History of the Northern Blue Mountains
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This document was transcribed from a photocopy of an original located in the Supervisor’s Office Silviculture Library Archives. To the greatest extent possible, this version is an exact duplicate of the original text. HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS by Gerald J. Tucker 1940 HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS (UMATILLA16) PAGE 1 This document was transcribed from a photocopy of an original located in the Supervisor’s Office Silviculture Library Archives. To the greatest extent possible, this version is an exact duplicate of the original text. HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS -- Table of Contents – Chapters Pages FOREWARD I GEOLOGY OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS .......................................... 5 Coal deposits, Indian Legend concerning their geological views II THE COMING OF LEWIS AND CLARK................................................................ 11 Location of Indian tribes, The prophecy of Wa-tum-nah III THE NEZ PERCE AND CAPTAIN B. L. E. BONNEVILLE .................................... 16 The Indian search for religion, the coming of Marcus Whitman and Spalding IV EARLY INDIAN TRAILS........................................................................................ 19 The Old Oregon Trail, The legend of the Grizzly Bear Rock, Chief Joseph's summer trail V THE TREATY OF 1855 ......................................................................................... 24 Early trappers - Hudson Bay Co., “Fifty-four Forty or fight,” Indian Gardens VI EARLY PIONEER ACCOUNTS ............................................................................ 28 Discovery of gold on Canal Gulch of Orofino Creek by Capt. Pierce, Other gold discoveries, The founding of Lewiston, Experiences of Barney Owsley, Recollections of Daniel Williams VII EARLY GARFIELD COUNTY HISTORY............................................................... 33 Early settlers, the first sawmill in Garfield or Asotin Counties, the founding of Pomeroy, the telegraph line established between Dayton and Lewiston, the founding of Pataha City, the forming of the county of Garfield, coming of the railroad. VIII PIONEER HISTORY OF COLUMBIA CENTER.................................................... 36 Early settlers of Columbia Center, the collapse of the village IX PIONEER HISTORY OF THE ALPOWA REGION................................................ 40 First settlers of Asotin County, “Ghost towns”. X PIONEER HISTORY OF THE ASOTIN SECTION................................................ 42 The meaning of Asotin, the two villages of “Assotin City” and “Town of Asotin”, the fight for county seat, the united village. XI PIONEER HISTORY OF THE ANATONE SECTION............................................ 46 First settlers, the Indian scare, Cloverland district HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS (UMATILLA16) PAGE 2 This document was transcribed from a photocopy of an original located in the Supervisor’s Office Silviculture Library Archives. To the greatest extent possible, this version is an exact duplicate of the original text. irrigation project XII PIONEER HISTORY OF THE CLARKSTON SECTION ....................................... 50 Early dreams of irrigation in this locality, the founding of Clarkston, interstate bridge built between Lewiston and Clarkston XIII PIONEER EDEN & GROUSE FLAT HISTORY..................................................... 53 The first settlers in the “Garden of Eden”, experiences of early settlers, brief history of Troy XIV THE BEGINNING OF THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY IN THE BLUE MOUNTAIN AREA..................................................................................................................... 57 The first cattle, early cattle and sheep industry, recollections of J. O. Long, First cattle drive into the Grouse Flat country XV HISTORY OF THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY IN THE NATIONAL FOREST AREA OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS........................................................... 62 Early grazing of sheep and cattle, wild horses, conditions of the range during early days, the Wenaha Forest Reserve created, First stockmen's meeting XVI WILDLIFE UPS AND DOWNS .............................................................................. 67 Introduction of elk, planting of fish, wild fowl, predatory animals XVII ROADS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS ............................................. 70 The first roads, history of roads & grades on the Asotin Dist. XVIII TIMBER CUTTINGS IN THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS .......................... 