The new North-west., 1896-06-12

on the laws of Washington, from 1866 to
1859. to be found in the office of Colonel
J. Kennedy Stout
We find that the territorial legislature
of 1855 passed on January 29th "An act TO
create and organize the county of Spo-
kane" and-being evidently in a granting
mood that day-the limits were placed st
Snake river and the 46th parallel of lat
tude on the south, the summit Of the
Rockies--then the boundary Of the ter
ritory-on the east, the 49th parallel on
the north, and the Columbia on the west
The county seat was vaguely located
ION the land claim of Angus Mcleod"
The commissioners appointed were Rob
ert Douglas. John Owen and William
McCreany. The sheriff was composite
OF the shamrock and thistle. by name
Patrick McKinZie, and the auditor bore
the patriotic and exceedingly euphon-
| ous cognomen Of Lafayette Alexander.
Whether their duties were arduous or
not the records silent, but year later
q new board Of commissioners was ap-
pointed, also. u new sheriff, while our
Scotch-lrish friend continued to serve his
country but in the position of auditor
Instead of sheriff. The office OF judge Of
probate was created, with Thomas Ster-
usger as first incumbent, while the iirst
justice of the peace was Pilkey, proph-
etically surna,ned Solomon.
This legislature also, we notice, en-
gagged in the very commendable act of
incorporating six divisions of the Sons
Of Temperance" generously dissolved
certain calling matrimonial bonds, alas!
and--leaving US in narrowing and ever,
torial library.
The next record is the unexplained ana
apparently inexplicable repetition by the
legislature Of 1860 Of "An act to create
and organize the county of Spokane" de
timing d new set of officials, including a
treasurer. r. X. Rogers, and coroner,
f. Wolf. 1t is suggested by Colonel
Stout that-owng to the scarcity of pop.
ulation, and the dignified deliberatene5s
with which events transpired in those
days of cayuse transit-the first yorganiza-
tion failed to Stick or was never heard
Of in Spokane county.
In 1864 this twice established structure
was swept out of existence, like child's
card house, and annexed to the already
continental proportions of; Stevens coun-
ty, with the county seat at Colvllle.
In 1875 the county seat of Stevens coun-
ty was temporarily removed to the town
of Spokane Falls until an election could
be held.
On October 30 1879, the territorial legls
lature, still sufficiently lavish, organized
the present area of Spokane, Douglas and
Lincoln counties into the county of Spo-
kane, which was reduced to its present
limits by the cutting off Of the others
November 2i 1883.
Swift Changes.
All these changes Indicate Il period OF
| rapid settlement. The days Of the abor-
gines, the explorers, the tur traders and
the missionaries, which we have glanced
at in brief panorama. were merging into
those of the agriculturist. the miner, the
tradesmAn and the scholar, with the SOL
dler on the stage during the brief inter-
val between acts The restoration Of
peace which followed the campaign of
Colonel Wright ushered in a period Of de-
velopment, especially in the mining indus
try, such as the world had never seen.
OF these exciting times wrote Lieu
tenant John Mullan in 1863: 1T has been
only during the last three years that SAN
Euine expectations have existed Of min
eral wealth to any great extent being
found east of the Cascade mountains, or
| even in the northern part Of the Rocky
mountains proper. AS soon as the Fra
discovered, and the question of route by
which to reach them in the shortest time
and cheapest means was discussed, we
found the eastern portion of Washing
ton territory ramifed by hundreds of gold
seekers in quest of this new Eldorllo.
This was in 1858. Gold was soon after
discovered in the Wenatchee, Nacness,
Okinogan, Similikameen and Clarl>'s
Fork and worked till the Indians drove
the miners from the country In the sue
ceeding year Captain Pierce, with q bold
ness and a Judgment worthy every com
mendation, explored the Bitter Root
mountains, and the discovery of the Nez
Ferce gold mines was the result. The
wanderings of the miners in this region
southwark led to the Salmon river dis
coveries. But the gold miner, who is the
| most restless Of mortalS, did not rest
content until he had crossed the Snake
river and discovered the Powder liver
| mines, and not even then content, he
| opened mp the Grande Ronde, Boise ana
Burnt river mines, i'll east Oregon, and
elated at his success, returns to his
friends in west Oregon, taking the mead
| oftJohn Days river in his route, only Q
| discover the richest quartz leads to he
I,found outside ,of California.
| "His companions on Frazier river heard
| of this new gold field. and they too, must
| visit it, taking on their route the mouth
| of Clarkes Fork and Spokane rivers, only
| there to discover gold which has since
! been taken out by the pound"
| The transcontinental railroad was an
| assured fact, The era, of Increasing pros
duction, of new markets, rising values