Interview on Willard J. Kincaid and Diary excerpts of Dale S. Wilkinson Regarding W. J. Kincaid. Willard John Kincaid

Transcription

1 Interview on Willard J. Kincaid and Diary excerpts of Dale S. Wilkinson Regarding W. J. Kincaid Willard John Kincaid Mrs. Virginia Kincaid Black, daughter of W. J. Kincaid, banker at White Bluffs, was interviewed by M. Jay Haney, Education Specialist of the Hanford Science Center, Mrs. Black, could you give me an idea of your father s background, where he came from and how he just happened to get into the banking business out at White Bluffs? Well, he came from Farmer, Washington, which is not too far from Waterville and he always happened to be interested in business. When this bank opened up, why, he decided that that would be what he d like to do. Well, now, as far as the bank itself and how it got started, he was more or less manager of the bank, rather than the owner? Yes, he was, you re right. Now, who was responsible for the actual starting of the bank there at White Bluffs? That I m not sure, but I know even my father s father went in on it for awhile, too. So it was a corporate structure? Yes Then how did he actually get involved with becoming manager? Was it because he was an investor or just exactly how? Well, he just seemed to love business and he was interested in working with people and he was interested in loan associations, so it just sort of all worked out well and he turned to banking. So about the time that your father got involved in the White Bluffs Bank it was about 1900 what? 1909, and as far as his age at that time, he was about in his early 20 s. Yes, I would say probably around 25. As far as the bank goes, you said in earlier conversation you had some familiarity with the bank because you worked there for part of the time. Can you give any accounts of any situations that you remember occurring in the bank? No, not in particular because I wouldn t have anything about giving loans to people or anything like that, but the only thing that I remember is that some people liked to borrow money but they didn t like to pay it back so well. Course I guess you find that in any business. That s true. As far as the people living at White Bluffs, what was the background of the community? Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 1of 10

2 It grew potatoes and there was irrigation and of course the climate was hot in the summer, cold in the winter. As far as the picture that we were looking at showing your father in the early days of the bank, we noted that you could see an electric light. Now that picture itself was taken in the early days of the bank, so there was electricity in there from the beginning of the bank? Yes, and as you notice the door beside that stove, that is where the lawyer had his office. So the bank shared its facilities? Yes. Who was that lawyer? That was Judge Lloyd and I m not sure if it was J. C. Lloyd or not. You know, isn t it strange after all these years you sort of forget about those things. Then the bank itself served farmers in the area. And business people. Of course, that would take Hanford, Vernita, Priest Rapids, and all those would be people who would be using the bank. I don t suppose the bank would be really rushed to have its lobby filled all the time. No, it wasn t that. I know we did have some bank robbers who came and tried to take the combination off the safe, but they didn t get very far. That happens, I guess even today. The people and your father there at White Bluffs were a rather small community. Yes, it was. I was going to say that when I was growing up I think it was around 300 people and I know I was one of, in 1929, I believe there were 12 of us who graduated from White Bluffs High School. Was there a bank in the adjoining towns of Hanford? No, there wasn t. So really this bank served between Richland to... Up to Priest Rapids. And so the next area that probably would be the closest major area of population would be Ellensburg or Yakima? Yakima, because that is where most of the people who lived at White Bluffs would go to Yakima to do their shopping. Now White Bluffs was served by a railroad. Yes, and that was the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul. Now there was also a cold storage. Yes, you re right. Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 2of 10

3 Now what was the impact of that cold storage? That was for fruit like apples, pears. So the bank had rather, I imagine, might have been involved in some dealing with the cold storage facilities. I would presume that it would. As far as the bank itself, what was it like from what you remember actually having done from working in the bank? What are some of the things you can recall about the atmosphere of the community or this type of things? Of course, people were very friendly. They liked to come in and visit, you know, and I know my father had one of those roll-top desk tops that when I was little thought it was a lot of fun to roll it up and let it come down again, but really it was a very little, congenial place and the businessmen were very good. They even built them their own golf course. They had very active commercial clubs, a very active women s club and of course the Grange wherever we go and they re always very active. Now your father was really in the center of community affairs. Yes, he was. Did he participate to any extent in formal city government or community government? Well, I wouldn t say so, but anyway they would have had their meetings and all the businessmen would get together and discuss anything that might come up and then I know he also worked on the irrigation project that they had at White Bluffs. Ok, now could you explain about that irrigation system that was put in? Not too much because I didn t know, but I do know that they would have their meetings about every month and anything that would come up, why, the fellows would get together and explain, find out what the problems were and of course, we pumped out of the Columbia River. Well, that was up by Priest Rapids. Yes. I know this is going to put you in your very younger days, but do you have any recollections of how World War I and aftermath of World War I and into the early 20 s 22, 23, and 24, affected the White Bluffs community? Are there any recollections? No, there really wasn t. I was just six years old. The only thing I do remember is many people came down with that very bad World War I flu, but the saddest part was when they had to leave White Bluffs. Now as far as the Exodus from White Bluffs is concerned, this came in the months of March, April, May and June This of course came about because the Hanford Project was created to create a plutonium business to build atomic weapons. What basically was your reaction to that? Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 3of 10

