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Out of the Past
By Earl Willson
The above photo depicts what a
laborious task it involved to obtain
needed lumber in numerous places
through -out the remote areas even
following the turn of the century
when thousands of board feet were
"whip -sawed by the "head sawyer"
and his helper in the "pit". Only
difference between the two labor-
ers was the "edge" that the top
man had when he practically walk-
bor, if need be. In those days if
cabin floors, doors and articles of
household furnishings were not
hand manufactured from split
"puncheon," they were made a
little better looking, but any more
durable, from whipsawed lumber.
Like -wise mine car steel trucks
were topped by bodies hand manu-
factured either from hand hewn or
whipsawed lumber, as well as most
of the rails on which they were
pushed under ground.
Today, those then quite neces-
sary" implements of torture" are
being sought by the curio and an-
tique hunters even in the remotest
"cabin, some perhaps long since
decayed into their foundation of
mother earth. Today the long slen-
ed the log side, in following the der whipsaw, and the frow for
chalk line above the man in the hand splitting shakes are as non -
"pit" who kept his eyes on the line
while getting all the sawdust down
his back. However it was, to our
way of thinking, about an evenly
matched grueling task no matter
the top or bottom. And one in those
days could often hear the expres-
sion that to be a "good whipsawy"
er" a man had to be limber in the
shoulders, strong in the back and
weak in the head."
To be specific however, the wri-
existent as the old leather sided
blacksmiths bellows and other tools
of that craft. In fact when talking
to an official of the Idaho Histori-
cal Museum here in Boise recently,
the writer was informed that there
was only one shake frow in the
establishment. But on the other
hand some one or more of these
relicks may come to light like the
old rusty canteen that was recently
found on the battle ground where
ter, who incidentally whip sawed the Sheepeater Indians were cap -
lumber quite frequently with his tired by U.S. troops on lower Big
father during the early 1900's Creek. The finder, a member of
when, along with the other tasks
of hand splitting shakes, burning of
charcoal pits and other numerous
jobs that had to be completed dur-
ing the short snow free seasons
in the high mountains, the log to
be sawed into lumber was stripped
clean of its bark, both ends squar-
ed, and in turn identically pencil
, marked to the various lumber dem-
insions desired, and to be follow-
ed by chalk -lining both top and
bottom of the log its entire length
after previously being securely
Larry Garners hunting party, when
asked by the latter what he'd take
for his find, replied that money
couldn't buy it.
What a blessing it is that our
way of life has graduated from
such hand tools as the foot adze,
the broad ax, and to a lesser degree
the ordinary hand or chopping ax,
that because of the chain saw, has
just about been relegated to the
menial task of wood splitting.
Scores of laborers on Wooden bri-
dge construction, and in fact all
"dogged" down to the top of the structures where wooden beams
pit frame, as illustrated in the
photo.
An example of whipsawing on a
fairly large scale can still be view-
ed on the old Sim Willy ranch on
the Southfork of the Salmon River
(now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Clare-
nce Ribulette) where remains of a
flume to carry irrigation water on-
to the ranch land from Sheep
Creek is still in evidence, and be-
ing used, despite the fact that this
lumber was whipsawed about the
year 1911 by a handful of moun-
tain inhabitants who in those days
unselfishly turned to assist a neigh -
were used in framework, and
where the foot adze and broad ax
were considered indespensable,
were injured, sometimes for life,
by these razor sharp tools often in
the hands of expert axmen who
could walk down a log or other
timber, and neatly hew out a chalk -
line mark. Today the axmen is non-
existent unless he be one no longer
young and able to "cut the must-
ard anv more"
fl4-w�
The View from Here
RHINESTONES DON'T COUNT
Stetson hats, pearl -buttoned shirts and high -
heeled boots don't make a cowboy. That's what
we discovered this month after talking to several
Idaho cowboys and cowgirls. I, for one, took the
West's most famous character for granted,
assuming that today's cowboy was more a pro-
duct of fashion and style than the result of a
stuborn, spunky philosophy, a hard working and
hard playing way of life, and the conviction that
what they do is right. The lines are clear.
Whether your're referring to ranch or rodeo
cowboys (rhinestones don't count), there's hard-
ly a "grey" man or middle-of-the-roader out
there. Cowboys and cowboying are alive. and
well. In fact, as a way of life it must rank as one
of the most tough -knuckled vertebra in the
backbone of American culture.
Visit to Wildhorse Canyon
You don't have to look far to find a cowboy.
For us it required a visit to Wildhorse Canyon, .
located in the mountains west of Council, to meet
Jay Quilliams and George Neurohr. Quilliams;
cowboy turned cattleman, owns the X Cross
Ranch in Wildhorse, and George Neurohr
manages the Seven Devils Ranch at Bear. Both
men have cowboyed and take an avid interest in
every aspect of it. They both openly admitted
that they are not, in the strict sense of the word,
cowboying today. "A cowboy is a hired hand on
horseback," Quilliams responded almost
automatically when asked for a definition of one.
"They're men who move from ranch to ranch
working cattle."
That a cowboy isn't a ranch hand or vice versa
was made very clear by both men. Cowboys
work cattle - they don't mend fences or put up
hay. It's that simple. Of course, they admitted
that it is very difficult to find themselves doing
jobs they don't consider part of cowboying. The
problem is one today's cowboy has to live with
since it's estimated not more than 2,000 straight
riding jobs exist in the country today and
cowboying isn't a job you drift into by accident or
do because other jobs are not available. Jay
Quilliams, for instance, set out to become a
cowboy and worked ranches from Arizona to
British Columbia for nine years. George Neurohr
left college to cowboy in Montana and Oregon.
It's not a job a man does for pay, because the pay
is low ($400 to $700 a month); it's a job a man
wants to do. It must be because the pay is no
compensation for the lonely months on the
range, the long working hours and grueling
work. A cowboy's pay comes in personal
satisfaction and the knowledge that a job was
well done in spite of the rigorous working condi-
tions. "Being one's own man" is what's impor-
tant to a cowboy, and cowboying makes that
possible.
A ranch or rodeo background isn't a prere-
quisite to becoming a cowboy. Neither Jay nor
George grew up in that kind of setting. Instead,
each had a desire to be a cowboy - they had the
feeling for it. And the feeling is important. It's
what makes most experienced cowhands say that
cowboys are made - not born.
Before the day was over at Wildhorse Canyon,
the two men convinced me that America's
cowboy, the hired hand on horseback, the drifter
and loner, is still with us and will be around for a
long time. Probably, there's one out there right
now traveling down some dusty road in a 50's
model pickup, heading for his next job. Loaded
in the back of his truck is about $1800 worth of
cowboy gear, - nearly everything he owns. If he
has five years of experience, he's probably a top
thand. If he has less, he's still got a few things to
laarn That hP'c married is unlikely; that he cares
about success in the usual sense is also unlikely.
His job isn't easy or high paying, and the way of
life isn't a comfortable one, but he lives it
bacause it's satisfying to him. As George
Neurohr said, "Old cowboys never die, they just
ride on to the next ranch."
The feature article in this issue is an interview,
conducted by Alice Koskela, with Dean Oliver,
Idaho's world champion calf roper. For a taste of
that stubborn, spunky cowboy philosophy men-
tioned above read Conversation with a
Cowgirl following the Oliver article. And the
other cowboy features should be of interest also.
As usual, we came at this month's theme as hard
and fast as time and ability would permit. This is
by no means the last word on cowboys, but
rather a beginning. Many people contributed to
the information gathered for this issue. Vivian
McGown, Clara Harrington and Eva Rufelt of
Council should be thanked. Ben Sedgewick of
John's Leather Goods in Weiser steered us in the
right direction and Angela Armitage of Cam-
bridge was interviewed. Mrs. Jimmy Hurley,
Public Relations Director of the Snake River
Stampede offered help, and, of course, Jay
Quilliams and George Neurohr came through on
down-to-earth cowboy facts. Thanks to all.
Keep on the Trail.
LRP
I
-
g sad
Print shop of the Payette Independent Enterprise October 1913. Who said running a newspaper
was an easy business?
//7
jai? — /95')
Photographs courtesy of Idaho Historical Society
A blacksmith shop in Midvale. Shown is Arthur A. Watkins.
,(2klei-7,t.),i 'N1/4
EN THE Idaho gold rush be-
gan in 1861, not only gold min-
ers but all kinds of other people
flocked to the fast -rising communi-
ties in the mountains. Among them
were newspapermen, who struggled
in with presses and paper and a few
cases of type. Within the first year
or so, newspapers were being pub-
lished in the new mining country. By
modern standards, the papers were
only little four -page weekies, but in
those earliest days they had an im-
portance far greater than their size.
