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PC 38
Arthur E. King
Photographs of Colfax, 1894-1913

The photographs of Arthur E. King were donated to Washington State University in October 1980 by Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Cook of Colfax, Washington (80-44). The photographs were arranged and processed in November 1980 by Robert Arnett.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Arthur E. King was the proprietor of King's Bookstore in Colfax, Washington. The Whitman County Directory lists King from the 1905-6 edition to the 1921-22 edition and the Bookstore from 1910-11 to 1917-18 (King is probably mistakenly listed in 1905-6 and 1908-9 as A. A. King). King's wife, Anna, is listed parenthetically beginning in the 1912-13 edition. King's Bookstore is listed as selling stationery, wallpaper and musical merchandise.
In addition to running the Bookstore King was probably a professional photographer who sold post cards featuring scenes of the Colfax area. The glass negatives dated from 1894 to 1896 seem to have been taken for his personal use as a hobby. King also retained some unclaimed customer's negatives which were included here.

DESCRIPTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The glass plate negatives are in six groups. The first group of 4x5 plates were numbered and described by King on their original folders. That information and the date has been retained with the plate. The second group is probably part of the first, but did not have King's numbering or description. The remaining three groups are arranged according to plate size. The film negatives are grouped according to their envelopes in attempt to retain their original order.

CONTAINER LIST
I. 62 4x5 glass negatives with original numbering and descriptions. Additional information in brackets.
1 Engine crossing Main and N. Colfax, Nov. 11, 1894
8 Spokane Train [through Colfax], Nov. 10, 1894
11 Geo. & Lannie & Pony, Nov. 12, 1894
13 [Man with moustache, probably Mr. Grey, going into a house, original folder torn]
17 First snow, Nov. 23, 1894
21 Mrs. McInturf, Nov. 25, 1894
23 Residence King, Nov. 27, 1894
27 Back of Frat[ernal] Block, Nov. 27, 1894
33 Hospital Colfax, Dec. 2, 1894
34 Colfax from Coolidge's House, Dec. 2, 1894
35 S. Colfax High School, Dec. 2, 1894
37 Nena, Tennie & Lannie, Dec. 2, 1894
38 Working on ditch N. Colfax, Dec. 7, 1894
39 4 horse train passing House, Dec. 7, 1894
40 Laura bust outdoors, Dec. 11, 1894
42 Laura and Hattie, Dec. 15, 1894
45 Skaters from Wall St. Bridge #1, Dec. 28, 1894
46 Skaters from Wall St. Bridge #2, Dec. 28, 1894
53 From top tower C. H. East, Jan. 9, 1895
56 From hill back of N. Main St. School House down Palouse, Jan. 20, 1895
57 Same as #56 look North #2, Jan. 20, 1895
58 Same as #56 look up N. Palouse, Jan. 20, 1895
61 [Race Track] Same as #60, Jan. 20, 1895
63 Two engines crossing First trestle, Jan. 20, 1895
64 Snow scene by Brewery, Jan. 24, 1895
65 Freak Two Wives [Trick photography], Jan. 27, 1895
67 Laura Freak [trick photography], Jan. 28, 1895
70 Harry Housekeeper & Coon #3, Feb. 15, 1895
71 Harry Housekeeper & Coon #4, Feb. 15, 1895
72 Grey Children, Feb. 15, 1895
73 Harry Housekeeper & Coon #5, Feb. 15, 1895
74 Laura full length, Feb. 24, 1895
76 Bluff & Poverty Flax, Feb. 24, 1895
77 Martha Wash. Rock, Feb. 24, 1895
79 Ward School, Feb. 24, 1895
80 High School, Mar. 3, 1895
83 Mell Grey 100 yd. 10 sec., April '95
84 Laura [King (daughter)] in bloomers, April '95
85 Wheelers working, May '95
87 Laura bust, May ['95]
88 Laura [two words undistinguishable] for Grey, May ['95]
92 Laura street costume, n.d.
94 Gravel stand across track, May 30, '95
97 Sec. of Gravel stand, May 30, '95
98 Colfax look North, n.d.
100 North Main Street, n.d.
102 N. Colfax from him, n.d.
105 Fred Waite on wheel, 6/8/95 [stained plate]
110 Ed Aweert on wheel, 6/22/95 [broken plate]
112 Laura enlarged, 6/30/95
115 Fire Engine, July 4, 1895
118 Procession up St., July 4, 1895
122 Baptizing #1, n.d.
124 Crowd Baptizing #3, n.d.
134 Blanch & Nena & Tennie, n.d.
137 Break down Steptoe, Aug, '95
156 Hart & Chadwick, 3/96
158 Ballinger Block, 4/2/96
162 Mollie Lusher in bloomers, May 2, 1896
167 Colfax Depot and Grounds, May 17, 1896
168 Colfax look South from hill East of town, May 17, 1896

