USA > Washington > Spokane County > Spokane > History of the city of Spokane and Spokane County, Washington : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 52
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Notwithstanding the town was on the verge of a great boom, business men com- plained that winter of dull times, although the streets were crowded with teams and people.
Spokane had won the county seat from Cheney, and the permanent location of the courthouse was the big issue of the winter, with the north side pitted against the south side. A committee composed of E. J. Webster, J. E. Gandy, Cyrus Brad- ley and S. Heath offered to donate a site of seven lots, about one half of Block 103 at Front and Division streets. Only one other free offer came before the commis- sioners, that of Col. D. P. Jenkins, tendering Block 5 in his addition on the north side, which he valued at $5,000 and offering in addition to give the County $1,000 in money. A number of other propositions were submitted to the commissioners, but as they all involved a monetary consideration from the County, the contest narrowed down to the two free offers and that made by Col. Jenkins was accepted and the courthouse located upon its present site.
Labor Unions established a foothold this winter. Unions were organized by the carpenters, plasterers and brick layers.
Fire alarms were sounded by revolver shots, yells and the ringing of bells, and complaint was heard that the fire bell was improperly hung and could not be heard sufficient distance.
F. H. Mason & Company, having decided to engage in other business. were closing out their large stock of dry goods.
The Steamer Spokane, which had just been placed on the Coeur d'Alene river by Nelson Martin, was wrecked April 4, 1887, while descending on the swift current between Mission and Kingston. It struck a log drift, capsized and five of the twenty
SPOKANE IN 1888, AS SKETCHED BY PICKETT
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passengers were drowned, ineluding J. C. Hanna, city clerk of Spokane and Col. N. J. Higgins, a capitalist from Bangor, Maine. Nelson Martin, the owner, had a narrow eseape. George T. Crane superintended the work of recovering the bodies.
There were doubters then of Spokane's future. "The question was put to us the other day," said Editor Dallam, "What is there here to build a great eity? We answered 'the men.'" And a very good answer it was.
At the election in April, 1887, W. H. Taylor defeated E. B. Hyde for mayor.
In that month, too, organization of the Eastern Washington & Northern Idaho Fair Association, was completed with A. A. Newbery, president; J. N. Glover, viee- president ; John Todd, secretary, and George K. Reed, treasurer. These, with A. M. Cannon, John MeGrane, W. H. Taylor, I. G. Stimmel, L. H. Whitehouse, Peter Deuber, L. B. Nash, E. J. Webster and Mat Lieb, constituted the board of directors. The Association acquired extensive grounds east of north Monroe street and south of the hill, laid out a race course, ereeted a grand stand, fair buildings and other needed struetures, and there in the autumn of 1887 and for several years thereafter, gave a very ereditable fair and excellent racing. These grounds were subsequently sold to D. C. Corbin and by him platted as Corbin Park addition.
As summer drew on, transportation was in the air. Mr. Corbin was pushing construction on the Mission and Wardner Railroad and urged the Spokane business men to go after the trade of the Coeur d'Alenes. In the language of a local paper, "The eyes of the people of the West are turned upon the progress of the Manitoba road, (The Great Northern)." James Monaghan, D. M. Drumheller, J. N. Glover, C. B. King and Lewis MeMorris incorporated the Kalispel Steam Navigation eom- pany to build and operate a steamboat line from Sandpoint down the Pend d'Oreille lake and river into Stevens county. The Northern Paeifie was pushing its line across the Caseades. Undaunted by the destruction of the Steamer Spokane, Nelson Martin bought a thirty-six foot boat. built at Medieal Lake and put it on the Spo- kane River to carry passengers and freight from Post Falls to the old Mission.
Mining interest centered around the Coeur d'Alenes, the Salmon River and Ruby distriets in the Okanogan country, the Colville district and discoveries around Lake Pend d'Orcille. The biggest piece of mining news that the country had heard in a long while eame in a verified report that S. G. Reed of Portland had bought the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mines, at a price reputed to be between $1,000,000 and $1.250,000. Jim Wardner was given eredit for working up the big deal. Aceord- ing to the Daily Review, the purchase included. in addition to the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mines, the Peek and Cooper elaims, which had been under litigation in the eourts for a long time, also, the Saneho fraction, the Bunker Hill fraction, the con- centrator and concentrator contraet held by the Helena Concentrator company and J. F. Wardner; also a contraet for extracting 33,500 tons of second elass ore and 10,000 tons of first class ore, held by J. F. Wardner ; the Milo Water right owned by Wardner and the South Forks Water right of 10.000 inehes. "The purchase," said the Review, "throws a large sum of money into the hands of various residents. among whom are N. S. Kellogg. Con Sullivan, Phil O'Rourke, Alex Monk, Jaeoh Goetz (Duteh Jake), Harry Baer. Albert Allen and S. T. Hauser, owners: O. O. Peek and Dr. Cooper, litigants; W. W. Woods, W. B. Heyburn, W. F. Stoll, at- torneys ; while the others are Jas. F. Wardner, the Helena Coneentrator. Col. A. M. Esler. Jack Fitzgerald, Robert Miller and C. S. Burke.
