Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1921-09-16
r,o second Locating Commission

During the 1889 session OF the leg
,.,oture Lieutenant Governor Laugh
49, was the presiding officer of the
nota and Mr.. Farris being a mem
49, Of that body, he and the gov
ornor became close friends. Lieu
tenant Governor Laughton was very
.rcb interested in Tide Land
p,l" which was passed during that
.ossion and over which there was
great deal of newspaper notoriety.
while the senators and representa-
t,ves from the eastern part of the
toto had very little knowledge of
what was really involved in the
Measure and at first were not inter
osted the newspaper attacks devel-
oped opposition to its passage, and
inst prior to a vote on it in the SEN
otto If was discovered by the friends
Of the bill that they were one vote
short of being able to carry it. Lieu
tenant Governor Laughton appealed
to Senator Farris, who had an
nounced his intention to vote
against it, to support the bill as an
art of friendship. Senator Farris
refused to do this, but finally told
him that he would try and secure
someone in the senate who was
against the bill to vote for it and
he was successful in getting a man
whose constituents had no particu-
lar interests one way or the other
and the Tide Land bill was passed
Lieutenant Governor Laughton, in
appreciation of the services of Sen
ator Farris, told him that at any
time in the future he could be of
service to him all he had to do was
to make his wishes known SEN
ator Farris was not d member Of the
senate in 1891, but as one of the
Pullman boosters he remembered
the promise and it was thought TO
be good time to remind the acting
governor of his obligation prior to
his appointing the college locating
commission. The only thing asked
Of the governor was that he should
appoint three on the commission who
were friendly to the friends of Pull
m hot he i
listen to the claims Of this city as
desirable place for the location of
the college. The commission was
appointed, and the member. Cover
nor Black of Everett, A. II. Smith of
Tacoma and S. B. Conover of Port
townsend, were satisfactory from
the Pullman viewpoint The COM
mlssioners inspected the various
sites that were offered, most of
winch were in Whitman county. and
then met in Olympia to render their
decision. Paul Schultz, the political
representative of the Northern Pa
enc Railroad company. and Mr..
ShlVely of Yakima commenced to
exert a powerful influence to get
Tue commission to locate the college
d Yakima f. II. Letterman. DR..
"eob' Mr.. Farris and the writer
went to Olympia to be in touch with
.ne commissioners and to see that
Fuliman got a square deal.
Inc commissioners met on Tues
Jay and adjourned from day to day
without a decision, and on Friday
~ey adjourned until Saturday after
Hool at two o'clock and the commits
aoners went to Tacoma. We had
'd[hed that one of the commission
.'S was in favor of Yakima, one in
iaYor OF Pullman, and the third one
l'u not expressed himself as being
'''oraole to either Pullman or Yaki-
md' Knowing that Paul Schultz
'u at Iacoma, the Pullman delega-
,oA realized the danger of this trip
:, the commissioners to that city.
W. Farris followed them. There
vas then only one train from Ia
VIVA to Olympia in the forenoon
one boat. On Saturday morn
s MI Farris saw two commission
~ O'ru the train for Olympia, but
one favorable to Pullman was
!, mere He then went to the
a,i and found that he was not
'"e boat for Olympia. He then
!. 4' 10 the hotel and found the miss
n, member in bed with a headache.
farris chartered a locomotive
- AZ car and got the commissioner
Iva oafd and landed in Olympia at
tr y M. What took place be-
srss GOVERNOR Laughton, Mr.. Stew
hos n.y." ana the commissioners is only
4 SO far as the writer is con-
l.na out there was some plain
aws ee used. The afternoon wore
tsa "thout results and we then
n, lhat the scheme was to hold
- eciSion until after the office OF
secretary of state had closed CO