Today, for anyone interested in
Idaho's history, the files of these
newspapers are among the most im-
portant sources of information. Is-
sue by issue, these files unfold the
story of the territory and the state
of Idaho, written down as it hap-
pened. News stories, editorials, legal
notices, advertisements —every kind
of entry helps to round out the pic-
ture of what life was like when Idaho
was beginning. The pages reflect the
national news and its effect on Idaho;
The Statesman, established a cen-
tury ago today, was among the major
Idaho newspapers from the begin-
ning. Its outstanding, able editors
were a real force in the community.
Its ambitious publication schedule of
three issues a week and its location
in the capital of the territory gave it
stature in its earliest days, and it
continues to be a much -consulted ref-
erence. Its continuity from the earli-
est times of the territory to today
makes it Idaho's oldest newspaper.
Undoubtedly, at the end of the next
century, Idahoans will still be read-
ing it for news and consulting it for
history.—H. J. Swinney, Idaho His-
torical Society director.
f-a:t
An 88-year-old fire bell which was
used to summon volunteer firemen
in early days still hangs in the belfry
of Central Fire Station.
Not only did the bell serve as a
fire alarm. Until the 1930s it
sounded curfew and warned the
younger generation it was time to
head for home. The bell also was
used for tolling respect to departed
members of the Fire Department and
city officials.
Fire Chief Steve Taylor said that
as far as he knows the 'Dell hasn't
been rung for 25 years or more.
The bell was made in Troy, N. Y.,
and shipped to Kelton, Utah, and
brought by mule -drawn freighter to
Boise in 1880. It cost nearly $600
and was paid for by Boise business-
men. It weighs 400 pounds.
a Inc STATESMAN, BVIbe, rvwnuay, 'vial 1.A I o 1, i aov
C.C. Anderson —
the J.C. Penny
of Idaho retailing
By ARTHUR HART
One of the great success stories
in American retailing is that of
J.C. Penney. By a curious chain of
coincidences, his career closely
paralleled that of a man who be-
came famous in Idaho the same
time. His name was Columbus C.
Anderson.
C.C. Anderson was born in Os-
ceola, Mo., on Nov. 2, 1873. He
liked to say that he was "the son
of a Missouri horse trader." He
completed a course at the Valpa-
raiso Indiana Commercial School
in 1893. J.C. Penney was born near
Hamilton, Mo., in 1875. He worked
in a retail store in Hamilton until
1897.
In 1893, Anderson moved to
Boulder City, Colo., where he
went to work for the T M. Calla-
han Co. which operated several
small stores called' The Golden
Rule. In 1897, Penney moved to
Colorado for his health. He went
to work for the Golden Rule chain
at Longmont, Colo.
Meanwhile, Anderson had
moved to Boise City, where in
April, 1896, he opened his own
store.
Anderson's Golden Rule Store
began in a very modest way with
three employees. In 1898 he mar-
ried Henrietta Walter, Boise. In
1902, Penney was sent by his em-
ployers to Kemmerer, Wyo., to
open a new store. He was allowed
to buy a one-third interest in the
Kemmerer store, and a similar in-
terest in the chain's Rock Springs
branch. In 1908 he bought out his
partners' interests, and started
his own chain. By the end of 1908
he owned five stores.
Idaho
Yesterdays
Anderson had started his chain
operation in 1899 with a store at
Weiser. By 1913 he had eight
stores in Idaho: Boise, Weiser,
Payette, Caldwell, Mountain
Home, Emmett, New Plymouth
and Midvale. He employed more
than 100 people. By 1913 Penney
had 48 stores. He moved his head-
quarters to New York City and
began a nationwide expansion
which reached 500 stores by 1924.
In the 1950s, the number passed
1,500 stores.
Both men were devout Chris-
tians who truly believed that busi-
ness should be operated according
to the Golden Rule: "Do unto oth-
ers as you would have them do
unto you." Penney, who dropped
the name "Golden Rule" from his
stores in favor of his own, nev-
ertheless wrote a book in 1950,
when he was 75 years old, entitled
Fifty Years Experience with the
Golden Rule.
Anderson eventually developed
a chain of Golden Rule stores in
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Col-
orado, and Utah, which numbered
34. He was president of his com-
pany for 40 years and chairman of
its board of directors from 1938
until his retirement.
In 1913 the Idaho Daily States-
man featured Anderson's success
C.C. Anderson
story in a long article headed
"How One Man Found and Seized
Golden Opportunity in Boise." It
outlined Anderson's unusual busi-
ness formula, which in addition to
treating customers fairly (accord-
ing to the Golden Rule) included
"no credit, no bookkeepers, no
stationery, no billheads."
By reducing the overhead inci-
dent to charge acounts, bad debts,
and paper work, Anderson was
able to sell more merchandise at
lower prices than his competition.
Understood in this way, the
Golden Rule meant saving cash
customers the cost of bad debts
for which Other businesses had to
increase their prices.
A money -back guarantee was
another feature of the Golden
Rule stores which attracted cus-
tomers.
Anderson's later career and ac-
complishments will be the subject
of the next column.
(Arthur Hart is director of the
Idaho Historical Society)
T.-
Bon Marche started out as C. C. Anderson's Golden Rule Store on Idaho Street
Civic activist C.C. Anderson
left mark on Boise business
By ARTHUR HART
C.C. Anderson, who built a
,pain of Golden Rule stores in
daho, Oregon, Washington, Col-
trado, and Utah, was active in a
ariety of other enterprises in
toile after his arrival in 1896.
In 1907 he was made a director
f the First National Bank of
daho, a position he held until his
eath Dec. 27, 1958. He was also a
ragtime trustee of St. Luke's
lospital, was treasurer and later
resident of the Idaho Children's
lime, and active in a number of
ivic clubs and fraternal orders —
nderson was a Shriner, an Elk, a
.otarian, and a member of the
hamber of Commerce.
One of Anderson's greatest ac-
mmplishments was helping Boise
t fulfill a dream of more than 40
>ars standing — getting the
nion Pacific main line into the
ipital city: He was chairman of
ie board that raised $450,000 to
?t the railroad to reroute its
ain line trains via a new loop
hich brought them to the Bench
)ove Capitol Boulevard. The pre -
Tit mission -style depot was built
1925 in time for the arrival of
e first train.
A trusteeship was established to
Idaho.
Yesterdays
safeguard the Union Pacific
against future increased assess-
ments of its property. Since these
increased taxes on the railroad
failed to materialize, the trustee-
ship actually turned out to be a
good investment for the contribu-
tors of the $450,000, who made an
annual return of 105% on interest
and 109% on certificates over the
first 21 years.
The success of this effort con-
trasts with earlier attempts by
Boise business leaders who failed
to secure the main line. In 1899,
for example, Union Pacific pro-
mised to reroute the line if the
business community would raise
$270,000. After the first month, a
number of the leading property
owners had voluntarily con-
tributed a 10 percent assessment
on the value of their downtown
property. (John Broadbent's
share came to $25,047.50, nearly
twice as much as that of John
Lemp, the next highest contribu-
tor. J.R. DeLamar, the million-
aire miner, gave $10,000 — actu-
ally 45% of the assessed value of
his Boise property.) Although
about half the money was raised,
Boise had to wait another 25 years
until the committee headed by An-
derson was successful.
In World War I, Anderson
served as state fuel director, and
in World War II was director of
the Idaho Office of Price Admin-
istration. In 1927, he built Boise's
largest department store building
— the big Golden Rule store on
Idaho Street, which is now the
Bon Marche.
After his retirement, Anderson
devoted his last years to philan-
thropic work. He was a major
contributor to the First Methodist
Church and to the College of
Idaho.
He loved children, although he
never had any of his own. It was
reported at the time of his death
that he had personally handed out
candy to 905 youngsters who came
"trick or treating" on Halloween
to his big house on Warm Springs
Avenue.
(Arthur Hart is director of the
Idaho Historial Society.)
C.C. Anderksilfy0#arry Morrison ortfilfaho First National Bank's c
Dr) No, r ;,d ra(1',l 19RARY
PAYETTE LAKES
PROGRESSIVE CLUB
FALK'S STORE IN PAYETTE VALLEY WAS A SMALL SETTLEMENT IN ITSELF
... it was the `regional shopping center' of its day
Falk's Store Offered Respite
For Idaho Stagecoach Riders
Falk's Store in Payette Valley was
once one of the best known stops on
the stagecoach run from Boise and
the mines of Boise Basin to Oregon.