II. Unnumbered series. 16 4x5 glass negatives. Some of the missing numbers from first group. Given arbitrary numbers.

170 [Young girl with arms over chair]
171 [Three Women sitting on a sofa]
172 [Man, Women, and two young children eating meal in kitchen]
173 Alto King
174 [Two Women with fish strung on a line. Printed across the bottom portion of the plate is "Photo by King Colfax, Wn."]
175 [Horse drawn harvest scene]
176 [Group of Men sitting around a small table and spittoon]
177 [Two Men on harvester and another Man with a team of horses]
178 Lannie King [Young boy standing on steps]
179 [Man showing back muscles]
180 [Same Men from #176 playing cards]
181 [Little girl sitting on chair, plate broken]
182 King's Bookstore
183 [Men with bicycles in front of Great Eastern Mercantile Co.]
184 [Two horse drawn harvesters in field]
185 Alto, Lannie and Tootsie King with 2 unidentified.

III. Five 4x5 glass negative plates labeled "Co. Sheriff Office Pris. Neg." Numbering is arbitrary.

186 [Man #1] n.d.
187 [Man #2] n.d.
188 [Man #1 and Man #3] n.d.
189 [All three Men] n.d.
190 [All three Men] n.d.

IV. Three 5x7 glass plates labeled "John Baylor Sept. 13/13". Numbering is arbitrary.

191 [Two Women, a boy, an a Man standing front of a wagon and a tent]
192 [A large group of men in front of a harvester]
193 [Harvesting scene]

V. One 8 ¼ x 6 ½ glass negative plate. Horse drawn harvest scene.

VI. Seven 3 ¼ x 4 Lantern slides. Numbering arbitrary.

194 [Harvest scene] n.d.
195 [Harvest scene] n.d.
196 [Harvest scene] n.d.
197 [Harvest scene] n.d.
198 [Woman and automobile on bridge, Women is aiming rifle] n.d.
199 A. E. King and the first automobile in Colfax, the second in Whitman County
200 [People looking at sign] Bausch & Lomb Balopticon Model B, $18.00 and $22.00 for entertainment in the Home, Church, School, Club.

VII. 22 film negatives that came in five separate envelopes. Each envelop had a name and date. The label on the envelop is followed by arbitrary numbering.

King's Book Store [advertisement on front], first packet, John Poteet, Mar. 9, 1913 [hand written on back]

201 [Aerial view of a city block]
202 Ward School [later Martha Washington School]
203 [Street scene]
204 [Court House]
205 [Aerial view with young girl in foreground]

Mrs. J. A. Miller, 10/8/13

206 [Harvest scene]
207 [Harvest scene]

J. T. Arrsmith, Nov 3/11

208 At Martha Washington rock.
209 [A man and a woman]
210 [Same man and woman from #209 plus two more women]
211 [Man on crutches]
212 [Boy and dog]
213 [Three women]
214 [Same as #213]

Jack Molin, June 6/12

215 [View of church from across river]
216 [City view]
217 [Theatre]
218 [Construction scene]
219 [Inside King's Bookstore]

Enclosed with a letter to A. E. King from Mrs. J. T. Arrasmith, November 1, 1911.

220 [Two women]
221 [Man and woman in front of a house or building]
222 Letter, Arrasmith to King, November 1, 1911. 1 1. Holograph signed, with envelope.
223 Whitman County House, n.d. Mounted stereo negative.