Seattle, Washington - History, 1891 (part 3 of 14)

One of the arrivals of 1852, who has l)ecome eminent in the state as well as in the city, was Dr. H. A. Smith, for whom Smiths Cove was named. He came to this country a man of culture and education, having been born in Ohio in 18o() and educated at Alleghany college, where he also studied medicine. Finishing his professional studies at Cincinnati, he was drawn into the migratory movement to the west, aiming in the beginning to go to the gold region of California. While in the Nevada mountains, however, he decided to accompany his comrades to Oregon, in order to see the famous valleys of that state, particularly the Willamette, of which he heard more and more as he came westward. He intended to go on to the gold mines after visiting Oregon. On reaching Portland, then a lively town, however, he heard much of a Northern Pacific railroad to terminate on the Sound. Coming to Olympia and concluding that the road when built must cross the mountains through Sno([ualmie pass and that Seattle was the point nearest tide water, he decided to locate at this little place. There were a few cabins at that time, but they were so hidden by the immense timber that the shore appeared practically a wilderness. Coming along in a canoe with Collins, he asked where the town Wiis, for there was nothing visible from the shore excei)t a small improvement of Dr. Maynard's. It was his intention to practi(te his profession, but the place afforded him altogether too little sickness, and he soon saw that to realize any profit from living here he must do as the rest were doing, and get a piece of land. He chose a place at the north end of the bay where he believed the railroad must first touch the water, and in the woods began pioneer life in earnest. He found this sort of existence tedious in tlie extreme without the means of gratifying his cultivated tastes, and being still young, he sufiered greatly from homesickness, lie stuck to his place, however, not losing faith in the railroad. In the course of time he interested himself in clearing up his land, making pasturage for his cows, setting out an orchard and experimenting with his tide lands. Not giving ui> his practice altogether, he invented a way of combining both his vocations; he built an infirmary on his place to which he brought his i)atients, never refusing any in need of care. li\ as was often the case, they had no money to pay, he had them settle by doing some clearing on his land.

In addition to his private enterprises, \\v has as the years have passed by, l)orn(» a full share of pul)lic burdens, l)ecoining the first superintendent of public seliools in the county, and serving three terms in the lower house and two t(^rnis in the upper hous(^ of the territorial legislature, lie was pr(\si(lent of the latter one term. His widely read contributions to the territorial press hav(^ also made him well known throughout the coast. He has Ihh'U pronounced by an eastern magazine as " an able medical man and a iM)et of no ordinary tiilent, a rare scholar and a good writer."

It was his Siile of land to the raih'oa<l company at a nominal price that marked the beginning of the rapid growth of the past dt*i*ade. When he fii'st came he imagined that the city would be built in a few years - about five - ^Imt now after a lifetime, he has the satisfaction of seeing his expectations realize<l.

Jacob Maple was born on the Monogahela river, Pennsylvania, in 1793. His father removed to Jeflerson county, Ohio, in 1800 and died in 1812. The family lived subsecjueiitly in southern Iowa ,whence they emigrated to Oregon by way of California.

To J. C. Holgate belongs the honor of having first visited Elliott Bay with a view of making a settlement. Holgate was from Iowa, and crossed the plains to Oregon in 1847, when a youth of but nineteen. He was a son of Abraham L. Holgate, a pioneer of (.)hio and later of Iowa. In his childhood he was verv delicate in health and being unable to take robust exercise, had for a large part of his amusement the overhauling and ransacking of his father's old books in the garret. A sister, four years older, made it a practi(*e to read to him when he became old enough to wish to know what was in the books, and the works that most intercste<l him w(Te the record of Gen. Pike's expedition and the journals of a member of the Lewis and Clarke expedition. The sister explained and enlarged uiK>n these accounts, chiefly with a view to amuse him, and during his spells of ague she diverted him with stories of Oregon, a land of perpetual spring, without thunder, the dread of the nervous child, and of vistas of snow-capped mountains and the ocean. The boy fully made up his mind to come to this romantic countrv, and the summer that he was nineteen he joined the party of Seth Luelling of Salem, Iowa. Reaching Vancouver during the following autunni he found the young territory in excitement over the Cayuse outbreak, and joined the forces of Gilliam to punish the murderei-s of Whitman. During the war he took a brave part, on one occasion performing a deed of the utmost daring. The horses of the trooj) with which he was connected having been stolen, the detachment was left in the midst of the enemv with- out the means of reaching the main command. The animals were picketed by the Indians at a distance, but in view, with the evident intent of drawing the whites into ambush. The commander of the squad understood this and explained it to the men, but addeil that tliey must have their horses or all would fall into the hands of the hostiles. lie then asked if there was anv one who would volunteer to go and cut the lariats and let the animals loose, as he thought they would run back to their camp. Holgate volunteered to do it. " You can't spare a man, and I am only a boy," was what he said. It was felt to be sure death, but, with a halfbreed boy who generously agreed to accompany him, he went down and released the beasts, and they at once came flying l)ack. Strange to say he was not fired upon, the Indians afterwards saying, " Oh, cultus." They thought him too little to kill, for he was small and pale even for his years.

After the war, during the latter days of which he was seriously sick with measles, he was told by an officer of the Hudson's Bay Company who had heard of his gallantry and took an interest in him, tliat if it was the best countrv for health he was after he should come to Puget Sound. Just before going to the war he had decided to take a claim on Tualatin j)lains, but upon learning of the Sound as a better pbice, he miule a tour of exj)lonition in August and Sej)tember of 1850. IIo rrosse<l from the Cowlitz to Tuniwater on foot and at Simmons' was furnished a canoe and a crew of Indian paddlei's. With this dusky company he set out on a six weeks' vovage of discovery, j>assing as far north as the Snohomish, and made particular examination of Elliott l)av. On the Duwaniish he found the claim he wanted, and determined to take this in preference to that on Tualatin plains. He was not satislied to settle here alone, however, and planned to make a visit to Iowa and marry and return. But before this he wanted to try his luek in the mines, and in 1851 went to Southern Oregon.

He was never weary of ex(ollin<i: the Sound country, and it was largely due to his representations tliat J^. I>. Hastings, a close friend of his, was indueecl t(> come and examine tlie region. While Holgate was at the mines tlie other Duwaniisli settlers reached the bav and covered thi^ claim he had in view. On returning IVoni the mines he came nortli again, and although not fhiding his old iJace vacant, tiled a claim south of Dr. Mavnard s on the shore of the bav. The next above him was that of Edward Hanford. Mr. Ilolgate lost his life in 1868 in Nevada, defending a mine which he ha<l discovered.

There are some exceedingly valuable autograph letters of IIolgate's now in poss(.\ssion of Mrs. Abbie J. Hanford, the sister who used to tell him the stories of Oregon. ()ne of these is dated December 2:i, 1847, at Tualatin jdains. It was just before his Indian campaign but he does not say anything of his [)cril()us venture, not wishing to burden his mother with anxiety. The following extract locates him and shows his relation to the events of the time : "The plain that I am in is as pretty a section of country as 1 ever saw in Iowa. The land is as good for producing as is common in Iowa. Mr. George W. Ebbart has promised to take tliis to you for me. lie can tell you more of the c(.untry and its prospects than I can at present. I intend making a claim in a few days wliich has about thirty acres of plain and the balance tlic best of timber, and if I get it well improved I ask no better fortune. I liave but a few moments to write. I told Mr. Ebbart that vou would treat him well for mv sake as he has treated me with all the kindness of an ojx^n-licarted Kentuckian."

The secon<l letter is addressed to Mr. K. T. Hanford and is dat<»d May 12, I80I. It is eliieflv (leserii>tive of tlie country and calculated to give information to an intending immigrant, [)articularly with reference to healthfulness. The following sentenci^s, however, indicate where he was during the first years oi his residence on this coast : " The first six months 1 spent in Oregon I was in what is known as middle Oregon, between the Cascade and Blue mountains, with a regiment of about fiye hundred m(?n." '* The first of last August I left here and went to Puget Sound to look at that country. I stayed there until the first of Octol)er." " The Sound has four rivers emptying along its eastern shore. The valh^ys of these rivers will average about lo miles in width an<l are about efpially divided in j)rairie and timber. I spent about six weeks traveling over this Sound country." " Pueet Sound is deci<ledlv alu^ad of anv other country I ever saw. The reason why I am not living there at this time is 1 haye not got that other ' rib ' vet.''

These letters fix beyond doubt Holgate's exploration of the Sound and show that the recollection of his sister, Mrs. Hanford, is not at fault. Although thus first of all, his settlement was not completed first. For but an invalid boy, however, he was a prodigy of courage and endurance, and one easilv sees in his acts and words that invincible pluck tliat distinguished so many of the early pioneers - the stern manhood that many a sickly boy has developed.

It was greatly against the will of his sister that Ilolgate came to the west, for he seemed to her but a i)uny child still, and she felt guilty for filling his head with adventurous notions. In much the same spirit, he, after coming and seeing the real hardships of the journey, would not advise her to think of coming. She was now married. Her husband^s affairs were prospering. He had a magnificent tract of prairie and woodland, and large herds of cattle. This was Mr. Edward Hanford. In spite of Ilolgate's withholding encouragement, however, Hanford took the Oregon fever, and brought his family across the mountains and plains, and occupied the claim next above that of Holgate. With the large number of work cattle that he brought from Iowa, he supplied teams for doing a very profitable business in hauling out timbers. By the aid of his wife he was making a most comfortable home, with garden and orclianl, until all was wantonly destroyed bv tlie Indians at the time of tlie outbreak. After this disaster, he lived in the town until some years later, lie then resided in San Francisco for a number of years, l)ut tlie evening of his life was spent at Seattle.

