HomeMy Public PortalAboutIdaho Territory: History and Politicsi5 (.3
One Hundred Guns for Idaho
The eagle is at the scream.
The century's at the turn. The
beard is at the itch, and the cen-
tennial drum
at the thump.
This is the big ;!`: .
day. Give or
take a
hours, I d a h o `»
Territory is 100';
years old March:;;.` ?>
3. In another::::::':
sense, we are
where we start -
ed M a r c h
1863. There
no Territory of:"...:-:
Idaho then and Dick d'Easum
there is none today. Change
and destiny being what they are,
the sprawling territory— bigger
than Texas — created by the Con-
gress and Abraham Lincoln has
emerged from the pupa and
been a State since 1890. The Ter-
ritory is no more. Memories lin-
ger.
Scarcely anyone still alive can
remember when the Territory
was started. People of mature
years in 1863 didn't have much
on their grandsons of today.
They didn't know much about
what was going on at the begin-
ning. A few who had an inkling
because they were in high places
were as confused as the average
citizen. A political division that
started with the name of Mon-
tana and was given certain
boundaries suddenly blossomed
out as Idaho with quite a dif-
ferent set of geography.
The word was long in com-
ing to the West. One of the
earliest reports was in the Port-
land Oregonian. "Our telegra-
phic dispatches this morning
are full of interesting items,"
said the Webfoot thunderer
March 10. "The organization of
the new Territory of Idaho com-
prised of portions of Washing-
ton and Utah will gratify some
of its citizens while others will
be smitten with intense disgust.
We hope its officers will be hon-
est and sensible men —not se-
lected as has often been the
case merely for political reasons
among the hangers-on about the
White House, but from the qual-
ified citizens, if ' possible, of the
territory itself."
Another bit in the same edi-
tion repeated the tidings thus:
"Wash. March 4 —The bill or-
ganizing the Territory of Mon-
tana, changing the name to Ida-
ho and changing the boundary
line passed. The bill for admis-
sion of Colorado and Nevada
Territories as States was also
passed. The House concurred in
the amendments to the bill es-
tablishing a Territorial govern-
ment for Idaho."
The Washington Standard at
Olympia got the news March 14.
"At last we may congratulate
our people," the Standard said,
that a division of our terri-
tory has been effected. The new
Territory of Idaho has been
created, including and surround-
ing the Salmon River gold
mines. Most of the hardships
By Dick d'Easum
could even dream of capital
buildings.
The Golden Age of Lewiston
waxed optimistic. The Washing-
ton Statesman of Walla Walla
poured shot on Lewiston, scof-
fing that camp's ambitions. The
Walla Walla paper not only
raked Lewiston for its territori-
al aspirations but poked fun
at reports from Lewiston that
the town on the Clearwater was
the logical jumping off place
for the mines of Boise Basin
which were then the promised
land for a population tide.
At Boise there was no pub-
lished reaction whatever. There
wasn't any Boise. The town was
not started until July. There
were no papers in March, no
stores, no regular communica-
tion. Only a few settlers inhab-
ited the flat. The metropolis of
the South was Idaho City and
its suburbs. Boise Basin had
more people than any other part
of Washington or Idaho terri-
tory. It looked confidently to
becoming the s e at of govern-
ment at an early day.
All contemporary papers de-
voted a great deal more space
to Indian depredations in Ida-
ho than they did to the politi-
cal fandango. Territories could
come and go, but the safety of
miners was a vital concern. The
Oregonian noted early in March
— before the Territorial news —
that a military post was to be
established near Fort Boise,
manned by troops from Fort
Walla Walla.
Public anxiety over the qual-
ity of Territorial officers was
well founded. Experience was a
valuable teacher. Some of the
gentlemen foisted on the West
were incompetent or worse. Ida-
ho drew several excellent men
and • a passel of rascals. The
first Governor, William H. Wal-
lace of Steilacoom, Wash., is
generally regarded as an able
man. He started the wheels of
government turning with a min-
imum of nonsense. He chose
Lewiston as the temporary cap-
ital, and during his brief term
laid the foundation for orderly
procedure that survived in spite
of appalling chicanery by later
officers. Caleb Lyon, the second
Governor, made off with $46,000
in Indian funds. Horace Gilson,
a sometime acting Governor
and Governor, skipped to Hong
Kong with $41,000. Several oth-
ers of lesser rank added t h e i r
portion of financial turpitude.
