Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 142

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 142
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 142
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 142
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 142

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HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

equipments in the printing line. A notable feature of The Leader is its loyalty to the Che- lan country, and since its establishment in 1891 hundreds of pages have been devoted to de- scription of the natural resources of the lake and its surroundings, its advantages as a sum- mer resort, and its mineral resources.

The Wenatchee Graphic was the name of a paper established in Wenatchee July 6, 1892, by S. T. Sterling. This paper was an eight- column folio, all home print, and was Re- publican in politics. One month after its estab- lishment The Graphic was purchased by Charles Metcalf and W. W. Booth, who con- ducted it until November 3, 1902, when publi- cation was suspended.

Another newspaper which lived a short time in 1892 was the Rock Island Sun, which was born August 18, 1892. The Sun was pre- sided over by Penrose & Adams. It was a six- column folio Republican organ, and expired just before election day-November 3, 1892.

The first newspaper venture in Lakeside was

the Lake Chelan Eagle, which was launched by A. S. Lindsay August 1, 1892. The Eagle screamed for little over a year and passed away September 28, 1893. It advocated Republican doctrines, and was a seven-column folio, home print.

Frank Reeves, who founded The Advance at Wenatchee, and who sold that publication in the spring of 1893, moved to Leavenworth, which had been made the division town of the Great Northern railroad and was coming into prominence. Here on July I, of that year, Mr. Reeves started the Leavenworth Times, a six-column folio, of Democratic persuasion. In April, 1894, Fred Reeves assumed editorial charge of the paper.

Following the suspension of the Lake Chelan Eagle at Lakeside A. S. Lindsay moved the plant to Leavenworth and on November 4, 1893, began publishing the Leavenworth Jour- nal, in opposition to The Times. Mr. Lindsay's paper was a seven-column folio and Republican

in politics. For nearly four years these two papers were published at Leavenworth. April 1, 1897, the Times and Journal were consoli- dated and A. S. Lindsay continued publication under the name of the Leavenworth Times- Journal, Mr. Reeves retiring. In August, 1898, Mr. Lindsay discontinued the paper and moved the plant to Wenatchee where a better field was open, and established the Wenatchee Repub- lican.

Another attempt was made in 1894 to main- tain a paper in Chelan Falls. In that year Lu- cien E. Kellogg and A. H. Bosworth launched a Republican paper, the Chelan Falls Herald. This did not prove a financial success and was discontinued.

As before stated the Wenatchee Republican was established by A. S. Lindsay, who moved his Leavenworth plant to the larger town. This paper made its initial bow September 8, 1898. Lindsay & Son were the publishers, Fred M. Lindsay having become associated with his father in the enterprise, but after a few issues ceased to be connected with the paper. The Republican was established as a seven- column folio with "patent outside," July 14, 1900, Mr. Lindsay associated with him his two sons, Thomas B. and Brent A. The paper was made all home print at this time, and many im- provements were made. . In September, 1901, Lindsay & Sons sold the Republican to E. R. Nunamaker and J. R. McLeod, the former be- coming manager and the latter editor. March 7, 1902, Mr. Nunamaker disposed of his inter- ests to his partner and Mr. McLeod became sole proprietor. April 4, of the same year the plant was purchased by George W. Hopp, an old time newspaper man of Olympia, who associated with him H. A. McBride. October 4, 1902, an interest in the Republican was pur- chased by Lynn W. Miller and Harry E. Mar- ble, and during their regime the paper was is- sued by the Republican Printing Company. In the spring of 1903 George W. Hopp purchased his partner's interests and immediately sold the

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Republican to W. T. Clark, of the Wenatchee Canal Company. Mr. Clark installed Deed H. Mayor, as manager. The paper was con- tinued under this management only one month, and June I, Leonard Fowler, of Seattle, took charge. Mr. Fowler at once changed the name of the publication from Republican to Republic. The paper is now issued as a six-column quarto, and is all printed at home.

The Lakeside Light is a publication at Lakeside which was established June 12, 1902, by Edward J. Dwyer. June 11, 1903, the Light was purchased by DeWitt C. Britt, of Che- lan, and published under the name of the Lake- side Printing Company. J. Alex Switzer was

installed as manager and on Tuesday, January 26, 1904, Mr. Switzer purchased the plant. The Light is a five-column folio, all home print, and is Republican in politics ..

