Daniel Oliver’s Political Career

D.K. Oliver’s Political Career

Daniel Oliver spent most of his first ten years in Spokane toiling at his trade of building contractor and machinist in order to build his wealth and his property holdings. During this time he also pursued social interests such as membership in the G.A.R., Royal Arcanum and other civic organizations. For much of Daniel Oliver’s life in Spokane he was an active member of the community. After he had been in Spokane for about ten years he began to offer himself to serve in public office. In March of 1891 a notice appeared in local papers to announce an election for a new city charter as well as for the usual offices of city government. Along with the announcement was a call for a citizens convention for the purpose of “nominating a city ticket.” D.K. Oliver was among the hundreds of citizens who endorsed the call for the convention.

Daniel Oliver and the Populist Movement

Just as Daniel reached a point of success where he became interested in exerting greater influence over the political future of Spokane a new political movement was growing in the nation. Populism, as it was called, had begun in the national community of farmers who had been hurt by recessions and by the policies of the banks and the railroads.

In Washington state at this time a movement known as “fusion” was spreading. It was the belief that there could be an alliance between the Democratic Party and the forces of the Populism movement, thereby increasing the chances of electoral success. The newspapers were filled with warnings by business people and community leaders that Populism would bring calamity and ruin. “Middle-of-the-roaders” were Populists who opposed Fusion and said they should stay in the middle of the road. Despite their opposition, a Democrat, William Jennings Bryan, was nominated in 1896 for president, while a Populist, Thomas E. Watson, was nominated vice-president to serve on the same ticket.

The Oliver family, at least as of the period of the Civil War, seems to have voted largely for the Democratic party and had great sympathy for “the working man” (the occupation of all the Olivers on the census data was usually that of “Laborer.”) Daniel Oliver, therefore, welcomed this opportunity for the Democrats and the Populists to merge in order to put people of like mind into office in Spokane.

The Populist movement was satirized in a poem from the Philadelphia Press in 1894:

WHEN THE POPS GET IN

There’s be Pullmans for ’Wealers all ready at

       hand

        As soon as the Pops get in:

And in these the future they’ll march o’er

    the land.

        As soon as the Pops get in.

Fat jobs for the jobless will surely abound.

And offices, too, enough to go around,

While the air with Pop paeans will loudly

        sound.

        As soon as the Pops get in

There’ll be just enough wind to turn every

    one’s mill.

        As soon as the Pops get in

And rain can be called from the heavens at will,

        As soon as the Pops get in

There’ll be no more drouths and premature

    frost.

To cut off the harvest and make a great loss

But instead milk and honey will flow without

    cost,

        As soon as the Pops get in

The policies and candidates of Populism had grown out of the Panic of 1893 and the failure of many farms and other business. This was caused by businesses having overextended themselves during the period of high prices and high demand. When the panic struck, government action (removing paper money called Greenbacks from circulation) further exacerbated the situation by tightening the money supply so that borrowers were having to pay their debts with more expensive currency. A core policy for the Populists was the devaluation of currency by going to a silver standard or even going to a standard based on paper money. This devaluation would result in a lower debt for the farmers and higher prices for their goods. The Republicans and financiers argued that such a devaluation would simply hurt the economies of the areas that adopted such policies and might result in more difficulty getting financing and investment from the sources of capital.

The Populist movement thus came to Spokane as a local political party referred to as the People’s Party which had allied with the with local the Democratic party. On the night of April 18, 1895 Horatio N. Belt was declared leader of the Populist party for the coming campaign for mayor. He was chosen on the first ballot with three dozen votes to spare. Belt was the incumbent, having been first elected in 1894. Other populists in the “Fusion” movement were hoping to join him in local government.

Convention Chairman W.J. Thayer called the convention to order shortly after seven o’clock in the Music hall. The Reverend P.B. Barrow offered a short prayer, then Chairman Thayer said, “The people, gentlemen, have called you together to nominate men who will take charge of this plundered and unfortunate city. The Republicans in nominating their ticket came fresh from the election of a goldbug senator on a free silver platform and now offers ‘relief’ by placing this city in the hands of the most grinding monopoly, on a small scale, that ever afflicted this or any other city.”