During the 1863.1864 session
of the Legislature at Lewiston
a bill passed the House fixing
the permanent capital at Boise.
It was too late to get through
the Council. The same Legisla-
ture, incidentally, turned down
the Rev. H. H. Spalding for
Council chaplain.
In December, 1864, the sec -
ond Legislature established the
capital at Boise. "The capital
buildings," the act said, "are
hereby located on the grounds
known in and described on the
plat of said Boise City as the
Capital Square." Caleb Lyon, C.
with Boise City as the seat.
Governor Wallace had been de-
feated for Congress. Lewiston
had lost an attempt to create
a brand new territory. And In-
dians were still raising old Nick
with settlers.
A parade of Territorial Gov-
ernors passed in and out of
Boise. Some of the appointees
did not show up at all, which
was regarded as a good thing in
some quarters because they
couldn't steal anything.
There was more thin than
thick in the struggle to launch
the Territory. There was stami-
na and courage, however. The
Territory survived to put 100
candles on its birthday cake
and laugh at its detractors.
w=3 irgarrea. ,2,ewie of mmru e@ "°- -m -..— .e. –.4,, st- --
years in 1863 didn't have much ment at an early day.
on their grandsons of today. All contemporary papers de-
They didn't know much about voted a great deal more space
what was going on at the begin- to Indian depredations in Ida -
ning. A few who had an inkling ho than they did to the politi-
because they were in high places cal fandango. Territories could
were as confused as the average come and go, but the safety of
citizen. A political division that miners was a vital concern. The
started with the name of Mon. Oregonian noted early in March
tana and was given certain — before the Territorial news —
boundaries suddenly blossomed that a military post was to be
established near Fort Boise,
out as Idaho with quite a dif-
ferent set of geography. manned by troops from Fort
The word was long in com- Walla Walla.
ing to the West. One of the Public anxiety over the qual-
earliest reports was in the Port- ity of Territorial officers was
land Oregonian. "Our telegra. well founded. Experience was a
phic dispatches this morning valuable teacher. Some of the
are full of interesting items;' gentlemen foisted on the West
said the Webfoot thunderer were incompetent or worse. Ida -
March 10. "The organization of ho drew several excellent men
the new Territory of Idaho com- and a passel of rascals. The
prised of portions of Washing- first Governor, William as ., is
ton and Utah will gratify some lace al Ste garded Wash., is
of its citizens while others will generally regarded as a able
be smitten with intense disgust. man: He started the wheels of
a its officers will be hon- imam of turning with a min -
We hope imum of nonsense. He chose
est and sensible men —not se- Lewiston as the temporary cap -
lected as has often been the ital, and during his brief term
case merely for political reasons laid the foundation for orderly
among the hangers -on about the procedure that survived in spite
White House, but from the qual- of appalling chicanery by later
ified citizens, if possible, of the officers. Caleb Lyon, the second
territory itself." Governor, made off with $46,000
Another bit in the same edi- in Indian funds. Horace Gilson,
tion repeated the tidings thus: a sometime acting Governor
"Wash. March 4 —The bill or- and Governor, skipped to Hong
ganizing the Territory of Mon- Kong with $41,000. Several oth-
tana, changing the name to Ida- ers of lesser rank added t h e i r
ho and changing the boundary portion of financial turpitude.
line passed. The bill for admis- During the 1863 -1864 session
sion of Colorado and Nevada of the Legislature at Lewiston
Territories as States was also a bill passed the House fixing
passed. The House concurred in the permanent capital at Boise.
the amendments to the bill es- It was too late to get through
tablishing a Territorial govern- the Council. The same Legisla-
ment for Idaho." ture, incidentally, turned down
The Washington Standard at the Rev. H. H. Spalding for
Olympia got the news March 14. Council chaplain.
