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The subject of roads has always been an important one with the commissioners of Stevens county, and it is but just to say that within the present boundaries of the county there are as good roads as can be found anywhere in the state. At the meeting of the board July 10, 1865, the report of C. H. Montgomery, road supervisor, was read and ordered filed. The report contained many wholesome recommendations, and the following action was taken by the commissioners on the different roads of the county:
"That the road from Pinkney City to the Spokane river stand as recorded in the road book, June 2. 1864, and the old military road to be kept in passable repair until the supervisor shall locate the route from Francis Uback's but from that point to Walker's prairie, shall be located and opened by him, so soon as he can do so, Joseph P. Null, J. J. Murphy, C. H. Montgomery, to go with him and view the portion of the road from Francis Uback's to the old government pack bridge, on both sides of the valley; the viewers to report to the auditor and their decision to be final, and on being recorded by the auditor shall be the county road."Action was deferred on the Little Dalles wagon road, but the commissioners decided that should it become necessary they would call an extra session to pass upon it. It was decided at this meeting that the trail to the Pend d'Oreille river should be cut, and that the road supervisor should be authorized to advertise for proposals for cutting the same, the contract to be let to the lowest bidder, with a proviso that no bid shall exceed $500 for the entire distance. The same course was ordered to be pursued with the Pack Creek as with the Pend d'Oreille trail. On November 28, 1865, C. H. Montgomery was ordered to make a new road leading from the "Bruce place" to the Little Dalles, and he was authorized to enter into contract for the construction of the same at any sum not exceeding $2,000. At the same session a petition was drawn addressed to the representative from Stevens county asking him to oppose all appropriations for toll roads in the county, as the people were fully able to make all necessary roads in this section.
April 16, 1866, the commissioners organized the following road districts:
No. I — From old Fort Colville to Marcus Openheimer's up 'the valley on both sides of the river; G. B. Wannacott. Supervisor.
No. 2 — From Marcus Openheimer's to Joseph Roberts' house, at Stranger's bridge, on both sides of the river; John Genick. supervisor.
No. 3 — From Joseph Roberts' to Spokane river, on both sides of the river: Magnus Flett. supervisor.
No. 4 — From Pinkney City to Little Dalles; Robert Bruce, supervisor. Three new election precincts were also created, at Pinkney City, Little Dalles and Old Fort Colville.
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On June 28, 1866, the board enacted that road district No. 3 should extend from the house of Joseph Roberts (including his house) to Snake river, and across the White Bluffs, and the super\asor was empowered to appoint some suitable person in any part of the district to oversee the labor thereon. August 13, 1866, a road was ordered built from Solomon Pelter's house through White Mud valley to "H. Lafleur's grocery stand."
Concerning the finances of Stevens county in these early days the following will prove of interest: At the meeting of the commissioners of June 16, 1863, J. R. Bates, treasurer, came before the board for the purpose of settlement. He presented a statement of his various accounts for 1862. showing that he had received $2,587.58, and that he had expended: County orders redeemed, $1,881.98; interest fees to R. H. Douglas, $8.12; school fund of 1861, cash in hands of treasurer, $277.02 ; school fund of 1862, cash in hands of treasurer, $122.26; Territorial tax of 1861, $116.01; Territorial tax of 1862, $56.22; war tax of 1862, $50; cash on hand $0.79; county order, fees for recording and disbursing $85.18; total $2,587.58.
May 4, 1863, the commissioners ordered that the value of grain in Stevens county should be assessed as follows: Wheat, $1.50 per bushel; oats, barley and potatoes, $1 : flour, $8 per hundred pounds. The taxes levied for county purposes were four mills on the dollar.
At the meeting of the commissioners of November 20, 1863, the auditor was instructed to write Dr. Toby, representing the county in the Territorial assembly, to secure the immediate passage of a bill taxing Chinamen, the tax to be $1.50 per month, or $4.50 per quarter, the tax to be collected by the sheriff, that officer to be allowed 20 per cent of such collections, and the treasurer and auditor their usual fees, as in the case of other public moneys. A resolution was also passed to the effect "that Stevens county be annexed to this, the citizens having failed to organize." In the commissioners' proceedings of January 23, 1864, the county is referred to as Spokane. At the succeeding meeting, May 2, 1864, it is called Stevens county.
