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 66
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At the election a few days later. Pratt. supported by the Non-Partizan club, composed chiefly of republicans, was elected mayor over Omo by a majority of nearly 800 votes. Fairley was elected comptroller by a majority of 1,700, and Peterson treasurer by nearly 800. A million dollar park bond issue was defeated.
Representative Miles Poindexter announced his candidacy for the United States senate this year.
Former Senator George Turner was engaged by the state department as asso- ciate counsel for the United States before the Hague tribunal, in arbitration of the long-standing fisheries dispute between Canada and this country, growing out of the treaty of 1818.
With an anniversary number, June 17, the Spokesman-Review commemorated the twenty-fifth year of the establishment of the Daily Review. "Bound up in this eventful quarter of a century (said its leading editorial) and told from day to day in graphic story, lie all the hopes and aspirations, the victories and tragedies, the courage and devotion that are woven into the building of this fine modern city of more than 100,000 people. For the Spokane of this June morning has been erected since Mr. Dallam, on June 17, 1884, pulled from a little hand-press the first copy of the Daily Review. Searee a building that stood then in the scattered village is here today. All has been obliterated by the tooth of time, the ernshing ear of progress and the hot flames of conflagration. But while the handiwork has vanished of those pioneer times, it is pleasant to reflect that many of the pioneers who were here a quarter of a century ago are with us today in enjoyment and pride of this spirited young city of the west."
Registration in July and August for the opening of the Coeur d'Alene, Spokane and Flathead Indian reservations drew into the northwest unprecedented throngs of land and fortune seekers. They filled the hotels and lodging-houses and taxed the transportation facilities of the railroads. Registration books were opened at Spokane, Coeur d'Alene City and Kalispel and Missoula, Montana. In excess of 105,000 registered for claims on the Coeur d'Alene reserve, nearly 100,000 for the Spokane, and nearly 90,000 for the Flathead-an aggregate of 286,238 applications for a few thousand claims.
Out of this mad rush came the most shocking railroad disaster in the history of the Spokane country. July 31 two trains on the Coeur d'Alene electric line. jammed with landseckers going and retarning from the lake city, crashed together head on and at high speed, at La Crosse station a few miles out from Coeur d'Alene. From this awful wreck ten dead victims were taken out. four others who died soon
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SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
after. and seventy-five injured passengers, suffering from varying degrees of in- jury.
The political sensation of the year was the disclosure in August of the existenee of a secret political society, the Panta Pantois, or as it was generally termed by the newspapers and the public, the Pan Tans, and having for a motto the slogan of the Musketeers of the French King Louis XIII, "One for all and all for one." Its mem- bership ineluded three judges of the superior court, the justice of the police court. two city commissioners, four members of the city eouneil, and a number of other city and county officials, besides a sprinkling of business men. The exposure grew out of the expulsion from the order of Police Commissioner Carl Tuerke for his refusal, as alleged, to promote two members of the police department who were also members of the order.
As committee of investigation Mayor Pratt appointed Ex-Senator W. W. Tol- man. S. Heath, Dr. W. W. Potter, Julius Zittel and J. T. Burcham.
"The number of members has never exceeded approximately seventy-five," the committee reported, "and of this number twenty-two at least, during the time they were members, have been public officials of this city or county, and a number more have been actively interested in local politics. Its activities have been largely con- fined to political matters, and particularly to securing publie office for its members. Funds of the order have been applied in payment of the campaign expenses of the members who were candidates for office. Commissioner Tuerke was expelled beeause of his acts in connection with the candidaey of a member of the society to publie office which was in his control as a publie officer, which candidaey the order most aggressively supported."
"It has not been established before us." the report added, "that any public offieer belonging to this society has been improperly influenced in the discharge of his pub- lic duties by his membership in this organization."
Commissioner Tuerke was removed by the city council September 28, by a vote of seven to two, a result that was aseribed to saloon hostility (he had been aggres- sive in enforcement of the anti-screen law) and resentment by members of the Panta Pantois. The order disbanded.