"At last we may congratulate In December, 1864, the sec -
our people," the Standard said, and Legislature established the
that a division of our terri- capital at Boise. "The capital
tory has been effected. The new buildings," the act said "are
Territory of Idaho has been hereby located on the grounds
created, including and surround- known in and described on the
ing the Salmon River gold plat of said Boise City as the
mines. Most of the hardships Capital Square." Caleb Lyon, C.
complained of while we re- W. Waite, and J. M. Cannady
meamed intact will be over - were appointed commissioners
come and each territory will to receive the deed.
embrace about an equal area. Passing the bill and transfer-
The interests of Idaho will cen- ring the capital were two dif-
ter on mining while those of ferent things. Lewiston resisted
Washington will be founded on vigorously. A suit was f i i e d
agricultural pursuits and com- against removal on grounds
merce. We believe the prospects that the Legislature was irreg-
of both sections is now a fixed ular. A court at Lewiston up-
fact, and if we remain exempt held the claim. Boise interests
from the ravages of war on our appealed to the Supreme Court.
own shores we can look to No judicial proceedings could
the future with confident hope. be taken, however, because the
"If the new territory has the Supreme Court had nowhere to
proper sort of men selected for sit. Things were at sixes and
her officers from her own resi- sevens.
dents we doubt not but that Finally, in the middle of
general satisfaction will ensue. April, 1865, the Territorial Sec -
It will not be long before Idaho retary took the necessary docu-
will be knocking for admission ments from Lewiston with as-
into the union of states. Success sistance of the U. S. Marshal.
we say to the new Territory The Idaho World chortled: "The
of Idaho." capital has arrived at Boise un-
A few days later, Lewiston der the charge of Secretary
fired 100 guns. When the sound Smith. Lewiston is disconsolate
died away there were grave and like Rachel of old weeps for
doubts why. There was no au- her children but she will know
thentic report of the boundaries. the capital no more forever."
Perhaps Lewiston was not in Governor Lyon returned to
Idaho. Perhaps Walla Walla Idaho from a long "vacation."
was. It gave pause. When the (That was before he grabbed
boundaries were known Walla the Indian boodle.) The Su-
Walla was out. And to and be- preme Court met and presently
hold, so was Lewiston. It was a resolved the capital issue in fa-
sticky business. The area of vor of Boise.
Lewiston belonged to the In- By that time Lincoln was as-
dians. Although the lines of sassinated. Jefferson Davis was
Idaho included that section a captured. Idaho City was in ash -
treaty had to be negotiated with es. Ada County was created
the Nez Perce before Lewiston from a portion of Boise County
�� : ` ����r / ` l G < < : / T D � ' S " ��' l - / ����3 5 1 ' f ' l I G l Y ( - �� ��? ����6 y "
T A M A R A C K , A P P A R E N T L Y
n a m e d f o r t h e s t a t e l y t r e e , i s l o -
c a t e d o n t h e L i t t l e W e i s e r R i v e r a t
t h e m o u t h o f b e a u t i f u l P r i c e V a l l e y .
I t w a s o n e o f t h e o r i g i n a l s t a t i o n s
o f t h e P & I N r a i l r o a d a n d h a s b e e n
a n i m p o r t a n t l o g g i n g c o m m u n i t y f o r
m a n y y e a r s .
T h e P r i c e V a l l e y L u m b e r C o m -
p a n y ' s m i l l a n d w o o d s o p e r a t i o n p r o -
v i d e s t h e p a y r o l l f o r t h e c o m m u n i t y .
M a n y o f t h e w o r k e r s l i v e a n d s h o p
a t N e w M e a d o w s , e i g h t m i l e s t o t h e
n o r t h e a s t o n H i g h w a y 9 5 . T a m a r a c k
a n d P r i c e V a l l e y a r e f a v o r i t e s f o r
s u m m e r v i s i t o r s b u t o n l y t h e h a r d y
o n e s e n j o y t h e w i n t e r w h e n r e c o r d s
a r e e s t a b l i s h e d i n s n o w f a l l a n d s u b -
z e r o t h e r m o m e t e r r e a d i n g s .
