howcoc6.html

History of Wasco County, Oregon
by Wm. H. McNeal

Chapter 6
(approximately 24 pages when printed)

OUR HISTORY AT A GLANCE

1805 Lewis & Clark are led by Sacajawea across the Rockies to the Columbia; see first wooden houses west of Missouri at ancient Wishram Indian village; camp at mouth of Mill creek.

1810 Astoria founded by Capt. Alexander Malay's American Fur Trading Co., first in northwest.

1811 W.P. Hunt blazes OLD OREGON TRAIL to The Dalles with 60 men; establish Pacific Fur Trading Co. Madam Dorion was the leader who directed Hunt west from Fort Hall which he established.

1812. Oregon considered British territory. Treaty in 1818 provides for joint occupancy. 1812 Astor party returns east over Old Oregon Trail on account of British.

1813 David Thompson of the Northwest Fur Trading Co. of Montreal established posts at Wallula, Spokane, Vancouver and Astoria.

1818 Treaty of Ghent provides for joint occupancy of Oregon.

1821 Hudson Bay Co. and Northwest Fur Co. merged and for next 37 years dominated the fur business.

1821 Capt. B.E.L. Bonneville and 100 men follow Old Oregon Trail west and live 2 years with friendly Nez Perce Indians on lower Snake; many of his men joined Hudson Bay and stayed out west.

1821 Hudson Jay Co. establishes temporary post at The Dalles with James Burnie in charge.

1832 Indians send 4 Chiefs to St. Louis to ask Gen. Wm. Clark for copy of white man's bible.

1832 Capt. Nathaniel Wyeth follows Old Oregon Trail west to Ft. Hall for American Fur Trading Co.

1832 Jason Lee, first missionary to answer Indian's request for religion; comes west with Wyeth.

1833 Capt. Nathaniel Wyeth returns east over Old Oregon Trail, reports on Oregon country.

1834 Capt. Nathaniel Wyeth comes west again over Old Oregon Trail, bringing first wagons to Oregon with supplies for his company; also, guides Dr. Marcus Whitman to Walla Walla.

1834 First white women in eastern Oregon were Mrs. Whitman and Mrs. Spalding.

1836 Capt. Nathaniel Wyeth sells Fort Hall to Hudson Bay Co.

The Dalles

1838 Methodist Mission established at The Dalles with Jason Lee, Daniel Lee, Ben Wright and Rev. H.K.W. Perkins in charge of construction of log structures and compound at 10 & Washington.

1838 The Jason Lee Cattle Trail from The Dalles to Hood River, Lost Lake, Bull Run, Sandy and Oregon City established; The Dalles Mission had 2 dwellings, a school, stables, barns, shop, and 40 acres for a garden.

1840 Other missionaries come to Oregon.

1841 Chas Wilks expedition follows Old Oregon Trail to The Dalles; west on Columbia river, by boat.

1841 H.K.W. Perkin's daughter was the first white child born at The Dalles in the Mission

1842 Edward Crate lands batteaux near 6th & Washington during June high water (about 70 feet).

1842 Dr. Marcus Whitman returns east in October via Old Oregon Trail to Fort Bridger on Green River, enroute to Washington, D.C. to plead with Pres. Tyler to keep Oregon for America. Jim Bridger advised him to take a southern route through Utah and Colorado which he successfully did. Dr. Whitman told prospective emigrants to be ready to leave soon as spring weather permitted, for Oregon and he would join them as soon as he returned from Washington & lead them to Oregon. Pres. Tyler promised to keep Oregon for the U.S. Webster wanted to trade Oregon for a mess of fish!

First Wagon Emigration

1843 Dr. Marcus Whitman and Joel Palmer leads the first big emigrant wagon train to Oregon of 1000 people and 200 wagons over Old Oregon Trail to Walla Walla and The Dalles. Gen. John C. Freemont Military expedition accompanies emigrants to The Dalles, camping at Freemont Spring at 15th & Dry Hollow Road. The emigrants floated down the Columbia on rafts and in canoes.

1843 The first Oregon Provincial Government was formed at Champoeg that winter.

1843 Mr. Joslin, who came west with Whitman remained a resident at The Dalles over winter.

1844 Joel Palmer returns east over Old Oregon Trail for his family and publishes a booklet advising emigrants what to take for trip west; for next 20 years it was a "best seller" in Missouri!

1844 Daniel Wall appears at The Dalles on pack horse exploration of eastern Oregon, gathering a great deal of valuable information on mineral, farm and topography subjects.

1844 About 1500 emigrants pass through The Dalles. Indians reported doing some stealing of cattle.

Samuel K. Barlow

1845 Samuel K. Barlow and Joel Palmer lead a 3000 emigrant train to The Dalles, there being no adequate transportation west by river they proceed to make a road over Cascades via Wamic; abandoned wagons in snow near summit, went on to Oregon City by pack train method.

1845 Joel Palmer climbs Mt. Hood, nearly barefooted, to get lay of country west toward Oregon City.

1845 Joel Palmer and Samuel K. Barlow appear before Provincial legislature requesting permission to out a toll road over Cascades. Permission granted.

1846 Samuel K. Barlow and Phillip Poster, with 50 men, cut a toll road from Oregon City to Barlow Pass in Cascades; remained a toll road until about 1912. In 1919 it became a public road.

Stephen Meek Train

1845 The Lost Stephen Meek emigrant train followed Barlow's train west, leaving the Old Oregon Trail near Ontario for a "cut-off route through Central Oregon"; became lost, suffered starvation, many deaths; was rescued by Methodist Missionaries at The Dalles; was "Donner Party of Oregon."

1846 The Jesse Applegate trail through Central Oregon and across Applegate Pass established.

1846 Emigration about 2000 through The Dalles.

Whitman massacre

1847 Dr. Marcus Whitman, his wife and 9 others massacred by Indians at Walla Walla Mission Nov. 29.

1847 In Dec. the Provincial Legislature authorized Col. J.W. Nesmith to send 50 volunteers to The Dalles under Maj. H.A.G. Lee who occupied the abandoned Methodist Mission as Fort Lee Dec.9.

1848 The Cayuse Indian War at Walla Walla was fought under direction of Gen. Joel Palmer, Col. Wm. Gilliam, Col. J.W. Nesmith and Capt Nathan Olney. Joe Meek accompanied soldiers for first hand information, as "ambassador from Oregon" to the U.S. at Washington; reporting Indian massacre and asking for U.S. troop protection, which was granted. Cayuse Indians were destroyed. There was no emigration to Oregon in 1848 on account of the Indian war. Olney remains in Dalles.