Committees were named for credentials, permanent organization, and platform and resolutions. While the committees were meeting several speakers addressed the convention. 

The vote for mayor was overwhelmingly in H.N. Belt’s favor. Mr. Belt spoke for a few minutes earnestly thanking the convention and expressing the highest regard for his opponents in the nominating process. He said his record was public and he would stand on that. The convention endorsed their candidate with loud cheering.

The convention then nominated candidates for various other city offices, then nominated the city council candidates. The results were: First ward, Charles Bungay; Second, D.K. Oliver; Third, B..N. Carrier; Fourth, S.M. Brown; and Fifth, Frank Burnham. After a few words from each of these gentlemen the convention adjourned.

The election was held on May 7, 1895. The Spokesman-Review that morning had a box with the headline: VOTE THIS TICKET. The box listed the positions of mayor, comptroller, treasurer and councilmen and provided a name for the voter to enter when he visited the voting booth. None of them were Populists. The polls were open until 7 p.m. and the progress of the voting was monitored by the newspapers as the day wore on. The Spokane Chronicle in a story wrote “At 3 o’clock this afternoon the latest reports from the twenty-five polling places indicate that at this hour H.N. Belt has a safe lead.” The returns were received at the headquarters of the parties, in the Hazel block and the Holland building, at the city hall (“where Clerk Morse will remain until 1 a.m. to receive the ballot boxes”), and at the Auditorium (large and popular theater), where the returns will be announced from the stage between the acts of “Alabama.”

The candidate in the first ward C.H. Bungay, proprietor of a small tin shop and feed store on Sprague near Division, was deemed to have a “walk-away.” D.K. Oliver was said to be in a close fight with the candidate Mr. Clay. 

On May 11, 1895 an announcement appeared in the Spokane papers that “The Pops Win.” In the mayor’s race Horatio N. Belt, a populist, was re-elected by a 290 plurality. Belt had been in office since 1894 and would remain mayor for two more years. The Populists elected two councilmen, C.H. Bungay and D.K. Oliver. D.K. Oliver won the second ward with a plurality of 201, the highest plurality of any of the candidates except the mayor. (He was that far ahead of the nearest of his two rivals.) The republicans elected five councilmen. The story concluded, “Bully for Belt and the faithful Pops.”

The election of 1895 had more than mayor and councilmen on the ballot. An amendment to city government had changed council offices to two-year positions. Therefore the councilmen currently in office served an additional year and the new councilmen would serve two years, but would not assume office until the current councilmen’s terms had ended in 1896. When D.K. Oliver took office in May of 1896 the Populists were still in the ascendance, but when the Democrats lost the election of 1896 to the Republicans the Populist movement began to decline. Part of the reason for this was that the economy was beginning to recover from the panic of 1893 and return to normal so that Populist policies seemed less necessary.

DANIEL OLIVER’S SERVICE ON THE SPOKANE CITY COUNCIL

Having been elected and installed D.K. Oliver then served on the council as a representative of the second ward for the next two years. The business of the council during that time dealt often with basic infrastructure needs of a growing pioneer city and Daniel’s approach to governing seemed consistently to be taking a practical approach to solving problems while opposing the sometimes contradictory goals of bureaucracy.

One of Daniel Oliver’s first assignments for the council was to be a member of the Finance and Streets committee. He was assigned this duty on May 15 of 1896, shortly after assuming is place on the council.

PAVING THE STREETS OF SPOKANE

For most of its history the streets of the city of Spokane had been inadequate with very few having been paved. In November of 1887 the following description of street conditions appeared in the Spokane Falls Review: “There are a number of muddy streets in the city right now, but the stretch on Sprague between Mill and Post is the nastiest of any piece of highway about the place.”  In February of 1888 the same newspaper carried this description of conditions: “The streets resemble muddy rivers, and at the corner of Riverside avenue and Howard a small ocean has gathered which is continually growing in size….” 

