Waverly, Washington - An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of Washington

An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of Washington

Through the courtesy of the genial attorney. Albert J. Langhorn, formerly the editor of The W'averly Optimist, we are permitted to n;ake use of the excellent "write up" of the history, resources and development of this town, which appeared in the first number of the paper mentioned :

"The immigrant of today gazes with rapture upon the fields of waving grain, the fruitful orchards and beautiful liomes, and the cities and towns rife with commercial activity in the famous Palouse. While the poet of to-day, impressed with the beauty and grandeur of the scene, is wont to chant

"The cheerless winter blasts of 1S78-9 were anything but coinfortable for the pioneers who had left their homes in the east and cast their lots amid the hills and valleys, plains and forests of eastern Washington. At this time a few settlements had been made m the wilderness. Here and there the advance guard of civilization took up homesteads or 'squatted' in the most convenient and desirable places. A number of these pioneer settlers located in the vicinity of what is now the subiect of this sketch and with strong arms and stout hearts entered upon the task of developing the resources of a country whose fame and glory has far outshone the splendor of their brightest dreams.

"The government of the United States was eager to assist in this enterprise, and in January, 1879, established the Waverly postoffice at the pioneer residence of A. D. Thayer, on Hangman creek, about one mile east of the present town site, where it remained for a period of more than five years.

" Twas in the summer of 1884 that the venerable P. Gimble, the founder of the first business enterprise in Waverly. and the sage whose industry and activity materially aided in the advancement of the community and the development of the country, opened a general merchandise store upon the present town site, then platted by William Connolly, F. Dashiell and Hon. D. F. Anderson, on the north side of Plangman's creek.

"Remote from the scenes of turmoil and strife, and stirrounded by a farming community novel in the extent of its development. Waverly at once assumed tlie aspect of a rural village, peaceful, quiet and serene. Though the pioneer citizen was energetic in his labors, and nature was generous in her offerings, progress in the line of town building was slow. Railroads penetrated other localities, where villages and cities sprang up as if by magic, drawing the life blood from the existence of Waverly. As the years rolled by barren hills, forests, wild and trackless prairies were transformed into beautiful homes, blooming orchards and waving fields, and the pioneer of old became the farmer of today. Thus two decades passed silently away after the establishment of the government postofiice and the little village, quiet and serene, slumbered peacefully on, apparently unconscious of the wonderful changes that time had wrought. In the meantime, far and wide had spread the tidings of the wondrous growth, magnificent resources and rapid development of the Inland Empire. The tide of immigration rushed onward from the east with renewed activity, eager to gatlier the golden apples from the garden of Hesperides. The stream of capital and wealth that followed in with unceasing flow, freed from the acute competition of the east, found volumes of remunerative profit Ijy loan and investment. Leading enterprises and manufacturing industries of tlie time found welcome in the larger cities of the valley and plain.

in the early spring of 1899 ^'i-^'^ the spirit of manufacturing and commercial industry aroused from slumber and inacti\'ity the peaceful village. For some time past rumor was rife of the establishment of a beat sugar factory along the water course known as Hangman, now Latah, creek, but several attempts to establish the same had heretofore, from various causes, proved a failure and confidence was wanting in the effectual establishment of the enterprise. But the coming of spring time brought the joyful news that the glittering reward was now in store for those who had toiled so faithfully for the establishment of this industry.

"A new company was formed with ready capital at hand, eager to embark in the enterprise. Plans were drawn, contracts let. laborers secured and work begun upon the foundation of the structure and upon the new railway branch of the O. R. & N. from Fairfield.

"A new addition to the former town site was platted by Col. E. H. Morrison and filed for record in the office of the county auditor in the following June, and the peaceful village that had never witnessed a period of excitement greater than a political meeting, a Sunday school picnic or a general election, entered at once upon a period of activity unparalleled in the history of the Inland Empire. The railroad was completed and ready for transportation in the latter part of June. Car loads of material for building purposes, and goods, wares and merchandise were shipped daily over the new line. On every side was heard the sound of the hammer and saw. Buildings were going up on both sides of the creek with amazing rapidity. Here and there structures of arched canvas were raised to accommodate those whose business enterprises would not permit of the delay occasioned by the scarcity of buikling material. Within the period of three summer months over thirty new store buildings were erected, stocked with an up-to-date line of goods and ready for business. In addition to these the work on the factory building continued to progress. Contractor Moffit employed a regular force of men ranging from fifty to seventy-five in number. The structure stands as a masterpiece of mechanical architecture, the walls being of stone and brick and the pillars and crossings of iron and steel. The structure in the main is three hundred feet in length and averages ninety feet in width, three stories high, and represents a total cost and expenditure of nearly five hundred thousand dollars. The Spokane Grain & Milling Company and the Pacific Coast Elevator Company have constructed warehouse buildings suitable for handling the large supply of grain which will be delivered this fall."

