History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 94

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 94
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 94
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 94

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).

We may reach Sunnyside by the Northern Pacific Railroad branch on the north side of Snipes' Mountain, or by the O .- W. R. R. on the south side, by a short spur from the main line. And now having reached this interesting little city, next to Toppenish in size of the towns of Yakima County, after the metropolis, we may note that it is sui generis of all the towns of the Valley. There is no other like it, either intellectually, religiously or topographically. Our readers will have the opportunity of reading an article on the founding by Mr. S. J. Harrison, the father of Sunnyside, in our chapter of recollections. We are therefore absolved from giving details here to the extent that might other- wise be necessary.

As has appeared in our chapter on Pioneer Settlements, several of the earliest locations in the Yakima country were made in the near vicinity of Sunnyside. In 1865, the McDonald Brothers, Elisha and A. J., located on the north side of the river, a few miles above the crossing on the Mabton road to Sunnyside, the place now owned by Oliver P. Ferrel. The next year Samuel Chapell located near the McDonalds. E. Bird was a cattleman in the same region at the same time. J. B. Huntington located a cattle range just south of the present Sunnyside on the way toward Mabton, but sold out his holdings to Jock Morgan. This last named settler had located in the first place on the Reservation near the present Toppenish in 1871, and ten years later he acquired the Huntington place. John Ferrel located near Morgan. The first homestead near Sunnyside was located by Joseph Kunz, about a mile northeast of the present town. Soon came John Chisholm, Nat Stone, W. T. Stobie; George A. Matthieson, Abner Kirk and Robert Mains. Not long after quite a group of settlers located homesteads near the present Outlook. Among them we find the names of W. H. Norman, P. S. Wood, B. H. Nichols, B. F. Brooks, T. J. Cooper, Jack Williams and George Clark.

The town was laid out by Walter N. Granger in June, 1889, at the same time with Zillah. A picturesque narration from Mr. Granger is quoted in the History of Central Washington, to the effect that on a certain Spring day in 1889 he went out to view the country with a view of initiating the canal enter- prise which later grew into the great Sunnyside Canal. He climbed Snipes' Mountain and viewed all the magnificent landscape. with the untold possibilities of those fertile acres under water. When he reached the lower end of the ridge and saw the vast expanse of level land, his mind was made up and he determined

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that there was the spot for a city. In his own words: "As I gazed on the scene, I then and there resolved that a city should sometime be built at the base of the mountain, for the site was ideal." The next day he rode to the nearest telegraph station and wired for his crew of engineers. Such was the vision in the mind's eye of this builder of great things, out of which sprang this splendid construction-canal, farms, city. The canal was the first to be christened Sunnyside, and the town followed that name. Mr. Granger became president of both townsite companies, Sunnyside and Zillah. The site was platted in 1893 on land belonging to the railroad. The canal had just reached the location at that time. In 1894 a postoffice was established, with D. R. McGinnis, the local sales agent of the townsite company, as postmaster.

The financial depression of that time sadly crippled both the townsite and canal enterprise, and the surrounding farmers, as well as the business men of the budding city, were so circumscribed in their operations that for a time the region was almost abandoned.

Two hotels, one built by Reuben Hatch, and the other by N. H. Morris, were in active operation just before the collapse. William Cline and Miles Cannon were the pioneer merchants, followed quite shortly by B. M. Brewer. James Henderson, W. T. Stobie, Frank Petre, D. C. Gillis and, a little later, J. B. George, were among the "charter members" of the early business community.

In Sunnyside, as in other sections, the dark financial clouds of the early nineties were blown aside and in 1897 and 1898 the horizon was clear and bright. One important improvement consisted of the construction of a sub- stantial bridge across the Yakima to take the place of Jock Morgan's ferry. The expense was met in part from the county commissioners' funds and in part by donations of money and labor by the people of Sunnyside.