At a meeting of the city council on November 17, 1896, the paving of downtown streets was discussed. The local newspaper summarized the situation for the council by stating, “D.K. Oliver is the owner of property on Riverside Avenue and would of necessity have his share to pay in case the paving is commenced. But besides being a property owner, he is a member of the city council from the ward in which all the proposed paving would come.” The newspaper then quoted D.K. Oliver’s answer when asked about the matter, “‘The city should have paved it streets long ago,” was his answer, when asked if he believed the paving should be undertaken.

“But are you in favor of paving now?” was asked.

“No! Not if you mean at once or this winter. But if you mean as soon as the weather and the condition of the streets will permit it, I say yes In other words, I am most certainly in favor of paving as soon as we can get at it in the spring,” said Mr. Oliver

William H. Cowles, local newspaper publisher and owner of the Review building, was asked if he would favor paving if the other property owners of Riverside favored it. “I certainly should be very much in favor of it,’ was the positive answer. “I would favor it on the bonding plan, or in fact, on any plan that might be decided upon. I believe Riverside should be paved from Monroe to Bernard, and if the property owners above there would consent it would be very desirable to pave to Division street.’” 

H. Solemonson, proprietor of the Wonder, the new dry goods establishment,” said: “There certainly can be no two opinions on the necessity of paving. The condition of the streets is very detrimental to business. There is not a city in the United States of the size of Spokane that does not have at least its business streets paved. I can understand the conditions of property owners which have prevented paving heretofore. But it certainly should be done now. The expense is not so great but that it would more than pay. The business interests and the health of the city demand. it.“

J.H. Tilsley, one of the proprietors of the popular C.O.D. grocery store, said: ‘The city certainly should pave Riverside avenue. Its condition is terrible. The property owners can afford to do it.”

J.A. Gilman, the undertaker and embalmer, said: “The streets certainly should be paved, although I doubt if an undertaker should advocate it, for the present condition of the streets undoubtedly increases his business.”

But despite the enthusiasm of many officials and business leaders, the paving of the downtown streets lingered for years. Perhaps, despite the general desire for improvement, the property owners felt they could not afford the taxes that would be required to accomplish the task. There was also the bureaucracy to deal with. D.K. Oliver himself ended up suing the city over assessments that were made to grade the streets near his personal residence at 403 S. Washington because the assessment had been made, but the work was never completed. The city had then ordered an assessment on the other street bordering the house and D.K. refused to pay.  “I offered the city the $147 rebate which is due me for the s$108 of tax I owe,” said Mr. Oliver, “and it refused the offer, so I shall stand a suit before I will pay the $108.”

A meeting of the city council in July of 1897 focused on the proposal to pave streets with either asphalt or brick. The area affected was Main avenue from Washington to Post street to be paved with asphalt, and to pave Howard street from the river to Riverside avenue with vitrified brick. Oliver had little to say regarding the west-end paving, but thought brick should be laid on the east end of Main avenue, in accordance with the petition of the property owners. The council voted to go ahead with the improvements as well as to reduce the width of the roadway to 60 feet and to extend the sidewalk width to 20 feet.

At a City Council meeting July 23, 1897 the members of the city council agreed to pave Main avenue from Washington street to Post street with asphalt, and to pave Howard street from the river to Riverside avenue with vitrified brick. The councilmen present were J.M. Comstock, C.S. Rutter, J.N. Glover, DK. Oliver, J.A. Schiller, J.D. Hinkle, J.S. Phillips and C.B. Dunning. 

At a City Council meeting July 27, 1897 the specification for the paving of main and Howard were discussed. The asphalt used would be California asphalt or Trinidad asphalt. The curbs would be granite and vitrified brick will be used for gutters. The recommendations were to be acted on at a future meeting.