December 18, 1893, the Fruit Valley Jour- mal was put on its feet by H. E. Weymouth. This publication is a five-column, six-page pa- per, and is all printed at home.

The latest venture in Chelan county. news- papers is the Leavenworth Echo, established by Deed H. Mayor, and John W. Ladin, January 22, 1904. The Echo is a five-column folio, all printed at home and is Republican in poli- tics.

CHAPTER II.

REMINISCENT.

INCIDENT IN WRIGHT'S CAMPAIGN.

Mr. S. F. Sherwood, of Colville, one of the very earliest of Stevens county pioneers, gives an interesting account of an incident in the campaign of Colonel Wright against the mar- auding Indian tribes in 1858. Although Mr. Sherwood was not present at the time of the incident which he relates, he came to the coun- try the following year and is familiar with all the events and happenings of Governor Ste- vens' efforts to bring the unruly Indian tribes into subjugation.

Colonel Wright was operating with a small army in the vicinity of Spokane Falls. Nearly all of the Indian tribes in the locality had banded together and were committing numer- ous depredations, raiding the white settlers, stampeding their stock and committing an oc-

casional murder. The lower Spokanes and the Sans Poil Indians did not take part in these depredations, and the Nez Perce tribe was an ally of the soldiers. But all the other tribes of the country, headed by the Coeur d'Alenes, were terrorizing the whole country. The In- dians were mounted and were making for the Bitter Root country. The soldiers were not strong enough to check their progress while the savages were mounted and were only able to follow up and keep in touch with them.

On this account Colonel Wright decided to put the savages afoot. His soldiers rounded up all the horses of the Indians, and to this the marauders made no particular objection, but at night the 'horses were stampeded and the fol- lowing day the Indians were off as usual on a raiding trip. Again the horses were rounded up, and again were they stampeded and res-

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cued by the Indians. Several attempts met with the same result. The Indians simply laughed at Colonel Wright's attempts to cap- ture them afoot. Exasperated by his repeated failure to bring the savages to time, Wright de- cided upon another course. A strong corral was built and into this the horses were driven. Then the order was given to shoot every ani- mal. Many of the soldiers were poorly mount- ed and desired to exchange their mounts for a better one among the horses in the corral. Some wished an extra saddle horse and petitioned Colonel Wright to let them select one. This Wright refused to do and every horse in the corral was killed that day. The soldiers were lined up on one side of the enclosure, and from early in the morning until late in the afternoon the firing continued. The Indians, attracted by the reports of the rifles, gathered at the sol- diers' camp to witness the slaughter of their animals. Eye witnesses state that thousands of horses were killed on that day, and the sur- prise of the Indians, who at first considered the order a bluff, was something astonishing. The place where the shooting took place was some twenty odd miles north of the present city of Spokane, and for many years it was known as the "bone yard." In 1862, four years after the event, Mr. Sherwood visited the scene, and says at that time the sight was a wonderful one. Where the corral had stood were the bones of the thousands of horses that had been slain, in many places piled several feet deep.

This was a hard blow to the Indians and their subjugation was brought about soon after. Colonel Wright, who before had been unable to secure the parties guilty of the different murders that had been committed, now cap- tured them and dealt summary justice. On two different occasions five or six were hanged' on Hangman's creek, which event gave the creek its name.

SOMETHING OF A BEAR STORY.

Many are the probable and improbable

"bear stories" told by the pioneers of Stevens county. Here is one which appeared in the Northport News in 1892. The classification is left to the reader. The story is alleged to have been uttered by one Barney O'Brien while under the hypnotic influence of a roaring fire in the News office one bleak November day to a party of miners and frontiersmen. Here is the story :

"Well, boys, if you will permit me, I will tell you a true bear story. I know none of you will believe it, but I solemnly aver that it is the truth. It was one cold, raw afternoon in January when Jim Cavanaugh quit working on his cabin on a bleak mountain side over the river not far from Northport. His camp was down in the canyon, and, shouldering his broad-ax, he started down to prepare his frugal meal of bacon and beans. The trail was very steep and narrow and there was scarcely any place that a man could turn to one wide without danger of rolling clear to the bottom. When about half way down, what was his astonish- ment to come face to face with a large, black, villainous-looking bear. They were not twen- ty feet from each other. Both stopped still and eyed the other. To turn and run in the opposite direction would be certain death to the one that did so, and both seemed to understand it. So Jim raised his ax to make the onslaught. At the same moment the bear jumped toward him and before the ax could descend the bear had grasped it in his arms, and squeezing it tightly against his neck, cut its head completely off. As the head rolled down one side of the trail and the carcass the other, Jim secured his ax and with a sigh of relief hurried into camp."

