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Home My WebLink About1908-06-23 - First Mayor - Joel Shomakerti %iPP areporter Joel Shomaker gave Tukwila start in 1908 Editor's note: The Tukwila Historical Society each month will share an artifact from its collection, as part of its exploration of Tukwila's history, its story. The column is written by Louise Jones -Brown, the acting director of the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Center. • Thursday, August 16, 2012 4:51 pm Founder and first mayor of Tukwila, Joel Shomaker was a dreamer, visionary, and promoter. Born at Butler, Ky., Oct. 2, 1862, Shomaker was raised with a good education and a cultured home life. He was the great nephew of President Zachary Taylor. As a visionary, he was the reason Tukwila acquired its name. FOUND' TIiE:.MUNICIPALIT? OFTUKWIL) JOF BUEL 9 AKER 1862 1937 Shomaker came to the Pacific Northwest in 1898 and originally settled in Tacoma where he published the Washington Farmer and Dairyman. He then came to Seattle and was the farm editor for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. He arrived in the area of Garden Station in i906 and bought a tract from C.D. Hillman. He then built a house for his wife and children. Shomaker commuted daily on the Interurban Railway into Seattle. Shomaker began promoting the concept of incorporating the community. He soon saw the potential in the Duwamish Valley for industrial development and felt it would be advantageous for the community to establish itself as a municipality. He rallied neighbors and locals to generate community interest in incorporating. A community vote was one thing but what about naming the new town? Shomaker had a knack for promotion and came up with a clever scheme. He held a "Name the New Town" contest to gather possible names. The winner of the contest was Katherine Sheperd for her suggestion of Tuck-Wil-La. The name was actually an old indigenous name used by the Duwamish natives meaning "Land where hazelnuts grow". Today Tukwila is a very different place from the time it was incorporated in i908. Since that time there have been many who have helped shape Tukwila's future as the city passed through a pioneer time, an agricultural time, and several years of development and transition. But the true tale of the incorporation of Tukwila occurred because Joel Shomaker was a visionary. To obtain more information about history or to contribute historical photos, please contact the Tukwila Historical Society at (206) 244 -4478 or email TukwilaHeritageCtr@TukwilaHistory.org. By Wood, James A., Reber, E.L - This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by Seattle Public Library as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America, via its partner Northwest Digital Heritage.Record in source catalogDPLA identifier: 02795e5276156cfc445fa25ac1595a09Seattle Public Library identifier: spl_tc_915126_1916_11_12, Public Domain ,.--Ihttpz .conommona.svikftn th a .d i /ray/I1r_rid_e-I Ilerip" d _u:a-irisd PAGE SIX THE TOWN CRIER Safe Deposit Boxes Storage for silverware, trunks and packages of value insured at owners valuation, &gc per month and up, ik9rira 7:SO a. m. to a p. m., including Saturday afternoons. Seattle Safe Deposit Vaults, Inc. 7011st Ave., Foot St. \otf]Cherry R. H. OBER M. AM. SOC. C. E. CONSULTING CIVIL ENGINEER 1011.12 Alaska Building Ye oa 7943 Seattle, Wash. RUFUS H. St. ONGE PALMER GRADUATE CHIROPRACTOR Scientific Spinal Adjustments 626-7 Leary Bldg. We Make and Rapalr Trunks, Bags, Sample and Suit Cases at Lowest Prices H. SCHMEOES 1814 Westlake Ave. DAVID J. ST. ONGE CHIROPRACTOR Suite 7O7 1?.ike, Bldg., Seattle, Wash" Corner Third and University. Graduate of Palmer School of Chiro- prnictic, where Chiropractic was discovered arid developed. ELLIOTT 3707 WASHINGTON NATATORIUM AND TURKISH BATHS Moore Thee4 Theatre rBuilding Mei Entirely remodelled, with new eaulpment. Swimming mincer for men, women and chil- dren. Best Turkish loathe on the Paolgo Coast for ladies and gentlemen. Open All Night RUPERT H. ROOKE Lassie and Manager Try Them Here The finest Domestic and Im- ported delicacies fur the table are served at our Lunch Room Take Them Home Thosespecialties in eatables my be had at most reasonable Prices at the delicatessen counter. C. F. BAASCH Delicatessen 913 Third Avenue o Doors from the Orpheum Theatre" In the Public Eye and Ear BOTHER IRA. D. LUNDY'S career as a city councilman Comes to an end this week without much grief on the part of arnyane, unless, perhaps, Mr. Lundy feels sorry for himself. Any- way, he Is glad he died not court. the fate of his brother councilman, Charley Marble, who finished last at the polls and he retires from public service with high regard for the political sagacity of "'Stud" Shrader, the veteran Corn mittee plerk. When the time for filing came around EL few weeks ago, Lundy took Shrader into his confidence, naturally expecting a slap on the back and a lively line of the gr.