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E. Lee Moore

Albert Gallatin Moore and wife Nancy (Goad) were parents of 11 children including Emanuel Lee Moore who was born September 27, 1875. Lee attended school in 1880 in the log schoolhouse for which his father had donated an acre of land in the community bearing the Moore name some seven miles from Berryville. His older brother Rufus was the teacher. (Rufus later became a leading doctor in Davenport.)

In 1897 Albert and Nancy left their Arkansas home with sons Robert and Lee and daughter Catherine to move to Davenport, Washington where older sons had already made their homes. By that time Lee was a young man and that same year of 1897 he married Edith Taylor. In 1898 the young couple came to Cheney to make their home. They became parents of three daughters, Pearl, Maybell and Ethel, all born here.

On October 1, 1903 Lee Moore was assigned as rural mail carrier, a position he held for many years. He kept two horses but used only one on the route, changing steeds every other day. He served Route 1 which extended 35 miles in length. There were 72 boxes along the road, serving 76 families. The route started in Cheney, through Tyler then northwest cross country nearly to the Custodial School at Medical Lake, to Graham Flats and full circle back to the Cheney post office. An item in the October 14, 1927 Cheney Free Press quotes the Postmaster as stating, "During the past five years not one complaint of irregularity or neglect has been lodged by patrons of Lee Moore's route."

Even with a fast paced horse the hours were long on the road and the sorting of mail before and after each trip took additional time. In the winter and especially during the Christmas season with heavy loads of mail, he was fortunate to get home by 9:30 or 10:00 o'clock at night. There were no coffee breaks although time was taken at noon to feed, water and rest the horse. In the winter lanterns were hung from front and back of the vehicle, more for safety than for light.

The usual conveyance of rural mail carriers at the turn of the century consisted of horse power and some sort of covered vehicle to protect the mail as well as the carrier. The box-like shelter could be fastened to wheels or sled runners, depending on the time of year. This was no doubt the forerunner of our present travel trailers on a much smaller scale. It was fitted with pigeon-holes in front of the driver for sorted mail, a section for stamps and one little square box always reserved for treats such as hard candy or peanuts for the youngsters who liked to meet the mailman. The space behind the carrier was used to store packages from far-away relatives or Sears-Roebuck or "Monkey Ward" catalog orders.

In approximately 1917 - 1918 horses were replaced by cars, usually Fords. This shortened the hours on the road to some degree although 20 - 25 miles per hour was top speed.

As improvements in transportation and mail service took place, Lee Moore found more time to devote to community activities. He took an active part in civic enterprises and served as Mayor from 1940 to 1944.

A brief summary of some of the matters brought before the Mayor and council during Lee Moore's administration included steel poles being erected on First St. in preparation for installation of blinker lights.

The City of Cheney gave School District #20 a deed to the airport acreage with the provision the children of Cheney have the privilege of using the ground and that the grounds should always be used as a playground and for recreational purposes. (This ground is the present Salnave Park and school.)

The city restored the curfew law, beginning June 9, 1941, which prohibited juveniles roaming the streets after 10:00 p.m.

In August of 1941 Beatrice Alling was hired as office girl at $25.00 a month.

WPA labor was used to construct the sewer project. These laborers were paid by the federal government under the name of Works Progress Administration.

The second World War was in progress. John Van Brunt, Mr. Gordon and B.R. Lean were authorized to work out a system of blackout warning for the City and report at a special meeting on December 22, 1941.

In October, 1944 a special sewer committee was instructed to purchase some property owned by Clarence D. Martin, not to exceed a price of $1,600.00.

Lee Moore was a conscientious man, respected and admired by all who knew him. Years of dedication to his home community ended with his death on November 3, 1948. Burial was in Riverside Memorial Cemetery in Spokane.

Contributed by Ellen Proctor, 1988.