There would be many more such meetings during the course of D.K. Oliver’s service on the council. The council would vote on paving of various streets and the details of its implementation. But at the end of the two year council term a story appeared in the Spokane Chronicle detailing its’ failure to pave the streets. A headline proclaimed “The City Has Actually Succeeded in Paving Two and One-Half Blocks on One Second Class Street.” There’s no indication that any of this failure was the fault of any one councilmen, but the efforts of the council were not productive. It may have been that the main impediment was the reluctance of the property owners adjacent to the street improvements to pay for the paving. Over the next several years the downtown streets were paved, but that was years after Daniel Oliver’s service on the council.

WHEELMEN

At a meeting of March 11, 1897 the city council spent most of their time discussing whether or not bicyclists should be permitted to ride on the sidewalks within the city limits. They often referred to bicyclists as “wheelmen.” No decision was made. Note: The term wheelmen and wheelwomen was very common in the newspapers of the time all over the country and there were many organizations for racing the new machines.

MAY 15, 1897, NEW COUNCIL INSTALLED

A story on May 15, 1897 in the Review announced that “NEW MAYOR GOES IN” (change of administration was on May 14 with Mayor Belt departing and new Mayor Olmstead being installed). At 9 a.m. there was a parting message from Mayor Belt. According to the story the only ceremony other than this was “How dee do,” said Mayor Belt to Mayor Olmstead. “Here are the keys to the whole business. This one fits your desk, this one the door, and this one that other door.” That was all the ceremony there was other than a cordial handshake between the two. The new council was also installed and were as follows: C.S. Rutter, C.H Bungay, James N. Glover, D.K. Oliver, J.M. Comstock, J.A. Schiller, J.D. Hinkle, W.H. Acuff, J.S. Phillips and C.B. Dunning.

STREET RAILWAYS

Street railways were among the most common and most popular forms of transportation in Spokane during the 1890s. These railways were not unified into one company, but run by several companies in different parts of the city. The

City Council meeting of July 13, 1897 was taken up almost entirely by a discussion of the proposal for a street railway franchise along Mission avenue. D.K. Oliver said that he was opposed to granting the franchise unless the city derived a revenue therefrom. Mr. Huntington of the railway company said that the franchise was for a distance of about seven-tenths of a mile and he wanted a 50 year franchise. President Comstock recommended a franchise for a single line along that portion of the the street be granted. At a City Council meeting July 16, 1897 the council judiciary committee consisting of C.B. Dunning, J.D. Hinkle and D.K. Oliver met and further discussed the Spokane street railway company’s petition for a mission avenue franchise and decided that Augusta would be a better choice and said they would certainly not grant a 50-year franchise as requested. 

On December 20, 1897 a meeting of the city council focused on all the franchises that had been granted by the city with an eye to cancelling or renegotiating these franchises or the city itself taking over the franchise function. A committee consisting of councilmen J.A. Schiller, J.M. Glover and D.K. Oliver were appointed to investigate and report on these franchises.

SLOT MACHINES, GARBAGE AND LICENSES

They also discussed business licenses for insurance agents, real estate and mining brokers and nickel-in-the-slot machines. Oliver delivered a brief address on the subject of the nickel machines. He favored a small license for the cigar store machines that gave you a cigar for each nickel, with a chance for three cigars, but thought that $100 none too large a fee for the machines that “a fellow could lose at.” One of the suggested ordinances surprised the chairman when it was read as it provided for all garbage to be dumped into the river. It was ordered placed on file for later consideration. A theatrical company headed by Leonard Grover and Leonard Grover, Jr. requested permission to conduct a theatrical performance in a tent. This was granted at the usual theatrical license of $5 a performance. The committee also voted to raise the saloon license to $1000 a year from $500. They also raised the license for grocers to $500 from $100.

SPOKANE’S DANCE HALLS AND THEATERS

At a City Council meeting August 4, 1897 a new dance hall and variety theatre ordinance was passed and awaited the signature of the mayor. The dance hall and variety theater ordinance was put on third reading and passed. The ordinance specified that no private boxes would be allowed, no females would be employed to solicit drinks, or act as waitresses, but would only be employed as performers on the stage. Performance were to cease at midnight.

