Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 25

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 25
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 25
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 25
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 25

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

14I

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

the flames were first discovered nothing could be seen but a smoking mass of ruins. The fam- ily and guests of Col. Pinkston, who conducted a lodging house, barely had time to escape with their clothes, and many lost money and jewelry which they had no time to secure.

The heaviest losers by this fire were: Big Bend Company (C. D. Hampton) two-story building and general merchandise, $8,500; in- surance, $7,000; William Eaton, two-story building and saloon, stock, $2,500, insurance, $2,000 ; Jerry Spellman, one-story building and saloon, stock, $1,200, no insurance; J. W. Townsend, two-story building, saloon and lodging fixtures, $2,000, no insurance; O'Hare & Kellerman, restaurant and butcher shop, building, $400, no insurance ; Col. W. M. Pink- ston, furniture, etc., of Columbia lodging house, $1,000, no insurance ; smaller losses by a number of others. The safe in Mr. Eaton's contained, among other things, $1,000 in cur- rency belonging to Mr. Eaton, and about the same amount in currency and coin belonging to C. D. Hampton. So soon as possible after the fire the safe was pulled out from the ruins, and when opened the property within was found uninjured. The fire, it is stated, was of incen- diary origin, but no cause was ever assigned for it. With the exception of the Big Bend Com- pany's store all the edifices were immediately rebuilt. Says the Newe's :

"In one way the fire has proven a benefit in the fact that it shows Northport to be a per- manent town. Most of the people who were burned out came here in December and Janu- ary, thinking business, on acount of the rail- road work would be good for about three · months. The fact of their rebuilding, and their evident determination to remain here shows that the place is solid."

In June, 1893, a depot, costing about $2,000 was built by the Spokane Falls & North- ern Railway Company.

Friday night, June 9. occurred the first

birth recorded in Northport, a baby girl being born to Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Olmstead.

Early Thursday morning, August 10, 1893, just three months and two days following the other fire, Northport was again called upon to suffer from a disastrous conflagration, and this time one life was lost. Of this disaster the News said :

"About half past twelve o'clock, Thursday morning, the people of Northport were aroused from their slumbers by the cry of 'fire'! and of course all responded by jumping into their clothes and hurrying to the scene to give what assistance they could to their neighbors and save the town from ruin. The fire originated in the front room of the northwest corner of the Hepp & Anderson building, known as the International Hotel. The entire building was soon in flames, and as there was no practicable way to fight them, except with buckets of water, the flames rapidly spread to surrounding buildings. Seven were consumed, and then the wind fortunately changed to the south and saved the balance of the town from destruction. Those suffering losses were William Smith, a small frame building ; L. A. Clark & Company, store, residence and livery stable; Hepp & An- derson, hotel and saloon building; Remble's butcher shop, Brandt's laundry ; James Bailey's residence and G. O. Mayer's restaurant. Smith's loss was about $100; L. A. Clark & Company's loss about $3,000, insurance $400 on store building, $1,000 on stock, $200 on the barn and $300 on the contents of the barn; Hepp & Anderson's loss was about $4,000, in- surance, $3,000; Remble's loss $200, no insur- ance; Brandt's, $300, no insurance ; Mayer's $300 in furniture, $70 or $80 in money and three watches. James Bailey's loss is un- known.

"So soon as the fire was over it was seen that a human being had burned, and upon closer investigation it was found to be the body of George Schild, who was well known

142

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

here as a mine owner and an old friend of Charley Hepp. Deceased had recently returned from a trip up Sheep Creek, where he had be- come interested in a promising gold claim, and he had intended to leave to-day with his imple- ments for that mine. The prevailing theory of the origin of the fire is that George Schild went to his room about midnight under the influence of liquor, and either upset the lamp or per- mitted a lighted cigar to fall on his bed. He oc- cupied the room where the fire broke out, and his body now lies on the wire mattress, face downward."

Mr. Hughes says that this part of the town did not immediately rebuild. There were a number of vacant buildings farther to the east, and those who were burned out and engaged in business again moved there and occupied those buildings.