OF HISTORICAL INTEREST.

Two letters from General Harney, com- mander of Fort Vancouver in 1859, to the general-in-chief of the army, relating to the contemplated establishment of Fort Colville, have recently been brought to light. The let-

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ters are of historical interest as they very plainly show General Harney's reasons for de- siring a military post to be located in North- eastern Washington. Following are the let- ters :

FORT VANCOUVER, W. T., Jan. 20, 1859.

Sir :-

In my communication of November 5, 1858, I recommend the establishment of a military post in the vicinity of Colville for the purpose of restraining the Indians who were so lately hostile in this department.

In the event of this suggestion being approved by the war department, I would further state that a mili- tary position at Colville will dispense with the necessity of a command at Fort Simcoe as the Indians now held in check by Simcoe are more easily reached from Col- ville, and the difficulties to be overcome in reaching the two points are not comparable.

From this peculiar position Fort Simcoe is cut off in the winter from communication from these quarters, except at great risk; whilst Colville is accessible all the year round. Supplies can be furnished at nearly the same rates as Simcoe.

It would be well, therefore, to throw the garrison at Simcoe to Colville, strengthen it by a company from Walla Walla, and to turn the buildings over to the In- dian department for agency.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. S. HARNEY, Brigadier General, Commanding.

FORT VANCOUVER, W. T., Feb. 7, 1859.

Sir :-

Since my communication of the 20th ultimo, recom- mending the establishment of a post at Colville and the abandonment of Fort Simcoe, I have received from the commissioner of the northwest boundary a request for an increased escort when their labors are to be prose- cuted east of the Cascade range of mountains on the 49th parallel of latitude.

The service which the commission is called upon to perform exposes them to the hostilities of the large bands of Indians in our own as well as the British territory, and will require for its protection, at so great a distance from our resources, at least three companies. This de- mand, therefore, determines me to establish the post near Colville, in which vicinity the commission will win- ter the next season, and from which garrison escort can be furnished to the different parties as they are needed ; besides the presence of four companies in that country will go far to impress all the tribes of our determination to chastise them when it is necessary.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. T. HARNEY, Brigadier General, Commanding.

A HURRIED DEPARTURE.

To the old timer there is a vast difference between the Colville of today and the Colville of a few years ago. Some of the early day citizens were in Aspend's barber shop, Colville, one day and a reminiscent mood seemed to per- vade their thoughts. Finally the conversation hedged upon some of the acts of the justice courts, and this brought to mind the case of a Chinaman who was brought before a burlesque court. The story is told by the Colville States- man-Index :

"Chinamen had never been looked upon with favor in Colville, and, for that matter, no Celestial has ever become a fixture here to this day. This particular almond-eye had been dis- charged by Bart Reynolds, who at that time was running a hotel. Shortly after his dis- charge an incendiary attempt was made to burn Bart's hotel, and suspicion pointed to the Chinaman as the guilty one. Now a fire-bug is never looked upon as a desirable member of society anywhere, and the citizens were not slow in manifesting a determination that the 'Chinese must go,' though as to how or where he must go will always remain something of a matter of conjecture. George Welty was then justice of the peace, and the culprit was drag- ged before 'hizzoner,' tried and summarily sen- tenced to be hanged. The rabble immediately departed in search of a rope with which to ex- ecute the mandate of the court, leaving the quaking Chinaman in the court room with the judge. Matters began to look serious, for George realized that a rope in the hands of a mob that was momentarily becoming more in- censed was not to be fooled with. Accordingly he pointed to the rear door and commanded the terrified Celestial to 'slide.' A second ad- monition was unnecessary, and he 'slid' with- out hesitation, and has never shown himself · here since."

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A MINISTER'S TRIP TO COLVILLE.

