Mukilteo, Washington - The City Of "Firsts" - Scene Of Indian Treaty - M. H (part 3 of 14)

One reason for the apparent good financial standing of the county in 1869 was that during that year and the year preceding, no outstanding warrants had been cancelled. The order of the board calling in all warrants prior to November, 1869, brought in a large number and by February, 1871, the commissioners awoke to the fact that the county was bankrupt. (This was the first February session of the board, prior to that time two sessions had sufficed, but thereafter regular sessions were held in February, May, August and November.) "There being no money in the treasury" the minutes read, a bill of $27 was paid by warrant for $54. The treasurer was ordered to withhold $50 in cash as a contingent fund subject to the special order of the board only. For some time thereafter the bills of the county were paid in this manner; at the rate of 200 cents on the dollar, although some of the county officers were paid in cash, as was Sheriff Stretch, who received $300 for making the assessment and taking the census of the county in 1870. In May the treasurer was ordered to retain taxes due the territory until further orders. The total funds on hand at this time amounted to $478.07, of which $139.93 belonged to the county ; $166.96 to the schools and $171.68 to the territory. In spite of this bad showing the tax levy was fixed at but thirteen mills, seven of which, however, were for county purposes, but the record does not show that a road tax was levied.

Charles Harriman resigned from the board after the May session and, in October, Woods and Fields, the remaining members, appointed E. D. Smith of Lowell to fill the vacancy, and M. W. Packard was appointed treasurer, vice Robert Barrett, resigned. An odd entry in the minute books for the November, 1871, session is the allowance of a bill "of the French doctor for medical attendance on a pauper ; $90, cash." Quite a controversy arose at this time between King and Snohomish counties occasioned by a claim for $150 made by King County for the care of a pauper of whom Snohomish County disclaimed any knowledge. Times grew harder throughout the Nation as the "Crisis of 1873" approached, and this was felt in Snohomish County. The board reduced expenses where possible, made few appropriations for roads, raised the liquor license to $150 per year and increased the tax levy to eighteen mills, the highest point it had reached. Among the liquor licenses issued at the May, 1872, session were ones to Albert Robbins, Fort Ebey; Smith and Getchell, Lowell; Kyle Bros. and Robert Freeman, on the Stillaguamish River and Reynolds and William Romines at Snohomish. A wholesaler's license was also issued to E. C. Ferguson. Eldridge Morse, later the editor of Snohomish County's first newspaper, The Northern Star, acted as deputy auditor during 1872, under E. C. Ferguson, and Harvey Pike was appointed county surveyor. Among the justices of the peace named to fill vacancies were John Pike, Qualco; R. Haskell, Snohomish; Charles Siebert, Ebey, and James F. De Arcy, Stillaguamish.

Of the elections, conventions and party politics of these days there is absolutely no record available. There was no newspaper in the county and the minutes of the commissioners do not show the canvass of any vote. The names of commissioners as they appear on the record, the approval of official bonds and the signatures of officers to various documents are all by which the history of this period may be gleaned. In 1873, there is the record that E. D. Smith, M. H. Frost and James Long constituted the board, and, in March, it is recorded that E. C. Ferguson turned the auditor's books over to M. W. Packard. At the same time M. W. Packard was allowed fees both as county treasurer and as probate judge. Sheriff Stretch was allowed a bill for a pair of handcuffs, the first purchase of the kind mentioned, and E. Morgan, of Olympia was paid $350 for a map of the county. The discount rate on currency had improved and the auditor was ordered to pay "all bills at coin rates with an addition of thirty-three and one-third per cent." John Davis was appointed a justice of the peace for Snohomish upon the resignation of R. E. Sheldon and Royal Haskell was probate judge the latter part of the year.

FE. D. Smith and M. H. Frost were the commissioners present at the February session, 18/4. They appointed W. T. Ballou county surveyor in lieu of Harvey Pike, resigned, and took the first steps towards the systematic care of the poor of the county by entering into correspondence with Dr. Minor of Port Townsend to contract for their keep and medical attendance. At the May session $71.50 was paid Jackson & Company for a safe for the use of the county; the tax levy was fixed at nineteen mills and H. Blackman was appointed a justice of the peace for Lowell.

Murder Of Charles Siebert

MURDER OF CHARLES SIEBERT The great sensation of the county at this time was the murder of Charles Siebert, a well know settler on the flats opposite Lowell. He was killed by his son, Edward, a lad of nineteen, and his body was mutilated in a most savage and brutal way. Siebert had served as sheriff, as election judge and in other minor offices and was one of the substantial men of the county. The murderer escaped, but after an exciting chase and search he was captured at Seattle and brought to trial in Kitsap County. He was acquitted on the ground of insanity, his mother coming from California to testify in his behalf, claiming that both she and her son had been subjected to such brutal treatment that the son's intellect had been affected, even before birth; that he had great aversion for his father and stood in great fear of him and that the act was committed when the boy was thoroughly frightened by threats of violence made by his father. It was upon this testimony that the son was acquitted, but it is only fair to the memory of the murdered man to state that he was a respected citizen and bore no reputation for violent temper or abusive conduct. Snohomish County had no jail, and the expense of the capture, the detention in jail in Kitsap County, the trial and the subsequent care of the insane patient bore heavily upon the resources of the county. To induce tax payments the sheriff was ordered to collect twenty-five per cent interest on all delinquent taxes and to push collections as speedily as possible.

Packwood Precinct was created by the board in August, 1874, on Ebey Slough and Preston Precinct was discontinued. Following the election there is the notation of the approval of the bonds of David Sheridan, auditor; Thomas F. Marks, treasurer, and Benjamin Stretch, sheriff, with W. B. Stevens, deputy.

W. V. Reeves, M. T. Wight and George Kyle (chairman), were the commissioners in 1875. One of their first acts was to appoint Royal Haskell as probate judge. This was an office which went a-begging, Haskell and others accepting it only to resign in a short time and later to be reappointed. Judge Haskell held the office at least half a dozen different times. One of the first bills before the board was presented by the sheriff of Kitsap County for the keeping of Edward Siebert for the ninety-two days he was in jail. The new board found the bonds of Sheriff Stretch and Treasurer Marks insufficient and Marks was ordered to offer $3,000 additional bond, and both were to have new bonds by March 1, at which time they were approved. The bond of Hugh Ross, coroner, was approved at this session, which lasted seven days - the longest session the county had known, the time being chiefly occupied in hearing road petitions.

In May, the ghost of the Siebert case again confronted the county in the shape of a bill for $508.25, court expenses, which necessitated the increase of the tax levy to twenty-one mills; divided as follows: county 8, territory 4, schools 4, roads 5. The first record of a franchise over a highway being given for a logging railroad was made in May, 1875, the grant being to Blackman Brothers. Other evidences of the progress of the county are found in the facts that the new Snohomish County Agricultural Society made its report to the board, the contents not being made of record, however; and the issuance of a permit to D. B. Jackson to build a wharf at the foot of Maple Street, at Snohomish, under a ten years' lease, the work to be completed within two years.

County Finances To 1875 County Warrants

"From the above figures" continued the report, "should be deducted, county funds in treasury $779.00, delinquent taxes, $578.72. From a very careful examination of the records it appears that in several instances the full amounts have not been checked in canceling orders, but only the balance after prior endorsements, and an error of from $300 to $500 from this cause would exist in favor of the county." The actual indebtedness was given as $5,922.12, but it was admitted that there were a number of discrepancies and the debt might be more or less. The estimated income for 1876 was given as, from property tax $1,949.78, licenses $1,200, poll $400.

It was but a few weeks after this report was made that the county awoke one morning to find that the county auditor had vanished over night. Eldridge Morse, who had served as deputy under Ferguson, stepped into the breach and conducted the affairs of the office. For this he received the thanks of the commissioners at their November session and was appointed to act as commissioners' clerk as well as auditor pro tem. The board took an invoice of the auditor's office, burned the ballots and some $1,746.94 in paid scrip. It was found that there was no shortage in Sheridan's accounts, and upon their request his bondsmen, R. Haskell and William Romines, were released from liability and the office declared vacant. A petition was presented for the appointment of M. W. Packard, but the board laid this on the table and appointed William H. Ward, I. Cathcart and E. C. Ferguson going on his bond.

Auditor, W. H. Ward; sheriff, B. Stretch; deputy auditor, Eldridge Morse; treasurer, T. F. Marks; probate judge, Royal Haskell; superintendent of schools, William H. Reeves; coroner, Hugh Ross; commissioners, G. F. Kyle, William H.

Reeves and M. T. Wight. In February, Robert O. Donaldson was appointed surveyor. In February, also, occurred the death of Peter Voisard, who had taken active part in county government and politics and served in numerous official capacities. He was listed in the census of 1862, as age thirty-one, nativity, Stark County, Ohio.

At the May session of the board, W..H. Reeves tendered his resignation as commissioner. Salem A. Woods was appointed, but refused to serve, whereupon Charles Harriman was named. This was the centennial year and it was proposed to make the Fourth of July celebration a county affair of unusual note. With this in view the board of commissioners passed the following resolution:

Centennial Resolution

"In view of the near approach of the Centennial Anniversary of American Independence, it is fit and proper that steps should be taken by the people of this county to so observe that day that its celebration may be a time to be remembered by all now living in this county or who are interested in the progress of our people. Therefore the commissioners recommend that a mass meeting of the citizens be held at the county seat at as early a day as convenient, for the purpose of providing means and making arrangements for holding a celebration at Snohomish City, and to provide for conducting said celebration that full opportunity shall be given for representing the local interests of each part of the county. As a means of securing a full account for preservation of the early settlement, history and progress of the people, it is further suggested that a suitable person be selected as county historian and that the facts gathered be published and preserved as a permanent record of the occasion."

