USA > Washington > Asotin County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 38
USA > Washington > Columbia County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 38
USA > Washington > Garfield County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 38
USA > Washington > Walla Walla County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 38
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but conbuen of location had been realized, and if inducement had been feel the Northern Pone Kad Filles it is sorted by the who know that that railroad would have preferred Walla Walla for Touchett as its Ich peut in nterice Wangteto The difference between gro and 447 feet would have been deternative of grade. The Northern Pacific officials were wally desirous dit i dlamel-to take a more southern route, fewing the Mulan Read through the Bitter Roots, they down the Clearwater and the Sake a point on the Lower Walla Walla Finding no local encouragement of m In ements, they balls undertook the more northern route, and Spokane is the .nul However, all that is matter of conjecture, rather than den on traten
WOMAN SOITRAGE VAD PROMI1 1110%
" et the questions of Walla Walla politics, as of the rest of the state an iced of the country, war woman suffrage As the logical evolution of denpor fact that view of suffrage appealed to the Western man, and the conventional objections had little weight with him Pressure was brought from all sides upon the legislative delegations to submit the proposition to a popular election and when that occurred in toos, it rried in the county and the state by a heavy vote It hat seemed to the voters of both sexes so natural a conFun that they can Low Hardly concesse of any other The woman suffrage amendment came with a remarkable quietude and almost as a matter of course.
Far more vigorously contested was the question of profilation For many years Waitsburg and almost all the farming country had been strongly in favor of prohibition. Waitsburg had under the local option law excluded saloons But the saloon influences were strong in Walla Walla City, and underground agencies of sundry kinds had maintained a tight grip on municipal politics At various times somewhat spasmodic waves of moral reform swept over the city, Is in the organization of the Municipal League in 1896 and in other similar move ments at later times. But in general both city and county politics, as in most parts of the United States, were seemingly dominated In the liquor interests Yet all through those years there was in progress one of those elemental popula: movements going down to the very foundations of society which when finally directed toward a definite end become irresistible Moral, economic, sanitary. educational, religious, domestic influences, were for a generation moulding the opinions of an army of voters and the combined effect began to be manifest from about 1000 onward to a degree that even the blindest could not fail to see In 1908, 1910, and 1912, a determined and growing effort by the farmers who had seen the economic loss through laborers and even their own sons going to town and carousing and so losing a day or more every week, started a corresponding movement in town At first not successful, the campaign kept gaining. Council- men in the city and commissioners in the county were chosen more and more in the direction of reform. The churches. Young Men's Christian Association, schools, women's organizations, Salvation Army, Good Templars, and especially the Anti Saloon League, each contributed its push. \ city election under the Incal option law occurred in 1912. The conservative business interests opposed the proposition and even imported distinguished speakers from the East. par- ticularly from the beer center, Milwaukee, and on election day the liquor traffic
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HOME OF B. P. O. ELKS NO. 287, WALLA WALLA
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(styled "Personal Liberty") was still in the saddle. But it was clear that the vote of the city, combined with that of the county, would come back with greater strength in another election, and some of the more far-seeing liquor dealers began arrangements to enter other business. In the great historical election of 1914, the State of Washington secured a definite prohibition law by referendum, though with the "permit" system of personal importation of limited amounts of liquor. Walla Walla County was one of the strong counties in support of the law, being surpassed only by Yakima and Whitman in majority for the measure. It was to a degree an "East Side" victory, for the East Side gave over 25,000 affirmative while the West Side, due to the heavy negative vote of Seattle, gave 10,000 negative. None who was in Walla Walla during the strenuous campaign in October of 1914 will forget the powerful addresses in favor of the law by H. S. Blandford, one of the most eloquent speakers known in this section. His thrilling appeals and incontrovertible arguments brought many voters to the standard of prohibition. His lamented death in 1915 robbed the Walla Walla bar of one of its brightest ornaments.
Old John Barleycorn died hard, and in the election of 1916 the battle was fought over again by a vote on several initiative and referendum measures, as a restilt of which the "permit" system was replaced by a "bone-dry" law, and the liquor propositions were buried so deep that no resurrection now seems possible. In Walla Walla the gloomy predictions as to unused buildings and ruined business and overwhelming taxation have failed of fulfillment to a degree to make them absurd.
