Okanogan County, Washington - Chapter 1: First Exploration and Early History, 1904

David Thompson was the first white man to descend the northern portion of the Columbia river. He was connected with the Northwest P'ur Company. Thompson arrived at The Dalles in July, 1811. An expedition for the exploration of the northern Columbia had been arranged which was to be commanded by David Stuart. The appearance of Thompson delayed this expedition eight days, but it was finally settled that Stuart should proceed on his journey northward, and July 23, 181 1, he, with four clerks. Pellet, Ross, Montigny and McLennan, four boat men, Thompson and his crew and a couple of Indians set forth on their hazardous trip. They were provided with light canoes and these craft carried sails as well as paddles. Thus was organized the first commercial enterprise on this portion of the waters of the Columbia ri\er. It had teen decided that Thompson should continue on northeasterly to Montreal, and by him Mr. McDougall, in command of the post at The Dalles, sent forward a letter to John Jacob Astor.

For some distance up tiie river Stuart and Thompson remained in company. But finally the latter cast loose from the convoy of canoes and passed on ahead, leaving Stuart and his fellow voyagers to proceed more leisurely on the route. It was a part of Stuart's plan to spy out a location for a new fort in the wilderness for the Northwest Company. As the party continued the ascent of the magnificent river they reached a broad, treeless prairie surrounded by a number of elevations which, without gaining the distinction of mountains, could be termed with propriety exceedingly high hills. Tali, rich grass was in abundant growth. To the southeast the landscape was open and expansive, but closed in on the north by a dense forest of pine and fir. It was fragrant with flowers and musical with the clear bell-notes of bird life. And down from the lakes far to the north coursed a cool stream which the natives called the O-kan-a-kan, or Okanogan in the modern acceptance of its orthography. At this point it joined its waters with those of the Columbia, and near here is now located the town of Brewster. On the east bank of the Okanogan, five miles above its mouth, Stuart located his fort, post or factory, as the place was subsequently recognized by all tliese names.

pute and uncertainty with Chinook authorities. Father E. de Rouge, who for more than twentyyears has been among the Indians and has made a special study of their nomenclature, asserts that the proper word is not Okanogan at all, but Okanakan. He advances three good reasons for this i^osition: First, the Indians invariably use the "kan" or "kain" sound; second, there is no letter "g" or sound answering to "g" in the Indian dialect; third, in the formation of new Indian words, and after the analogy of the Greek, two words or roots are used. The last two letters of the hrst and the first two letters of the last are dropped and the words are then amalgamated.

In Okanogan the first three syllables are the first part of the word meaning "nothing," and the last is the remnant of "zasekan," meaning "head;" from which the true significance of Okanogan or Okanokan is found to be "head-of-nothing." p^ather de Rouge is unable to account for the application of the word to the river and says it is simply a custom of the Indians to attach words to things without reference to the fitness thereof. It is probable that the river having its source in a lake, so far as the knowledge of these Indians goes, may explain the origin of the name.

"The English meaning of the word 'Okanikane,' - Okanogan, as it is now spelled - is 'rendezvous,' and was given to the head of the Okanogan river, where it takes its source in the lake of the same name. It is here that the Indians from all parts of the Territory, British Columbia and even Alaska, meet for the annual 'potlatch,' even to this day (1888) and lay in their supply of fish and game. The word 'Sooyos,' which has been corrupted to O Sooyos, means 'narrows,' and here are the grandest fishing grounds in the Pacific Northwest. 'Conconully,' also a corrupt Indian name, means 'cloudy," but was applied to the lower branch of the Salmon river. The proi)er Indian name for the valley where Conconully lies is Sklow Outiman, which means 'money hole,' so named on account of the abundance of beaver to be caught there in the early days, and beaver skins were money to the Indians then."

Here, then, was the original interior fort of the company, a post antedating that of "Fort" Colville by some fifteen years. As Mr. Bancroft says : "It was the stopping place of the overland brigade, and in due time became the chief station for the deposit of furs from the New Caledonian district." For a "factory" of this description there were few locations more favorable throughout the great northwest. The climate was unsurpassed ; Indians friendly ; horses in abundance; the rivers alive with fish ; the adjacent forest abounding in many varieties of toothsome game. The trend of the Okanogan northward pro\ided access to that valuable fur-producing country; to the westward a natural highway, the Columbia, lay open to the sea. The first structure erected by Stuart was a log house 16x20 feet in size, built from driftwood caught in the bend of the river. Then he reduced his force by sending Pellet and McLennan back to Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia, where they arrived safely October 15, 181 1.

Naturally an Indian dearly loves a trading post. And it was through the mediums of trading posts that the all-pervading Hudson's Bay and Northwest Companies retained their strong controlling hold on the North American red men. The natives in the vicinity of this fort were intelligent, friendly and pleased to assist in every way in their power the establishment of the post. Having erected the log structure, Stuart, having great confidence in the Indians, decided to leave the station in charge of Ross, without one white companion, while he and Montigny and the two boatmen pushed' on northward. This daring expedition was successfully accomplished ; Ross continued his solitary vigil throughout the winter of 1811-12.