1848 The Catholic Mission was established at The Dalles May 16 with Rev. Rosseau and Bishop Blanchet in charge. They built 2 cabins and a log church near county hospital spring. Father Mesplie took charge in 1851. The log church burned in 1855; replaced by a sawed lumber church near cemetery.

First Troops to Fort Dalles

1849 The first U.S. Mounted Riflemen, under Col. W.W. Loring arrived at The Dalles 600 strong with 160 wagons, horses, teamsters, scouts etc. He established Fort Hall, Fort Laramie, went on to Oregon City for winter leaving Major Tucker in charge here. The men were in an exhausted and starving condition upon arrival at Fort Dalles. About 2000 emigrants followed the troops to Oregon in 1849 and 20,000 went to Calif. gold fields!

1850 Maj. S.S. Tucker proclaims Ft. Dalles Military reservation 10 sq. miles; denies settler rights to emigrants within reservation; Nathan Olney moves his store to Chenowith creek; log Fort buildings constructed; Methodist Mission buildings ordered burned.

1850 The DONATION LAND CLAIM ACT passed by Congress Sept. 27, giving married men 640 acres. The law expired Dec. 1, 1855.

1850 The BRIDGE OF THE GODS book was written by Fredrick Homer Balch; was "best seller" of 44 editions! Many emigrants arrived in a starving condition at The Dalles and helped by Maj. Tucker.

1851 Very severe winter, Edward Crate loses nearly all of his stock at Crates Point.

Post Office Established

1851 post Office of The Dalles established Nov. 5, Wm. Gibson, postmaster, in Nathan Olney's cabin at First &,Mill creek: Justin Chenowith canoed mail from Cascade Locks, until that fall when the Flint, a side-wheel steamer was built to run from The Dalles to the Cascades.

1852 The emigration was 18,000 through The Dalles. C.W. Denton builds first boat landing at Dalles; Nathan Olney establishes ferry at mouth of Deschutes for emigrants. Salem becomes capitol.

1853. Steamer Allen of Allen & McKinley Co. operates between Dalles and Cascades for fast mail, freight and passenger service. G.W. Denton files Donation Land claim on Mill creek at Nielsen place where he established our first nursery. Military reservation cut down to one square mile.

1853 The name of The Dalles was changed to WASCOPAM Sept 3 to March 1860, 7 years as WASCOPAM.

WASCO COUNTY CREATED

1854 Orlando Humason, "father of Wasco County", as a representative from Clackamas county, but a resident of Wascopam, introduces a bill creating Wasco County, Jane 11 it was adopted; was the largest, county in the U.S. between 1854 and 1862, 8 years.

1854 Some of the original Fort Dalles buildings were replaced by sawed lumber buildings. Steamer Mary was built at Cascade Locks for Dalles trade and river passengers stayed at Cascades all night on trips in either direction. Dalles City (called Wascopam) platted as town.

Gold

1855 First Gold was discovered at Fort Colville. Warm Springs Indian Reservation established and Joel Palmer makes Indian treaty at Nielsen place. Donation Land Claim Act Expired December 1, 1855

1858 YAKIMA INDIAN WAR fought under Col. George Wright; his tactics were to destroy Indian horses leaving them dismounted, preventing them from f1shing and hunting, starving them into submission. I.O.O.F. lodge established; Methodist church established.

1857 Dalles City was officially incorporated; (post office remained WASCOPAM until 1860) June 26,1857. First Umatilla House built by Nixon Bros and sold to Mr. Graves. Hassalo built at Cascades by Bradford & Co. Orlando Humason builds Mountaineer boat at Dufur launching it in Columbia at the mouth of the Deschutes as a "sail scow boat to Wallula", they used the Old Oregon Trail as a wagon Portage Road. The Masonic Lodge was established March 28. There was 60 inches of snow that winter.

1858 R.R. Thompson and Orlando Humason built steamer Col. Geo. Wright at Deschutesville at mouth of the Deschutes river for trade to mines and Wallula. Bradford & Co. dominate middle river trade.

1859 Dalles Fire Department established. Dalles City limits extended to "2nd bluff". The First Court-house was built April 8 where the city hall now stands. Congregationalist church established by Rev. W.A. Tenny.. Gold discovered in eastern Oregon and Idaho and Montana establishing the first big "gold rush" out of The Dalles, the next 10 years being known as "the Gold period." Oregon was admitted to the Union February 14. Pack Trail to Canyon City was established. Col. N.B. Sinnott and Major Daniel Handley acquire ownership of Umatilla House.

1860 John Y. Todd establishes foot and pack train bridge across Deschutes at Sherars Bridge. Civil War drives more emigrants westward. Biglow gives the Pioneer Cemetery to Dalles City June 14. Post Office of Wascopam was changed to The Dalles March 22, 1860. Edward Crate pays $1 for 12 corn seeds. The Laughlin school at 4th & Laughlin as first public school in The Dalles. Wooden Catholic church built at 3rd & Lincoln. St. Marys established, 1864.

1861 It was 24 below, lots stock lost, Columbia froze over. Mail to Walla Walla carried by pack train by Edward Crate and sons. D.G. Leonard operates bridge over John Day at foot of Cottonwood Canyon in Sherman county.

1862 First wheat hauled to Portland by boats. High water stood 48.10. Homestead Act passed. Deep snow and long cold winter wiped out most all livestock on account no hay put up. Pack mules worth $250 each. Baker and Umatilla counties taken off Wasco. Eastern, Oregon gold mines bring influx of miners. Dalles "floating population" 10,000. $15,000,000 taken out of Canyon Creek by 5000 gold miners; 1862-1868 was big Gold mining period. First petitions for road improvements filed with Wasco County Court, according to Arthur Cook. Methodist church built by Rev. J.F. DeFoe, Congregationalist church built by Dr. Thomas Condon. Canyon City and The Dalles was the two largest cities in the Pacific Northwest; no road connection.

1863 Joel Palmer builds passable toll cattle trail on south bank of Columbia between Hood River and Sandy to Milwaukee; operates ferries at Hood River and Troutdale. J.B. Dickerson operates Dalles ferry. First trains over Dalles to Celilo railroad April 20; operates to 1882. The O.S.N. shops in The Dalles employ 500 men with a $33,000 a month payroll, including ship-builders. Col. J.H. Neyce builds $50,000 sandstone "castle-home" at 10 & Laughlin ($250,000 1952) the best home ever built in The Dalles! Gov. Zenith Moody founds Umatilla. Steamer Oneonta built here. James K. Kelley elected first Mayor of The Dalles. O.S.N. warehouse at Celilo 30 X 1100-feet!