In 1898 came the event which, above all others, stamped Sunnyside with its unique and peculiar character. This was the entrance of the "Christian co-operative movement" managed by Messrs. S. J. Harrison, H. M. Lichty and Christian Rowland, for the purpose of colonization. As already stated we have the aid of Mr. Harrison by a special contribution in our last chapter, to present this vital part of the story to our readers, and we will therefore turn from this most distinctive feature of the history of Sunnyside and take note of the municipal history.

In 1902 Sunnyside became an incorporated town. The first officers and council took their places in September of that year. James Henderson, mayor ; J. B. George, treasurer ; Henry H. Wende, attorney ; H. W. Turner, clerk; B. F. James, marshal ; Joseph Lannin, George Vetter, C. W. Taylor, W. B. Cloud, William Hitchcock, councilmen.

The present city officials are as follows: W. B. Cloud, mayor ; L. W. Bates, clerk : George Vetter, treasurer ; Ray Wilcox, marshal ; George Pfister, superin- tendent city water works ; W. H. Harrison, William Kielsmeier, J. M. Borgeson, D. N. Wood, Albert Amundson, councilmen.

Sunnyside owns and operates its water system. Domestic water is from wells procured in 1909, pumped to an elevation of about 180 feet above the townsite into a covered reservoir of about 250,000 gallons and distributed through 25.500 feet of mains and twenty-three fire hydrants. The irrigation

DENNY BLAINE SCHOOL, SUNNYSIDE

HIGH SCHOOL, SUNNYSIDE

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

system is separate from the domestic supply and is supplied from the Sunny- side Canal which has its intake from the Yakima River eight miles below Yakima.

SCHOOLS

The schools of Sunnyside have been of as marked a character as its churches. It would be indeed difficult to find a community in which there has been a more steadfast and generous support of these vital institutions. It appears that the pioneer public school teacher of Sunnyside was H. G. Rousch in 1894. The school was located in one of the buildings belonging to D. C. Gillis. Later in that year the district built the first building, known afterwards as the Emerson School. Another building some distance east of town, called the Washington School, was constructed shortly after. One interesting step in school develop- ment was taken in 1903, when Districts 44 and 48, including quite an area around the town, consolidated for the purpose of uniting in a high school. The Washington Irrigation Company, then owning the Sunnyside Canal system, made a donation of forty acres of land worth $1,400, while Messrs. Harrison and Lichty gave lots worth $500. A building worth $11,000 was erected and in 1904 the high school department was inaugurated. This school has been conspicuous even in Yakima County.

The Sunnyside school system consists of the high school with nine teachers, A. O. Rader being principal. The grade schools are known as follows: De- partmental, with three teachers; Denny Blaine, with eight teachers; Washing- ton, with three teachers; Maple Grove, with three teachers; Orchard Ridges, with one teacher ; and Emerson, with three teachers-a total force of thirty teachers. O. W. Hoffman is superintendent.

CHURCHES

We have already relegated the church history of Sunnyside to the con- tribution of Mr. Harrison. But we include here the fact that aside from the distinctive feature of a Federated Church which grew out of the colonization enterprise, the town would still be distinguished as a "city of churches."

It is stated that the "Father of the Episcopal churches of eastern Wash- ington," Bishop Wells, held the first service in the town, the place being D. C. Gillis' office and the time being in February, 1894. In 1904 there were ten church organizations; Dunkard, Presbyterian, Baptist, German Baptist, Meth- odist, Free Methodist, Episcopal, Congregational, Christian, Christian Scientist.

It would certainly seem cause for regret rather than commendation that so many church societies existed in so comparatively small a town, were it not for the more important fact that six of them combined in the church federation. These six were the Baptist, Dunkard, Methodist, Presbyterian and Christian. This Federated Church was a great success and made the name of Sunnyside known far and wide. With the increase of population, however, and other con- ditions beyond our scope to describe here, the federation has been modified and to a degree surrendered. It has remained, however, as a force and example of conspicuous value in the history of central Washington.