Sunday, June 3, 1894, Northport and vicin- ity were visited by the most severe wind and rain storm that ever afflicted the county. The day had been exceedingly sultry, and about noon dark clouds began to fleck the brassy sky. This phenomena was soon followed by thunder and lightning. Soon afterward citizens look- ing down the river saw terrific, frowning, black clouds, while volumes of dust arose from mountain sides, and soon the falling of crash- ing timber and the dull roar of wind was heard. Within a short period the storm reached North- port, and then trees and signs were scattered by the violence of the wind. It continued to blow thus fiercely but a few moments, but its subsidence was followed by a deluge of rain which continued, increasing in violence at in- tervals, for three hours. There were many narrow escapes from death by falling trees, but fortunately no one was injured. Following this war of the elements came the high water of the Columbia which did much more damage than the storm. The railroad track from Mar- cus to Waneta was covered by water, trees and debris, the damage from which cost several hundred thousand dollars to repair. In time

the water subsided, and on June 14, in review- ing the flood the News said :

"The worst scare that Northport ever had is now over, and we are breathing easier. The highest flood known in this section for seventy- five years has passed, and Northport, except in the vicinity of the mill, stood high and dry during the terrible ordeal. The flood reached a portion of our lowest (business) flat, and the water came within a foot of the top of the floor of the Northport Trading Company's store, the News office, the Peerless Saloon, W. M. Blake's news stand, Olmstead's drug store, and the custom house. The other business houses on Columbia avenue, were from one to three feet higher. No one ever before thought there was such a difference, as the flat has the appearance of being the same height from one end of the street to the other. Water was never thought of in the matter, anyhow, as it never before rose so high in the memory of the oldest inhabitant who happens to be Indian . Isaac, who lives on the reservation opposite and a little below Northport. Isaac says he came here when a little boy, and he is now about eighty years old. The highest water was twenty years ago, and it was almost as high as this year. 'Savy,' who was here at the same time, thinks it was two or three feet lower.

"One good proof that the flood was higher than ever before is the fact that Marcus Op- penheimer's store in old Marcus, was built by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1869, and has stood undisturbed by high water ever since. This year the water was a few inches on the floor. Under the circumstances we think it will be safe to build sky scrapers on the North- port business bench.

"The highest point reached by the water was at about 7 o'clock, on Saturday evening, June 9. when it was probably about seventy-five feet above low water mark. Sunday morning it was seen that the water had receded about two inches. It then began to fall a little faster,

I43

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

and as the weather has continued cool it would be next to impossible to raise again. Back of Columbia avenue, but on the same bench, the restaurant portion of the Silver Crown, and Mrs. Case's residence were flooded to such an extent that they were vacated for a few days. With these exceptions, and the mill portion, every building was from twenty to forty feet above the water. The heaviest losers in the vicinity are W. R. Lee, barn, a few thousand feet of lumber and damage to buildings and machinery ; John Tyman, house, chicken coop, etc. ; William Katchum, house containing pow- der, etc .; W. O. Johnson, house; R. M. Stod- dard, damage to house; A. Presslar, house; T. J. Hamilton, house; A. Bishop, damage to house, barn, crops, etc .; Jack Reynolds, dam- age to crops; Fred Scriver, same; Moser Brothers, two-story house, chicken coop, crops and everything except their chickens, land and camping outfit. Dr. Frank Miller and Michael Jegke, damage to fences and crops. There were no other losses worth mentioning."

July 1, 1895, the county commissioners were called upon to grant a petition from the citizens of Northport for incorporation. This petition was rejected for the reasons that the proposed boundaries were not sufficiently and clearly defined, and that the consent of the parties owning unplatted lands were not filed with the board.

Thus, until 1898 the town of Northport drifted along unincorporated. June 3 another petition for incorporation was presented to the commissioners asking that Northport be made a city of the third class. The petition further set forth that there were within the de- sired limits fifteen hundred inhabitants. A special election was ordered for June 23. On the 27th inst., the county commissioners can- vassed the result of this election, finding 228 votes in favor, and five against, incorporation. The city was declared incorporated with the ex- ception of the smelter site. The following city officials were also declared elected : William P.

Hughes, mayor; A. T. Kendrick, A. K. Ogil- vie, J. W. Townsend, J. Frank Harris, J. J. Travis, A. Almstrom, T. L. Salvage, coun- cilmen; J. A. Kellogg, city attorney; D. S. Hammond, city clerk; F. G. Slocum, treasurer ; J. J. Travis, health officer.