Sherars Bridge

1864 Wagon bridge at Sherars replaces pack horse span allowing emigrants to cut 100 miles off the wearly road between the top of Cottonwood Canyon in Sherman county and Tygh Valley, 7 days, one week in time saved between that point and Oregon City! Military officials, on Indian campaigns out of Fort Dalles, throw enough rocks off the Indian trails to Canyon City to allow wagons to be taken over the trails -- called our first roads! Henry H. Wheeler, after whom Wheeler county is named, established a stagecoach line and service, between The Dalles and Canyon City via Boyd, Sharers Bridge, Antelope, Mitchell, Dayville! First wheat planted on the uplands by Edw. Kahn of Dufur, following that grown in creek bottoms. Union and Grant counties taken off Wasco St. Marys Academy established at The Dalles.

1865 The Dalles to Salt Lake City stage coach line was established and operated to 1884. Gen. George A. Wright of Fort Dalles fame, and wife lose life in sinking of Brother Jonathan. Permanent population of The Dalles 1898; "floating population" 5000.

Fort Dalles Abandoned

1866 Fort Dalles was abandoned as a military post by the government and the reservation was laid but in streets and lots in 1884, patents being given for lots in place of deeds. Over $6,000,000 worth of gold dust passed through The Dalles. Robert Pentland established first flour mill at 4th & Mill creek. Dalles Lumber Coy sawmill established 16 miles up Mill creek the lumber being flumed to The Dalles; the flume was later used by the city for water purposes.

1867 The county hospital in The Dalles was operated by Dr. Jackson. A.W. Buchanan was Wells Fargo agent. James Small brought the first sheep to Trout creek near Ashwood. The Mission had cattle in 1838.

1868 The Dalles suffered its first depression when the mines at Canyon City gave out. The Dalles to Goldendale and Ellensburg stage line was established and ran to 1884 to Ellensburg and to about 1910 to Goldendale. Portland to Celilo telegraph line established by O.S.N. Co. Post Offices of Sherar and Wasco were established. French & Co. founded.

1869 The Dalles to Prineville stage line was established via Bakeoven and Cow Canyon, Grizzley. The Dalles to Boise Military Road Co. established. Baptist church society formed by Rev. E. Fisher. The Union Pacific railroad was completed to Kelton, Utah May 10 giving better mail service.

1870 The Bannock Indian War was fought in southern Oregon. Flood stage of Columbia 50 feet. There were 10 public schools, 2 private schools for 754 students in Wasco county. Dalles pop. 3356

Fire 1871

1871 The big fire in The Dalles Aug. 17 caused $100,000 loss ($500,000 1952), started in Wenz furnit-ure store, next to Globe hotel on 14 & Washington; a change in the wind saved the town; it was checked by popular trees at Dr. Thomas Condon's home at 515 E. 3rd. The post offices of Antelope and Bakeoven were established. The Union Street School established.

1872 The First Baptist church was founded by Rev. O.D. Taylor, located at 5th & Washington. Gunboat Spokane patrols the upper Columbia river during Modoc Indian war.

1874 Lake county taken off Wasco. Clarno post office established.

1875 Wheat raising in Wasco county becomes general. Episcopal church erected. 1878 Columbia river flood stage stood 57.6 on June 23.

1877 The shameful Nez Perce Indian war against Chief Joseph fought. Umatilla House burned & rebuilt.

Fire 1878-79

1878 Fire of Oct. 27 covered same area as 1871 fire with loss of $500,000, starting in the Corum Saddle Shop at 215 E. 2nd. H.J. Waldron died from overexertion during fire.

The Dalles to Wapinitia stagecoach line established and the post offices of Dufur, Tygh, Kingsley and Wapinitia, on that line were established.

1879 Fire of May 21 with 2 million loss in 3 hours including the Umatilla House again. This fire started in the Pioneer Hotel. The Vogt and Chapman partnership were the greatest losers. Dalles City legal suit against the Methodist Mission claim, carried to U.S. Supreme Court and title won on grounds of abandonment. The January snow was 29 inches.

1880 Max Vogt rebuilds his business blocks and a 3-story Opera House at 3rd & Washington. The Dalles population 13,352 "floating railroad construction crews". Columbia flood 48. Railroad was not completed until 1882 but construction boom was felt and enjoyed.

1881 The Wasco Independent Academy was established. Knights of Pythias founded Sept. 24. Snow measured 29 inches. 1862 The Oregon Railroad & Nav. Co. railroad line from Portland to The Dalles was completed. The connection link between Celilo and Umatilla was not made until Sept. 11, 1883 so the first transcontinental trains via the Northern Pacific railroad could run from Portland to Chicago. Lang & Ryan made the last big 13,000-head cattle drive to Kelton, Utah for shipment east on U.P. The new courthouse at 3rd & Union completed at a cost of $23,000. Union Street school built.

1883 Rail connections to Chicago completed with first trains Sept. 11 via N.P. railroad & Spokane. Dalles advertising said this was the best place in U.S. for a home or farm or industry; we had the best fruit that could be grown, best grain, melons, grapes, fish, meat and potatoes grown! Wasco county had 13,000 horses; 12,000 head cattle; 192,000 sheep. We had "air conditioned" weather with nearly 300 days of sunshine!

Blizzard 1884

1884 The blizzard of 1884 paralyzed railroad traffic in the Columbia Gorge for 3 weeks with below zero temperatures and a howling east wind night and day drifting 3 feet of snow (on level) the worst weather ever recorded at The Dalles since the coming of the white man! Sacajawea died April 4 buried at Wind River Mountain cemetery, Wyoming. Fish wheels at The Dalles took 20 car loads of fish a day during spring salmon run. J.W. Nesmith Post of Civil War veterans founded; disbanded 1926.

1885 Gilliam county was taken off Wasco. First Wasco Bounty Fair established at 11 & Kelley Avenue. John Brittian was a Dalles photographer. Judge Fred Wilson was a railroad draftsman.

1886 Morrow County was taken off Wasco.

1887 Malheur and Wallows counties taken off Wasco.

1888 The first electric light plant was established at 7th & Union at a cost of $20,000. The Max Vogt Opera House was classified as the best in Oregon and operated up to about 1916. A $42,000 fire took the Baptist church at 3rd & Washington. Presbyterian church established.

