Francis H. Cook, the Father of Manito Park – Part 13 – the story continues …

According to the book, “Manito Park: A Reflection of Spokane’s Past” our story continues with this accounting as part number 13:

We have been learning about Francis Cook, an early Spokane founder, entrepreneur and businessman.  We learned last time about his fall when the stock market collapsed in 1893, and now we catch up with him as he regains his momentum toward the building of beautiful Montrose Park, known later as Manito Park. 

On May 1, 1900, a front page article appeared in the Spokane Daily Chronicle describing Cook’s latest enterprise.  It read as follows:

WILL MAKE A NEW LAKE

Fed by the Cool Springs of the Little Spokane

F.H. COOK’S BIG PLAN

For a New Summer Resort for the People of This City

BOATING, BATHING, FISHING

 … Plans are being made for the construction of an artificial lake on the Little Spokane river, which will be three-quarters of a mile long and one-quarter of a mile wide.  On the banks of this will be a boat house and bathing houses, while in the lake itself will be hundreds of trout of all sizes.

F.H. Cook, who owns 600 acres of land on the Little Spokane river, a short distance above Dart’s mill, is the person who is laying these plans.  He will commence work on the lake at the latest next spring, and may start as early as the coming fall.  The plan is to build a large, high dam across the river at the lower end of his place, high enough to make the water spread out into a lake about a quarter of a mile wide. 

At present, Mr. Cook owns one of the finest trout hatcheries in the State of Washington and his seven-acre lake swarms with from 30,000 to 50,000 fish, ranging in length from four to fourteen inches.  Mr. Cook at present allows no fishing in his lake, but next year intends to throw it open to the public as a sportsman’s ground, renting at a certain rate per pound.  The chief work being done this spring is the digging of canals through which the fish can wander and capture more insects than they could in the main stream.  He is also building a new sawmill on his place, the machinery for which is expected to arrive any day this week.

Cook had purchased this land in 1889 from the United States Government on a five-year contract.  His purchase price for 639 acres was $2,196.14.  Today, the area encompassing Cook’s original development, including his man-made lake, is now the Wandermere Golf Course.