Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 28

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 28
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 28
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 28
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 28

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).

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dians brought their grain to be ground. Por- tions of this ancient structure are still to be seen in Chewelah. Major Sims was the first gov- ernment agent. He remained in charge until 1882. Aside from the agent a number of other gentlemen held positions at the agency. John McFadden was in charge of the mill; Dr. E. L. Morgan was physician and attended to the ailments of the Indians. Major O'Neil, an- other of the men at the agency, had for his duties the instruction of the Indians in the art of farming. There was a supply department connected with the agency from which farm- ing machinery and seeds were distributed. There was no store, however, and the nearest trading point was Fort Colville. Major Sims was superseded as agent in 1882 by Major Waters, who continued in charge two years. He, in turn, relinquished the position to Major Moore, but shortly after the latter assumed charge the agency was abandoned here and re- moved to the Nespelim country. This was in 1885.

Not until 1882 was there a store established at Chewelah. That year J. T. Lockhard built a small log structure and opened a store, the principal stock being whiskey. The building still stands in Chewelah, in Kieling's addition, on the west side of the river. The same year Mr. Lockhard disposed of his business to D. C. Bird. The succeeding business enterprise was inaugurated in 1883 by Joseph Oppenheimer, who since that period has been engaged in the mercantile business in Chewelah. In those early days the country round about Chewelah was known far and wide by the French name, Prairie du Foo; translated into English it be- comes "Fool's Prairie." Quite an event in the history of this community was the naming of the place. As late as 1883 it was known by the Spokane Indians as Cha-we-lah, signifying water-snake. That year the settlers held a meeting at the store of Joseph Oppenheimer and discussed the matter of naming the town.

Cha-we-lah was changed to Chewelah, and the business of the meeting was completed.

The third store in the place was opened in 1884 by James Graham. Within the year he was burned out. Until the building of the Spo- kane Falls & Northern railway business enter- prises "lagged superfluous on the stage." But following the completion of the road in 1889 settlers began to pour in and the town to build up. During the early days "Father" Eells, the Congregational minister, so well and favorably known in the Colville Valley, and who did so much for the educational interests of eastern Washington, held services in Chewelah and do- nated a bell to the first church established there.

Among the industries in the immediate vi- cinity of Chewelah, hay undoubtedly ranks first, timber second, stock raising third, these fol- lowed by mining, marble, etc. The incorpora- tion of Chewelah was declared January 26, 1903. Election had been held on the 26th inst. The signers of the petition to the county com- missioners were D. Van Slyke, F. L. Reinoehl, W. W. Dickson and sixty-one others, asking to be incorporated as a town of the fourth class. The following officers were elected: W. W. Dickson, mayor; Fred Kieling, H. E. McIn- tyre, H. T. Spedden, Henry Pomeroy, George H. McCrea, councilmen ; H. S. Spedden, treas- urer.

The Chewelah creamery and cheese factory is owned and operated by W. B. Stuart, and the plant is a credit to the town, having a capacity of 5,000 pounds of milk per diem. The planing mill, owned by Smith & Houston, was estab- lished early in 1903. The company supplies all kinds of dressed lumber to the local trade, and a large planer has recently been received to accommodate the shipping demand for dressed lumber. Stock is purchased from the local mills. Other enterprises are a brick yard, lime kiln, bank, brewery, newspaper, bakery ; fifteen flourishing business enterprises in all. The Yellow Pine Milling Company's mill,

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three miles southwest of Chewelah, employs, including logging crew, twenty men. There is a large quantity of standing timber. tributary to this mill. Following is a list of promising mining properties now being opened, and which are tributary to Chewelah :

Copper King, Eagle, Widow's Mite, Rev- enue Group, Jay Gould, Ben B., United States Gold Mining Company, Windfall, Single Standard, Nellie S., Juneau and Echo, Moni- tor Group, Mayflower, Bird's Eye Group, Bun- ker Mining Company Group, Nevada, Jolly Boy Group, Bay State, Lake Shore Group, Aetna Group, Helena, Hartford Group, Aurora, The Finley, New Era, Dewey Group.