Named for Boisean Nathan Falk,
who operated a general store in the
valley when the post office was esta-
blished, Falk's Store was really a
small settlement and a "regional
shopping center" of its day.
James Toombs opened a store in
the vicinity in 1864. A few years later
the business was taken over and oper-
ated by A.J. McFarland, who had
worked for the Toombs since 1870.
Nathan Falk, who was in partnership
with his brother, David, in the Boise
firm of D. Falk & Brother, placed
young Ed Shainwald in charge when
he establsihed the rival business a
mile and a half up the valley in 1867.
In 1876 a Statesman reporter who
visited Falk's Store noted the con-
struction of a fine new "Granger Hall
building," which also doubled as the
schoolhouse. Only a year later, when
the Nez Perce war broke out, local
people were so worried about roving
bands of local Indians (Shoshonis,
not Nez Perce) that they fortified the
Idaho
Yesterdays
By Arthur Hart
building as a refuge for women and
children from isolated ranches. Let-
ters were written to the governor of
the territory requesting rifles because
farmers were poorly armed against
possible Indian attacks — which
never came.
A post office, established Dec. 7,
1871 officially had given the name
`Falk's Store" to the settlement, and
usually employees of the business
handled the mail as well. In 1877,
Charles Leistner, manager of the
store after Ed Shainwald returned to
Boise, was named postmaster.
Falk's Store also had a hotel, a
saloon, a :neat market and a black-
smith shop at the time of the Indian
scare of 1877. Elliott's 1884 History
of Idaho Territory mentions boot and
shoe shops, omits the saloon, but con-
firms Falk's Store had "one of the
best schoolhouses in the valley." W.
R. Cartwright was in charge of the
store itself by then.
By the turn of the century stage -
coaching through Payette Valley was
a thing of the past. The Oregon Short
Line Railroad made the old route ob-
solete and left Falk's Store a lonely
place in a quiet farming neighbor-
hood. In the 1870s it was said that
Nathan Falk did a $60,000 business
in one year on the Payette, but those
days would never come again.
On Feb. 7, 1922, fire destroyed the
last general store building at the loca-
tion. Although not Nathan Falk's
original structure, the place still went
by that name. All traces of the stage-
coach station that became a town
soon disappeared. Only a few people
can still locate the spot where Falk's
Store stood.
Nathan Falk prospered in Boise,
however, and the 1896 store building
he and his brothers built still stands
at Eighth and Main streets. The ele-
gant Queen Anne -style mansion he
built at 39 Warm Springs Ave. in
1901 was razed in 1972. Only the
golden oak dining room from this
great house still survives, and is at
the Idaho Historical Museum in Julia
Davis Park.
r-
Boise, Sunday, September 30, 1979
Survivor
Bessie Falk continues
pioneer family tradition
'By CHARLEY BLAINE
The Idaho Statesman
By her own admission, Bessie Falk is a survivor.
For 33 years, Falk, from one of Boise's oldest fam-
ilies, has owned and operated the J. Weil & Co., an in-
stitutional food distributing business and has resisted
the temptation to sell out.
Last month, she moved her business from its old
quarters at 515 S. 9th St. out to a big, new building at
5907 Clinton St. and plans to hold a food show for her
customers on Oct. 6 and 7. At least 60 companies will
have exhibits at the J. Weil & Co. warehouse.
In an interview last week, Falk revealed her secret
for success: "I'm nasty." Then she laughed. "I've
had good people working for me."
But Falk conceded there was more to her business
than hiring good people. Mostly Falk herself.
She had the financial ability to buy a business; she
knew to whom she might turn to obtain financing for
her business; and she had a business education, a rar-
ity for women of her generation.
Falk said it was difficult to keep all the Falks
straight.
The family came to Idaho in 1864 with 2 brothers,
Nathan and David. Nathan was the retailer, and
David, Falk's grandfather, was a wholesaler. David's
son, Leo F., continued in the wholesale business, and
Leo J., Nathan's son, was in the retail business. Her
brother Harris's son, John, works for her.
Falk's mother was a graduate of Stanford Univer-
sity and wanted her daughter to go there. Eventually,
Falk went to Stanford, but only after spending a year
at the University of Washington where her brother at-
tended. "We'd study every Sunday at the library and
go out for dinner afterward," she said.
Harris went to New York and recently retired as an
executive with Bloomingdale's department store,
part of the Federated Stores chain.
Falk earned her bachelor's degree at Stanford in
1931 and remains a loyal member of the Stanford Club
of Idaho.
After attending the Stanford Graduate School of.
Business for a semester, she transferred to New York
University, where she earned a master's degree in re-
tailing in 1937. Not yet finished with New York, a city
she said she didn't like much, Falk worked for B. Alt-
man's department store for 2 years before coming
home again.
But she didn't enter either her father's business
(Falk's Wholesale Co., now Boise Wholesale and Dry
Goods, located in Boise's warehouse district) or the
Leo J. Falk's businesses, Falk's Mercantile Co. (now
Falk's I.D.) and the Mode Ltd.
Instead, she worked for the Distributive Education
Program, a vocational program started in the 1930s,
and for the Idaho Department of Public Assistance.
In 1941, as World War II was breaking out, she
began teaching business courses at Boise Junior Col-
lege. "During the war, I was the business depart-
ment," she said.
After the war she took over the J. Weil & Co., a
small candy and tobacco distributor. Weil was retir-
ing, and Falk owned the land. Her mother, whom
Falk describes as "an aristocratic lady," didn't ap-
prove of her daughter's moving from the Junior
League to running a tobacco distributing business.
But the daughter was determined.
She saw quickly, however, that a candy and to-
bacco distributor ship wasn't going to make a lot of
money and started getting into other sorts of
distributing.
Eventually, she became a distributor of products
from the Nugget Co. and, later, signed on with the
NIFDA (the National Institutional Food Distributors
Association), a cooperative which supplies distribu-
tors that sell to hospitals, restaurants, schools and
other non -retail outlets.
Her business extends from Ontario to McCall to the
Magic Valley.
Falk also is a master distributor for Coca-Cola Inc.
A master distributor sells bulk supplies of Coke that
are intended for fountain use. Falk said her master
distributorship means she competes occasionally
with local Coca-Cola bottling franchises.
Falk doesn't sell any tobacco products any more
and only national brands of candies to drive-in movie
theaters.
Getting her business financed in 1946 wasn't easy.
The Idaho First National Bank said no to her loan ap-
plication. But the late J. Lynn Driscoll, then president
of the First Security Bank, agreed to lend Falk
$25,000.
Falk made the interest payments for several years,
but didn't do much to reduce the principal. Driscoll fi-
nally called Falk to talk about the loan.
"OK, Bessie," Falk remembers Driscoll telling her.
"You've got to cut the cloth to fit the pattern." Falk
paid off the principal in a couple of years. "It was the
only debt we had until we moved. out here," she said
in her new office. AR
-� 'ha
Falk said she's been conscious of competing in a
man's world, but she never thought nor worried about
sexism. Only competing. Again, she said, that was
partly due to her background ("I come from a family
of peddlers, after all.") and her education.
Mostly, she never considered women's rights a big
issue for her. "I think women used d to be afraid of
going into business," she said. ;
Besides, she said, "I've never 1*en' very domes-
tic."
PAYETTE LAKES
Pt,G3°EsS !` E CLUB
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` x ` . t i ` d i " . . l ����' ����"
1 8 7 8 d r a w i n g s h o w s P i n n e y ' s B o o k S t o r e a l s o s o l d b a b y c a r r i a g e s
P i o n e e r m e r c h a n t J a m e s P i n n e y
b r o u g h t v a r i e t y o f p a p e r g o o d s
I n a t o w n a s s m a l l a s B o i s e C i t y
w a s d u r i n g t h e 1 8 6 0 s a n d 1 8 7 0 s ,
m o s t m e r c h a n t s h a d t o b e d i v e r s i -
f i e d i n o r d e r t o s u r v i v e . W e h a v e
h e a r d j o k e s f o r y e a r s a b o u t d r u g -
s t o r e s s e l l i n g e v e r y t h i n g f r o m f u r -
n i t u r e t o h a r d w a r e , b u t t h e e x p e r i -
e n c e o f J a m e s A . P i n n e y i n B o i s e
s u g g e s t t h a t t h e p r a c t i c e i s a n o l d
o n e .
