Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 121

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Spokane, Wash. : Western History
Number of Pages: 992

USA > Washington > Chelan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 121
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 121
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 121
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 121

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The Chelan Methodist Episcopal Church was organized with twelve members in the sum- mer of 1891, and Rev. Hayworth was sent there as pastor in connection with several other appointments. Mr. Hayworth served the peo- ple for eighteen months. Having no church building services were held in the school house. The succeeding pastor was Rev. M. R. Brown, and during his ministrations the organization became assured of permanency. Rev. B. E. Koontz followed Mr. Brown, and during his

pastorate the church more than doubled in membership, and was able to build the beauti- ful little chapel it now occupies, and with no debt for future pastors to meet. Rev. R. D. Osterhout next became pastor, remaining with the church for about eight months, when he was removed to other fields. Although but a short time in charge of the church Mr. Oster- hout did a noble work. Rev. J. T. Hoyle was the succeeding pastor and during his pastorate of eighteen months the church continued to do good work wherever opportunity offered. Among the pioneer members of this church may be mentioned Spencer Boyd and wife, D. J. Switzer and wife, H. A. Graham and wife, W. S. McPherron and wife, J. F. Baker and wife, Mrs. Joseph Darnell and Mrs. Rosa Jacobs. The first sermon preached in Chelan by a Meth- odist minister was delivered by Elder White, recently located at Waterville.

An ideal townsite has Chelan, and it is sys- tematically laid out on a plateau elevated some four hundred feet above the Columbia river, and located on the north side of the Chelan river, where it flows from the lake. The fol- lowing additions have been made to the original townsite of Chelan : South Chelan, July I, 1892, by Benjamin F. Smith; Kingman's First addition to Chelan, June 25, 1898; Lake View addition, April 1, 1891, by Lewis H. Woodin ; Kingman's Second addition, April 22, 1901; Foote & Starr's addition, October 3, 1901 ; West Chelan, March 28, 1902, by M. M. King- man; Gibson's addition to Chelan, March 28, 1902, by Thomas R. Gibson.

LAKESIDE.

Lakeside, a town of three hundred popula- tion, is situated on the south shore of Lake Chelan, about a mile above Chelan river, the lake's outlet. Lakeside and Chelan are, prac- tically, one town. Although the business sec- tions of the two towns are fully a mile apart, the intervening space is occupied by residences

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owned by citizens of the two villages, and it is highly probable that in the future these two bustling municipalities will become one-and that a city of considerable commercial import- ance.

While Lakeside is the smaller of the two towns at the foot of the lake, in some respects it has the advantage of its sister town. It is built, chiefly, along the water's edge, sheltered from the cool blasts of winter and fanned by lulling breezes during the heated term of sum- mer, making it a most desirable resident sec- tion. Another thing; its immediate contact with the lake commerce (deep water does not extend to the town of Chelan), is the cause of it being a lively business point.

The history of Lakeside begins with the year 1888. In the early spring Captain Charles Johnson, Benjamin F. Smith and Tunis Har- denburg, accompanied by their families, came to the new country and settled on the present site of Lakeside. The first building erected was a little cabin which was put up in May, 1888, by Tunis Hardenburg. The original business enterprise was a sawmill which went into commission in the fall of that year. This was built by L. H. Woodin, who arrived on the lake from Minneapolis in July. Procuring a skiff Mr. Woodin went to the head of Lake Chelan, examined the timber tributary, came back, looked over the great water power and agricultural lands, and decided to put in a saw mill. He then went to Ellensburg, the nearest railroad station at that period, ordered a saw mill and returned home early in Sep- tember. The same fall the new mill was in op- eration. The same autumn Mr. Woodin and his partner, A. F. Nichols, under the firm name of the Chelan Lumber Company, built an un- pretentious hotel and store building and were the pioneer merchants of the town. The fol- lowing spring Mr. Larrabee and family came to the new town and assumed charge of the hotel, but shortly afterward Messrs. Woodin & Nichols moved to the Chelan side of the river

and discontinued their business interests in Lake Park, as the town of Lakeside was then recognized.

In November or December, 1888, the sec- ond store was established in the young town by Tunis Hardenburg. There were, at that time, only about a dozen people residing in the com- munity, but Mr. Hardenburg, recognizing the future possibilities of the place, did not hesi- tate to engage in business. His store was con- ducted in a modest log cabin and the business proved a successful venture. Mr. Hardenburg sold his store to Louis F. Helmond and in 1891 returned with his family to Illinois, but came back a year or two later and re-established a grocery store. He continued in business alone until 1896, when he formed a partnership with his brother, George W. Hardenburg, formerly of Conconully.