Some of the richest mines of the state are located in the Chewelah District. In past years when people were looking for free gold the mines in this vicinity were "wild catted," and the camp acquired a bad name. Develop- ment is now being resumed, and there are rumors of the establishment of a smelter at this point. There are three churches in Chewe- lah, Congregational, Catholic and Free Metho- dist. The fraternal societies comprise the Mod- ern Woodmen of America, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. K. O. T. M., Highlanders, and G. A. R. Chewelah Camp No. 7841, M. WV. A., has a membership of 54. There is, also, an auxiliary camp of Royal Neighbors, carrying a good membership. Chewelah Lodge No. 176, I. O. O. F., was instituted in 1891, and has a membership of over 40. Union Tent No. 49, K. O. T. M., is one of the oldest and strongest lodges in the town. It, also, has a ladies' auxiliary with a good member- ship. The Highlanders erected a new hall in 1903. Union Post G. A. R., No. 70, has been organized for several years, and now has a membership of less than fifteen. The post owns its own hall.

At Chewelah was established one of the first schools in the county, and at a period when the county limits were vast and compre- hensive. Here was opened the second union

high school in Stevens county. In 1901 the district was bonded for $3,000, and the money applied to the erection of a brick building for school purposes that reflects great credit upon the community. There is at present an at- tendance of 131 pupils, taught by five teachers.

Wednesday evening, November 10, 1903, the Chewelah Commercial Club, convening at Van Slyke's hall, elected a governing board of five members, viz : Dr. S. P. McPherson, W. H. Brownlow, J. F. Lavigne, Emanuel Oppen- heimer and F. L. Reinohl. A committee was, also, appointed on highways leading into Chewelah.

SPRINGDALE.

This is one of the towns in Stevens county that came into existence with the building of the Spokane Falls & Northern railroad in 1889. Previous to the completion of the line to this point C. O. Squires homesteaded the land where Springdale now stands, and the first building erected was his saw-mill. In July, 1889, Mark P. Shaffer and Charles Trimble formed a part- nership, built the first store building, and opened a general mercantile store. Late in the fall the second business enterprise was pro- jected by John S. Gray-a general store. The third store was opened by J. H. Keller, March 6, 1890, and he is the sole remaining pioneer business man in town.

The town was platted by C. O. Squires and named "Squires City." But the station was recognized by the railroad company as Springdale, and so was the postoffice. Here was a serious complication. A majority of the citizens desired that the town should be christened Springdale, and following the plat- ting, they petitioned the legislature for a change of name, which petition was granted. Among the industries hay ranks first. Timber takes its place a close second. In 1890 occurred the only fire of any consequence in town ; the hotel owned by Joseph Cook was burned. The town was incorporated at an election held January

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26, 1903, as a town of the fourth class, and the following officials elected : I. S. Clark, mayor ; J. W. Gillingham, Zell Young, J. O. Kennett, James Key, O. T. Smith, councilmen; J. O. Cline, treasurer. The population of the town is about 400. From this point the famous Cedar Canyon mines ship their ore. The only church organization in Springdale is the Con- gregational and they have a fine house of wor- ship. Fraternal societies are represented by the G. A. R., K. O. T. M., I. O. G. T., M. W. A., Camp No. 10606, R. N. A., H K. O. W., L. O. T. M., I. O. O. F. and the Springdale Lumbermen's Union. Springdale is supplied with excellent schools employing three teachers. There is a stage line between the town and Deer Trail, in Cedar Canyon. The place is supplied with a system of waterworks installed in 1902. The water is pumped from Sheep Creek by means of a hydralic ram to a reservoir located on a hill contiguous to the town. The plant was put in by M. Collins, and was afterward purchased by P. M. Cartier Van Dissell, who now owns and conducts the same. Springdale has a volunteer fire company well supplied with hose and other fire-fighting ap- paratus. The resources upon which Spring- dale draws are many and varied. Among them may be mentioned the Butte-Anaconda mine, seventeen miles west, but which is not shipping ore at present ; D. Merchant & Wil- man, five miles west, a lumber mill shipping direct from Springdale; a number of contig- uous dairies ; Washington Brick & Lime Com- pany, next to the largest institution of the kind in the state, employing fifty men in the summer and thirty-five in the winter months, located one mile east of town ; brick yard within the corporate limits, established in 1903, J. W. Gillingham, proprietor; J. E. Craney's log- ging camp, two miles west of town, which furnishes logs for the Sawmill Phoenix, of Spokane, and which employed 300 men during the winter of 1902-3.

BOSSBURG.

