The election of December 5, 1916, was thus: H. E. Barr, mayor; J. G. Israel, treasurer; J. L. Wallace, clerk; H. E. Hamm, attorney; Willis Wilson, Lee Rinehart, George Carpenter, W. L. Jackson, councilmen.
It is interesting to note here that the assessed valuation of Dayton in 1917 was $1,027,244.
Various miscellaneous happenings of much interest occurred from time to time during the years covered by the political history which we have been tracing out. Dayton seems to have been peculiarly unfortunate about fires. In addition to those which we have mentioned, there was one on July 17, 1883, which destroyed the Weinhard brewery, and in January, 1884, an attempt, generally supposed by incendiaries, to burn the planing and flour mills of Wait and Prather. A famous criminal suit against C. F. McClary, Frank Taylor and D. Hutchings was brought on the charge of incendiarism, resulting in the acquittal of the first, the discharge of the third by nolle prosequi, and the conviction of Taylor upon his own confession. On September 25, 1884, there was another fire, also supposed to be incendiary, and on March 27, 1885, the Woolen Mills went up in flames, thus ending its untoward career after so promising a start. June 24, 1887, witnessed still another devastation by fire, the worst known in the history of the town, entailing a loss of $112,000.
In 1890, August 11th, there was still another visit of the "fire fiend," causing as great a loss, though not affecting so large a number of individuals. There was yet another fire, not so great, in August, 1891. These hard experiences with fires led to the establishment of a number of fire companies and hose companies, the details of whose history it would be interesting to follow, did space permit. The Columbia Fire Engine Company seems to have been the longest-lived of these, continuing from 1882 to 1892. Since inauguration of the municipal gravity waterworks there have been no destructive fires.
In the year 1890 there was a curious outbreak of burglaries and other light fingered works of art resulting in numerous criticisms of the authorities and a final appeal to Judge Lynch. Leroy Burris, who had been engaged as foreman in the printing office of the Inlander, was implicated in the charge of burglarious practices, was seized by Vigilantes, and after having been brought face to face with a rope was let off with banishment.
In 1892 the general unrest and hard times led to various ugly forms, and one of them was an attempt to imitate Tacoma in the banishment of the Chinese. The effort to run out the Orientals proved a fiasco, however, as the general sentiment of the majority of the citizens was strongly against it, and the sheriff was firm in his announcement of the probable outcome of any violation of the peace. Gradually the agitation subsided and the Chinese, who were few in numbers and were peaceable and law abiding, and who in no manner stood in the way of the rights and privileges of white citizens, remained unmolested. Dayton was saved from that most contemptible and inexcusable of all forms of public riot, a "race war."
The part which Dayton and Columbia County took in raising men for the Washington Volunteer force in the Philippine war is worthy of some special note. Not that the other counties and towns were in any degree deficient in their service, but the number of enlistments at Dayton was remarkable in comparison with the population. The Dayton men were enrolled in Company F of the First Washington Volunteers. Chester F. Miller, whose name has so often appeared in this history in connection with legal and judicial matters, was chosen captain of the company; Charles A. Booker was first lieutenant; George B. Dorr, second lieutenant. The company, like the others of the Washington Volunteers, bore itself with all honor. One member of the company, Edward W. Strain of Pomeroy, a member of one of the most conspicuous pioneer families of Garfield County, was killed in battle, and George B. Fargo and R. A. Chrystal lost their lives by sickness.
Columbia County is so entirely a farming country that there are practically no cities and towns of any considerable size except Dayton.
THE TOWN OF STARBUCK