The churches and pastors at the present date are as follows: Adventist, (51)

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W. Paul Atkinson, pastor ; Baptist, J. C. Havnaer, pastor ; Brethren, Charles H. Ashman, pastor; Christian, no pastor ; Christian Scientist, Mrs. H. A. Webber, first reader ; Congregational, J. J. Burley, pastor ; Episcopal, Frederick Luke, rector ; Free Methodist, E. H. Harman, pastor ; German Baptist Brethren, S. H. Miller, pastor ; Gospel Temple, G. L. Hunt, pastor ; Methodist, Andrew Warner, pastor ; Roman Catholic, Father McCarty.

When the Brethren, Congregational and Presbyterian churches dissolved the Brethren purchased the property.

Sunnyside is also a strong lodge city. There have been maintained for a number of years the following: Sunnyside Lodge No. 49, I. O. O. F .; Rebekah Lodge; Sunnyside Camp No. 561, Modern Woodmen of America ; Royal Neigh- bors : Edith Lee Lodge No. 73, A. O. U. W .; Masonic Lodge; Fraternal Brother- hood: Order of Washington; Yeoman.

Sunnyside has a library, provided with a large assortment of standard books, and as may well be expected in a place of such character the library is well patronized. It is recalled by old-timers that Mrs. Joseph Lannin was the prime factor in originating the library movement. She was the first president of the library association. Her efforts were ably seconded by Rev. Lee A. Johnson, one of the most conspicuous citizens of the town from 1900 to the time of his lamented death. Messrs. Wende, Bridgman, Stewart and Perrin seem also to have been especially efficient in promoting this worthy cause.

At the present time the population of Sunnyside is estimated at about 1,500, but the country round about is so thickly settled that within a radius of two miles there are over 6,000 people.

THE SUNNYSIDE "SUN"

Sunnyside is also the location of one of the strongest weekly papers in the valley, the "Sunnyside Sun". This fine journal of the alliterative title came into existence in 1901. William Hitchcock was founder and for some years proprietor. In 1909 it was recast and began a new stage of life, under new management. At present date A. S. Hillyer is editor and manager.

We take from the "Sun" of October 31, 1918, a brief item of interest as indicating the comparative wealth and population of the towns of this section of the valley, as shown by their assignments for the United War Works campaign, as follows :

Grandview, $2,000; Granger, $1,000; Mabton, $1,500; Moxee, $1,000: Naches, $1,000; Outlook, $500; Selah, $1.500; Sunnyside, $4,500; Toppenish, $5,500; Wapato, $2,000; White Swan, $500, and Zillah, $1,500.

From data secured from reliable sources we give the following as the esti- mated production of this great productive center for the year 1918. As will be noted this exhibit is reduced to carloads. Few parts, even of the Yakima Valley, can show such a record of production in proportion to population.

Exports from Sunnyside in car lots are as follows: For the period begin- ning September 1, 1917 and ending August 31, 1918: Spuds, 512: apples, 162; hay, 460: pears, 21; peaches, 15: onions, 1; turnips, 1; corn, 15; mill feed, 4; sugar beets, 144; mixed fruit, 21; vegetables, 27; alfalfa meal, 26; canned

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MAYHEW STREET, SUNNYSIDE

SIXTH STREET, SUNNYSIDE

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

goods, 4; beans, 1; vetch seed, 1; wool, 8; hogs, 47; sheep, 33; cattle, 6; horses, 1. Total, 1,510.

The energetic Commercial Club at Sunnyside has from time to time pub- lished and distributed literature of praiseworthy character, in which are embodied facts in regard to the varied resources of the section, and its attractions for permanent residence.