Eldridge Morse, who took great interest in all matters of civic concern, was undoubtedly the father of this resolution and his was the leading spirit in arranging for the celebration which was held at Snohomish, July 4, 1876. He was also the "county historian" selected for the occasion. So far as known, but one copy of this, the first history of Snohomish County is in existence, and it is contained in a scrap book of clippings from the Northern Star, owned by E. Morse, of Index, a son of the pioneer editor and historian. All that these invaluable books contain have been tendered to aid in the preparation of this history, written fifty years later, and it will be but carrying out the wishes of Eldridge Morse and the county commissioners of 1876 to reprint this Centennial History herewith, in full.

"In submitting the Centennial History of this county, I shall not include anything prior to the general Indian war of 1855 and 1856. This wads the date white men first became acquainted with the natural resources of this county, and began to form plans for its settlement. The explorations and settlements in Western Washington prior to that date have no special relation to the history of this county, except as they explain the state of affairs at the commencement of hostilities.

"The Indian tribes in Snohomish County are similar in habits, character and appearance to the other tribes found around Puget Sound. They all belong to the class known as flat-head Indians, so called from their custom of flattening the heads of the young. When the whites first came here, the Indians were many times more numerous than now; since which time they have gradually melted away, through the operation of those natural causes, usually at work on an inferior race, when forced into competition with a superior one.

"The names used to designate the local tribes were those since retained as names of rivers, towns, etc. Besides the local tribe language, these Indians were accustomed to use the Chinook jargon, common to the whole Northwest Coast, as a means of communication with the whites or between different tribes.

"No systematic effort has been made towards collecting a regular account of their traditions, customs, etc., therefore, I shall confine this article to the history of the white settlements of Snohomish County. '

"The Indian war was the result of a very carefully matured conspiracy of most of the tribes of the Cascade Mountains, together with those between the Snoqualmie and Columbia rivers west. This outbreak had been contemplated for several years previously. It was expected that the Snoqualmie Indians would unite with the rest; but their head chief, Patkanim, had previously witnessed the power of the whites, and kept them friendly. This chief's brother was hanged at Steilacoom, in 1850, by order of the court for murdering a soldier. Since that time Pat was supposed to harbor feelings of revenge against the Bostons, and was narrowly watched. He was known to be shrewd, cunning and crafty. But in 1852 he took a trip to San Francisco on a lumber vessel; when he returned he said his "tumtuim'"' had "killapied," or his heart had changed; that the Bostons were too strong for the Indians to contend with; they had too many ships, houses, men, etc.

"Sometime before the outbreak, he, with others, warned the authorities at Steilacoom of the threatening danger. His warnings were disregarded until after the outbreak had taken place, when it was deemed advisable to send troops to the Snohomish to confirm the doubted loyalty of the Snoqualmies, separate the enemy, and prevent the hostile Klickitat and Yakima Indians, east of the mountains, from uniting with the enemy on the Sound.

"For this purpose, in the fall of 1855, Col. I. N. Ebey raised a company of volunteers at Port Townsend. They left there in November. The little iron steamer Traveler, towing the schooner, A. Y. Trask, transported them to the Snohomish River. Patkanim was pilot of the expedition. Under his guidance they proceeded some eight miles up the river, to the head of Ebey Slough, where they built a large log fort, called after their leader, Fort Ebey. Captain Horton commanded the Traveler, Capt. John E. Burns, the schooner Trask. The Traveler was the first steamer ever up the Snohomish; she was afterwards lost between Foulweather Bluff and Port Gamble.

"This company remained at Fort Ebey until the Spring following, when their term of service having expired, a battalion of three companies, called the Northern Battalion, was organized, consisting of Captain Smalley's of Port Townsend and Dungeness, Capt. Samuel Howe's of Whidbey Island, and Capt. R. V. Peabodv's company from Whatcom County.

"Most of Ebey's company enlisted in Capt. Smalley's company. Other duties compelled Colonel Ebey to return to Whidby Island, where he was shortly afterwards murdered by the Indians. J. J. Van Bokkelen, now of Port Townsend, was elected major, and retained command of the battalion until the close of the war.

"About the time of the siege of Seattle, while Colonel Ebey's company was on the island, during the winter, Patkanim had protested the strongest friendship for the whites, and through the solicitations of Col. M. T. Simmons or Mike Simmons, the Daniel Boone of this territory, the Governor had consented to accept Pat and his braves as allies, and allowed them to attack the White River Indians. Simmons and a young man named Fuller, accompanied the expedition. They surprised the enemy, routed them, killing nine, and losing five braves. Pat brought the heads of the enemy back to the Snoqualmie, thence down the Snohomish in canoes to Fort Ebey, where they came ashore, with the heads of the Indians set up on sticks. They set these sticks in the ground, and had a regular Indian war dance around them all night in the presence of the garrison.

"Pat and his braves then went up to Olympia, where they received for their services "Jiayu icktas" (Chinook for "plenty goods'). It is said that Pat and his company are the only ones who have ever received a dime for their services in this disastrous war. |

"After the organization of the Northern Battalion in the spring of 1856, Fort Ebey was abandoned. The battalion going up the river to Snoqualmie Falls and the Prairie in the vicinity of the Falls, where they remained until the end of the war; building Fort Tilton opposite where Falls City now stands, also Fort Alder, above the Falls on the south bank of the river. Fort Smalley near the center of Snoqualmie Prairie, as well as another fort on Rattlesnake Prairie. The first yoke of oxen ever brought to the Snohomish Valley, was brought on a scow from Port Townsend to Fort Ebey; thence on two big canoes up river to Patkanim's Prairie, thence by trail to Snoqualmie Prairie. After hauling timbers for the fort they were killed for food by the soldiers.

"At the close of the war, the Battalion was disbanded; the men being scattered over all parts of the Sound, but they had not been wholly in vain, for they had observed with careful eyes the abundant resources nature had scattered with a lavish hand along the whole valley of the Snohomish and its beautiful tributary the Snoqualmte. These resources became the subject of conversation around many a fire during the long evenings of winter. Many a veteran of the war sighed to become a settler on the Snohomish.

"Shortly afterwards the Fraser River gold excitement broke out. Old miners flocked from all parts of the Pacific Coast to make their fortunes there. Bellingham Bay became a base of supplies and point of departure for miners bound to the mines. For a time 10,000 people were living around the Bay, and our sister county seemed destined to contain within her borders a great city before a single white person should settle on the Snohomish or in our county.

"But the Fraser excitement died out, the city of Whatcom disappeared as quickly as she arose, and hundreds of men, ruined financially, were left on the Sound, unable or ashamed to return to their former homes.

"During the summer of 1859 the proposed Military Road from Fort Steilacoom to Fort Bellingham was worked from Seattle northward across the Snohomish Valley and into the Stillaguamish, being worked some distance north of the Stillaguamish River. After the close of work in the fall, many who had been em- ployed on the road, together with many who had served in the northern battalion, with some returned Fraser River miners, located claims and became the first settlers of the Snohomish; locating their claims upon the Snohomish, and one of its main tributaries the Skykomish River. Nearly all of them are still honored citizens of our county. Among them we can name Alexander Davis, Charles Short, Charles Taylor, John Ross, John Richards, Jacob Foss, and George Kelsey settling on the Snohomish, and Salem A. Woods, Frank Dolan and James Long on the Skykomish. About the same time E. F. Cady, Egbert Tucker and Hiel Barnes came from Steilacoom to Snohomish, Tucker taking what is now John Harvey's claim, opposite Snohomish City, Cady locating what was afterwards Sinclair's claim, Barnes representing E. C. Ferguson and locating for him a claim adjoining Cady's.

"In the April following, E. C. Ferguson came down in person. Snohomish City is now located on the original Cady and Ferguson claims. The Cady, or Sinclair part being known upon the county records as Snohomish City, eastern part; Ferguson's claim becoming the site of Snohomish City, western part.

"Cady was an engineer by trade, commanded a small steam scow, with a very peculiar name, the first steamer regularly run on the Snohomish. He was widely known. The idea of building a city way down on the Snohomish was looked upon with contempt. Most of the people refused to recognize the name of Snohomish City as the proper name of what was a town only by courtesy, giving it the name of Cadyville, after one of its enterprising founders. It is only within the past few years that the growing social and commercial importance of the place has caused the original name of Snohomish City to be universally adopted as the popular name of the place, by people residing at a distance.

"About the same time as the settlement began on the river, in 1859, M. H. Frost, the collector of customs at Port Townsend sent lumber and materials from there to Mukilteo, for the purpose of building a store, hotel, etc., forming a partnership with J. D. Fowler. It was several years afterwards before Mr. Frost moved to Mukilteo. For many years, this was the only store between Seattle and Utsaladdy. They supplied all the settlers, and did a very large business with the Indians. From the admirable location as well as the extensive business carried on at Mukilteo, the place gave promise of becoming in time, one of the leading financial centers of the Sound. After a while other centers of trade developed surrounding Mukilteo and from various causes their trade declined, until a few years since the store was shut up. All the mercantile business had gone elsewhere yet the partnership of Frost and Fowler, perhaps the first, at any rate the oldest business partnership in the county still continues. Their hotel is still a favorite winter resort for loggers during the rainy season. All the steamers going to the Snohomish or to Whatcom County, find Mukilteo a necessary stopping place, so we may expect again to see Mukilteo become an active center of business for the surrounding country.

"In the fall of 1860 a petition was circulated, asking that the Legislature of Washington Territory, would in their wisdom think proper to grant the petitioners' request that all that part of Island County which lies on the main land, between the counties of King and Whatcom, be set aside and incorporated into a separate county, to be called Snohomish.

"This petition was signed by E. C. Ferguson and twenty others. Up to this time, what is now Snohomish County had been included in the boundaries of

Island County, but political influences were at work from other sources, trying to secure a larger representation from this part of the territory in the Legislature, so the bearer of this petition on his way to Olympia learned that "An Act to Create and Organize Snohomish County" had already passed. This act is found in the Territorial statutes of 1861, on page 19, and was approved January 14, 1861.