7rriaAy Ty=WS T znVer (Sity
The West's forgotten corner, known as Owyhee Country, is
taking its rightful place in the annals of printed history.
"Owyhee Trails," written by Mike Hanley with Ellis Lucia
and published by Caxton Printers, Ltd. of Caldwell, has
been awarded the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Western
Heritage Award for the best local history non - fiction book.
"Incredible Idaho" deems it a privilege to offer its readers a
sampling of the book, reproducing verbatim a portion of
the chapter "Frisky Times in Silver City."
On Tuesday , last, one Morgan
had his pocketbook stolen with a con-
siderable amount of greenbacks in it.
He claims that a man by the name of
Coleman took it. Our town is infested
with quite a number of light - fingered
gents who ought to be presented with
a ticket to leave or a pick and shovel
and started for the mines."
And Corporal Hillery of the First
Oregon Infantry also recorded the sit-
uation in reporting an 1866 visit of
Sheriff Stanford to Camp Lyon:
Time takes its toll at Silver City
(Color by Duane Davis)
"The sheriff from Ruby came over
to get some of the men who `went
through' the `whisky mill' up the
creek sometime ago, but he did not
find anyone he could get hold of."
Thievery, brutal beatings, murder,
and other crimes of violence ran
rampant throughout the region. The
miners feared mostly the notorious
Nevada Gang which preyed on all the
others and operated similar to the
famed Plummer Gang up in Alder
Gulch, Montana. The story was of
parallel pattern from camp to camp.
Miners trying to leave with their
pokes were killed and robbed by the
road agents, whom they feared more
than the Indians. It took a particu-
larly brutal slaying of a well -liked
man to arouse the ire of the miners
sufficiently to do something about it.
That occurred when Lloyd Magruder,
a widely known freighter, was trans-
porting supplies from Lewiston, Idaho,
to Virginia City, Montana. Magruder
was returning from Alder Gulch with
thirty thousand dollars in gold dust
when he and his traveling companions
were killed, along with their pack
train of some forty fine animals. Tho
goods were plundered, and everything
dumped into a ravine.
INCREDIBLE IDAHO five
Hill Beachy, who would establish a
major stagecoach line in the Boise
Basin and through Silver City and
Jordan Valley, was operating a stable
at Lewiston, from which Magruder
checked out his pack animals. Beachy
performed a magnificent feat of detec-
tion when his suspicions were aroused
that Magruder might have met with
foul play. Beachy tracked the killers
to San Francisco and brought them to
justice. He also brought back a plan
for ridding the Pacific Northwest of
its toughs, based on the San Francisco
vigilante movement. Others were think-
ing along the same lines, including
William J. McConnell of the Boise
Basin. The result was a regional move-
ment in 1866 of a secret society
called the Northwest Vigilantes which
cleaned up the country from Jackson-
ville, Oregon, to Alder Gulch by run-
ning out the toughs and decorating
the trees, rafters, and bridges with
cutthroats and killers.
Just what the population of the
Owyhees was during those rough and
tumble years has never been com-
pletely determined, but the "Queen
City" alone reached around ten thou-
sand. And there were many smaller
camps scattered across the mountains
and down the gulch toward Jordan
six
Valley. When the miners emerged
from their holes and headed for town,
they were like the loggers of the tim-
ber camps, eager to let off steam.
Silver City had innumerable saloons
and deadfalls, gambling joints and
traps, geared to separate the miner
from his treasure. There were said to
be eighteen houses of prostitution
operating at one time in Silver City.
The red light district stretched along
Jordan Street in the vicinity of Long
Gulch Creek. Among them were
Stella's, Mother Nack's, Maude, and
Georgie's. After loading up on rotgut
whisky and having a few dances at
the hurdy gurdies, the celebrating
miners headed for Jordan Street. But
love wasn't all they found there:
shootings and death often occurred.