This is a compact, well-built little town of about 400 inhabitants, situated twenty miles north of Colville, on the Spokane Falls & Northern railroad. In 1888, at its inception, it was known as Young America, named after the Young America silver mine, which was a remarkably good paying proposition. Its most prosperous period was between the date of its founding and 1892, when it contained a popu- lation of about 800 people. A stamp mill was put in, and to this fact is due the change of name to Millington. Under this name the town was platted, May 1, 1893, by the Consolidated Bonanza Mining & Smelting Company, through its officers, J. E. Foster, president, and C. H. Armstrong, secretary. The town was, later, named Bossburg, in honor of C. S. Boss, one of its most prominent citizens. In 1896, owing to activity in mining and other industries, the town of Bossburg again witnessed an era of prosperity which continued until 1900. From 1897 to 1901 the Bossburg Journal was pub- lished by A. A. Anderson. There are ex- cellent mining prospects in the vicinity of this town, and also a fairly good farming country. Bossburg exports lumber, wood, lime, ore, fruit and other produce. A sawmill and lime kiln afford employment to a number of men here. The town is supplied with a good school, Congregational church, public hall, etc., and there is a cable ferry across the Columbia river.

NEWPORT.

The present population of Newport is in the neighborhood of six hundred people. It is the metropolis and principal town of eastern Stevens county. It is important because it is the shipping point for the productive Calispell Valley, it being necessary to ship via Newport from all points in the valley to a distance of sixty miles to the north. It is surrounded by

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an extensive lumbering country, and is known as the "Planing Mill Town." Only a short distance down the Pend d'Oreille river are ex- tensive cement works, of which a full descrip- tion is given in another portion of this work. Ore from the famous Metaline District is ship- ped from Newport, which is the terminus of a line of steamers which ply the Pen d'Oreille river. The Newport building boom occurred in 1903. An electric light plant has recently been installed, the power for which is ob- tained from one of the numerous planing mills. M. C. Kelly built the first store in Newport and for a year he was without a competitor. At the period Kelly run up his store he thought he was in the state of Washington, but it sub- sequently developed that he was in Idaho. This complication is explained as follows by the Stevens County Reveille, of February 14, 1901 : "The town of Newport, Idaho, is now New- port, Washington. An official in Washington, D. C., by the scratch of a pen has removed the town more than 3,000 feet, wiping it off the map of Idaho, and placing it on the map of Washington. Just why this was done does not appear clearly. In a small section of the daily bulletin of changes affecting the postal service the story of the work is told as follows : 'New- port, Kootenai county, Idaho, moved 3,175 feet southwest into Stevens county, Washington.' The deal places Newport in the southeast corner of this county, and gives us another town of some little size."

At present the postoffice, depot and nearly all of the business houses are in Washington ; the docks are still in Idaho. It is a state-line town in every sense of the word. The church organizations are the Congregational, Metho- dist and Catholic, the Congregationalists hav- ing the only church edifice at present. The town was incorporated April 13, 1903, and declared a town of the fourth class. The officers elected at the time of incorporation were T. J. Kelly, mayor: S. W. Sutherland, A. W. McMorran, Evan Enoch, R. P. Scott. H. A. Noyes, coun-

cilmen; W. E. Talmage, treasurer. The fra- ternal societies comprise the I. O. O. F., M.W. A., and Newport Lumbermen's Union, No. 332.

ADDY.

This is a town of about 150 inhabitants situated on the Spokane Falls & Northern rail- road, fourteen miles south of Colville and nine miles north of Chewelah. While Addy did not evolve into a town until 1890 the site is one well known to the old timers of Stevens county. It was near here that Tom Brown, now of Chewelah, located with his family and run up a house in 1854. But the place is best remem- bered as the site of the Fatzer grist mill, es- tablished sometime in the late 70's, and patron- ized by settlers for many miles around. This mill continued in operation until the flood of 1894, when it was taken out. On three dif- ferent occasions during the years 1892 and 1893 the mill dam was destroyed by dynamite. Large rewards were offered for information concerning the guilty parties, but they were never apprehended. In July, 1890, one year following the completion of the railroad, George W. Seal and E. S. Dudrey formed a co-part- nership and opened a general mercantile store. In November of the same year a postoffice was established at Addy, and Mr. Dudrey became postmaster. This firm continued in business until 1896, when Mr. Seal purchased his part- ner's interest in the store. Two years later Mr. Dudrey opened the second store in Addy. The town never enjoyed a boom and its growth was gradual. The years 1898, 1899 and 1900 were prosperous, for at that period the Le Roi mine, at Rossland, was experiencing great activity, and Addy became one of the principal shipping points on the railroad for produce, etc., to the mine. The principal industries in the vicinity of the town are lumbering, marble and agriculture. Three large saw mills are operated within two miles of town, the Dearinger & Bruner, the Root and the Spencer