4 Well, by that time I had already left home and I was not living at home anymore, but I know to listen to my folks and people I know, to hear them they were crying because maybe somebody next door got more for their property than they did and you know it is awfully hard to have to pull up stakes from a home that you have been there all your life and leave your friends. Now your father then was in business right up until the... Till the 40 s. And then he retired Yes, then he went down to California. [A hand-written addendum at this point stated:] My father did not retire until he moved to Riverside, California, where he worked in one of the banks there as cashier. Starts out working in the lumber company of Riverside, California. And where did he go in California? Well, he worked for a lumber mill. He worked in the business office for a lumber company. That was, do you remember where that was in California? It was down by Riverside, California. Riverside area. And then he also worked in the lumber mill as a bookkeeper up in Bellingham for awhile too, so I would say to Bellingham and then down to California. That s where his mother and father lived till they passed away. I see, so as far as generally speaking, the transition in White Bluffs, it was a community which started out and now say White Bluffs was really underway at the turn of the century. I would say that it was. And then it grew very slowly and then in 1943 came to an abrupt end. Yes, that is right. Now, we have seen one photo that shows the White Bluffs Bank as being the only building that remains standing at White Bluffs. You re right, and I have the lock to the front door. Does the key still work? I think it did. I told my father while he was still alive, I said in case you need to go to the bank early, just send up an SOS and I ll send it down to you. And then your father lived until? Until Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 4of 10

5 1970. So he was in his 80 s. Yes, he was 86 when he passed away. Before, of course, the Hanford Project was created, do you remember very much about the spirit of the Hanford-White Bluffs communities? Well, yes, but there was always a rivalry just like Kennewick and Pasco, always a rivalry going on. And then, see, the White Bluffs High School was burned down and they blamed the Hanford people because they knew that the Hanford people knew that the White Bluffs people would have to go down to Hanford and then they would get more money for each student, so, you see, that is the kind of rivalry that went on. But it was done in good spirits? Sure it was. There wasn t anything cruel or anything, any killings like what we have today. Now there are several people that I have talked to about White Bluffs-Hanford area and it seems like there are a great many fond memories. There really are because we did have a lot of fun, but we made fun for ourselves. We didn t have a lot of money and the cars couldn t go very fast because the roads were not very good. [Haney] Getting back to one point about the bank, Mr. Kincaid was involved with regular business in banking. Do you have any idea what happened to the records of the business? No, I really don t know. Now you see, the bank is out at White Bluffs, as to whether the government took that over I really wouldn t know. Well, after the bank was closed in the early 40 s, before the Hanford Operations began, everything was pretty much just closed up and left intact. Yes, I know, but as to what they did with it now because now, naturally, when they have the White Bluffs-Hanford reunions, they ve taken the lock off the safe cause naturally too many people want to go in and see what they can do. But the safe is still there? Yes, the safe is still there. Correct me if I m mistaken about this, but I ve heard a story about the White Bluffs safe, that it was advertised at one time as being a fool-proof safe as far as the door and its features, but that there was some very normal type frame construction around the top of it. That was right cause I ve heard my father speak of it, so that s how I remember hearing him speak about that. But no one who ever attempted to break in ever decided to go through the top of the vault. No, they never did. That was probably one of the best advertisements people had ever heard of. Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 5of 10