With the opening of the north half of the Colville Indian Reservation to mineral entry, in February, 1896, Northport began to as- sume an air of general prosperity. Miners and prospectors poured into the town. Placer and quartz mines were located across the river, and only a short distance from the young city. Within one week several hundred claims were located. March 18, 1896, Northport suffered from the third disastrous conflagration. The News said :

The fire fiend has again visited us, and many of our worthy citizens have met with heavy losses. About 7:30 o'clock last night as some one opened the door leading upstairs in S. F. Bradbury's restaurant, oppo- site the depot, flames were seen slowly licking down the stairway. Those who were at the tables jumped up, and seeing they could do nothing in the building, ran out on the street and gave the alarm. Strange to relate, at this early period the whole roof and upstairs were in flames. The entire populace turned out and each did his best to subdue the flames, but with no water system, and the only water to be had from barrels and some adjacent wells, small headway could be made. A gentle northerly breeze was blowing, which caused the principal fight to be made on the north side.

The Bradbury building was soon a mass of fire. Next Cy Townsend's two-story building, on the north, and A. E. Allman's Club saloon on the south (being the corner building), were on fire. Then several small buildings in the rear were rapidly consumed. By a determined fight with wet blankets and buckets of water the large music hall building across Fifth street, belong- ing to Charles Litchfield, and occupied by A. Tabor & Company, as a music hall, and I. H. Stevens as a restaurant, was almost miraculously saved. From Cy Townsend's the flames crawled to R. G. Field's grocery store, thence to Mr. Halbeis' harness shop; next to the Crandall Brothers' general merchandise store; and thence to T. R. O'Connor's saloon, where the flames were stayed after entirely gutting the building. This was adjoining Mrs. Eagan's Gem restaurant. The fire originated from a defective flue in Mr. Bradbury's kitchen. It was merely a stove-pipe from the range, going through the roof, with nothing but a tin to protect it from the boards. The principal losers are:

A. E. Allman, Club saloon building, which was

144

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

newly papered and painted, ready for business, $1,200; S. F. Bradbury, building and contents, $2,000; Cy Town- send, two-story building, three smaller buildings, saloon fixtures, furniture and stock, $3,000; R. G. Fields, grocery stock, building, etc., $1,000; William Halbeis, only $200, as he saved almost everything; Crandall Brothers, stock, $1,500; T. R. O'Connor, saloon build- ing, fixtures, etc., $300; M. R. Golusha, three buildings, $1,000; Tom Miller, residence and personal effects, $200; Robert Meyerhoff, blacksmith shop, $100; Mrs. M. Eagan, damage, 200; Mrs. J. H. Moyle, damage, $100 ; Tabor & Company, damage, $25. There was no in- surance on any of the property destroyed.

During the spring and summer of 1896 ma- terial conditions in Northport presented a most flattering outlook. From March, of this year, until August, forty-five new residences were erected, and fifteen business houses were built to supply the constantly increasing demand. In addition to these structures fifteen tents were in commission during the month of August. Following were the business enterprises in Northport in August, 1896, twenty of which had been established during the preceding five months : General merchandise stores, 3; groc- eries, 3; commission house, I ; saw mills, 2; shoe shops, 2; planing mill, I; harness shops, 2; tin shops, I; hotels, 3: lodging houses, 7; saloons, II ; meat markets, 2 ; blacksmith shops, 2; livery stables, 2; barber shops, 2; bath houses, I; bakeries, 2; dance hall, I ; photo- graph gallery, I ; printing office, I ; drug store, I; jewelry store, I ; restaurants, 5; fruit, con- fectionery, etc., 3 ; news stand, I ; laundrys, 2; lime works, I ; brick yard, I ; ferry, I.

The year 1897 was marked by a vigorous growth numerically, and healthy business con- ditions. It had been definitely settled during the summer of that year that the prospective smelter was to be located at Northport and this, naturally, aided materially in furthering the interests of all local enterprises. In the fall work on the smelter was begun. Several hun- dred men were employed in its construction. At the same time the big bridge across the Columbia river, for the Nelson and Fort Shep- ard road, was constructed, giving employment

to one hundred more people for several months. This structure was begun January 25, 1897, and was not completed owing to the high water in May, until October. This bridge is an immense fabric, having 1,200 feet of spans, three of which are 250 feet in length, each, with three others of 150 feet to the span. The trestle approaches are 500 feet in length, mak- ing an aggregate of 1,700 feet in length, be- sides the heavy dirt fill at the east approach, several hundred feet in length. The rail is sixty-nine feet above low water gauge. The highest pier is eighty feet. The piers are of concrete cased in heavy boiler iron. Tuesday, October 12, 1897, the first passenger train passed over the bridge. Previous to the com- pletion of this bridge trains were conveyed across the river by a railroad ferry.