1889 Sherman, Harney and Wheeler counties taken off Wasco. The Diamond Mill was established by A.H. Curtiss at 710 E 2nd with W.H. Groat head miller.

D.P.A.N. Co.

1890 The Dalles-Portland-Astoria Navigation Co. was formed by a group of Dalles business men and operated to about 1916 running the Regulator, Dalles City and Bailey Gatzert steam boats. Woodman of the World, Mt. Hood Camp formed in The Dalles.

Fire 1891

1891 The grandpappy of all Dalles fires started in the Skibby Hotel Sept. 2, 1891 and cleaned out 20 downtown blocks in The Dalles at a $1,000,000 loss ($3,000,000 1952)! Max Vogt was the heaviest loser with $225,000 in losses. It burned practically every house under the bluff and all stores! Mike Deming and Joseph Fitzgerald lost their lives. (See page 19 for more fire story).

1892 The Dalles established 3 brickyards for fire-resisting building material to re-build the main business sections of the city with. Some of our best wooden homes were never rebuilt on the former elaborate scale, being replaced by cheaper and small homes.

1893 The big panic of 1893 and hard times hit Dalles people hard because of the previous first Farm products such as cattle and wheat were not worth the transportation costs to market! The railroad shops were moved to Portland as an "economy measure" and 1200 people moved out of The Dalles! That was 3 BIG BLOWS WHICH HIT THE DALLES ALL IN ONE YEAR! -- any one of which would have been enough. It took 10 years for The Dalles to recover from those blows!

Flood of 1894

1894 As if the above 3 big blows were not enough for The Dalles, the big flood of June 6 brought the Columbia river up to 59.7 filling the new store buildings with mud; slime, disease and water, driving the business men to higher ground where they stayed for nearly a month until they could clean up their places and move back. FOUR BIG BLOWS IN 4 YEARS! Yet we still exist!

1895 After the disasters of the previous 4 years, 1895 seems to be a year of organization when Dalles people felt the need of working cooperatively together through organizations. The Cedar Circle was formed; the Eastern Star was formed; the Knights of Maccabees; the Elks at Cascade Locks and the Degree of Honor formed the previous year and the Artisans in 1896.

Cascade Locks

1896 The big event of 1896 was the opening and completion of the Cascade Locks Nov. 5 which provided an open river channel from The Dalles to the sea. It cost $4,000,000.

1897 Business picked up the railroad handling 80,000 tons for The Dalles and the boats 10,000, the Regulator being unable to handle all the business offered. Brick Catholic church erected.

Spanish War

1898 The Spanish-American War took a full company of volunteers from The Dalles and the battleship Oregon made its astonishing run around Cape Horn to Manila drawing peoples attention for the need of the Panama Canal. The Rebecca lodge and Lutheran church were established.

1900 The Shaniko and Wrentham post offices were established.

1901 The Calvary Baptist church was established, June 27.

1902 The Fort Dalles Historical Society was formed. We shipped 41,000 boxes of fruit and brewed 15,000 barrels of beer. Crater Lake National Park was established May 20.

Celilo Canal

1903 The first appropriation of $165,000 was made for the construction of The Dalles Celilo canal. $100,000 was spent by the state of Oregon for a railroad right-of-way and its completion in 1905. Heppner Flood takes 240 lives June 14. An automobile crossed the U.S. in 2 months! The William Birgfeld orchestra of The Dalles was the most outstanding in the Pacific Northwest!

1904 The Board of Trade office at First & Washington. Telegraph line to Prineville completed. Freight hauled to Prineville by wagon 5000 ton from Shaniko, and 6 stages daily.

1905 The Dalles had display booth at Lewis & Clark Exposition in Portland June 1 to fall. Great Southern railroad completed to Dufur.

1906 Joseph Luxillo, Yakima Indian Chief who was baptized at the Methodist Mission here in 1838 poses for Benj. A. Gifford, internationally famous Dalles photographer, on Pulpit Rock to demonstrate how Jason Lee chiseled out the seat and preached to the Indians. San Francisco earthquake occurred April 18.

1907 Construction starts on the S.P. & S railroad down the north bank of the Columbia river.

1908 Hood River taken off Wasco county.

1909 Ed. Harriman and Jim Hill push railroad construction up the Deschutes river to Central Oregon.

1910 Dalles feels big railroad boom as work progresses up Deschutes.

1911 S.P. & S. railroad bridge at Tumwater costs $3,000,000. First P.I. Fair in Portland.

Women Allowed to Vote

1912 The Women's Suffrage Law in Oregon adopted at Nov. 30 election. Sherars Bridge taken over by Wasco county and made free. Pendleton Roundup established in Dalles'

1914 Wasco County's Third courthouse at 5th and Washington was built. Prohibition law passed Nov. 5.

1915 Dalles-Celilo Canal finished; saved millions in freight rates; cost just under $15,000,000.

1916 Prohibition in effect January 1. Deschutes County taken off Wasco. Grange fathers Federal Post road law under which we have our highway program.

1917 World War 1 declared April 6, 1000 Wasco county men put in military forces. Fair moved to Tygh. Capt. Geer takes Bailey Gatzert and 125 passengers down over Cascade rapids.

1918 Armistice of World War I signed Nov. 11. Big Flu epidemic kills lots of people.

1919 American Legion Post in The Dalles established; Dr. Thompson Coberth first commander.

1920 Business & Professional Women's Club established with Dora Sexton first president.

1921 Pageant of Wascopam presented under the direction of Lulu D. Crandall, Dalles Historian.

1922 The 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Pony Express between The Dalles and Canyon City in 1962 when the 180 mile ride was made in 28 hours, was re-enacted. Highway 30 completed. K.G.W. radio programs first heard in The Dalles March 25. 1922 to 1928 Prosperity period.

1924 Highway 23 completed.

1925 Cherry Park Grange established May 25.

1926 Wasco county graveled road program expanded.

1927-1928 Price of wheat starts to decline bringing down all farm prices.

Depression

1929 New York stock market crashed Oct. 29. Wheat drops to 25¢ a bushel. Umatilla House torn down.

1930 Unemployment expands. Eagles lodge re-established in The Dalles.

1931 Unemployment worse. Harold Davis writes Honey in the Horn, wins Pulitzer prize. Democrats Take Office

1932 Democrats win national election. Dalles badly hit by depression. All banks closed for a time.

1933 Bonneville Dam started as P.W.A. Project Sept. 30. Tillamook fire one of our worst in forest.

1934 Was the W.P.A. and C.C.C. work relief period. Depression continues.

1935 Social Security Bill signed Aug. 14. Last river steamer makes trip to The Dalles.

1936 Farm prices pegged and we start to climb out of depression.

Barge Service

1937 Capt. A. Lappaluoto established barge service on Columbia. Bonneville lock completed Sept. 28.

1938-39 Depression and W.P.A. projects for unemployment continue.