Noted the Nugget:
"On Tuesday evening in a house of
ill fame at Silver City, an unpleasant-
ness occurred during which a shoulder
stricker for the shop, a Finlander
named Peterson, shot Herb Davis
through the arm. An examination
resulted in the exoneration of the
shooter."
The saloon proprietors, aware of
the keen competition from other
deadfalls, bent every effort to keep
their customers pleased and interested.
Ghost town of the Owyhees
Dance hall girls were organized into
traveling troupes which went from one
mining camp to another in the West,
luring great crowds of lonely men
who cfaved the company of a woman.
Many of these strumpets were hardy
Germans, called " Hurdy Gurdy Girls."
The price was fifty cents a dance and
fifty cents for the lady's drink, which
was the color of whisky but in reality
merely tea.
Despite the price — plenty high for
the time — and the risk the miners
ran of having their pokes lifted, the
men loved the diversion which became
a part of mining camp life from
Central City and Tombstone to the
Klondike. One miner expressed his
good feelings in song:
Bonnie are the hurdies!
The German hurdy - gurdies!
The daftest hour that e'er I spent
Was dancing with the hurdies O!
True romance developed sometimes,
and the girl would marry her suitor
when her dance hall contract expired.
Her "take" from the hall was never
very large, except what she could
make or steal on the side, but the
establishments made it big. The
Avalanche noted:
"We have it on good authority that
one hurdy shebang shipped $8,000 as
INCREDIBLE IDAHO
net proceeds of its July business. As
the bar gets one -half, it makes in all
over $16,000 in one month. Thus it
will be seen that these leeches corral
more cash than most quartz mills."
Occasionally traveling troupes of
show people arrived in Silver City,
giving the camp the treat of more
refined entertainment. One of these
was John Kelly, a famous violinist of
his time who had as an assistant a
small Paiute boy, the lone survivor of
a battle along the Malheur River. In
1865 they performed at Ruby City
and it was said of Kelly that "as an
artist with a bow, he had no equal."
Word was passed from camp to camp,
and the night Kelly played at the
Magnolia Saloon, the place was
jammed with lonely men. His selec-
tions reminded them of far -off fire-
sides and of their childhoods, and
brought tears to their eyes. When
Kelly was finished, the men cheered
long and loud, and drank a toast to
him. But then atmosphere quickly
changed as they returned to the gam-
INCREDIBLE IDAHO
4 , rk
e aL
{
_ f
bling tables and the fair but frail.
There were other diversions, some
of them refined and uplifting. The
Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges had
their meetings and social activities.
The first Knights of Pythias lodge in
Idaho was organized in the Owyhecs.
And the "Owyhee Boys" were chal-
lenging anyone in the territory to a
"snow shoe" or ski race for a purse
of between one thousand and two
thousand dollars.
"We understand that parties have
made it from the top of Florida
Mountain to Ruby in twenty -eight
seconds," commented the Avalanche.
Certainly the Owyhees were a place
that "needed saving," attracting many
circuit riders and Catholic missionary
priests. The Avalanche took note, in
good humor, of the "ungodliness" of
Silver City, and that the spiritual and
moral condition of the wild camps
was something of an institution in
itself. Reported the newspaper:
"Last Sunday was an unusually
lively day for Silver — boss packers,
t
M
Mike Hanley views ancient insciiptiore
(Courtesy of Caxton Printers, Ltd.)
bullwhackers, etc., acted as if they
hadn't had anything to drink but
Snake River for two months."
The first church constructed in
Silver City was St. Andrews in 1869,
built near the Morning Star Mine. It
was later torn down as being too far
removed from the residential part of
town. In 1882 the Graham Building
was purchased from the Regan
Brothers and converted into the
Church of Our Lady of Tears. Father
Nattini was instrumental in installing a
bell in the steeple. When the editor
of the Avalanche heard about it, he
was inspired to write:
"We'uns of Silver City feel quite
civilized when we hear the church bell
which, thanks to the energy of Father
Nattini, now peals forth in clear, ring-
ing tones, calling people to worship.