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mills. Three marble quarries are in close prox- imity to Addy, and this town is the shipping point. A new school house was recently com- pleted to accommodate forty pupils who are now in attendance. There is a Methodist church organization, and a camp of the Wood- men of the World, the latter owning their own hall. The business of Addy is embraced in three general stores, one meat market, one millinery store, one drug store, one blacksmith shop, two saloons, one livery barn, two hotels, postoffice and depot.

COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY.

Here is a cluster of beautiful little towns, the principal industry of which is fruit culture. Fruitland is in the southwestern portion of the county, contains a few stores and postoffice, and is surrounded by arable farms and stock ranches. Bissell postoffice is twelve miles south of Daisy, with a general store and one hotel. It ships from Meyers Falls, thirty-five miles distant, and is on the stage route to Kettle Falls and Spokane. Waterloo was es- tablished in 1894; thirteen miles southeast of Harvey and nineteen miles south of Kettle Falls. It is in the midst of a fine agricultural country. Rice is sixteen miles south of Meyers Falls; is supplied with a fine water power, saw mill, one general store, and its resources are fruit, grain, lumber, hay and produce. There is a Baptist church organization. Har- vey, located in the Columbia river valley, was settled in 1883. It ships from Meyers Falls, fifteen miles distant. It has a saw mill, flour- ing mill, one general store, and is in the midst of a fine fruit and farming country. The town exports hay, fruit, grain, produce, lumber and flour. Azina is a small place on the Columbia river, fifteen miles south of Kettle Falls, in a fine fruit country. It has a Presbyterian church organization, and the postoffice was estab- lished in 1900. Hunters is a town of 150 peo- ple, situated in the fertile Columbia river valley.

It is forty-three miles from Meyers Falls, from which point it ships its produce. The sur- rounding territory is devoted to stock raising, and gold and silver mining. Hunters has a saw and feed mill, three general stores, Metho- dist church, hotel, and a cheese factory. From here a stage route is extended to Kettle Falls.

Daisy is one of the most prosperous little towns in the Columbia river country of Stevens county. It is located twenty-two miles from Meyers Falls, which is its shipping point. It is in the center of the fruit area and surround- ing it are, also, some eligible stock ranches. In the immediate neighborhood are a number of promising mining properties. Daisy has a gen- eral store, hotel, Methodist church and post- office.

CLAYTON.

This is a town of 200 population situated in the extreme southern part of Stevens county, on the Spokane Falls & Northern railroad. It is the principal manufacturing town in the county. It came into being as a municipality with the building of the railroad in 1889. Clay- ton has the largest brick manufacturing plant in the state of Washington-if not on the Pacific coast-the Washington Brick, Lime & Manufacturing Company. This extensive plant was established in 1893. Four years later it was burned, but immediately rebuilt. When this industry is running on full time sixty men are employed. Another concern of importance is the Standard Stoneware Com- pany, manufacturing pottery. This was estab- lished in 1901. The Holland & Holland saw mill company, beginning operations in 1894. employs a large number of men. The mill burned in September, 1903, but was at once re- built. Clayton is a typical manufacturing town, and as a shipping point it ranks above many of the larger towns of the county. It is supplied with an excellent public school in which forty pupils are enrolled. The only church organi- zation in town is that of the Congregationalists.

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One and one-half miles from the town site is the Norwegian Lutheran church, a handsome edifice, and it is, practically, a Clayton church. There are three general stores.

LOON LAKE.