Rev. S. G. Havermale, who in the early days was presiding elder of the Methodist Epis- copal church for the greater part of eastern Washington, and whose home was at Walla Walla, gives an interesting account of his first trip to Fort Colville and Spokane Falls, which was made in May, 1875. Mr. Havermale says : "I made my first trip to Spokane in May, 1875. It came to pass in this way. Mr. W. Park Winans, who had been residing at Col- ville as Indian agent, met me at Walla Walla and urged me to make a trip to the Colville country. He informed me that some of the people were very anxious to have a protestant preacher visit them. One day he said to me, 'I will give you $20 to help pay your expenses to the upper country.' That settled it. A young man there, not a professed Christian, showing so much interest, greatly impressed me. I started with a young man with me. There were only Indian trails then. We camped one night near where Springdale now is. The next day, after traveling about ten miles, we met a man somewhere about where Cheney is located and inquired the way to the lower bridge-the LaPray bridge. But he di- rected us to the upper bridge, informing us that he had made the journey to Colville and back in one day, making about 240 miles. He must have had a wonderful horse. But by being mis- directed we came to the falls of Spokane. We met Messrs. Glover and Yeaton, who kept a small store about where the Windsor block is today, across the street from the city hall. When we told them we were on our way to Col- ville, and had been directed to go by way of the upper bridge, they pronounced it impossible. On describing our informant they laughed, say- ing that he never told the truth but once in his life, and had gone 75 miles to take it back. The scene and location charmed me. The falls were magnificent, the water being quite high at that time of the year. You can have no idea how it

looked then. The open beautiful prairie was delightful to look upon, covered with thick grass and wild flowers. The grass was up to my knees where the big blocks now are. I fell in love with the place and about decided to set- tle there. I preached in Spokane and then we moved on toward Colville by way of the lower bridge, and preached at Colville and Chewelah, and in due time returned to Walla Walla."

COLVILLE AN ISLAND.

While the Colville valley has the reputation of enjoying a freedom from flood from the gentle stream that courses its weary way through the wide expanse of prairie lands that make up its beautiful and prolific landscape, it remains for Mr. Louis Perras to give to us the information that in the spring of 1847 the site where Colville now stands was a small island. The waters had spread out over the broad ex- panse of meadow lands to a depth of from 30 to 40 feet. He remembers one incident in par- ticular that confirms the accuracy of his mem- ory, and that was that he with some other par- ties took 60 bushels of wheat in a boat from the old Johnnie Winn residence at the north end of the town to the farm of Moses Dupuis, six miles farther down the valley. In those days a great flood was a matter of as much conven- ience as it was damage, but the casual observer can readily conjecture the consequences of a repetition of the flood of 1847 at this advanced day of civilization.

MEYERS FALLS.

The following beautiful description of Meyers falls of the Colville river is from the pen of Mrs. L. E. Blackmore :

"There is something really enchanting about this place, especially after the sun has disappeared and the mountains are casting their long purple shadows athwart the valley. But when the hour of twilight spreads its magic

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mists around, the face of nature assumes a thou- sand charms. It is then that we lay aside dull care and wander off in the direction of the falls, drawn thither by the musical sounds of the bright waters, and sometimes linger until the deepening twilight admonishes us to leave the haunted spot. It was on one of these occasions that we wandered to the foot of the wall over which the torrent comes tumbling in a sheet of feathery foam and falls into a broad deep basin, which in the gathering twilight is black from the shadows of the surrounding pine trees.

"The painted butterflies and busy bees that one sees here in the bright morning had gone to rest and the many songsters that fill the trees when the brilliant sunshine gleams along the flowery banks had sought their rest, all save one solitary, belated robin that flew down and. dipping his beak into the water, piped a few cheery notes and soared away across the stream. Near the foot of the cataract, were moss covered rocks, beyond which a blossoming thorn made the air rendolent with its spicy breath, and a few pines covered with silver spray stood near. Further on, where the river disappears amid a mass of green foilage, a trailing vine swept the waters with its leafy fringe. Tall, stately pines skirt the banks of the raging stream and many- hued wild flowers graced every nook.