"During Mr. Stuart's absence of 188 days I liad procured 1,550 beavers, besides other peltries worMi in the Canton market two thousand two hundred and fifty pounds sterhng-, and which on an average stood the concern in but five and one-half pence apiece, valuing the merchandise at sterling cost, or in round numbers, thirty-five pounds sterling; a specimen of our trade among the Indians."

Thus, as concisely as possible is presented a historical record of the earliest exploration, by white men, of the 5.318 square miles now contained within the modern limits of Okanogan county. Of course in those early days no geographical division lines were known, nor for many years thereafter was any attempt made to separate territory into county limitations. Eventually what is now Okanogan became, together with other vast territory east of the Cascades, Spokane, and subsequently Stevens county.

In the religious field of Okanogan county the original pioneer was Reverend Father De Smet. In his celebrated letters he speaks of having gone up the Okanogan river, and even penetrating to Okanogan lake, in British Columbia, and returning. This was as early as 1839. The Colville Mission had previously been established by Father De Smet, and it was from this point, now in Stevens county, that he and other Catholic priests came westward. Gradually the Indians of the Okanogan country came under the beneficent influence of these religious people, and many of them joined the church. It is the testimony of Father de Rouge, now at the head of St. Mary's Mission, that as a rule these Indians were good, honest people, and that any old settler might leave his cabin for days at a time without the least danger of loss of property.

It was in the fall of 1885 that Father de Rouge arrived at the Okanogan river where he built a home and a small chapel. The ruins of these primitive edifices may yet be seen. At this period the father claims that the Indians were inveterate gamblers, but that within one year the greater majority of them had abandoned the practice. Later, in 1889, a log chapel was built at Omak, at the head of the lake of that name, east of the Okanogan river, in the "South Half" of the Colville Indian reservation. This was the inception of St. Mary's Mission, which, in charge of Father de Rouge, has become one of the educational institutions for the use of Indians in the state of Washington. It was in 1889 that the father returned from France with some money collected abroad, and with this nucleus he placed the mission in the field.

It is the testimony of Father de Rouge that the site of St. Mary's Mission had already been selected by Father de Grassi, who is described as a true missionary who did much for the people then in the country, whites as well as Indians. Having no house and no church Father de Grassi was accustomed to travel from Yakima to Colville with a pack horse, stopping for short periods at any points where Indians were gathered for the purpose of imparting instruction to them. In this manner Father de Grassi claimed that he had lived on an outlay of not over $20 per annum. He was loved and respected by a large majority of the nomadic tribes of Indians then in the country. However, there are Indians and Indians; good, bad and indifferent. One day it was was Father de Grassi's misfortune to fall into the hands of a band of bad ones ; they were setting the father across the mouth of the Okanagan river by means of a canoe. It was here that a deliberate attempt was made to drown the missionary. The canoe was intentionally upset and only by a remarkable display of energy and presence of mind on his part was his life spared by the treacherous red men.

Father de Rouge speaks of a certain class of Indian fanatics near the mouth of the Okanogan, whose peculiar religion was termed the "Dreams," and whose God was supposed to re- veal them everything. Tliey said prayers and practiced a number of pecuHar ceremonies. On the arrival of Father de Rouge among this sect he was immediately ordered away. Paying no attention to such intimidation he continued the construction of the mission, and was eventually rewarded by the southern wing of the Okanogan Indians joining the church. It is said now by Fatlier de Rouge tliat "were it not for the evil influence of bad \\'hite men and the horrible tvpe of whisky they would still be a good class of citizens."

In 1893, during the Feast of Corpus Christi, Right Reverend Bishop Younger came to the St. Mary's Mission, he being the first bishop to visit the Okanogan country. Bishop Younger encouraged the Indians to Iniild a school house which they eventually did at their own expense. Soon this edifice was found to be too small to accommodate the increasing number of pupils, and another and larger building replaced the structure. At present the school has two departments, one for Indians and one for white children. Aside from the elementary English branches they are taught Latin and Greek, the higher mathematics, bookkeeping, typewriting, drawing and music. The literary and musical exercises of these students during the Christmas holidays are said to equal many of the more pretentionus schools and colleges of the country. A brass band of eleven pieces is one of the latest acquisitions. .Altogether it is a most favorable place for chidren to secure an excellent education, and there are many white children who reside in localities remote from school houses who avail themselves of the privileges offered by St. Mary's Mission. For the present four teachers are in attendance upon the boys of the school, and several new buildings are projected.

No reasonable doubt can be entertained but that the influence of St. Mary's Mission over the Indians has been beneficial. A circumstance illustrating this point is given. Several years ago an Indian was killed by a white man. Father de Rouge was one hundred and fifty

"You are just in time: last night the Indians bad a big meeting and determined to go and kill some white men. But some one came in and said 'the father is home!' "

It was sufficient ; the Indians dispersed and plans for summary vengeance were abandoned. At one period a few years ago it was decided to remove Father de Rouge to another missionary field. To this the Indians vigorously objected; circulated a number of petitions and so seriously did they protest against such a course that he was permitted to remain.