The seventeenth National Irrigation congress opened in Spokane August 9, with 1,800 delegates and 300 visitors. Thorough preparations were made and a cordial welcome extended by a local board of control, Robert Insinger, chairman. Among the notables in attendance were Secretary R. A. Ballinger of the interior depart- ment. Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot, Director F. H. Newell of the United States reelamation service, Ex-Governor Pardce of California, and President Howard Elliott of the Northern Pacific. An elaborately mounted historic pageant, organized by E. F. C. Van Dissel and Perry D. Tull, was the chief amusement feature of the week, introducing Indians, cowboys and numerous striking pioneer types. The ses- sions of the congress were enlivened hy dramatic clashes between the opposing Bal- linger and Pinchot forces.
President Taft was in Spokane September 28. He took breakfast at Daven- port's restaurant, followed by a drive over the city, arranged to review the school children. At Riverside and Monroe a huge grand stand was erected, and there the president spoke to a vast audienee that was estimated at 25,000. Governor M. E. Hay introduced the chief executive of the nation. and Governor Brady of Idaho Vol. I-35
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was on the platform. The famous apple luncheon followed at Davenport's, where the hall of the Doges was decorated with apple honghs and fruit, and several bear- ing apple trees transplanted from the orchard, and a menu scheme was elaborately worked out with the apple for its motif. Judge George Turner made an introductory speech, and the president responded in an extended address. In the afternoon the presidential party, escorted by several hundred citizens. went up the Spokane val- ley by electric train to Coeur d'Alene City and Hayden lake. At Coeur d'Alene the president spoke to 5,000 Idahoans. At Bozanta tavern on Hayden lake he was given rest and the privacy of his room for two hours, and after that came an clab- orate game dinner, with mountain tront, venison, bear steaks and pheasant.
Some two weeks before the presidential visit the chamber of commerce enter- tained the Japanese commercial delegates, a party of half a hundred Japanese trav- «Jers, eminent in their native land in commerce, banking, manufacturing, education and journalism. At a banquet in the hall of the Doges Mayor Pratt spoke an ad- dress of welcome, and Baron Shibusawa responded. President F. E. Goodall of the chamber of commerce presided as toastmaster.
In sharp contrast to these festive scenes came the I. W. W. demonstrations, starting carly in November. An organization styling itself the Industrial Workers of the World, and having largely for membership unskilled workers of the class that drifts around over the country, began gathering here in a concerted effort to make a demonstration against the ordinance which prohibited public speaking on streets within the fire limits. The Industrial Workers argued that this ordinance invaded the con- stitutional right of free speech, and as the membership had strong socialistic ten- dencies, local socialists aided and abetted them in their contention. Beyond their stubborn determination to violate this ordinance and defy and villify the police, the I. W. W. demonstrators were rather a peaceable lot, but some of their leaders were cantankerous to a degree. and succeeded in putting the police force and the entire city government to a deal of trouble before they were finally convinced that Spokane was just as resolute to enforce order as they were to create disorder.
By the night of November 2 the city jail imprisoned 103 of these "martyrs of free speech," and the next night this number had grown to 150. Their avowed tac- ties were to flood the city with volunteers and fill the jails to overflowing until the city. in sheer desperation. would repeal the ordinance.
Many exciting street seenes were enacted. and the police were kept on the quickstep. going from one point to another to arrest the street speaking conspirators. Throngs of idle men and curiosity seckers gathered around the speakers, and sympa- thizers jeered the police as they made arrests. The fire department was put under the orders of Police Chief John Sullivan, and streams of cold water turned on some of the more disorderly crowds.
When the city jail had been filled to overflowing, the city converted the abandoned Franklin school building into an auxiliary prison, and when that filled up. per- mission was had from the war department to use the guard-house at Fort Wright.
To create sympathy many of the prisoners refused food, declaring a purpose to die of starvation. The jails were made hideous by night and day with the shouts, the execrations and the incendiary singing of the prisoners.
The organization maintained a weekly newspaper organ, and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, a fiery young zealot, was brought here from Montana to edit it and make
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street harangues. With several other women speakers she was arrested, but the women were turned loose on their own reeognizanee and a promise not to speak again in violation of the ordinance.
After this furor had continued for a month, the eity caused the arrest of five of the ringleaders, ineluding Mrs. Flynn, on conspiracy charges. December 9 a jury of leading business men convicted Mrs. Flynn in the justice court, and she was sen- teneed to three months in the county jail. Appeal was taken to the superior court, and her ease and that of Filigno, another leader, was tried in February, resulting in a verdict of not guilty for the woman and guilty for the man. By this time the movement was broken up and the agitation stamped out.