Mrs. Hanford, whose kindly story telling to amuse a sickly brother may be regarded as the l)eginning of the family history of her people on this coast, if not of the history of Seattle, is now living in full vigor of l)oth body and mind, one of those typical pioneers whose culture and intelligence show from what sul)stantial material the foundation timbers of Seattle were derived.

A stroll through the village of Seattle in the summer of 1855 would lead one around a few stumps and over broken ground. The l>uildings were, for the most i)art, clustered on the i)oint towards Commercial strei't, in front of which lav the i)av. In the rear, across a piece of land nearly level, was spread out a tiduland marsh of limited area, next the foot of the hill beyond. The most noticeable building on Commercial street was the store of Bettman Bros., Jewish merchants, who had a very present^ible establishment and kept on hand a full stock of goods. The Indian troubles induced them to leave the city, and they disix)sed of their business to C. C. Terry, who took possession after the war was over. On the northwest corner of Commercial and Washington streets was the store of Denny, Horton & Phillips. Dexter Horton had come to the Willamette valley in company with Rev. Daniel Bagley and Mr. Mercer, and had come to Seattle with the latter. Upon arriving he was, Hke all the rest of the pioneers, rich only in willing hands and a capable head. Indeed, he was still under some obligations to Mr. Mercer, which he soon found the means to discharge by doing work at the Port Cfaml)le mills. After this he connected himself with the firm above named and made a steady advance to his present position of capitalistic influence. A man of great physical activity and faultless habits, he has been a model for the voung men of the countrv to imitate. Mrs. Horton was a woman of marked intelligence and refinement, having all the (jualifications of a society leader. Their dwelling was a one-story cottage alongside the store. Mr. Phillips came to Seattle from Olympia where he had first settled. His wife was no longer living, but he had a family, the eldest of whom, Miss Dorcas, was a capable young wonum, ([ualified either to keep house or to keep school. As a matter of fact she did both.

A school house was j)n)vided by a young man, a bachelor, who vacated a cott^ige which he had erected for a dwelling and which he sacrificed to the cause of education. This gentleman was Mr. Strickler, a man of excellent habits, and the surveyor of the city and county.

The hotel of the place was the F'elker house, the best building in the place. It was two-story, frame<l, and finished within in lath and plaster - the first hard-finished house in the place. It was for a time a comfortable and respectable public house. Felker was an uncommon man and afterwards made his mark in San Francisco. At this house as a boarder was Captain Ilewett, a gentleman of refinement. Another house often hosi)itably opened for visitors and strangers was that of

Hillory Butler. This was on the corner of James and S&ond streets. Mr. Butler was from Virginia, having come to this coasUjv-ith his-1«ife from Missouri. Mrs. Butler Wivs an aekno^'ledged queen of society, . ( and, having no chiLlren, slie devoted herself to entertai^iilg visitors and strangers. The Butler house was riddled with bullets during the siege, but it continued to stand, a well-known landmark, until 1888, when it was demolished to make room for a l)usiness block. .

Mr. Russell and his family had moved over from Alki [)oint. The marriage of the daughter, Miss Mary, to V. ('. Terry was one of the pleasiint social events of the time. Terry, with Edward Lander, the first supreme judge of the territory, bought out the west half of the Boren place. - Boren's house was a noticeable two-story structure, located on Cherry street.

A familv of that earlv dav u])on which has fallen a heavv load of calamity was that of George X. McConnaha. He was himself a man of witty and even brilliant make-uj). A lawyer by i)rofession, he had come from Missouri, first to Sacramento, where he was est(K>med as one of the brightest men at the l)ar. IIoj)ing to win higher honors here, he came to the territory in 1H;V2, and was elected from King and Pierce counties as member of th(* council of the first t(M*ntorial legislature, and was chosen chairman of that body, a position which he tilled ai)lv and honorablv. Whih' retiirninir in a canoe to his Seattle home with a companion and an Indian crew, the craft was overturned ofl' Vashon island, the whites and all but one Indian Ix'ing drowned. There were two children, a <rirl and n bov, in the familv wIkmi thev arriv(Ml hen\ The girl was burned to death shoi'tly after the death of the father, and the boy, nanie(| ( ieoi"<re, when ])ut a lad of ten or twelve, was thrown from a lioi'se and drauuiMl tor some distance. His head was so injured by this accident that his i-eeovery was thought to be impossible. He reeovere<l. however, and upon (gaining manhood ro.se to a |)osition ol" iniluenee ; but the old injui'v linally j:)roduee(l brain disorder resultiui^^ in deramiement. A child, iMiu-enia, born soon after the familv reacheil Seattlr, was the tirst white child ])orn in the

Mr. Hanford's on Cherry, and Mrs. Holgate's on Second and Cherry. Mrs. Holgate had come to tlie territory witli her daughter, Mrs. Ilanford, her husband \H}u\g dead ; and with a <laughter, Olivia, and a son still a boy, kept her own house. Mr. Denny's house was to the north of these on Front street, and Yesler\s was on Front and James. Bell's, north of the town on his claim, was better than most of the others, but was burned bv the Indians. Mrs. Bell, like most of the mothers of Seattle, was a woman of good edu(;ation and unusual retinement. She was the daughter of a clergyman.

The first minister was Mr. Bhiinc, a Methodist-Episcopal preacher. He was a well read, scholarly man, but on arrival was without experience, and particularly without Western exi)erience. A story is told, originating with his wife, tliat he utilized the tedious hours of his ocean voyage in writing sermons of a missionary cast, particularly the first he was to preach. His first service was held in the Strickler school house, and the whol(* viHage was out to liear him. He read his prepared first sc^rmon, telling the i>eopl(^ what lie was, that he had come to tell them the news tliat the Saviour had died. This struck the audience as beting too much on the missionary order, and the wink and smile passed around. Mrs. Blaine at last got the eye of her husban<l and frowned hard at him, possibly disconcerting him a little but serving to cause liim to skip a few pages. This lady was a bright, witty woman, and soon Jiad the hearts of (»ld and young in a Sunday scliool enterprise. Otlier workers in tliis pioneer Sunday school were Dorcas Phillips, Olivia Holgate and Mr. Carr of Salmon Bay. Mrs. Blaine also opened a day school. Her oldest boy was born but a w^eek before the Indian attack on the town, and she was taken aboard the Decatur in a rocking chair. Mr. Blaine proved himself no stick although he did make a mistake on the sUirt. Before the year wa^ out he had a church edifice under way which was finished and dedicated bv ^hlv of the next vear, 185;").

Those were not such slow times. At least sociallv and intellectually there was much to keep up circulation. There were meetings and church sociables, and neighborli(M)d gatlierings, and everylKxly knew everybody. Nor were then^ great men lacking. Seleucius (Jarfiehh* was a justly renowned orator of extraordinarily fine physitpie, remark- able voice and command of ideas. He is regarded by those who heard him as the peer of Colonel Baker. He lived at Olympia but used to come over to Seattle to speak. Wallace, of Olympia, who dared measure swords with Stevens, was also here frequently. Gen. Stevens, however, was the man now most interesting at least. As a sj^eaker he had less rhetoric, or at least elocutionary readiness, but spoke with intense conviction and bore a weight of thought that it was hard to withsUmd. In person he was rather low and small, but he had the appearance of great decision and nerve.

Much of the talk of the day was of the coming growth and grandeur of Seattle, and these masters of oratory would work their hearers up by descriptions of what the near future was to bring, which we fear may have bordered on bombast. These glowing predictions encouraged the settlers, for they led each land owner to look upon himself as a capitalist, in the future if not in the present.

Among the motley squads of Indians who passed to and fro in the streets was one old woman who came from the Old Man House, and who was understood to be a relative, perhaps a sister, of Seattle. She was called Sally. She wore a bonnet and came to the Methodist church and no worshi[)i)er was more deyout. She had her favorites among the housekeepers of the village, and on(* of these was Mrs. Hanford. She would come and ask for a ])right new tin ])ail and after a time would return with it HIUmI witli blaek])erries or hueklel>erries from the forest, or with eranberriesfroni tlie marsh. Once, in the summer of 18;5o, she came, and after wearily bringing in her customary present, sat down on the floor and began to sol) and weep. "What was it, Sally?" It was all very bad - a shadow of the coming war. She had learned, she sai<l, from the white men of the great Socalee Tyee, the white num's (iod, and her heart was toward the white man and the white man's (Jod. lUit her heart was also toward her i)eople, yet the heart of her i)eo])le was against tlie wliite man ; and the white men would In: against her people and kill them. Her heart was very sick. In tlu; elosing days of her life she liad herself brought to Mi's. Ilanford's and explainiMl tliat lier heart was still towards (Jod and the white man, but it was also toward lier peo|)le, but now she was going to die and she feared God would ])e displeased that her heart was so sick for her |KH>i)lo. Would not Mrs. Hanford pray for her? The iviiuost was granted, and a look of profound iH»ace fell on the dark, wrinkled faee of the Indian woman. She was carried baek to the lod^e, where she 8cx)n died.

Speak as lightly as we may of the *'j)oor Indians," and of the fat<» that Inis befallen them, thev have left a sadness to their old haunts that time will never remove.