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The Oddfellows had a celebration in April and a feature of the day was the ball game between the Sprague Club and the Review nine-score Review 29, Sprague 12.
C. S. Voorhees was delegate in Congress and the Review which differed from him politieally had this to say: "Hon. Chas. S. Voorhees appeared in a carriage in front of the Arlington last evening and made a speech. He turned out to thank the band, but the chance was too good and he got in a few licks for next season in advance." The Review sarcastically added that Mr. Voorhees lifted his voice as though he thought his audience were on the hills a mile away.
Construction started on the gas plant this spring. Several franchises had been granted by the council in previous years, but all lapsed by default until the fall of 1886, when a franchise was given to eastern capitalists who bought ground on Stevens street between Railroad avenue and Second avenue and pushed the work vigorously in the spring of '87.
By May the real estate boom was under full swing and Editor Dallam warned the people against inflated prices for outside platting. "In many outlying localities lots are being hell at figures entirely out of reason and the effect will be a positive detriment to the growth and development of Spokane Falls. The heavy property owner and the real-estate agent are the only parties benefited by these unreasonably high prices. The city, the mass of the people and all branches of merchandising and manufacturing will be positive sufferers thereby." At that time two hundred honses were under erection and the inflation of values that called out this editorial warning was mild and modest compared to the degrees that were to follow.
In August. a rifle club was organized with Judge George Turner, president ; Mayor W. IL. Taylor vice-president : Paul J. Strobach, secretary; A. J. Staus, treasurer and an executive committee of O. C. Squire, J. B. Simpson and A. J. Warren.
The first social club. the Carlton. had its inception in Angust, when a number of business and professional men met at Turner & Forster's law office and appointed Paul Strobach, A. J. Staus and Harl J. Cook to draw up articles of incorporation and T. C. Griffitts. H. T. Browne and N. Toklas, to solicit members,
In August, the city directory appeared with 2.300 names and on a calculation of three to each directory name, the town claimed a population of 6,900.
In November the school enrollment had increased to 687. and in December a variety theater appeared, leading the Review to say, "A variety theater may not add to the moral tone of a city, but it indicates that the place has grown to the size where a regular place of amusement is in demand. Other cities support theaters of this class and Spokane Falls will not remain in the rear of the procession."
During the holidays, a Bachelor's ball was given in Concordia Hall on Second avenue, with Frank Hemmenway, Lane C. Gilliam, J. K. Stout. H. Bolster and A. F. McBroom, committee on arrangements. Members of the refreshment committee were Paul F. Mohr, Ben Norman and K. K. Cutter. It was quite the society event of the winter.
To an unknown writer in the Daily Review of August 1, 1890, I am indebted for the following review:
The years from 1880 to 1886 had been preparatory. The business efforts of the people had been a school, in which they had learned the value of concerted ae-
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DRUG STORE
Glover Block-First National Bank Building, southwest comer of Front and Howard streets, erected by J. N. Glover, in 1883. The bank occupied the corner. F. Rockwood Moore was president, Mr. Glover, vice president, Horace L. Cutter, cashier and F. K. McBroom, assistant cashier. Dr. Whitehouse was proprietor of the drug store. In a side room at the right was the barber shop of JJohn B. Parker, proprietor of the O. K. shop. Mrs. George Brandt, dealer in pianos and the only music teacher here at that time, had rooms upstairs.
The twelve mule team, drawing a train of three wagons, belonged to George Mitchell, government freight contractor. The outfit was loading hardware at George T. Crane & Company's store, adjoining the Glover Block, for transportation to Fort Spokane (now abandoned) at the junction of the Spokane and Columbia rivers. The young man standing by the front wagon was Nelson Miles Spragne, quartermaster's agent and nephew of Gen- eral Nelson A. Miles. The photograph was taken by J. D. Maxwell in September, 1883.
