Hull, Lindley M., compiler and editor.  "A History of Central Washington,
Including the Famous Wenatchee, Entiat, Chelan and the Columbia Valleys."
Spokane: Press of Shaw & Borden Co., 1929.  p. 164.
 
JAMES E. KEANE

     The history of the above named place would be most incomplete without a
story of Mr. and Mrs. Keane, five of whose children have been born at Rock
Island. Indeed for nearly forty years, through good report and through varying
fortune, the Keanes have been outstanding figures in this section of the
Columbia Valley. Mr. Keane's physical appearance (he is active and vigorous)
belies his age, for according to data at hand, he is past seventy-eight years of
age. A native of Saginaw, Michigan, he with his parents in 1850, crossed the
Isthmus of Panama by pack train and settled in California.  In 1868 he located
near Walla Walla, where he maintained a residence of three years.  He then
returned to California and soon became engaged in mining, in which enterprise he
met with marked success.  He developed and became owner of valuable mining
property which he disposed of to a good advantage. He first saw Rock Island in
1886 and was so well pleased with the surrounding country that he resolved upon
settlement there at a future date, a plan that found consummation two years
later. By use of the homestead, pre-emption, and desert acts, he acquired
considerable land, and as Rock Island Creek at that time furnished some water
for irrigation, he immediately began ranch improvements. He erected a large and
attractive house (later destroyed by fire) which with its white paint loomed
strange and mighty in that naked desert country. Mr. Keane engaged in cattle
raising, using pure bred Polled Angus stock, but the severe winter of 1889-90
destroyed the entire band. As time moved forward, Mr. Keane became a dealer in
real estate and in association with Arthur Gunn handled much Northern Pacific
railroad land, their holdings at one time involving 50,000 acres. These lands
were sold in large blocks for grazing purposes, and while the price was small
per acre, the large sales made satisfactory returns. Of late years, Mr. Keane
and sons have followed wheat farming, cultivating something like 1160 acres,
necessitating a large number of horses and much ranch equipment.
     In 1877, Mr. Keane was married to Miss Sarah Rainey, a native of
California. Eight children have been born to this marriage: Effie, Russell,
Eugene, Stewart, Ethel, Helen, and Lester. Stewart and Eugene are deceased.

			The Battle for Townsite Location
     Prior to and during the early stages of railroad construction (1892) Mr.
Keane developed active plans for a town at Rock Island, which was to be the
metropolis of Central Washington. To this end he hoped to have the sanction and
co-operation of railroad officials; and it would appear that he had some warrant
for this ambitious program, for it was said that James J. Hill looked with favor
upon Rock Island as the best distributing point for Big Bend wheat by wagon
haul, and indicated a willingness to spend some money on roads leading to this
place. Near this same time, however, rumors were current that the Great Northern
officials contemplated a townsite location on the opposite side of the Columbia,
on lands that were later known as the "Valhalla" country. But the uncertainty of
title to these lands at that time rendered the project hopeless.  It is not the
purpose of this story to give an authentic account of the forces that finally
settled this then momentus question. In those speculative times all sections of
the country were struggling for a "place in the sun." The activities and
sometimes the passions of men were deeply stirred. Apparently Wenatchee won the
prize, but it took many years of uncertainty and business travail to determine
the wisdom of the choice, and it is now idle to speculate what might have been
the result had some other town-site been chosen.
 
     
*******************

Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in May 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.