Just wait now till the new fire engine
arrives, and we guess Boise City won't
put on so many frills, and call us
`that little one -horse mining camp over
in the snowdrifts'." •
seven
Silver City picture
MCCALL — Special guest speakers at the In-
termountain Historical and Genealogical Society's
December 7th meeting were Salmon River pioneers
Stuart Aitken and John Carrey, at right, welcomed
by club officers Alice Dunlap and Frank Fry.
Past unfolded by ioneers
p
by Linda Hansen
MCCALL —John Carrey and
Stewart Aitken provided insights
into another era, troubled by In-
dians, and the problems of settling
a wild land, when they were guests
of the Intermountain Historical
and Genealogical Society last
Thursday evening. For young and
old alike, the two long -time
residents presented a nostalgic
return to "the good old days" of
Warren and Riggins.
Approximately 50 people listened
to Mr. Carrey's description of Jim
Warren as a roving, "gambler -
type" who joined other prospectors
in 1862 to take part in the Florence
Gold Rush. But Jim's independent
nature forced him to break away
and strike out alone through the
Secesh Meadows where he found
gold in great quantities. Delighted
with his discovery, Mr. Warren
refur►ied to Florence where 'he
interested 15 other prospectors and
the "Warren rush" was on.
John Carrey's description of
Warren's early days included such
interesting names as "George
Hearst" and "Three- Fingered
Smith." Hearst, brother of famous
newspaperman, William Randolph
Hearst, gave the Warren area new
life in 1870 when gold was dwin-
dling. He began mining quartz and
brought in Chinese people to work
the mines. He also financed the
famous "Unity" mine. In the very
early days of quartz and placer -
mining, "Three- Fingered Smith
was a partner in building the first
structures where Warren is now.
Stewart Aitken's story of Riggins
was almost as interesting as Mr.
Aitken's own life. His family
traveled by covered wagon from
Oregon in 1903 to homestead in the
Riggins area and he still lives on
the ori'ginai homestead. His father
furnished meat to the men working
the flourishing Pollock mines and
provided fruit to McCall and
Meadows. Mr. Aitken surprised
some listeners when her related
that the Riggins - McCall trip took
five days!
Mr. '!ten's "Riggins story"
began with Mike Daisy who
"discovered" Riggins in 1863 when
he placer -mined where the butcher
shop stands now. Interesting
highlight of Daisy's life - he traded
his claim for a watch and two
horses!
Riggins got its name in 1902 when
R.L. Riggins moved there. With
the establishment of a hotel, livery
barn, blacksmith shop, and saloon,
Riggins became a developed area.
One interested and interesting
member of the audience, Herman
Blackwell, remembered those
early days very well. He drove the
stage to Riggins in 1906.
Tall tales
spurred
settlement
of Idaho
By ROBYN C. WALKER
U.P. International
Robert E. Strahorn once claimed he convinced a
delegation of Easterners to homestead on alkali
flats, which later became the southern Idaho town
of Caldwell, by placing a forest of cut Christmas
trees in the hard desert soil.
Whether that claim be fact or fancy, Strahorn
became a millionaire writing books and newspaper
articles promoting the wonders of the West —not
always accurately — as an employee of the Union
Pacific Railroad in the late 1800s.
Strahorn enjoyed a good measure of success in
portraying Idaho as a paradise, but his wife, Carrie
Adell Strahorn, later undid much of his work in a
book of her own. While Strahorn was praising
"Luxuriant
crops,
emerald or
golden,
trees
blossom and
perfume -
laden...
mountains
ribbed with
royal
metals"
Idaho's healthy climate, his wife was making notes
about the bug - infested eastern portions of the state.
This year and next, centennial celebrations will
be held in a dozen Idaho communities, some now
only ghost towns, but all owing a part of their past
to Strahorn's efforts to set up towns along the UP's
Oregon Shortline.
