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REARDAN.
The present population of the lively little city of Reardan is approximately six hundred. It is located fifteen miles east of Davenport, twenty-three miles west of Spokane by wagon road and forty-one miles by rail, and only two miles west of the division line between Lincoln and Spokane counties. Reardan is, indeed, a prettily situated town and surrounded by an extensive area of rich farming country contributing to its importance as an eligible trading point. Grain is delivered to Reardan for shipment from miles around, especially from that garden spot, the Crescent country, which supports a large population and where as great improvements in the line of handsome country houses may be found as in the same extent of territory elsewhere in the county.
For a number of years before the construction of the Central Washington Railway in 1889, there was a town on the present site of Reardan. It was known as Fairweather, that being the name of the village originally laid out just east of the present townsite of Reardan. Fairweather was platted September 23, 1882, by William F. Hooker and John W. Still, residents of Cheney. But during this time Fairweather was, practically, a town in name only, although in its palmiest days it boasted of a store, a hotel conducted by M. Olson, and a blacksmith shop. In the earlier days a post office named Capps was located on the ranch of J. S. Capps, one mile north of the present site of Reardan. "Capps' place" was on the old Fort Spokane stage road. With the completion of the railroad to this point Fairweather took on a new ambition and became a hustling little business point. But this event in its history was followed by the loss of its name, Fairweather, and the substitution of two names in its place. The post office was moved down from Capps', and for a time the new "burg" assumed that name. On the railway time tables, however, the station was designated as Reardan. in honor of Engineer of Construction C. F. Reardan. Within a short period that became the generally accepted name of the town.
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During the summer and fall of 1889 quite a lively business point sprung up supplanting the original town of Fainveather. Of course the completion of the Central Washington Railway was the cause of this sudden access of activity. The first building erected was a warehouse 1 20x30 feet in size, put up in June by the Northern Pacific Elevator Company. The railway company built an elegant depot and Mr. C. A. Pearce became the local agent. During the autumn of the same year he erected a residence, the first in the town. The original store building was erected in August by M. Olson, who moved his stock of goods down from the old town of Fainveather. Shortly afterward the post office of Capps, was discontinued and Mr. Capps, the postmaster, occupied the same position in the new town, the office for a period thereafter being known as "Capps'." The same fall James Brand opened the second store in town; A. W. Childs established himself in the drug business and A. Lutzhoft opened an implement house. These were the only business houses introduced in Reardan during the year 1889. Possibly not to exceed twelve or fifteen people passed the winter in the town of Reardan.
By the United States census taken June 1, 1890, we find that the town had gained a population of thirty-one. Two new firms started in business in 1890, Mr. Wickham and J. M. Warren. By the summer of 1891 Reardan had improved wonderfully, supporting four general merchandise stores, a drug store, harness shop, furniture store, saloon, two hotels, barber shop, two butcher shops, blacksmith shop and a boot and shoe store.
It may be said that from 1892 until 1899 there was, practically, no growth of any distinctive importance to the town of Reardan. But the country in the immediate vicinity was thickly settled annd the town depended entirely upon its agricultural resources. The "hard times" through which the entire country was passing produced its effect on the new town and business was stagnant. With the development of the country and enormous cereal crops accompanied by good prices of the late 90's Reardan came rapidly to the front. It may be remarked that the year 1899 was the most prosperous one in her history. One of the important enterprises of this year was the erection of a flouring mill by the Washington Grain & Milling Company. The original capacity of this mill was 125 barrels; this has since been increased to 400 barrels. In November of this year the Reardan Exchange Bank was organized by local capital.
In February, 1901, a petition for the incorporation of the town of Reardan was thrown out by the board of county commissioners. The cause assigned for this failure to incorporate was an insufficient number of petitioners, primarily, and secondarily, to the opposition, or at least, indifference, of several leading property holders in the town. But the project was not doomed to failure; only temporary delay. In June, 1902, the population, according to the census returned by Assessor D. M. McRae, was 378. This was a fine showing and greatly encouraged the friends of incorporation. Another petition was circulated and presented to the commissioners. This was in 1903. This action had been preceded by a mass meeting held January 31, at which the sentiment was almost unanimous in favor of incorporation. The petition was signed by 79 voters and the election set for April 4th. There were cast 111 votes, of which 68 were for and 34 against incorporation, nine not voting on the proposition. The first municipal officers were M. Moriarty, mayor; T. G. Stevenson, John Wickham, John Raymer, C. S. Warren and J. C. Driscoll, councilmen; Frank Garber, treasurer; L. A. Dale, marshal and W. D. Barnhart. police judge.
During the fall of 1903 the people of Reardan undertook and carried to a successful conclusion a work that is destined to result in much good to the town. The citizens subscribed $5,000
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to build a wagon road from the falls north of Reardan to the Cedar Canyon mines in Stevens county. With this road completed Reardan now enjoys an excellent trade from that district which formerly went to Davenport and Springdale.
August 21, 1903, the Reardan Gazette said:
"Reardan has five general merchandise stores, two hardware and implement stores, two lumber yards, two drug stores, one bank, two livery stables, two barber shops, two butcher shops, one jewelry store, one confectionery store, one millinery store, three blacksmith shops, three saloons, five large grain warehouses, a 400-barrel flouring mill, two doctors, one lawyer, one newspaper, one real estate office, one hotel, one restaurant, a handsome auditorium and lodge room. There are also three churches and a fine school building. Fraternal societies comprise the Odd Fellows, Rebekahs. Woodmen of the World, Women of Woodcraft, Maccabees, Fraternal Army of America and Grand Army of the Republic. There is, also, a public park adjoining the town on the east owned by citizens or Reardan, containing a ball ground and grand stand. So rapidly as possible this 'breathing space' is being beautified and in time will become one of the greatest attractions of the town."The territory north of Reardan is supplied with the free rural postal delivery. The neighboring farming country is connected by a barb wire telephone system. So far in her history Reardan remains one of the few towns that have never received a set back by any serious conflagration.