There has been built a cribbed dam across Latah creek, about one hundred yards below the factor}-, four hundred and eighty feet in length, the top of the dam being twelve feet above high water mark. Three beet sheds, 30x330 feet, have been erected for the purpose of handling and washing the beets.

Within a few months as many as fifty buildings were ercted, costing from two hundred dollars to twelve thousand dollars, not counting the buildings connected with the Washington State Beet Sugar Company. The town assumed a metropolitan aspect, with the principal business represented by the Loy Hardware Company, W'averly harness shop, Waverly and City meat markets, jewelry store, general merchandise, millinery, two hotels, two restaurants, livery stable, barber shop.

A J'ast Enterprise. - The Beet Sugar Factory is doubtless one of the most important industries in the "Inland Empire," and deserves extended description. It began operation in December, 1S99, and is thus described in the Optimist :

"Wednesday marked the beginning of a new epoch in the industrial develi^pment of the 'Inland Empire,' when the wheels of Waverly's new industry, the \^'ashington State Beet Sugar Company, were set in motion and the interesting process of transforming the raw material into the finished product began. The event is the final result of years of persistent labor and agitation by the citizens of this community, and to Col. E. H. Morrison, of Fairfield, more than to any other man is honor due for establishing the industry. He was one of the first to conceive the idea that sugar beets could be pn_^fitably grown in this country, and proceeded to demonstrate the fact to the incredulous. This was easily done, but the herculean task was to interest capital in the enterprise. Many attempts were made, and at times it looked as if success would reward their efforts, but in each instance failure was the result.

"Finally. D. C. Corbin, who made millions in building and operating railroads in the west, was induced to furnish the necessary capital, and the enterprise was assured. A large force of workmen were employed to erect the building, expert mechanics were secured to install the heavy and complicated machinery, and the farmers beean raisins: beets.

"The new factory and adjoining buildings are constructed after the most modern and approved plans of sugar manufactories, and the plant in the perfection of its equipment is probably the equal of any other in the country, and every facility will be a\'ailable to demonstrate that lieets can be profitably raised and

"One hundred and fifty men are eniploved in. the factory - seventy-five on each shift. The wages a\ erage from one dollar and seventy-five cents per day for common labor, up to seven th<_iusand and five hundred dollars a year for a superintendent skilled in sugar making. During the summer and fall about four hundred men have been employed in the beet fields around Waverly and \-icinity. receiving one dollar a day and board.

"The factory was built under the direction - of Emile Salich, of Chicago, an expert in his line. Work was begun on the main building: in June. It is a three-story structure, one hundred by three hundred feet. The machinery was purchased in France, Belgium, Chicago and Spokane, and careful tests of its workings satisfy the managers that it is in good order.

"The capacity of the factory is three hundred and fifty tons of beets daily, which represents fifty tons of sugar extracted. The run tliis year will probably last six weeks.

"The process of transforming the raw material into crystallized sugar is an interesting one, and a brief description will no doubt be of interest to our readers. The beets are stored in large sheds three hundred feet long, and from there begin their journey through three cemented channels, or conveyors, laid just underground and covered by planks which form the walks. Through these channels the beets are forced by a strong current of water, which also continues the washing process. Entering the factory, they are caught in baskets in the periphery of a slowly turning wheel eighteen feet in diameter. As the wheel revolves the baskets are inverted over an incline which delivers the beets into the washer, a long, sheet-iron receptacle furnished with paddles, wherein a current of water completes the cleansing operation.

the beets to another incHne from which they sh'ng into baskets of an elevator and are Hfted to the fourth floor, or cupola room, above the roof. Here they are dumped into the automatic scale - a delicate watch-like contrivance, notwithstanding its size - which registers accurately and dumps each tilling into a chute which delivers them to the sheer. This is a large tank, or upright cylinder, in the bottom of which re\-olves a horizontal plate, furnished with corrugated knives, which reduce the beets to small triangular slices, called cossettes. or chips. In this form the largest possible surface is presented to the action of the water in the diffusing battery, which is the next stopping place reached.