Ciiaptkr Iii

Relatiou^ of the Puget Sound Settlers and Native Indians Preceding the War - Causes which Engendered Distrust and lU Feeling - Condition of Washington Territory at the Beginning of the War - First Acts of Hostility - Murder of Gold Seekers - Expedition of Major Haller - Arrival of the War Ship Decatur - The White River Massacre - Building of Block Houses - Seattle's First Military Company - Indian Depredations Near Seattle - How the City was (lUarded - Attack on the Town - Incidents of the Siege - Effects of the War upon the City and Country.

THE sjune general causes whieh provoked Indian liostiHty to American occupancy of other parts of our country led to the ln<lian war of lHoo-o(), which was confined to portions of the territories of Washington and Oregon. It was the clashing of two advei^se modes of life - a conflict between our civilization and, as we assume to term it, the barbarism of the Indians. In the same region both cannot survive.

Of the early settlers in Seattle and vicinity now remembered who have not l>een mentioned as locating claims were Hilory Butler an<l wife, S. W^ Russell and family, T. S. Russell, Robert Russell, Geo. F. Frye, George X. McConnaha and family, Franklin Matthias, Henry Adams, William P. Smith and family, David Phillips, L. V. Wyckoff, S. Wetmore and family, M. D. Wooden, Ira Wooden, Walter Graham, John A. Chase, Wm. G. Latimer, Charles Plummer, Dr. J. Williamson, William Hebner, S. M. Holdemess, David Maurer, Rol)ert Gardner, Jacob Wibens, Gideon Hubbard, Thomas Stewart, N. H. Oglesbee, John Margrave, J. W. Margrave, Mrs. Conklin, George Bowker. (Denny, p. 38.)

American settlement means Indian extermination. The chief offense of the Washington and Oregon pioneers, in the Indian estimation, was that they were in the country and that their presence meant the appropriation of the wilderness to the uses of civilization. The war was, therefore, initiated by the native j)0])ulation to exterminate the white settlements and to force the white race to abandon the country. Forced upon the settlers, it was prosecuted by them solely to hold the country for their race, to protect the settlements, and to enable the white i)opulation then in the country, and those who would come thereafter, to remain in safety.

For the first few years after settlements were begun on Puget Sound the relations between the whit(\s and the Indians were most friendly. This state of feeling was attributable to sevenil causes. The Indians were treated with uniform fairness and liberality and tliose near the settlements were glad to perform labor for the settlers. Indeed, there existed a reciprocal feeling of mutual dependence between the settlers and their aboriginal neighbors. But this state of affairs did not long continue. As time passed a feeling of unrest took possession of the Indians, wliich was fanned into a spirit of hostility by a series of real or imaginary grievances. Tlie whites were not wliolly irresponsible for tl)is state of affairs. By acts of indiscretion, if not injustice, tliey aroused in tlie savage mind feedings of resentment and liatred. A few murders were committed and in some instances the wliites retaliated in a manner to h^ave exasperated feelings, as the following will iUustrate: In LSo:] a white man had ])een killed and buried near Seattle on the shore of Lak(* Tnion. This crime might have remained unknown, but some Indians, animated by jealousy, r(*i)orted the murder. Tlie l)ody was disinterred, l)ut the victim was a stranger wliom no one could identilV. For this murder two Indians were hanged without legal trial. Pr(»vi(ais to this an Indian who liad killed his s(|uaw was hanged by the whites without the formality of judge or jury. Three ]>e]'S( JUS were indicted I'or this offense. One of them stood his trial for murder, l)ut was acMjuitted, while the other two were discharged without trial. In a spii'it of ivtaliation the friends of the Indian exeeutcij killed two white men, one named Bogers and the other named l*hillii)s. Thest* instances ai'e here detailed as throwing

.sMne liglit upon the ivhitions existing between tlie Sound settlers and their al>original neighbors at a period innne<Hately j)ree(Mling the Indian uprising. Whih' they ean in no sense be said to liave caused tlie In<lian war on tlie Sound, yet when hostihties wen* Ix^gun in otlier parts of the territory tliey had their intluene** in inciting tlie Sound Indians to join in the general uprising against the whites.

As early as the fall and winter ()f \>*>')4, the settlers at Seattle were given information of growing dissatisfaction and a feeling of hostility among the Indians east of the mountains. Hut little attention, however, was paid to these rej»orts, whih' the subseijuent treaties consummated with the various tribes throughout the territory in December, lHr)4, an<l in Januarv, l«S")o, completely disarmed the settlers of fear of Indian hostility. This was at a time of great prosperity at all points on the Sound. King county was i)eing rapidly settled. Farms were Inking imj)rove(l and houses erected and every one was in the full tide of lioiH»fuhiess as U) the early future. In the sj>ring of IHof), in the midst of this general pros|)erity, the <lis<'overv of gold in the vicinity of Fort ('olvill(\ on tlie Columbia river, reached Seattle. Tliis all-prevailing incentive* to immigration soon (lommenced U) attract attention, and the peo|)le felt assuretj that they were to rea[) the benefits which would accrue from a gold excitetnent. Their ho[)es sc^enuMl about to be fulfilled, for no sooner had the discovery of gohl IxH'ome known than parties in considerable numbers from Washington, Oregon and even C'alitbrnia starte^l for the gold fields. Kven then no danger was anticipat(Ml from the Indians. l>y the treaties jtist concluded their friendshi[) was regarded as assuretl. In fact so strong was the reliance of the settlers in tlu^r friendly disposition that manv traveled alone or in small ban<ls unarmed through hitherto unfrequented territory eii route to the Colville mines. All their hopes, however, were base<l on fanciful security. In fact the Indians at this time had their plans well laid for war. Months l)efore attending the council called bv (fovernor Stevens to perfect the treaties, thev had been assiduously collecting arms and supplies and planning to effect a combination of the various tril)(\s to strike sinudtaneouslv at the exposed settlements, to murder isolat(Ml men, to cut oW small parties, to exterminate the whites as far as practicable, or at all events to create such a terror on their part that they would leave the country and deter others from coming. The advent of small parties of whites on the way to the gold fields through territory hitherto untraversed, furnished the opportunity for the beginning of hostile operations by the murder of the defenseless and peaceably disposed gold seekers.

These outrages, which marked the commencement of the Indian war of 1855-56, were perpetrated in the Yakima country by the Yakima Indians. The settlers at Seattle were early apprised of this alarming condition of affairs. In the summed' of 1855 O. M. Eaton and Joseph Fanjoy left the city on a mining expedition, and were never heard of afterwards ; but it is believed that they were murdere<l by the Indians. Soon after L. 0. Merilect, J. G. Avery, Charles Walker, at Fort Colville. After they had reached a point in the Yakima valley near Simcoe, and while Jamieson and Walker were traveling a short distance in advance of the other three, thev were shot down bv the Indians. Fortunately those in the rear discovered what had happened in time to make their escape. After passing through many perils and hardships, the three survivors reached Seattle in a half famished condition and reported the fate of their companions. Other murders of miners followed and when to tliese outrages was added the murder and brutal cremation of Andrew J. Bolen, Indian sub-agent, by the direction of the head cliief of the Yakima nation, wliile lie was on an official visit, unarmed and unattended, the malignity of tlie Yakimas toward the whites was fully revealed. Similar outrages in other parts of Washington and Oregon left no doubt of a general combination of the Indians in both territori(\s for the externiination of the white race.

Upon the receij)t of the intelligence of the murders committed in the Yakima country, Major (Tranville O. Ilaller, U. S. Army, with one hundred men, was dispatched to this section of tlie territory to demand tlie delivery of tlie murderers. The attack made upon this expedition by the Yakimas and its final repulse with several killed and wounded, may be said to mark tlie Ix^ginning of oj)en hostilities in the eountrv nortli of the (V)luinl)ia - the eommencement of the Indian war of lHr)")_'r)(>j partirij)ate(I in by most of the Indian tribes from Beliinp;ham Bav all the wav south to the California boundarv.

The wliite population of Washington territory at this time did not exceed 5,000, and of this numl>er there were, exclusive of the United States troops, not more tluin 1,600 capable of bearing arms. The Indian population numbered 20,000, the larger part of which was located in the vicinity of the Columbia river and east of the Cascade mountains. On Puget Sound, however, the white settlements* were in close proximity to, and surrounded by, hostile bands of Indians. The weakness of the scattered and isolated wliite settlements was apparent to the Indians, and their escape from a ruthless war of extermination was not due so much to their al)ility to cope with the liostiles as to the distrust and jealousies existing among the Indians themselves - their suspicions toward each other arising from their naturally j>erfidious disi)osition. This i)revented a hearty and thorough alliance between separate bands of the same nations, much less between separate? and distinct nations. Mutual distrust kept them aloof Irom any harmonious action. False themselves, they doubted one another, and their combinations were neither cordial or lasting.

It is not the intention in this connection to follow the progress of this memorable Indian wai- throughout the wide extent of country in which it was carried on, nor is it necessary for the purposes of this work to do so. Our attention will be mainlv confined to what took place at or near Seattle in connection with Indian hostilities during this period.

For some time after the repulse of Major Haller, hostilitias were confined mainly to the Yakima country, but even prior to this evidence of the hostile attitude of the Sound Indians had been furnished. Late in September an attack was made at night upon the house of A. L. Porter who had established a claim at the head of White river valley, in King county. Fortunately Porter, who had been apprehensive of danger for some time, had adopted the plan of sleeping in the brush near by his home, and was thus enabled to esc^ipe. He then warned the settlers along the valley of their danger, and soon after all of them left their claims and tied to Seattle.

