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The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA., September 27, 1934, page 6

BYARS GIVES MORE EARLY KLICKITAT COUNTY ITEMS

In 1890 the First National Bank of Goldendale was in a frame building on the northwest corner of Main and Grant street, where is now located the Pioneer State Bank. It was organized the year before with a capital of $50,000.00. J.O. Maddock was the president; Hugh Fields vice-president, and F.W. Patterson, the president's son-in-law, was the cashier. The latter now lives in Chicago. On account of a goodly number of business men and others doing their banking business in The Dalles, and the general depression of 1893, it could not be made a paying business so the banking company was dissolved. Later Mr. Maddock took a homestead down on the Big Klickitat. The Klickitat soda works and dry ice plant is located on the land formerly owned by Mr. Maddock. The springs were known as the Maddock Soda Springs.
In 1899 Moore brothers, of Moro, Oregon, established the Bank of Goldendale. T.B. Montgomery was in charge or the bank. He was elected county treasurer in 1902.
A. Melgard, formerly of Minnesota, purchased the bank in May, 1902. He sold out to the Gillett Bros., who had been in the banking business in Colorado. They purchased the W.H. Ward building on the northwest corner of Main street and Columbus avenue and renovated the building for banking purposes. C.T. Camplan, now of Portland was cashier. Later they constructed the brick addition now occupied by the J.C. Penney Store and the state liquor dispensory. The Goldendale Milling Co. opened a bank in the old building with Lou Duncan as cashier. After the build burned the property was purchased by the Brooks & Co. bank. The latter bank and the State Bank were consolidated and the Pioneer State Bank succeeded them, and at a more recent date the Pioneer State Bank took over the National Bank of Goldendale, which C.T. Camplan had organized.
Most of the old bank building was the two story frame building of Col. E.W. Pike and N.B. Brooks. In 1890 Mr. and Mrs. Brooks had house-keeping rooms on tile second floor in the front part of the building. The Good Templars and the Artisans later had a lodge room on the west side of the second floor. The second floor was also used as a dance hall. At the time the building burned the Masons had the whole upper floor rented. The east part was used for a lodge room and the west as a banquet room.
The writer bought a half interest in the building and moved The Sentinel office from the present W.H. Ward building to the east room of the ground floor. Mr. Brooks and the writer purchased the Sunderland bowling alley, which was in the Young building, located at the present site of the James Shepard residence, and moved the alley to the west room of the Pike-Brooks-Byars building. This alley was afterward sawed into proper lengths and used for a sidewalk in front of the building. Later the writer sold his interest in the building to Pike & Brooks and purchased the small frame building Just to the east, which had been occupied by the Klickitat County Republican with Hugh Gourlay editor and publisher. Banker I.I. Maddock owned the newspaper plant of the Republican, which had formerly been the old Wasco Sun plant in The Dalles. The writer gave Mr. Maddock $50.00 for his good will and subscription list and the old Wasco Sun plant was shipped to pastures new.
When publishing The Sentinel in its new quarters, the democrats bought a thousand dollar newapaper plant and had P.P. McCulley, who had been foreman of The Sentinel published the paper. The name of the publication was the Klickitat County Democrat and it was published in the building where The News is now published. It was a losing venture. The writer bought the plant for $500.00 and sold the big job press on which the "Democrat" was printed to W.J.Story. The "Agri" has been published on this press ever since. The writer sold this property to the Brooks & Co. bank, the west part of the present bank building being on the land formerly occupied by The Sentinel office.
For a time Van Vactor & Johnson had their mercantile store in the Pike & Brooks building. After A.C. Chapman's term as county treasurer had expired, he opened a furniture store in the W.J. White building on the southeast corner of Main and Grant streets. He later moved the stock to the Pike & Brooks building. On account of high insurance rates, Mr. Chapman moved his furniture store to the brick building now occupied by the Roloff hardware and plumbing store. Although he got a lower insurance rate by the move his furniture store was burned. The old Duncan saloon building got on fire which spread to the brick building.
Atkins & Evans had opened a furniture store in the N.B. Brooks brick building. They sold out to Mr. Chapman, who conducted his business in the Brooks building up to the time of his death. The business was sold by the estate to his son, Merle W. and Attorney John R. McEwen. A.C. Chapman was school clerk for many years. When the writer was elected Mayor of Goldendale, he appointed Mr. Chapman city clerk, which office he retained until his demise. Mayor Willis appointed the writer as his successor, which office he resigned when appointed postmaster. H.W. Mort has been city clerk since that time.
Snover & Sturgess had a furniture and undertaking establishment in 1890 just to the west of the Maurer building, formerly the Goldendale Garage building. D.S. Dunbar & Son succeeded Snover & Son in the mercantile business. Orin Dunitar, now deceased, married "Dolly" VanVactor, daughter of Wm. VanVactor. They moved from here to Joseph, Oregon.
In 1890 the Masons had their lodge room on the second floor of the Snover building, occupying the north end, and the Knights of Pythias hall was on the second floor next to Main street.
A few years later, Dr. H.S. Goddard, now of Portland, had his drug store and office in a building, just to the east of the Snover building. Oscar Allyn was a clerk in the drug store.
In 1890 D.W. Pierce & Son owned the planer on north Columbus ave. Mr. Pierce and family resided in the residence now owned by H.O. Allyn and wife. The Pierce's also had a saw mill which was situated about fifteen miles northwest of Goldendale. Chas. Pierce worked in the planer. He played an E flat cornet and was leader of the Goldendale Silver Band.