"These machines are a circle of great iron pots, or diffusers, having massive lids and connecting by means of valves with each other, and each separately, with steam heat and water pressure. In the first cell the beet pulp enters water at a high temperature, but always below 212 degrees. After the proper time allowed for dittusion, the manipulation of numerous valves by the operator forces the fluid contents of this cell into the mass of pulp of the second cell and renews the water upon the pulp in numl)er one, and so on until the first water has completed the circuit, or a sufficient part of it, and each mass of pulp has passed through from nine to eleven diffusions. From tlie battery the juice passes by pressure to the great measuring tanks, which have each a 'floating register, so that accurate tally is kept of the quantity of juice contained at each filling.

"The juice, after passing the measuring tanks, returns to the first floor, from which it is pumpetl to the third story, and into immense tanks called lime-and-juice mixers, in the bottom of which revolving propellers slowly mingle the ingredients in the proper proportion. The lime solution - known as milk of lime- - is furnished from a tank house on the roof, which is tended by a man wdio receives

"From the mixing tanks, the mixture chemically known as saccharate of lime descends to the heater on the second floor, and after being raiseil to a temperature of 190 degrees, passes to the first carbonation tank, where the introduction of carbonic acid from the lime kiln direct forms carbonate of lime, which precipitates, carrying oi¥ all iminirities. The contents of the tanks are then ])umped to the filter presses on the third floor, which separate the precipitates from the juice. Then back to the second carbonation tank the juice returns, for a second addition of milk of lime, which completes the chemical purification, after which it is heated to its former temperature and passed to a second set of five machines on the third floor, which filter it through perforated steel plates and sheets of linen canvas.

"From the evaporating apparatus, at the proper consistency, the syrup goes to the sulphitation tanks, which are connected with small sulphur kilns which burn the sulphur, and the resulting fumes are forced into the tanks through perforations in the bottom and bubble up through the contents until the syrup is bleached to the proper transparency. From the sulphitation tanks the bleached syrup goes to the 'waiting tanks,' where, in large cpiantities. it awaits its reduction to sugar in the vacuum pans. Tiie product of the pans - crystallized sugar mixed with molasses - is then passed to the centrifugals on the first floor where they are separated by a speed of one thousand revolutions per minute within a cylinder of fine wire net. The sugar thus separated .is carrieil by elevators to storage bins on the third floor, to await delivery into the dryer, or granulator.

"From the dryer the sugar comes in two grades of fineness, known as 'Xo. 16,' and 'Bar sugar,' being separated by bolters, as in flouring mills. Cube sugar - which is not at pres-

"The molasses left in the centrifugals is pumped into waiting tanks, thence into the vacuum pans, to be reheated. It then goes to the cr\-stallizing machines, where, by a process of slow revolutions, it produces yellow sugar and a by-product - bitter and impure - called 'final molasses," which has a commercial value for some manufactures and for the distillation of alcohol. It is for the storage of this substance that the large syrup house will be used when completed. The yellow sugar is remelted and returned t(i the juice, and finally joins the white granulated product in the familiar muslin sack."

The first season's run of the factory came to a close about the end of January, 1900. As would be expected, it was attended with many misfortunes and trials. It was no easy matter to get such complicated machinery into working order, especially when it is taken into consideration that many of the employees were inexperienced in such work. The difliculties in a great measure were overcome and sugar of a high grade was produced. There was consumed about six thousand tons of beets, making about four thousand sacks of sugar. Every advantage has been taken of the experience and result of the first season's work. A force of men has been kept working making improvements and alterations. The factory will doubtless be operated on a larger scale the coming season, and Waverly and the country around will reap the benefit.

Plaza is a small settlement on the Spokane and Palouse branch near the southern line of the county. It has a small store, and postoifice, an elevator and blacksmith shop.

Stevens is the last station on the west end of the county on the Northern Pacific Railroad. There is a store, a blacksmith shop, a postofiice and a school house.

Alica is a flag station on the O. R. & N. Railroatl, sixteen miles from Spokane. A store, school house, and three or four buildings make up the settlement. The country around is quite thickly settled, and the school enrollment reaches fifty scholars. The Mica peaks have attracted considerable attention and are treated in another chapter.