6 Yes, and I remember that when the two robbers tried to break into the bank they were caught and it was quite a day for White Bluffs, to go out to go to the community hall, well, it was Harry Anderson s father s theater, and the robbers went by. Of course, the police were with them, but it was quite a day for the White Bluffs people to see robbers who tried to rob the bank, but didn t get very far. How far did they get before they were caught? I think just a little out on the way to Yakima. See, Mr. D. S. Wilkerson, of course he s passed away, and he had the telephone company and he is the one who called my father and told him he better get out, it looked like someone was trying to get into the bank. So actually someone saw it in progress, so they didn t get very far. Yes, they didn t get very far. I remember one was a young fellow, maybe 20 years old, and the women would say, isn t that a shame, an older man and this young fellow. It was like the old trying to lead the young, I guess. It s all pleasant memories of White Bluffs and I really enjoy these White Bluffs-Hanford reunions, but this year I wasn t able to go because I had my hand and arm in a much heavier cast and when you don t drive, it is much too hard to go out, and once you ve explained to one person and then the next person, it gets a little monotonous. I see. They say, that poor old cripple. Well, it sounds like your father had a very enjoyable business. Yes, he really did. He loved people and he had the patience of Job and he, as I say, sometimes I thought he was a little too good. What was his full name? Willard John Kincaid. And he was born then in Farmer. Yes, Just in the Farmer vicinity of Waterville and then he came down here with the beginning of the bank in Yes, because he went, of course, he graduated from the Waterville High School. I see. Did he have any formal business training of any type? Yes, he did go to a business school. I can t tell you where that would be but he did go to a business school to learn a little bit more on handling books and how to do business. More of an accounting type? Yes, and my father s bookkeeper was Mrs. Lois Morford Brown. And then she remained with him? Yes, she remained with him until she was married and I can t tell you, I would say in the late 30 s, but she didn t stay on being my father s bookkeeper. Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 6of 10

7 Well, the White Bluffs area and the bank itself then survived the Depression like many banks did. Yes, I know they did but his survived and it was sort of a sad day when they closed the doors. Well, and then when the doors of the White Bluffs Bank were closed, then where did people go to do their business and savings, etc? Ok, well they probably would go to Yakima, even Prosser, probably some to Kennewick and Pasco and Richland. Oh, there was a bank in Richland? Yes, and I know there was a bank in Yakima. As far as the railroad goes, you said that was the Chicago... Milwaukee, St. Paul. That railroad served that community most of its life. Yes, it did. How many trains a week came in? Oh, I d say that probably, just off-hand, remember, I would say that probably during the harvest they had a train every day because that would go to Beverley but I would say about four times a week. And that included passengers? Yes, but during the harvest it was everyday. And that harvest was primarily wheat; is there much wheat grown in the area? No, it was mostly fruit so it would be where they would have it everyday was when the fruit would be having to be shipped someplace so they could get it to the markets in the larger places. Now if you were to give some kind of a picture of agricultural community, then, as far as the crops, what would you pick out as being the crop season? Well, I know that we had potatoes and it was a good watermelon area. But it was mostly the fruit like apples, peaches, pears and cherries. And so far as looking at the type of business then, that your father was involved in, he was involved in a business where yearly loans would probably be the order. Yes, he would. Do you ever remember him doing business in what many of the banks today are involved in automobile loans? That doesn t seem too much, but I knew it was more for farmers that had run short of money. They needed money so that they could harvest their crops, that was more, but as I say for the automobiles, I just really don t want to say. Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 7of 10

8 I see. When looking at the bank involved with the building of homes, do you have any recollection of their involvement? No, I don t. Is there anything else that you can identify yourself, something that we ve left out or something that you d like to mention regarding your father, that you know the situation? Well, no I can t really help you out so much there, I m afraid. Of course, I m very proud of my father and I think that he did a really good job in managing the bank. Well, thank you. Well, thank you. I hope that I ve helped you out. Well, I think that by the time we pass this information on, why there could be some nice things come out of it. Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 8of 10