-to-It stuff. "I'm going to Pie today, Stud," said Lundy. "Why don t you save the thirty dol- lars?" asked Shrader, quietly. "What do you mean —save it?" cried the statesman, "Yet: haven't a chance," replied. iris clerkship. "You're crazy,," stormed Lundy. "Haven't 1 been a goad councilman? Haven't 1 acted right and voted right and done everything that the people rt auta.d me to do? I've Stood with Erick- son oneverything, and you know what that means." ""All right," said Stud. `Don't take niy word for it. But you do this: tad down to kesler Way and start up Sec- ane' Avenue on one side; go as far as Pike, and them came back on the other aide. Stop every man you know and ask him what Ie thinks about your chances if you run for the council regain." Lundy was gone a little more than an hour. Shrader happened to meet 'him when he came back to the city ball. -.plow about It?" inquired the clerk. "I guess I :aren't (Ile," said the coun- cilman. And he [saved the thirty dollars. RICY BEACH is coming back to Se- attle, and to Alaska, but not to shovel sand on the Nome beaches,. or hunt bear on the Copper River, nor yet to regale the boys around tho But- ler w'itia good conversation, For these are not like the good old days. Rex is coining along this summer with troop of movie actors and camera men, en rouse for Cordova, where his novel, "'Thee Iron Trail," will be filmed by the LuLlu Company On the eooae of its story, the Copper River and Northwest- ern Railroad. After which the party will proceed to borne favorable cannery town and take pictures for "Tire Silver horde," Beach's novel of the salmon pack. Miller Freeman has sprung the tale of Rex and his picture pilgrimage as an aftermath to salmon day, because the Alaskan author has written to the pub- lisher of Pacific Fisherman asking for tiro latest a/dvices .on where salmon plc- res xnay be taken at their best. Here some extracts from the letter. 1t will not be possible to ship a boat- load of actors ewer up to Bristol Bay and 1 seer wondering if they cannot get the salmon pictures Other in British Columbia or at Orca. It is to get your adViee that I am writing you. If they ;Auld hake the salmon pictures In I3rit- sh Columbia, I would prefer to do so, a it would be easier to get the people ec.essary for the mob scenes, ete. But m a little bit weak on information. In ""tho Silver Horde' we will Want pictures of a salmon trap, showing a big catch; the Chinese cannery hands at work. and, In fact, all of the various activities connected with the capture and preservation of that article of diet which, you are so ably boosting. The matter is one of coirsiderable 'impor- tance and will probably run into a great eat of money. Inasmuch as the Lubin role are relying upon my advice as to hest manner and locality in which o take the outdoor scenes, I don't want to make any mistake, One consldera- ion which inclines me to British Colu.m- hra iitste%Id of Alaska is that the Alas- kan climate 's so bad for pl"otogra phY. We don't want to run into any more wet wet -tiller than necessary. Will you, as a personal favor and in memory of old tines, take your pen in halal and advise me when the, salmon run begins in the various localities we n Boor; to reach, where we would he likely to secure the rnust. sensational fish pictures, and anything else, of thfl sort which inay <Cenr to you? JCIiSL SHOMAKER has a place prettY well up en the list of those whom The Town Crier counts as good friends. Ile is a teacher, writer, lec- turer, adept In many lines, a good citi- zen and a whole-souled man; and even if he were less variously ginaliflud, he would still be worth having rrs a friend, He used to he one of the editorial writ- s of the Yost-Intcllgencer, and in that capacity he started and fostered. the be- JOEL SHOMAKER ginnings of all our public interest in the reclamation of logged -off lairds. Lately he has been living at Nellita, in the farther side Of Kitsap County, and from that retreat comes the announce mcnt that he will be a candidate for the Republican nomination for Congress for the district which includes Kitsap County and the City or Seattle, Hear- ing of this, The Town Crier dropped Mr. Sbnmaker a friendly note, Intimating that the RepublIcans of Seattle might not be willing to concede this irnprrrtant place to a resident of that: fraction of the district, which, though of larger area, is of so much smaller population. To this intimation, Tool responds at some length, as follows, to -wit: It would be a hard matter to find more• thorough Seattle man than Joel Shommlter. 1 buy my groceries, fruits and vege:- 'tablcs, clothing and general supplies, for a family of seven, to which there are four eaters, in Seattle, Several prominent business houses, Of Seattle, have my name on their list of good patrons, and recognize me as one of their hest business customers.. r spend money, out here in the 'back- woods of Kitsap County, for postage, freight and taxes. The freight goes to a transpurtatlon company in Seattle, and the wharfage. at the initial point, Is left in Seattle. I ship wild fruits, plants and flowers to Seattle, preying freight to a 'Seattle transportation Company, commission to Seattle salesmen and drayage to Se. attic, 'teamsters. I supply the material for making Seattle huckleberry pies,aol t.urt'sh s r e or the Seattle hotels with flowers ofthe official Rhodddeadraa variety, For thirteen years I have been hooch ing g. IhnSeattle rs and undern different u t ferias01 publicity, often without my name Wog attached to the articles, in editoriald write-ups and descriptive rnatter, of, llshed in almost every state. I run not out here, miles iron hur'elr CR, doctors and peace ofi3cere, be cu nsb of ohoiee, but by 'reason of Clr _•1 New England Mutual Life Insurance Co. BOSTON, MASS, The Oldest Mutual Company it America —Chartered 1B35, WALTER W. BTOLL, Gen'I. Agent 910 WHITE BLDG. PHONE ELL 5013 • Listen Many people do not know what CBikO' PRAGTIO is. To enlighten them 1 am offering One trial adjustment free of charge Prof. E. 1. Culbertson Chiropractor Graduate and post -graduate from p colleges teaching the most scientific We oda of spinal adjustment. 3006-9 Araada BId9•, Seethe, VNeeh. Phone Main 1101 ED. F. WHITE Merchant Tailor Office, M•n 3026; Res, East 5765 214.15 Collins Blk., BEATSLE� Dr. Elwood E. Ross DENTIST 519 Lumbar Eaohance Bldg. Phone Main 235T SEATT R. DAMUS NOTARY PUBLIC Real Estate, Loans and Flee Insurance Phone Main 8624 Room 229 Burke Bldg. 905 Saoand fora Maker of Seattle's Best ;35.00 Suit E. C. ALT ,. Merchant Tailor 209 UNIVERSITY STREET Main 5654 HOURS 9 TO 6 Sundays by Appointment,„. Dr. Mary E. Sullivan Chiropodist 406 Danny Bldg. 14013 Saoand Almada