At Loon Lake, in the southern part of the county, on the Spokane Falls & Northern rail- road, forty miles from Spokane, is located Stevens county's summer resort. The town is a place of about one hundred inhabi- tants, has a general store, three hotels and a saloon. The lake, a quarter of a mile distant from the town, is a beautiful body of water, and since the opening of the railroad in 1889, it has been an outing spot for thousands. For a number of years, D. C. Corbin, who built the railroad, owned and operated the park on the bank of the lake as a kind of picnic grounds. Excursions were run to this place every summer and it became a recreation resort for all kinds and conditions of men, women and children. The park is at present owned by Evan Morgan, who purchased it from Mr. Corbin in 1897. The park now has all the con- veniences and comforts of a modern summer re- sort, or "breathing place," and the location is picturesque and attractive. On the bank of the lake is a spacious pavilion, where guests are entertained during the summer months, and many bathing and boat houses, from one of which plies a pretty steam launch. Lining the bank of the park are a number of handsome summer cottages where people from Spokane and other points pass the heated term. Many acres of heavily wooded land are within the limits of the park, especially along the shores of the lake.

One of the principal industries of Loon Lake is lumbering. There are three saw mills within a short distance of the town. The ice business is no unimportant factor in the economics of Loon Lake. The lake water is clear as crystal, and the quality of ice cut there-

from can not be excelled. Ice-houses of large capacity line the shore and winter employment is furnished many men in this industry. The product is shipped to Spokane and other towns within an extensive territory.

OTHER TOWNS.

Valley is a small town located on the Spokane Falls & Northern railway, thirty-one miles south of the county seat. While the country surrounding Valley is one of the old settled portions of the county, the town was awakened to life by the building of the rail- road. It was platted by D. C. Corbin, July 29, 1891. There are a few general stores, and the inevitable saw mill. The population is about one hundred and fifty. Valley is developing into quite a shipping point, and in this particu- lar ranks high among the smaller towns of the county. One of the principal industries is the cutting and shipping of timothy hay. Other exports are marble, onyx, grain, wood, produce and lumber.

The town of Boundary was highly prosper- ous during the period in which the railroad was building. The "boom" lasted six months. Col- onel Pinkston was then the most prominent citizen in Boundary, which is situated one mile south of the international boundary line be- tween the United States and British Columbia. During the "boom" the town gained a popula- tion of 1,200 people. At that period the citizens led a most strenuous life, and the place gained a rather unenviable notoriety on account of its many dance halls, saloons, gambling houses and other resorts of immorality. With the decadence of prosperity the residents gradually moved away, many of them to Rossland. The build- ings of Boundary were torn down, and the lumber taken to the Canadian town, many of the first structures of which were erected with lumber brought from the sacked town of Boundary. The present hamlet consists of a postoffice, a small store and one family.

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Orin postoffice, at the Winslow saw mill, is four miles south of Colville. The town of Gray is five. miles north of Springdale, on the Spokane Falls & Northern railway. Here are a postoffice, store and a few houses. The post office was established in 1901. It is quite a shipping point, with an adjacent saw mill, and exports considerable hay. Arden is a station on the Spokane Falls & Northern railway, six miles south of Colville, with an adjacent saw mill. Usk is a small town on the Pend d'Oreille river, nineteen miles northwest of Newport. It has a hotel, creamery, and two general stores. The town was platted June 9, 1903, by George H. Jones.

Frontier is located on Sheep Creek, and also on the Columbia & Red Mountain railroad, seven miles north of Northport and near the international boundary line. The postoffice was established in 1901. M. A. Rush is the home- steader of the property. Frontier is the ship- ping point for the Velvet mine.

Rockcut is a postoffice on the Kettle river, thirty miles northwest of Colville. The town was established in 1902, the point immediately across the Kettle river, in Ferry county, being the terminal of the Washington & Great North- ern railway for a few months at that time. It has one store and a postoffice.

Marble is a station on the Spokane Falls & Northern railway, nine miles southwest of

Northport, and was established in 1898. A saw mill, general store and postoffice are located at this point, which is also accommodated by a row boat ferry. Acorss the Columbia river is a country rich in mining prospects and marble croppings.

Ryan is a postoffice and flag station on the Spokane Falls & Northern railway, fifteen miles southwest of Northport. This town was established in 1896. There are, in the vicinity of the town, several marble quarries and many good prospects. There is a saw mill two or three miles south of town. Here there is a cable ferry across the river, and it is the shipping point for ore which is brought across the river via the ferry. The town is named after Daniel Ryan, who homesteaded the prop- erty where the hamlet now stands. There is one general store.

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Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 28

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