1895-01-01-sr-p3-rise-of-hillyard-leland-and-kate-westfall
January 01, 1895 Spokesman-Review Page 3:
THE RISE OF HILLYARD
Growth of a Prosperous Suburb a Credit to Its Citizens.
Two Railroads and Shops, Fine Schools and a Magnificent Water System.
On the 25th day of October, 1892, Leland D. Westfall and Katie C. Westfall filed with the auditor of Spokane county the original plat of the town of Hillyard, Endion Park and Columbia additions on the east, Arlington Heights, first and second, and Rochester Heights additions on the west, Webster's Minnehaha additions on the south now give the place plenty of space to grow, and the village is making the best of the opportunity, The original plat on file shows all the streets to be 60 feet in width with the exceptions of Wabash and Broad avenues, which are 75. The auditor is universally blamed for allowing a town plat to be recorded that has such narrow streets when the miles of land surrounding are of no practical use except for building purposes, but now that the village is started the people are making the best of it. The streets and alleys are dedicated to the use of the public forever, so no individual or corporation has any franchises to barter away.Within the additions mentioned there are by actual count 486 persons residing, The town is not incorporated, but there is talk in favor of it semi-annually and if the legislature which convenes the 14th does not by special act annex this section to Spokane, the people will be fortunate. Hillyard is included in the “neutral strip” of one mile which surrounds every first class city in the state. By a liberal interpretation of this act of legislature the county commissioners have no jurisdiction over saloon licenses. There are only six saloons here, or one to every 80 inhabitants.
WATER SUPPLY GOOD.
Hillyard is supplied with the best water that an all-wise Creator has allotted to any people. It is procured from wells 200 feet deep and piped to the residences by electricity generated by the falls of the Spokane river. Two systems are required—the Arlington Heights and the Hillyard company—and the charges are but a trifle higher than in Spokane. The future water supply of the village is without doubt the beautiful streams that flow down Bigelow gulch, Here a reservoir can be made that will furnish all the water necessary for a town of 5,000, besides having a pressure sufficient for protection against fire.
Our post office was established April 16, 1894, with Howard R, Stearns as postmaster. The business has increased so rapidly that a money order department will undoubtedly be added before the year of its establishment ends.
The village enjoys street car connection with Spokane, with half hour service. It only takes three-quarters of an hour to go to the city, a distance of five and a quarter miles by that line, Travel has not been as extensive as formerly, as the street car corporation has doubled the fare. This injustice to the citizens has partially been repaired by the company placing on sale coupon books, where 60 tickets are sold for $2.50. About 20 books are sold in the village each week. If as many more are sold in the Spokane offices it will make a thousand passengers each week, which, with the tenderfeet that are caught on a ten-cent fare, make the line a well paying one. The Lidgerwood line is already looking with eager eyes on this lucrative field, and will undoubtedly soon be extended here.
CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES.
There are three religious societies already organized, The Catholics have a church building and hold regular services. The Congregationalists are building a church, and will have it ready for occupancy in the spring. The Methodists have a building committee appointed and will begin to build as soon as a lot is secured.
In secret societies we are quite well supplied. Imperial lodge No, 102, Knights of Pythias, is in a flourishing condition. It is ruled by the following officers, who have just been installed: T. J. Mullen, chancellor commander; Alex Laing, vice chancellor; L. C. Rich, prelate; G. F. Bowen, master of arms; J. M, Canipe, keeper of records and seals; B. H. Mead, master of finance; P. A. Ellis, master of the exchequer; B. H. Mead, master of work.
Court Hillyard No, 8,215, Ancient Order of Foresters, was organized in April, 1894, and has prospered under the guidance of Chief Ranger Riordan and SubChief Laing,
The American Railway Union, No, 286, has a membership of 150, the two principal officers being R. D. Riordan, president, and W. P. Lufkin, secretary. It meets Wednesday evening in the Ellis building.
There are some 20 members of the Masonic fraternity in this vicinity, and they are now discussing the feasibility of organizing a lodge and erecting a building.
FINE SCHOOLS.