77 First sawmill located at Columbia Center, early day sawmill operations of Garfield County, United States vs Henley Bros. lawsuit, Pole mills, sawmilling in the Anatone country, small mills in the Eden and Grouse Flat country XIX FOREST FIRES OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS................................ 80 “The Big Burn,” Early fire history, large and unusual fires XX FOREST SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS 84 Improvements from 1907 through 1939, trails and telephone lines built by Art Bott and his description of the development of the Asotin District XXI FOREST SERVICE PERSONEL OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS ...... 88 A brief discussion of personnel from 1903 through 1939 GEOGRAPHIC NAMES................................................................................................................ 96 HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS (UMATILLA16) PAGE 3 This document was transcribed from a photocopy of an original located in the Supervisor’s Office Silviculture Library Archives. To the greatest extent possible, this version is an exact duplicate of the original text. FOREWORD I wish to take this opportunity to thank my many friends for their valuable contributions, which have made this historical sketch possible. I wish to thank particularly: Judge E. V. Kuykendall of Pomeroy, Washington for permission to use and quote from his History of Columbia Center and History of Asotin County. C. A. McCabe of Pomeroy, Washington for the use of his copy of the 1914 Pioneer Edition of the East Washingtonian and personal help. Nereus Thorton of Pomeroy, Washington for his many interesting stories of pioneer life. Bell Henley of Pomeroy, Washington for his very valuable help and stories of the pioneer sawmill industry. Ernie Kimble of Pomeroy, Washington for his stories of pioneer sheep and cattlemen of the Blue Mountains. Miss Schmitz, librarian of the Whitman College at Walla Walla, for her courtesy and help in gathering material for reference. Mrs. Malone, librarian of the Denney Ashby Memorial Library at Pomeroy, Washington for her courtesy and help in gathering material for reference. Arthur Bott of Bartlett, Oregon for valuable information Ike Madison of Bartlett, Oregon for valuable information Arthur Courtney of Troy, Oregon for valuable information Fenton Bros. of Troy, Oregon for valuable information Ellis Carlson of Asotin, Washington for valuable information Lester Sherrill of Pomeroy, Washington for valuable information Ernie Colwell of Pomeroy, Washington for valuable information Wilbur Colwell of Pomeroy, Washington for valuable information Wm. Tyler of Pomeroy, Washington for valuable information Al Ruchert of Pomeroy, Washington for valuable information Otto Ruchert of Pomeroy, Washington for valuable information Ed Ruchert of Pomeroy, Washington for valuable information Al Dick of Pomeroy, Washington Albert Baker of Walla Walla, Wasington for many years District Ranger in the Troy, Oregon and Pomeroy, Washington sections of the Blue Mountains, for his valuable help. Miss Elsie Little of Pomeroy, Washington for typing from manuscript and dictation, and aid in securing reference material, as well a help and advice in the preparation of the text. In addition to those mentioned above, I wish to thank all those who helped either directly or indirectly and whose names it is not possible to mention in this brief outline. Signed G. J. Tucker HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS (UMATILLA16) PAGE 4 This document was transcribed from a photocopy of an original located in the Supervisor’s Office Silviculture Library Archives. To the greatest extent possible, this version is an exact duplicate of the original text. Chapter I GEOLOGY OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS What type of country is the northern portion of the Umatilla National Forest? This forest includes the main range of the Blue Mountains all the way from their western terminus on the lower John Day River in Oregon to their northern terminus in Garfield and Asotin Counties, Washington. In a general way the Blue Mountains of the Umatilla National Forest are a high plateau, deeply cut by an intricate system of steep walled, rim rock, canyons. It has been said by many people who have visited the Blue Mountains that it would be more appropriate to call them the “Blue Holes.” This impression is largely due to the fact that the forest roads are for the most part along the tops of ridges from which excellent views may be had of the canyons. The Blue Mountains offer an interesting field for the study of geology, this is particularly true of the northern portion, which is included in the Asotin District. An intensive geological study of this area has never been made. However, after doing considerable research along this line, I found in the Whitman College Library a geological report by Israel Cook Russell a geologist in the employ of the Geological Survey of the U. S. Government. This report was made in 1897 and is the result of four or five months field work in Southeastern Washington that year. The