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CRYSTAL CITY.
One of the youngest towns in Lincoln county is Crystal City. It lies on the bank of the Spokane river just above the site of old Fort Spokane. It is understood that the owners of the Crystal mine are to install a smelter near their property and this has, doubtless, proved the incentive for the existence of Crystal City. The townsite was laid out December 23, 1903, by B. W. Wolverton at which time the plat was filed. There is considerable ore taken from the Cedar Canyon district which is tributary to to the new town. January 1, 1904, the Lincoln County Times said:
"The long looked for Crystal City has made a start, and several new buildings are going up, but the scarcity of lumber is retarding operations. Mr. Kennet, formerly salesman for Benham & Griffith, wholesale grocers of Spokane, is erecting a store and it is reported that Grutt & Sons have purchased the old O'Shea building and are going to put in a store. Mr. Kennet is also putting up a livery and feed stable. J. H. Gardner is putting up a building supposed to be a blacksmith shop. Lots are going like the proverbial hot cakes, and Captain Gray says the smelter is a sure thing."
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The new town appears to be the outgrowth, or successor, rather, of Grayville, which came into existence in May, 1899. It was located some 600 feet from the Crystal mine. But July 10th, of that year, fully one-fourth of Grayville went up in smoke and ashes. The only store in the place owned by W. M. Stevens and G. J. Neumeister was destroyed entailing a loss of about $3,000 upon which there was $1,400 insurance. Since that event Grayville appears to have languished until it was supplanted by the new town of Crystal City. The postoffice, known as Miles, was established in the early 80's.
LAMONA.
The pioneer general mercantile store of Lamona was opened in 1896 by J. M. Newland. This establishment was subsequently disposed of to J. H. Lamona who became, practically, the founder of the town. It is a pretty site for a village lying about midway between Mohler and Odessa, on the main line of the Great Northern railway. Mr. Lamona is at present a resident of Spokane.
IRBY.
Where stands the town of Irby is one of the oldest settled portions of Lincoln county. The Irby ranch was taken up by Mr. I. Irby about 1878 and he held it continuously until 1902 when it was sold to V. A. Johnson. In 1903 it was sold to the Babcock-Cornish Company. Writing of Irby in 1903 the Spokesman-Review said:
"The company that will handle the property has been incorporated under the name of the Babcock-Cornish Company. One of the principal stockholders is E. J. Babcock, of Davenport, Iowa, the secretary and manager of the Security Fire Insurance Company. There is a large wheat belt contiguous to the ranch, but the farmers have been compelled to haul to Krupp or Odessa because the railroad heretofore has not been able to acquire sufficient ground for a commercial siding. Ground for this purpose has now been obtained and within a short time the siding will be built. Work will soon be commenced in the erection of wheat warehouses, and it is believed that the first year's haul to them will amount to between 300,000 and 400,000 bushels. The corporation will establish a bank at the place early in the season, and plans have also been drawn for the erection of a Flour mill. On the property there is a fall on the creek that gives 60-horse power, and the mill will be placed here this summer. At present there is nothing at the station of Irby save the ranch and station house. Many attempts have been made to secure ground for warehouses but the former owners would not sell. The department at Washington, D. C. has granted a postoffice for the place and it will soon be established and a store opened."
MOHLER.
In March, 1893, it was a consensus of opinoin that in the town of Mohler, on the Great Northern railway and a few miles east of Odessa, Harrington had a formidable rival. August 24, 1894, the Lincoln County Times said:
"Yarwood Brothers have just opened a general store at Mohler station, and the people of that vicinity are pleased to have the convenience of such an enterprise. The new store will certainly prosper and bids fair to become an important factor toward the establishment of a flourishing little town. The next thing wanted at that place is a postoffice."
But in December, 1900. the Spokesman-Review supplemented the above with the following:
"The death knell of the prosperous little town of Mohler, situated eight miles southwest of Harrington, has been sounded by one of the two parties interested in its dissolution. Mohler is on the main line of the Great Northern railway and is an important wheat station on that
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road, some 500,000 bushels of grain having been marketed there this season. There are two stores, saloon, meat market, hotel, blacksmith shop, five warehouses and other business establishments, and a large amount of trading was done between these different business men and farmers who live in the surrounding country. The Great Northern in laying out improvements for the coming summer decided to add another sidetrack to its yard at Mohler, provided the necessary ground could be secured. Yarwood Brothers, owners of the townsite demanded $1,000 for the land on which to build a siding, but this was considered entirely out of reason by the officials. The Great Northern is making preparations to tear up the siding already at Mohler, and will move the same two miles north, where a station will be erected and sidetracks put in. To make doubly sure of the case another station and siding will be located four miles southwest of Mohler. This action will cause a removal of the five warehouses now located at Mohler to these new towns and thus effectually shut out all trade with Mohler. Two warehouses belong to the Great Northern, one to the Orondo Shipping Company, one to Yarwood Brothers, and one to Crowley & Williams."These drastic measures were taken by the railway company, and Mohler passed into history. Following the removal of the sidetracks Great Northern trains ceased to stop at the station. In May, 1903 the Lincoln County Times sounded the following requiem over the death of the once lively little burg:
"The town of Mohler, on the Great Northern road, has gone out of business. The few little business houses that were there were a short time ago loaded on to flat cars and carried over to Downs, a distance of four miles. The sidetrack at Mohler, it will be remembered, was taken up by the railroad company a few weeks ago, since which time the trains have been passing through without stopping. This abandonment of the town by the company is believed to have been inspired by a desire on the part of the officials to punish the townsite owners who a couple of years ago refused to part with some of their property at figures agreeable to said officials. Since that time it was given out that the place was to be wiped from the map — and it has come to pass."
OTHER TOWNS.
In 1881 a postoffice was established a few miles north of where now is Creston, and it was called Brents. This was the only postal station west of the old Mondovi postoffice. Pioneers of northern Lincoln county tells us that the residents had a hard time to preserve the existence of this office as no one desired the honor of serving as postmaster. Nearly all the people in the vicinity at one time or another held the position. For many years Josiah Cole kept a small grocery store at Brents Postoffice. He disposed of his business about the time the Central Washington railroad was built through the county and subsequently removed to Wilbur. Brents postoffice was discontinued in 1890, when a postoffice was established at the station of Creston.
Hellgate is a postoffice situated on the Columbia river in the northern part of the county. It was formerly known as Layton postoffice, but in 1894, by petition of patrons of the office, the name was changed to Hellgate. The change was made on account of the weakness of the average penman for flourishes. Frequently addresses were so written the mail went to Dayton instead of the proper destination, Layton.
Rocklyn is a station on the Central Washington railroad west of Davenport. The place is quite an important grain shipping point. There are three warehouses and a general store in the place. Two or three families comprise the town. The postoffice was established in September, 1898. During that year the first warehouse was erected and the German Evangelists built a church edifice.
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Waukon is a postoffice and station on the Great Northern railroad in the extreme eastern
part of Lincoln county. It is a grain shipping point and maintains one store.
Gravelle was platted May 18, 1889, by A. M. Gannon and Alphonse Gravelle. The place was on the line of the old Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railroad and was quite a grain shipping point during the short time the mail was operated. There was a store there.
Other postoffices in the county at the present time are Tipso, Plum, Clark, Sherman, Hesseltine, Peach, Egypt and Larene, in the northern part of the county, and Earl, Crab Creek and Latt in the southern portion, none of which are located on railroads.
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