Our schools are an honor to the village and a credit to the county, Professor W. A. Monroe is the principal, Mrs. G. P. Persons the intermediate teacher and Miss Anna Splain primary. The enrollment previous to the holiday vacation was about 100. The school re-opens tomorrow (Wednesday) with a promise of an increased attendance, The three school buildings are supplied, with all the modern improvements, and, are a good criterion of the wisdom of the people of the district and the intelligence of the board of education. The school board is composed of R. D. Riordan, T. J. Letson, E. G. Weeks and L. A. Smith, clerk.
In a business way Hillyard is not befit any town of similar size. Her merchants meet the Spokane prices. If they don't they don't got the trade. The village needs a blacksmith shop and a dry goods store, and then her business places will be complete.
We have two good grocery stores, Smith Bros, and Smith & Russell. J. E. Wormwald has a tinning and plumbing shop, Joseph Shuster runs the bakery, John Stutzer the shoe shop, E. B. Boyd, G. W. House and F. V. Smith are proprietors of tonsorial parlors; J. A. Morrow, painter and sign writer; John Kreller, contractor and builder in stone work, Mrs. T. Sutton runs the laundry; D. B. Green operates the Hillyard market and D,. Wood the Model; C. H. Kolbfleisch has a tobacco and fruit store; W. D. Keller is our druggist, Mrs. C. Savage carries a stock of notions; Hotel Hillyard is presided over by Mrs. Smith, while the Boyd house and Sheehan's hotel receive their share of the boarders; the Standard saloon is run by Ed. Alfstad, the Court by H. E. Meyer, the Club by T. T. Gill, Germania by Chris Isley, the Hillyard by T. J. Mullen, and Bergman & Peterson have recently established one,
TWO RAILROADS.
For railroad communication we are fortunate, The Spokane Falls & Northern parallels the Great Northern, but has not yet put in a depot, This place owes its existence to the location of the Great Northern shops. The name of the station according to that railroad’s way of reckoning is East Spokane, The people wished to honor the president of that great railroad system and Hillyard it is and Hillyard it will remain. Besides, there is one East Spokane already. The Great Northern company have probably spent $250,000 in buildings and yard trackage at this point. There is a 20-stall engine house, a paint shop, a 300x100 car shop, a blacksmith shop containing the immense steam hammer, a boiler shop, a machine shop, a storehouse and offices, all substantially constructed brick buildings. Here anything in the car or locomotive line can be made or repaired. The machinery is of the latest and most improved make, We have not the opportunity to give an exhaustive write-up of the most complete shops in the northwest. T. O'Brien 1s foreman and W. Kelly master mechanic. The storehouse contains everything from a lampwick to a steam pump. W. G. Tubby and W. P. Lufkin look after the clerical duties and keep an accurate record of every bolt, bar or barrel that belongs to the company. The motive power of the shops is a 190 horse power engine with Charles Carlisle as chief engineer. Besides the shops proper there is a 10-pocket coal shute, where 10 locomotives can be loaded at one time. The station is not a very large or attractive building, but a new one will probably be erected in the spring. W, C. Fowler is the agent, with O. L. Ambrose and W. C. Heiser as operators.
There are only 40 men employed in and around the shops at the present time, but “when the shops start” there will be about 300.
IMPROVEMENTS.
Of course Hillyard has made a number of improvements during 1894, a list of which is appended with an approximate estimate of their value:
Three brick schoolhouses,.......$17,000
Mrs. Finnegan, hotel............. 6,000
J. C. Wormald, stores............ 2,000
Smith Bros, addition............... 300
Boyd's hotel, addition........... 1,000
J. Bergman & Peterson, saloon.... 1,000
W. U. Casey, Store................. 500DWELLINGS.
W. H. Green......................2,300
W. J. Dwyer..................... 4,000
D. McArthur..................... 2,250
R. D. Riordan................... 1,800
J. C. Smith..................... 1,200
Frank Taylor.................... 1,000
R. A. Feurtado.................. 1,000
George P. Persons............... 1,000
John Kreller...................... 600
W. U. Casey....................... 400
Chamberlain....................... 500
John Stuetser..................... 600
Total......................... $43,450Besides these there is scarcely a home but what has made considerable improvement in fixing up and erecting barns, etc., Monroe Denman, the road supervisor, has graded three miles of streets.