From one of those publications we make these extracts :

SOME SUNNYSIDE PRODUCTS RESULTS THAT HAVE BEEN ATTAINED

In telling of the measure of success which has been attendant upon the efforts of men who came to the Sunnyside district, it is believed the statements of the land owners themselves will be of greater value to the homeseeker than anything else that may be said. During a week's stay in Sunnyside district, the Chamber of Commerce had an automobile at the disposal of the writer, who went from farm to farm, and from orchard to orchard to talk with the men who are making their homes in the valley, and who are making a success of what they have undertaken. Their stories are worth reading. This is what they had to say :

TWO TONS OF POTATOES FROM PIECE OF LAND 75 x 85 FEET

W. E. Knight, whose unit adjoins the townsite of Sunnyside raised two tons of potatoes on a piece of ground 75 x 85 feet. He picked only the larger ones and says that the ground may be counted on to produce twenty tons to the acre. Prior to seeding to potatoes the land had been in alfalfa.

SOLD $500 WORTH OF TOMATOES GROWN ON A HALF ACRE

L. L. Higgins has been farming and gardening at Sunnyside for some nine years. He is the man who is responsible for the great tomato yield there. Plants set out did not thrive. He introduced a method of sowing and has sold as high as $500 worth of tomatoes from a half acre. He raises watermelons, cantaloupes, beets, lettuce and radishes. For early Spring vegetables, Mr. Hig- gins sows spinach, lettuce and onion seed in the Fall. "Another successful, and one of the most profitable crops which can be grown here," said Mr. Higgins, "is asparagus. It will pay $500 and upward per acre the second year. In fact everything in the vegetable line does well here. The Yakima Valley is so far ahead of the eastern country in the way of products that stories of our yields are discredited."

POTATO CROP NETS $3,364; OTHER CROPS IN KEEPING

W. H. Norman is the owner of a sixty-acre tract near Sunnyside, and adjoining his unit is a twenty-acre tract owned by his wife. The firm has thirty acres in alfalfa which averages seven tons, and has run as high as eleven tons per acre. They have seventeen acres in timothy and clover which has yielded an average of seven tons in two cuttings for the past five years. They also have thirteen acres in orchard with eleven acres meadow. In 1908 their potato crop was 134 tons, which they sold for $3,364 net. In 1909, four acres in corn

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yielded 90 bushels per acre, and part of the crop was sold $20 per ton. Mr. Norman came to Washington in 1893. He paid $45 for his land, which he says is worth $400 per acre today. When he came into the valley he had $700. Mr. Norman came from Michigan. "Ten acres here are worth more than eighty acres there" he says.

ORCHARD AND ORCHARD GARDENING ARE SOURCES OF PROFIT

W. J. Hubbard, Route No. 1, Sunnyside says: "My farm unit of twenty acres is two and one-half miles southwest of Sunnyside. I have eight acres in alfalfa, eleven acres in orchard and one and one-half acres in grapes. Between my fruit trees I am doing orchard gardening. I raise tomatoes, cabbage, water- melons and cantaloupes. In 1908 my tomatoes netted me $300 per acre. In 1910 they netted $225 per acre and my melons netted $135. This same year I raised thirty tons of potatoes on two acres. In grapes, I am raising three varieties-Moore's Early, Wordens and Concords. They are doing well. I picked 1,500 pounds from 750 three-year-old vines. Am also raising French Coach horses and Jersey cattle. I have no difficulty in finding a market for all that I can raise. I have been here nine years. I paid $127 for my land. Last fall I sold a twenty-acre tract for $5,000. I have been offered $350 per acre for my other land, but it is not on the market. I came here from North Dakota, where I farmed for twenty-two years. This is a much more desirable place. The climate is good and the crops are sure. I believe it a desirable place for men of means, for men with a limited amount of capital, and for the laboring man."

APPLES GROWN WERE PRIZE WINNERS AT VANCOUVER

W. W. Sawyer packed 2,500 boxes of extra fancy fruit from 225 trees of Grimes Golden and Spitzenberg apples grown on his Sunnyside ranch .. One car of Grimes Golden and a car of Spitzenbergs were first prize winners at the National Show at Vancouver, B. C., and brought the exhibitor $1,100 in prizes. With the sale of the fruit, Mr. Sawyer realized handsomely from the trees men- tioned.

