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Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.


     CHARLES FREDERICK BEALS HASKELL, DECEASED.  The death of the gentleman whose name initiates this article, left to mourn his loss, at Wenatchee, Chelan county, a widow, Mrs. Nettie L. Haskell, one son, Daniel C., now a student at the Washington Agricultural College at Pullman, and an aged aunt, Flavilla Beals.  Mr. Haskell was born at Washington, D. C., December 29, 1856 and grew to manhood in eastern United States.  In 1880, he graduated from the Department of Engineering of the University of Vermont.  He was engaged on the Michigan Central railroad that year and did some heavy work.  Later he was with several Pennsylvania railroads as civil engineer and in 1884 accepted a position with the Burlington and Cedar Rapids railroad.  He was construction engineer for the St. Paul and Northern Pacific in 1885 and the following year did location work in Minnesota.  After this he was constantly engaged with the western roads, especially with the Great Northern.  We then see him in irrigation work near Wenatchee also in business there and in 1894, he was associated on the government work of improving the Columbia.  On May 20, 1895, he was passing from one boat to another in a small skiff which was caught in a whirlpool and went down with all on board.
     Probably the most important engineering work done by Mr. Haskell was the discovery of Stevens pass in the Cascades, through which the Great Northern railroad crosses the Cascades.  In the summer of 1890, he was sent to explore Nason creek, a branch of the Wenatchee river, to its source.  Accompanied by Mr. W. F. C. Whyte and a single packer, he worked his way up the valley, which evidently had never been penetrated, and finally discovered the gap through the range which he named Stevens pass.  It was subsequently found to be the best pass and was chosen for the route of that transcontinental line.
     Mr. Haskell was chosen a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers on October 7, 1891.
     Mr. and Mrs. Haskell were united in marriage, January 13, 1881, at Vernon, Vermont.  She accompanied him in his journeys west and now dwells in Wenatchee.  She was born in Dummerston, Vermont, on March 1, 1860, being the daughter of Dan Kendall, who died August 20, 1885.  Mrs. Haskell's mother Lucretia J. (Severance) Kendall, was a native of Massachusetts and a descendant of a New England family.  She died on January 26, 1902.  Mrs. Haskell was reared and educated in Vermont and Massachusetts, passing through district and select schools successfully.  Then she spent three term in the Power's Institute, after which she matriculated at the Northfield Seminary, in Massachusetts, but was obliged to forego graduation on account of ill health.  She spent sometime in teaching, both before studing in the seminary and since.  Mrs. Haskell has two brothers and five sisters.
     Mr. Haskell left three brothers, Arthur, Frank and Walter, and one sister, Minnie M. Campbell.  Mrs. Haskell is a member of the Baptist church in Wenatchee and her husband was deacon of that organization.  He was also prominent in Masonic circles.
 
 


 

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