Charles E. Berg, the proprietor of the Lily mills in Walla Walla, has been engaged in that line of business for thirty-five years and is one of the pioneer mill men of eastern Washington. He was born in Polk county, Oregon, March 28, 1854, a son of John and Margaret (Donnelly) Berg, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Ireland. They came to America in young manhood and young womanhood and were married in San Francisco, California, whence they removed to Polk county, Oregon, in 1853. They took up their residence on a small ranch there and the father built a log cabin with a clapboard roof and stick chimney, which was the family home during the year they remained in Oregon. At the end of that time they returned to California, where the father engaged in mining for four years. In 1862, however, he removed to Walla Walla county, Washington, and remained here until his death. There were nine sons in his family, but only three are now living.
Charles E. Berg was a child when his parents removed to Walla Walla county and here he received his education, attending the pioneer schools. His first school stood at the corner of Fifth and Main streets, in Walla Walla, and in those early days each scholar had to pay fifty cents each week as the teacher's compensation. During his youth he learned the miller's trade and for thirty-five years has engaged in the milling business, being now the proprietor of the Lily mills of Walla Walla. He himself erected the plant in 1917 and he takes the greatest care in the manufacture of his flour, which is of the highest grade and for which he finds a ready sale. On investigation he found that about twenty-five thousand dollars per year was going out of the city for pancake flour, self-rising flour, corn meal and graham flour and that no mill here was manufacturing these products. Accordingly he erected his mill to supply the demand, believing he could do a good business and supply the people of his home vicinity at a considerable saving on these articles. His mill was completed and put in operation in January, 1918. Besides this plant he also owns forty acres of land and has a nice residence in Walla Walla.
CHARLES E. BERG
Mr. Berg was married in 1901 to Miss Matilda Gear and for his second wife chose Mrs. Etta Jones. The democratic party has a stanch supporter in Mr. Berg and for two terms he served efficiently as street commissioner of Walla Walla, while for twenty years he supervised the work of the prisoners at the state penitentiary. The competence which is now his is evidence of his industry and good management, for all that he has he has made by his own labors. He is highly esteemed by all who know him and has many warm personal friends. He was a member of the old Walla Walla Volunteer Fire Department until the paid department was created. While a lad in his teens he was "torch boy," whose duty it was to carry the light by which the firemen found their way to fires and for working about their apparatus, for at that time there were no street lights in Walla Walla. At the age of twenty-one years he became a full fledged fireman, his company being "Tiger" Engine Company No. 2. The machines were then pulled by hand and the water likewise pumped. Later they secured a steam engine. When the paid department was formed Mr. Berg retired from the service. He remembers the first fire in Walla Walla, which was the burning of the Robinson Theater at Seventh and Main streets, and the soldiers from the garrison helped in fighting the fire with a "bucket brigade." He also has vivid recollections of the early days when the Vigilantes were the law enforcers and often the law breakers. There was a secret society known as the U. F. F. Us, whose purpose was a mystery, which used to parade with torches and did mysterious things. On one occasion the Vigilantes had warned a negro called Slim Jim to leave the town. He was accused of making keys and releasing prisoners from the old jail. He was given a certain time to leave and warned that if he was not then gone he must hang. He failed to go, so one night they forced his room at the old City Hotel, took him in a wagon to South Second street and hanged him on a tree which now stands in the yard of Frank Singleton. His body was informally buried on a ridge not far from the place of execution, where was an old burying ground.
HENRY F. ZÜGER.
Henry F. Züger, a prosperous and up-to-date farmer of Walla Walla county engaged in the raising of both wheat and stock, has spent his entire life in this county, as his birth here occurred August 20, 1883. An account of the life of his father, Marcus Züger, Sr., appears elsewhere in this work.