This occurrence caused the settlers of Seattle best acquaintx^d with the Indian character, habits and mode of warfare to become alarmed for the safety of their embryo city. There were many, however, who, relying upon the earnest avowal of friendship made by the Sound Indians, did not share this opinion. Just at this time the sloop of war Decatur, commanded by Captain Isaac S. Sterrett, anchored in Seattle harbor. A statement was made to Captain Sterrett of the exposed condition of the place, and he was earnestly requested to remain in order that proper protection might be afforded to the settlement Being convinced from all that he could learn that the exigencies of the case seemed to warrant the presence of his war ship, he promised to remain.

It was unfortunate that at this time, despite all that had occurred to indicate the hostility of the Sound Indians, there were those high in authority in territorial affairs who were slow to be convinced of the impending danger. Among those who were thus slow to take alarm was* Acting Governor Mason. When he heard that Porter's house had been attacked and that the settlers on the upper White river had left their homes and come to Seattle, he determined to assure himself if there was any cause for alami. Taking with him Lieutenant Nugen, U. S. Army, and a squad of soldiers, he made a tour of the abandoned territory. Meeting with no hostile demonstrations, finding the abandoned property of the settlers undisturbed and everywhere being received by the Indians with every show of fricnulship, he was led to believe that the settlers had acted foolislily in leaving their homes. Upon returning to Seattle he assured the refugees that there Imd been no real cause for abandoning their homes and that they could return with perfect safety. He also reported to Captain Sterrett of the Decatur that there was no necessity for his remaining at Seattle and that lie might with propriety leave at any time. Cai)tain Sterrett w^as strongly impressed w-ith the report^s brought back by Governor Miison, and it was with difficulty that a few of the most prominent citizens of Seattle finally induced him to remain. These men believed, and so argued with Captain Sterrett, that Mason had been deceived by the Indians; that their protestation of friendsliip was but a sul)terfug(^ to throw the settlers off their guard and thus create an opportunity for them to be more easily exterminated. Still there were those in Seattle who did not share these opinions, who readily accepted the views of Ciovernor Mason and ridiculed those who predicted there was reason to fear hostile acts on the part of the Indians. Many of the White river settlers were thus led bv the advice of Mason and others to return to their homes, although in so doing they acted against tlie judgment and advice of those in Seattle best able to judge of the situation. Tlie horrible massacre which soon followed wouhl have been averted had the views of the latter prevailed, but at the time those who asserted that there was danger were accused of being timid and even cowardly.

After the return of the settlers to their homes the Indians preserved a deceitful (juiet until the two companies commanded by Captains Malonev and Havs, which had \)vvu stationed in the vallev, had left for the Yakima country to reinforce Lieutenant Slaughter. An opfK)rtunity to strike a decisive blow was tlu'U presented, and im the morning of October 28, is.lo, the Indians fell upon the uni)rotected settlements, killing Harry H. Jouvs and wifi', Cu'orge E. King and wife, W. H. Brannon, wife and child, Knos Cooper and a man whose name was unknown. An infant son of King eould not be found, and whether it was murdered or carried oil' was never known. The settlers lower down the vallev were attacked at the same time; one was severely wounded and all narrowly eseape<l being murdered. The attack occurred at eight o'clock in the morning, and about the same hour in the evening those who had eseai)ed by High! arrive<l in Seattle, twenty-five miles distant. On the following morning an Indian brought to the town thnv ehildren belonging to the fugitives who, ibr some unaccountable reason, had been s})are(l.

A few days prior to the massacre, a company of volunteers had been raised in Seattle, and on the 'ioth of October it was mustered into the service of the territory for a period of three months. V\ion the day following the intelligence brought by the fugitives from the White river valley, this company, under command of Christopher C. Hewitt, afterwanl chief justice of the territory, started for the sc(»ne of the massiicre to bury the dead and, if i)ossible, to reseue those who might still be living. Captain Hewitt, in a letter written at the time, rei)orting the details of the journey, thus deseribes tlu* horrible brutality which marked the attack of th(» savages: " We started Monday (October 29) for the scene of action. After two days' hard work we made the house of Mr. Cox, which we found robbed. We next went to Mr.

Jones', whose liouse had been burned to the ground ; and Mrs. Jones, being sick at the time, was burned in it. The body of Mrs. Jones was found some thirty yards from the house, shot through the lower part of the hings, her face and jaws horribly broken and mutilated, apparently with the head of an ax. The bones of Mr. Jones were found, the flesh having been roasted and eaten off by hogs. Mr. Cooper, who had lived with Mr. Jones, was found about one hundred and fiftv vards from the house, shot through the lungs. After burying the bodies we proceeded to the house of W. H. Brown,* a mile distant. Mi*s. Brow^n and her infant, apparently ten months old, we found in the well, the mother stabbed in the back and head, and also in the lower part of the left breast, the child not dressed, but no marks of violence noticeable upon it. Mr. Brown was found in the house literally cut to pieces. We next went to the house of Mr. King, or to the site of it, for it had been burned to the ground. Mr. Jones and the two children were burnt in the house, and the body of Mr. King, after being roasted, had been almost eaten up by hogs. Mrs. King was some thirty yards from the house. She had been shot through the heart and was horribly niutilate<l. Three children were saved, one the son of Mr. King and two of Mr. Jones."

When tht* sickening details of the massacre became known at Seattle, all doubt of tlie true attitude^ of the Sound Indians was remove<l, and those who had up to tliis time ridiculed the idea that the town was in anv dan<j:er from an attack by the Indians, now eagerly demand(Ml that mcMisures should be taken to properly j)rotect the people. All now realized the true situation, and there was no delay in providing suitable means for defens(\ At this time there was a large amount of hewn timbc'r on hand which was well suited to the purpose of building fortifications, and which was fnvly used. The block luaise which had been already begun at the junction of Cherry and Front stnn'ts near the site now occupied by the Stari'-Boyd block, was now com])]('t<'(K while another was built at the junction of Main and South Ser()n(l streets. These two block houses which were of

^ Captain IlewiU was evidently mistaken as to the name of this indivicUial. Several who lived in Seattle at the time the massacre occurred state that the name of the person here referred to was \V. H. Braunon.

sufficient capacity to hold the entire popuhition of the town, were joined by a stockade which also ran from each block house to the bay. In the building of these fortifications the citizens received the generous and hearty eo-oi>eration of Captain Sterrett, who sent to their assistance a company of marines, whose trained knowkslge of the kind of work recjuired proved especially valuable. Every precaution was now taken to insure thesiifety of the town, wliich then conUiined from two hundred to two hundred and fiftv souls. Guards, both citizens and marines, were stationed around the block houses and stockades everv night, and parties of armed men, both volunteers and marines, were often sent out in the surrounding country to ascertain, if possible, the presence of hostile Indians. Although no evidence couhl be gathered that gave any positive assurance that an atUick would be made uiM)n the town, the operations of the Indians not nuiny miles remote from Seattle caused the settlers to be apprehensive of danger and to l>e constantly on the alert. The intelligence received of the engagement of Lieutenant Slaughter's conuuand of one hun<lr(»d men with the hostiles on White river on the third of November, and a few days later of another encounter at Bidding's prairie, one mile from thePuyallup river, in(licate<l the near presence of hostih' bands and was well calculated to keep tlie people in fear and dread.

Another and bv tar more disastrous encounter with the Indians brought the stern realiti(\s of savage warfare still n(»arer the doors of Seattle. Karly in Xovember a campaign was arranged on the Sound, having for its object the retention of th(» so-called friendly Indians upon their reservations so that all communication with those who were in the field could be more eflectually cut off. In the carrying out of this policy, Lieutenant Slaughter was directed to proceed with his company to the junction of the Whit<3 and Green rivers, while Cai)tain Hewitt, wlio at tliis time was at Seattle with his company, was ordered to march uj) to the same point and place himself in connnunication with Slaughter. Gn the third of December Lieutenant Slaughter, after several disastrous encounters with the Indians, reached Brannon's prairie at the fork of the White and Green rivers, and occupied a small log house. Here, on the following day, he was met by Captain Hewitt, who was encamped two or three miles below. About seven o'clock in the evening, while these two otticers, with Lieutenant Harrison and Dr. Taylor of the Decatur y wx>re engaged in conversation, a hand of hostile Indians under command of Kanaskut fireil a volley at the house and through the door. One ball passed through the breast of the gallant Slaughter, who fell dead without a groan. The Indians kept up a continuous firing for three hours, killing two noncommissioned otticers, and wounding several others, one mortally. The rest of the party fled to Seattle bringing their dead and wounded with them. No single event cast such a gloom over the community as the death of Lieutenant Slaughter. He was a graduate of West Point; a brave and efficient soldier and had been actively in the field from the beginning of Indian hostilities until he met his untimely death.

After this attack, owing to the unfavorable condition of the country, the snow being so deep as to cut off* communication with the Indians east of the mountains, the United States troops went into garrison at such j)oints as promised to afford the best protection to the settlers, while the volunteer eomi)anies returned to their i)Osts of duty as home guanls.

Captain Hewitt with his company now returned to Seattle, and, between this j)lace and a block house on the Duwamish river six miles below the town, reniainiMl on duty until their pt^'iod of enlistment expired. The presence his eonij)any with the Dcattiir and her forniidahle guns and force of marines. bre<l among the i)eoplt^ a sense of seeurity (les])i(e theii' isolation and the ovei'whelming number of hostile; Indians that suri'ounded them.