"The first census of Snohomish County was taken in 1861, at which time there were twenty-five men in the county. I have also examined the first poll book of the first election ever held in Snohomish City. This was held at the residence of E. C. Ferguson, on Monday, July 9, 1860, before Snohomish County was organized. There were seventeen votes polled.

"The officers voted for were Councilman, Representative, Sheriff, Treasurer and Assessor of Island County. Precinct officers elected were: E. C. Ferguson, justice of the peace; Hiel Barnes, constable. The officers of election were Charles Short, Francis Dolan and Salem Woods, judges, and Jacob Summers and E. C. Ferguson, clerks. At the time of the general election held on Monday, July 8, 1861, the first election was held in Snohomish County subsequent to the county organization. From the returns of this election I find there were two election precincts, Mukilteo and Snohomish. There were seventeen votes cast in Snohomish precinct, seven in Mukilteo. The county seat was changed from Mukilteo to Snohomish by this election, where it has since remained. Some of the principal officers elected at this time were E. C. Ferguson, auditor; Charles Short, probate judge; Salem A. Woods, sheriff and assessor and John Harvey, treasurer.

"At this time we might say the settlements here were permanently established and had an independent growth of their own; to be sure there was not a single white woman or child in the county. The Indians were tenfold more numerous than the whites. There was no social organization to be compared with the institutions of civilized life. The men who settled here were scarce a handful in a band of savages, and in many instances were compelled to adopt customs of a barbarous life, yet they were all men who had seen much of the world, were used to being compelled to rely upon their own resources, and the independent spirit of self-reliance they then were compelled to cultivate has always been a marked characteristic of our citizens.

"We give below the names of the persons who have filled some of the different county offices, as well as a selection of statistics, sufficient to illustrate the main features of the development of our county.

"The Auditor's office has been filled by Messrs. Fowler, Ferguson, Clark, Bradley, Packard, Sheridan and Ward, Mr. Ferguson holding the office the greatest number of years of any.

"The Sheriff's office has been occupied by Messrs. Summers, Woods, Dunbar, Siebert and Stretch. Mr. Stretch has filled the office since 1867.

"The Treasurer's office has been occupied by Messrs. Harvey, Walker, Sinclair, Barrett, Packard, Batt and Marks; while Charles Short, W. B. Sinclair, John Barrett, M. W. Packard and R. Haskell have been the probate judges of the county. From the time of the organization of the county, terms of court were held at Port Townsend for this county among others included in that sub-district, until by act of the Legislative Assembly of the territory, approved January 25, 1868, King, Kitsap and Snohomish were made a sub-district, of the Third Ju- dicial District of the Territory, until the last session of the Legislature passed an act creating the District Court of the county of Snohomish. Under this act the first term of this court was held at Snohomish City, the county seat, last March; Judge J. R. Lewis, Chief Justice of the Territory, being the presiding judge.

"The first white family who ever lived on the Snohomish was that of Mr. Thompson ; they stopped a while at the home of Mr. Ferguson. Shortly after, John L. Clark and family settled about a mile below Snohomish City, on what is known as the Little Place. Mr. Clark's name appears on the county records as Auditor for the years 1863-1864. On the 2nd day of May, 1864, W. B. Sinclair, wife and child, with Mrs. Ellis, wife of the superintendent of Amos Phinney and Company, logging interests, came from Port Madison to Snohomish City on the steamer Mary Woodruff. Mrs. Sinclair, now residing among us, is the first white woman who ever came and remained a permanent settler in this county. Up to this date all the settlements made in Snohomish County were made along the Snohomish or its tributaries, around the mouth of the river or in the vicinity of Mukilteo; it was not until the fall of 1864, that any settlements were made on the Stillaguamish River. Henry Marshall came first in October, 1864. A few weeks afterwards, Willard Sly, G. D. Nevill and Daniel Marvin and wife followed. Robert Fulton came during the winter after. No more settlers came there for ten years, when W. B. Moore settled at the Stillaguamish tide flats; he was soon followed by others. Mr. Marvin and family settled some four miles above the mouth of the Stillaguamish, the families settling in that section since have all settled on the tide flats or nearer the mouth; so that Mrs. Marvin, for nearly twelve years past has lived a life of almost complete isolation from her sex, for years at a time not speaking to a single white woman. To patiently endure this, seems to me, requires a greater amount of self sacrifice than usually falls to the lot of our race.

"For the first ten years after the settlement of the county the value of property assessed was very small. Messrs. Frost and Fowler, for years, appeared to be assessed the highest of any of the residents of the county. The land in the vicinity of Mukilteo, being township 27 north of ranges 3 and 4 east, and townships 28 and 29 N. R. 4 east, appear to have been the first surveyed, no title was acquired to this land much before 1863. This section of the country contained some of the best timber land in the county; between 1868 and 1870 most all this land was entered by the Puget Mill Company, their agents or speculators. Perhaps this explains why the business of Mukilteo declined so quickly after this time.

"All the lands above the mouth of the Snohomish have been settled upon in cases where title to the same has been acquired under the Homestead or Preemption laws of the general government; consequently, the original title in all cases is supposed to rest in actual settlers. I find that the first tract of land for which a government title has been acquired on this river, above its mouth, is the preemption claim of E. C. Ferguson; proof being offered in February, 1871. This tract embraces a large part of the town site of Snohomish City. Title to nearly all the land owned by actual settlers on this river and its tributaries has been acquired during the past four years - while on the Stillaguamish few are more than two or three years old. I believe none are more than three years old there, consequently the assessed value of property in the county by the earlier assessment rolls appears

'Perhaps I can not better illustrate the general progress of the different interests of our county than by some selections made from the general census of 1870, as taken by Hon. Edward Eldridge, for this county. Total white inhabitants 529 ; but of this number there were very few families. Nearly all the white women now resident in this county have settled since 1870, there was then one school, with five males and seven females of school age. ,

"The assessed value of property was: real estate, $19,670, personal $118,900; total, $138,570. There was one county pauper, costing $138. per annum, for his support. County indebtedness, $500. During the year ending June 1, 1870, eleven persons died in the whole county. No white women died until after that date; the first one being Mrs. A. Peden, accidentally drowned at the head of Ebey slough. Mrs. M. W. Packard, whe died December 12, 1875, and Mrs. E. Morse, who died March 11, 1876, are the only white women who have ever died in Snohomish County.

"The only kinds of public business noted in the census of 1870, are the Eagle Brewery at Mukilteo and five shingle mill factories, one camp getting out sh:pknees, and fourteen logging camps situated in different parts of the county.

"The cutting and hauling of logs first began about the same time on both the Snohomish and Stillaguamish rivers. Logging had previously been carried on near salt water, but Thomas Runnell's camp, started in 1864, was the first camp ever started on the Stillaguamish. Mr. Record is now logging near the place where Mr. Runnell first started in. Circumstances never favored the development of the logging interests of the Stillaguamish like those of the Snohomish. E. D. Smith has the honor of being the first Snohomish logger; Smith and Wilson starting at Lowell in the fall of 1864. Mr. Smith has logged there nearly ever since, has hauled between 25 and 30 million feet of logs from that place since starting there, is still hauling, and has timber enough to last for years to come. For years Ebey Slough was, besides Lowell, almost the only logging point for the river. It 1s now one of the principal logging centers, more being hauled now than ever before from there, with no signs of exhaustion. At present on the Snohomish and its tributaries there are employed in twenty camps, 237 men and 234 oxen. Off the river there are employed in eight camps, 70 men and 88'oxen. The logging interests of Snohomish being represented by 28 camps, 307 men and 322 oxen. The annual product being 50,000,000 feet of logs, or 40,000,000 feet for the Snohomish Valley alone. Since 1864, nearly 350,000,000 feet of logs have been cut and hauled down the Snohomish River Valley, and upwards of 400,000,000 feet from this valley and the rest of the county; yet our logging interests are still in their infancy. With the rapid development of our logging interests, during the past few years followed an equally rapid development of our commercial and agricultural interests.

"Only about seven years ago steamers began making regular weekly trips from Sound ports to this river. From one steamer a week, a few years ago, we now have four or five weekly to the river.

"There has never been any great excitement or anything to provoke a mushroom growth in this county. It took about ten years for men to learn what the resources of the county really were, when we examine them carefully; it is no wonder that since 1870, when our resources began to be appreciated, our population has more than doubled, that the increase in population has been mainly in families, who have come here to stay; have permanently identified themselves with all local interests and have so rapidly developed our local resources that the total value of property subject to taxation in this county is now nearly fourfold what it was six years ago. Our resources today are scarce developed at all, to what extent may we expect them to be during the next ten years? What will be the picture presented at the next centennial? We may estimate it partly by a general review of our present situation, some of our leading institutions and their development during the past few years.

"The county extends from the north boundary line of township 26 north, Willamette meridian, to the north boundary line of township 32 north, being six townships in width from north to south, and nearly one hundred miles from east to west, from the summit of the mountains to the shore line of the Sound, an area over one-half as great as the State of Connecticut. Besides the wealth of our forests of fir on the highlands, we have agricultural resources second to no region, along our river bottoms, comparatively easy to subdue and of extraordinary fertility. The southern portion of the county is drained by the Snohomish and its tributaries. Its social and business centers are, Snohomish City, the county seat, at the head of tide water navigation, twelve miles from the mouth of the river. Six miles below is situated the Town of Lowell, sustained in part by the extensive logging operations of E. D. Smith; Packwood's Landing on Ebey Slough, and Priest Point on the Tulalip Reservation are also important business centers. The first for the logging camps of the slough; the second as the mooring ground for logs cut on the river, before towing them to the mills.

"The northern portion of the county is drained by the Stillaguamish River, with its great amount of bottom land awaiting the husbandman, and its tideflats, around its mouth, a greater part of which are now reclaimed becoming the most productive land in the world, and forming the garden spot for Snohomish County.