The most prominent questions of local improvement during recent years in Walla Walla County have been the new courthouse and the paving and other im- provement of roads. Several elections of commissioners turned upon the first question. There were three propositions ardently advocated from 1910 to 1914. One was to repair the old building, though it had been condemned by experts; another was to make a costly structure at a maximum outlay of $300,000; the third proposal was for a substantial, but plain and modest building, of approxi- mately a cost of $150,000. The latter proposition commended itself to the gen- eral judgment, and the commissioners of 1912 and 1914, H. A. Reynolds, E. D. Eldridge, and J. L. Reavis, interpreted their election as a commission to proceed with such a plan. The result has been realized in one of the most fitting and dignified and altogether attractive, though not showy, courthouses in the state, a just pride to the county and an object of admiration to visitors.
Of the road question it may only be said that it is in a formative state. Much money has been wasted in both city and country by ill-constructed pavements, and it can only be hoped that the next decade will see more definite progress than has characterized the experimental stage of the last.
We have given in a preceding chapter the tabulation of county officials to the time of county division in 1875. We now present the legislative delegations and the chief county officials from that date to the present :
LEGISLATIVE DELEGATIONS AND THE CHIEF COUNTY OFFICIALS
In 1876, Walla Walla County was represented in the Legislature by Daniel Stewart, councilman, and W. T. Barnes, William Martin, A. J. Gregory, and H.
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A Vansyile rojoeentatives The county officers were- 1 ] Anders, attorney ; 6 F Flones, Thentt, I P Page, auditer , W. O Donnell, treasurer ; Samuel Jacobs, astewor , P. Zabner, surveyor, A W, Sweeney, superintendent of schools, 11 Ocetwin, coroner . D ) Stome, James Braden and Dion Kreie, commis stoners
The chton i 1875 reultel thus; J H Day, councilman, J A Taylor. D J Stories. I M Dewar, and M I Col representatives. R F Sturdevant, attoriley ! R Guichard, probate judge ; J B Thompson, sherin ; W C Painter, anditor ; J F Hager, treasurer. S Jacobs, assessor ; P. Zahner, surveyor ; C- W Wheeler, superintendent of schools; J M. Boyd, coroner ; M B Ward, Amos Cuminings and S H Frwm, commissioners
In INS0 election results were these; B. I. Sharpstein, councilman ; Jacob Hoover, jo nt councilman ; R R Rees and W. G. Preston, representatives ; J. M Cornwell, joint representative ; R. Guichard, probate judge ; G. T. Thompson, at torney ; W. C. Pamter, auduor ; J. B. Thompson, sheriff ; J. F Boyer, treasurer S, Jacob . assessor : 1. 11 Lochr, surveyor ; C. W. Wheeler, superintendent of schools ; H1 G Mauzey, coroner ; M. B. Ward, Amos Cummings, and S IL Erwin. commissioners; A. S. LeGrow, sheep commissioner. As may be seen from the above, nearly all the incumbents of 1878 were re-elected for another term That policy became common in subsequent elections.
In 1882 we find the following choices: H H. Hungate, A. G lloyd, and Milton Evans, representatives ; G. T. Thompson, attorney ; W. C. Painter, auditor ; J. B. Thompson, sheriff ; J. F. Boyer, treasurer; William Harkness, assessor ; F. 11. Lochr, surveyor; J. W. Brock, school superintendent ; R. Guichard, probate judge : M. B. Ward, Amos Cummings, and S. H. Erwin, commissioners ; W. B. Wells, coroner ; A. S. LeGrow, sheep commissioner.
The choices in 1884 were these: J. F. Brewer, William Fudge, and J. M. Dewar, representatives; E. K. Hanna, attorney; W. C. Painter, auditor ; A. S Bowles, sheriff ; J F. Boyer, treasurer ; I. H. Bowman, assessor ; J. B. Wilson, surveyor : J. W. Morgan, superintendent of schools; R. Guichard, probate judge : HI. R. Keylor, coroner ; Amos Cummings, W. P. Reser, and W. G. Babcock. commissioners; A. S. LeGrow, sheep commissioner.
In 1830, results were as follows: Platt Preston and W. M. Clark, rep- resentatives : 1 .. R Hawley, auditor ; A. S. Bowles, sheriff ; J. F. Boyer, treas- user : M. H. Paxton, assessor ; J. M. Allen, surveyor ; Ellen Gilliam, superin- tendent of schools; T C. Taylor, Joseph Paul, and Edwin Weary, commission- ers; 11 R- Keylor, coroner ; Timothy Barry, sheep commissioner.