P i n n e y b o u g h t a b o o k a n d s t a -
t i o n e r y s t o r e i n I d a h o C i t y i n M a y
1 8 6 5 H e o p e r a t e d i t w h i l e h e a l s o
s e r v e d a s p o s t m a s t e r o f t h e B o i s e
B a s i n m e t r o p o l i s .
O n N o v . 1 3 , 1 8 6 9 , P i n n e y ' s f i r s t
a d v e r t i s e m e n t a p p e a r e d i n t h e
I d a h o T r i - w e e k l y S t a t e s m a n , a n -
n o u n c i n g t h e o p e n i n g o f a B o i s e
s t o r e o n M a i n S t r e e t .
" T h e u n d e r s i g n e d h a s j u s t r e -
c e i v e d d i r e c t f r o m B o s t o n t h e l a r -
g e s t S t o c k o f S t a t i o n e r y e v e r
b r o u g h t t o t h i s p l a c e , w h i c h i s n o w
o p e n a n d o f f e r e d a t w h o l e s a l e a n d
r e t a i l , c h e a p f o r c a s h , g r e e n b a c k s
a t p a r , a n d n o h u m b u g . "
G e n e r a l m i s t r u s t o f g r e e n b a c k s
o n t h e f r o n t i e r h a d l e d t o t h e i r
b e i n g d i s c o u n t e d 2 5 c e n t s o n t h e
d o l l a r , b u t i n S e p t e m b e r 1 8 6 9 , m o s t
B o i s e C i t y s h o p k e e p e r s d e c i d e d t o
t a k e t h e m f o r f u l l v a l u e .
T h e S t a t e s m a n e x p l a i n e d t h a t
w h e n m o s t o f t h e c i t y ' s b u s i n e s s .
w a s w i t h O r e g o n a n d C a l i f o r n i a ,
g o l d w a s f a v o r e d , b u t n o w t h e b a l -
I d a h o
Y e s t e r d a y s
B y A r t h u r H a r t
a n c e h a d s h i f t e d i n f a v o r o f e a s t -
e r n m a r k e t s a n d e a s t e r n i m m i -
g r a n t s u s e d t o d e a l i n g i n g r e e n -
b a c k s .
P i n n e y , w h o b o u g h t h i s g o o d s i n
t h e e a s t , n a t u r a l y f a v o r e d a n d
t r u s t e d t h e n a t i o n a l c u r r e n c y .
A l t h o u g h h e m a i n t a i n e d r e s i -
d e n c e i n I d a h o C i t y u n t i l 1 8 7 4 , a n d
c o n t i n u e d h i s s t o r e t h e r e , J a m e s
A . P i n n e y w a s a f r e q u e n t v i s i t o r t o
B o i s e o n b u s i n e s s .
W i t h . t h e d e c l i n e o f t h e B a s i n a s a
g o l d c e n t e r , h e d e c i d e d t o m o v e t o
B o i s e C i t y p e r m a n e n t l y . I n F e b r u -
a r y 1 8 7 4 , t h e S t a t e s m a n r e p o r t e d
t h a t h e h a d m o v e d i n t o a " m a n -
s i o n " o n t h e w e s t s i d e o f t h e p u b l i c
s q u a r e .
I n f r e q u e n t a d v e r t i s e m e n t s
t h r o u g h t h e y e a r s w e c a n t r a c e t h e
c h a n g i n g l i n e s o f m e r c h a n d i s e
a v a i l a b l e i n P i n n e y ' s " b o o k s t o r e . "
I n 1 8 7 2 a c i g a r s t a n d w a s a d d e d
a p o p u l a r s i d e l i n e f o r m a n y y e a r s
t h e r e a f t e r .
O n e e a r l y a d e x t o l l e d t h e
c h a r m s o f h i s s p e c i a l l y i m p o r t e d
c h a m p a g n e - f l a v o r e d c i g a r s a
s c e n t h a r d t o i m a g i n e .
P o c k e t c u t l e r y a n d f i s h i n g t a c k l e
a v a i l a b l e a t P i n n e y ' s w e r e c a l l e d
" t h e b e s t e v e r b r o u g h t t o t h e m a r -
k e t " b y t h e S t a t e s m a n , A t
C h r i s t m a s , t h e b o o k s t o r e f e a t u r e d
a f r e s h s h i p m e n t o f t o y s a n d o t h e r
p r e s e n t s " I f y o u w a n t t o s e e y o u r
l i t t l e s h a v e r s j u m p r i g h t o u t o f
t h e i r b o o t s , g o t h e r e a n d p i c k o u t a
n e w o n e f o r e a c h a n d c a r r y t h e m
h o m e , " s u g g e s t e d t h e p a p e r .
W h e n P i n n e y w e n t t o P h i l a d e l -
p h i a f o r t h e C e n t e n n i a l i n 1 8 7 6 t h e
n e w s p a p e r c a l l e d h i m " o n e o f
I d a h o ' s b e s t a n d m o s t b e l o v e d p i o -
n e e r s . " H e u s e d t h e i o c c a S i o n " a s a -
b u y i n g t r i p , b r i n g i n g ` b a c k " " a " '
s p l e n d i d s t o c k o f s t a t i o n e r y a n d
m i s c e l l a n e o u s g o o d s . "
H i s p o l i t i c a l p o p u l a r i t y g r e w
w i t h h i s f i n a n c e s , a n d - i r t - - 1 8 8 2 - h e -
w a s e l e c t e d m a y o r a n d b u i l t a n e w '
b r i c k r e s i d e n c e . T 1 g n e x t y e a r h e
r e m o d e l e d a n d e r t l g r + O d , t h e M a i n ; (
S t r e e t s t o r e .
A f e a t u r e o f P i n n e t y ' s s p r i n g
s t o c k i n 1 8 8 2 w a s b i t i t c a g e s
" a n y p r i c e y o u w a n t f t i ' r r i ; 4 1 t o $ 1 0 ,
n e s t s , b a t h d i s h e s e ' f c 1 c y p t i a
s p r i n g p e r c h e s , h a n g i n g b r a e ;
i n f a c t e v e r y t h i n g p e r t a i n i n g t o `
b i r d c a g e . . . "
B y t h e N i n e t i e s , P i n n e y w a s o f -
f e r i n g f r e e d e l i v e r y s e r v i c e t o c u s -
t o m e r s w h o o r d e r e d t h e i r - n e w s -
p a p e r s a n d m a g a z i n e s f r o m h i m .
H e b o u g h t " a f i n e p n e u m a t i c - t i r e d
s a f e t y b i c y c l e " f o r h i s c a r r i e r ,
c l a i m i n g i t w a s b e t t e r t h a n a
h o r s e .
P i n n e y c l o s e d h i s b o o k s t o r e i n
J u l y , 1 9 0 2 , a f t e r 3 2 y e a r s i n t h e
s a m e l o c a t i o n s e l l i n g h u n d r e d s
o f t h i n g s b e s i d e s b o o k s .
( A r t h u r H a r t i s d i r e c t o r o f t h e
I d a h o H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y . )
I _ I S R A R Y
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1878 drawing shows Pinney's Book Store also sold baby carriages
{"rna.:id
Pioneer merchant James Pinney
brought variety of paper goods
In a town as small as Boise City
was during the 1860s and 1870s,
most merchants had to be diversi-
fied in order to survive. We have
heard jokes for years about drug-
stores selling everything from fur-
niture to hardware, but the experi-
ence of James A. Pinney in Boise
suggest that the practice is an old
one.
Pinney bought a book and sta-
tionery store in Idaho City in May
1865 He operated it while he also
served as postmaster of the Boise
Basin metropolis.
On Nov. 13, 1869, Pinney's first
advertisement appeared in the
Idaho Tri-weekly Statesman, an-
nouncing the opening of a Boise
store on Main Street.
"The undersigned has just re-
ceived direct from Boston the lar-
gest Stock of Stationery ever
brought to this place, which is now
open and offered at wholesale and
retail, cheap for cash, greenbacks
at par, and no humbug."
General mistrust of greenbacks
on the frontier had led to their
being discounted 25 cents on the
dollar, but in September 1869, most
Boise City shopkeepers decided to
take them for full value.
The Statesman explained that
when most of the city's business.
was with Oregon and California,
gold was favored, but now the bale
Idaho
Yesterdays
By Arthur Hart
ance had shifted in favor of east-
ern markets and eastern immi-
grants used to dealing in green-
bac ks.