The year 1889 witnessed the arrival of other settlers and the community continued to grow. During this year Joseph Darnell came frrom the little town of Almira, Lincoln county, and engaged in the hotel business, and has since remained here. June 12, 1891, the townsite of Lake Park was platted from the homesteads of Captain Charles Johnson and Tunis Hardenburg, each gentleman furnishing forty acres. Following the platting of the townsite the place continued to grow, but it was not until two years later-in the fall of 1893-that the citizens succeeded in getting a postoffice located there. Tunis Hardenburg was the first postmaster and the town was thereafter known as Lakeside. The change in name was made necessary owing to the fact that there was another postoffice in the state called Lake Park. At Lakeside are located the docks for the steamers that navigate Lake Che- lan, and a history of the steamers which have navigated the lake may not be out of place here. The first steamer to navigate these mag- nificent waters was the Belle of Chelan, built in the winter of 1888-9, by Goggins & Follett. For two years the Belle was the only boat on

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the lake. R. J. Watkins was chief engineer and Charles Trow captain. The next boat to ply the waters of Chelan was the Omaha, which was put into commission by Thomas R. Gib- son. Mr. Gibson arrived at the lake in April, 1889. He returned to Fremont, Nebraska, for a load of his goods, and brought back with him, for the Omaha company, the staunch little steamer Omaha, which had been built in Wau- kegan, Illinois, for Lake Chelan. Mr. Gibson brought this boat across the mountains from Ellensburg to Wenatchee, and thence by wagon to the lake. This was quite an undertaking, the hull being of oak, and the boat measuring over all 34×81/2 feet. The Omaha was not launched until the following spring, when Howard A. Graham came out from Nebraska to take charge of her for the company ..

In 1891 Messrs. Gibson and Johnson put into commission the launch Clipper, which had formerly been utilized as a ferry boat on the Columbia river. The Clipper continued to nav- igate the lake for one year. The next boats put on the lake were the Queen and Dragon. The year following her launching the Queen was wrecked, the only boat that ever met this fate on Lake Chelan. The Queen was a mail steamer and made two trips a week between Chelan and Stehekin. She had gone to the head of the lake without unusual incidents, and was well down on her return trip. She had no pas- sengers, and her crew consisted of Superintend- ent C. T. Trow, of the Navigation Company, Captain Fred R. Burch, and Engineer R. J. Watkins. Her freight was principally cord wood. Considerable wind was encountered, causing the boat to roll and pitch, and when about four miles from Safety Harbor, Super- intendent Trow, who was at the wheel, felt the boat suddenly lurch to one side. As she did not immediately right herself he rushed down to the main deck to ascertain the cause. He found that the cargo of cordwood had shifted and that the water was pouring over the side into the hold. It was only a matter of a few minutes-

perhaps seconds-until the steamer would fill and go to the bottom and there were no small boats or life preservers on board. Captain Burch had been hemmed in by falling wood and precious moments were consumed while brave men effected his release. Then Super- intendent Trow, with rare presence of mind, managed to regain the pilot house and turned the steamer's head toward the south shore, which was barely gained when the boat sunk in sixteen feet of water. The crew did not have time to rescue even the mail sack, their food or bedding, and they were obliged to pass the night on the rocks without shelter. The upper works of the steamer went by the board at once, and floated away. Later the Dragon was signalled and the crew reached home.

In 1893 the largest boat at that date ever ever launched on the lake, the Stehekin, was built by Captain Johnson, who a short time af- terward associated with him Captain Watkins. The Stehekin was a very popular boat in its day and only recently went out of commission on account of old age. The next boat put on was the Swan. In 1900 the Lady of the Lake, the finest and largest steamer which has yet plied the waters of Lake Chelan, was built. The fol- lowing year the Flyer, another large boat, was put into commission. The last to be con- structed was the Chechachko (the new arri- val) which made its maiden trip up the lake in 1903.

The fleet of boats now navigating the lake is owned by the Lake Chelan Navigation Com- pany, of which Captain E. E. Shotwell is man- ager, and with which M. S. Berry and Benja- min F. Smith are also connected. At present the fleet consists of the Lady of the Lake, the Flyer, the Swan, and the Chechahko. Besides these, and owned by Captain A. J. Dexter, is the freighting catamaran, Derter, and quite a fleet of launches.