Strahom will get no special recognition in
centennial festivities ranging from parades,
pageants and ice cream socials to rodeos, fiddlers'
contests and buffalo barbecues in such Shortline
towns as Pocatello, Mountain Home, Shoshone,
American Falls, Caldwell, Payette and Weiser.
The Oregon Shortline was begun in 1882 to give
Union Pacific's Midwest markets a connection to
the West Coast, said Dr. Merle Wells, Idaho state
historical preservation officer.
Originally, UP officials wanted to begin the line in
Utah's Deseret Territory, but the Southern Pacific
Railroad held that land and refused to sell rights to
the UP, Wells said.
If the route from Utah had been granted, many
small southern Idaho communities may never have
existed, he said. Instead, the UP started building
the line at Granger, Wyo. A railroad crew also
began laying track at Portland and the two crews
were scheduled to meet near the Idaho-Oregon
border in 1883.
But the Portland crew fell behind schedule and, in
an effort to delay the date of the appointed meeting
at Huntington, Ore., the Wyoming crew built a spur
to Halley from the divisional point at Shoshone.
According to Mrs. Strahorn's book published in
1911, Union Pacific hired her husband in 1877 to
establish a literary bureau and advertising
department to promote settlement in the West.
In the book, Mrs. Strahorn described her
adventures with her husband as they visited Idaho
"gathering statistics which Pard (her husband)
wove into entertaining narrative, clothing it in an
attractive garb that it -might coquette (sic) with
restless spirits in the East who were waiting for an
enchantress to lure them to t
West."
At the direction of the 11th
Legislature, Strahorn publist
the Gem State in 1881. He als
columns for several eastern 1
to lure immigrants to the We
In his appeal to travelers a
said Idaho's "bright warm d,
cheerful and hopeful feeling,
overcoming disease, while th
productive of a sound, invigo
However, Mrs. Strahorn's i
from her husband's. She desc
Pocatello now stands as the'
ground of mosquitoes. Emplc
netting around their heads d.,
any peace."
In contrast to the alkali de.,
Strahorn's sight upon his first
that was to become Caldwell
would encounter in the "mi&
plains luxuriant crops, emer.
blossom and perfume- laden,
with their lavish fruitage. "
In an appeal to those seekii
untamed land, Strahorn's prc
exaggeration, saying "Idaho'
with royal metals, alternatin;
gulches, rich in golden nugge
large as that of a first -class e
Despite Strahorn's obvious
a more gentile immigrant. ur
peopled the infant towns.
Mrs. Strahorn wrote of Sho
to call the roughest and tougt
had been my lot to see, and I
when any time had to be spen
"Ten and 15 arrests per dad
there was no other jail but a t
guards placed around the holy
the streets almost every hour
ite, his wife was making notes
d eastern portions of the state.
centennial celebrations will
rho communities, some now
all owing a part of their past
to set up towns along the UP's
special recognition in
ranging from parades,
im socials to rodeos, fiddlers'
barbecues in such Shortline
Qountain Home, Shoshone,
lwell, Payette and Weiser.
ne was begun in 1882 to give
rest markets a connection to
Dr. Merle Wells, Idaho state
)n officer.
eials wanted to begin the line in
itory, but the Southern Pacific
nd and refused to sell rights to
Itah had been granted, many
o communities may never have
ead, the UP started building
Wyo. A railroad crew also
t Portland and the two crews
eet near the Idaho-Oregon
rew fell behind schedule and, in
date of the appointed meeting
the Wyoming crew built a spur
ivisional point at Shoshone.
Strahom's book published in
sired her husband in 1877 to
Bureau and advertising
ote settlement in the West.
>trahorn described her
husband as they visited Idaho
which Pard (her husband)
ng narrative, clothing it in an
it might coquette (sic) with
Fa%*L-who were waiting for an
enchantress to lure them to the great myst&Jbft
West."
At the direction of the 11th session of the Idaho
Legislature, Strahorn published a book promoting
the Gem State in 1881. He also wrote articles and
columns for several eastern newspapers in an effort
to lure immigrants to the West.