"The first school ever taught in the county was taught by Miss Robie Willard, in 1869, at Snohomish City. In 1870 there were only twelve school children in the county, now there are eight districts, and November last there were 237 children of school age within the county.

"The social and intellectual development of the county has been equally as rapid as the growth of the logging and agricultural interests. The first celebration of the national anniversary ever held on this river was July 4, 1873. The first literary society organized was the Atheneum, which began from $500 capital, in January, 1873, to a tenfold greater value now; containing the best scientific library, and the largest museum in the territory, and destined to exert almost a controlling influence upon the intellectual development of the Puget Sound region. A bare list of some of our other Snohomish institutions is sufficient to indicate fully the nature of the growth and future direction of our progress as a community. Among them are the Snohomish Free Religious Association, Union Presbyterian Church, Snohomish County Agricultural Society, Snohomish Telegraph Company and Snohomish Cemetery Association. The county paper, the Northern Star, started less than six months ago, now has a weekly issue of over 600 copies, well shows the public spirited support given by our people to all local enterprises.

"T have been careful in giving details of early settlement, etc., because most of these details were found in a shape very easily lost. Our Atheneum and other public institutions will preserve full records of what is now taking place for my successor, the next centennial historian, to do full justice to the history we are now

The foregoing, very remarkable, document which comes as an authentic voice from fifty years ago, has been printed here just as it was in the old Northern Star of July 8, 1876, for although it relates to many things in addition to the subject of county government, it is felt that it should be preserved in this volume intact, as written by Eldridge Morse, the first, and for many years thereafter, the only historian of Snohomish County.

Party Politics In 1876

It is not to be supposed that party politics did not exist in Snohomish County before 1876, or that there were no clashes of personal and political ambitions, but it was not until the advent of a newspaper, January 15, 18/6, that there is any record of the political life of the county. Following the Civil war the predominance of the Republican party grew and increased throughout the northern states. Many old soldiers, whose home ties had been broken by the war, and who had gained a fresh taste for adventure, sought homes in the Northwest, and it was not strange that Snohomish became a strongly republican county, nor that it has remained such, with but few exceptions, through all its history. The opposition party, by whatever name it has at different times been known, has served a good purpose, however, as a check upon official extravagance or dishonesty, and as a means of holding the inajority party to a strict accounting. There were strong and able men in both parties in 1876, as well as in 1926, and this fact has made for better government throughout the entire history of the county.

Both parties held conventions at Snohomish, in September, 1876. MM. H. Frost, of Mukilteo, was chairman of the Democratic convention and J. Town, secretary. The call for the convention was signed by T. F. Marks, John Davis and Charles Harriman. M. H. Frost and C. Ferguson were elected as delegates to the territorial convention. Charles Harriman, William Whitfield and F. H. Hancock were nominated for commissioners; H. W. Light for representative, H. Blackman for sheriff, John Swett for auditor, T. F. Marks, treasurer, J. Town, superintendent ; J. T. Cotton, surveyor; Dr. A. C. Folsom, coroner. Precinct officers nominated for Snohomish were J. Davis and J. Town, justices, and Wm. Romines, constable. The new central committee consisted of C. Ferguson, Frost, Light, Low and Buchanan.

The Republican county convention was a more pretentious affair, as became the majority party. The call was signed by M. W. Packard, S. A. Woods and Hugh Ross and delegates were apportioned as follows: Centerville (Stan Wood) three; Mukilteo one; Packwood three; Lowell three; Snohomish eight; Qualco three. FE. C. Ferguson was chairman and O. B. Iverson, secretary of the convention. The delegate roll of these pioneer republicans was E. C. Ferguson, M. W. Packard, Theron Ferguson, H. D. Morgan, A. Hulbert, A. C. Folsom, Hugh Ross, Isaac Cathcart, E. D. Smith, Martin Getchell, John Longfellow, R. D. Hilton, (with proxy for R. Jamieson), M. T. Wight, Salem A. Woods, James P. Austin, P. J. Field, O. B. Iverson, J. H. Irvine and John Rhoades.

M. W. Packard and Edward Shone were elected delegates to the territorial convention which was to be held at Kalama, September 20; and E. D. Smith and Benjamin Stretch, delegates to the district council convention for Snohomish,

Whatcom and Kitsap counties. E. C. Ferguson was declared the first choice of the convention for joint councilman. The county ticket nominated was: representative, O. B. Iverson; sheriff, Benjamin Stretch; auditor, John Swett; probate judge, H. D. Morgan; treasurer, John D. Morgan; commissioners, J. H. Irvine, L. H. Witter and M. T. Wight; superintendent, Hugh Ross; coroner, A. C. Folsom. The new central committee was composed of M. W. Packard, Hugh Ross, O. B. Iverson, Salem A. Woods and E. D. Smith. E. C. Ferguson and N. W. Lakeman, of Whatcom County were the candidates for nomination as councilman; Ferguson winning on the first ballot.

The campaign was not a perfunctory one by any means. Orange Jacobs, of Seattle had a strong antagonist for Congress, in J. P. Judson of Whatcom County, and W. H. White, democrat, proved more than a match for W. A. Inman, republican, for prosecuting attorney. White spoke at Snohomish and Lowell and both Jacobs and Inman spoke at Snohonush. |

W.H. Ward had been appointed auditor, following the disappearance of Sheridan, but the work of the office was performed by Eldridge Morse, who was anxious to devote more of his time to his newspaper venture and who stated that he would resign at once 1f John Swett should be nominated by both parties. This was done and Mr. Swett was elected unanimously. The county commissioner has always played the most difficult role in county government and there was much dissatisfaction with the old board in 1876. This was made manifest at the polls; two of the Democratic candidates being elected.

Election Results, 1876

The canvass of the vote for 1876 showed that the county was republican on national politics. Orange Jacobs, republican, and J. P. Judson, democrat, for Congress, headed the two tickets and for them the vote by precincts was as follows.

In the county the majorities were as follows: Iverson, representative, 43; Ferguson, council, 124; Inman, prosecuting attorney, 1; Swett, auditor, 353; Stretch, sheriff, 89; Morgan, treasurer, 81; commissioners, Whitfield, 59, Harriman, 52, Irvine, 9; probate judge, Morgan, 122; superintendent, Town, 12; surveyor, Cotton; and coroner, Folsom, had no opposition. Ferguson won in the district, for councilman and Iverson was victorious for representative.

Courthouse Moved

In 1876, Shone Bros. (Edward and Kensie) purchased the Riverside Hotel and early in 1876 they made an offer to lease the store room which had been occupied by William Packard, for county offices, together with the use of the hall by the district court, for $100 per year. This offer was accepted and the county records thus changed their location for the third time, the offices of auditor, sheriff and clerk of court occupying the Shone building. Among other items to be noted in the record of 1876 are that the name of Stillaguamish precinct was changed to Centerville and that for the first time, the board designated an "official paper,' naming the Northern Star.

The new commissioners for 1877 were elected as reformers and economists and were antagonistic to some of the county officers. It was, perhaps, to forestall any adverse action by the new board that the old members met in special session on January 3, 1877. The accounts of the auditor W. H. Ward were "examined, settled, declared balanced to date, and his bondsmen released." Cancelled warrants to the amount of $3,503.89 were destroyed. The accounts of Treasurer Marks were also examined. It was found that "all county funds were paid out" but there were balances of $539.33 in the school fund and of $221.54 in the road fund which were turned over to the new treasurer, J. D. Morgan. The balance of $355.25 due the territory was remitted and Marks' bondsmen were released from any further liability. Bonds of the following officials were approved: H. D. Morgan, as probate judge and as justice of the peace; John Swett, auditor; E. C. Ferguson, road supervisor, district No. 11; Frank Matthews, S. Tait, Packwood, and Henry Oliver, justices of the peace; A. Johnson and John McDonald, constables. Additional security was asked on the bonds of Benjamin Stretch, sheriff, W. B. Stevens, constable, and E. D. Smith and M. H. Frost, justices. Among the bills allowed at this session was $64 to E. C. Ferguson for rent of poor house.

The new board met, February 5, 1877, and after electing Charles Harriman, chairman, proceeded to undo some of the work of the special session. As a first move the minutes of that session were laid on the table. Bonds not accepted by the old board were approved. The resignations of H. D. Morgan as probate judge and as justice of the peace were accepted; Royal Haskell being appointed to the first position and Clark Ferguson to the latter. Joseph H. Plaskett was appointed coroner to fill vacancy. As a measure of economy the salary of school superintendent was reduced to the minimum allowed by law, $25, and this was divided, Dr. A. C. Folsom receiving $16.64 and Wm. H. Reeves $7.28.

On the second day of the session E. C. Ferguson filed an affidavit to the effect that the minutes of the January session were incorrect and that the old board had not released the bondsmen of the auditor and treasurer. The minutes were then accepted after the words relating to such release had been stricken out. On motion of William Whitfield, W. M. Tirtlot, the new attorney, was employed to examine the books and county records. The lease with Shone Bros. for the use of a part of the Riverside Hotel for county officers was renewed. This board instituted one permanent reform when it ordered that all bills must be filed before the first day of a session.

W. M. Tirtlot recetved $150 for the report which he filed with the board in May. He found a balance of $98.47 due from Treasurer Marks and that in at least one instance no liquor license had been paid to the county for a period of seventeen months. Unfortunately, for the later historian, this report was not printed in the Northern Star. Editor Morse had been rather free in his criticisms of members of the board and of the courts and they retaliated by having the report published in the Seattle Intelligencer, paying Editor Higgins $28 therefor, and Having the proceedings of the board posted in three places in the county and not published in the county newspaper. A letter from O. B. Iverson to the Star, asking why the minutes were not published, drew a lengthy reply in which the board was bitterly attacked. The board held the Star's charges exorbitant and reduced its bill from $81.60 to $24.75. The report could not have contained very serious charges, however, as satisfactory settlements were made and the bondsmen released.