The year was one of fine growth and substantial progress. The Old National bank decided in January, 1909, to increase its eapital stoek from $500,000 to $1,- 000.000; to sell for $200,000 its Marble bank building at Riverside and Wall street to the Union Trust company, a subsidiary institution ; and to purchase for $300,000 from the latter company the double corner at Riverside and Stevens and erect there- on a fourteen story modern steel banking and office building. These plans were carried out with great energy and expedition.
This was a year of big construetive undertakings for the Washington Water Power company. The directors set aside $3,000,000 for extensions and improve- ments. The expenditure of $750,000 on the power plant at the Little Falls on the Spokane was the largest single item in this $3,000,000 budget. The company also vigorously carried forward the construction of its large sub-station on the west side of Post street and the south bank of the Spokane. Construction was started in the spring on the dam at Little Falls, twenty-five miles northwest of Spokane. This big projeet was completed in 1911, at a cost of about $1,600,000. Three hundred and fifty men were employed there in 1909.
One hundred jobbing firms were engaged here in business in the summer of 1909. Exelusive of the lumber trade, they embraced all lines of business, with $11,000,000 of invested eapital, annual sales of $23,000,000, a payroll of 2,250 people and $2,000,000 a year. These statisties were compiled by President A. W. Doland of the Spokane Merchants association.
Data compiled at the end of the year by Angust Wolf, of the publicity committee of the chamber of commerce showed substantial growth all along the line:
Bank elearings
1909 $206,504,000
1908 $153,895,000 25,000,000
Bank deposits
31,000,000
No. of building permits
2,963
2,937
Building expenditures
8.765,226
5.927,148
City water receipts.
395,000
321,736
Postoffice receipts
126,820
360,501
Jobbing trade
27,500,000
21,500,000
No. of Man. Ind.
150
110
Capital invested
11.300,000
13,000,000
Output of produet.
19,000,000
17,000,000
Wages paid by m'f'trs.
6.500,000
. 1,500,000
Wages paid by jobbers
2.500,000
1,500,000
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SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
No. of wage-earners
7,000
5,200
Wheat product of Inland Empire.
50,000,000
27,500.000
Live stock and poultry
16.500,000
16,000,000
Lumber
19,250.000
18.000,000
Fruits
15,000,000
11,000,000
Dairy products
8,000,000
6,000,000
Other farm products
15,500,000
15,250,000
Mineral production
13,000,000
40.000,000
New mileage, steam and electric.
600
153
The Great Northern acquired control in October of the Inland Empire proper- ties, locally more widely known as the Graves system. By purchasing the stock held by Mr. Graves and associates. the Hill interests took possession of the electric lines into the Palouse country. the line to Coeur d'Alene and Hayden lake, the Traction street railway system in Spokane, and the developed power plant at Nine Mile on the Spokane.
Spokane's death roll this year included J. Herman Beare. principal of the North Central high school ; Judge Norman Buck, E. H. Jamieson and Charles S. Voorhees.
Mr. Beare had in remarkable degree the happy talent of winning quickly and holding with hooks of steel the esteem and affection of students who came under the charm of his rare and winsome personality. The acquisition of wealth, the at- tainment of social eminence, the winning of political distinction-do these not seem sordid in contrast with the high ideals and intensely practical devotion of a life like his?
Judge Buck was a veteran of the civil war, and was one of the most widely known pioneer judges of northern Idaho and eastern Washington.
Mr. Jamieson was a pioneer attorney of Spokane, and a citizen of scholarly at- tainments who divided his time between business life in the city and country life at his extensive estate on Moran prairie. He built the Jamieson block, and was one of the few pioneers who withstood the shock of panic in 1893.
In territorial days, in the '80s, Mr. Voorhees was one of the most conspicuous political figures in Washington. He was a son of Senator Daniel W. Voorhees of Indiana; came to Colfax in 1882 and was elected prosecuting attorney of Whitman county. Was elected delegate to congress on the democratic ticket in 1884, and re- elected in 1886. Ile came to Spokane in 1889 and formed a law partnership with J. B. Jones, and a little later with H. M. Stephens under the firm name of Jones, Voorhees & Stephens.
