The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-25

mountain and forest ali Joined IN singing
NV Country. IT'S OF Thee" In beau
,;fuf vine msple grove by the river oanA
the sneakers stand was erected ana ap-
pronriateIy decorated. After GOOD ora
ton. the crowd gathered around tao.e
spread with most sumptuous ana nv
ING dinner. There WAS enough Tor wni'e
man Indian. and plenty TO spare. After
dinner on beautiful stretch OF prairie,
a horse race, foot race and game OF Daii
made the afternoon sports, and an ENJOY
able dance AZ night closed the first Fourth
of July celebration ever held IN the big
Bottom.
In such a promising section OF Lewis
county lives l. A. Davis with his famiiy,
and il seems almost like living pioneer
life over again 10 think of his planting
second home in this far-away mountain
secIusiou. He has seen much OF pioneer
life. having crossed the plains in 1871 with
his father. Lewis II. DAVIS. Iney each
took donation claims near Ciaquato, tie
old county seat of Lewis county lie"
III. Davis died in ls6i- The son, L. A.,
lived AT Claouato until about six years ago.
when he settled in the Big Bottom region,
as above mentioned. Mr.. Davis has seen
something of political life ana at diHerenI
times has held public offices in this county.
The late Henry Miles. who was mem
Der of the first territorial legislature, was
Mr.. Davis political rlyal, anu thefe -
bit OF history relating 10 these men that
NAV be OF interest. In 1867 Mr.. Davis was
a candidate for the House of Representa-
tives on the Republican ticket. henry
Miles was his opponent on the Deno-
cratic ticket.
Skookumchuck precinct in this county
was strongly Republican, and Miles iald a
plan by which he thought the vote OF lhae
precinct would be thrown out on the cleo
ton count Miles plan was to nave the
election officers ofthat precinct not sworn.
and by this means he thought the vote OF
that precinct could be rendered void.
Davis, however, learned OF Miles scheme
and checked it. ShoOkumchuck precinct
rolled up bigger Republican majority
than ever. This Davis secured by trans
ferring from Cowlitz precinct (Which
was strongly Democratic and which
he knew he would lose) a
number of Republican voters to
Skookumchuck precinct. In those days
il was legal for voter in the county TO
vote in any precinct OF the county ana
therefore this transfer OF votes from one
precinct 10 another was lawful. On the
election count Davis was declared elected,
and Henry Miles contested his seat before
the territorial House of Representatives.
The house declared Davis properly elected
and Miles dropped into political obseurlty
for some time. Davis, contented with bis
victory, did not seek ponticai nonors again
for many years. The year 1852 witnessed
the return of both these men to public
office. In that year The Peoples Ticket"
struck popular wave, not only IN Lewis
but IN many other counties. In making
up the peoples ticket candidates
were selected from both the old
political parties. L. A. Davis
was on this ticket for county commits
sioner and Henry Miles for representa-
tive in the territorial legislature. The en-
tire peoples ticket, except the sheriff and
assessor. was elected. Thus two political
rivals, who had been silent for fifteen
years were returned TO official life on the
same ticket. Henry Miles was so graft
fed over his victory that he sent this
message to , Seattle friend: THANK
God" ORgIN L. HARMON.