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TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State

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7'rJld hy lhr. Pinneer8<br />

The campaign <strong>of</strong> 1896 was a very bitter one. McKinley was running<br />

against Bryan. James Hamilton Lewis, now from Illinois, was<br />

running for Congress, and as Leavenworth was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> few towns<br />

vi~ited <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> politicians we were so honored. At that time I was one<br />

<strong>of</strong> two persons in Leavenworth who could take shorthand, so it was<br />

my lot to take <strong>the</strong> speech <strong>of</strong> James Hamilton Lewis. This speech had<br />

to be transcribed into long hand and sent to <strong>the</strong> various newspapers.<br />

House Hunting<br />

There was no place for newcomers to live save in a temporarily<br />

vacant saloon, which was our home for <strong>the</strong> first month in old ",Venatchee.<br />

When it was needed again for its original purpose, we were<br />

glad to find an old shack. Furniture was not a problem, as we had<br />

brought all we had from Ellensburg, but where to put it was <strong>the</strong> question.<br />

People all lived in make-shift houses. They lacked <strong>the</strong> comfort<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> log cabins <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> earlier settlers in <strong>the</strong> county.<br />

Kittitas County still embraced what is now Chelan County. All<br />

county affairs were transacted in Ellensburg. To get a marriage<br />

license, a trip had to made over <strong>the</strong> mountains. Most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> supplies<br />

came from <strong>the</strong>re.<br />

The Odd Fellows and Rebekahs were <strong>the</strong> first fraternal organizations,<br />

and played an important part in <strong>the</strong> early life <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> town.<br />

Churches were built afterward.<br />

at times.<br />

Boom Days at Wenatchee<br />

Traveling clergymen came through<br />

With <strong>the</strong> coming <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Great Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Railway, ",Venatchee prospered,<br />

her orc.hards spread over <strong>the</strong> hills, and we, <strong>of</strong> course, prospered<br />

with <strong>the</strong> town. Mr. Reeves was a publisher, lawyer, orchardist,<br />

one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> founders <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> First National Bank and a member <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>State</strong> Legislature. He had an active part in <strong>the</strong> growth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

city until his death in 1933. He knew all <strong>the</strong> governors since ",Vashington<br />

became a state.<br />

I have had <strong>the</strong> honor <strong>of</strong> serving in <strong>the</strong> legislature for 12 years.

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