CHAPTER LXVII
SPIRITED CONTEST OVER RAILROAD FRANCHISES
COUNCIL DEMANDS TERMINAL RATES AND A COMMON USER CLAUSE-CITIZENS DIVIDE AND A SPIRITED CONTEST FOLLOWS-COUNCIL YIELDS AND RAILROADS WIN-DIS- ASTROUS AVALANCHES IN COEUR D'ALENES-AVALANCHE DEMOLISHES GREAT NORTH- ERN TRAIN-MORE THAN 100 LIVES LOST-ALLEN HAYNES SINKS $500,000 IN IN- LAND HERALD-DEATH OF PROF. FRANZ MUELLER-TWO HUNDRED LIVES LOST IN FOREST FIRES-POINDEXTER ELECTED TO SENATE-SPOKANE ENTERTAINS DRY FARM- ING CONGRESS-LARGE PROJECTS OF WASHINGTON WATER POWER CO.
A N ISSUE which deeply divided public opinion in 1910 developed out of the franchise applications of the North Coast and Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound railway companies. Sitting in committee of the whole, March 3, the eonneil unanimously adopted an amendment offered by Mr. Ostrander to make the yielding of terminal rates and a common user elause a condition of the granting of the franchises. Attorney H. M. Stephens, whose long and able championship of Spokane's cause before the interstate eommeree commission gave great weight to his judgment, appeared before the eouneil, and also a largely attended meeting of the chamber of commerce in support of the Ostrander resolution. Spokane, he said, paid annually $14.000,000 to the railroad companies, and if the North Coast and the Milwaukee found that entranee could not otherwise be gained, they would yield to the city's demands. Advocates of the terminal rate requirement argued that Spo- kane's chief need was lower rates rather than two more railroads to join with those already here in exacting excessive rates.
On the opposing hand. A. W. Doland, who had stood in the fore front for nearly twenty years, battling for terminal rates. carried great weight with the argument that it would be better to let in these new roads. with all their benefits of large ex- penditure and development of new territory, and continue the fight for justice along the old lines before the interstate commerce commission. Looking backward over the famous controversy it is seen that here was an issue presenting strong arguments on both sides, and it is not surprising that citizens of equal intelligence, experience and devotion to Spokane lined up in opposing ranks.
Apparently the eonneil could not be shaken from its stand, for it adopted unani- mously, March 10, a resolution that no further action would be taken on the fran- ehise applications until the companies had signed a written agreement to acecpt them with the terminal rate and common nser amendments. A resolution from the eham- ber of commerce asked the council to reconsider its action. Citizens divided into
549
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SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
two opposing ranks, one under the leadership of Chairman A. W. Doland of the Citizens committee, the other led by B. L. Gordon of the People's Terminal rate com- mittee. Petitions actively circulated by the former were signed by 10,000 people, asking the council to reconsider its action. Opposing petitions urged the council to submit the issue to a referendum vote at the polls
Impressed, evidently, by the strong showing of petitions from the Citizens com- mittee, the council. June 11, granted the franchises, Conneilman J. A. Schiller alone voting no. Mr. Ostrander's term of office had expired before the question came to final vote.
Deep snows fell in the mountains, winter of 1909-10, and with their melting late in February came a series of deadly avalanches in the Coeur d'Alenes and the Cas- eades and disastrous floods at many points in the Inland Empire. Snowslides the night of Sunday, February 27, extinguished twenty-one lives and injured scores of men, women and children. At Mace, on Canyon creek, twelve lives were lost, includ- ing those of R. II. Pascoe, superintendent of the Standard mine, and two Pascoe children. Five persons were killed at Burke, two at Carbonate Hill, and two at Dor- sey. Many dwellings were buried under the avalanches. On Canyon creek hun- dreds of volunteers worked frantically by lantern light. taking out the dead and injured.
A yet greater disaster occurred on the snow-buried summits of the Cascade moun- tains. Early on the morning of March 1 a Great Northern passenger train, snow- bound at the west portal of Cascade tunnel, was struck by a mighty mass of snow, rocks and trees rushing down the steep mountain-side, and rolled and crushed into the canyon's depths below. More than 100 lives were lost in this tragedy of the snowy wilds, and among the victims were R. M. Barnhart, C. S. Eltinge, Miss Kath- erine O'Reilly and Miss Nellie Sharp, all of Spokane. Mr. Eltinge was formerly cashier of the Traders National bank, and later one of its vice-presidents. Mr. Barnhart had served six years as prosecuting attorney of Spokane county, and his term had but recently expired. The work of taking out the bodies consumed several weeks.