1940 Bonneville Dam completed. World War 2 started in Europe by Hitler; U.S. enters war.

1941 Local PUD formed to bring power to Wasco county farms and lower rates in The Dalles $100,000 yr.

1942 Dalles City builds airport at Dallesport, Wash. First ocean oil barge reaches Dalles Oct. 9.

1940 to 1945 was the war years when we had little interest in anything else; 2000 men in war.

1945 Pros. Roosevelt dies April 12. First atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima ending war.

1946 United Air Line service established Oct. 1. Dalles bus service established by John Dillon.

1947 Flash flood takes one life up Three Mile creek.

1948 Columbia river flood stage 51.85; sand dike breaks, railroad and tie plant flooded.

1949 Earthquake rocks The Dalles April 13.

1950 Dant Purlite plant established at Dant, above Maupin Dec. 1.

1951 Dalles Bridge construction starts under direction of Judge Ward Webber.

1952 Construction starts on Dalles Dam February 18. Official ceremonies March 12, at Big Eddy. Change in location of Dalles Dam forces abandonment of Covington Point site for Dalles Bridge. Three Mile Rapids site for Dalles Bridge chosen, to cost $4,000,000. Dalles Dam marked for completion in 1957. For more story on Dalles Dam see pages 101 and 102.

1952 Wasco County has 175 miles of paved highways; 250 miles of graveled market roads and 1500 miles of dirt roads. Columbia Highway 30 between The Dalles and Portland is being rebuilt as a fast commercial highway for trucks and busses at a cost of $25,000,000, ¼th the total cost of all highways in Oregon before World War 2! The Dalles expects to prosper greatly from the building of The Dalles Dam.

PRACTICAL JOKES

The common and practical jokes of the community such as the mouse in the teacher's desk, sending the boy after the left-handed monkey wrench, the school, college and fraternal hot seat jokes; are all a part of our community life and history. Its a happy people that can laugh and joke. We are glad to pass on some of the good ones in our history.

The Russian Anarchist

Back in 1906 a Floyd Jernegan, who worked for Meyer and Schanno, was the practical joker of The Dalles, according to Hans Blaser; and one day, shortly after Ben Litfin took charge of the Chronicle there appeared an article raking the Russian anarchists (communists) over the coals. The next afternoon, about press time, who appears at the alley door but a Russian anarchist, with an old slouch hat on, a coat turned wrong side out, a torn pair of pants and a huge black bomb in his hand with a smoking fuse attached thereto. He let a blood-curdling war cry out of him, followed by "long live Russia" and heaved the bomb into the plant.

Just one glance at the 1906 "commie" and the whole crew fled for the front door! They smashed the windows all out of the doors and broke the screens down getting out away from that bomb! Someone called policeman Harper and he ventured into the back room only to find a burned fuse connected to a brass toilet float on the floor. After their thinking reason was restored they remembered that Jernegan worked about 2 doors west of them. It cost Ben Litfin $50 to replace the screen doors and broken glass. Jernegan was the only known man in The Dalles that ever did to the Chronicle what a lot of people would like to do, on account of some of their editorial opinions of the past.

GEORGE BROWN, the Practical Joker

George Brown, the fire warden, was another of the cities' outstanding practical pokers. One time about 1908, according to Hans Blaser, Stadelman Bonn, then known as Walther-Williams, bought a Federal chain-drive truck. George Brown seen it parked in the alley behind the store and he inserted a corn cob in the exhaust pipe. When Allen the driver came out and cranked the truck and went to drive away, it didn't have any power, it would choke up about every 10 feet; but he nursed the thing along down to the railroad track, toward the wharf-boat, where it stalled on the track. The switch engine came along and ran into it wrecking the truck.

In those days whenever the fire bell rang, Harry Learned, Jim Like or Harry Gordion's teams raced toward the fire hall to drag to hose cart to the fire, for which they got paid $5. They all smoked pipes and generally left them at the firehall while they were gone to the fire.

George Brown would put small bits of horse hoofs in the bottom of the pipe bowl and cover it with tobacco. Then they came back, they would "light up" and the stink and odor of the horse hoofs generally meant the pipe had to be thrown away. George Brown would roar with laughter.

Another time Jack Maobus, who used to stay at the fire hall, was going huckleberry picking up near Cultus creek at Mt. Adams. He knew it would be cold so he bought 2 dozen pair of socks for the trip. That evening when Jack was out, according to Jack Chambers, George cut the feet out of Jack's socks, rolled them back up and replaced them in the outing bag. When Jack Maobus went to put the socks on at Mt. Adams they say the way the air turned blue they thought the mountain was going to erupt again!

Another time when Judd Fish, who was city Recorder, got his first Ford, he always parked it in front of the city hall or across the street. One day George went over and jacked one rear wheel up enough to get a slender, un-noticeable, piece of wood under the axle, near the wheel. Judd came out to drive home, got in and pressed on the starter, put it in gear, let the clutch out and "nothing happened" the car wouldn't move. He called the Ford garage, thinking it was a broken axle. The mechanics had all gone home, it being after quitting time. Next morning they examined the car and seen what was the matter. Judd and George wasn't on speaking terms for quite some time.

The Joker Was Joked

After all the years of joking and pestering everybody else finally the Columbia Hose and Chemical Co. disbanded, when the fire department was re-organized, and they had some money in the treasury, enough to get George Brown and Winnie Mohr a nice gift. So Louis Fritz, Hans Blaser and some more of the boys conspired with Miss Celia Gavin, city attorney, and the councilmen to make the presentation, after a kangaroo trial, during a city Council session at which both Brown and Mohr always attended. Hans Blaser brought some pieces of old hose into the meeting and charged George Brown and Minnie Mohr with selling old hose to other little cities about The Dalles. To support Balser's story he had Chapmans come in from Dufur to "testify" that he had bought some of the hose for Dufur.

By that time George Brown's blood reached the boiling point and he shrieked his plea of innocence to the council and shook a fist at Blaser. Mohr wanted to fight Blaser right then and there. Miss Gavin thought the charges were "serious" she told the council. Brown and Mohr were then called to the front, before the councilmen's seats and awarded their gifts. They were both so speechless and overcome with emotion that they had nothing to say.