In the spring of 1903 there was living in Aeneas Valley, which adjoins Bonaparte Valley on the east, an ex-chief of the Okanogans, at the age of eighty-eight years. He has since died. Forty years ago (1863) Chief Aeneas was located with his tribe west of the Okanogan river. It is a matter of historical record that this Indian patriarch invariably sustained friendly relations with the white settlers from the earliest days of the county's history. That he made for them many personal sacrifices is undoubted. It was in 1863 that the initial movement of whites into the Okanogan country began. Chief Aeneas found it impossible to restrain the impetuosity of his numerous young warriors : they appeared at all times anxious to engage in altercations with the early settlers. regarding them as intruders. In consequence of this attitude on the part of the Indian "braves," Aeneas severed tribal relations and with his family removed to the location above mentioned. At that period his household consisted of a wife, two sons and two daughters.

Here Chief Aeneas resided twenty-five years before neighbors began to flock around him. At one period he laid claim to the entire valley as his individual ranch, a property fifteen miles long by eight in width. During a portion of this time Aeneas owned thousands of horses and several large bands of cattle which he con- tiinied to pasture on the ranges of his immense "claim." Aeneas survived his wife and children, the last of the latter having heen Ixu'ied twenty-one years ago. His wife had died some time before. Single, childless and solitary, the okl man was left in the beautiful valley so long his home, patiently awaiting the call of the Cireat Father to join those who had gone before. At present the Aeneas ranch consists of one hundred and sixty acres of land upon which are many improvements and considerable personal property, for Aeneas was always industrious, a characteristic rather unusual among Indians, and each year he harvested several thousands of bushels of oats.

One of the earliest settlers in the upper Okanogan country was Alexander McCauley, who located on the ranch he now occupies, one mile from the town of Oroville. at the junction of the Okanogan and Similkameen rivers. Mr. McCauley was a personal friend of Chief I\Ioses, and on a number of occasions it chanced that the friendly chief extended his good offices in favor of the white men who were beginning to filter in to the then wilderness from the haunts of civilization far to the eastward. Moses was at the head of what were called the "non-treaty" Indians, and he had laid claim to some 600,000 acres of land to be set apart as a reservation in consideration of services rendered the United States government in preventing an Indian outbreak. To Mr. McCauley Chief Moses furnished guards during the Nez Perce war when it became necessary for him to make extended trips away from home. ]\Iany of the white men then in the Okanogan country were compelled to pay tribute to Chief Moses, but Mr. McCauley was invariably exempt. In 1875 "Billy" Granger, James Palmer and Phelps & Wadleigh came to the country with l)ands of cattle to pasture them on the extensive and decidedly nutritious ranges.

In order that the reader may obtain a comprehensive view of the attitude of Chief Moses in relation to these reservation lands, it is necessary to trace the various acts of congress concerning them. During the period immediately following the Yakima war, the agency of this tribe included a reservation of 900,000 acres of land, peopled by 3,600, which, aggregated, gave to every man, woman and child under jurisdiction of the agency 250 acres apiece. Yet of all this vast cjuantity of land, good, bad and indifferent, not over 5,000 acres all told was under any sort of cultivation. Over the remainder of this extensive territory ranged large herds of horses and cattle. Nominal control of eight different tribes of Indians was held b}' the Colville agency. These included the socalled Colville, the Okanogan, Spokane, Kalispell, Sans Foil, Methow, Nespelim and Lake Chelan bands, and these together numbered about 3,000 persons. Iii the main they were recognized as "non-treaty" Indians ; many of them, although peacefully disposed, refusing to acknowledge any authority of the United States government. It was considered necessary, however, to regulate their intercourse with white settlers by a local agent.

The first reservation set apart for the "nontreaty" Indians was on April 9, 1872. This was by executive order and included the Colville valley. To this movement in their behalf by the government the Indians exhibited a friendly disposition. But there was another element yet to be reckoned with; about sixty white settlers in the valley from whom came an immediate and emphatic protest. Nor was this protest without influence. July 2, President Grant issued an order confining the limits of the reservation to the country bounded on the east and south by the Columbia river: on the west by the Okanogan, and on the north by the International Boundary between the United States and British Columbia. This left the western portion of the territory now within the present limits of Okanogan county outside the Colville reservation.

test from Indians and Indian agents. President Grant adhered to the order, and theoretically it was "enforced ;" practically it was a nullity, for what were termed the "Colville" Indians maintained a joint occupancy with the white settlers, a condition which brought them in close touch with the order of Jesuits who continued in charge of their spiritual welfare as they had done since 1842.

In April, 1879, another grant of reservation land was made on the west side of the Okanogan river, extending to the Cascade range. Practically this threw into an Indian reservation all lands in eastern Washington west of the Columbia river and north of about 43 degrees, 30 minutes, an area of about 4,000 square miles; between two and three million acres.

At this juncture the "non-treaty" Indians came in for another share of governmental munificence, to which reference has previously been made. A tract bounded on the east by a line running south from where the last reservation crossed the Okanogan to the mouth of that river; thence down the Columbia to the junction of the stream which is an outlet for Lake Chelan ; following the meandering of that lake on the west shore to the source of the stream feeding it; thence west to the 44th degree of longitude; thence north to the southern boundary of the reserve of 1879, was allowed these "non-treaty" Indians The executive order authorizing this grant was issued March 6, 1880. This tract included 600,000 acres. This gave 7,2^ acres to each individual included in the various tribes, there being about 14,300 men, women and children. While considerable of this land was of poor quality, a portion of it comprised much of the best agricultural and grazing lands in the Okanogan country.

