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CHAPTER II.
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CURRENT EVENTS — 1886 TO 1904.
Following the advent of the first settlers in Douglas county in 1883 there was for several years little immigration. But during the years 1886, 1887 and 1888 there was an inflow of settlers who came in advance of the Central Washington railroad, which it was thought would build through the county. No one believed that the road would not push on to a destination in the heart of the rich, virgin territory, and the railroad promoters, to all intents and purposes, themselves entertained the idea, until complications arose and financial difficulties appeared which blocked progress and the railroad stopped on the eastern edge of the county.
Many settlers came in 1887. That was the banner year up to that period. Nearly all came into the county by way of Ellensburg, that being the nearest railroad point prior to the building of the Central Washington a few years later. There were lively times in Coulee City during the summer of 1888. The Central Washington, backed by the Northern Pacific Company, and the Seattle & Lake Shore were each striving for the supremacy — sparring for position. Approaching from the east there were scarcely two equally accessible points of entry, and going out on the west side the task was still more difficult for parallel lines, and at a point about one and one-half miles west of town the problem was most discouraging for two to "pass through the gate at once."
Each company had a large crew of men at work and considerable ill-feeling arose during the grading at the east side of town — each company striving all the time to hold the right of way on the best ground. At one point, just outside the yard limits the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern graded squarely across the other track, raising their roadbed some six or eight feet above that of the Central Washington. It looked as if a collision was certain to come whenever the S. L. S. & E. filled up the gap over the other track with either earth or trestle work. That time of trouble was postponed owing to the forces being hurried forward to the more inaccessible spot west of the town of Coulee City. There a rocky barrier arose in the form of a ridge which the lines must pierce, while there was one low gap just beyond an opening in the rocks, scarcely wide enough for two lines to be laid parallel without one, or both, being forced to excavate a cut on one or both sides, well into a rock wall ten to fifteen feet high. There was room for one track which would require only a shallow cut. Both companies hurried forward with feverish haste, each striving to gain the gap, and preempt the passage, and the superintendents of the work took no greater interest in the race than did their men. White man and dago each felt a personal interest in the outcome, and each crew of workmen looked upon the other as an interloper — an antagonist to be beaten by any means, fair or foul.
The Central Washington line runs direct from town to that rock cut, while the route of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern swung around from the north side and approached the cut at an acute angle, coming from the northeast. As the two grades approached closer together and nearer the objective point,
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the feeling grew intense; the situation became critical. Each party sought to gain possession of the whole ground, and neither dared vacate for a moment. Each worked a double shift night and day. There was only a narrow backbone of rock left between the two cuts and soon the S. L. S. & E. would strike into the other which had kept a slight lead. The work in progress was on ground inside of Senator Dan Paul's homestead and the time was just in haying season. Senator Paul was making hay in the field close by, and he and his men were witnesses of performances daily for some time which fall to the lot of few to see in a lifetime. Each crew was doing all in its power to interrupt the labors of the other, and watching for an opportunity to take possession of the whole ground. One would drill a hole, tamp in a shot of giant powder, light the fuse and shout "fire!" Of course everybody had to run, but they all scrambled back before the rocks had scarcely ceased falling, and the other fellows had their shot in ready to fire before very much work could be accomplished. That kind of work could not long continue, of course, but the climax came without culminating in a general riot, though it missed it only by a hair. Much of the excavated rock was carted back and dumped over the low wall into the lower ground — in fact the Central Washington Company completed the fill and trestle clear back over the swamps, and track was laid nearly to the cut.
When affairs had reached an extremely high tension a man named Malone, working with the S., L. S. & E. gang, backed his horse and cart against two or three of the Central Washington workmen, and pushed them over the little hill. The foreman of that side stepped up quickly, catching the horse by the bridle and remonstrated with Malone, telling him that he was taking an unfair advantage. The foreman's action was the signal for a big rush of dagos and whites from the S.. L. S. & E. cut, all brandishing picks, shovels, and other improvised weapons and all chattering angrily. The Central Washington foreman was just as quickly backed up by the workmen from his side, and for awhile it looked like war. Everybody was ready for a fight, but somehow the crisis was passed without bloodshed. After consideration convinced the foreman that further operations were dangerous in the present humor of the men, so they reported conditions to headquarters at Spokane, but as the only means of communication was a messenger on horseback, they called a truce and sat down to await orders. Neither dared vacate, so the day and night shifts of the two companies sat in their respective cuts and held the fort. The haymakers down in the field could hear the men telling stories and singing songs any time of the night. Plenty of rest, three meals a day and wages drawn regularly put the men all in good humor, and animosities were all forgotten. After weeks of waiting and guard duty, the camp was vacated; all the men were called off. The companies had arrived at some kind of a compromise; work was suspended and remains so to this day. The rock cut is just as it was when those men were pushed off the grade and marks the peaceful ending of what came perilously near being a bloody riot.