January 23, 1864, the jail specifications were taken up and examined, following which the new jail was inspected and found to have been erected according to contract, upon which it was formally accepted. At this meeting the jail building was discussed at length, the commissioners finally ordering the county auditor to settle with the contractor, George M. Davendorf, and to pay him the balance of the contract price, $700, in county orders, the same to draw interest from date. The auditor was, also, instructed to return to Mr. Davendorf the money deposited by him as security for performance of the jail contract. At the meeting of March 1, 1864, the office of sheriff, L. T. Marshall, incumbent, was declared vacant, as Mr. Marshall had been absent from the Territory for over nine months, and was delinquent in the amount of $95. Suit was ordered to be commenced against his bondsmen, and H. P. Steward was appointed to fill the vacancy in the office of sheriff, until the next general election. On May 4, of the same year, the commissioners instructed the county treasurer to pay county orders in nothing but greenbacks. February 12, 1865, F. W. Perkins was appointed county auditor in place of Park Winans, the latter having forfeited his right to appoint a deputy by an absence from the county of over six months. Therefore the office was declared vacant and filled by the selection of Mr. Perkins, May 8, the same year, the board passed a resolution to the effect that the auditorship had been forfeited by Mr. Winans, not through loss of residence, but owing to his continued absence.
Following is the financial statement of the county of Stevens, February 12, 1865:
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From the assessment rolls of May, 1865, we find that the price of grain was fixed as follows: Wheat, $1.75; oats, 75 cents; barley, $1.25; potatoes, $1.50. Yet about one year later, in June, 1866, wheat was taxed at $3 a bushel, oats $1.50, and potatoes $1.50. In 1865 the tax apportionment was eight mills on the dollar; Territorial tax four mills; school two mills; road ten mills; road poll tax $5, and $3 a day allowed for road labor. In 1866 the Territorial assessment was three mills; school three mills and county eight mills. The road property tax was twenty cents on $100; poll tax two day's work for $4 each man.
February 5, 1867, agitation began for the purchase of a court house, a price of $500 being fixed for the same, and Sheriff George Young was appointed to negotiate the deal. February 23 a deed was given to C. H. Montgomery and approved. The purchase of the Douglas house was suggested, and it was resolved to secure this building provided it could be bought for $500 in coin, or $666.66 in greenbacks. April 12 a deed for this property was given to R. H. Douglas and accepted, and $666.66 paid in legal tender notes. April 12, 1867, the commissioners took up the question of building another road "from where the Cottonwood creek crosses the Walla Walla road to intersect with the Mullan road, at or
near, Antonio Plant's, and it was enacted that the supervisors of different districts be requested to call out such men as have signed the road petition to work on said road on or before the first day of October, 1867, and also that there shall be a new bridge built on Fool's Prairie, and also such other work as shall be deemed necessary for a good road between Grame's and Cottonwood creek." On May 4 the commissioners ordered that the road from Cottonwood creek to Spokane bridge be a county road. May 4, 1868, it was ordered that the Territorial fund then in the treasury be turned over into the county fund from time to time until the Territorial warrant for $841.64 be satisfied. May 2, 1869, a new voting precinct was established at Vogh's ferry, on the Pend d'Oreille river. June 28, 1869, the commissioners found that the county was in debt by outstanding orders $3,369.84, from which, deducting $1,390.32 due from the Territory to the county, left an indebtedness of $1,979.52, which, together with the indebtedness of the county to the school fund of $1,400, left a total liability of $3,379.52. In the fall of 1869 the commissioners appeared to have considerable difficulty in collecting licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors, and there were frequent appearances of notices like the following:"Ordered that all persons selling liquors by retail be notified to pay all arrears of license due and all persons selling without license to take out license."
November i, 1869. on petition of George Wait and others, it was ordered that the county road from Colville to Walla Walla be changed so as to run on the west side of Colville valley. May 4, 1870, a new election precinct was established at Union Flat, at the house of H. Murton. June 22. 1870, it was found that the county was indebted by outstanding orders
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$7,234.86. Deducting the amount of county funds on hand as shown by the auditor's books, $1,430, remaining in the treasury, the actual indebtedness was $5,804.86.
At a meeting of the commissioners held May 6, 1872, in order that all persons in the county entitled to the elective franchise might be afforded an opportunity of exercising it at the approaching election the board proceeded to organize the following election precincts and to appoint officers thereof for the election of June 3, 1872.