Few are the living pioneers of the state of Washington who will not readily recall the familliar name of "Okanogan" Smith. It may be said that he attained to national celebrity, for his fame and the record of his exploits are not confined to the limits of W'ashingtcin. Territor\' or State. Hiram !-'. Smith was born in Kennebec county. Maine, June 11, 1829. Like Lincoln, Garfield and many odier eminent men, young Smith was educated by the wayside and the blaze of a pitch pine knot in the wilderness. And in the wilderness he passed the greater portion of his eventful life. Versatile, indeed, was "Okanogan" Smith, who passed through all the vicissitudes incident to pioneer life. At the time of his death he had been printer, publisher, politician, butcher, expressman, merchant, legislator, farmer and miner. In 1837 Smith emigrated to Iowa; to Illinois in 1841 ; to Michigan in 1845; to New York City in 1848 ; to California in 1849 '- to the Territory of Washington in 1858. Thereafter throughout his life he resided at Osoyoos Lake, through which runs the International Boundary line, in northern Okanogan county. But the count}' was not organized at the time he deposited his lares and penates in his future home. Here established a famous ranch which in time liecame noted for its magnificent fruit.

Thirty-seven years ago "Okanogan" Smith discovered mineral in what is now the Palmer Mountain district, and made a number of locations in the mountains along the Similkameen river. When these mines were included in Chief Moses' reservation Smith claimed heavy compensation from the L'nited States government. As he refused the sum offered, $250,000, the government drew the lines excluding a strip extending fifteen miles southward from the boundary and running across the whole breadth of the reservation. The fact that this strip was open to mineral entry did not become known to the then thinly settled territory, and prospectors (lid not enter it until the reservation was thrown open in 1886. Then it was that mineral discoveries followed each other in rapid succession, and this remote tract, saved by the genius and pertenacit}- of "Okanogan" Smith, was found to l)e among the richest in the L^nited States. n<it so much in the value of its ores as in the size of its i)rc hiidics, thouoh some of the richest

"Okanogan" Smith was identified with the county for thirty years, indeed, since long- before there was such a county, for its judicial existence can be directly traced to his influence and energetic efforts. As a member of the Territorial legislature of 1865-6 Mr. Smith introduced a memorial to congress praying for the protection and extension of oiu' fishermen's interests in Alaskan waters. Investigation into the matter by Secretary of State William H. Seward led to the purchase of the territory from Russia, which result Mr. Seward credited publicly to "Okanogan" Smith. In the same legislature Smith introduced and caused to pass the Chinese act whereby they were taxed a certain amount quarterly, one-half of which went to Okonogan county and was used in building roads, bridges and other public improvements.

The second state legislature of Washington convened at Olympia in the winter of 1891-2. To this assembly "Okanogan" Smith was elected and ser\'ed with distinction throughout the term. He was re-elected a member of the third state legislature, but died at Olympia in 1894.

To Alvin R. Thorp belongs the distinction of being one of the earliest settlers of northern Okanogan county. During the 70's Mr. Thorp frequented the upper country engaged in various pusuits, including- a two years' clerkship in a general merchandise store at Rock Creek. Part of the time he was packing freight from Marcus to "Okanogan" Smith's place, Osoyoos Lake. In 1878 Mr. Thorp located on his ranch two miles north of the present town of Loomis, in company with a partner named Johnson, who shortly afterward sold out to John Beall. At this time there were no other settlers in this part of of Okanogan county, and ]\Ir. Thorp has distinctively the hon(ir of being the first settler of Loon-iis and its extensive suburbs. Shortly after his advent ^^'illis Thorp located on the Loomis ranch on the edge of the present town. The first few years following the period at which Mr. Thorp settled at his permanent home, he, in company with his neigbors, made semi-annual trips to Walla Walla for supplies, going via Crab Creek and the old Mullan road, employing pack trains, the round trip consuming the greater part of a month.

On one of his trips to Walla Walla Mr. Thorp conceived the idea of bringing home some peanuts and experimenting with their growth in Okanogan soil. After taking great care with the planting, and having watched for their appearance for a few months, he discovered that he had planted roasted peanuts. P~ollowing that, however, he became more thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of peanut culture, and for many years cultivated a small field of this popular bulb. Following the completion of the Northern Pacific railroad the settlers in the neighborhood of Loomis made journeys to Sprague f6r their supplies, crossing the Columbia river at "Wild Goose Bill's" ferry, in canoes. They were compelled to renio\-e the wheels from their wagons, and swim their horses. In the course of one trip there were no canoes at hand, and the party built an immense raft of cedar driftwood, at Dancing Bill Bar. below Foster Creek, with which they safely made the crossing.

Okanogan county was named after the lake in British Columbia, directly north of the county. Prior to the 6o's this lake was known as Kanogan. an Indian word. According to a story related by the late "Okanogan" Smith, the change in the word was effected by one O'Sullivan, who visited the country in the early 6o's in the capacity of a topographical surveyor in the employment of the British government. He made investigations in various parts of the northern country, and for several months stopped at the ranch of "Okanogan" Smith. O'Sullivan maintained that no name was complete without the Irishman's O, and he deliberately proceeded to afiix the letter to Kanogan, and the name has been thus spelled ever since. Another name which O'Sullivan changed to meet his peculiar \ie\vs was that of Osoyoos lake, headwaters of the Okanogan river, which previous to the time of the erudite O'Sullivan had been Soyoos lake.