MAKES A SUCCESS GROWING ALFALFA SEED

R. K. Schlosser, living near Sunnyside, has made a success in raising alfalfa seed. From eighteen acres he cut the first crop of hay, amounting to forty-five tons which he sold at $5.00 per ton in the stack. He saved the second crop for seed, from which he threshed 3,150 pounds which he sold for 16 cents per pound. Beside this he had the straw and chaff left, which was worth $2.50 per ton as feed. His crop, which brought him $819, was the poorest one he has had, according to Mr. Schlosser.

ORCHARDIST MAKING TEN PER CENT ON $1,500 PER ACRE VALUATION

J. B. Shellers has thirty acres two an done-half miles from Sunnyside, twenty acres of which are planted to orchard. He raises Spitzenberg, Yellow Newtown, Arkansas Black and Northern Spy apples, Bartlett pears, Barnard peaches and Italian prunes. Fifteen acres are in apples. Sixty trees of Spitzen-

HOTEL CRANDUIRE

GRANDVIEW HOTEL, GRANDVIEW

L.MANGE

DIVISION STREET FROM DEPOT, GRANDVIEW

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

bergs (one acre) netted him $1,012, and he allowed $500 for expenses of caring for land and trees, picking and packing. Pears will average seven to ten boxes to the tree and sell for from 90 cents to $1.25. "I can sell all the peaches I can pick right in the orchard for three cents a pound. The variety I raise will keep in perfect condition ten days after being fully ripe. I pick from 100 to 300 pounds from trees of different ages. I picked a ton from one tree. My prunes net me 40 cents per crate of twenty-four pounds. I am cultivating a red rasp- berry from which I get three crops in July, August and September. The variety is known as the Alton berry. I irrigated my orchard once in 1910. I find I get better results from cultivation. Adjoining my place is a tract which has not been irrigated on the surface for eleven years. The crops get their moisture from below. I had $2,000 when I came here. I paid $50 per acre for my land. It is not for sale. I can make ten per cent on $1,500 per acre for my thirty- acre unit. That is good enough for me. I know what farming and orchard conditions are in the east and middle west. I never saw a place equal to the Yakima Valley."

RAISES POTATOES BY CAR LOAD ; $2,500 FROM TEN ACRES

D. B. Eby has 129 acres under water some two miles from Sunnyside. In 1910 he had 60 acres planted to potatoes, and had $10,000 worth for sale, with the yield running but half a crop. In 1909 he sold $2,500 worth of potatoes from ten acres. In April, 1910, from great cellars in which hundreds of tons were stored after picking, Mr. Eby was sacking potatoes by the car load. By virtue of his ample storage facilities he can hold his crop until the market is right. He raises other crops also, his yield of oats being 100 bushels to the acre. Mr. Eby paid $27.50 for his land and does not want to sell at $200 per acre. Success has rewarded his efforts and he believes in the Yakima Valley.

GRANDVIEW

This newest of all the towns of Yakima is also one of the most marked in several respects. It has one of the most sightly locations, on a slightly ele- vated and gently rolling surface, from which a view of miles and miles of the greatest expanse of the valley is visible. It has made the largest percentage of growth and improvement during the past five years of any of the valley towns. It has a more completely diversified line of productions than most any of its neighbors. Fruit of all kinds, potatoes, corn, alfalfa, sugar beets, grain, fine stock-everything, in fact to be produced in this climate.

Grandview, though the baby of the towns of its section, has a population approaching 1,000. There are five churches here, Presbyterian, Methodist, Christian, Free Methodist and Catholic.

The schools of Grandview are embraced under the heads of the Central (which includes an accredited high school), with a total force of twelve teachers; the Euclid, with two teachers, and the Bethany, with two. A. C. Kellogg is city superintendent and D. M. Callaghan is principal of the high school. The entire list is given in the directory of county teachers in our chapter on schools.