Pinney, who bought his goods in
the east, naturaly favored and
trusted the national currency.
Although he maintained resi-
dence in Idaho City until 1874, and
continued his store there, James
A. Pinney was a frequent visitor to
Boise on business.
With .the decline of the Basin as a
gold center, he decided to move to
Boise City permanently. In Febru-
ary 1874, the Statesman reported
that he had moved into a "man-
sion" on the west side of the public
squa re.
In frequent advertisements
through the years we can trace the
changing lines of merchandise
available in Pinney's "book store."
In 1872 a cigar stand was added
a popular sideline for many years
thereafter.
One early ad extolled the
charms of his specially imported
champagne -flavored cigars — a
new one for each and carry them
home," suggested the paper.
When Pinney went to Philadel-
phia for the Centennial in 1876 the
newspaper called him "one of
Idaho's best and most beloved pio-
neers." He used the ioccasion as a
buying trip, bringing back "a
splendid stock of stationery and
miscellaneous goods."
His political popularity grew
,
with ■482tis finances, a���_ �,o-_-.-_
was elected mayor and built anew
brick residence. Thenext year he
remodeled and enlg iged the Main
Street store.
A feature of Pinney's spring
stock in 1882 was bird cages —
"any price you want frm $1 to $10,
nests, bath dishes;''"l"9ed TE LAKES
spring perches, hanging brachets,-,
in fact everything pertaining to'tht1 :'IVE CLUB
bird cage ... "
By the Nineties, Pinney was of-
fering free delivery service to cus-
tomers who ordered their news-
papers and magazines from him.
He bought "a fine pneumatic -tired
safety bicycle" for his carrier,
claiming it was better than a
horse.
Pinney closed his book store in
July, 1902, after 32 years in the
same location — selling hundreds
of things besides books.
(Arthur Hart is director of the
i!s.;.3stij LIBRARY
All Boise loved
Cyrus Jacobs,
pioneer merchant
Few of Boise's pioneer mer-
chants received the consistent
praise and patronage from his
fellow townsmen that Cyrus
Jacobs did.
What was most admired in a
pioneer was enterprise, and
Jacobs showed great imagina-
tion and energy in supplying
what Boiseans wanted most.
"Jacobs' Corner" was the
southwest corner of 7th and
Main streets, where Idaho
First National Bank's new
tower stands. On that site in
July 1863, Jacobs opened a
general store in a tent.
In a short time he had a sub-
stantial adobe building and
later a brick one.
Since flour was a staple
commty in great demand,
one of acobs' first acts was to
build a grist mill and a ditch
from Boise River to power it.
He was soon in an advanta-
geous position for supplying
miners in Boise Basin and
Owyhee camps with flour, con-
siderably cheaper than that
hauled in from Oregon. He
also helped local farmers ,ma r-
ket their grain by processing it
for sale to other teneral
stores.
Several useful byproducts of
the milling business soon
proved profitable for Jacobs
and endeared him to the citi-
Idaho
,Yesterdays
By Arthur Hart
zenry as well. Rye whisky,
known as "Jacobs' Best" be-
came famous throughout the
territory, and many jokes
were told about its potency.
The leftover mash from the
whisky distillery made good
food for hogs, and in February
1868, Jacobs got started in the
bacon business. The States-
man described his product as
"far superior to any brought
from Oregon — nice, clean,
fatted just enough and cured
just right."
"He is now making from
three to four thousand pounds
per week, but will soon in-
crease the business," contin-
ued the story.
"His price for the best
qualiy of hams is 371/2 cents. At
that price, and the rate of pro-
duction, say 3,500 pounds per
week, there will be saved by
one man to Boise City and Ada
County the modest sum of
over thirteen thousand dollars
per week which has heretofor
been sent to Walla Walla and
Oregon for bacon."
Little wonder that big, good -
Mr. and Mrs.
looking Cy Jacobs was popular
with the paper and his towns-
men. In August 1868, this was
made manifest with Jacobs'
election as county treasurer.
He treated all who dropped in
at his store to free cham-
pagne.
Another story suggesting the
affection with which he was
regarded appeared in January
1871. "Sixteen of our city
belles, all unmarried, and six-
teen of our gallant beaux,
raided last Tuesday evening
upon the quiet abode of Mr.
Cy. Jacobs and took posses-
sion ..."
Cy Jacobs
Jacobs must have been a
willing host, for the young cou-
ples "improvised a dance" and
"chased the hours with flying
feet until three o'clock in the
morning."
This little house, so much a
center of early Boise history,
still F.1,14ntts near the corner of
6th Errid Gro've streets - a li" ',
ing memorial to a founder of
the City of Trees. As an exam-
ple of frontier architecture, it
is listed in the Nation Re i .-
ter of Historic Places.
(Arthur Hart is director of
Tht� idaho Historical Society.) •'1:ARY
PAYETTE LAKES
PROGRESSIVE CLUB
Boise Emporium
Set Pace in 1897
A department store hailed as a
"mammoth emporium" and "the
finest in the northwest" was for-
mally opened in Boise 80 years ago.
The Statesman was especially proud
of the occasion because: "It is all a
development of Boise enterprise; it
stands as a monument to the energy
and business ability of a Boise
firm."
The Falk -Block Mercantile Co.,
Ltd., opened its new store at the
northeast corner of Eighth and
Main in 1897. The original building
is still there, covered over with a
modern shell that has hidden its
architectural character from the
eyes of Boiseans for many years.
To give Boise "one of the fine
buildings in the west," with "the
most perfectly equipped store in the
northwestern region," the pioneer
Falk family and its corporate part-
ners hired the Portland architects
McCaw and Martin. They designed
a three-story structure, 60 feet by
122 feet, built of buff brick with
Boise sandstone trimmings.
The long Eighth Street facade
was most richly decorated, since it
raced the Odd Fellows Hall of 1889
and the Boise City National Bank of
1892. The magnificent castle -like
2ity Hall of 1893 was its near neigh-
Por to the north, as shown in the
presentation photograph proudly
Produced for the occasion. Principal
feature of this Eighth Street side
Has a central block with balancing
)riel windows two stories high. (An
'oriel" is a bay window that is sup -
Ported by a bracket above ground
evel. )
Another feature considered espe-
:dally elegant at the time was the
plate glass front on Main. The two
"immense" windows were the larg-
est ever installed in Boise, each
measuring 161/2 feet wide and 7 feet,
10 inches high. The freight alone on
:hese giant windows was $165 more
han if they had come in two pieces
.ach, marveled The Statesman —
imple proof that the Falks would
lave only the best.
Idaho
Yesterdays
By Arthur Hart
On the interior, hand -carved oak
and plate -glass cases lined the en-
tire store. These displayed the mer-
chandise in departments specializ-
ing in dress goods, silks, dress
trimmings, sheeting, dry goods,
gloves, laces and ribbons, notions,
hosiery and underwear. The shoe
department was supplied with "the
celebrated Milbradt bicycle ladders
by which means shoes on the top
shelves can be as easily handled as
those near the floor."
Carpets, house furnishings, men's
hats, corsets, men's clothing, and
the central offices "from which a
commanding view of the entire
store is ,given" were also described
in glowing prose. The grocery de-
partment, under the direction of
Mr. I. Block, was hailed as a
"model institution."
No less than 42 offices were avail-
able for rent on the second and
third floors, since the store had not
expanded into the entire building, as
it would later. Natural hot water
was used for heat, and electric
lights were supplied by the Capital
Electric Light Co.
Founded in 1868 by David Falk,
the company later included his
brothers Nathan and Sigmund.
David Falk retired in 1881, after
which the firm was known as
Nathan Falk & Brother, until its in-
corporation in August 1890.
A "grand promenade concert"
was a feature of the "dazzling dis-
play" when the new store opened
on March 15, 1897. The entire city
was invited, and just about every-
body came.
aw
Ft
no r o T
P.C.7 LIBRARY
A
�y
PAYETTE LAKES
PROGRESSIVE CLU3
Boise Emporium
Set Pace in 1897
A department store hailed as a
"mammoth emporium" and "the
finest in the northwest" was for-
mally opened in Boise 80 years ago.
The Statesman was especially proud
of the occasion because: "It is all a
development of Boise enterprise: it
stands as a monument to the energy
and business ability of a Boise
firm."
The Falk -Block Mercantile Co.,
Ltd., opened its new store at the
northeast corner of Eighth and
Main in 1897. The original building
is still there, covered over with a
modern shell that has hidden its
architectural character from the
eyes of Boiseans for many years.