The board was unable to reduce the tax levy and it was fixed at 21 mills, divided as follows: county 8 mills, territory 4, schools 4, roads 5. The question of taxation of timber lands was already a vital issue and the board received a petition asking that the valuation of these lands be increased.

Census Of 1877

A census taken by Assessor Stretch in 1877 told the following story of the condition of the county. The figures were: Number of dwellings, 219; white males, 635; white females, 328; colored males, 25; colored females, 13; foreign born males, 190; foreign born females, 37; married, 299; unmarried, 342; births during year, 18; marriages during year, 12; school attendance, 150; illiterate adults, 30; total population, 1,001. Adult male citizens, 414. Assessed value resident real estate, $134,455; non-resident, $90,124. Personal property, $106,494. Amount of taxes - county, $2,648.62; school, $1,324.32; territorial, $1,224.39; road, $1,- 655.39; total tax, $6,052.65.

This was the year of the Nez Perce Indian war of which more is related in another chapter. The only action taken by the board relative to this war, which amounted only to a scare so far as the Puget Sound region was concerned, was when, on the request of Capt. J. H. Plaskett, of the Snohomish Volunteer Rifles, requisition was made upon the territorial government for 75 stands of arms, which were not forthcoming. Another noteworthy act of the board was the purchase of a large safe for the county from a San Francisco firm for the sum of $475, gold coin.

County Boundary Changed

By an act of the Legislature, passed November 9, 1877, the boundaries of Snohomish County were redefined and slightly altered. The amended description of the boundary read "to begin at the southwest corner of Whatcom County, thence east to the summit of the Cascades, thence south along the summit to the northeast corner of King County (due east of the northeast corner of township 26, range 4), thence west on north boundary of King County to Admiralty Inlet, north along channel of inlet to entrance Port Susan, including Gedney Island, up the main channel of Port Susan to the mouth of the Stillaguamish River, thence northwest

A law passed by the legislature in 1877 made county scrip acceptable for taxes only in the hands of the one to whom it was issued. This was done to check speculation, but one effect was to lessen its current value. The credit of the county was in a bad way and County Commissioner Irvine estimated that the total tax receipts would not exceed $3,600; not enough to pay court, pauper and election bills, and that the county would have to go into debt for all other expenses. The tax levy was raised to 23 mills of which the county received 8 mills, territory 4, schools 6, and roads 5, and by August, 1878, the funds on hand were in fair shape, the county fund amounting to $1,159.75. Warrants prior to January, 1875, were ordered paid and scrip to the amount of $3,846 was canceled during the year.

Early in the year Doctors Folsom, McCoy and Taggart filed a report with the commissioners to the effect that the house occupied by the poor was totally unfit for occupancy. This led to the making of a contract with T. T. Minor of Port Townsend to care for the poor of Snohomish County at the rate of $1 per day and the three county charges were transported to that place at an expense of $41.50. This was the first of the contracts by which the poor were cared for outside the county, a custom which prevailed for a number of years.

Politics were of an absorbing nature in 1878. By an act, approved November 9, 1877, the Legislature ordered a special election to be held April 9, 1878, to elect delegates to the constitutional convention to be held at Walla Walla on June 11. Col. Chas. H. Larrabee, candidate for delegate for the judicial district, made a canvass, speaking in Snohomish on March 16, but there seems to have been little interest taken as the only mention of the result printed in the Star was a little item reading as follows: "Snohomish County official returns show that for delegate at large, O. F. Gerrish received 33 votes, S. M. Gilmore 60, A. J. Cain 29, E. Eldridge 36, W. A. George 33; delegate for third judicial district, Larrabee 63; this council district, Emory 32, Houghton 29, Calhoun 1."

Constitutional Convention

The constitutional convention met at Walla Walla in June with A, S. Abernethy of Cowlitz County as president and Byron Daniels of Clarke County as secretary. The work of the preparation of the constitution was divided among three standing committees and a constitution was framed and adopted by popular vote at the November election. It was said of this convention that the delegates might safely be said to be the flower of Washington Territory and that they were with hardly an exception fine looking, sedate, thoughtful men. One delegate writing of the convention said "There seems to be a desire on the part of all the delegates to ignore partisan feeling and work harmoniously for the welfare of the people. The hostility that has been manifested east of the mountains against a state government seems to be subsiding, and the prevailing opinion seems to be: If the convention produces a document that will satisfy the people, it will be adopted." Such a document was produced and adopted, but to no avail as statehood was not accorded served as a model for the later constitution in many ways and its adoption also served to solidify the people on both sides of the mountains and thus paved the way for statehood. The non-partisanship shown at the convention was the natural sequence of the non-partisanship which prevailed to some extent at the election, as Mr. Larrabee, a democrat, was elected, unopposed, from the third judicial district.

For this special election in April, 1878, the voting places were: Centerville, house of McLaughlin and McNamara; Qualco, house of Frank Matthews; Snohomish, auditor's office; Lowell, E. D. Smith's; Packwood, William Afflick's; Mukilteo, M. H. Frost's.

The delegates at large elected to this constitutional convention were W. A. George, S. M. Gilmore, Edward Eldridge and O. F. Gerrish; third judicial district, C. H. Larrabee; council district, H. B. Emory.

Election Of 1878

The party conventions were held in August and September, the democrats holding their convention first and placing the following ticket in the field: Representative, H. Blackman; sheriff and assessor, William) Whitfield; auditor, John H. Swett; treasurer, Lot Wilbur; probate judge, E. H. Nicholl; coroner, Doctor Taggart; superintendent, Doctor McCoy. John N. Low was chairman and E. H. Nicholl, secretary of the convention.

There were but thirteen delegates present when the republicans of the county met in convention, Mukilteo, Packwood and Qualco precincts not being represented. The delegates were, from Centerville, J. H. Irvine, J. S. Brown and H. Dewey; from Lowell, George D. Smith and Chas. Pierce; from Snohomish, M. W. Packard, I. Cathcart, H. A. Gregory, E. C. Ferguson, R. Haskell, W. H. Ward, T. Ferguson and J. D. Morgan. Snohomish with eight out of the thirteen delegates had control of the convention. M. W. Packard, I. Cathcart and O. B. Iverson were elected delegates to the territorial convention, which was held at Vancouver. The nominations were: Representative, O. B. Iverson; commissioners, J. H. Irvine, W. H. Ward and C. H. Stackpole; sheriff, J. H. Plaskett; auditor, H. A. Gregory; treasurer, E. C. Ferguson; superintendent, T. W. McCoy; surveyor, W. F. Brown; coroner, Henry Oliver.

The contest between Brents, republican, and Caton, democrat, for delegate to Congress, was the center of interest, outside of the county ticket. The democrats made an active campaign which closed with a rally at Snohomish which was addressed by Maj. G. M. Haller, Judge Burke and Mr. Caton. W.B. Moore was an independent (farmer) candidate for representative. Orange Jacobs was the star speaker for the republicans. There are no figures available as to the returns from this election. It was not the custom of the commissioners to spread the canvass on their minutes, and the Star at this time was in a precarious condition, being published fitfully, from time to time, after periods of suspension, and breathing its last the following May. The result was something in the nature of a Democratic victory, however, for Lot Wilbur defeated E. C. Ferguson. for treasurer, William Whitfield was victorious over John Plaskett for sheriff, and C. H. Stackpole was the only. republican commissioner elected, the others being F. H. Hancock and John Davis, who was elected chairman.

reported them kept "in a neat, proper and systematic manner," but found that the place where such records were kept was wholly unsuitable for the purpose, there being great danger of their destruction by fire. They recommended that a more suitable and safer building be secured for the county offices and also for the court, and further recommended that a jail be built, 'there being no place for the confinement of prisoners in the county."

Courthouse Moved Again

The chief event in county government in 1879 was the removal of the county offices to a new location. Centennial Lodge of the Masonic order was erecting a very ambitious hall, at Snohomish, and the offer was made to lease two rooms for the major county offices, together with a room for commissioners' meetings and for the use of the grand jury, for $150 per year, payable in scrip, to be ready for occupancy March Ist. This offer was accepted and the auditor and clerk were authorized to purchase suitable desks. Thus the county offices made their fourth move. Another event was the return of Judge Haskell to his old Iowa home. He had been judge of the probate court, intermittently for seven years. He took with him a large collection of rocks, plants, timbers, mosses, etc., to exhibit to his friends. He had been in the county since 1871 and was the owner of a good farm near Snohomish. M. W. Packard became probate judge, but he resigned in May, when he was succeeded by J. N. Low, who held the office a year when he was, in turn, succeeded by Lot Wilbur. The tax levy remained at 23 mills in 1879. Upon the suspension of the Northern Star the Seattle Weekly Post was made the official! newspaper of Snohomish County.

NEW DECADE OPENS WITH COUNTY AT LOW EBB - POLITICS IN 1882 - EFFORT TO DIVIDE COUNTY - CAMPAIGN OF 1884¢ - -NEW COURT HOUSE LOCATION - LOCAL OPTION ELECTION - POLITICS OF 1886 - PROSPERITY IN 1887 - NO MARRIAGE LICENSES - HEAVY TAXPAYERS IN 1888 - COURTS KILL LOCAL OPTION LAW - 1888 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN - BOOM DAYS COMMENCE--STATEHOOD APPROACHES - COURT HOUSE BONDS DEFEATED - NEW COURT HOUSE ERECTED - COMMISSIONER DISTRICTS CREATED - -REPUBLICAN REVERSES IN 1890 - "RUFF" HOUSE IN AUDITOR'S OFFICE - NEW COURT HOUSE OCCUPIED - EVERETT TO THE FRONT - EVERETT IN THE SADDLE - FUSION EFFORTS FAIL - CONDITION OF COUNTY AFFAIRS - TURMOIL PREVAILS IN 1893 - DEATH OF T. J. DOOLEY - GROWTH OF POPULISM - ELECTION RESULTS, 1894.