By the Washington Territorial legislature of 1888. one year previous to admission of the Territory into the union, Okanogan county was created from a portion of Stevens county. Two years before this period mining excitement had risen to fever heat, a number of lively camps had sprung into existence, and the population was unanimous in its demand for the formation of a new county. The organic act, as passed by the legislature is as follows :

Section i. That all that part of Stevens county, beginning at the intersection of the 49th parallel with the range line between ranges 31 and 32 east, and from thence rimning in a southerly direction on said range line to the intersection of the said range line with the Columbia river, and thence down said river to the confluence of Wenatchee river and thence up the said river and along the present western boundaries of Stevens county to the 49th parallel and thence on the said parallel to the place of first beginning, shall be and constitute the county of Okanogan.

Sec. 2. That William Granger, Guy Waring and George Hurley are hereby appointed a board of county commissioners with power to appoint all necessary county officers to perfect the organization of the said county: said officers to serve until the first Monday in l^Iarch, 1889. or until their successors are elected and qualified, and also with the power to locate the county seat of said county until the same is permanently located by an election ,is hereinafter provided. That said commissioners shall, for the purpose of organizing said county, meet at the house of John Perkins, at the head of Johnson Creek, in said county, on the first Tuesday in March. t888, and there organize the said county and elect the oflicers of the said county and locate tlie county seat temporarily as hereinbefore provided.

Sec. 3. That at the next general election the qualified voters of ,'aid county .shall determine the location of the county seat for said county. That said county seat shall be located at a place receiviiig the highest number of votes at said election. That the said election shall be held in every way and under the same provisions of law as for the election of county officers.

That the sheriff, auditor and proljate judge shall constitute a board whose duty it shall be to canvass the votes upon said question of location. That for this purpose they shall meet upon the third Tuesday after the election at 10 o'clock a. m., at the office of the county auditor of said county, and proceed to canvass said votes. That they shall thereafter immediately certify the result of the said election to the county commissioners of said county, whose duty it shall be at the first regular meeting after such certificate shall be filed with the clerk of the said board, to cause the county seat to be removed to the place designated in the said certificate, as the place receiving the highest number of votes at said election, and they shall, at said place, provide officers for the several county offices, and the said place receiving the highest number of votes shall thereafter be considered for all purposes as the county seat for said county.

Sec. 4. That the justices of the peace and constables who are elected as such, in the precincts in the county of Stevens included in the territory of the county of Okanogan, shall be, and are hereby declared justices of the peace and constables of the said county of Okanogan.

Sec. 8. That all the taxes levied and assessed by the board of county commissioners of the county of Stevens for the year 1887 upon persons or property within the boundaries of the said count)- of Okanogan shall be collected and paid into the treasury of the county of Stevens, provided, hozvcvcr, that the said county of Stevens shall credit said county of Okanogan with the amount of money collected for the taxes for said year from the persons and from the property situated within the boundaries of the county of Okanogan in the adjustment of the debt of the said county of Stevens between said county and the county (of) Okanogan, and the surplus, if, any. shall be paid to the county of Okanogan.

Sec. 9. That the county commissioners of said county immediately upon the organization thereof shall take steps to procure a transcript of all records of the said county of Stevens appertaining to the county of Okanogan, and the said county commissioners shall be authorized to hire said transcript to be made and the person so employed by the said commissioners shall have access to the records of Stevens county without cost, for the purpose of transcribing and indexing such portions of the records as belong to the county of Okanogan, and such records shall be certified as correct by the auditor of Stevens county, and thereafter shall be filed in the office of the auditor of Okanogan county and shall constitute and be records of said county as fully as if the same had been originally made therein, and the certificate of the auditor of the said county shall be accepted in any court of law or in any legal proceeding whatever as if the said certificate was made to the original record.

In accordance witli tlie provisions of this act the ne\\l_v appointed coinmissioners of Okanogan count}-, William Granger, Guy Waring and George Hurley, convened at the ranch of John Perkins, on Johnson creek, wliere they proceeded to complete the organization of Okanogan county. This was on March 6, i888. Perkins" ranch was aljout four miles north of the flourishing- town of Ruby, between Conconully and the Okanogan river. Guy Waring called his compatriots together, and the official oath was administered to the trio by Notary Public C. H. Ballard. By unaninious vote Guy Waring was elected chairman of the first Ijoard i)f commissioners of Okanogan county. C. B. Bash was appointed county auditor.

Before proceeding- to the appointn-ient of other county officials tiie matter of the temporary location of the county seat was called up. The only towns of any prominence at that period were Ruby and Salmon City (the latter being renan-ied Conconully a short time afterward ) . Both Ruby and Salmon City were contestants for county seat honors. Two liberally signed petitions were presented to the board, one favoring Salmon City, the other Ruby. The citizens of Ruby ofifered to provide offices for the county officials free of cost to the taxpayers should their town be named as the capital of Okanogan county. On the other hand Salmon City offered, as an inducement to locate the county seat at that place, five acres of land. Then the question was discussed exhaustively, but the commissioners not being able to reach an agreement, no two of theni being particularly partial to either one of the proposed locations, an adjournment was hail for the purpose of viewing the prospective sites, which w-as, on the whole, a most sagacious conclusion at which to arrive.