The controversy over the location of the smelter was of three years' duration and hotly contested. The company owning the Le Roi mines and who erected the smelter, were Eng- lishmen, and Canadians were very anxious to have the plant located on Canadian soil. Ow- ing to the immense supply of lime rock at Northport, the better transportation facilities, on account of grades, etc., Northport was selected as the site for the smelter, the company estimating that the plant could be operated here at an expense of many thousands of dol- lars yearly less than on Canadian soil.

It appears that the smelter property tempor- arily, at least passed into the hands of Ameri- cans. In the winter of 1897-8 the North- port smelter was completed and operations be- gun. It was built by American capitalists who owned, also the Le Roi mines at Rossland. The cost of the smelter is said to have been about $250,000. It opened out with a force of about 200 workmen, but this number was gradually increased until between 500 and 600 men found steady employment. This number is now employed when the smelter is running on full time, which is the usual condition. In 1899 the Le Roi mines and the Northport

145

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

smelter were disposed of to an English com- pany, and the enterprise at Northport became known as the Northport Refining & Smelting Company. The entire product of the Le Roi group of mines, the Kootenai and the Velvet mines, are smelted at this point, and it also does considerable custom smelting for other mines.

During the first few years of its existence Northport suffered severely from three disas- trous fires. But the fourth and heaviest of them all was yet to come. Early Monday morn- ing, May 3, 1898, almost the entire business portion of the town went up in smoke. Busi- ness houses in three blocks were entirely de- stroyed, entailing a loss of about $100,000. Following is the News' story of this confla- gration :

At 4:20 o'clock, Monday morning four shots rang out on the air to arouse the town from its slumbers, and call them forth to battle for the protection of their property, their hard earned savings and their homes. Apparently the alarm was not well understood, for the people were somewhat slow in responding to the call. The fire was first discovered breaking through the roof of Madden & Riley's new building at the rear of their saloon, the fire apparently coming from the south roof over the barber shop occupied by Robert E. Stout. Many rumors were rife regarding the origin of the fire, some saying that it first broke out in the tailor shop occupied by Hattran ; others that it started in the blacksmith shop, while a few were of the opinion that it had originated between the barber and tailor shops. We have made careful inquiry, and there is little doubt but that it originated in R. E. Stout's barber shop. It seems that Mr. Stout has an assistant who sleeps in the shop, and on this night in question he did not retire until after two o'clock, and then in an inebriated condition. Whether he left a lamp burning, which exploded, or whether a smouldering cigar stub was so thrown that it ignited combustible matter, or just how it started may never be known, but it is certain that the fire broke out in the barber shop in question.

Help came so slowly, and without organization when it did arrive, that the fire secured a start that soon made it clear that the building could not be saved. A de- termined fight was made to keep it from spreading either way. The blacksmith shop to the south was partially torn down, but the flames rushed past there and caught the building across the alley owned by William P. Hughes, and occupied by Mr. Dahlstrom with a stock of goods. The fire also escaped from the workers to the north, and caught into the Madden & Riley saloon building on the corner. Dynamite was freely used to

blow up buildings in the path of the roaring flames, but with little avail, and in some instances this heroic treatment served to hasten the onward march of the flames. When the fire started there was but little wind, and that was blowing to the east and away from Fourth street. But little fear was felt that the fire would cross the street to the west, but when the flames reached the Alberta house the wind suddenly changed, blowing to the west. Soon the fire caught the large Broderins build- ing, when all hope was abandoned and the whole town surrendered to satiate the appetite of the fiery monster. Teams were in great demand to haul goods and per- sonal effects. Everyone worked as though his life de- pended upon saving the goods and personal belongings of the sufferers. In the main the larger proportion of the stocks of goods and personal effects were saved, al- though it would take several thousand dollars to replace those sacrificed to the flames.