MONDOVI.
Two and one-half miles northeast of the town of Mondovi in the early 80's was established a postoffice known then as Mondovi, but later as "Old Mondovi." This was the first post office established in northern Lincoln county. It was on the old Fort Spokane stage line and was the stopping place for travelers over that route. A gentleman by the name of Christian was postmaster; he also carried a small slock of goods which he disposed of to the very few settlers in his vicinity. Old Mondovi passed out of existence with the birth of
New Mondovi, or Mondovi proper. The prospect of the Central Washington Railway being built through this territory gave an impetus to the later town. In its issue of January 1, 1889, the Lincoln County Times contributed the first intimation that a town was in existence at that point as follows:
"Mondovi is experiencing a boom in a small way. John Raymer is erecting a mill near the ranch of Isaac Mulberin and will soon be ready to do custom sawing. The railway is graded into that burg and they are patiently waiting for track-laying to reach that point. The warehouse now being built at that point will receive grain on and after January 7th. and the farmers are holding their grain until then. Considerable building will be done early in the spring."This "boom" mentioned by the Times was a rather limited affair. No business houses made their appearance in 1S89 nor in 1890. However, during the latter year a post office was secured and J. Wolverton became postmaster. According to the United States census of 1890 Mondovi was credited with having a population of sixteen. It was in 1891 that Mondovi enjoyed its first and only "boom." D. I'". Percival and Stanley Hallet, of Cheney, purchased a half section of land at that point and attempted to build a rival to the town of Reardan. J. II. King, who had been living at Deep Creek, for some time previous, was selected by the townsite owners to push the furtunes of the new enterprise. Mr. King established a blacksmith shop, a restaurant and livery stable and became postmaster. For quite a period he was the only business man in town, but later a gentleman from Cheney opened a store, which he sold after a few months to his clerk. John M. Siegman, who has conducted
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the first and only store in Mondovi ever since. For several years the town made no growth of moment, but being in the center of a rich and extensive wheat country much grain is shipped from this point and Mr. Siegman enjoys a substantial and lucrative trade. January 15, 1897, the Times again touched upon the subject of Mondovi:
Mandovi was born during "boom" days in the great west and provision was made for a mighty city. Profitable farms were abandoned for agricultural purposes and converted into town blocks and lots and placed on the market at figures that promised fortunes in return. They were well advertised abroad and many sales were made ; all went w r ell for a time. Many lots were sold but no brick blocks sprung up or even wooden ones. In fact the boom was confined entirely to the sale of real estate, and as time passed and taxes became due. with no sign of material growth in sight, the air castles began to vanish. Sales ceased and taxes upon highly valued town property became burdensome. Gradually town additions began to revert into good farms until only a small but sufficient portion of the original townsite remained. The idea conceived that a great city could be built up in such a way was, of course, an idle dream, yet it was a natural product of "boom" times when any kind of speculation seemed to prosper. It was a fair sample of the enterprise that contributed to the "hard times" in the west in the early 90's — enterprise that ruined credit..
Mondovi is surrounded by a fertile farming country, but she was hopelessly handicapped from the start in the contest for commercial importance by the presence of larger and well established rivals on both sides, so she could not reasonably have been expected to develop into anything but a small country town. Early in January, 1897, by action of the county commissioners, the town was reduced in area to just a few Hocks, nearly the entire townsite reverting to the owners as farm lands
The fire record of Mondovi is confined to one conflagration. Monday evening, February 5, 1894, the large warehouse owned by Senator R. A. Hutchinson was burned. The building contained 16,000 bushels of wheat, and of this amount 12,000 bushels were destroyed. The loss was large and only $4,500 insurance was carried. This fire was supposed to have been the work of incendiaries.
At present Mondovi is a town of about 100 people. There are several warehouses, a general store, a saloon, hotel, blacksmith shop, and feed mill. There are two churches, Methodist and United Brethren. Mondovi is seven miles northeast of Davenport.
GOVAN.
Govan is a town of about 100 inhabitants, situated on the Central Washington Railway, six miles west of Wilbur. As a place on the map Govan (named in honor of one of the Northern Pacific civil engineers) came into existence in the autumn of 1889, with the building of the railroad. But it was several years afterward before it gained the distinction of being called a "town." For some little time after the railroad was built Govan was quite a lively camp, although, in a business way, but little progress was made. One of the principal causes of Govan being lively during the spring of 1890 was the fact that a large sand bank was located in its immediate vicinity. Wood, Larson & Company, railroad contractors, made Govan their headquarters and a large force of men were employed there engaged in digging sand for railroad work. There was a steam shovel and four gravel trains were utilized in this work. Chief Dispatcher Stitson had a car here during the time this work was in progress, and handled the movements of all trains. Frank M. Dallam visited Govan April 28, 1890, and made the assertion that Govan had nothing to recommend it. and that it would never be anything more than a station. While Mr. Dallam's prediction has not been entirely substantiated his prognostication was comparatively correct, as Govan has been outstripped by nearly all its rivals.
According to the United States census of 1890 Govan was credited with a population of thirty-three. Ten years later its population was twenty-one. Since then, however, the town has advanced and has become a trading point and is improving. A post office was established in 1895. The townsite of Govan was platted
June 24, 1899, by Carrie A. Hesseltine.
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