Che-we-lah Election Precinct — Boundaries: north by a line running east and west three miles south of the Twelve Mile House; east by Little Spokane; south by main Spokane; west by Columbia river. Place of voting, school house.
Pine Grove Election Precinct — Boundaries: North by Hangman's creek and Spokane river to Monaghan's bridge; west by Walla Walla and Colville road to where said road crosses Crab creek; south by a line running easterly to the house of A. Himes, including Mr. Himes and Mr. Wells in said precinct, thence northeasterly by Monroes to Hangman's creek where said creek crosses the line between Idaho and Washington. Place of voting, store of Montague's.
Pine Creek Precinct — Boundaries: South by Whitman county; west by Colville and Walla Walla road; north by Pine Grove precinct; east by Idaho. Voting place, the house of T. F. Favorite.
Spokane Bridge Precinct — Boundaries: South and west by Hangman's creek, Spokane and Little Spokane; north by Pend d' Oreille river: east by Idaho. Voting place, A. C. Kendal's store.
Crab Creek Precinct — Boundaries: North by Spokane river; east by Colville and Walla
Walla road; South by Whitman county; west by Columbia river. Place of voting, house of H. L. White. The reader will remember that Whitman county was established November 21, 1871, by setting off a certain portion of territory from Stevens county. It appears that this act left Whitman county in debt to Stevens county, and on November 25, 1872, the commissioners of Stevens county proceeded to consider this matter of indebtedness. It was shown that certain provisions of the law organizing Whitman county in respect to the issue of orders covering its proportion of the liabilities of Stevens county had not been complied with, and the auditor was directed to transmit the following letter to the auditor of Whitman county:
Fort Colville, Nov. 25, 1872Auditor of Whitman County.Sir : — At a special session of the board of commissioners held this day, I am directed to call the attention of the commissioners and auditor of Whitman to the following extract from the act of the Territorial legislature organizing your county, approved November 29, 187:"The said Whitman county shall issue county orders in favor of Stevens county for that amount. And the county auditor of Whitman county shall transmit to the county auditor of Stevens county before the first day of July, A. D., 1872, the amount of county orders that shall fall due, Whitman county to issue in favor of Stevens county."Pursuant to the above I am instructed to demand of the board of commissioners and auditor of Whitman county an immediate compliance therewith and to ask that the order, or orders in question be dated as provided in the act referred to, and also be properly endorsed so that interest may accrue thereon.As a matter of convenience in respect to the redemption of the issues in favor of this county, I beg to suggest that the amount be covered by orders of the denomination of $100. Please transmit by registered letter. You have a certified statement of the amount of our regular and supplementary assessment, but take the aggregate of your taxable property as published in the Olympia papers. Please send your supplementary roll. Please acknowledge receipt.
It appears that the above letter did not produce the desired results, for we find that on May 5, 1873, the commissioners of Stevens county ordered the auditor to forward the necessary papers to the prosecuting attorney authorizing him to commence suit against Whitman county, and to procure such help as he may deem necessary to secure judgment against the
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delinquent county. During the following year it appears little satisfaction was secured, concerning this financial matter, for at a board meeting May 24, 1874, the Stevens county commissioners ordered the auditor to take legal advice in relation to the Whitman county order, "and ask if we cannot get the money and refuse the order." However, it was decided that the the auditor deposit the Whitman county order, which, it seems, had been paid in bulk sum, regardless of the request of Stevens county to cut it into amounts of $100 each, with the treasurer, subject to the order of the Stevens county commissioners. September 23, of the same year, it was ordered that the "county auditor turn over to Mr. I. H. Wells the county order now deposited with the county treasurer and known as the Whitman county order, amounting to $1,342.56, taking a receipt for said order and the amount thereof from Mr. Wells, and that Mr. Wells present said order to the county treasurer of Whitman county for payment of principal and interest, and in case there are not sufficient funds to pay said order, or any part thereof, then to split said order, principal and interest, into smaller orders of the denomination of $100 each; Mr. Wells then to deposit at his earliest opportunity the amount or order received for said order with the treasurer of Stevens county, taking a receipt for the same, to be subject to the order of the treasurer of Stevens county."