By an act of the Legislative Assembly of Washington Territory, approved January 28, 1888, the district court of the county of Douglas was created. On the 10th day of September, 1888, the first court convened at Waterville. The officers in attendance were Hon. L. B. Nash, associate justice of the supreme court of Washington Territory, and judge of the fourth judicial district; N. T. Caton, prosecuting attorney for the counties of Douglas, Adams and Lincoln ; R. S. Steiner, clerk of court: and L. C. Robins, sheriff. Nat James and E. A. Cornell were made bailiffs.
The following citizens were chosen to serve as the first grand jurors : Edmund Burke, J. P. Schrock, Frank Rusho, William Scully, W. P. Thomson, Patrick Haynes, R. J. Waters,
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D. H. Ford, William Crisp, Judson Murray, I. Taylor, F. M. Strieker, A. T. Greene. S. Brenesholz, Thomas Butler and Edwin Fitzgerald. Those who served as petit jurors were John Salmon, H. C. Godlove, James Jump, William Condin, B. Liversay, Charles Osborn, Edward Owens, M. M. McDermitt, Thomas Powers, George Dick, H. B. Lovejoy, M. S. Holland. C. A. Powers and William Jamieson.
The year 1888 will be remembered by settlers of the county on account of a strange epidemic which proved fatal to many of the inhabitants. The malady made a sudden appearance and as suddenly disappeared. The disease was known as typhoid malarial fever and its fatality was the wonder of all the old settlers who had endured the hardships incident to a pioneer life for several years and had always enjoyed the best of health. The direct causes of the great number of deaths in 1888 were traceable to no unhealthful conditions of the county, but were generally accepted among physicians as an epidemic such as visits all countries periodically. Nothing of the kind was ever before known in the county previous to that period, nor has it since made a reappearance. There were about thirty deaths. It attacked in various degrees of severity nearly every man, woman and child in the county.
According to an enumeration of Douglas county's inhabitants by Assessor John E. Hoppe on June i, 1889, the population was 2,651. These were divided among the precincts as follows: Okanogan, 467 ; Waterville, 442; Grand Coulee, 276; Midland, 254; Fairview, 245; Mountain, 205; Beaver Creek. 165; Foster Creek, 129;. Paradise, 126; Columbia, 113; Chester, 71; Havod, 61; Moses Coulee, 38; Moses Lake, 33; Crab Creek, 29. This population was otherwise divided as follows: Males. 1,642: Females, 1,009; whites, 2,632; Indians and half-breeds, 6; Chinese, 13; males over 21, 994; females over 21, 459; married, 955; single, 583; males over 21 single, 497; females over 18 single, 96; over 15 who
could not read or write, 22.
June 27, 1889, the Big Bend Empire said:
"There can be no real advantage in attempting to conceal the fact that crops in the Big Bend have been damaged by a protracted period of hot, dry weather. Added to this the country has been greatly damaged by ground squirrels. In many places these little pests have destroyed whole fields of grain. Six weeks ago the Big Bend promised to have a large surplus of everything in the way of grain and vegetables, but heavy rains immediately followed by unusually warm weather have caused a great deal of grain to 'burn' or mature before the berry has attained its growth. This misfortune will not only be a loss to farmers, perhaps compelling them to look to some other source other than a large crop for their winter's subsistence, but will be generally felt by all branches of business."On Saturday, the 23d inst., the board of county commissioners met in adjourned session to open and consider proposals for building a court house. Having opened and read four or five bids the clerk came to that of Mr. Greene, in which he proposed to erect on block 31 in his second addition a court house to cost not less than $3,000, and to give the county a deed in fee simple to the block and building when the same shall be completed and accepted, for the sum of one dollar. It is needless to say that the board at once accepted the proposition and the contract and bonds were drawn and signed at once. It was the opinion of Mr. Greene at the time that the building would cost fully $4,000.
Friday evening, September 6, 1889, the formal opening of the court house presented to the county by A. T. Greene and wife took place. Nearly every resident of Waterville was present; the new building was crowded. R. W. Starr presided and introduced Mr. Greene, who, in a few well worded remarks.
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presented the court house to the county. Toasts were responded to as follows: "Washington," — Rev. J. M. C. Warren; "Our Pioneers," — Rev. Richard Corbaley; "Douglas County." — J. W. Stephens.
According to an itemized statement the cost of the court house to Mr. Greene was $4,046.70.