It is only just to state that <luring the tMitire period of the war there were, within tla^ inmiedijite vieiiiitv of Seattle, manv Indians whose iViendshi}) to their white neighl)oi's was sincere and loyal. lOspeeially was this true of <>ld Seattle and every member of his tribe, and of Pat Kaiiim and his tribe oi' Siio<|ualnii(\s. The friendshij) of the latter cliief was <loul)te(l i)y a few, but tlxTc was nothing in his eoiKJuct to warrant tlie belief that he was in anv wav treacherous. At one time, sliortlv after the White river massacre, Lieutenant Shiuuhter sent word todovernor Masf^i that Pat Kanim was following his party, evidently with hostile intentions. On receipt of this infor-

Illation Governor Mason sent an express to Captain Sterrett, instructing him to arrest two of Pat Kaninrs hrotliers, with all the members of his tribe who w^ere then camping near Seattle, and to put them in irons. Cai)tiiin Sterrett, who ha<l previously r(H-eive<l information from Mr. A. A. Denny that Pat Kanim was fri(Mi(lly disposed toward the settlers, did not wish to take sueh an imjiortant step without eonsulting Mr. Denny. Ife then^fore infornuMl Mr. Denny of the orders which he had received. Mr. Denny, who luul positive knowledge that this chief and his tribe were not in the part of the country where Lieute»nant Slaughter was operating, earnestly i)rotested against carrying the instructions into execution, claiming that he knew Lieutenant Slaughter was mistaken, and that they had enemies enough to look after without attacking their friends. ** I tinally proposed,'' says Mr. Denny, "if he would not disturl) the Snocjualmies, 1 wouhl be responsible for their good conduct, an<l would prove to him that SlaughtcT was wrong by going to Pat Kanim's camp and bringing him in. Captain Sterrett i)Ositively refusi^l to allow me to leave town, but consented that I might send an exiness for Pat Kanim and stand resjK)nsible for him until his return, having a time agreed u]M)n within which he would be back. \'erv fortunatelv for me, and probablv for Pat Kanim too, the latter was on hand within the time agreed upon. He had his women and (*hildren with him, and also brought a cargo of mountain sheej), venison, horns and hi<les, s|)ecimens of which he presented to the Captain, who expressed the greatest surprise and satisfaction with the conclusive j)roof I had thus furnished of the good faith and friendship of the Snoqualmies." From that time all doubt was removed of l^it Kanim's real attitude^ toward the whites, and soon after he was employed by the CJovernor, at the head of a small party of his tribe, to act as a scout, and did good service. During the latter part of the war he was in active service in the Held against the hostile tribes, and, according to a stipulation with the territorial authorities,*

* lieutenant Phelps descril)es the unique appearance of Pat Kanim on one occasion upon his return from Olynipia after l)eing paid off: '* He was arrayed in citizen's garb, including congress gaiters, white kid gloves an<l a white shirt with standing collar reaching half way up his ears, and the whole was finished ofT with a flaming red necktie."

for every chief whose head he could sliow in proof of death he was to be paid eighty dollars, and for every warrior twenty. The heads were delivered on board the Decatur, and were then forwarded to Olympia, where a record was kept.

On December 10, ISoo, Captain Sterrett was relieved of the command of the Decatur and Captain CJansevoort was appointed in his stea<l. Three days lattM' the Decatur received an injury by. striking on a reef near Bainbridge Island, and it became necessary to remove her battery to the shore while re[)airing her keel, a hibor whicli occupied nearly three weeks. While this work was going on the Indians in the Sound country committed numerous dei)redations and all sorts of rumors were aHoat as to their intentions. It was stated that Leschi, the Niscjually chief who had led the Indians west of the Cascades, was visiting the Indian reservations and making boasts of capturing the Indian agents. On Jaiuiary r)th it was discovered that he was actually present with a small force of warriors at the reservation o[)i)osite Steilacoom. He en<leavored to incite the friendly Indians there collecte<l to join the hostiles. Two weeks later, when the guns had been re[)laced on the Decatur, a young Duwamish Indian known as (-ultus Jim, notified Captain (iansevoort that the Klickitat Indians from the east of the mountains under Owlii had united with those on the west side uudiM' Ccxjuiltoii with the design of dividing their forces and making a simultaneous attack on Seattle* and Steilacoom. To this report was addecl still stron^'ei* proof of the approach of the hostiles bv th(* information brouiilil to Mr. YesltM* bv a Duwamish Indian known as Curlcy, who, with a small number of his tribe, was encamped on the beach above Yesler's mill. Curlt\v stated that while <ait fishing he met an old s(juaw on Ikm* way to Chief Seattle's reservation who told him that the Duwamish hulians under Claycum had gone up to get I.esehi and his Indians and some Kliekitats, and that within live <lavs thev would relui'ii and attack Seattle. Mr. Yesler at once impartecl this inrMrinatiou to ( aptain ( Janst^voort.

Phelps, Drake, Huglies and Morris. Three divisions were phieed on guard in the southern part of the town, and the other under Lieutenant Phelps, directly west of Yesler's mill across the oi)ening made hv the lake trail.*

After two nights had passed witli extra watchfulness on the part of the citizens and marine forces, on the morning of January 24th, the sun'eying steamer Active came to anchor in Seattle harhor, having on board Governor Stevens, Captain Keyes, Special Indian Agent Simmons and other territorial officials on tlieir way to a visit of inspection to the various Indian reservations around the Sound. These officers strongly urged Captain Gansc^voort t<> ju*(M)iui)any them, believing that there was no danger of an attack at this ]K)int. Captain Gansevoort, however, refused to accompany them, and it was indeed fortunate that he did not share the opinion of tlic officers on bojjnl tlie Ardre. Had he left with his forces at this time tlie massacre of the entire pojailation of Seattle would surelv have occurred.

Upon the departure of the Adirr^ nbout noon of January 25th, Captain Gansevoort, to still further confirm th(»rej)orts he liad received of the approach of the enemy, sent an ln<lian whom he could trust out to Lake Washington to asc(»rtain if the Klickitats had crossed the mountains. This s})y was at once sus})ected by the lake Indians and came near losing his life, being shot at and pursued until he reached the town. He brought back the startling news that one thousand Klickitats had come over the mountains and that for two davs th(» lake Indians had been bringing them across the lake in their canoes. Upon the receipt of this intelligence late in the day of January 2oth Captain Gansevoort increased the number of marines on guard in and around the town and advised all the families on shore to sleep in the block houses. Early in the evening Lieutenant Phelps observed two strange Indians in the town. When accosted and asked their business these Indians rei)lied that thev wen^ on their wav to visit Curlev's camp. Not being satisfied with their answers, Phelps sent for Curley, who assured him that there were no hostile Indians in the neighborhood. This was perhaps true at the time, but two hours later the chiefs Leschi and daycum held a conference at Curley's camp, at which time it was finally agreed that an attack would be made upon the town at ten o'clock the next morning, this time being selected as it was argued that the marines would then have retired to the Decatur to rest after the night's watcli, and that the families who slept in the block houses would have returned to their homes. Curley, who seemingly assented to this plan and wtis expected to take part in the attack, succeeded in warning Mr. Yesler of the result of the conference and the latter reiwrted the fact to Captain Gansevoort.

During the hours between the conference at Curley's lodge and daylight, the Indians crept up to the borders of the town and grouped their advance guard in concealed squads around each house outside of the line of stockades. These parties, at some signal previously agreed upon, were to nish upon and murder the inmates. These carefully laid plans were, liowever, very unexpectedly interrupted. At seven o'clock in the morning, wliile the men of the Decatur were at breakfast Lieutenant Phelps observed that the non-combatant Indians on the l)each were hurriedly taking everything from their huts into their canoes. Interrupting an old woman, he tiskod the cause of their flight Ho was answered in the Inclian dialect to the effect that the Klickitats in great numbers had come to kill the whites, and that they were at Tom Pei)i)or's house, a deserted chvolling directly Ciist of the south end of the town, and within ranfict* of the howitzer which had been recently placed in position at th(? block house. Without giving his men time to finisli their breakfast. Captain Gansevoort, ui)on receipt of this information, ordered them ashore, with special instructions to Lieutenant Morris to fire a shell into tlie house, where it was presumed the Indians had congregated. Following his instructions the howitzer was loaded and fired. The aim was a(;curate. The shell struck the cabin, exploded and demolished it. The boom of the gun had hardly died away before it was followed l)y a terrific war whoop from a thousand throats and a volley from the rifles of the savages along their whole line. Then followed a general stampede of men, women and children for the block houses, and, had it not been for the fact tliat the riHes in the hands of the Luliaiis had been generally emptied by the first volley, many of the inhabitants would have fallen on tlie way to a place of safety. Fortunately all escaped without injury. The smoke from theriHes indicated that the front line held hv the ln<lians at the beginning of tlie attack extended along where Third street now is until Marion street was passed, when it curvtul towards the bay. It was a segment of a circle an<l every part of the town was for a time w^ithin easy rifle range from this line. But the readiness and energy of the charge of the marines and volunteers sfjon drove tlie Indians further back to the brow of the hill, where tlu\y were comparatively sjife from the flying bullets. All the forenoon the roar of the Dccaiitr^s guns continued. The ground beyond Third street was torn up by exploding shells, huge logs and trees were splintered by solid shot, and ever}' space covered by showers of grai)e and canister, but still the Indian warriors held their ground, firing from lu^hind stumps, logs and trees, which were v(Ty thick along th(^ upper edge of the town. "Above the other noise of the battle," savs Bancroft, *' the cries of the Indian women couM be heard urging their warriors to greater efforts, but although th(\y continued to yell and tire with great persistency, the range was too long from the point to which the Ikcntur^H guns soon drove them to jiermit of their doing any executi(m.''