The Bettingen Orchestra

In the early 1880's there was considerable rivalry between the Bettingen orchestra and the Bergfeld orchestra as to who would play for the fireman's ball, the big social event of the year in The Dalles. It was generally awarded to one, one year, and the other the next, but one year the firemen chose the Bergfeld orchestra TWO years in a row. That made the boys on the Bettingen orchestra feel bad, and according to Elmer Bettingen, one of the boys went up in the vicinity of the old Fort Dalles buildings and set a small shed on fire, raced down town on a horse, rang the fire bell, broke up the fireman's ball on account of the long dusty pull up to the fort buildings to put out the fire. After that the firemen were more careful to see that both orchestras got patronage.

The Western Union Poles

Hiram T. Corum, postmaster and storekeeper at Wapinitia came west the first time with the building of the Union Pacific railroad, operating a store for laborers and contracted to supply buffalo and other wild meat for the crews. He used to tell how the buffalo would rub the tele-graph poles down about as fast as they would set them up. One day one of the construction boys suggested to the new engineer-graduate from Yale, that if, he would drive sharp spikes in the poles and out the heads off them that the spikes would be so sharp that they would out the buffalo hides and make them quit scratching on the poles. The idea sounded good so they tried it out on a 10 mile stretch of poles and waited for the next herd to come along. The sharpened nails just made scratching all the better for the buffalos and they not only knocked the 10 miles down but seem to seek out other poles for more than 20 miles trying to find more good aching poles. He said he thought the Western Union made a sheep herder out of that engineer for listening to that practical joke.

Cash For Eggs

In the Gay 90's and around the turn of the century farmers used to patronize Edward C. Pease general mercantile, grocery and dry goods store in The Dalles and pay their bills ANNUALLY after they sold their crops in the fall; but many of those farmer's wives would bring in their eggs on Saturdays and sell them to Pease for CASH and take the cash and go over to A.M. Williams store to buy their gingham and calico dress material, according to Alfred Railey, clerk for Pease & Co. around 1908. Mr. Pease was fully aware of this "mass practical joke" these wives were playing on him for more than 20 years, but he had a big heart and lots of human understanding and would and could laugh about the joke himself.

The Siesta

Back in the prosperous 20's Elza Wood used to work for the Union Pacific Wood Preserving or "tie plant" as we call it and Elza used to have to have his siesta during the noon-hour every day. He could lay flat on the floor, go sound asleep and men could walk all around and over him without waking him. One day, according to Earl Sawtell, post office clerk, the boys, thought they would have some fun with Elza so they took some nails, and nailed him through his clothes to the floor. Then they moved the 50 gallon drum, they used for waste lunch papers, close to Elza, set fire to the drum and yelled, "FIRE, FIRE, FIFE." making a mad rush for the door. Elza rose right up off that floor and left his clothes laying there, in his panic-stricken retreat, but he took the joke good naturedly and got some more clothes to work in.

The Fisherman's Paradise

Yellowstone Park was always considered a fisherman's paradise and around 1916 the government started their road improvement program so automobiles could hasten the long stage journeys. Jim Small of the Dalles was superintendent of construction and liked to play practical jokes. So one day a group of Shriners came in by bus to Mammoth Hot Springs where Jim was. He was a Mason and the leader of the group said he wanted to play a joke on one of his "bragging fishermen" and asked Small for suggestions. Small took the bragger to the windward side of a large hot pool surrounded by craigs, and told his lodge brother to cast his line in but be very careful not to show himself so the fish could see him or they wouldn't bite. The poor fellow fished and fished and fished and didn't get a bite. Finally he discovered it was hot water and about that time some of his other lodge brothers showed up to see how he was doing. Small said he thought the man probably became a butcher shop fisherman after that!

Fishing on the Deschutes

When Ed Hanlon, post office clerk, first came to The Dalles he wanted to experience the pleasures and joys of fishing in the Deschutes river. So he went out with Charlie Bohn and some of the other boys. Ed had never been off the sidewalks of New York so the boys explained to him that there were poisonous rattlesnakes all up and down to Deschutes canyon and Charlie added, "there was one big fellow that tried to cross the railroad track ahead of the train one day and just about succeeded except that the train cut off some of his tail and his rattles; and that that big fellow was known to be at large and could strike and was just as poisonous as any of the others! Watch out for him," Charlie ended in caution. Poor Ed was in a mental quandary and plenty scared. Every broken twig "was that snake", it was under every rock, behind every bush. Poor Ed's fishing day was ruined and the boys just roared with laughter.

Domestic Science

Domestic science classes were started in The Dalles high school in 1914 to teach the girls how to bake. One day this writer's aunt had some biscuits to "fall" and when she baked them they were hard as rocks. We bored holes through one or two in manual training class and screwed them to the wall of the Domestic Science class with a note saying, "baked by class of 1921." The identity of the "culprit" has been a well kept school secret for 30 years!

The Hard-Boiled Eggs

Ben Dahl tells the story about how a neighbor lady came to their house to buy some setting eggs from his mother. After the eggs were put in the neighbor's basket the two women went out to look the place over. In the meantime Ben (who is custodian at the court house) seen his brother take the eggs out of the basket and put them in a kettle of boiling water for 5 minutes, then cooled them in cold water and put them back in the basket. The neighbor lady put them under a setting hen and she set, and set, and set but no chickens. Finally she cracked open some of them. and seen the practical joke that the Dahl boys had pulled on her. They never did live it down.

The Thirsty Horses

One day Frank Heater, Dalles police chief, answered the phone and Jack Chamber's disguised voice said, "Mr. Heater, there is a truck load of horses parked across from Walther Williams on Third street and they haven't had a drink of water for 3 days; I think that is cruelty to dumb animals and that you should enforce the humane law on the owner!" "I will," snapped Heater; bang went the reciever and out to the police car he went and up to Walther Williams he raced. The truck contained merry-go-round hobby horses! Frank accused George Brown of the deed and George didn't know anything about it and they almost got into a fight!

The Pet Sturgeon

Frank Heater's standing joke was the "pet sturgeon with the saddle, tied to the wharf boat," Whenever Frank could corner a newcomer who "wanted to see everything" he always sent him down to the wharf boat to ask the wharfman to see the "pet sturgeon, a big 16 footer with a saddle on its back, kept there for tourists to see!" The wharfman were in on the joke and always explained that it bit the rope in two and got away just before they arrived.