To give Boise "one of the fine
buildings in the west," with "the
most perfectly equipped store in the
northwestern region," the pioneer
Falk family and its corporate part-
ners hired the Portland architects
McCaw and Martin. They designed
a three-story structure. 60 feet by
Idaho
Yesterdays
By Arthur Hart
On the interior, hand -carved oak
and plate -glass cases lined the en-
tire store. These displayed the mer-
chandise in departments specializ-
ing in dress goods, silks, dress
trimmings, sheeting, dry goods,
gloves, laces and ribbons, notions,
hosiery and underwear. The shoe
department was supplied with "the
celebrated Milbradt bicycle ladders
by which means shoes on the top
shelves can be as easily handled as
those near the floor."
Carpets, house furnishings, means
hats, corsets, menns clothing, and
f iSTOR CAL RESEARCH
FILE
0
n0 NOT REMOVE FROM DRRA.RY
PAYETTE LAKES
PROGRESSIVE CLUB
THE OLD
Interior of J. N. Ireland & Company's bank taken in 191 :.
Shown are Jos. R. Williams; W. R. Evans, cashier; Mart
Rourke; and James B. Jones, bookkeeper.
... and THE NEW
Fifty years later, in 1962. James B. Jones, now ece .
vice president; La Zelle Williams, teller; and Ella Hons-
ner, assistant cashier.
HATS -OFF DEPARTMENT
file oldest state bank in Idaho is J. N. Ireland &
Co., Bankers, of Malad City. Its background reaches
into the days when private banks, before becoming
state banks, had their beginnings in pioneer trading
posts and general stores. The experience of one of
the founders, J. N. Ireland, goes back to the days
of "banking" or keeping money safe in gold -rush
camps, the days before Idaho acquired its name in
the act signed by Abraham Lincoln. In saluting the
Ireland Company, Idaho Image salutes the old and
the new of Idaho banking and pays honor to the
colorful history of Idaho banks in their growth
through the old Territory and the new State.
The founders and incorporators of Ireland & Co.
were David L. Evans, a farmer and merchant; Wil-
liam G. Jenkins, a merchant; Lorenzo L. Evans, a
farmer and stockman; Drew W. Staridrod, a farmer,
attorney and judge; and Joseph N. Ireland, a farmer
and stockman. Ireland roughed his way through the
early gold rushes. Lorenzo Evans' first Idaho home
was a cave, where his family lived to work a home-
steaded farm. David Lloyd Evans was a sheep-
herder at seven years old and earned a cent a head
per day for his first five years in business. William
G. Jenkins was orphaned at 12, and running out of
money on his way to Malad from Wales, worked in
the Pennsylvania coal mines until he had enough
money to travel to Idaho. In honoring the memory
of these men Idaho Image pays homage to great
individuals and a great tradition of America, and
`d °L °L-`-ARCHhe great depressions of the past, this
FL bank remained sound and could have remained open
even during the bank holiday of the thirties had it
not been for the Presidential Order, to close all
4 PAYETTE LAKES
PROGRESSIVE CLUB
LIBRARY
After 60 years:
Idaho City
has a bank
By CHARLEY BLAINE
The Idaho Statesman
For the first time in 60 years,
Idaho City has a bank.
Treasure Valley Bank will
open a facilities branch today in
Idaho City in what had been the
Vigilante Inn building. Sally
Clark is the manager of the
branch, whose hours will be
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday
through Friday.
A facilities branch differs
from a regular branch only ir4.
that it does not have loan offi-
cers on hand or safe deposit;
boxes, said Wally Howard,
chairman of Treasure Valley.
Bancorp., the bank holding com-,
pany that owns the bank.
Loan applications are being -
accepted but are being pro-
cessed through Treasure Val-
.ley's Horseshoe Bend branch,
which is in charge of the Idaho
City branch, he said.
"The facilities tool is a good
tool for us," Howard said. "It,
lets us operate an office that
makes sense economically."
Treasure Valley plans to open a
second facilities branch in New.
Meadows in Adams County on
May 1. The office will be
operated through the bank's
McCall office.
Idaho City's first bank was a
vault in B.M. DuRell's store,
where miners and businessmen
kept their precious metals and
money.
In 1867, DuRell and Chris-
topher Moore started the First
National Bank of Idaho (now
Idaho First National Bank) and,
had an agency, or affiliate bank,
in Idaho City called the Boise
County Bank, which Moore
operated.
The bank operated until the.
early 20th century. It was sue=
ceeded by the Boise Basin Bank
in 1910, which moved to Horse-
shoe Bend in 1920 and failed in
.1929.
IdThaeho STATESIVIv A
Thursday, April 2, 1981
Boise County had no bank
until 1965, when InterMountain-
State Bank of Cascade, operated
by the Callendar family, estab-
lished a branch in Horseshoe
Bend.
Treasure Valley Bancorp.,'
formed by the Treasure Valley
State Bank of Fruitland, bought
InterMountain in February and
merged InterMountain and
Treasure Valley State Bank in
December.
At the end of 1980, Treasure,
Valley had about 84 employees,.
total assets of $63.53 million and
$54 million in deposits. The bank
earned $399,006, or 56 cents a
share of common stock, in 1980.
Treasure Valley has seven.
f.ilt-servwe branches in Fruit-
land, Caldwell, Nampa, Em-
mett, Horseshoe Bend, Cascade..
and McCall.
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PAYETTE LAKES4'
PROGRESSIVE CLUB
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Ida1w Yesterdays
Menus List
Fancy Food
By ARTHUR A. HART
Director,
Idaho Historical Museum
For anyone interested in
eating (and who isn't?), the
story of early restaurants
can be rather inspiring.
Not only are the menus of
considerable interest, since
they reveal to us the wide
availability of some rather
fancy foods we might not ex-
pect our forebears to have
enjoyed, but the prices seem
unbelievable to those of us
living in this age of inflation.
At any one of Boise's lead-
ing hotels in the 1860s it was
possible for the city's male
population, almost all with-
out the blessings of homes,
wives, and kitchens of their
own, to get three meals a
day for $12 to $14 a week.
These were located in
rather primitive wooden
structures for the most part,
but, as was typical of the
frontier, did not hesitate to
take the names of some of
the most elegant restaurants
in the world.
Boise had a Delmonlco, R.
Thomas, proprietor, as early
as January, 1867, and there
were other picturesque
names as well.
There was a Franklin
Chop House, a Fashion Chop
House, and Phil's Chop
House. Harry Gordon oper-
ated the Capital Restaurant
for several years "opposite
Lindsey's livery stable," and
perhaps most honestly
named of all was the Chal-
lenge Restaurant in the
"new brick building next
door to the National Bank."
This would have been on
the south side of Main next
to the present Salvation
Army store.
Oysters were among the
delicacies former residents
of the two coasts were deter-
mined to have, even in the
wilds of Idaho, and we find
mention in December, 1869,
of a shipment of Eastern
oysters arriving from Kel-
ton, Utah, packed in ice and
sawdust.
The first transcontinental
railroad, completed in May
of that year, had by Decem-
ber established Kelton as the
transfer point of freight for
Southwest Idaho.
There were many Chinese
restaurants here through the
years, and in 1891 a pioneer
Mexican resident, Jose
Gestal, opened his new res-
taurant in a handsome brick
and Iron building on Idaho
street.
"Spanish Joe" was a well-
known and popular Boisean,
and had erected his new
headquarters across the
street in the same block as
his former location at Eighth
and Idaho. The new city hall
would be built on that corner
soon after Gestal sold it.
A view of Idaho street tak-
en a few years later will ori-
ent readers to the location of
the Gestal building. The
Union Block, still standing,
was built next door to Span-
ish Joe's at the turn of the
century.
When the opening feast of
the new restaurant was held
in November, 1891, Gestal's
guests included Mayor
James Pinney, Rube Rob-
bins, Mr. and Mrs. Jesus Ur -
guides, and the architect of
the building, Walter S.
Campbell.
Those planning their
Thanksgiving menus early
may want to refer to this
spread available at The
Louvre Cafe in 1894:
Rockaway Oysters,
Salad
Chicken Mayonnaise, Celery,
Olives
Pacific Ocean Fish, Ber-
muda Potatoes
Boiled Eastern Ham in
Champagne Sauce, Veal
Tongue a la Creole
Chicken Fricasee a la Fran-
caise, Deviled Crab on the
Half Shell
Salmi Duck with Olives, Ba-
nana Fritters in Sherry Wine
Sauce
Roasts
Young Turkey with Dress-
ing, Cranberry Sauce. Suck-
ling Pig, Apple Sauce.