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tion. The population by 1886 had reached 2,000, the town had accumulated a bank capital of about $200,000. It's resolute fight for the County Seat had attracted attention. From the spring of 1887 to August 4, 1889, a little more than two years, may be grouped together as a period of most wonderful activity, preparation for which had been made with a sagacity equal to its results.
The Spokane & Palouse Railroad had been projected and built ninety miles into the heart of the fertile Palouse district.
The Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern had been projected and constructed westward forty miles into the Big Bend country.
The Spokane Falls & Idaho was built to a connection with water transporta- tion on Coeur d'Alene lake, rapidly developing the Coeur d'Alene mining region.
The Washington Central Railroad was organized and had constructed nearly one hundred miles toward the Okanogan mines.
The Spokane Falls & Northern was projected to reach the Colville and Koo- tenai mining regions.
The Northern Pacific had, in the meantime, built its line through to Puget Sound.
The Union Pacific had built a railroad from the south to secure a share of the rich traffic of the Spokane country. How great that traffic had been may be realized by the fact that the different lines of railroad then received and discharged more than twenty thousand tons of freight monthly 'in Spokane. At the same time traffic had so increased that fully five thousand people reached Spokane Falls by the various lines every month.
In 1887 the first street railway was projected and built about four and one-half miles on Riverside avenue and through Cannon's addition, a belt line returning through Browne's addition, followed by the Motor line to Cook's Heights and the electrie street railway line and the cable railway. "In all about twenty miles of street car track in a city, which had searcely 3,000 people two years before.
The banks of the city had risen in number from two to ten, the capital had grown to nearly $1.000.000, with deposits of over $2,000,000. Mercantile transactions had swelled in proportion. the material results of the country had been developed. the manufacture of lumber had grown till the output of the mills was valued at $150.000 per month. The flour mills had been enlarged and new ones built till the manu- facture was 300 barrels a day. The manufacture of brick, the production of lime and the quarrying of the beautiful gray granite of the country had taken up large capital. Scores of fine business buildings had been built and occupied. Beautiful residences crowned the hills and points of vantage, where the owners could look out upon the permanent character of their work and view with pride the thousands of happy homes around them, for in this brief period, the city had grown in popu- lation to nearly twenty thousand souls. Then in the hour of splendid success, when, standing on the firm present they could look back on the waving line of small ' beginnings and the broader course of gathering strength, and forward to the fu- ture when their miners should wrench out the wealth of the mountains and their merchants should gather the produce of the hills and bring them here to be wrought up for the use of commerce in their own mills and furnaces,-the clang of the fire bell, the voice of calamity broke the stillness of an August evening.
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CHAPTER XLIII
THE GREAT FIRE OF AUGUST 4, 1889
BLAZE STARTS NEAR OLD N. P. PASSENGER STATION-SEEMS A TRIFLING AFFAIR-WATER SUPPLY FAILS AND FLAMES SPREAD-PEOPLE RECOME PANIC STRICKEN-BUILDINGS BLOWN UP WITH GIANT POWDER-MIGHTY SEA OF FLAME ROLLS TOWARDS THE RIVER-TERRIFIED AND MOTLEY CROWD FLEES TO NORTH SIDE-THIRTY-TWO BLOCKS DESTROYED-CITY UNDER MARTIAL LAW-COURAGE QUICKLY DISPELS DESPAIR-RE- LIEF ROLLS IN-DONATIONS FAR EXCEED NEEDS OF DESTITUTE-ORGY OF GREED FOLLOWS-COUNCILMEN INDICTED FOR MISAPPROPRIATING SUPPLIES-OPEN CHARGES OF BRIBERY IN "HAM COUNCIL"-STEVE BAILEY ASSAULTS COUNCILMAN RETTIS.
S UNDAY, August 4, 1889, beeame memorable as the date of the "great fire." The flames originated in a row of frame buildings near the corner of Rail- road avenne and Post street, just opposite the old Northern Paeifie passenger station. There had been no rain for many weeks and fieree forest fires were burn- ing in the Coeur d'Alenes. A dense eloud of smoke hung over the city, sometimes obseuring the sun. On the first anniversary of the conflagration the Review retold the story of that fiery evening:
The blaze seemed a trifling affair and a bystander watching it before the fire- men arrived remarked: "Six men could cheek the fire with buekets, the firemen will have it under control in a few minutes." The fire department arrived promptly and worked well, hut there was no water. Men ran from one hydrant to another, while others impatiently held the nozzles of the empty hose.