The election of 1838 brought these results: J. M. Dewar, councilman ; E. L. Powell, W. H. U'pton, and L. T Parker. representatives ; T J. Anders, attorney ; L R_Hawley, auditor ; J M McFarland, sheriff ; M McManamon, Edwin Weary, and J W. Morgan, commissioners; H. W. Eagan, probate judge ; J. F. Boyer. treasurer ; M. H Paxton, assessor : J B Gehr, school superintendent : 1. W Lochr, surveyor : Y. C. Blalock, coroner
In 18&%) came entrance to statehood, and of that we have already spoken. The election of October 1st, of that year provided for the choice of congressmen, state officers, legislators, judge of Superior Court, and county clerk. Of the first two we have given the results earlier.
The following were chosen members of that first State Legislature : George
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T. Thompson and Platt Preston, senators; J. C. Painter, J. M. Cornwell and Z. K. Straight, representatives.
All the above were republicans.
William H. Upton became superior judge for the district, including Walla Walla and Franklin counties. E. B. Whitman was chosen county clerk. Both were republicans. One strange thing was that Walla Walla, like the other coun- ties of the group, voted against the Constitution.
The year 1890 saw the following members of the Legislature and local officers chosen: J. L. Sharpstein, dem., and J. C. Painter, rep., representatives ; H. S. Blandford, dem., attorney; H. W. Eagan, dem., clerk; W. B. Hawley, rep., auditor ; J. M. McFarland, rep., sheriff; R. Guichard, dem., treasurer ; J. M. Hill, rep., Milton Aldrich, rep., and Francis Lowden, dem., commissioners; J. B. Gehr, rep., superintendent of schools ; M. H. Paxton, rep., assessor ; Y. C. Blalock, rep., coroner ; L. W. Loehr, rep., surveyor.
Of the interesting national and state choices of 1892, we have already given the figures. The legislative and local results were these: A. Cameron, rep., Joseph Merchant, rep., and David Miller, dem., representatives ; J. L. Roberts, rep., senator; W. H. Upton, rep., superior judge; H. W. Eagan, dem., clerk; Miles Poindexter, dem., attorney ; W. B. Hawley, rep., and J. J. Huffman, dem., had a tie for auditor, and by mutual agreement the office was divided, each serving as principal one year and as deputy one year; C. C. Gose, dem., sheriff ; H. H. Hungate, dem., treasurer ; Edward McDonnell, J. B. Caldwell, and F. M. Lowden, all democrats, commissioners; E. L. Brunton, rep., superintendent of schools ; T. H. Jessup, dem., assessor ; J. B. Wilson, rep., surveyor ; C. B. Stewart, dem., coroner.
As will be seen, that was a democratic year, eleven to seven.
The election of 1894, the "calamity year," reversed conditions, two democrats, Ellingsworth for sheriff and Nalder for commissioner, being the only successful democratic candidates. The outcome was thus: Joseph Merchant and J. W. Morgan, representatives; Mr. Morgan having but two the lead of Francis Gar- racht, his democratic competitor ; R. H. Ormsbee, attorney ; Le F. A. Shaw, clerk ; A. H. Crocker, auditor; Wm. Ellingsworth, sheriff; M. H. Paxton, treasurer ; E. L. Brunton, superintendent of schools; J. B. Wilson, assessor ; E. S. Clark, surveyor; S. M. White, coroner; Frank Nalder and Amos Cummings, com- missioners.
The year 1896 brings us to the great "16 to I" campaign, Bryan and the "cross of gold," populists, and general upset of all political programs. In local, as in the national votes, the "Pp." appears with somewhat startling frequency.
Results appear as follows: John I. Yeend, Pp., state senator, ninth district ; David Miller, Pp., state senator, tenth district ; A. Matthoit, Pp., representative, eleventh district; J. H. Marshall, rep., representative, twelfth district; T. H. Brents, rep., judge Superior Court; Frank Sharpstein, Pp., attorney ; A. H. Crocker, rep., auditor ; J. E. Mullinix, Pp .. clerk; Wm. Ellingsworth, Pp., sheriff ; M. H. Paxton, rep., treasurer; E. S. Clark, rep., surveyor ; Wm. Gholson, Pp., assessor ; G. S. Bond, rep., superintendent of schools ; W. D. Smith, rep., coroner ; Milton Evans, Pp., and Oscar Drumheller, Pp., commissioners. Nine "Pps." and seven "Repubs."