January 5, 1875, Mr. Wells presented the order to the treasurer of Whitman county, but it was not paid for lack of funds. Neither would the treasurer split it up into smaller orders, although Mr. Wells requested him to do so. Finally this celebrated order was brought back and deposited once more with the treasurer of Stevens county. January 9, 1875, the Whitman county order was sold to Henry Wellington for $1,700 (in Stevens county orders). It was dated May 18, 1874, and was for $1,342.50, interest amounting to $316.04. Thus Stevens county cleared $41.46.
It becomes necessary to revert to May 7, 1872, when we find that pursuant to an act of the Territorial legislature it became incumbent upon the commissioners of Walla Walla, Whitman and Stevens counties, to appoint each a commissioner to view and locate a Territorial road from Walla Walla to Colville, and on the part of Stevens county J. R. Courtnay was selected as commissioner. Mr. Courtnay met with the other commissioners, assisted in the survey of this road and was paid for his services $310.50. Concerning the subject of road building Mr. John Ricky says:
"At this time the several counties put considerable work on this road, fixing up the old military road and building a part of it anew, until a first-class road was established as a Territorial road."
May 7, 1874, the commissioners established the Four Lake Election Precinct, embracing all the territory between Willow Springs, Rock creek, north and south, and the Colville and Walla Walla road ; Lake creek, east and west. The voting place was at the residence of C. Murphy. September 22, the same year, Spokane Falls Election Precinct was established, bounded as follows: Commencing at the mouth of Hangman's creek, thence up the creek ten miles; thence east ten miles; thence north ten miles (more or less) to Spokane river; thence west down Spokane river to the place first named. Polls were established at the store of Mathema & Company. The following day the commissioners abolished the election precinct of Pine Creek, "there not being sufficient voters, and ordered that said precinct be included in Pine Grove Precinct, and that the auditor notify Mr. Favorite of this order."
May 5, 1875, a complication arose concerning the office of county auditor. From the proceedings of that date we find that the county commissioners ordered that the resignation of J. R. Kinsley, as auditor be spread on the minutes, of which resignation the following is a copy:
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"COLVILLE, W. T., March 18, 1875."To the Honorable Board of Commissioners ofStevens County, W. T."Gentlemen : I herewith tender my resignation as auditor of Stevens county, W. T., to take effect at the regular May meeting."(Signed) J. R. Kinsey."
It appears that Mr. Kinsley reconsidered his action in resigning, for at the meeting of May 6, the letter appended herewith appears spread upon the records:
"COLVILLE, May 3, 1875."To the Honorable Board of Commissioners."Gentlemen : I do hereby give notice that I respectfully withdraw my resignation placed in your hands, dated March 18, 1875, as county auditor. Respectfully,"(Signed) John R. Kinsley,"County Auditor."
A majority of the board refused to accept this withdrawal, the vote standing, L. W. Myers and D. T. Percival, opposed to acceptance; J. Lamona in favor of it. The same majority accepted the resignation of Mr. Kinsley, and it was ordered that the office of county auditor be declared vacant. To this action Mr. Kinsley presented a written protest as follows:
Through the action of Percival and Myers S. F. Sherwood was appointed auditor of Stevens county. Commissioner Lamona protesting against such appointment "unless Mr. Kinsley be removed by due course of law; in that event he would sustain Mr. Sherwood.""Fort Colville, W. T., May 6, 1875."Gentlemen of the Board of Commissioners:
"I, John R. Kinsley, auditor of Stevens county, protest against the action of the board of county commissioners in declaring the office of county auditor vacant, as arbitrary and contrary to law, and I refuse to surrender the office.
"(Signed) John R. Kinsley."County Auditor."
But Messrs. Percival and Myers continued the work, and approved the bond of Mr. Sherwood, for $3,000, with Max Weil and Henry Wellington as sureties. Mr. Kinsley was then ordered to turn over all books and papers belonging to the office of auditor to S. F. Sherwood, and to this proposition Mr. Kinsley promptly refused. Mr. Sherwood was then requested to take immediate possession of the office, and to remove the lock from the door of the office and place thereon a new one. Sheriff John U. Hofstetter was also ordered to secure a new lock for the court house, and although Commissioner Lamona strongly protested against this forcible possession of the office, the majority carried the day, and Mr. Sherwood continued to hold the fort.
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