The flames inereased, slowly burning their way from the roof of the two-story building to the lower story and gradually extended to the adjacent houses which almost filled an entire bloek.
Darkness eame on and the assembled erowd moved baek in amazement as the flames mounted higher to the sky. Mayor Furth galloped into the erowd on horse- haek, then galloped away to look after the water supply. The situation beeame alarming and whisperings were heard that the eity was doomed. Word went round that Superintendent Jones, of the water works, was out of town and the man in charge of the pumping station was unaequainted with the machinery. The whole bloek of frame buildings was then ablaze and the flames had created a high wind. The Pacific Hotel stood near, then one of the handsomest structures in the eity. Before water eame, its front began to yield, the plate glass began to eraekle. eurling elonds of smoke erept through the openings and arrows of flame shot through the swirling smoke banks.
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Then came the panic, for the people realized that no power could check the conflagration. Hundreds hurried away to save their own effects. Every available vehicle was brought into requisition and fabulous sums were offered for assistance in the salvage of valuables. In less time than it takes to relate the story, the dome of the Pacific fell with a crash and a whirlwind arose that speedily swept over the block adjoining northward. In a moment that block was ablaze.
The scene was both grand and appalling, but there was work to be done. Those who had gone to the telegraph office to inform friends that a fire was rag- ing here, went again and found that buikling in Hames. Shricks of women and children commingled with the commanding tones of the teamsters, the firemen and thousands of other voices, all of which were drowned by the roar of the sea of fire.
People supposed at first that such buildings as the Hyde block, Eagle, Tull, Granite and the Frankfurt would prove a barrier. but even these went down like children's playhouses. On the destroyer swept until the river was reached. All the banks, all the hotels, the postoffice, the land office, all the large business houses were destroyed in less than four hours from the time the alarm sounded. Every pound of giant powder that could be obtained was used in the blowing up of build- ings on corners and by this means much valuable property was saved.
At the river masses of burning shingles and even taming timbers floated northward in the air, igniting the mills on the other side, but by great effort and the judicious use of the little dynamite that was left, the fire was conquered there. Several bridges were destroyed. but the Washington and Post street cross- ings were saved. Over these a terrified and motley stream of homeless people passed, seeking shelter under the pine trees and relief from the smoke and heat and din of the ruins. They were not heavily burdened. for there were few down- town dwellers who had time to save anything of value. Some had blankets, others pillows and a few carried bundles on their backs, but most of them were seantily attired and bankrupt of all personal effects. Among the latter were many theatri- cal and "sporting" people, who were in great distress. for they lost not only all they possessed, but their means of earning a livelihood was gone.
Before the midnight train on the Northern Pacific was due, a rush was made for the depot. A scene of turmoil and destruction was there presented. The tracks had been destroyed all the way from Monroe to Washington street; the telegraph wires and poles were down for a greater distance. Men and women from the telegraph office were at work, tapping the wires at both sides of the burned district to accommodate the thousands who were clamoring for means of communication with the outer world. The changing of the church bells had erased, but still there were shriekings of locomotives and hoarse shouts of men in the railroad yards, secking to save the company's effects. Both passenger and freight depots were gone and blazing ears were hauled away to protect the long trains that stood on the side tracks.
Thirty-two blocks in the heart of the city had been destroyed. No vestige of their former grandeur remaining, save the blackened walls and smoldering wrecks in basements.
The conflagration was under control by nine o'clock and before midnight the city was placed under military laws. Ropes were stretched across the principal
11AL CLOTHING HOUSEN
CLOTHING
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A W SIEGEL
IRRTICKETS
- THE WHITE HOUSE BILI OPEN HERE
HOL SEL
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ELa BIG HOUSE
STREET SCENE AFTER THE GREAT FIRE OF AUGUST 4, 1>>9 Riverside avenue between Lincoln and Post, looking north
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streets and lines were plainly marked. Notiees were issued forbidding intrusion upon the stricken territory. Badges were issued those who could show that busi- ness demanded their admittance, but others were strictly refused, for the city was filled with thieves.