Floods in Whitman county in March caused a property loss of $1.000.000. Col- fax and Pullman were the chief sufferers. At Colfax scores of dwellings were swept off their foundations and a number of business structures were undermined. The floods came from a sudden rise in the South fork of the Palouse. Mains were washed out. and the water supply was hauled in barrels. Colfax is one of the wealthiest towns, in proportion to population, in the United States. but damage to railway lines reduced its food supplies, and as a relief measure the Spokane chamber of commerce sent down a carload of provisions and bedding.
Davenport, Walla Walla, and many other towns suffered in less degree.
A new daily journal made its meteoric appearance February 8-the Inland Her- ald. an afternoon and Sunday morning paper, financed by local capital, edited by Allan Haynes and published by the Allan Haynes Publishing company. Haynes brought to the task a remarkably persuasive personality which verged upon powers ahnost hypnotic. He had energy and enthusiasm, but was wholly inexperienced in the difficult business of editing and publishing a daily journal, and wasted enormous sums that could have been saved by an experienced publisher of careful judgment. After a year of tempestuous experiences and steadily waning income. the Herald
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NEW ENLAAND CLUB BUILDING ON THE LEFT, 1912
SPOKANE COUNTRY CLUB, 1912
HOME OF THE SPOKANE CLUB, RECENTLY COMPLETED AT A COST OF THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
1
ISULN PU NUAT JNE
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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went into a receiver's hands, and suspended publication May 8. 1911, fifteen months after its spectacular naissance. Receiver F. H. Sammis found that "a little more than $500.000 had been spent on the Herald since it started." F. B. Gregg was the largest individual loser. about $100,000. B. F. O'Neil, the Wallace banker and ean- didate for governor of Idaho. was another heavy loser.
Prof. Franz Mueller died March 12. He came to Spokane in 1889 to take charge of the musical department of the Methodist college. None labored more faithfully than he to breathe the sonl of music into this young city of the west, and none has contributed so extensively in original compositions. Long after the turf has matted o'er his grave hundreds of young men and women who received instruction at his hands will eherish a pleasant remembranee of his kindly, genial manner and a certain sweet simplicity that dominated his hopeful, helpful and courageous personality. He left some sixty musical compositions, among them "The White Fawn," a tuneful light opera.
At a special election, May 2. a million dollar park bond issne carried by the narrow margin of eighteen votes. Members of the park commission were A. L. White. G. A. Sonnemann, F. E. Goodall, A. W. Jones, P. S. Byrne, D. H. Dwight, F. P. Hogan, N. S. Pratt. L. M. Davenport and W. J. C. Wakefield.
The South Central high school building burned the morning of June 21, throwing upon the distriet a loss of $250,000. When the schools reopened in the fall, the en- tire student body of the city was concentrated in the large modern North Central high school.
Approximately two hundred people perished in forest fires in August. The fire zone covered large parts of northern Idaho, eastern Washington and western Mon- tana. Driven by high winds, the flames frequently traveled with incredible swift- ness, and burning embers. whirled high by ascending columns of superheated air, were carried long distances to fire other sections of forest growth. The skies were palled by day and lurid by night, and gigantie smoke banks swept across the Rocky mountains and spread over the Dakota plains. Two thousand refugees came into Spokane. many of them having lost all their possessions and narrowly escaping with their lives. An army of several thousand fire fighters toiled desperately to check the flames, and in numerous cases detachments of these fighters were cut off by en- circling flames and perished in the blackened woods. The exaet loss of life can never be known, but approximately was covered by the following summary :
United States forestry employes (official) 101.
Settlers and loggers in the St. Joe valley (estimated ) fifty.
On Big Fork. near Wallace, thirteen.
At the Bullion mine, western Montana. eight.
At Wallace, four.
At Newport. Wash., three.
At Mullan. Idaho. three.
Business men and property owners in Wallace suffered a property loss of one million dollars.
Progressive republicans won a brilliant victory at the direct primary election, September 13. Chief interest centered in the senatorial contest between Miles Poin- dexter of Spokane, progressive. and an opposition field comprising John L. Wilson and Judge Thomas Burke of Seattle and James Ashton of Tacoma. It became ap-
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