On the day follow'ing the matter was again taken up. An additional petition favoring Ruby was presented. Her citizens had not remained inacti\-e throughout the night. A letter from D. W. Yeargin expatiating upon the advantages offered by Salmon City was also read. Quite a number of interested citizens from both of the competing towns w-ere present. To these Chairman Waring gave every opportunity to present their respective views. Of this privilege Robert Emery and Samuel Lichtenstader availed themsel\-es. the former speaking in favor of Salmon City ; the latter voicing sentiments friendly to Ruby. The room was then cleared, and the commissioners, going into executive session, proceeded to vote upon the question. Messrs. Hurley and Granger cast their ballots in favor of Ruby; Mr. Waring voted for Salmon City. Thus Ruby became the original capital of Okanogan county. On the following day a session of the board was held in that tow'U ; Perkin's ranch passed on to a historical niche in the annals of the county.

Having adjusted the county seat question, the comi-nissioners directed their attention to the completion of the appointments of county officials to serve until the general election. Upon these there was no division among the commissioners : their votes were unanimous. E. C. Sherman was appointed treasurer, Philip Perkins, sherifif, Frank M. Baum, assessor. J. B. Price, coroner, A. Malott, county school superintendent, and C. H. Ballard, probate judge. The office of surveyor was not filled at this time.

At the first meeting in the new county seat, Ruby, it was decided that for the time being two offices were all that would be required - one for the auditor, tw^enty feet square, and one for the sheriff. iox20. It was also decided to erect a county jail, "to be made of scantling, six inches wide, and two inches thick, spiked together with spikes, not more than six inches apart." A lease was taken on a building for county ofifices situated on lot 6, l)lock 7, on Main street. Ruby.

At the general election, November 6, 1888, the permanent location of the county seat was made. The popular vote showed that Conconully, which until the spring of this year had been known as Salmon City, was far in the lead of all other contestants. The vote certified to by the canvassers was : Arlington, i ; Salmon, i; Ruby, 157; Conconully, 357. February 9, 1889, the county records were removed from Ruby to Conconully. For $25 per month a building for court house purposes on lot B, block 36, was rented. During the winter of 1889-90 a jail was erected. With the expiration of the lease on the building used for court house purposes, in February, 1890, there was experienced considerable difficulty in deciding upon another suitable for the service required of it. A number of propositions were made to the commissioners, accompanied, also, by several protests and counter propositions. It was finally decided to rent the building known as the Lockwood hotel, together with the lot upon which it was located, for the term of one year, at a stipulated rental of $8 per mpnth payable in county warrants. The lease was drawn. Before the deal was closed, however, in anticipation of difficulty in obtaining possession of the Lockwood hotel, the commissioners considered seriously the proposition of accepting the offer of H. Beigle, which was for the sum of $1 to lease the building then occupied by the county officials for the term of two years. This liberal ofifer was supplemented by another, agreeing to furnish the building then occupied by Mr. Beigle as his place of business, for the purpose of sessions during the terms of superior court, for two years. Mr. Beigle offering to vacate the premises on or before the first day of the next term of court.

He, also, agreed not to utilize the building during the term of two years for the saloon business. All this, however, came to naught, for on Monday, December 8, 1890, a new house was secured for county business, the records being removed into Ballard & Carr's building, for which a monthly rental of ten dollars was paid. This was a log cabin located on the ground where now stands the Hotel Elliott. May 31, 1 89 1, another removal was made to lots one and two, block H, Conconully, where the official home of the county has since remained. The sum of $-2,495 "^^'^s appropriated for work and material on this building which thus became the property of the county. Although no publicity was given to the matter at the time the result has been eminently satisfactory to everybody, and proved the sagacity of the commissioners.

At the session of the first state legislature of Washington, during the winter of 1889-90, two bills were introduced which met with no little opposition from the citizens of Okanogan county. One of them, Senate Bill No. 106, was fathered by Senator Luce, January 11, 1890; the other, House Bill No. 151, was introduced by Mr. Hamilton. The former bill required a mining claim to be surveyed by a deputy United States mineral surveyor within three months from the date of location, and further provided that the notice of such claim should be immediately recorded. The House Bill of Mr. Hamilton was entitled "An Act to secure persons and animals from danger arising from mining."

Both of these measures were deemed inimical to the best interests of the miners of the entire state as well as Okanogan county. In Conconully notices were immediately posted calling for a mass meeting of miners and citizens interested to be held at Collins hall, Conconully, on the evening of March 19th. At this meeting the following resolutions were passed and the subjoined petition forwarded to the members of the legislature in session at Olympia:

We, the citizens and mine owners of Okanogan county, state of Washington, on this 19th day of March, in mass meeting assembled do ordain and resolve as follows, to wit:

Whereas, We believe that the provisions of Senate bill No. 106, introduced by Senator Luce in the Senate January 11, 1890, entitled "An Act concerning mines, and declaring an emergency," and House bill No. 151, iniroduced by Mr. Hamilton in the house January 10, 1890, entitled "An Act to secure persons and animals from danger arising from mining," are inimical to the best interests of the state, and will greatly retard the growth and development of the mining sections therein, and,

Whereas, We believe that a great majority of the prospectors and mine owners in the mining portions of said state can not comply with the provisions of said act, and,

Whereas, We believe that the enactment of said laws would in effect greatly retard, if not wholly stop, the development of the mining portions of the state, so far as prospecting for mines is concerned, and.

