented by S. A. Wells on behalf of the committee of the lower house on county organization. It provided that the new county should be known as Mckinley County. The lines proposed in the bill were not acceptable to the Sunnyside people. The western boundary was only three miles east of Zillah and the effect would have been to bisect the Sunny- side country. The people there desired to be all in or all out of the new county. The bill therefore was defeated.

The "Columbia Courier", of Kennewick, of August 1, 1902, expressed

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undoubtedly a sentiment which had much to do with the spirit leading to the defeat at that time of the division movement. The "Courier" says: "The ghost of Yakima's historic past will sometime haunt the men who clamor to divide for selfish ends. Fifty miles from Prosser to North Yakima is no greater dis- tance than 50 miles would be from the country southeast of Kennewick to the prospective county seat at Prosser. This is no time to increase an already heavy tax by the creation of a new county seat, with half a score or more of hungry offices. Sunnyside business men and leading citizens, twenty-seven in all, were interviewed on division last week. More than twenty of them were positive in their declarations against division now.

"The Kennewick country will poll almost a unanimous vote against division if it gets a good chance.

"Yakima County will not be divided-this time."

"Pea" Greene renews the attack on division in the very next number, end- ing with the assertion, "as a matter of fact there are but two or three precincts that are mixed up in the affair at all, and when it comes to a vote, the thing will undergo an interment of considerable depth."

It is somewhat obvious from still another squib in the "Courier" that the division proposition was regarded as a Prosser move. For Brother Greene says : "Prosser people are in terrible misery because a few of the remote inhabitants of the county are compelled occasionally to go a considerable distance to the county seat. Some of these remote people that I've talked with on the subject say that they would prefer to go quite a distance for the sake of going some- where when they do go."

After the failure in the legislature of 1903, the advocates of division rested on their oars for a time. There was a rapid development in 1903 and 1904 in all parts of the lower Valley. Opposition in and around Kennewick seems to have declined. Moreover, on March 3, 1903, C. O. Anderson succeeded E. P. Greene as editor and proprietor of the "Columbia Courier". The new manager was not so contentious as the old one, and seems to have devoted himself to consistently striving to build up the local interest with harmony and good feel- ing to his journalistic brethren of adjoining towns. Mr. Anderson was suc- ceeded in turn on August 4, 1904, by W. J. Shaughnessey. He in like manner followed an amicable course, devoting his energies mainly to local upbuilding.

In the files of the "Courier" in 1903 and 1904 we find hardly a reference to county division. The Kennewick people meanwhile had become interested in establishing a city government of their own, which was done on February 5, 1904.

The result of the combined conditions, internal and external, was that in the legislature of 1905, with no great contention, the act creating the new cos ity of Benton was duly passed.

The leading objection formerly held against the proposal was obviateu -- running an exact north and south line far enough east to leave the whole Sunny- side country in the old county. Such division gave the new county a scanty population, not more than one-fifth that remaining in Yakima County. But with every assurance of rapid development the inhabitants of the new Benton County faced the future in 1905 with high hopes. It is worthy of note that

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the division left Yakima County with just about half its area in the Indian Reservation. It is the half, too, containing far the larger ratio of arable land. This condition is offset in a degree by the fact that the Government regulations permit creation of townsites and renting of Indian lands. By reason of this, and of the great Wapato irrigation system, there has been great development in that part of Yakima County.

The separation of the former vast area of Yakima County into two natural divisions is doubtless regarded now by the people of both as in the line of progress.

The Act creating Benton County is incorporated herewith :

AN ACT to create the county of Benton, subject to the requirements of the state constitution and statutes in respect to the establishment of new counties. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON :

Section 1. All those portions of the counties of Yakima and Klickitat described as follows, to-wit: Beginning at the point of intersection of the middle of the main channel of the Columbia River with the township line between township thirteen north, range twenty-three east, and township thirteen north, range twenty-four east, Willamette Meridian; thence running south along the township lines, being the line between range twenty-three east and range twenty- four east, to the line between Yakima County and Klickitat County; thence south along the township lines, along the line between ranges twenty-three east and twenty-four east, to the point of intersection with the middle of the main channel of the Columbia River, or to its intersection with the lines between the states of Washington and Oregon : thence northeasterly, northerly and northwesterly and westerly along the middle of the main channel of the Columbia River and up said stream, following the line between Klickitat County and the state of Oregon and the county of Walla Walla and the line between Yakima County and Walla Walla County, Franklin County, and Douglas County, to the place of beginning-shall be and hereby is created and established as the county of Benton ; Provided, however, That said Benton County is hereby created as afore- said, subject to the requirements of the constitution of the state of Washington in respect to the establishment of new counties, and subject to an ascertainment of the fact of such compliance as hereinafter provided, and that the creation of said Benton County hereby shall not become operative to establish said county until such compliance shall have been so had and the fact of such com- pliance so ascertained.

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 86

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