Captain Hewitt's volunteer company, which a short time previous to the attack, had been stationed on the Duwamish river, had returned to Seattle on the day before, at which time the company disbanded, as its time of enlistment had expired. The members of the company now took an active part in the defense of the town and rend(Ted efficient service throughout the day.

About noon the Indians ceascMl firing for a short time while they feasted on the beef of the settlers which their women had killed and roasted. During this lull in the fight the wcmien and children in the block houses were tiiken on board the Decatur and the bark Bronte^^ which was then lying in port. At the same time an effort was made to gather from the suddenly deserted houses the provisions, guns and other valuables left in the hasty flight before the Indians under the cover of night would have an ()p])ortunity to rob and burn them. The Indians j)erceiving the men rushing into the houses for this purpose immediately commenced firing upon them. Some of the houses within range being pierced by as many as fifty bullets.

Before this vigoroas assault the men were forced to retire within the line of the stockades. The attack was now renewed with increased energy and a fierce charge was made upon one of the divisions ai tiie Deocim^s force composed of fourteen men, stationed near the opening in the woods which marked the beginning of the lake trail. This little band, however, met the charge with such Vigor that the Indians retreated. ** Had they not flinched from the muzzle of these fourteen guns/' says Bancroft, *^ had they thrown themselves on these few men With ardor they would have blotted them out of existence by sheer force of numbers. But such was not to be, and Seattle was saved by the recoil."

All the afternoon a desultory firing continued from both sides. At times when a bombshell exploded in the midst of the Indians a hideous yell would be raised, but still the savages showed no signs of retreat Toward evening scouts sent out by Captain Gansevoort reported that the assailing Indians were placing inflamable material under and around the deserted houses, preparatory to a grand conflagration in the evening which it was believed was to have been the signal for all the Indians on the beach and across the Sound to join in the attack. To prevent the carrying out of this plan Captain Gansevoort resorted to a vigorous shelling of the town, which resulted in dispersing the incendaries before they had an opportunity to ent^r upon their work of destruction. Upon the return of the night the firing on both sides gradually ceased and by ten o'clock it was discontinued altogether. When the morning of the 27th dawned, the hostile force had disappeared, taking what cattle they could find and plundering every house within the line of their retreat.

That the massacre of every inhabitiint of Seattle would have followed this attack upon the city without the aid received from the Decatur is generally admitted by those who are still living who resided here at the time. The shells from the howitzer caused the greatest consternation among the Indians. Such implements of destruction were before unknown to them. Thev could understand how the solid shot, grape and canister, could cut down trees and tear up the solid earth, but the gun which tired balls which struck the ground and laid quiet for a time and then, as they expressed it, " mox poohed " or shot of itself again with such destructive force, filliMl them with mystery and terror. What they could not understand, thev construed to be the work of evil spirits who were evidently displeased with them and were aiding the whites. In fact they felt that the hand of fate was against them, and it was, perhaps, this feeling as much as anything else that caused them to retire from this attack on the town. Years after, the Indians who took part in the siege were wont to refer to the wonderful gun used upon this occasion. Their description of its power was somewhat in harmony with the idea the Indians on the plains receivcil from their encounters with the first immigrant trains which had with them mountain howitzei's mounted on strong gun carriages. The Indians spoke of the Bostons as a tribe of men who shot their wagons at them.

It is i)Ositively known that only two m(Mi were killed during the siege. One of them was Milton (J. Ilolgate, brother of Lemuel J. Holgatc and Afrs. E. Ilanford, who was shot and instantly killed while standing in the door of the Cherry street block house early in the action. Later in the day a young man named Robeii Wilson was shot and killed by some Indian sharp shooters while standing on the porch of a hotel which stood near the site now occupied by the Standard theatre. Many, however, narrowly escaped being hit by bullets from the rifles in the hands of the Indians, among the latter being Lieutenant Drake. Whih^ seated behind a large stump a bullet whizzed through his coat collar close to his throat. Two houses were burned during the day, one was where the gas works now are and the other the dwelling of AVilliam N. Bell. Several houses were plundered during the evening and everything of value was carried off.

The number of Indians either killed or wounded could never be ascertained. Many believed that several were killed and carried off by their friends, but some of the Indians who were in the fight afterwards asserted positively that not a single one was even hit, but that old Chief Claycum narrowly escaj)ed being killed, a bullet from some white man's rifle cutting off a lock of his white shaggy hair.

Following the White river massacre, the upper valley had been laid waste, and now as the Indians withdrew from the attack on Seattle, they completed the work of destruction in the entire valley. AVith the exception of the houses at AIki Point, which was out of their range, not a single dwelling outside of Seattle was left standing in King county, and the entire population was compelled to seek shelter in Seattle and elsewhere. Many became so discouraged that they abandoned their claims and left the country.

Upon the departure of the Indians from Seattle, Chief Leechi sent a boastful message to Captain Gansevoort that in another month he would return and destroy the town. In view of this threat it was thought best to erect more substantial fortifications. With a cai^ of sawed lumber contributed by Mr. Yesler barricades were built between the town and the wooded hills back of it. They constructed two wooden walls five feet high and a foot and a half apart, filled with earth and saw dust solidly packed to render them bullet pr6o£ Another block house was also built on the summit of a ridge which commanded a view of the town and vicinity. This was armed with a cannon formerly taken from some ship, and a six-pounder field piece taken from the Active, which returned to Seattle two days after the attack. At the same time a company of volunteers was raised, of which Edward Landers, afterwards chief justice of the territory, was elected captain, and A. A. Denny first lieutenant. This company entered into the service of the territory for six months and under its protection the families that subsequently returned to the lower valley of White river were enabled to cultivate sufficient ground to supply the settlements.

The Indians did not return to renew the attack on Seattle as Ijcschi had predicted, but for several months the citizens maintiiined a close watch upon their deceitful and cunning enemies, who continued to prowl about in the immediate vicinity for some time thereafter. Captain Gansevoorl did not leave with the Decatur until all danger of another attiick had passed, remaining in Seattle harbor until the beginning of the following summer. No further trouble, however, occurred, although the war in other parts of Wasliington and Oregon was not brought to a close until the fall of 1856.

The effect of the Indian war upon the entire territory of Washington was most disastrous, and es[)ceially so in the thinly settled region of the Puget Sound country. It not only retarded settlement but those already made were in many instances deserted, and for years thereafter immigration was ahnost entirely checked. Discouragement and almost desj)air took jwssession of all and many of the timid and irresolute removed to the more i)opuIous regions of Oregon and California. Seattle, in common with tlie other settlements on the Sound, for years after felt the effects of tlie disaster which had fallen on the country. The winter after the war closed, says Mr. Denny, " was a j)eriod of pinching want and great privation such as was never ex[)erienced liere except in the winter of I8r)2-»S. Those who remained until the war (closed were so discouraged and so much in dread of another outbreak that they wen? unwilling to return to their homes in the country and undertake the task of rebuilding them, and in consequence it was years before we recovcTcd our lost ground to any extent. Business was generally stagnant. Little in the way of building or improvement was attempted. Koads that had been opened before the war had mostly IxH'ome well nigh impassable, and sf)me of them entirelv so, and active efforts were not resumed to imi)rove our roads and open comnnmication with the country east of the mountains until IS^J"), a period of ten years." Indeed, for twenty years after the attack the growth of Seattle was slow and uncertain and no marked imj)rovement can be said to have taken place until a railroad was built to the coal fields to the south and east. From the date the first load of coal was shii)pe(l from Seattle began the city^s onward march to assured greatness, which has been continued with slight interruption until the present day.

Establishment of the Territorial University - Labor of Rev. Daniel Bagley and others - Value of the University to Seattle - Early Discovery and Development of the Coal Fields - Progress of Mining and Shipping of Coal - Opening of the Snoqualmie Wagon Road.

AFTER the destruction and depression resulting from tlie Indian war, in which tlie pojnilation and business of Seattle had been SO much reduced, the peoj)le began to i)ick up once more the threads of work and enterprise and to lay plans for the development of the town. So slow, however, was its growth that in 1860 there were but twenty families in the place. Yet in those dull and quiet times were begun many of the things which now make Seattle illustrious.

Three things in particular which ()ccuj)ied attention soon after the war and were brought to some degree of prominence before the railroad era, may be mentioned. These wvw the establishment of the Territorial University, tlie development of tlie coal mines and the opening of tlie Snoqualmie wagon road. Ky the first St^attle has been made tlie educational center of tlie stat(»; i)y th(» second it has been made th(* eliief eommereial city, and by tlie third the (h^sire and exj>eetation of having iiHU'i)endent eoinmunieation with the eastern half of the state was nurtured so as to make possi])le an independent railroad enterprise.

The first great work of this i)erio(l was the location and building of the Territorial riiiv(U*sity at Seattle. This was done in ]8()l-()2. Not only was this a givat and valual)le work, viewed from the i)oint of education and geiKM'al enligliteiiment. l>ut it was of the most determining character in fixing S(^atth* as a metropolitan seat. It attracted hither those who (]e>ire<] to (ulucate their families, and it gave tlie {)lace a {)restige and re{)utation not (^njoyed by other towns

The sightly buildings, from the first large and attractive, impressed strangers with an air of substantiality and ambition in the place, not easily effaced. Almost every distinguished visitor or writer on giving his views of Seattle took care to mention that it was the seat of the Territorial University. The expenditure of the sum of about thirtyfive thousand dollars for erecting the buildings and clearing the college campus at that early day, gave a considerable impetus to business and enterprise. The univei'sity has accordingly been an important factor in making the city.