STREET LIGHTS [REWRITE]

The city council meeting of August 4, 1897 dealt with the apportionment of additional street lights to each of the wards in the city. It was agreed to allow each ward 20 of the 100 new street lights and the councilman of each ward was to select the location of the lights in each of their districts.

THE SPOKANE WATER SUPPLY 

A story in August 20, 1897 Spokesman-Review summarized the problems with Spokane’s water supply. The “commissioners” claimed that much water is wasted and that the per capita consumption is 200 gallons. Though the pumps were working at above average capacity people on the upper levels claimed they could only get water, if at all, but a few hours in the day. There were also concerns that if a fire broke out there wouldn’t be enough water pressure to fight it, especially between five and nine p.m. when lawns were being watered. Some years before an ordinance had been passed that when a fire bell was sounded that all persons would cease from using water while the fire emergency continued. There was at that time no fire bell in use, it having been taken down because of damage to the building it was attached to. The commissioners are now opposed the use of the whistle believing it will attract a crowd, cause accidents, and needlessly alarm the citizens. There was also the claim that lower water pressure to the higher areas was because of additions to the water system, including the upcoming army post extension. A possible solution was suggested by Commissioner Maclean before he left office for an auxiliary pump near the foot of the hill on Hillyard street. Such a pump was installed but has not solved the problem due to technical errors and other problems. D.K. Oliver recently made the statement that “Spokane will never again have a good water supply, water that is fit to use, until great changes are made to the up-river plant. So long as the water is pumped from a stagnant slough, as it is now, it will be bad and will continue to grow worse from time to time.”  A chemist was looking into the quality of the water and blamed part of the problem on an aquatic plant that caused the problem annually for a few days. Health Officer W. Potter suggested the use of a filter well—water from the stream filtered through the sand into a basin and thence to the city pumps.  Another ordinance made the hours for using water to clean sidewalks from 6 to 9 p.m. and from 4 to 8 a.m.

LABOR DAY CONTROVERSY

At a City Council meeting Sept 3, 1897 there was controversy during labor day over whether the chief of police would be invited to march in the Labor Day parade, there being some controversy between him the the labor forces in the city. The city decided not to allow any police forces to march if the chief was not invited. 

THEATERS AND MISCELLANEOUS

At a City Council meeting August 4, 1897 an ordinance was passed that regulated saloons and variety theaters. Among the provisions of the ordinance were restrictions to prevent the construction of “private boxes” and that no females be employed to solicit drinks, act as waitresses or be employed except as performers on the stage and that the performance cease at midnight.

At a City Council meeting Sept 7, 1897 - City council favored giving a license to the Comique Amusement Company for a variety theater. (The report was withdrawn later when they learned the company had not submitted $300 for the license and there was a protest from parties living in the Auditorium (theater building). 

At the November 2, 1897 City Council meeting a report was given on a dance hall owned by Gus Pearson named The Stockholm. It was reported that men and women were seen drinking beer at the Stockholm and that the women were soliciting drinks. It was also said that there was nothing to prevent “communication” from the dance hall to the third and fourth stories above where some of the women had rooms. The city council ordered that beer selling and drinking should be barred from these dance halls, and that there should be no direct communication from the dance hall to the third and fourth stories above, that Gus Pearson should be notified that he should stop the sale of liquor where women are employed or his license will be revoked.

WASTE BURNING PLANT

On November 2, 1897 the issues before the city council were a decision on establishing what was referred to as a crematory. What was meant by this term in this case was a plant for burning the city’s garbage. A petition from R. Schmitt was read in which he asked for a franchise authorizing him to construct a crematory, to be built at such a place as the city may designate, to dispose of all garbage of the city. He agreed to conduct it under such plans and regulations as the council may propose.