As is usual at fires a great many took more liquid re- freshments than decency and good manners would countenance, and there was considerable complaint of stolen property. We could not think of favorably men- tioning those who worked and fought valiantly to save property and to feed those who were working, for space will not permit. The fire was awful. It swept away the whole business portion of the town except the brick building of A. T. Kendrick & Co., located in the center of the burned district at the corner of Fourth street and Columbia avenue. There was no loss of life so far as can be ascertained. The losers by the fire, their losses and the insurance are about as follows :

Thomas L. Savage, building, $1,900, stock of goods, $15,000, loss of goods, $2,500, insurance, $6,000. Charles Weaver, house, livery stable and effects, $500, no in- surance. F. Gribi, restaurant, $250, no insurance. C. C. Anderson, building and effects, $350, no insurance. Bartlett & Trullinger, cigars and store, $450, insurance, $250. Mrs. Wallace, lodging, $400, no insurance. George Thomas, Peerless building, $3,000, no insurance. Perdue & Thomas, building, meats and lard, $900, no insurance. Otis Arnold, building and goods, $1,200, no insurance. Mrs. Vance, merchandise, $100, no insurance. Amanda Swanson, restaurant and building, $350, no in- surance. Laura D. Blake, building, $250, no insurance. Hugo Moser, saloon and outfit, $300, no insurance. P. J. Lyons, building and stock, $750, no insurance. Harris & Haven, meat market and stock, $2,400, no insurance. A. H. Dawson, merchandise, $750, insurance, $250. Charles Trullinger, jewelry, insured to cover loss. Pat Devine, saloon, $450, no insurance. Macy Brothers, building and restaurant, $750, no insurance. Floyd Smith, barber shop and bath room, $150, no insurance. Madden & Riley, two buildings, $2,000, no insurance. Hattran, tailor, loss nominal. Ferguson & Company, saloon stock, $100, no insurance. Billy Moore, bowling alley, $250, no insurance. Northport State Bank, saved all effects. Mrs. Newland, lodging. $100, no insurance. R. G. Field, building and groceries, $800, no insurance. William Halbeis, harness shop and building, $800, no

146

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

insurance. S. Sline, saloon building and stock, $2,500, insurance, $600. A. S. Sanderlin, barber, loss nominal. Cy Townsend, building, $1,200, no insurance. Parker & Brown, building and stock, $2,000, no insurance. M. R. Galusha, three buildings, no insurance. John A. Finch, two buildings, $1,400, insurance $500. A King, build- ing. $200, no insurance. Robert Remble, two houses, $400. no insurance. Neil McGinnis, Wigwam saloon, stock and fixtures, $900. Mrs. Eagan, hotel building, $1,500, insurance, $700. O'Connor & Cunningham, building, $900, no insurance. Thomas A. Perrot, two buildings, $500, no insurance. William Sluthour, build- ing and all effects, $600, no insurance. Jennie Crow, house and furniture, $500. E. Black, stock of goods, $1,600, insurance, $900. Deyarden & Cameron, black- smiths, $200. Adel Bishop, livery barn, $300. Mrs. Jean Harris, lodging house, $800. Almstrom Brothers, three buildings, barn, ice house, saloon stock, lodging house, $5,000, insurance, $750. Columbia Hardware Company, stock and buildings, $1,560. S. F. Davis, building and stock, $1,400, insurance $500. Albert Loiselle, Alberta House, $3.000, insurance, $600. Henry Hicks, tinner, $200. Theresa Klepsch, two buildings, $1,100. Charbenneau & Brassard, injury to stock, $250. A. K. Ogilvie, three buildings, $1,000, insurance, $250. A. A. Batterson, improvements, $75. A. W. Calder, dentist, loss of instruments, $100. W. L. Webb, loss on second hand goods, $100. Miss Stark, lodging, $150. Mrs. Ahlman, restaurant, $100. Dr. G. G. Travis, five cottages and partial loss on stock of drugs, $2,000. T. R. Welch, building and loss on drugs, $1,500, insured. Dr. Armstrong, furniture, instruments and books, $1,000. John and Henry Broderius, building, $1,500. Joseph Warsnict, buildings, $300. J. C. Harkness, $450. Will- iam P. Hughes, four buildings, $4,500, insurance $700. Miss Waters and Mrs. Honey, millinery, $75.

Following this appalling disaster, such was the enterprise and energy of the citizens of Northport, that nearly all of the business houses at once opened up, some in private houses, and some in tents. In a more limited sphere the indomitable spirit exhibited after the great Chicago fire was exhibited in Northport. The city was prosperous at the time, and the people quickly rallied and set to work to re- build the town. The reason that there was so little insurance carried is that the town was a veritable fire-trap and insurance rates were held at ten per cent.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 25

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