The opening of the new decade of 1880 seemed in a way to belie the bright prospects portrayed by Eldridge Morse in his Centennial history. His newspaper had been forced to suspend, the population of the county had increased but fortytwo from the summer of 1878 to the summer of 1879, and the principal business of the court was said to be "taking judgments on confession and foreclosure of mortgages and loggers' liens." The minutes of the board contribute little of interest for the year 1880 and there is no record of the political activities. At the May term the commissioners let the "poor contract" to Robert Hughes, who offered to care for paupers, while living, at the rate of 85 cents, coin, per head, per day; and to bury them for $15 per head. This was considered better than the offer by Doctor Minor of Port Townsend and the worthy poor were transported back to Snohomish County. The only note as to the presidential election is to be found in the board's order as to voting precincts. The progress of settlement along the Stillaguamish is evidenced by the establishment of a new precinct by that name, and the mining activity is reflected in the creation of a precinct at Silver City. The precincts and voting places were as follows: Centerville, Irvine's hall; Mukilteo, schoolhouse ; Packwood, Packwood's house; Lowell, E. D. Smith; Snohomish, courthouse; Qualco, Harriman schoolhouse; Stillaguamish, Iver Furness; Silver City, Silver City Mining Company's boarding house.

H. D. Morgan was chairman and FE. D. Smith and Thomas Overnell were the other members of the board which took charge of Snohomish County affairs in 1881. The bonds accepted show that William Whitfield was reelected sheriff and Lot Wilbur, treasurer. Other officers were: H. A. Gregory, auditor; C. A. Missimer, superintendent; W. F. Brown, surveyor; A. Hulburt, probate judge. Among the justices whose bonds were approved were L. T. Packwood, A. W. Brewster and D. E. Bartlett. The proposition by E. C. Ferguson to build a jail and lease it to the county for $100 per year was accepted, and, acting on the report of the grand jury another safe was purchased for $750. In August, it was found that the payment of bounties was too heavy a draft on the county treasury and it was repealed. The Indians, particularly, were doing a thriving business in collecting bounties, among them being Pill Chuck Charley, Pill Chuck Jack, Mowitch Sam, Indian Charley, Indian January and Sultan John. These bounties were first offered in 1880 and were, for cougars, $4, bears $2, wildcats 50 cents. The first bounties claimed were as follows: L. Hanson, bear and wildcat, $2.50; Sam Howe, cougar, $4; Charles Stevenson, three bears, $6; Jim Libby, Indian, four bears, $8; Indian George, four bears, $8; Captain Sam, Indian, one bear, $2; J. E. Getchell, two bears, one wildcat, $4.50.

Politics In 1882

In 1882 the Snohomish Eye was established and since that time there has been one or more newspapers published in the county, their reports lending human interest to the bare skeleton of official records. In county government, H. D. Morgan and E. D. Smith, who were the commissioners present at the February session, decided that the bond of H. A. Gregory was insufficient after John Stafford, Ulmer Stimson and S. M. Knapp had withdrawn from it. Unable to furnish additional bondsmen, Mr. Gregory tendered his resignation as auditor and J. H. Plaskett was appointed in his stead. At the May session the tax levy was fixed at 2314 mills and the poll tax was increased to $4, the added $2 being for bridge purposes. The Eye began publication in May and was at once made the official newspaper and from its columns can be drawn something of the politics of the times. According to the official call, Snohomish County was entitled to but three delegates to the territorial Republican convention; King County had nine and Whatcom County five, showing the relative population. H.G. York, presided at the Republican county convention and C. A. Missimer was secretary. Delegates to the territorial convention were Stretch, Jackson and D, O. Pearson. E. C. Ferguson was a candidate, but was defeated, practically for the first time in the history of Snohomish County politics. That he was not unpopular, however, was witnessed by the fact that he was endorsed, and later nominated, for the council. The county ticket consisted of Benjamin Stretch, sheriff; J. H. Plaskett, auditor; Isaac Cathcart, treasurer; J. G. Swafford, probate judge; Dr. M. A. Eddy, superintendent ; J. P. Anderson, surveyor; Christian Taftzon, coroner. The new central committee consisted of one from each precinct and was as follows: Harbitz, Stillaguamish ; C. Taftzon, Centerville; S. S. Hassard, Mukilteo; J. G. Swafford, Lowell; S. T. Packwood, Packwood; H. G. York, Snohomish; Charles Stackpole, Qualco.

The call for the Democratic convention was made by William Whitfield, chairman, and J. Van Bowen, secretary, of the county committee. The nominations were: Sheriff, John Swett; treasurer, Lot Wilbur; auditor, William Whitfield; probate judge, H. Blackman; superintendent, Mrs. L. W. J. Bell; surveyor, J. Van Bowen; commissioners, T. S. Adams, Clark Ferguson and Isaac Peer. Blackman later withdrew. The new Eye charged that a "ring" controlled the Republican nominations and supported a portion of the Democratic ticket. The People's party was a new applicant for the voters' favor and it also held a convention over which H. D. Morgan presided, with C. A. Missimer as secretary. It also denounced the "ring," nominated Missimer for surveyor and W. W. Howard, who withdrew, for sheriff, and endorsed the candidacies of Plaskett, Wilbur and Swafford. E. Black- man, G. G. England and C. A. Missimer formed the central committee. The total vote of the county at the November, 1882, election was 500. T. H. Brents, republican, for Congress, received a majority of 144. James Power of Whatcom County was given 111 majority for joint councilman, and It. C. Ferguson received a like majority for joint representative. Both were elected; Powers by 258 and Ferguson by 83. This was a republican year in the county, the entire ticket being elected with the exception of Mrs. Bell, superintendent, and Clark Ferguson, commissioner. The majorities were: Plaskett, auditor, 88; Stretch, sheriff, 183; Cathcart, treasurer, 27; Mrs. Bell, superintendent, 114; Swafford, probate judge, 181; Anderson, surveyor, 41, plurality.

Clark Ferguson, chairman, John Rhoads and Granis Austin composed the board of commissioners for 1883, and aside from road and bridge work the proceedings were almost without interest. The tax levy was reduced to 21% mills, distributed as follows: Bridge 2 mills, county 8, schools 6, roads 3, territory 2%. For the first time the sheriff was permitted to employ a jailer. Robert Hughes found the poor contract unprofitable and once more the paupers were sent outside the county, this time to the Sisters of Providence Hospital at Seattle. An odd entry in the record of the board for November, 1883, is as follows: "It appearing to the board that the sallery of the prosecuting attorney was placed too low at the May term of the board, it 1s ordered that the yearly sallery be placed at $67." The salary fixed at the May term was $62.50, but it was not as meagre as it would seem, for the prosecuting attorneyship was a district office and Snohomish County paid but a portion of the salary. The growth of the county was making the liquor business more profitable and the receipts from licenses at the November session amounted to $2,481.

It was during this year that Skagit County was separated from Whatcom, and there was much agitation in the north part of the county to have the north tier of townships taken from Snohomish and added to Skagit. The north part of the county felt that it was discriminated against in the matter of roads and _ outmaneuvered in politics by Snohomish interests. No boats plied between the Snohomish and the Stillaguamish rivers, and the only means of reaching the county seat from Stillaguamish points was via Seattle. The round trip, allowing any time for the transaction of business, required five days. The only alternative was to find one's way through the trackless woods, on foot, by the aid of a compass. This condition persisted until the advent of the railroads and was one of the contributing causes which led to the removal of the county seat to Everett. D. O. Pearson relates that he had this separation in mind one day when he set out in his canoe to confer with Skagit County leaders upon the subject. He had gone but a little way down the river when he saw a canoe coming up. The occupant was James Power, of LaConner, a candidate for councilman, coming to see Pearson on the same business. It was agreed that the north part of the county should support Power, who should in return try to get the Stillaguamish Valley included in the new County of Skagit. The bill passed one branch of the territorial Legislature, but E. C. Ferguson, an old and experienced member was able to accomplish its defeat. 'The Snohomish Eye, later, published a statement to the effect that it was the election of Ferguson which kept Snohomish County intact at this time.

Campaign Of 1884

1884 was a year of great political activity. Nationally the administration of President Arthur had not proved popular, times were hard, and there was a spirit of unrest, which, together with republican dissention, led to the election of Grover Cleveland. Locally there was growing antagonism between the north and south parts of the county and there was a bitter fight between the friends and enemies of the sheriff, Benjamin Stretch. larly in the year, occurred the death of Dr. John Rhoades, one of the county commissioners, and James L. Kent of Stillaguamish was appointed in his stead. This appointment served to stir political activity. The liquor question was an issue and when the commissioners reduced the license on the plea of hard times made by liquor dealers, their action drew forth a sarcastic petition asking relief for the merchants who were also hard times sufferers. The minutes of the board at this time show an entry of $63.75, paid the probate judge for "advertising drunks." The tax levy stood at 211% mills, with two poll taxes; one the regular poll tax of $2, the other a road poll tax of $4. The heaviest taxpayers in the county were Blackman Bros., showing the growth of the logging industry.

The Republican convention held at Snohomish early in September may well be described as a "red-hot affair," with the opponents of Stretch the victors. The delegation to the territorial convention consisted of the veteran, E. C. Ferguson, a new lawyer by the name of Sam H. Piles, E. M. Allen and Mrs. C. A. D'Arcy, a delegate from Centerville and the first woman ever sent to a territorial convention by Snohomish County. She was one of two women delegates to this convention, and her name must go down in history as one of the pioneers of women's political activity in Washington. 'The law for the first time permitted women to vote and they were quite active in the campaign, 87 women casting their votes in Snohomish precinct. 'Soon after, the law was declared unconstitutional by the omnipotent supreme court.