For several years beginning with 1889 Douglas county experienced the same trouble as Lincoln county with squirrels. In place of offering bounties for their scalps Douglas county used strychnine which was furnished free of charge to ranchers. Five hundred dollars' worth was distributed. March 15, 1893, the county purchased $2,000 worth of this poison which was sold to the farmers at cost. January 9, 1895, the last lot was ordered, 1,000 ounces, and this was disposed of at cost.
During the year 1890 the Central Washington railroad was built a short distance into Douglas county from the east and this was followed by an influx of settlers in the country east of the coulees. February 27, 1890, the Big Bend Empire published the following:
"Tomorrow, February 28, according to standard time, is the close of the winter 1889- 90. It has been a memorable one for the entire west and northwest, and one that will be long remembered by the people of the Big Bend. The ground has been covered with snow since the loth day of December, some of the time to a depth of from two to three feet. The coldest the thermometer has registered is 17 degrees below zero, February 24th. The winter has been severely felt, especially by new settlers who were not yet provided for a protracted period of severe cold. In the settlement of a new country there are many things to be done to get in readiness for such a winter as the past, which we all hope is about to be changed for a bright spring. But the calamity which enlists the deepest of human sympathy is the suffering and loss there has been to stock. It is impossible at this time to arrive at anything like a correct estimate of the per cent of the loss of horses and cattle. Some ranges have suffered more than others, but it is certain that the loss of range horses will be 20 per cent and cattle 40 per cent. Many usually well-to-do farmers who have fed their animals up to the present time, have fed out everything they have, including their grain for spring sowing, and unless the grass is soon uncovered through the influence of the 'chinook' many of these animals must perish from cold and hunger.
"This is a gloomy but truthful side of the picture. There is another more encouraging view of the case. The Big Bend has for years been known as a great 'stock country.' By that is meant that stock will winter without
feeding. A stockman's investment ordinarily is a cabin, a saddle horse or two, and perhaps a little rye grass hay for his saddle animals — the balance is his herd of horses and cattle. The average 'stockman' as applied to here would scorn the idea of putting up hay for his stock and sincerely thinks that it will not pay to raise stock and feed. Large herds have been brought in from adjoining ranges until the range here has been eaten out. A hard winter, such as might be expected in a northern latitude has come, and the stock business as carried on at present suffers seriously. The effect will be to cause an entire transformation in the business of farming and stock raising in the Big Bend. Instead of large herds every farmer will have a few well kept animals that will sell at any time at a good price. Stock raising will be conducted as it is in the east, in connection with farming. And while our winter, about to leave us, will undoubtedly be a damage to the country for the present, working a great loss and hardship to the many, it is well demonstrated that it is not safe to attempt to winter stock here without providing feed, and that in summer is the time to prepare for winter. The country is all right and in time will contain
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much more wealth than if it were purely a 'stock country," as the term has been used on the Pacific coast."This was supplemented by the Empire January 16, 1890, as follows:
"A gentleman just in from Mr. Gilbert's place on Grand Coulee reports deeper snow there than in the vicinity of Waterville. Stock was beginning to die when he left there a week ago. A great many cattle have drowned in attempting to get water from the lakes, which are covered with snow. Our informant was told that one lake contained 500 dead cattle. The animals in attempting to find water would break through the ice, and as the water was deep it was impossible for them to get out. Messrs. Philip McEntee, Dan Paul, Clarence Grimes and Jimmy Burden are heavy losers."The spring following this hard winter found many places in the country covered with carcasses of dead animals that had perished from starvation during the severe winter. The stench from these was unbearable and threatened an epidemic. This spring found the settlers of western Douglas county in a sad plight. Most of the stock had died and there was no seed grain in the country; money was scarcer than that, if possible. These conditions were overcome only by diplomatic measures. A note for $2,500 was made out and signed by residents of the county. This note was placed in the hands of A. L. Rogers and to him was given the task of raising the money and getting the grain back to the settlers. In the early spring Mr. Rogers started out on snow shoes for the east. In due time he reached Almira, to which point the Central Washington railway
had won its way, and thence he proceeded by rail to Davenport. Here he was successful in securing the $2,500 from C. C. May's bank, and in due time returned with the grain. This note, which was paid upon the harvesting of the next crop, is now in possession of R. S. Steiner, and is an interesting memento of the early days.