SEWERS, THE EDISON ELECTRIC COMPANY AND THE EVALUATION OF FRANCISES

On November 21, 1897 there was a special session of the city council (D.K. was absent). The purpose of the meeting was to dispense with the regular advertising for bids for the construction of the Third avenue sewer. Additionally, a committee was appointed to investigate all franchises that had been granted by the city. This arose because of differences between the Edison Electric Light Company and the city regarding the price of electricity. I turns out the contract with the company and the city had never been signed. The proposal (by Mr. Hinkle) was that the city investigate every franchise granted by the city with the object of reviewing the terms for the purpose of exploring other alternatives to provide these services.  Franchises included railroad companies, street railway franchises, electric lights and power, telephone and telegraph lines. 

THE END OF D.K. OLIVER’S TERM AS COUNCILMAN

A story in the May 10, 1898 Spokane Chronicle announced the installation of a new mayor and a new council. A sub-head in the story almost bragged: Not One Populist Left. The story goes on to say “those who go out are Bungay, Oliver and Dunning.” It would be the end of Daniel Oliver’s career as an elected politician. He would try to turn to office for the next eight years, right up to his death in January of 1906. His party affiliation over these years changed from identification as a Populist back to a Democrat and finally a Republican. Following are summaries of a few newspaper stories from the time.

DANIEL OLIVER STILL A MEMBER OF THE PEOPLE’S PARTY

NOTE: JUNE 23, 1898 story in the Review - There had been Populist primaries in various city and country precincts of the county the afternoon and evening before. D.K. Oliver was chosen a delegate from the second ward.

NOTE: JUNE 28, 1898 Story in the Review - story on plethora of candidates for political office including D.K. Oliver, still a member of the People’s Party. similar story in the Chronicle that day.

FUSION CONTROVERSY CONTINUES

NOTE: On June 30, 1898 story in the Chronicle said the “Fusion” combination must be called the Democratic Party. The democratic convention convened this morning and extended greetings to the silver republicans and populists. D.K. Oliver was elected to the central committee. There was controversy over whether the parties should fuse under one name and many Populists said the name People’s party was still good enough for them.

NOTE: On July 17, 1898 story in the Review - the Populist committee adjourned for two weeks (because they didn’t have a quorum-D.K. Oliver attended).

NOTE: Story in Chronicle April 8, 1899 - Three men at the Democratic city convention sought the democratic nomination for mayor - Huber Rasher, J.M. Jamieson and H.N. Belt. In the second ward four men are likely to be nominees - D.K. Oliver, P. Sondgerath, J.M. Corbett and H.C. Root. - D.K. Oliver was named to the “Credentials” committee.

NOTE: Story in the Chronicle January 27, 1900 - HOT TIME FOR THE POPS.

Populist convention in Spokane. various matters were discuss, then at one point “the committee decided that two of the present members, D.K. Oliver and A.H. Kennan, were no longer affiliated with the party, and W.A. Bishop of this city and Seivert Lehn of Medical Lake were chosen by acclamation to fill the vacancies.”

NOTE: Story in the Review August 4, 1900 - Democratic caucuses held last evening. Primaries are on today. - In the 25 voting precincts of this city and in the five incorporated towns in the county caucuses were held last night for the purpose of nominating candidates from which delegates to the county convention will be chosen this afternoon at the primaries in the various voting paces. POLITICAL NOTE following the story states: “D.K. Oliver, the former councilman, who has been mentioned as a candidate for country commissioner, says he is not a populist, but is and has always been a democrat.”

NOTE: Story in the Review August 13, 1900 - A Lively Convention was held in this city Thursday - The Spokane country democratic convention yesterday completed fusion with the populists and nominated candidates for places left on the ticket. D.K. Oliver tried for the nomination for commissioner for the second district. He lost to Thomas McCrimmon.

In 1905 a story in March of that year proclaimed “D.K. Oliver will be an aspirant for the councilmanic honor on the republican ticket from the Second ward….For the past two years Mr. Oliver has been a worker in the republican camp.”

But despite all his best efforts Daniel Oliver was unable to return to public office. A few months after his death a new council was installed in May of 1906. The old Spokane pioneers, including D.K. Oliver, were absent from the new council. The 20th century in Spokane politics had begun.