At Lakeside are two school buildings, in which are employed two teachers. One hun- dred scholars are enrolled. The town has an

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. auditorium affording a spacious and well fur- nished town hall. There is one church society, the Congregationalist, which has a handsome stone edifice, costing $2,500, for a place of place of worship. This was erected in 1903.

Charles Johnson's addition to Lake Park (Lakeside) was platted in June 12, 1891; a second addition to Lakeside was platted by Mr. Johnson May 1, 1901.

CHELAN FALLS.

On the west bank of the Columbia, on the south side of the Chelan river, is located the town of Chelan Falls. The river is the outlet of Lake Chelan and Chelan Falls is about four and one-half miles from the town of Chelan. It lies at the foot of one of the most valuable water powers in the United States, having a fall in three miles of 376 feet. It has an 80- barrel flour mill, built about four years ago, and owned by the Chelan Falls Milling & Power Company. The capable manager for this company is O. F. Dickson. Chelan Falls has one general merchandise store, of which W. F. Cobb is proprietor and postmaster. The Chelan Falls Brewing Company, formerly Charles A. Schlindler & Company, has a ca- pacious brewing plant, located here. The town has a fine townsite and adjoining it are 500 acres that can be irrigated for not over $8,000; the Chelan Falls Cable Ferry is the main highway. between the Big Bend wheat fields and the Lake Chelan section. It is under the management of George Bedtelyon. All Columbia river steamers land here. At Dick- son's Landing, just across the Columbia, are five large wheat warehouses that handled about 350,000 bushels of wheat during 1903. They are the Columbia Grain Company, A. H. Mc- Arthur in charge; the Seattle Grain Company, J. B. Fosdick, manager; Orondo Shipping Company, F. O. Renn. manager : Chelan Falls M. & P. Company, F. O. Renn, buyer, and Fletcher's Warehouse, managed by Fletcher

Brothers. Marshall & Armour also have a pri- vate warehouse in Chelan Falls. The elevation above sea level of Chelan Falls is 700 feet.

The town came into existence in 1891. The site was homesteaded by Joseph Snow, for- merly state senator from Douglas county, at present surveyor of Spokane county. The town- site was platted by Sarah J. Snow, Febru- ary 10, 1891. L. McLean was the man who conceived the idea of building a future metrop- olis at this point, and it was through his efforts that the town was started. The immense water power provided by the Chelan river and the prospect of an early completion of a railroad to this point led Mr. McLean to believe that one of the leading cities of eastern Washing- ton could be located at this point. He secured control of the townsite and formed a company to handle the property and impart an impetus to the enterprise. Within a short time $40,000 or $50,000 worth of town property was dis- posed of. Mr. McLean and his associates did not pocket this money, but expended the entire amount in improvements. Among other things which he accomplished was the building of an expensive wagon road from the town of Chelan. Many buildings were erected by the company, and preparations were made for utilizing the water power for manufactories. The original business enterprise in the new town was a newspaper. This was installed by DeWitt C. Britt, in the summer of 1891, under a contract with the McLean company to conduct it a year. The newspaper was immediately followed by a general merchandise store, by the Chelan Falls Mercantile Company, of which J. B. Fos- dick, L. McLean and others were the mem- bers. Another store was soon established by Mr. Davis, formerly of Coulee City, and for a time affairs were quite lively in the new town.

Owing to the scarcity of lumber and the poor condition of the roads Chelan Falls was somewhat retarded in the early summer of 1891 so far concerns buildings. The Leader said :

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For various pressing reasons, among them being a scarcity of lumber, a lack of good roads and a way to cross the river, Chelan Falls has been retarded some- what in its progress and development during the fore- part of the summer, but now that the barriers mentioned and others have been removed it is surprising to note the rapidity with which the town is striding toward her rightful position as the metropolis of central Washing- ton. Already she has a number of residences, the best newspaper in the Columbia Valley, between Portland and the British line, and the finest hotel between Spo- kane and Seattle, two and one-half stories high, 41x44 feet besides a large kitchen addition and a bar annex now rapidly approaching completion. One year ago last May (1890) a peach orchard was set out where the prosperous town of Chelan Falls is now located, and many of the trees have attained a growth of four or five feet in height, with profuse, spreading branches, and all without irrigation. It seems too bad that they should be trampled down and destroyed, but the time has come when this ground has become too valuable for peach orchard purposes, and is in demand for hotel sites, business houses, residences and manufactories, and the orchard must go.