The war between the sheep and cattle men in 1890 is thus described by a Ritzville correspondent of the Oregonian:
"February 28, 1890, occurred a bloody battle in the vicinity of Moses Lake in which four men were seriously wounded. The particulars are about as follows:
"L. G. Wilson claimed to have purchased a stack of hay of Messrs. Urquharts, which was situated on a Mr. Lyons' place. Mr. Blythe had a bill of sale from Mr. Lyons for the same stack, which contained about 50 tons. Blythe forbade Wilson taking or selling any of the hay. A bad feeling arose in consequence and Wilson continued using the hay and is said to have guarded it with a Winchester. This angered Blythe who sent three men on the morning of February 28th, armed, to take possession of the hay. They arrived on the ground before Wilson and his men. When the latter arrived fire was opened with disastrous results. L. G. Wilson was shot in the abdomen, Virgil Wilson, a brother, was shot in the back, Dick Garlick was shot in the breast and a German was shot in the head and hand. The two last named were men working for Blythe. Two others were engaged in the affray, but escaped unhurt. Having fired all the loads from the guns the men came to close quarters and used their weapons as clubs. When the fight was finished all crawled into a sleigh and drove to the Blythe ranch and sent for a doctor.
"Dr. Burroughs, of Ritzville, went to the scene of the battle and upon his return gave the following graphic account of the fight:
" 'It seems that Mr. Blythe had purchased the hay of Mr. Lyons and had sold the same to the sheep men and went down on the morning of the 27th to where it was stacked with the parties to show them the stack and give possession. There they found the Wilson boys, who ordered them to leave, or at least the sheep men, and one discharged his revolver in order to frighten them. Others say he gripped the
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pistol so tightly, it being' self-acting, that it was discharged accidentally. Mr. Blythe and the purchasers of the stack of hay went away leaving the Wilson boys in possession. The following morning the sheep men and another person went to the stack and were loading the hay onto a Avagon when the Wilson boys commenced shooting. Virgil was armed with a 41-calibre Colt's revolver and a double-barreled breach-loading shot gun loaded with buck shot. He discharged one barrel, missing his aim; the second charge taking effect in Dick Garlick's left shoulder; one near the nipple and ranging up; one through the flesh of the shoulder blade and one ranging upward from the shoulder. L. G. Wilson then opened fire on Dutch Ben, firing four times, one shot making a slight scalp wound over the left ear and three piercing his hat. The men closed in on the shooters. Garlick, who was a heavyset German, disarmed Virgil Wilson, who was a small man, broke the shot gun and, obtaining possession of the Colt's revolver, it seems, he shot Virgil through the right lung from the back, the ball lodging near the right nipple; then turning his attention to L. G. Wilson, who was wrestling with Dutch Ben for the possession of the Winchester.The United States Land Office was established at Waterville in the autumn of 1890, J. C. Lawrence, register, and Frank M. Dallam, receiver. It was opened for business November 6th. Previous to this important event all settlers in this vicinity were compelled to repair to Yakima to transact business connected with their homesteads. The history of the creation of a new United States Land District in eastern Washington, with headquarters at Waterville in 1890, is told by the Big Bend Empire of February 27th, of that year:
" 'Both were stout, and it seems that Wilson was getting the better of his man when Garlick came to the rescue and fired two shots, one entering the small of the back, on the right side, ranging downward, the second entering the right arm. The Winchester was broken and twisted, showing the desperate struggle that had ensued for the supremacy. An eye witness several rods distant saw the weapons flash in the sunlight and could hear the dull, sickening thuds as they fell on the heads and bodies of the men. The Wilson boys understood that the hay belonged to them, and they were fighting for their own and wanted the feed for their cattle. A bad feeling usually exists between the sheep and cattle men, and there may have existed such between the Wilsons and the sheep men. This fight occurred 20 miles from any town.' "
"A land office to be located at Waterville has been desired by our citizens for the past year, but it was not until Charles Liftchild got after Senator Snow, then on his sick bed, that the first step was taken to secure it. Though Judge Snow pleaded sickness Mr. Liftchild brought legal cap and ink into the sick room and insisted upon his writing to his friend. Congressman Wilson, of our desires, with reasons for the establishment of a new land district. This letter was kindly copied by our genial minister. Rev. Warren, on his typewriter. Thus armed Liftchild pulled from the wall of his office his map of Washington, and outlining the proposed district, enclosed it with Snow's letter and sent it to Congressman Wilson. Not contented with this action, he later
introduced a memorial to our senators and congressmen favoring the establishment of this district, in the Douglas County Board of Trade, which was passed and a copy sent to each of these gentlemen by J. P. Moore, Esq., chairman of the legislative committee. A day after the passage of the memorial M. B. Howe and Charles Liftchild composed a plea, showing every reason why the new land district should be created, and why Waterville should be the seat of the land office. This, with a sworn statement of Douglas county's proportion of the land business of the Yakima Land District, furnished by the kindness of R. W.
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Starr, was sent to Congressman Wilson. The result of this rustling has practically brought about the establishment of the new Columbia Land Office at Waterville."
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