For county offices the republicans nominated J. H. Plaskett by acclamation, but there was a hard fight against the renomination of Isaac Cathcart for treasurer and he defeated Hilton, his opponent, by a bare eight votes. The battle royal came over the nomination for sheriff, W. W. Howard beating the unbeatable Stretch by twelve votes. The balance of the ticket was: Probate judge, J. W. Hulburt; surveyor, A. M. Hawkins; coroner, S. J. Burns; superintendent, Mrs. E. C. Granger; commissioners, P. A. Peterson, H. W. Il[man and D. F. Sexton.

The democrats nominated William Whitfield for sheriff; R. M. Folson, auditor ; J. H. Swett, treasurer; E. Boesch, probate judge; D. W. Craddock, superintendent; John Nailor, surveyor; and William Deering, coroner. Both conventions were larger than heretofore as eight new precincts had been created. These were:

Marysville - Home of J. P. Comeford; officers, James McBride, David A. Quinn and J. P. Comeford. The precinct at Packwood's landing was discontinued.

Even before the regular party conventions there were signs of a political upheaval in the north part of the county. Conferences were held and a mass convention was called to meet at the store of D. O. Pearson, at Centerville, on September 6. This was to a large extent a pro-Stretch movement. In the Eye's report of this convention the place of meeting is designated as "Stanwood," the new name for Centerville. The gathering was well attended, chiefly by residents of the Stilaguamish Valley. The "rings" of both old parties were heartily denounced and a ticket was nominated consisting of B. Stretch, sheriff and assessor; Robert Folsom, auditor; J. G. Swafford, probate judge; Mrs. E. C. Granger, superintendent; H. H. Ames, surveyor; P. A. Peterson, Charles Harriman and S. S. Murphine, commissioners. This ticket contained the names of three who had been nominated by the republicans and three named by the democrats, thus making portions of each party neutral, if not friendly to the third party movement. Before this convention was held the grand jury had made report following a probe of Mr. Stretch's official acts as assessor. It found Stretch guilty of "culpable neglect of duty, but are not able to say it was willful." With this report as a matter of campaign discussion the three cornered fight for sheriff was an exceedingly warm one. Political antagonists of Mr. Stretch of that day, years later admitted that he was no worse than the other politicians of his time. As assessor and sheriff he was able, and did, show many favors - favors which often meant very much to the settlers who were almost universally poor. That the favors were widespread and had made him more friends than enemies was shown by his election, in spite of the grand jury report and the fact that his own party had repudiated him, by a plurality of 130. This was at a time, too, when party feeling ran high. Snohomish was said to have looked "like a market day" when J. M. Armstrong came up on the steamer Josephine to address the republicans, an unprecedented crowd of 600 being present and the brass band being called into requisition. S. H. Piles and E. C. Ferguson were other speakers at this "grand rally." An event which had some bearing on the campaign, as creating sympathy, was the death by drowning in the Skykomish River of Philip Illman, a brother of the candidate for commissioner, who was unable to save his brother's life in spite of gallant efforts, when their canoe struck a snag.

The county went Democratic on the head of the ticket, C. S. Voorhees, for Congress, carrying the county by 158 and J. T. Ronald receiving a majority of 23 for prosecuting attorney. C. E. Ferguson, republican, and Walter Crockett, democrat, were tied for the council, each receiving 506 votes. Ferguson received a majority of 497 in Whatcom County, and was elected. Charles Terry, republican, was elected representative in the district. In the county the candidates endorsed by the independents or named by them, were victorious. H. W. Illman, Charles Harriman and P. A. Peterson were elected commissioners. Other results were: Probate judge, J. G. Swafford, Ind., 165 majority; sheriff, B. Stretch, Ind., 130 plurality ; auditor, J. H. Plaskett, Rep., 190; treasurer, I. Cathcart, Rep., 492; sur- veyor, A. M. Hawkins, Rep., 355; superintendent, Mrs. E. C. Granger, Rep., 81; coroner, William Deering, Dem., 220. The proposition to tax church property carried in the county by 292.

The total vote of Snohomish County at this election was 1,019 and the vote by precincts is given as serving to show the distribution of population in 1884. The vote was: Snohomish City 341, (the eighteenth largest in the state, Seattle being first with a total vote of 3,218), Sultan 39, Park Place 53, Qualco 63, Pilchuck 45, Lowell 63, Marysville 76, Edmonds 17, Port Susan 24, Stanwood 124, Florence 62, Stillaguamish 44, Kent's Prairie 31. The vote was heavy as it was a presidential year, and a number of women voted. As an aftermath of the election the Eye asserted that the election of Ferguson frustrated a "plot" to have the two northwest townships of the county annexed to Skagit and it was announced that as the result Marysville was encouraged to make an effort to secure the county seat.

The year 1885 was marked by great turmoil in county affairs. The times were hard and tax payments slow, the Snohomish Eye was "at outs" with the sheriff and the commissioners and was continually stirring the troubled waters, the county was badly in debt and taxes were, as always, considered too high.

Orchard trees 17,000, valuation $604,362. Tax levy 19 mills, population, estimated, 2,150. School districts 17, school houses 13, school children 668.

Under instructions from the judge, the grand jury made an investigation of county affairs in March, 1885. It found "some discrepancies" but said that for lack of time it had made no thorough examination. The report stated that county affairs were not in a satisfactory condition; that more delinquent taxes might well be collected ; that in some instances taxes on delinquent list were receipted for; that there were $23,000 in warrants outstanding with accrued interest of $4,200. It concluded, ""We have no jail, no roads, no good schoolhouses, no courthouse - but $27,000 debt. Schools are closed for lack of funds." The grand jurors held that "a little more diligence' might be used and recommended the erection of a jail as the building used was "not fit for violent prisoners."

At this time county warrants stood at 75 cents on the dollar. The tax levy was 2234 mills, plus poll taxes of $2.00 and $4.00. The board refused, however, to assess timber lands at more than $2.50 per acre, although urged to do so by petition. The commissioners did, however, pass a resolution recommending economy, and practiced it by appointing the auditor as county purchasing agent and having the proceedings of the board posted at Snohomish, Park Place and Florence instead of publishing them in the county newspaper. Both these acts were directed more against the Eye and its editor than in the interests of economy, and out of the appointment of a "purchasing agent" grew troubles which were to affect the county seriously in later years.

New Courthouse Location

The county offices were at this time housed in scattered locations about Snohomish. The auditor, clerk and probate judge were in the Masonic Building, the sheriff's office was over the Wilbur drug store, the treasurer's office was in Cathcart's Hotel and the county rented what was held as a very poor excuse for a jail from E. C. Ferguson. The total rents paid amounted to $382 per year. It was now proposed by the Masons and Odd Fellows, jointly, that they would house all these offices and provide a better jail for $300 a year, and this offer was accepted. The license fee was raised to $300 and again the minutes of the board show an item of $18.40 in favor of the probate judge for "advertising chronic drunks."

The attacks of the opposition were bitter throughout the year and centered upon Sheriff Stretch, Treasurer Cathcart and E. C. Ferguson. The Eye published one "expose" after another. Early in the year, Cathcart, who was not only county treasurer, but logger, merchant and hotelkeeper, with bar attached, became involved in a lawsuit, when a horse he raffled was won by his barkeeper. This case was to be tried before a jury, but was non-suited by the justice on the ground that the "plaintiff has failed to prove a sufficient cause for a jury." S. H. Piles was attorney for the plaintiff and, according to the Eye, much indignation was felt in the community over the court's action. Among other things, Sheriff Stretch and Probate Judge Swafford were accused of arresting Indians on flimsy charges, in order to collect fees. Finally the Eye accused Stretch of being short in his accounts to the extent of $2,000. This brought matters to a head and in August the commissioners instituted two suits against the sheriff for $2,711.73 not properly accounted for according to the allegations. In November the board ordered the sheriff to post $5,000 bond as tax collector and requested him to compare tax rolls with the auditor each month. Stretch promptly secured the added bond, which amounted to $4,000.

The list of justices' bonds approved by the board in February, 1885, gives at least a partial record of the early dispensers of justice throughout the county. They were: John V. Bowen and J. G. Swafford, Snohomish; J. D. Morris, Marysville ; Charles Villeneuve, Centerville; T. S. Adams, Port Susan; S. H. Giddings, Florence; Fred W. Koch, Stillaguamish; Dennis Brigham, Lowell; G. T. Sorenson, Park Place; Isaac Peer, Qualco; Don W. Evans, Sultan.

Early in 1886, the commissioners decided to divorce the offices of sheriff and assessor and George James was appointed assessor, with bond fixed at $2,500. This appointment was contested by Stretch and his loyal friends, who were many throughout the county, and in May Judge Greene decided the appointment of James illegal and the office of assessor was restored to Stretch. According to a settlement made with the treasurer, in August, the sum of $2,485.51 was due the county from the assessor. Mr. Stretch never admitted this shortage and upon his retirement from office settled with the county in full, a much smaller amount being due, arising largely from errors and showing no intent to defraud the county. Nevertheless, it was in an atmosphere filled with these charges and countercharges that the republicans of Snohomish County entered the campaign of 1886.