9 Excerpts from the Diary of Dale S. Wilkinson Regarding W. J. Kincaid Mr. Wilkinson was a telephone pioneer in White Bluffs. He had traveled and worked for many telephone systems around the United States and came to White Bluffs in approximately (58 years in the telephone industry) The following quotes are from a diary loaned by Mrs. Black. They are references of any nature pertaining to Mr. Kincaid. March 15, 1918 County agriculturist Lampson has appointed W. J. Kincaid at White Bluffs and M.P. Davidson at Hanford to act as a clearing house to assist ranchers in securing help and to assist those who wish to work on ranches. Dec. 29, 1922 Fred M Weil reports splendid success in his work in connection with extension of the Soldier Settlement to a 100-unit project. On Wednesday, Mr. Weil, J.C. Lloyd, W. J. Kincaid, D. S. Wilkinson, E. J. O Leary, Charles M. Sanford, Jay Smith, O.H. Sollibakke, Virgil Kern, Roy C. Robinson and Ford Johnson drove to Yakima to look over matters in connection with the project. Additional acreage necessary for the enlargement that the committee proposes is in the Vernita vicinity and is now owned by the state university. The university will be asked to sell approximately 840 acres or acre tracts of the 4,600 that it owns. The committee intends to convince the board of regents of the university that besides providing homes for servicemen it will be a good business venture for the school on the grounds that the land left will have a higher sale value. Nov. 10, 1925 Land Settlement Project gets another airing. This time before joint session of legislature. A group headed by C. E. Wooten and A. L. Brockway at this meeting made the usual complaints about poor soil and that it was hopeless under the present contracts. W. J. Kincaid, Charles M. Sanford and D. S. Wilkinson spoke briefly at the end of the meeting and urged that the legislature make an investigation and make such adjustments as the facts disclose. Sept. 30, 1927 W. J. Kincaid returned home much impressed by the exhibition at the National Flying Derby in Spokane last weekend. Nov. 4, 1927 W. J. Kincaid of White Bluffs attended the tax forfeiture sale in Prosser. Sept. 19, 1930 W. S. Webber, W. J. Kincaid, and L. N. Frye tendered their resignations as directors of the Priest Rapids Irrigation District Board to the County Commissioners and were reappointed by the same. Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 9of 10

10 Dec. 12, G. T. Slavens, W. J. Kincaid, and W. S. Webber were elected Tuesday as new trustees of the Priest Rapids Irrigation District. Attorney Cunningham is preparing notices for a bond issue for the receivership sale. The Milwaukee Road will underwrite it. The depression did not really hit us until 1931 and then it hit in earnest. Shipment of fruit to Europe stopped, fruit prices dropped as there were hard times all over this country and the ranchers began to go broke and let their orchards die. Then about this time the irrigation situation as it concerned the canal which irrigated much of the land came to a head. The ranchers won their case in court and the Black Rock Power & Irrigation Co. and the Consumers Ditch Co. went into receivership under Marvin Case. It was necessary for the Priest Rapids Irrigation District to become active and try to save the situation. The district had remained inactive for some ten years pending the outcome of the cases going through the courts and the district hoped to keep the canal and power plant in operation. But there was the matter of money. The district had none, as no assessments had been made to build up a fund for such a situation and there was an accumulation of some $45,000 in court and receivership costs which was the least that the properties could be sold for. In addition to the above sum there was an accumulation of some $60,000 in back taxes due Yakima County and money was needed for repairs to the plants and other operation expenses. It was a pretty gloomy picture with a depression on and money near impossible to borrow. Our only course was to go to the Milwaukee Railroad since the state of Washington had no funds in the irrigation revolving fund we could get. The Milwaukee was the only one having any interest in the valley who could lend help. We made an application for a loan of $100,000 and, after an investigation by their attorneys and considerable negotiation, they agreed to make the district a loan for this amount. When it came time to bid the Milwaukee found money so tight they advanced only $65,000 leaving us but $15,000 to do some very necessary repair work on the power and pumping plants. Anyway it was bid in and we were in business. Not long after this, one of the leading ranchers at Hanford made the remark, The Milwaukee is as much interested in the valley as we are and we have their money even if we never pay them back. This remark got back to the Milwaukee people and I recall C. C. McCormack telling me about it and that the company did not feel like advancing any more money if that was the feeling of the people and they never did advance any more. No one could blame them. It just goes to show how some fool can upset the applecart. After we got the Milwaukee money and got going, we started looking to the State Irrigation Revolving Fund for money to deepen the power canal above the power plant so we could generate more power. Finally, we learned that $25,000 had been repaid into the fund and applied for it. Kincaid and I went over to Olympia to see Mr. Banker, who was then the Director of the Department of Conservation and he agreed to have a contract drawn up for the loan. Kincaid Interview and journal entries Pages 10of 10