Snipe Hunting

Sam Walker, 5-Mile farmer, says, "when I was a boy Snipe Hunting was the big practical joke. Whenever a newcomer arrived the boys would start talking about organizing a snipe hunting party. After while they would ask the newcomer if he wanted to join them? They generally did. Snipe hunting had to be done after night, by lantern light, in willows; trees or thickets. The hunter would hang the lighted lantern in a tree and as the snipes were attracted to the light they became blind and helpless and would fall into a sack, if placed properly under the light, but would soon recover and fly away if the hunter wasn't there to seize them!" Of course there was no such thing as a snipe, so the hunter waited all night with no luck. If one night of "hunting" didn't cure him other parties eventually would.

The Watermelon Thieves

Around 1910 when Mr. Sechler lived on Dry Hollow, he raised fruit and watermelons. He liked his noon hour siestas too. He kept a loaded shotgun to protect his watermelons from the boys. One day the boys got his gun during noon hour siesta, placed an overload of powder in both barrels and paper wadding in place of shot and replaced the gun. Then they all went over the fence into the watermelon patch, hollered and hooped until Mr. Sechler was awakened, seen the boys in his patch, let out a scream, grabbed the gun, leveled it off and pulled BOTH triggers on both the barrels. When the smoke cleared away Mr. Sechler measured 5 feet 4 inches in the dust flat on his back. He never knew to his dying day what was the matter with that shotgun!

Joe Fagnan

"Silent" Joe Fagnan was for years a tree surgeon, and garbage truckman, one of the huskiest and biggest men in town with a voice just as big as he was. He was a veteran of World War I and a member of the American Legion. Lisle Minion, garage mechanic at Walthar-Williams was also a Legionnaire so he and the boys in the garage ranted to test Joe's strength. One morning they loaded up the garbage can with iron and brick, putting a little paper on top and waited. Joe came along and grabbed the can and it didn't move! Then he spit on his hands, pulled up his pants legs a little, squatted low, took a firm hold and tossed the can on the wagon just like it was cotton! Nobody ever did know how much he could lift.

A Railroad Story

When a passenger train comes into the depot the rules provide the flagman must fall back to guard the rear of the train. About Halloween of 1916 the boys observed that the flagman were not obeying these rules so on that night of night for boys they slipped up and chained a galvanized washtub to the observation car on the Spokane Flyer. As the train passed the Wasco Mill the tub clattered and jumped striking about every 5th tie and the brakeman and flagman were back there "fishing for it with a cane". By the time they got to the east end of the yards No. 12 was doing 60 to 70 and the old tub was hitting about every 10th tie and really banging. They couldn't stop the train without making a report of WHY and the flagman didn't have any explanation of why he wasn't back of the train when the tub was connected, guarding the train. He was really worried. The tub fell off up around Seuferts and the boys threw it off the track. Its never been tried since, and it might throw a train off the track. Its a bad joke.

The freight run up the Bend branch is a long, slow, hot, run. After they get into the level country, south of Madras, the crews relax and get a bit of sleep on some runs. One day the shorter Union Pacific freight caught up with a slower Oregon Trunk (S.P.& S) freight. The engineer was asleep at the throttle. The fireman was watching the distance close between the trains and he motioned the S.P. & S. brakeman to open their drawbar for a coupling, indicating by motions that the U.P. engineer was asleep. Just as they coupled together the fireman yelled, "you're going to hit 'er!" The engineer slammed on the air and pulled the drawbar out of the S.P. & S. caboose! Neither crew could ever make an "official report" of the "accident and lost drawbar" mystery!"

The Mail Carrier

The Sunday Oregonian published the story of a Portland City Letter Carrier, some years ago, who claimed he could carry any size load that could be strapped on his back! Previous to his letter carrier career he had been in the forest service packing supplies into remote fire sta-tions in the Mt. Adams, St. Helens and Rainier areas. One day the boys wanted a cook stove taken to a fire lookout. As they were strapping it on to the carrier's back, someone slipped a 50 pound sack of flour in the oven. The city carrier claimed he didn't mind the additional 50 pounds but it being loose in the oven kept throwing him off balance until he had to seek a stump to rest the load on, unpack it and securely tie the flour to the top of the pack!

The Sailor and the Corpse

During World War I days on the battleship New York they used to tell of the sailor; who always got in trouble, and one time the brig (jail) was full of more severe cases than his so they decided to put him in the morgue with a corpse on a slab. That evening they brought him some supper and he appeared to the guard to be setting asleep in the corner of the room, on the deck (floor). The guard set the food before him on the floor and said, "here is your supper." No answer. He repeated, "here is your supper, what's the matter don't you want it?" About that time the "corpse" on the slab said, "well, if he don't want it, give it to me!" The guard fled and reported the incident to the officer-of-the-day! They both returned to the morgue only to find the sailor in the corner very peaceably eating his supper. The O.D. looked at the guard end advised him to report to the doctor for observation. They took the sailor out of the "spooky" morgue. A corpse was no cure for him.

How Sailors Wash Clothes

When new men come aboard a battleship there are generally some who don't like to wash clothes. So the older men generally "advise" the new men of the way deep sea sailors do it. Just tie them to a 2 inch line, throw the line overboard and let them drag behind the ship a half day and they will be cleaned by ocean water with no work! Sounds fine and very practical, so he ties the clothes to the line and lets them drag a half a day. When he pulls the line in the clothes are just shreds from the friction of the water and another man has been initiated into the navy.

How the Army Washes Clothes

The old army man has a different approach. He has special army washing powders and he tells the recruit that all he needs to do is put the clothes in a bucket, pour ½ can of the special washing powders in the bucket with the clothes, cover them with water, let them set overnight and hang them up the next morning to dry. No work, sounds fine. Only trouble the next morning the clothes are shreds. The army "washing powders" was common lye. Another recruit has became a soldier!

Jokes on the Animals

Even the animals are not free from the practical jokers such as the tin can tied to the dog's tail while he runs the full length of second street. But in the east the boys like to take the sticky sorgum balls, place them in the mouth of a dog and push its jaws shut. The poor thing can't open them until the sorgum dissolves and the capers and whining they go through is a regular circus for the boys.

The Cow and the Electric Fence

Up in the Madras country, C.D. (Cotton) Light tells about the farmer who erected an electric fence to keep his cattle in and to keep them from pushing the wires off the regular fence when they reached through for grass. The old milk cow came to a dry section of the fence where she made poor contact, felt no shook and dipped her head into an irrigating ditch on the outside of the fence, for a drink. Just as her head touched the water to make the perfect contact, she let out a mournful "BAAAaaa", made a mighty leap and took out not only the new electric fence but also most of the posts and wire of the regular fence for 20 feet each way!