In 1898 the normal dominance of the republicans was re-established. The
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its constitutional duties. It is safe to say that that experience, with similar ones in other states, was one of the great influences in causing the amendment to the Constitution providing for direct election by the people. The spectacle of the Legislature neglecting its law-making functions to wrangle over the opposing ambitions of senatorial aspirants, fatally impaired the confidence of the people in the wisdom of the old method of choice. That amendment may be regarded also as one of the striking manifestations of American political evolution, in which there has come a recognition of the danger of legislative bodies, chosen by popular suffrage, becoming the tools of personal or corporate interests instead of the servants of the people who chose them, and by which, in consequence, the evils of popular government are being remedied by being made more popular.
Two other citizens of Walla Walla have represented the state in the National Congress, and several others have been willing to. These are Levi Ankeny and Miles Poindexter, the latter having begun his political career at Walla Walla, but having removed to Spokane and become superior judge there before entering upon his term as congressman in 1909 and senator in 1911, to be re-elected in 1916. Senator Ankeny, one of the most prominent of the permanent citizens of Walla Walla, and one of the greatest bankers in the Northwest, being president of eleven banks in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, was elected senator in 1903 and served until 1900. He was deservedly popular throughout the section in which he lived, for his broad and generous business methods as well as for his general character. During the hard times of the 'gos, in which many of the farmers of Walla Walla and Columbia counties were next door to ruin, it is re- membered that Mr. Ankeny could have acquired by foreclosure of his immense loans lands whose value is now tenfold the amount of the mortgages of those hard times. But by aiding and encouraging the struggling farmers of that time and neglecting the advantage which he himself might have gained he kept them upon their feet and thus conferred an immeasurable benefit not only upon in- dividuals, but upon the country as a whole. During Mr. Ankeny's term in the Senate extensive improvements were made in the buildings at Fort Walla Walla.
THE PENITENTIARY
Another of the leading political connections of Walla Walla County with the state was the penitentiary. This institution was removed from Seatco to Walla Walla in 1887. The county commissioners at that time were F. W. Paine, Fran- cis Lowden, and Platt Preston. These men, and particularly Mr. Paine, felt that not only from the standpoint of the state, for desirability of location and economy of subsistence, but from the fact that constructive works might be operated which could be of benefit to the farmers of the region, this change of place would be wise. The most distinctive features of labor have been the brick yards, which did a very large and profitable work for many years and were discontinued in 1900 to allow the management to put the main force upon the jute mills, for the making of grain bags and rugs and other fabrics. This system of constructive labor by the inmates of the penitentiary is to be attributed largely to the intelligent busi- ness conceptions as well as philanthropic interest in the men by Mr. F. W. Paine and Mr. W. K. Kirkman. They had formed the impression that for the sake of health of mind and body in the prisoners systematic labor was a necessity, and
i
Warden's Residence
Administration Building
Work Shops The Hospital
The Jute Mill
BUILDINGS OF THE WASHINGTON STATE PENITENTIARY
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for a number of councilmen. As a matter of historical reference, we deem it worth while to incorporate that ordinance here:
Ordinance No. 185 passed the council of the City of Walla Walla February 22, 1884, receiving the approval of the mayor on the same day, and being entitled as follows: "An ordinance to divide the City of Walla Walla into wards, and apportionment of councilmen." The text of the ordinance is as follows:
Section 1. The City of Walla Walla shall be and is hereby divided into four wards, to be known as the first, second, third, and fourth wards.
Sec. 2. The first ward shall be bounded as follows: Commencing at a point where the center of Main Street intersects the center of Third Street, thence southerly along the center of Third Street to the center of Birch Street, thence easterly along the center of Birch Street to the center of Second Street, thence southerly along the center of Second Street to the south boundary of the city ; thence along the south boundary of the city easterly to the southeast corner of the city; thence northerly along the east boundary of the city to the center of Mill Creek; thence down Mill Creek to the center of East Main Street; thence along the center of East Main and Main streets in a westerly direction to the place of beginning.
Sec. 3. The second ward shall be bounded as follows: Beginning at the intersection of Main and Third streets; thence southwesterly along the center of Main Street to the west boundary line of the city; thence south along the west boundary line of the city to the southwest corner of the city; thence easterly along the south boundary of the city to the center of Second Street; thence northerly along the center of Second Street to the center of Birch Street ; thence west along the center of Birch Street to the center of Third Street; thence northerly along Third Street to the place of beginning.