Venison, Currant Jelly.
Prime Roast Beef.
Vegetables
French Peas a la cream,
Sweet Corn, Mashed and
Boston Browned Potatoes,
Sweet Potatoes
Dessert
English Plum Pudding, hard
and brandy sauce. Vanilla
Ice Cream. Hot Mince Pie.
Lemon Meringue. Assorted
Cakes, nuts, fruits.
The price of this particular
feast is not given, but a simi-
lar spread advertised in 1899
at the Palace Restaurant
was available for 35 cents!
Only national banks were char-
tered and regulated before Idaho
became a state in 1890. In that
year, private banks could incorpo-
rate like any other businesses,
and call themselves State Banks.
Not until 1905, however, did Idaho
pass its first legislation regulating
banking operations.
Idaho's first national bank was
founded in Boise City in 1867. B.
M. DuReil and his partner, C. W.
Moore, had already been conduct-
ing banking transactions in their
mercantile houses in Boise (1864)
and Ruby City and Idaho City
(1865) by that time.
Lewiston had two national
banks, both established in 1883.
The First National Bank of
Ketchum, established in 1884,
therefore became Idaho's fourth
'national bank — a source of con-
siderable pride to a community
less than five years old.
The great Wood River mining
boom created the new towns of
Ketchum, Hailey, and Bellevue in
Idaho's first `national' banks
reflected early town rivalries
By ARTHUR HART
The First National Bank of
Ketchum was established in 1884.
Its handsome vault, Safe, grill
work and other furnishings can be
seen today at the Idaho Historical
Museum, carefully reconstructed
to bring a pioneer Idaho institu-
tion back to life.
Banking in early Idaho was a
highly competitive and risky busi-
ness. Private firms, often general
stores or assayers' offices, set
themselves up as banks, without
restriction or regulation.
Since gold dust was the com-
of exchange in
camps, people
wanting to -do siness by mail
needed sop+e kind of paper to
cover their trafNections.
Any local merchant with a
strong safe who had connections
or corr: ' ; kce with an estab-
lished San Francisco,
New Yo;'�-` some other finan-
cial center was able to go into the
banking b imess himself.
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a remarkably short time. It was
definitely a feather in Ketchum's
hat to get the first national bank
in the area, even though both of
the other towns had had private
banks from 1882 on.
The spirit of competition be-
tween towns is amusingly re-
vealed in an exchange between
the rival Wood River Times of
Hailey and the Ketchum Key-
stone in 1884.
Ketchum's new bank had just
began to circulate its first en-
graved bank notes when the
Times commented that they left
someting to be desired because
the signatures of bank officials
were illegible:
"But, as the- Times wishes to
help along every local enterprise,
the announcement is made that
the bills will be received at this of-
fice at 95 cents on the dollar in
payment for subscriptions or ad-
vertisements ...."
The Keystone responded by at-
tacking 'the gaul" (sic) of "the
snide ring organ" at Hailey for
even suggesting that the Ketchum
owners of the new bank every
had, or ever would advertise in
or subscribe to the times.
"When it becomes necessary
.. to associate with anything so
vile, they will probably consider
the necessity of being quaran-
tined until the business is over." -
Next month the Idaho Bankers
Association will celebrate its 75th
anniversary. The occasion is a
good time to recall the- colorful
,early days of one of Idaho's most
.important industries.
(Arthur Hart is director of the
[(litho Historical Society.)
Idaho Yesterdays
1875 Bank Panic
Crippled Fairview
By ARTHUR A. HART
Director,
. Idaho Historical Museum
The year 1875 was a fateful
one for the Owyhee mining
district, andespecially for
the town of Fairview high on
the side of War Eagle Moun-
tain.
Although a miners' union
had been active since 1867,
and had struck on several
previous occasions, the Fair-
view miners found them-
selves in a situation in 1875
which no local action could
remedy.
The district had kept going
largely through the ex-
ploitation of high-grade ore
near the surface, and from
new discoveries whenever
things showed signs of slow-
ing down. During many of
the best early years there
was a shortage of devel-
opment capital, especially
for working lower grade
ores.
Many mills keptgoing by
paying for development out
of current production — a
practice which often meant
that owners did the devel-
opment at the expense of
miners' back wages.
The failure of the Bank of
California on August 26, 1875,
was the signal for the end of
a major production era in
the Owyhee mines, although
few at Fairview, Silver City,
or Boise knew it at the time.
From the mement the
bank failure became known
in San Francisco, the ab-
sentee owners of many of
the mines on War Eagle
Mountain stopped sending
payrolls to Owyhee. In a
short time the miners were
desperate.
Editor Milton Kelly of The
Statesman described their
situation in these words:
"Winter stares them in the
face and only a faint hope
glimmers through the dim
light of financial relief.
Many of these men have
wives and children who
must be fed and clad from
the daily toil of the father.
"Others have board bills,
wash bills, store bills for
clothes, etc. pressing them
from week to week and their
only hope is their employer;
but these employers are
soulless corporations, lo-
cated in a foreign state.
Their sympathies with the
laborer are as cold as the
mountain storms ..."
Kelly went on to justify
the miners' banding together
into unions to fight for their
rights "until laws are made
for the protection of labor as
much as for the protection of
capital."
On October 1, the Fairview
Miners Union voted to stop
work until their back wages
had been paid. At a meeting
a few days later, violence
flared up over the exclusion
of one Peter Donnelly. In the
fist fight which followed, the
doorkeeper at the union hall
was stabbed.
On October 10, another
meeting passed a resolution
to prevent any work what-
ever from being done in the
mines, including the
pumping necessary to keep
them from flooding. Seven
mines were shut down com-
pletely.
The following day, October
11, 1875, a fire broke out
which wiped out most of the
town, including the Miners'
Union Hall.
Although responsibility for
starting the fire was never
pilaced, the union was •
Rattled for having shut
down the pumps, the conten-
tion being that the town
might have been saved if the
pumps had been running.
Noting that armed guards
had been placed at the
mines - to prevent anyone
from starting the machin-
ery, the report said "when
the Ellmore fills up with wa-
ter, it will flood the Golden
Chariot and the Oro Fino,
and prevent them from
being worked."
"Although the union voted
to allow the pumps to work
again, since the reopening of
the mines was their only
way out of a bad situation,
Fairview and the district
never really recovered from
the financial disaster in San
Francisco that was the real
root of the problem.
There was brave talk of
rebuilding the town, and
many of the miners did get
their back pay before the
month was out — but only by
accepting checks dated
three weeks later and by
agreeing to go back to work
at once. ,
Having little choice, most
went into the shafts and tun-
nels again. That not every-
one acquiesced is suggested
by the fact that an ano-
nymous threat was sent to
the superintendent of the
Oro Fino that his ill would
be burned, and tithe fact
that the roof was blown off
the mill of the Rising Star at
Flint.
But for Fairview, the end
was in sight. The War Eagle
mines,Trev recovered from
the' financial panic of the
seventies.
PAYET-C E LAKES
PROGRESSIVE CLUB
IDAHO YESTERDAYS
Boise Mill Pioneered
In Recycling Process
By ARTHUR A. HART
Director,
Idaho Historical Museum
Through many centuries
Idaho's Indians ground native
grains, seeds, berries, roots,
fish, and meat into flour for
winter use. These were often
pressed into cakes for easier
storage and carrying.
Strangely enough, Indians
could also be considered
Idaho's first millers by Eu-
ropean methods as well.
When Henry Harmon Spald-
ing established his mission on
Lapwai Creek in 1836, one of
his prime concerns was teach-
ing the Indians to farm. He
was convinced that it was
necessary to establishper-
manent agricultural commu-
nities where the Nez Perce
could settle around village
:.i
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churches as the early settlers
in New England had.
In that way, he felt, the mi-
gratory life of the Indians
would be replaced by a stable
one favoring religious instruc-
tion in church and school.
Spalding planned a grist
mill as early as 1839. The Nez
Perce did the construction
and the mill was made ready
to grind the Indian wheat
crop in 1841, thus becoming
Idaho's first.
Millstones from this historic
structure are today in the col-
lection of the Idaho Historical
Society, although the mill it-
self has long since decayed
and disappeared.
grist mill. Isaacs' War Eagle
Mills were located . south of
town on the other side of the
Boise River.
In those days, the main
channel ran just under the
bench where the railway
depot now stands. In addition
to his local business, Isaacs
U
r
had interests in Walla Walla
and imported all kinds of pro-
duce for resale.