Mired in the Mud

For many years Wasco county used to maintain the Old Dufur road as a sort of a Booby Trap for innocent drivers! The county paved the road to 3 Mile creek, then graveled it most of the way to the ridge between 3 and 5 miles creek. From there on to 8 Mile it was all dirt. In the winter that dirt would freeze into ice. During the February grand thaw that ice-dirt became one grand hog woller for 4 miles length with ruts a foot deep! The mail carrier was about the only man foolish enough to try to travel it during those thaws; but sometimes an innocent driver headed down into 5 Mile creek. There was no turning back and as they got further along the worse the road got. If they didn't get stuck before they got to the Drake hill they always did on that hill! There was no farm houses in sight for help and they never knew how far ahead, through that sea of mud it was to the Drake house! That was where we generally found them despondently mired down. Their little short axle jacks were worthless to put on chains with.

As mail carriers we were always prepared to help anyone out of the mud. On this day about 1938 a Heinz Lumber Co. official tried the "short cut" with his Cadillac, good clothes and low shoes and became hopelessly mired on Drake hill enroute to Burns, Oregon. No doubt we looked like an angel to him, mud be-spattered as we were. We got our long jacks out, raised his car, put his chains on it for him, dug some ruts to get him back in the road, loaned him overshoes to walk around in, provided him water to wash his hands with and a rag to dry them on. He thought he had "hotel service" out there in that set of mud. We drove his car for him to the top of the hill as he was too nervous to try it successfully.

On parting he asked, "what can I do to help you?" "Ask for more money to gravel county roads," we replied. The chairman of the Senate Legislative committee on roads at Salem was from Burns, during the last session of the legislature and he gave us more money for county roads. The practical "booby trap" joke took 14 years to pay off! Thanks to the man from Burns!

THE RED CARNATION DINNER

Mr. James Whitman, attorney at law in Seattle, Wash. received the following letter June 16, 1901:

Sir:

For some time I have known you by sight and reputation, and have Admired the sterling qualities which make you so highly respected; but fate seems to have been unkind, for I have not had the pleasure of meeting you. I am a tall, blonde young lady of 22 and would highly appreciate your acquaintance. Formal introductions are so tiresome that I am going to ask you to meet me in an unconventional way; that is, if you care to know me. If you will place a red carnation in your buttonhole and go the corner of 2nd and James streets at 2:30 Friday afternoon, I assure you that you shall not wait long for good company. I will wear a black dress and a dark red hat. I hope you will not disappoint me. This little affair is strictly confidential. Estella Bryant.

Well, this was a surprise! Charming young lady wants to meet me! Its unconventional sure enough and while my wife would pull my hair if she caught me meeting any young lady, but oh it would be fun to be a boy again and it would be a shame to disappoint the little girl and no one need ever know. By Jove I'll be there, Estella! With this decision he placed the note in his inner vest pocket. Promptly at 2:30 Friday with the red carnation in his lapel he reached the corner of 2nd and James street.

"There comes a young lady with a red hat. That must be Estella. No this girls has a red dress and hers will be black. Ah, there she comes, and by Jove she is a beauty." As the tall girl in black' with the red hat reached the corner the lawyer fell in step with her and began: "I knew you wouldn't keep me waiting long."

"I don't understand you sir," the girl replied, surveying Mr. Whitman. "Oh, I - I beg your pardon miss! I have made a mistake," but the young lady swept on without waiting for the rest of the apology. "Well, I am a darn fool. I stopped the wrong girl. That one was a brunette. Estella was a blonde!"

Here comes Dr. Means with a red carnation in his button hole, "Howdy, Whitman," said Means, "wait-ing for a car?" "No, are you?" "NO, I've got to meet a party on business." "Here comes Jones!" There was a note of excitement in Whitman's voice as he saw the red carnation in Jones' lapel. "Hello Jones. Looking for a car?". Well, no, not exactly,? not at present. I have business to attend to first."

"Who is that old fellow coming down the street with the red carnation in his buttonhole?" asked Jones. "That's Professor Williams", cried Whitman turning to Jones and Means; and then he added, "Say, Doc, confess, what are you wearing that red carnation for?" "None of your business." "Well, how about you, Jones?" continued the lawyer. "Because it seems to be fashionable."

Then Whitman drew the tell-tale note from his pocket and both the doctor and Jones stared guiltily. "Where did you get that note, Whitman?" they asked, "From a charming young lady named Estella". "The duce you did" and they pulled out mates to his note. "Got your pass, Williams?" they asked as they hailed the professor who joined them with the red carnation, "one like this" and they each, showed him a note from Estella. The Professor flushed and then his cheeks grew pale while Whitman explained to him what darned fools they were to be duped by a mischievous high school girl!" Lets wait and see who else shows up," suggested Jones. "Lets wait in the drug store here", suggested Whitman.

Soon there appeared Deputy-Auditor Blake, Merchant Richardson, Dr. Greenleaf, Cashier Mills and Councilman Beals. In rapid succession they were gathered in the drug store by their fellow victims. Ah ha, the climax. Sure as guns here comes the Right Reverend Tomlinson, D.D. wearing the approved symbol! Jones was shouting with laughter.

"Ah, Brother Tomlinson, your little flock is waiting your august presence in the drug store. Won't you step in?" Councilman Beals was lamb-like in his innocence, as he delivered the invitation. A great shout went up as the reverend gentleman entered the store. But the mirth was destined to be short-lived.

Arrayed in dark black dresses and wearing dark red hats were Mrs. James Whitman, Mrs. Dr. Means, Mrs. Cornelius Jones, Mrs. Lyman Williams, Mrs. Henry Blake, Mrs. H. Richardson, Mrs. Dr. Greenleaf, Mrs. J.W. Mills, Mrs. Rutherford Beals, and Mrs. Chas. Tomlinson, silently filed in the drug store. The truth suddenly dawned upon the minds of the 10 guilty men. For a moment confusion reigned over all. Of certain lectures there were none for none were needed. The practical joke played by the good women had strangely affected their worthy husbands. The episode was kept very quiet but the next morning the Post contained an account of the elaborate "Red Carnation Dinner" given at the Washington by 10 prominent men in honor of their wives. -- Edith Gibbon. The Coast Magazine of Seattle, March 1905.