By the act of congress creating tlie territory of Washington in 1854, provision for a university was made by allowing two townships as a basis for a fund for buildings and (Midnwment. Authority to locate and dispose of these lands was believed to reside in the hands of the territorial legislature. Tlie institution, however, became a political foot-ball, to be located here and there for political effect. In 1855 it was lociited at Seattle, but was eut in two so as to satisfv the Cowlitz country, a branch being located at Hoisfort, in Lewis county, and one township of land was allotted to each. No selection of land was made under this law and no steps were taken for establishing an institution with a brancli. It was not expected. In 1858 the law was repealed and the location made at "Tlie Cowlitz Farm,'^ in the county of Lewis. University commissioners were appointed several times to make selection of lands, but fail(Ml to do so. It was not felt to be the right time to begin, and the politicians still found the university useful for log-rolling {)urp()ses.

In 1861, however, the matter was taken up earnestly by A. A. Denny, and the legislature was willing to let Seattle and the lower Sound have the institution for awhile again. Using what tliey supposed to be their clear right, the legislative assembly appointed a commission to select the lands and sell them for the building fund and endowment. That they were not expecting the land to be sold or the buildings to be erected, however, is well shown by the fact that, though government land was sold at one dollar and a quarter j)er a(;re, they fixed the price of the land at one dollar and a half, and provided that it was to be selected from either offered or unotfered public lands. It was deemed almost impossible to dispose of the land at that advance.

FroTisioti was also made that ten acres in Seattle be donated to the Univeraity. These adverse features of the law were, however, handled frith such dexterity that they turned to the advantage of the institution and of Seattle.

For commiaflioners Daniel Bagley, John Webster and Edmund Can* were named in the act of location. Of these Mr. Bagley was chosen president and the whole work devolved upon him. Mr. Bag- 1^ was a recent comer to the town. By birth a New Yorker, he had early gone to Illinois and had bei»me a preacher in the Methodist Protestant church. In 1852 he came across the plains to Or^on and began work there as missionary of his church at Salem. In 1860 he came to Seattle on the same errand, and then and for a number of years was the only clergyman in the town - which thus late numbered but twenty families and not above one hundred and fifty inhabitants. A man of great force and earnestness, he was named as a commiasioner and as president of the commission at the instance and insistance of the people of Seattle who were determined to have the xmiversity established here.

The task was not light. There was not a cent of money and the land was all remote from the aettlemenU aiid placed at a ligure above government prices. The first thing was to secure the ten acres, and this was quickly done. Mr. A. A. Denny offered the requisite area on his north line, near what was afterward called Belltown. With Mr. Bagley he went to survey it, but finding it an almost impassable tangle, he threw down his instruments in disgust and said "Bagley, I'll give it OQ that kuoll," and the tract was laid off as at present, in the heart of the city. Eight and a half acres were donated by Denny and one and a half by C. C. Terry for Terry and Lander.

This site was then outside of the town, and the land was covered with an unbroken forest, largely of gigantic fir trees. Having obtained the site the work of improving it was puslietl with great vigor. There was no money, Mr. Bagley having to borrow on his own credit the modest sum of twenty dollars for wliat might be called "office expenses." But going to those who might be wishing employment, he offered it with pay in laud, and soon liad a good force. The work was awarded in lots at $275 nnd $317 per acre, and the men were paid $2.50 to $4.50 per day. It is of interest to know tlie names of some of those who took contracts and with tlieir mattocks and axes went into the woods to hew out a seat for education. Hillory Butler, L. B. Andrews, Lemuel J. Ilolgate, 0. B. Bagley, James J. Crow and Ira Wooden, still residents of King county, were among the number, and it is safe to say that their interest in undertaking the work was at least as much to further the cause of education and to build up the town as to help themselves financially. They were promised no pay in money, and expcHL'ted to take their pay in land at a ligure above government prices, in a region where almost the entire domain was open to settlement at a nominal cost to homesteaders.

The work was pressed with a most suri)rising activity, and it was determined to erect the buildings at (>nc(\ It was found possible to obtain lumberat the Seattle mill and at Meiggs' Toil Madison mill. To Meiggs was sold a large tract valued at twenty-five thousand dollars. Carpenters and workmen of all kinds received at first no pay except in land. The method pursut'd in all these sales was to give a receij)t for the value of the work done and to let the purchaser locate his land, taking a legal descri{)ti()n of the same to the United States land oflice at Olympia, where, if oi)en to purchase or entry, it was set aside as part of the university reserve, and a title was then warranted from the university.

Forty-eight persons were emj)Ioye(l on this work. Besides the six named above, (). C. Shorey, 0. J. Carr, Tlionias Mercer, David Graham, D. B. AVard and A. S. Pinkluun mav be named as men afterwards prominent in the annals of the city. Before winter set in the buildings - the school building proper, the boarding house and the President's house - were finished, thus furnishing a most remarkable record of rapid construction. The buildings were fine and imposing, for a frontier city numbering but 150 popuhition. The effect of such buildings in awakening public pride can scarcely be overestimated.

As to materials of construction, it is said, " The rough lumber was, of course, mostly fir and came from the Yesler sawmill that then stood on the site of the Yesler-Leary block, erected there many years later. The outside and inside finishing lumber was mostly white pine and came from Hood's Canal. The stone for the foundation was quarried near Port Orchard ; the lime and brick came from San Juan, and the building hardware and most of the lead and oils for paints were bought in Victoria, because they could not be had here.*

" Labor and all building materials, except lumber, were in those days much dearer than now, but the land was cleared and enclosed with a neat and strong picket fence, well painted, and the buildings completed and ready for occupancy and turned over to the university regents, aj)pointed to manage the ailairs of the institution, at a cost of about $35,000."

Of course money was necessary in order to purchase much of this material and to open the school, and Mr. Bagley put the lands on the market and found purchasers at the price fixed, in cash payments. Though at a higher figure than the ottered government land, it was subject to location on any unoccupied portion of the public domain, and was therefore to this extent preferable. Besides the ten acres cleared and fenced, and the buildings, Mr. Bagley turned over some $23,000 in money as an endowment. Interest on this sum was sufficient to secure a teaclier to open the school and proceed at once with the work of education. Mr. A. S. Mercer was the first principal and the work began in the autumn of 1S62, about eighteen months after the final act fixing tlic university at Seattle was {>asso(l by the territorial legislature.

The eudowmeut was not econoniit-ally managed, after i)assing into the hands of the rt'<2;ents, and owing to llie disturbances attendant upon the civil war. was in great j^art uscmI lor current expenses - perhaps unavoidal)ly. It is unjust, howt'Vc?r, to (|uestion tlie propriety of keeping such an institution in operation (hiring those dark and uncertain davs, even thou^i^li it was done at some sacrifice.

Tlie policy of selling the land at that time and erecting the buildings was soon called in (juestion l)v i'e>i(l(Mits of rival towns which had been h()j)ing for the btMieiits oi' the university (or thcMnselves ; but it will never be condemned or retjretled l)v Seattle. This marked the first definite gain of the place over other rivals. By political eniMuies of the

* The Yesler-Leary building was at the comer of Front street and Vesler avenue. It was burned in the great fire of issi*, and its site now forms a portion of Pioneer Place.

Seattle party, charges of misuse of the funds were made from time to time, and investigations were ordered, l)ut in every instance tlie books of Mr. Bagley were found perfectly correct and no diversion of funds or advantage to himself or others was ever shown. It has been sometimes asserted that the land was "squandered " by being sold at $1.50 an acre. To this it has been convincingly replied that, if the grant was to be of any value, it must either have been sold at the time, or else have been selected and set aside, to rise in value. To select timber land would be to run the risk of destruction of its value bv forest lires, or pillaging by loggers, and to sot it aside in an agricultural region would be to keep from settlement hind that was presumptively the best in the territory. Moreover, any such method of securing the grant would not probably have gained to the university huid averaging in value over ten dollars an acre at tlic present time - worth not quite half a million dollars, which is the estimated value of the ten acres secured in Seattle. If the course adopted was viewed simply as an exchange of the land grant for tlie ten acres of city property, it would be abundantlv justified bv the result. Yet it cannot be so regarded because it was not only that, but was the o{)ening and maintenance of a school that has been of inealcuhible benetit to the state.

Difficultv was experienced soon after tlie sales bv the decision of the land department that the right to select two townships gave no right to sell them. To seeure relief, Mr. Hagley made a journey to Washington City and obtained a law virtually conlirming the sales and making good the warranty of the university.

Development Of The Coal Mines

For a city aspiring to commercial pre-eminence, Seattle had for many years the most slight backing. The surrounding region was so covered with timber, the difiieulty of clearing which precluded the immediate prosecution of agriculture, that its people could not hope to make shipments of farm produce for a longtime, as Portland, for instance, was doing from the beginning. The agricultural region upon which the town must rely was largely across the mountains without even a wagon road fit to travel leading thither. The Northern Pacific railroad, upon which the people were relying with a more or lees abiding faith for coniiecting their city with the Atlantic states 1 and making it the great einporium of the Pacific coast for tho belt of l ' codmerce aroODd the world, was not yet built and must be brought f to Seattle only over the obstacles thrown in its path all tlie way from 1 the Atlantic to the Pacific. All theee thiuge were hound to come, J and the people of the place knew that they must, »nd they stinted no 1 exertion to bring about their consummation. But these were enter- 1 priaes so large in their nature that the handful of people at Scuttle I were unable to influence them, except indirectly.

