Lyman's History of old Walla Walla County, Vol. 1 / Embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties

by William Denison Lyman

ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL, WALLA WALLA

By reason of the change in the law the county election also was held a year earlier than usual, occurring June 6, 1870. The democracy was victorious in the county, electing their entire ticket with the exception of superintendent of schools. For delegate James D. Mix received in his home county 670 votes, while Selucius Garfielde had 527. The officers elected in the county were as follows: Prosecuting attorney, N. T. Caton; councilman, Daniel Stewart; joint councilman (Walla Walla, Stevens and Yakima counties), N. T. Bryant; representatives, David Aspaugh, James H. Lasater, John Scott, A. G. Lloyd, Elisha Ping and T. W. Whetstone; probate judge, R. Guichard; sheriff, James McAuliff; auditor, H. M. Chase; treasurer, A. Kyger; assessor, A. C. Wellman; surveyor, A. H. Simmons (he was succeeded by Charles A. White, who was appointed to the office May 1, 1871); school superintendent, J. L. Reser; coroner, L. H. Goodwin; county commissioners, C. C. Cram, F. Louden and I. T. Rees.

The officials elected in the county this year did not assume their respective positions until the succeeding year. The officers elected in the preceding year had been chosen for a term of two years, and they contended that the change in the law of the territory which made it necessary to hold the election in 1870, instead of 1871, did not invalidate their right to hold office until the expiration of their regular term. The matter was brought into the courts for adjudication, in a test case, the prosecuting attorney-elect against the incumbent of the office at the time of the last election. In July James W. Kennedy, judge of the first district, rendered a decision in favor of the defendant, holding that officers elected in 1869 retained their positions until 1871, thus reducing the term of the officials last elected to one year.

COUNTY COURTHOUSE

One of the burning questions at all times in political life has been the County Courthouse. As the county dedicated its first courthouse in the year 1867, it is incumbent that we make a brief reference to the same at this juncture. As early as 1864, the grand jury had made a report on this matter, and from said document we make the following pertinent extracts: "We, the grand jury, find that it is the duty of the county commissioners to furnish offices for the different county officers. This we find they have not done. Today the offices of the officers are in one place, tomorrow in another, and we hope at the next meeting of the board of county commissioners that they will, for the sake of the integrity of Walla Walla County, furnish the different county officers with good offices." Notwithstanding this merited reproof, no action of a definite character was taken by the board of commissioners until a meeting of March 11, 1867, when it was voted to purchase of S. Linkton a building on the corner of Alder and Third streets, the same to be paid for in thirty monthly installments of $100 each. A further expenditure of $500 was made in fitting up the building for the use of the county, and thus Walla Walla County was able to hold up a dignified head and note with approval her first courthouse. That the structure was altogether unpretentious and devoid of all architectural beauty it is perhaps needless to say. The executives of the county were at least provided with a local habitation.

Though the housing of the county was a lame affair a number of years passed before there was any permanent action. During nearly all elections from 1869 on we find a vote on two general questions: a constitutional convention and a courthouse. In 1869 there was a vote of 24 for, and 286 against a constitutional convention.

The interval of elections was changed following the election of 1869, so that the next occurred on June 6, 1870. That of 1872 took place on November 5th.

In August, 1870, the City Council deeded to the county the block of land on Main Street on which the permanent courthouse was built. In the election of 1872 the vote in favor of building a courthouse was 815 to 603. A vote, as usual, was taken on constitutional convention, with the result of 57 affirmative and 809 negative.