The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1895-07-18
COLONEL 4. D.COCK dead.
A Well Known Pioneer stricken Down
on Friday Last
NEWS BUDGET FROM SODA SPRINGS
Yakima Kindergarten Association
begins Its work Under Favor
able Conditions - Real Estate
Transfers for the Week.

and for many years as Colonel Cock, who
died ut his home here last Friday, was
the best known of all the old-timers in
Washington. He was q resident when
the territory was set off from Oregon,
and was member of the first territorial
Legislature, having been elected to the
council from Yakima county. Some years
later he was elected to the lower house
from Walls Walls.
He came with his father from Pennsyl-
vania when boy. For some years the
family lived in Wisconsin, from whence
by wagon train they came on to Puget
Sound and settled in Olympia. The
father was known as "Col." too, and
was man Of strong character and vi
tality that lasted him into the nineties.
He died in Wslls Walla, at the home OF
his son.
In the early days, when history was
making that seems more important,
looking back to it, than the present. Col.
Cock was young and active, always in
demand, and always at the 'front.' 1t Was
then that he took rank as trusted leader
and fearless scout and messenger. The
circumstances of his daring ride 10 bring
dispatches through the country OF the
hostile tribes in the interior from the
west side to Gen. Halter at Fort Simcoe,
and his pursuit across the Ahtanum and
narrow escape, are matters for more care
full setting down, after inquiry and refer
ence. 1t is enough for the present pur.
pose to state that he never finched nor
Jagged when something had to be done.
Col. Shaw, of Vancouver, Clip Wills and
other old Indian fighters can help out the
future and more particular writer of these
incidents.
He was the companion and guide of
the first governor of the terrtory--Gen.
l. |. Stevens-snd his interpreter as we'll,
and was party to many important and
interesting pow-wows with the Indians
at time when all hands were sharp
eyed tor uprsngs and ambuscades. In
this capacity he was in all parts of the
state before its settlement by whites I:
and later, though still in early days, he
went over it again with Prof. Gibbs, Of
the Smithsonian Institute, on a tour of
exploration and specimen hunting. This
experience seemed to have made deeper
impression than any other in his life.
He was q born naturalist, and entered
with zest into the study of animal and
plant life. While not q master of the
technique, few men knew more Of the
fora and fauna of the northwest than
Col. Cock. Of late years he was anxious
to see fish and game preserved in the for
ests and streams of Washington, and on
the day of his death expected the ar
rival of an agent of the United Statas
fish commission with food fishes which
had been promised him for stocking the
streams in this vicinity. There was no
leaf so small nor insect so tiny but he
could spend some time with 1t for the
love he had of nature in all her express
ions of life. His grandsons were latterly
his companions on his fishing trips, and
they-especially Ted Owens-never tired
of learning from his lips the curious
things he could tell.
| Without attempting to state any facts
of his life in exact order, nor to include
all the events of mature years, it may be
| uotH hat ho frn hard In n fha Hai xu
of his day. He tried steamboating on
the sound for some years, and with the
results OF his selling out he bought cat
tie and came to this county. The home
ranch was on the river near where Zillah
now is, and adjoining the old Sam Chap
pell homestead. Even before this he
had joined with some friends and at
tempted mining in the Caribou country.
He for while kept miners hotel away
up in that region, and was full of stories
about the attempts to use camels for pack
animals on the trail passing his place.
The cattle business stripped him Of
what was left from steamboating, and he
went with his family to Walla Walla,
where he bought a drug store. with no
better luck. Then he was made city
marshal, as he was several times after
ward for North Yakima. As an execu-
tive officer he was rigid and answering.
This sort Of thing makes enemies in GER
tain quarters. but you could hear it said
all over the streets the day be died tina
he was the best one we ever had One
who had himself done well in this posi-
ton was quick to say so, and no one need
feel sighted at the comparison.
He planted the shade trees that are the
pride and glory Of the town, and as he
went and came they nodded to him as so
many long rows OF friends who had
known his protecting hand. His love Of
nature will in these trees live as a monu-
ment
He was a great old mountaineer and
camper. Each summer found parties
urging him to go along. He knew the
Big Klickitat, the Tietan, and all the
lakes and passes and trout streams
could point instinctively to the bush be-
hind which was prairie chicken. Grit
fin, Col. Walker, DIR. Hare, and all the
men who hunt and fish for the many
sided benefits Of the sport, will miss Col.
Cock.