"But we think that its peculiar charm is its power of calling up reveries and picturings of the past. While we sit here inhaling the witch- ing influence of the air, we begin to grow im- aginative; to dream dreams and see appari- tions. Our mind drifts backward on the stream of imagination to the time when not a sign of human thrift appeared to check the delicious wildness of nature; when the timid deer fed undisturbed along these banks, or the fish-hawk unmolested, built his solitary nest on some dry tree and a savage solitude extended over the place where Meyers mills now stand.

"It needs but a slight exertion of fancy to picture to ourselves some great chief or mighty sachem, surrounded by a horde of his lusty fol-

lowers, fantastically painted and decorated with beads and flaunting feathers, seated upon the ground before a group of wigwams, whose smoke rises white above the tops of the stately trees, or, further on, when the stream runs smoothly and dimpling, the slender canoe bal- anced like a feather on the rippling waters.

"While all these fancies are passing before our mind, the bright buoyant moon floated up from behind the mountains and passed herself in mid-heaven, lighting up the scene with a white transfiguring radiance. Under her globe evening's clearest star shown forth. Its ray quivered above the white wall of the mountain as if it would there inscribe what it had to relate -what in the course of a hundred years it had witnessed here.

"To the lover of the beautiful and grand nature, the fascinating, majestic and beautiful falls of the Colville afford a glorious feast. In- deed one may travel far before finding a more picturesque glen or a more beautiful cataract. "The scenery around Meyers falls never tires; never becomes commonplace.

'One sees with each month of the many-faced year

A thousand sweet changes of beauty appear.'

"Even the different periods of the revolving day seem each, with cunning magic, to diffuse a different charm over the scene. In the morn- ing when the sun breaks gloriously from the east, blazing from the summits of the hills, and sparkling the landscape with a thousand dewy gems; when the atmosphere seems of an in- describable purity and transparency, and the birds are carrolling their choicest lays-then all is brightness and life and gaiety. But when the sun sinks amid a flood of glory in the west. mantling the heaven and the earth with a thou- sand gorgeous dyes-then all is calm and peace- ful and magnificent, with no sound but the music of the falling waters.

"Every taste is catered to. For those who

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love grandeur, here are the mountains with their narrow trails and deep gorges, where hang dark and sombre shades which the sun's rays never penetrate; for those preferring gent- ler aspects, the valley glowing with freshness, fern-clad dells and the hillsides glowing with wild roses, sending up a quivering cloud of incense into the cloudless sky. Days could be passed delightfully in exploring and studying the wealth of its attractions.

"Besides the picturesqueness of a landscape that would enchant a painter, it is surrounded by advantages that afford fine opportunities for the enterprising and industrious settler, and its natural resources promise wealth to future workers."

A MAN OF CLAIMS.

A tall, thin man, with a beseeching look on his face, and a head of hair that had not been within reach of the clippers since the death of Andrew Jackson, drifted into the Republic Pioneer office one day when the camp was in its infancy and asked the price of location no- tices. The story is told by the Pioneer.

"The man wanted a few more dozen for his friend Gotem, who was at that moment in the hills making quartz locations and was running low on notices. But the visitor demurred on the price. 'Bill Gotem can't stand four bits a dozens fer notices,' said the man, 'fer it 'ud bust 'im up. He uses too many uv 'em. Bill's got 60 claims right on this 'ere reservation, and he's been here only a year. Gosh, Bill ain't no bonanzy king ter pay fo' bits fer notices.' And Bill's trusted lieutenant shuffled out.

"Bill Gotem has a passion for locating claims. He never makes a sale or does any considerable amount of development work. As he moves along through the country he leaves a great trail of location posts behind, like a tail of a comet. Bill has driven so many stakes that he can measure off the right dimensions in the darkest night. In fact he has been known to walk in his sleep and find a fraction."

THE OPIUM TRAFFIC.

Many years ago opium smuggling from British Columbia into the United States was a very profitable enterprise and was extensively carried on by the Chinese and Indians. The favorite method of getting these goods across the line and to the markets of Portland and San Francisco was as follows: Quarters of venison would be cut open and the contraband article would be placed therein. Then the venison would be placed on pack horses and the trip to the south would begin. The principal trail through eastern Washington had its start- ing point in the northern part of what is now Ferry county. Near Curlew lake this trail may be plainly seen today.

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Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 142

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