Five miles down the river
from Boise Peter Moore ran a
mill as early as 1868. We
show a photograph of this mill
as it looked in the 1880s, with
its flume bringing in river
water diverted in what is now
Garden City and carried down
* * *
the .valley in a ditch several
miles long.
The stones of this mill have
recently been dug up and pre-
served, although the old wood-
en building has been gone for
a long time.
The Middleton Mills began
to grind for the first time
about Nov. 1, 1871. Another
'early operation active at this
time was the Cuddy and Tyne
Mill in the Upper Weiser dis-
trict, at what is now Cam-
bridge.
In. 1871 Cuddy and Tyne
were sending most of their
flour by pack train to War-
rens Diggins and Florence,
booming mining towns of the
time.
As yet, no wagon roads had
been built to either, but even
by donkey train, local flour
was cheaper than what could
be imported from outside the
Territory.
* * *
* * *
fie,•y: Fj.S
Cyrus Jacobs,; in dark hat to right of horses, was a pio
FILE
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PAYETTE LAKES
PRC('3iiESSIbE CLUB
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churches as the early settlers
in New England had.
In that way, he felt, the mi-
gratory life of the Indians
would be replaced by a stable
one favoring religious instruc-
tion in church and school.
Spalding planned a grist
mill as early as 1839. The Nez
Perce did the construction
and the mill was made ready
to grind the Indian wheat
crop in 1841, thus becoming
Idaho's first.
Millstones from this historic
structure are today in the col-
lection of the Idaho Historical
Society, although the mill it-
self has long since decayed
and disappeared.
The pioneer miller: in Boise
Valley was Cyrus Jacobs.
Jacobs was one of Boise
City's first merchants, and in
his remarkable series of en-
terprises demonstrated a
clear understanding of the
recycling of raw materials
and complete use of byprod-
ucts. Jacobs' grist mill was
on the east side of town, oper-
ating on water diverted from
the Boise River.
In addition to grinding grain
produced by local farmers
and supplying the local mar-
ket for flour, Jacobs opened a
distillery.
The mash used in producing
"Jacobs' Best" rye whisky
was recycled into hog -fatten-
ing. In 1868 it was reported
that he was feeding 500 hogs
in his yards and producing
hams and bacons second to
none.
T h e renderings from
Jacobs' packing plant were
also recycled, becoming the
raw material for the manu-
facture of soap and candles.
Here too, Cy Jacobs took ad-
vantage of the fact that home
products could compete favor-
ably with high-priced imports,
their costs pushed up by
freight rates.
Jacobs' mill had a capacity
of 150 to 200 sacks of flour per
day in 1868, and he had in
storage more than 100 tons.
His distillery, meanwhile,
was producing 100 gallons of I
raw .whisky daily. In Febru-
ary, 1869, he had 8,000 gallons
in his warehouse, averaging
48 proof.
H. P. Isaacs was Jacobs'
chief competitor, operating a
distillery also, along with his
al*l * cameo clown Territory.
Peter Moore's mill uas one of the earliest in Idaho
AA
Ax
I.-. °
PAYETTE LAKES
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3.
DAYS
11 Pioneered
l�Process
s' War Eagle
ded south of
.er side of the
s, the main
st under the
the railway
s. In addition
>iness, Isaacs
—Ti
Walla Walla
kinds of pro-
wn the river
• Moore ran a
as 1868. We
ph of this mill
he 1880s, with
ng in river
what is now
carried down
the valley in a ditch several
miles long.
The stones of this mill have
recently been dug up and pre-
served, although the old wood-
en building has been gone for
a long time.
The Middleton Mills began
to grind for the first time
about Nov. 1, 1871. Another
• early operation active at this
time was the Cuddy and Tyne
Mill in the Upper Weiser dis-
trict, at what is now Cam-
bridge.
In 1871 Cuddy and Tyne
were sending most of their
flour by pack train to War-
rens Diggins and Florence,
booming mining towns of the
time.
As yet, no wagon roads had
been built to either, but even
by donkey train, local flour
was cheaper than what could
be imported from outside the
Territory.
* * *
* * *
Cyrus Jacobs,,in dark hat to right of horses, was a pioneer recycler of raw materials
FILE
PAYETTE LAKES
PROGRESSIVE CLUB
Z
Van Wyck Letter — On last
Thursday Robert Moore and Mr.
Hite had trouble, but as they did
not seem inclined to talk we could
not get the facts. As far as we
could learn, Hite struck Moore on
the head with a snowshoe pole,
andalso drew a knife on him.
Moore retreated to his cabin,
picked up his rifle and shot Hite.
The ball passed through the right
side, making a severe but not dan-
gerous wound. Moore surrendered
to Justice Dukes. Snow is about
20 inches deep on the level but the
hills are bare in spots.
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M I N E R S K I L L E D 1
A T S I L V E R C I T Y
B l a s t I n T r a d e D o l l a r
C l a i m s L i v e s O f T w o ;
C h i c a g o H a s R o w
( 4 0 y e a r s a g o i n t h e S t a t e s m a n )
T r a d e D o l l a r M i n e , S i l v e r C i t y ,
I d a . ( S p e c i a l ) A t e r r i b l e a c c i d e n t
o c c u r r e d i n t h e F l o r i d a m o u n t a i n
t u n n e l a t 1 0 o ' c l o c k t h i s m o r n -
i n g . A s a r e s u l t t w o m e n a r e d e a d .
O n e v e r y s e v e r e l y i n j u r e d a n d
o n e l e s s s e r i o u s l y h u r t . T w o
o t h e r s w e r e b a d l y s t u n n e d .
T h e d e a d a r e : D a n J o y c e , A s h e r
J e s s i e . T h e i n j u r e d a r e A n d y
D a v i s , J o e N e l s o n .
T o m D o w n e y a n d J a c k S m i t h
w e r e s t u n n e d b y t h e c o n c u s s i o n
o f t h e e x p l o s i o n a n d c a u s e d t h e
d e a t h a n d i n j u r y o f o t h e r s b u t ;
t h e y w i l l b e a b l e t o b e o u t t o -
m o r r o w .
T h e a c c i d e n t w a s c a u s e d b y
d r i l l i n g i n t o a m i s s e d h o l e t h a t
h a d b e e n l o a d e d b y t h e p r e v i o u s
s h i f t . T h e s h i f t t h a t w e n t o n a t
1 1 o ' c l o c k l a s t n i g h t p u t i n 1 4
h o l e s . T h e s e w e r e f i r e d a t 6
o ' c l o c k t h i s m o r n i n g . I n c o u n t i n g
t h e s h o t s t h e m e n f o u n d t w o
h o l e s a p p a r e n t l y h a d m i s s e d , b u t
i t s e e m s t h a t t w o s h o t s m u s t h a v e
g o n e o f f t o g e t h e r , a s i t w a s a f t e r -
w a r d d e t e r m i n e d t h a t o n l y o n e
c h a r g e h a d f a i l e d t o e x p l o d e .
T h e s h i f t i n l e a v i n g w o r k n o t i -
f i e d t h e m e n g o i n g i n t o t a k e
t h e i r p l a c e s t h a t o n l y o n e h o l e
h a d m i s s e d . T h e n e w s h i f t w a s
a l s o n o t i f i e d b y b o t h s h i f t b o s s e s .
W h e n t h e s e m e n o f t h e 7 o ' c l o c k
s h i f t g o t t o t h e f a c e t h e y m a d e a n
e x a m i n a t i o n w h i c h d i s c l o s e d t h e
f a c t t h a t o n l y o n e h o l e h a d m i s s -
e d , t h e r i g h t c e n t e r c u t h o l e .
T h e m e n s e t u p t h e i r m a c h i n e s .
h o w e v e r , a n d w e n t t o w o r k . H o w
Star -News News Groups Page Page 1 of 1
Phew far The SY..Nma by Gery Fnc
IDAHO GIVES GIVEAWAY -Anna Morgan, 6, of
McCall, pulls a raffle ticket from a jar during a
celebration of Idaho Gives day last Thursday at
Southside Grill in McCall. Holding the jar are Jen
Dummar with an asset from Lucy Sylvester, 2.
Looking on, right, is Iris Patton, 7. A total of Soy
donors gave $33A19 to 2010c111 nonprofit
organizations registered with Idaho Gives, a one -
day statewide drive for online donations.
http://www.mccallstarnews.com/pages/groups_page.php 5/12/2016