Sec. 4. The third ward shall be bounded as follows: Beginning at the center of Main and North Third streets where they intersect, thence running northerly on the center line of North Third Street to the center of Elm Street ; thence northeasterly on the center line of Elm Street to the center line of North Second Street; thence northerly on the center line of North Second Street to the northern boundary line of the city; thence east along said northern boundary line of said city to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section twenty (20), in township seven (7) north, range thirty-six (36) east ; thence south to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of said section twenty (20) ; thence east to the northeast corner of the city; thence south to the center of Mill Creek; thence down the center of Mill Creek to the center of East Main Street ; thence westerly along the center of East Main and Main streets to the place of beginning.
Sec. 5. The fourth ward shall be bounded as follows: Commencing at the center of Main and North Third streets where they intersect, thence running northerly on the center line of said North Third Street to the center of Elm Street, thence northeasterly on the center line of Elm Street to the center of North Second Street : thence northerly on the center line of North Second Street to the northern boundary line of the city; thence west on said northern boundary line to the northwest corner of said city; thence south along said west boundary line to the United States Military Reservation ; thence easterly and then southerly
ARTESIAN WELL, WALLA WALLA COUNTY
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on the line of said military reservation to the center of Main Street; thence easterly on the center line of Main Street to the place of beginning.
Sec. 6. The number of councilmen to which each ward is entitled shall be as follows: First ward, two councilmen; second ward, two councilmen; third ward, two councilmen; fourth ward, one councilman. And they shall be elected as is provided in section 7 of this ordinance.
Sec. 7. There shall be elected from the first, second and third wards each at the next general election and at every general election thereafter, one council- man, and in the fourth ward at the next general election and thereafter biennially, one councilman.
Sec. 8. All ordinances and parts of ordinances, so far as they conflict here- with, are hereby repealed.
ELECTION PRECINCTS
. The city is divided into eight election precincts, designated as follows: Lewis, Clarke, Whitman, Steptoe, Mullan, Fremont, Stevens and Sims.
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT
Yet another change of great importance occurred by which. in a special elec- tion of July 10, 1911, the commission form of government was adopted, 1,943 for and 1,049 against. This went into effect September 11, 1911, with A. J. Gillis as mayor. This step was one of the manifestations of that interesting evolutior of political ideas common over the United States, perhaps especially in the West consisting of two working propositions which seem antagonistic and yet are not really so, but are rather parts of one movement under two different phases. The first has been the initiative and referendum and recall, by which in legislative matters a larger exercise of popular knowledge and oversight of laws is sought. That idea has a permanent place in Washington and most western states. The other idea is that of the commission form of city government, apparently just the reverse, by which executive authority is centralized and responsibility is localized in the hands of experts. If these two working forces may be harmonized in practical action, we may justly claim to have solved the fundamental questions of democracy and efficiency.
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP OF WATER WORKS
Municipal ownership of water works and the creation of a system of sewerage have been two of the most important of all questions in the city. We have already described the water system inaugurated by J. D. Cook, J. P. Isaacs and H. P. Isaacs and subsequently acquired by the Baker-Boyer Bank. On July II, 1881, the first election on municipal ownership occurred, and the proposal was defeated by an adverse majority of sixty-five. But the natural evolution of a city calls for the public ownership of the water system, and the agitation con- tinved. In 1887 the Walla Walla Water Company had made a contract with the council by which, upon the fulfillment of certain improvements, they were to have exclusive right to furnish water for twenty-five years. But in spite of
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the contract, an ordinance providing for a public system was presented to the voters in 1893 under the mayoralty of John L. Roberts. By an overwhelming vote the ordinance carried. The water company brought suit to restrain the city from installing its system, pleading its contract. After a tedious course of litiga- tion the suit at last reached the Supreme Court of the United States. There it was decided in favor of the Water Company. The city was thus left in a hole, after much expense. But popular opinion had become thoroughly committed to the policy of public ownership and by a special election on June 20, 1899, ai ordinance was passed for the purchase of the entire property of the Water Com- pany for the sum of $250,000. With the purchase of the water system went also the adoption of a sewerage system. Many improvements and extensions have been made of both. In April, 1907, the headworks and intake on Mill Creek were installed. Extracts from the last report of Water Supt. R. F. McLean are here inserted and from them can be derived a view of the present condition of the water and sewerage systems :
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