The building of a city at this point did not materialize, however. The railroad did not come and the enterprises which were to be es- tablished by the power from the Chelan river failed on account of a lack of financial support and other reasons. Mr. Britt removed his pa- per to Chelan in the summer of 1892, Mr. Mc- Lean removed from town about the same period and the "boom" was off. While Chelan Falls did not grow to what was expected of it, it still remains a good little town of about one hun- dred inhabitants, with several enterprises, and beyond question will some day become one of the principal points of the county.

The high water of the autumn of 1894 cre- ated havoc among the business houses of Che- lan Falls, one store building collapsing and an- other being swung around into the middle of the street, a third undermined and two others flooded. The blacksmith shop was carried away bodily. The Chelan river, for a quarter of a mile above its mouth, changed its course, cutting a new channel. The flood failed to reach the hotel.

LEAVEN WORTH.

On the line of the Great Northern railroad, twenty-three miles west of Wenatchee, sur- rounded on every side by the towering peaks of the lofty Cascades, is located the picturesque little city of Leavenworth. The situation is pre-eminently beautiful. Immediately to the west of the town rise the colossal Cascades, with marked abruptness, the towering peaks of which are covered the year round with a blan- ket of snow. Arising more gently to the north and south are spurs of the great mountain range. To the east extends the valley through which flows the Wenatchee river.

But it is not alone the picturesqueness of the location that has caused a thriving little city to be built here . Adjacent to the town is excellent agricultural land-limited in area, 'tis true-but land which time has proven can produce as abundantly as anywhere in the state. Timothy and alfalfa are raised in abundance, and it has been shown that fruit raised in this part of the valley is on a par with that raised in other portions of the country around We- natchee. Water in abundance issues from springs high up in the Cascade mountains, and the people of Leavenworth point with pride and justly so, to the pure, sparkling liquid that is piped down for use in the city. There is an abundance of timber on the mountains, in the immediate vicinity, that will provide fuel for many years to come and furnish the raw ma- terial for saw mills for twenty or thirty years. Leavenworth is the shipping point and supply station for the Blewett mining district, there being an excellent wagon road between this place and the town of Blewett. Another and perhaps the most important factor in the growth of the town in the past is that Leaven- worth is the division point of the Great North- ern railway.

The history of the town of Leavenworth dates from the spring of 1892. At that period

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the graders on the Great Northern roadway reached this point and a little town of log struc- tures made its appearance, about a mile up the river from the present site of Leavenworth, and was named Icicle. In March of that year, a few business houses having been started, a postoffice was established. The mail was brought twice a week by a special carrier, paid by the government. Early in June we find that the business houses of Icicle were one general store, two restaurants, a blacksmith shop and three saloons. In October the railroad reached this point, and it becoming known that the company had decided to make a division point here, a full-fledged "boom" was in progress. The Okanogan Investment Company, of which Captain Leavenworth, of Olympia, J. P. Graves, Alonzo M. Murphy and S. T. Arthur, all of Spokane, were the members, platted the townsite where Leavenworth now stands. The new town was named Leavenworth, in honor of the president of the Okanogan Investment Company.

Previous to the platting of the town the Great Northern Railway Company secured a strip of land one mile long, extending four hundred feet, on each side of the track, and im- mediately built side-tracks and made the place their division point. Preparations were also begun for the erection of a depot, round house and coal bunkers. At this period the townsite was covered with trees, but within a few months the land was cleared and a number of business and residence houses were built. The growth of Leavenworth was rapid during the winter of 1892-3. All of the business houses at Icicle were removed to the new site and many outsiders came to engage in business. People who had formerly been in business in Wenatchee cast their lot in the new town; among them were Messrs. Wilcox, Richardson, Cox, Gillis, Rarey, White. Taylor. Bowman, Bradley, Wadell. Hoy and Kelly. By the first of February, 1893, a population of seven hun- dred was claimed. There were some forty or

fifty business houses in the new town, dealing in dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, drugs, etc. There were many restaurants, hotels, sa- loons and all of these enterprises did a thriv- ing business. Woods Brothers erected a saw mill and gave employment to about seventy-five men. Their pay-roll and that of the railroad company furnished plenty of cash to support all of the business houses.

The first addition to Leavenworth was plat- ted April 1, 1893, by the Leavenworth Real Estate and Improvement Company. Other ad- ditions to the town have been since platted, as follows: Second addition, March 27, 1896, by Michael Callaghan : Ralston addition, May 9. 1898, by Mary Ralston.

