TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
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Told <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pioneers<br />
MONSON THORP, SR.<br />
Spokane County<br />
When I came to Spokane <strong>the</strong> town was small but gTowing very rapidly.<br />
A number <strong>of</strong> good brick and frame business buildings and houses<br />
were under construction. The following year on October 4th, 1889,<br />
most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> business district <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> city was swept <strong>by</strong> fire and this busy<br />
town <strong>of</strong> many fine buildings became a tent city almost over night.<br />
There were very few houses on <strong>the</strong> north side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spokane river,<br />
and no water pressure. My children carried drinking water from a<br />
spring near where <strong>the</strong> Post street bridge is now located, with yokes<br />
suspending two pails at <strong>the</strong> ends. I also bought water delivered at<br />
twenty cents a barrel from a tank wagon which made daily rounds<br />
through <strong>the</strong> north part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> city. My children caught eels and dog<br />
salmon in <strong>the</strong> river, selling <strong>the</strong> eels to Chinamen and <strong>the</strong> salmon to<br />
Indians, <strong>the</strong>se being <strong>the</strong>ir favorite food.<br />
MRS. ELY FISHER (Cha'rlotte .l'1ayer)<br />
Douglas County<br />
In 1886 we came to Douglas County and filed on a timber culture<br />
claim. The same one on which I am still living. The soil was rich and<br />
seeds grew almost overnight.<br />
My husband came over several times, filed on his claim, brought<br />
over <strong>the</strong> machinery and cattle, and built <strong>the</strong> first frame house in Douglas<br />
county for me as a bride. It was 16x24 in size and <strong>the</strong> nicest in<br />
<strong>the</strong> ·country. There was no water for some time and we packed it up<br />
hill from <strong>the</strong> Columbia.<br />
No one else lived <strong>the</strong>re.' Sneaking coyotes and rattlesnakes gave<br />
me <strong>the</strong> shivers and pitters, but <strong>the</strong> rich land .was worth all <strong>the</strong> hard.,<br />
ships. An orchard was planted and yet more trees,and when my<br />
husband was sick and could not protest, I planted 1,500 more apple<br />
trees. In 1906 we put in 150 walnut trees. Every penny passed<br />
through my hands.<br />
The Indians were friendly and in <strong>the</strong> early days when no one lived<br />
within a day's ride, I was glad to see <strong>the</strong>m. I cooked <strong>the</strong>m good meals<br />
and <strong>the</strong>y liked me. I spoke Chinook with <strong>the</strong>m. One time some <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>m were drunk and I was afraid. I took my children out in <strong>the</strong><br />
middle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> corn field where <strong>the</strong>y sat until dark, when <strong>the</strong> Indians<br />
had gone whooping on <strong>the</strong>ir way.