Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1913-05-23

mentioned in the story still reside in
Pullman.
PULLMAN IN THE PAST
It was in 1878 that our pioneer
settler, D. G. Mckenzie, filed home
stead upon the land here, and what
he afterward plated as the town of
Pullman. He had abundant faith, it
seems, that the country would de-
yelope, and that with its growth a
town would naturally be established
at this point Three Forks" as it
was then called, being the junction
Of the South Palouse river and the
Dry Fork and Missouri Flat creeks.
As all roads once led to Rome, so,
owing to the peculiar character of
the country hereabouts, nearly all the
roads conferred at Three Forks by
easy gravitation from the hills and
mountains. Why shouldn't there be
la prosperous trading point here,
under such circumstances, when the
country would fill up with farmers
and stockmen? On this assumption
Pullman was founded, and her sub
sequent history has established the
correctness of the conclusion.
In 1881 Stewart & Lee (Orville
Stewart, the senior m member, is our
present mayor opened the first
store, which, for the time being, sup
Piled the wants of the adjacent coun-
try. In SO, however, the Palouse
branch of the o. r. & N. railway was
surveyed to Pullman, and this gave
q considerable impetus to immigra-
ton, bringing in other business and
PROFESSIONAL men. M. S. Phillips
opened a furniture store; Kaylor &
webb, drug store; M. w. Drink
water and John Benjamin each start
ca a blacksmith shop; Munroe &
ooerholtzer, hardware store. These,
win livery stable, two hotels and
TWO saloons, comprised the business
places at the end of the year. Then
came the famous Willard collapse,
one OF the effects of which was to
sop all work on the o. r. & N. when
was within 10 miles of Pullman.
inns retarded our progress material
y until October, 1885, when the rail
ioad was completed to this point.
0onildence in the future of the town
was now firmly established, and from
uiat time dates the real history of the
pace. w. j. Mcconnell bought out
the rlrm of Stewart & Lee and opened
up large general store under the
uAe OF Mcconnell, Chambers & Co.
a l. Fariss purchased. the hardware
BUSINESS of Munroe and Oberholtzer,
anu at once enlarged the same. M.
= true made additions to his hotel
:" accommodate the increasing rush,
anu the Empire House was continu-
Any Iilied to its utmost capacity.
me spring of SO opened most
Auspiciously for this embryo city, and
"elythlng and everyone prospered
an'li July 4th of that year, when the
arg demon fell upon the place and
.euuced to ashes several business
muses., with contents, none of which
we're insured. Nothing daunted, how
s'er' the plucky losers at once set
won't rebuilding, and during the
l'ner and winter following larger
sHu better structures had arisen
.iom the ruins. each containing more
: s1'enslVe stocks of goods than had
asieto1ore been carried. But these,
wy We're doomed to destruction, 1t
neu. The town was now well sup
.Aeu with business firms who were
.@Aeo to their utmost financial ca
sA0''y TO handle the trade. as there
80 put little surplus capital in the
Suntry and the merchants, being
- nOS'iy strangers here, did not have
- credit which is now so willingly
a. eoroed them. On Sunday, June
q. 1887, a defective chimney In o.
'oMart's building started another
], iagration-and it was a most
- aSefous one. Every business
0use In town. together with the
! 'ents with the exception of the
lug store and the Nodine building)
i, totally wiped out. Loss, some
lug over 100000; insurance.
4 ''Voo. 1t was a heavy blow, but
= grit and enterprise OF our mer-