Great alarm was felt lest there might be much suffering for want of provisions and appeals for aid went out over the wires. Subsequent facts afterwards demon- strated that this alarm was unfounded. for a few earloads of supplies, for which most of the people in need of them were amply able to pay, would have been suffi- eient, but the panie was so great that the officials were possibly justified in their calls for assistance and the response eame promptly, bountifully and overwhelm- ingly. Money was not needed, yet thousands of dollars eame by wire, by mail and by express. Tents came from Fort Sherman and Walla Walla and blankets, quilts and elothing from other sources sufficient to supply an army. Bacon was corded up like wood in a forest and hams were shipped in by the ton with whole earloads of canned goods. Piekles, preserves and other delicacies accumulated to such an extent that a large force of men were employed to receive them.
The actual loss in dollars and cents was never aseertained, owing to the great number of small dealers, mechanics, lodgers and others, who lost all and carried no insurance and made no report. Thirty representatives of insurance companies were sent to adjust the losses. They found over $6,000,000. Two deaths occurred during the fire and several persons were injured. Fortunately only the business distriet was burned and all the residences, the schools and the churches escaped.
When the sun came up the morning after a dismal scene was presented. Tower- ing amid the smoke and above the glowing embers were the charred remains of stately structures. Thousands were seurrying hither. and thither viewing the ap- palling seene. Exelamations were uttered that Spokane Falls had received its death blow. A dense smoke hung over the eity and the sun wore an angry look. Despair was depicted upon many a face until a rallying voice, seemingly borne upon the breezes, swept over the throng. The effect was electrical. "It was a blessing in disguise," the people said, "and the city will rise again. stronger and better than ever before."
The mayor and president of the board of trade, ealled a meeting of citizens and the eouneil jointly, and Superintendent Jones, of the water works, was per- mitted to resign. Committees were appointed to look after individual cases of distress. The fire limits were extended and assurance given that better protec- tion would be afforded in the future. Additional fire apparatus was ordered by telegraph, authority was given to buy horses to draw the hose carts, an electric fire alarm was ordered. This reassured the men who had lost their fine strue- turcs and they began bidding against each other for choice locations. Before the day was ended three banks had purchased corners at Riverside and Howard at $1.000 per front foot and architeets and builders were at work. Tents were erected for temporary use and all through the fall and winter thousands of men and teams were employed. The ruined walls were knocked down with dynamite and the rubbish cleared away. As soon as plans could be drawn and material obtained, grander structures were in process of construction.
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Lavishly the big heart of the west responded to Spokane's cry of distress. Tents, bedding, clothing, food, rolled in upon the burned city, literally by the train- load-in quantities vastly beyond the needs of the homeless people. And out of that surfeit of relief came acts of greed and plunder that made Spokane hang in sheer shame the prond head which had remained unbent before the city's flaming dis- aster. From the overflowing relief depot goods were hanled in wagon load to official homes, and to homes of citizens beside, where plenty already ruled. These revelations excited a mighty outburst of public indignation, and in December, 1889, the grand jury indicted Councilmen Sidney D. Waters and Peter Deuber and Police Officer William Gillespie for misappropriating relief supplies. These cases dragged along in the courts for several years, but the indicted men were never brought to trial, for the alleged reason that the chief witnesses had left the country. But it was long a matter of notorious comment that a few prominent citizens, who had weakly yielded to the argument that the supplies were spoiling and might better be distributed in quantity among them, covertly intrigued to protect the indicted officials.
Some one dubbed the city comeil then in power the "ham council," a jovial reference to the generous stores of packing house products piled high in the cellars of some of the members, and the name stuck and passed into history. But the indicted councilmen held on. As B. E. Barinds expressed it, "Every tribunal before which the relief case boodlers have been called has found them guilty: yet they still walk the streets and administer the affairs of the city in its conneil chamber."
At a council meeting in April, 1890, Councilman F. A. Bettis declared that he had information that a member of the council had been offered $500 to vote for one of the candidates for the police judgeship. The contest lay between General A. P. Curry and C. B. Dunning. and after the council meeting Mr. Bettis in- formed the reporters that the bribe had not been offered in behalf of Mr. Dunning. Later Bettis gave names to Mayor Furth, and at the next meeting the mayor an- nonneed that Peter Deuber was the councilman alleged to have offered the bribe, and Councilman Davidson the man who had rejected the offer. Mr. Bettis fur- ther alleged that he himself had been offered $1.000 by Contractor V. N. Massey to vote for acceptance of the Adams street grade. As a result of an extended in- vestigation, Peter Denber was expelled from the council. May 7, on a charge of bribery. For expulsion, Bartlett, Covey. Traut: for suspension, Fellowes and Booge. F. II. Notbolon was elected as Denber's successor.
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