Whereas, The existence of mines is only known and discovered by the efforts of prospectors, and that their interests should be subserved by law, and that their efforts should not be crippled by laws unwholesome and suicidal to their interests, and.

Whereas^ We believe and know that the passage of the bills referred to is unwholesome and would be suicidal to their interests and to the interests of all the people residing in the mining districts. And now, therefore, be it unanimously

Resolved, That the people of Okanogan county be requested to sign petitions directed to the Legislature of the State of Washington protesting against the passage of said bills, and in the event that the said bills have passed and have not yet become laws by virtue of the signature of the Governor of the State of Washington, then and in that event, the Governor by the said petition be requested to veto said bills.

We, the undersigned resident miners and mine owners of the county of Okanogan, do respectfully petition your Honorable bodj' to not pass Senate bill No. 106 introduced by Senator Luce in Senate January 11, iSqo, entitled "An Act concerning mines and declaring an emergency," and House bill No. 151, introduced in the house by Harry Hamilton January 10, 1890, entitled "An Act to secure persons and animals from danger arising from mining," or in the event that said bills have already passed and not yet become laws by virtue of the Governor's signature, we respectfully petition the governor to veto the said bills, and we your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.

Neither of these objectional bills ever became laws. The winter of 1889-90 was unusually severe and stock suffered greatly. Concerning this "hard winter" the Okanogan Outlook, published at Conconully, of date March 22 says :

"It is true that a large nutnber of stock have perished and that a few parties have lost almost their entire bands. But the fact of the matter is that in every case where a heavy loss has occurred the stock has been what is termed 'immigrant stock.' That is, stock that was driven into the country last summer and fall and had not become accustomed to the range. They were poor and in no condition to withstand even a moderately cold winter. Besides in a majority of these instances no feed had been provided and no preparation made for their care during the winter. We hope the experiences of the past season will have the effect of inducing stock men to take the precaution of putting up a quairtity of feed every year, and if it is not needed fdr two or three years let it accumulate until such time as it will be needed. Such winters as the last have occurred before and are liable to occur again. That is what robs the profits of stock raising in any country and must be guarded against."

Saturday, December 27, 1890, a number of delegates from the surrounding country met at Conconully for the purpose of organizing a county board of trade. The principal object of this convention was to devise ways and means for a suitable representation at the Chicago World's Fair. At that period it was in contemplation to hold the fair in 1892, but it was postponed until the spring of 1893. M. G. Barney was elected president, George Pfunder, George J. Hurley, W. J. Dorwin, H.

Hamilton, William B. Fisher, I. A. Navarre, vice-presidents; F. M. Bauni. secretary, William W. Weeks, treasurer. :\Iessrs. Barney. Baum, Weeks, Hurley and Yeargin were appointed a committee on by-laws. J. C. Lovejoy, J. Neiderauer and George Pfunder were elected delegates to the state meeting of county boards at Olympia, January u. Governor Laughton and "Okanogan" Smith were designated to co-operate with the delegation and elected honorary members. The delegates were also instructed to call on the surveyor-general with reference to surveying agricultural lands. The charter members of the Okanogan County Board of Trade w-ere:

At the next meeting, Wednesday e\ening, the following vice presidents were elected : Okanogan precinct, H. F. Smith; Toats Coulee, George H. Noyes; Salmon, F. J. Waterman; Ruby, W. J. Dorwin; Loop Loop, J. B. Tonkin; Johnson, A. J. Squires; Spring Coulee, L. C. Malott; Columbia. D. \V. Yeargin; Upper Methow, F. M. Wright; Lower Methow. K. K. Parker; Chelan, I. A. Navarre; Entiat, T. J. Cannon ; Wenatchee, C. E. S. Burch.

It cannot be denied that the Okanogan County Board of Trade accomplished much good. Such matters as the securing of better mail facilities for the county, the clearing of the channel of the Columbia river at Rock Island rapids, the transportation question and the proposition of Seattle to assist in advertising mineral resources of the county by estal> lishing a mining bureau in connection w ith the Seattle Chamber of Commerce were taken up and earnestly discussed. It was decided by the Okanogan board that prompt and concerted action in connection with these enterprises was imperative and for the best interests of the county. Committees were appointed and instructed to carry out the work laid down by the board. All took hold with a will, and although results were not, in each case all that might be desired, much was accomplished that redounded to the credit and benefit of the county at large.

The census roll of 1892 having shown a population of over 2,500, on August 16, nt this year, the county was classified in the 26th class. Two attempts were made at different periods to remove the capital of Okanogan from Conconully to Chelan, one in 1894; the last in 1898. At these periods the greater portion of the present Chelan county, was in Okanogan county, and therefore the town of Chelan, on the lake of that name was eligible to county seat honors, and with sufficient support from the voters i>: the territory affected might secure it.