Nevertheless, while having these large affairs in mind, Uie moml practical of Ihe citizens b^an to cast about for some local develop^! ment to keep the city alive and continue its growth, and if possible I to give it such local importance as to enable it to command the nicanfl I to avail itself of the laiger results when the walls of distance werel broken down. Before I860 the town bad no commercial advantd over the large number of milling stations along the waters of the] Sound. The mill of Mr. Yesler had been attracting occasional^ vessels and its operation had opened profitable employment to the fe^ scores of men then living here. The establishment and building i the Torritorial University in 1801-62 gave u pre-omiiieuce to tlio Uiwa enjoyed by no other, hut added nothing to speak of to its commerce. In casting about to see what there was to serve as the next steppingstone to commercial prosperity, serving also to give present employinent to the people here, a number of the leading men thought of the coal. At that time coal was mined but little on the Pacific coast The British Columbia article was in some demand at San Francisco, and the mines at Bellingham Bay had been opened and operated more or less successfully. But the supply was small in comparison with the demand created by the growing coastwise and ocean steam traffic. In the early days of steamship traffic the steamships were obliged to burn wood, and their decks were littered far beyond convenience with the cords tliat a week's voyage required. Thatday was long past, however, but the demand for good coals was great and increasing.

by Captain Pattle. A second mine was discovered on this bay at Sehome. At Nanaimo, across the border, the article was discovered soon after, and both mines were oi)ened and were run in sharp rivalry for a number of years. The Bellinghani article, however, was not able to hold its own, and the mines were dosed.

With reference to the coal mines of tlie Seattle district which embrace all those fields on tlie water courses that terminate on Lake Washington or Elliott Bay, the iii^st thing to be noticed is the time and circumstances of their discovery, and next the progress of their development.*

The following are the separate opening or croppings, named in the order of their discovery : The Black river mine, the Issaqua mine, the Coal creek or Newcastle mine, the Kenton and the Talbot mines on Cedar river, and the Green river mines. There is also a vein that might be called the Duwamish, near tlie river, on what is known as the John place near Steele's landing, but it has never been worked. The Black river mine is at a short distance from the town of Renton, on the old Clymer place, near the present home of Mr. E. M. Smithers. It was discovered in 1853, two yeais before the Indian war, by a party of pioneers who went out to the ritHc^ of the Black river near this place and erected a sawmill, improving the water i)0wer by throw-

* Lying back of the town and within ten miles are valuable coal fields that, so far as can be ascertained, are of inexhaustible extent, and the coal is of a quality far saperior to any yet discovered on the Pacific slope. The coal has been thoroughly tested and the fact placed beyond dispute. Indeed, every additional trial of its qualities develops a new ground of its superiority ; and the experience of all men skilled in coal mines and mining has proved that the further into a mine one goes the better is the quality of the coal. At present the coal is transported a part of the way to Seattle in wagons and the balance in boats, and a sufficient quantity has been taken out to thoroughly demonstrate the superiority of its quality. Two companies are preparing to provide means for easy and cheap transportation, and at no distant day these mines will become undoubtedly the best paying institution on Puget Sound. But this is not all. Vigorous preparations are going on to thoroughly prospect another mine on the Black river, distant about ten miles from Seattle. Coal has already been struck that it is thought will pay for working and strong hopes are entertained that a still better prospect will be found. These mines cannot fail to prove an inexhaustible source of wealth to Seattle; and moreover it is not the most improbable thing that "ile" will be struck in paying quantities in the region of these boundless coal fields. - The Intelligencer ^ August 5th, 18G7.

ing a dam across the stream. These were Tobin, Fanjoy anj ISatm^^ the two latter of whom suffered a tragic death in the Indian troubla* J following. lu the same neighborhood with them Dr. M. Bigelow waaij making a homestead, and in his operations in clearing land, or pet^^ haps cutting timber or hoop-poles, he found Uie coal in the yearfJ named. An effort was made at once to get some of it on the market with the result that a schooner load was brought out and sent to Sao^J Francisco, where it was sold for thirty dollars a ton. So great ' the demand for coal at the time that $24,000 was offered for the m tut Bigelow was unable to take advantage of the offer, since he 1 already bonded it to Capt Wm. Webster for $20,000. In 1856 i Indian troubles compelled cessation of work, and the quality of t coal proved so inferior tliat mining operations were never reaamai and the abandoned claim became Mr. Clymer's pre-emption.

In about 1863-63 the indications of coal were noticed on I Johns place near Steele's, on the Duwamish. Mr. fianiard, at thi time connected with the iiuiversity, became interested, and in orde make some test of the value of the article, communicated with I George Whitworth, then of Olympia, who in response to his requec examined the vein. Havinf; given especial attention to the study i geology, and liaving lived for some years in a coal region in Indiana, Mr. Whitworth was well qualified to pass an opinion. He thought he coal inferior, but to make the matter certain advised Barnard to send for a Mr. Robin.son, a coal expert at Victoria, to give it a lest. Upon Robinson's examination Whitworth's opinion was confirmed.

In 1863 the vein on the Issaqua, or Squak, was laid bare, and claims taken by L. B. Andrews and W. A. Jepson. Ten tons were taken out at one time and brouglit to Seattle to be tested, and on the United States Steamer Skiil>rick the trial was made. Most encouraging was the result, Mr. Winship, tlie engineer, re|X)rting that it was superior for raising steam to any coal then known on the Pacific coast. This vein was found to belong to the main Luke Washington field, and was worked afterwards by the Seattle company.

The Coiil Creek and Newcastle veins were discovered in 1864, by tt party of surveyors, of wliom Edwin Riehardson, deputy surveyor of the territory, was the leader. At the time they were running the gov- ernment survey of a township, and on Coal Creek, near a riffle eaused bv the encroaching ledge of the hill, were brought within plain ^^ew of the vein. Claims were soon taken by Ira Woodin, Finn Campbell, P. H. Lewis and Edwin Richardson. Woodin and Camp])ell soon abandoned their places, which were then taken by Josiah Settle and William Perkins, and later C. B. Bagley took a claim adjoining the others. At the time these lands were filed for pre-emption there was no law exempting coal lands from the operation of the general laws governing settlement ; but the act withdrawing coal lands, as mineral lands, from such privilege was passcMl In^fore tliese men perfected their titles. In fear of losing their claims tlicv ai)i)lied to Mr. D. Bagley for advice, and he in turn laid tlie matter before Mr. Whitworth at Olympia. In their opinion tlie claims were not endangered, since they were filed ui)on bc^fore the act was i)asse<l, and the constitutional provision ]n'oh'\\ni'\njjr rx post facto operation of all legislation would secure them. It was found, moreover, that tlie land department liad in tenns declared, prior to the new law, tliat coal did not constitute lands mineral. On ap])eal to the commissioners at Washington this view (/f the case was held. In this connection Mr. Whitworth became interested in the mines, and upon removal to 8eattl(» in ISOi] to assume the management of the territorial universitv, he became a member of the Lake Washington Coal Com{)any, and pressed the view that the coal must ])e mined and i)Ut on tlie market before tlie attention of capitalists could l)e drawn hither - the feeling of some being that bare discovery and publication of the test of tlie coal would be enough to attract buyers of the mines. The first coal was brought in wagons to Lake Washington, thence boated across to the west side of the water to a place vulgarly called Fleaburg,* and thence brought in wagons to the Seattle docks. The next step was to construct a barge, the Good TernplaTy and by this and a tug, the Fannie, Owned by Captain Randoli)h, to bring the coal ])V way of the Black river and Duwamish. Following this was the route by Lakes Washington and Union ; and lastlv that bv rail - as will be further narrated.

or two from the olii discovery of Dr. Bigelow. Traces of this coal were < early seen, hut no definite prospect was mnde until in ISTif, Mr, K, M, Smitliers made a thorough search. Approach inf;; the pri3l)li;m in a manner worthy a oiilitarj' engineer, he narrowed his field of investigation until hut one small stresini was left to he exjilorcd. With a Mr. Crane, he approached this hinit liiding place of the coal, and ascending the bed of the brook followed tlie float until all trace of it bad disappearL'd. From this they kuew that they liad passe<] the ledgo, I and tnrncd and rotmced their sJepN until once more they found the J float coal. Then, confidently turning to the steep billside. they ] struck the ledge with their picks and the vein was exposetf. On this ] was formed the Renton Coal company, which shipped its coals by Ihei Duwamisb, building thither a tramway to the mine. E. M. Smithers, T. B. Morris and C. B. iShuttuck were the principal parties in tha Renton company. The Talbot mine, somti three-fourths of a mile Uf^ J the CVdar fi-om the Renton, was ujiened in lSi4, Lmry, OilHns and J McNaught being the first to form » company. Further up Cedar j river is the McAllister mine, and on Ga-en river is the great coal T field.

In point of value the cofil riscrf in ]iri)]»irtiini (o it^i [iroxiniity to' the mountains, ihe reason probably being that all the coal ot this coast is of comparatively late geological formation, being in age the lignite, but owing to mountain upheaval and the consequent pressure and volcanic action, much of it has by sheer heat and compression been brought to a state resembling th^ older coals. Where the pressure has been greatest, therefore, the coal is best.