The first fire in Leavenworth's history oc- curred in November, 1894. A frame building on the "Big Rock" corner, occupied jointly by William James, with a barber shop, and T. C. Owens, jeweler, was burned. The loss was small and there was no insurance. Thanks- giving day, 1896, Leavenworth was visited by a very disastrous conflagration, and it almost effected the annihilation of the town and some of its people. Seven buildings were con- sumed, all occupied, and there was not one dol- lar of insurance on buildings or contents. The fated structures were located in the same block in which the fire of 1894 ocurred. John Bjork's Overland Hotel. Bisbee & Donohoe's saloon, Posey's barber shop, Severton's sa- loon, Mrs. H. A. Anderson's restaurant, J. M. Duffy's saloon and a dwelling occupied by Mr. Belvel were burned out. John Bjork was one of the heaviest losers by the fire, which origi- nated in his hotel, and he saved nothing and carried no insurance. His loss alone was nearly $10,000 on building and furniture. None of the property destroyed was insured. With one exception, however, all managed to rebuild and resume business. The total loss by this fire has been variously estimated at from $25 .- 000 to $30,000.

Sunday afternoon, December 28, 1902, the

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town was again visited by fire. The sufferers by this disaster were G. C. Merriam, dealer in general merchandise, whose loss on stock and building was over $20,000, with no insurance. The loss of Mrs. Beamish, milliner, was small. J. W. Poag, who conducted a restau- rant and confectionery, lost on stock and fix- tures $600 with no insurance. Dr. Hoxsey's loss on library and instruments was about $300 with no insurence. G. C. Christensen owned the building in which was the millinery store and carried no insurence.

The improvements for 1903 in Leaven- worth are as follows: In the early spring the Lamb-Davis Lumber Company incorporated with a paid-up capital of $250,000, their prin- cipal place of business being here. They pur- chased all of the vacant lots of the original townsite company; bought about thirty acres of land of Miss Mary Ralston, bought the William Douglas homestead, and forty acres of John Holden for a mill site, and proceeded to erect a saw mill of 150,000 feet capacity. They built a large boarding house to accommo- date their employees, and placed it in charge of Mrs. George Hood, also a fine hospital, under superintendency of Dr. William McCoy. They purchased the city water works of Barron & Spencer and constructed a flume two miles up · the Wenatchee river. The water works are in- corporated, as is also the electric light plant. The Lamb-Davis Lumber Company incorpor- ated the Tumwater Savings Bank, with a paid-up capital of $25,000, and are now con- dusting a general banking business. The Leavenworth Mercantile Company erected a brick store building 35x100 feet in size, which is handsomely finished and stocked. Adams & Burke erected a brick building 30x70 feet, put in billiard and pool tables and a fine bar. Carl Christensen ran up a two-story frame building 22x50 feet, the lower story of which is occupied by the postoffice and jewelry store of F. S. Taylor & Company, and the confec- tionery store of Miss Anna Tholin. There have,

during this year, been about fifty buildings erected, costing from three or four to fifteen hundred dollars each.

Sunday, January 24, 1904, fire destroyed six buildings in Leavenworth, and, fanned by a strong gale, for a time threatened the entire town. The total loss was $25,000, with in- surance of $14,000. En masse the town turned out to fight the flames and only by vigorous work was the fire prevented from destroying a wider territory. The Great Northern Rail- way employees were called upon to save the depot property. The snow, which was two feet deep on the roofs of buildings proved an ef- ficient ally in fighting this fire. Flames broke out about 5 o'clock a. m., in the ball room owned by Adams & Burke, which was a wooden structure. The strong wind sent the flames rapidly to the store owned by Plish & Bliss, one of the leading firms in the town. This was well fitted up, carrying all kinds of dry goods and groceries. The fire next at- tacked the new meat market, conducted by L. W. Bloom, which had been opened for busi- ness about three weeks. Mr. Bloom saved nearly all of his fixtures. He did not own the building. The Overland Hotel was the next building burned, owned by John Bjork, and leased to J. W. Elliott. The American House, a restaurant and lodging house combined, was next destroyed. This was an old wooden structure owned by Capell Brothers. The sa- loon owned by Walker & Company, a new building, recently completed, and valued at $2,- 000, was the last to burn. The meat market was a total loss, but Mr. Bloom carried $300 insurance. Adams & Burke's hall was also a total loss, there being $600 insurance. Plish & Bliss were the heaviest losers, their building being a total loss, and most of the stock de- stroyed. An entire carload of goods, just re- ceived, and stored in the basement of the Amer- ican Hotel, was a total loss. Plish & Bliss carried about $3.000 insurance. The origin of this fire is not known. Several firms whose

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Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 121

Author: Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Spokane, Wash. : Western History Number of Pages: 992

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Spokane, Wash. : Western History
Number of Pages: 992