October 2, 1894, a petition signed by W. S. Boyd, et al, praying for the removal of the county seat was presented to the Okanogan commissioners. Following is the text of the petition :

"Whereas the present location of the county seat at Conconully is so far removed from the center of population and so nearly inaccessible to a majority of the inhabitants of said county, and believing that the best interests of the county will be subserved by removing the county seat to a more central location. the undersigned, electors of said county, respectfully petition }-our honoralile body to order and advertise an election to be held at the next general election, to submit the proposition of locating said county seat at the town of Chelan in said county on lot numbered three (3) in section numbered thirteen (13), township twenty-seven (2^), north range twenty-two (22), E. W. M., and as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray."

Upon completion of the reading of this document it was immediately moved by Commissioner Pogue that it be rejected. The ground upon which Commissioner Pogue based his objection was insufficiency, in that the petition did not show a sufficient number of particulars for, the removal of "any town or city," but that it appeared from the said petition and other competent evidence, that the lot to which it was prayed that the county seat be removed was not a town or city. Commissioner Pogue desired that the county attorney prepare a form of order denying the petition. It will be observed by the reader that the petition did not ask for the removal of Conconully per se, as suggested by Commissioner Pogue, but merely its official charaterization as the capital of Okanogan county.

The motion of Commissioner Pogue was seconded by Commissioner Spader, and was unanimously sustained, Messrs. Pogue, Spader and McGillivry voting in the affirmative. Exception to the action was at once filed by W. A. Reneau, Esq., representing the signers of the petition. Concerning the proceedings of the Okanogan county commissioners in regard to this matter the record reads as follows:

"In the matter of the petition of W. S, Boyd and seven hundred others, more or less, for the removal of the county seat of Okanogan county, Wasington, praying the board of county commissioners of said county to submit the proposition of locating the said county seat at the town of Chelan in said county on lot numbered 3, in section numbered 13. township 27 north, range 22 E., W. M. ; now on this 2d day of October, 1894, the above question being under consideration by the board of commissioners, and the petitioners appearing by Hon. W. A. Reneau, and the commissioners being advised in the premises by their counsel, the county attorney, F. W. Hankey, and it appearing to the board from the petition and from authentic plats of the town of Chelan and lot No. 3, section 13, township 27 north, range 22 E., W. M., that the said lot three is not m the town of Chelan, and is no part of any town of city incorporated or unincorporated, and the board having found by unanimous vote that the said petition should be rejected upon the grounds that it does not appear therefrom that a sufficient number of qualified voters have prayed for a submission of the question of the removal of the county seat to any city or town as provided by law.

"And it having been found by a unanimous vote that the petition prays for the submission of the removal of the county seat to a parcel of land not within any incorporated or unincorporated town or city ; the counsel for petitioners having been heard in the premises and the advice of the county attorney having been had; and the said board having decided by a unanimous vote that the said petition is insufficient in law and for that reason was rejected; it is therefore ordered that the same be, and is hereby denied and rejected."

Thereafter the matter of county seat removal was held in abeyance four years. During the summer of 1898 the question was again sprung upon the citizens of Okanogan county. The commissioners were presented with a petition signed by 529 voters asking that the capital be removed to Chelan and that the proposition for such removal be submitted to the voters of the county, the question to be decided at the succeeding general election. To the commissioners the petition appeared to be regular in form. It contained the required number of signers, and the same was granted, the propo-

Meanwhile the question of a division of the county had been injected into the discussion, and this fact, of course, militated against the success of the new county seat "boomers." It was proposed to form a new county, partly from the territory of Okanogan, to be called Chelan, a full account of which may be read in the history of Chelan county. On the day of election Conconully won at the polls mainly through the apathy of voters who were convinced that a division of the county was imminent. The people in the southern portion of the county were on the eve of division and they did not support the proposition for removal of the county seat. The vote was, for removal 253; against removal, 550, divided among the precincts as follows :

In July, 1899, it appeared from the reports of the assessor that Okanogan county contained a population in excess of 4,000. The county was raised to the 23d class. In November of this year the question of county di\'ision was paramount. News was received that Judge Neal, holding court at Davenport, Lincoln county, had decided that a new county to be called Chelan could be formed. To this proposition a large number of the people of Okanogan seriously objected. They did not wish to be separated from the Chelan territory. The following proceedings of the county commissioners voice the sentiments at that period entertained by a large number :

"Whereas, in pursuance of the act relating to the creation of the County of Chelan from territory now principally covered by Okanogan county. His Honor, C. H. Neal, Superior Judge of Okanogan county ; has fixed a time for hearing thereof, and whereas it is the sense of a large majority of the people of this county, as we believe, that such division as contemplated by said act would be a detriment and unjust.

"Be it resolved, that the prosecuting attorney be requested to be and appear at said hearing, and at such other hearings as may in future be had, and for and on behalf of Okanogan county take all proper and lawful means to prevent such division of the county as may to him seem right and proper."

For a time the commissioners continued to oppose the formation of the new county of Chelan. Attorney H. N. Martin, of Davenport, Lincoln county, was employed by them as special counsel to look after the interests of Okanogan county. An enumerator was also secured to take a census of the Methow country, as it had been provided by the proceedings already had in the matter of division that there should be at least 4,000 inhabitants left in Okanogan county following division. Hence the Methow census. But January 17. 1900, the order of the commissioners opposing the formation of the new county was revoked and all proceedings of this nature were dropped. In August of this year a settlement between the counties of Okanogan and Chelan was reachetl. Chelan agreeing to pay Okanogan county the sum of $77,000 in county warrants.