Local Option Election

Another matter which complicated the political situation was the local option election which took place in June. Under the law. it was obligatory on the board of commissioners to call an election in those precincts from which a sufficient petition was presented demanding one. The newly organized Knights of Labor circulated the petition in Snohomish and soon sufficient petitions were received from Pilchuck, Qualco, Sultan, Florence and Lowell. Preliminary to this election the commissioners redistricted the county as to voting precincts, the new ones added being Fernwood, Beecher Lake, Portage, and Wallace, making a total of eighteen precincts in the county. This local option election was very warmly contested, especially in Snohomish, where the vote was close. Party lines were broken and there was intense feeling on both sides. The vote was as follows:

The outcome was a great surprise insofar as Snohomish was concerned, one immediate result being the publication of a notice by Isaac Cathcart to the following effect: "Through the action of the local option voters, I am compelled to shut down all of my business in Snohomish for an indefinite period. Call and settle. Isaac Cathcart." Mr. Cathcart soon thought better of this, as is evidenced by the fact that he did not withdraw from business in Snohomish. With saloons and bars flourishing in the major part of the county this local option was particularly diffcult to enforce and soon gave rise to a large number of illicit vendors who knew no law and no restraint in making sales. In December, the grand jury reported many violations and said children were seen drinking on the streets of Snohomish, but that owing to public opinion it was impossible to get evidence that would secure conviction. The jury blamed both the officers and the people. In a short time the law was utterly disregarded in Snohomish and other parts of the county, the local option liquor dealers having an advantage, in fact, in that they paid no license. Soon after the local option election the county refunded $328.30 to dealers who had paid in advance for licenses which were annulled by the election. -

Politics Of 1886

The republican county convention of which S. Vestal was chairman and J. H. Plaskett was secretary, consisted of thirty-two delegates and was in contro! of the Ferguson-Stretch-Cathcart forces by the narrow margin of seventeen to fifteen. J. Kreischal represented the new Lake Beecher precinct in which no primary had been held. Stretch, sheriff; Cathcart, treasurer, and Plaskett, auditor, were re- nominated. The democrats placed a complete ticket in the field, pitting Cyphers against Stretch, Craddock against Plaskett and Knapp against Cathcart. The new People's party held a convention at Marysville, but contented itself with nominating D. O. Pearson of Stanwood for representative and endorsing Wm. Ewing for the council. Charles Harriman had resigned as commissioner early in the year, his successor, by appointment, being F. E. Phelps.

The result of the election was a sweeping victory for the democrats and a new regime in Snohomish County politics; E. C. Ferguson being the only one of the old-timers who ever regained a hold in county politics. The results were as follows:

An entirely new board of commissioners was elected, the new members being N. P. Leque, chairman, Don W. Evans and C. D. Lloyd. A. Leamer, who was nominated for assessor, a new office, for the first time separated from that of sheriff, died at Stanwood during the campaign, about three weeks before the election, and Larson was named to fill the vacancy on the ticket.

D. W. Craddock, the new auditor, came to Snohomish County from Kansas, in 1876, worked in the logging camps until 1881 by which time he had saved enough to enable him take a two years' course at Washington University, after which he returned to the county, being employed as a civil engineer and a teacher. He de-. feated Plaskett, who had been in the county twelve years as a merchant and who had been auditor, first by appointment and twice by election. Sewell M. Knapp, the new treasurer, came from Maine, in 1876, and had been active as a logger, clerk and farmer.

Aside from this political strife and road work the year 1886 was unimportant as to the events of county government. The routine of the commissioners' work is, perhaps, well illustrated by the rather plaintive entry in the minutes for February 3: "The rest of the day was occupied in hearing complaints of Robert Parker." However, on the same day, the board received a telegram from the county superintendent telling that timber was being cut on school lands and P. A. Peterson was appointed to investigate, with what results the record does not disclose. The county's poor, who had been sojourning in the county for a year, were sent back to Seattle to be cared for by the Sisters of Providence, at 7414 cents per day, per head. The receipts from 1885 taxes amounted to $18,750.04 and the liquor licenses to $3,100, and the tax levy was reduced 4 of a mill. One saving was made when it was ordered that all warrants which had remained uncalled for for six years should be cancelled. The assessed valuation of the county increased $56,000 during the year, the total reaching $755,543.

Prosperity In 1887

Snohomish County was much too busy in 1887 to pay much attention either to politics or to county government. It was the first year of real railroad building. The Seattle and West Coast Railway was incorporated the first of the year, and the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern was already in the field. The county was filled with workmen; surveyors, graders, tracklayers and promoters. Their demands helped the lumber industry and also afforded the farmers a good market for their products, and also for their land if it chanced to be on the right-of-way. 1887 was, therefore, the most prosperous the county had ever known, and just as hard times breed discontent and direct attention towards problems of government, so the good times gave the people other matters to think about. The county felt so rich that bounties were restored at increased rates, these being: For cougars, panthers and wolves, $5; bears, $3; wild cats, $1.50; muskrats, 10 cents.

The Supreme Court decision by which women were deprived of the ballot was made in March, 1887, and called for much indignant comment both on the part of men and women. Mrs. H. W. Illman, of Sultan, wrote to the Eye, denouncing this decision and saying that it was because the women had defeated the whisky ring at the last election. She added, "by this infamous decision of Judges Langford and Turner, the white women of Washington Territory have been put on an equality with Chinese, insane, convicts and full-blooded Indians."

The problem of the poor again confronted the board and the five unfortunates who lived on the bounty of the county were brought back from Seattle and placed under the care of Charles Short, who offered to give them board, lodging, clothing, medical and surgical attention and washing for 83 cents per day, and to bury them for $15.00.

No Marriage Licenses

The auditor's statement showed tax receipts of $21,562 and warrants outstanding, $27,512, with $4,395 accrued interest. This indebtedness was not a cause of dismay, however, as valuations and population were increasing rapidly, in fact everything was so rushing that, before he knew it, the auditor ran out of blank marriage licenses and two eager couples were obliged to wait until the supply could be replenished through a rush order to Seattle. This feeling of prosperity was felt to be justified by the figures given out at the close of 1887. The total valuation of the county was placed at $1,052,323; an increase of more than $300,000 during the year. Within two years the population had almost doubled, standing at 1,581 in 1885, and at 3,138 in 1887. This was a gain of 200 per cent over 1878, when the population was 1,042. The progress of agriculture was shown by the increasing acreage of farmlands on the assessor's rolls, the number of acres assessed being:

The valuation of these farmlands, in 1887, was $711,942, which would indicate that the farmer and landowner paid about seven-tenths of the taxes.

Heavy Taxpayers In 1888

The above list contains the names of all who paid taxes to the amount of $50 or more in 1888. It will be noted that the lumber interests were first in the list and that Blackman Bros. were the heaviest resident taxpayers. It will be seen, also, that at this time no railroad paid any taxes into the county treasury. With the - oncoming tide of prosperity, warrants stood at par for the first time in the county's history.

Courts Kill Option Law

The decision by the Supreme Court that the local option law was unconstitutional because a voting precinct was not a municipal corporation, brought added money to the county through licenses which were fixed at $300. There were six saloons at Snohomish, two at Stanwood and one at Marysville. Fire destroyed the residence of Charles Short, in which the poor of the county were housed, in February, 1888, but none of the inmates were injured and they were soon provided for elsewhere. The improved finances, the increased county business and_ the growing dilapidation of the jail, brought about renewed agitation for a courthouse building, and the May grand jury, of which R. V. Thomkins was foreman, declared the county jail unfit, recommended a new building and ordered that no more prisoners be confined in the old jail. This imposed much expense and inconvenience to the county, for railroad work was being pushed and hundreds of laborers were imported with the usual accompaniments of immorality and license.

Politically, the republicans had learned a lesson from their drubbing at the preceeding election. They also held the tactical advantage of being on the offensive, as the democrats held all the major county offices, and the republicans were aided by the enthusiasm of their national campaign in which Benjamin Harrison was elected President. The democrats renominated Cyphers for sheriff, Craddock for auditor and Knapp for treasurer, with I. N. Mudgett of Snohomish, W. R. Stockbridge of Stanwood and James Roberts of Park Place for commissioners. One new man on their ticket destined to become a strong factor in the affairs of Northwestern Washington, was J. R. Winn, a young lawyer, who, however, was named as a candidate for superintendent. C. S. Voorhees again headed the Democratic ticket as candidate for delegate to Congress and J. B. Allen was the Republican nominee. J. B. Ault was placed on the republican ticket for the Council, to fill a vacancy. The Eye, which had bolted the greater part of the republican ticket in 1886, gave its support to the party nominees, but democracy had a champion in the newly established Snohomish Sun, which was expected to ''put the Eye on the blink," as one enthusiast predicted. It was a year of much oratory and of campaign hats - G. G. England and H. F. Jackson being the proud wearers of the first Harrison hats in the county.

The election resulted in a complete republican victory, with majorities averaging over 300. The successful candidates and their majorities were as follows:

Office Majority

Craddock, for auditor was, as the returns show, the most popular candidate on the democratic ticket, but even he was unable to stem the tide of republican enthusiasm and harmony. The Eye, which had celebrated republican defeat in 1886 with screaming cartoons, jubilated exuberantly over the "setting Sun" of democracy. It was in August, prior to this election that the Supreme Court confirmed the decision that the equal suffrage amendment to the Washington constitution was unconstitutional.

It was just at the close of December, 1888, that the first political machinery was set in motion in the effort to have Washington admitted into the sisterhood of states. Sk.ort notice was given, but the republicans met at the Odd Fellows Hall at Snohomish and sent E. C. Ferguson, H. C. Comegys, W. P. Bell and E. Blackman as Snohomish County delegates to the convention to select delegates to the Territorial Admission Convention.

Boom Days Commence

The year 1889 was the very heydey of the old regime in Snohomish County. Business was good. The valuation of the cotinty increased $300,000 within the year. Snohomish was changing from a country village to the aspects of a city. Railroad lines were building and more were being planned. The population of the county, not including some 500 said to have been occupying unsurveyed lands to the East and the small army of transient workmen, exceeded 6,000. There was none of the tremendous excitement and fevered speculation which boomed and later devastated such towns as Anacortes and Fairhaven (later South Bellingham), but there was good substantial growth and splendid business. It was the year of statehood, the year of railroads and prosperity, the year of the Seattle fire, which created a great temporary demand for lumber and labor and supplies. The farmer found a greater market than he could supply at good prices. The laborer arrived, for almost the first time in Puget Sound history, at the point where the job was seeking the man, not the man the job. Hopeless holders of town lots suddenly saw their properities becoming of value, and they dreamed of wealth. Above all things it was a paradise for politicians. |