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

There is an excellent weekly paper, the "Grandview Herald." The paper is owned by Chapin D. Foster and published by Fred R. Hawn.

In the issue of the "Herald" of November I, 1918, we find Grandview's roll of honor in the present war.

GRANDVIEW ROLL OF HONOR

*Helge Dale

Jay Ferris

Alex Park

*Harry Hayes

Arlie B. Hayes

E. D. McGinitie

Raymond Capps

Earl Parks Roy Anthon

Russell Capps

Judson Blanchard

Walter Dunbar

Main Esterlin

Claude Turley

Edw. B. Babcock

Wilbur Cragg

Leonard Brown

Ora C. Carrothers

Clarence Macomber

Alfred Urich

Everett Penland

Avaloah Waugh

Carlos Gates

James White

Roy Williams

Henry Ofterdal

F. C. Frederickson

Forest Norton

Wm. A. Jalley

Thos. H. Werst

John Parchen

Ray Moon

Chas. Babcock

Glen Copeland

Virgil Wilson

A. D. Roney

Lonnie Turley

Harvey Brown

Karl Howard

Claude Braullier

Randall Bennet

Clarence Flory

Clyde Crawford

Jack Loop

Joe Campbell

Roy Rice

Fred Gemmell

Jolın Adams

Roy Pettit

E. E. McMillan

Thomas Phillips

Donovan Chambers

Earl Loop

Henry Parchen

Smith Greenslade

Clarence Moulton

Lester Jones

Roy Benedict

Cecil Hughes

Arthur Painter

Fred E. Hayes

Howard Crow

Martin Forsell

Sheridan Palmquist

Hoyt Caple

Archie Cochran

Walter Williams

Hubbard Duncan

Henry R. Grill

Duane Mazna

Fred Kingsley

Elmer Wasson

Millard Mclellan

Stanley Young

James G. Meldrum

William Chisholm

Kelso Kermen

Newell Stone

R. W. Thompson-

Fay Fraser

Charlie Paden

Thad Smith

Harold Copeland

Charles De Foe

Hugh W. Counts Wm. B. Eccleston

Alvin Clark

Dwight Jones

Harry Lytton

It appears that the first two named on the list have given the "last full measure of devotion", Helge Dale and Harry Hayes. The "Herald" of the date given contains an account of the funeral services of the second of these two, Harry Hayes, whose parents reside in the farming section between Grand- view and Sunnyside.

Through this section as elsewhere there will be the golden stars for the brave boys who have made the supreme sacrifice. And the redeemed world will hold them and the homes from which they came in everlasting remembrance.

Grandview has the transportation advantage of location on both railroads.

EXHIBIT OF BENTON COUNTY FRUITS

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

The output of products is immense, especially in view of the youth of the sec- tion, amounting in 1917 to an estimated amount of 1,500 carloads.

Though only about ten years old, the town is incorporated. The present officers and councilmen are: D. O. Robertson, mayor; J. J. Hays, clerk and attorney; Rudolph Syverson, treasurer; Frank Elser, A. W. Hawn, A. B. Marshall, D. N. Dalrymple, councilmen.

Grandview comes near being the geographical center of that portion of the valley between Selah Gap and the junction of the Yakima with the Columbia. It is about forty miles from Yakima and an equal distance from Kennewick.

Passing westward from Grandview we come within a very short distance to the boundary of Benton County. By reason of the length of this chapter, we will postpone our journey through the towns of the youngest of the three counties, Benton, until we have narrated the county history.

Inasmuch as this chapter deals so largely with the productive capacity of the region through which we have been passing from town to town, a most important section of the valley, we will note here-though the same statements appear elsewhere-the estimated shipments of the region covered by Yakima and Benton counties for the year 1917.

Cars

FRUIT --

60 Strawberries-48,000 crates @ $3. S 144,000

160 Cherries-1,200 tons @ &c pound

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 94

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