The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-05-19
Kirk Whlted'S Letter.
WESArcHEE. Wash, May 10, 1899.
Mr.. Spencer Boyd,

Dear SirTAs you are named as one
the commissioners of the proposed
new county of Chelan, desire to
call your attention to some matters
connected Herewith. and the tricks
now being played by certain persons.
TO begin l should say that for
some time | have seen the necessity
for q new county, and have favored
it's organization. 1t is great
Hardship for the people of the
Wenatchee valley in lesser degree
for the people of Chelan to come 30
to 80 miles to comfy seat; in
winter it is almost impossible.
While in Ellensburg two years
as prosecuting attorney, ommitted
no opportunity to show the hard
ships of coming to Ellensburg, and
the great expense to the county,
and thus reconcile that part of
Kittitas county to have US cut off.
| supposed that the people of the
new county would have an oppor-
tunity to vote for a new county
seat, that the different towns would
offer 10 build q court house for the
benefit of having the county seat.
OF course, l desired that Wenatchee
should be the county seat, and had
no doubt that the Wenatchee De-
velopement company which owns
1900 acres OF land here would see
their true interest, and donate a
building which they own for a court
house.
Some Of the leading men of this
town met early in January and
wrote the w. d. Co. suggesting that
the brick hotel building (Which is
far out Of town and worthless for
hotel) would serve for a court
house, and ask if they would not
donate it for that purpose. The
w. D. Co. replied in short order
that it would not give the building
Matters were in this shape when
l arrived here from Ellensburg the
last of January. In a few days
Mr.. Arthur Gum secretary of the
W. D. Co. met me and asked me
what l thought OF organizing a new
county. To which | answered that
if the company would give the
brick hotel building for a court
house | would favor it, that as that
company would reap the most bene.
fit, they could we'll afford to give
the bnilding, but l had been in
formed that they refused. Mr..
Gum replied that the company
had changed it's mind, and was
willing to donate the building
that he had explained the situation
to it's officers, and the company
would give the use of the building
for "a temporary court house, and if
Wenatchee became the permanent
county seat a deed would be made
outright for one dollar.
DR.. &. W. Hoxsie of Leavenworth
was in Wenatchee about that time
and STATED to several parties that
he had talked with the officers of
the w. D. Co. at their office in
Seattle, and that they had agreed to
donate the hotel building and
would put the deed in escrow.
Arthur Gum and Frank Reeves
then went to Olympia and secured
the passage Of the bill which was
evidently drawn by Thomas Burke
of the w. d. Co. Instead of max.
ing Wenatchee the temporary
county seat and providing for loca-
ting the permanent by vote of the
people, the bill makes Wenatchee
the permanent county seat and no
is to be taken; it can be removed
only as other county seats are le-
moved.
The w. D. Co. now refuse to do.
nate the building and say they
never authorized any such offer.
Interested parties are now out
circulating petitions for the new
county at r. nnne1 Toovanworth