In his appeal to travelers and settlers, Strahorn
said Idaho's "bright warm days are conducive to a
cheerful and hopeful feeling which is a great aid in
overcoming disease, while the cool nights are
productive of a sound, invigorating sleep."
However, Mrs. Strahorn's descriptions varied
from her husband's. She described the site where
Pocatello now stands as the "veritable breeding
ground of mosquitoes. Employees had to wear
netting around their heads day and night to have
any peace."
In contrast to the alkali desert that assaulted
Strahom's sight upon his first visit to the flatland
that was to become Caldwell, he claimed travelers
would encounter in the "midst of these (Idaho's)
plains luxuriant crops, emerald or golden, trees
blossom and perfume- laden, or bending to earth
with their lavish fruitage. "
In an appeal to those seeking riches in the
untamed land, Strahorn's prose again turned to
exaggeration, saying "Idaho's mountains, ribbed
with royal metals, alternating with her sequestered
gulches, rich in golden nuggets, cover an area as
large as that of a first -class eastern state."
Despite Strahorn's obvious intentions of drawing
a more gentile immigrant, unruly crowds often
peopled the infant towns.
Mrs. Strahorn wrote of Shoshone that "it seemed
to call the roughest and toughest elements that it
had been my lot to see, and I was ever in terror
when any time had to be spent there.
"Ten and 15 arrests per day were common and
there was no other jail but a hole in the ground, with
guards placed around the hole. There was a fight in
the streets almost every hour of the day and night.
"Bad whisky was unlimited, dance halls were on
every corner, guns were fired at all hours and the
loud time from the gambling dens was ever
vibrating through the air."
Shoshone is now a sleepy town of about 1,000.
With the demise of the railroad, it and other Idaho
communities turned to industry and agriculture for
their livelihoods.
But all the communities celebrating their
centennials this year owe their birth to the energies
of a nearly forgotten Midwesterner who touted
their state as a "practical Eden."
Now, a century later, Idaho has a new program
under way, placing advertisements in major
magazines nationwide, to promote the true scenic
beauty and recreational opportunities of a civilized
Gem State.
"Bad whisky
was
unlimited,
dance halls
were on
every
corner, guns
were fired at
all hours"
1576
In The
Statesman
GOVERNOR BENNETT
and lady left by this morn-
ing's overland stage for their
old home at Richmond, In-
diana. As soon as the Gov-
ernor settles up some busi-
ness at Richmond he will
proceed to Washington toam-
ine the Testimony in his con-
tested election case with S.
S. Fenn. He will then be able
to determine what course to
pursue. Should the testimony
be against him he will give it
up and return to our Terri-
tory. We should be pleased
to see the Governor back
here as the executive officer
of the Territory, but as we
believe he can do us more
good as our Representative
in Congress and that he was
honestly elected over Fenn
we hope, as our people .gen-
erally do, in his success in
this contest.
THE CITY ELECTION —
We have announced a call
for a meeting this evening at
the U.S. court house, to se-
lect men to fill the different
offices in this city. There
does not seem to be any in-
terest taken in the matter,
and from this very fact it is
to be hoped that there will
be a ticket made up of the
best men irrespective of par-
ty feeling or the ambition of
anyone to secure an office
for personal motives. It is
barely possible that anyone
desires to hold the office of
mayor or aldermen, at the
same time somebody must
cold these offices, and it be-
hooves the taxpayers to see
that they are in trusty
hands. We are about as good
as out of debt, and it is an
easy matter to keep out, and
just as easy to get in debt
several thousand dollars by
a little careless manage-
ment. There is but one ques-
tion that really interests us,
as a city, at this election. It
is to select officers that will
continue to keep the city out
of debt.
Ily ARTHUR A. HART
Director,
Idaho Historical Museum
Edward Dexter Holbrook
was sitting in a chair outside
his law office in Idaho City
on a warm June night in
1870 when a man named
Charles Douglass approached
him, demanding to know "Is
it true that you called me a
coward ?"
Holbrook obliged by saying
"Yes, I did!" What happened
immediately thereafter is
blurred by conflicting testi-
mony.
What is clear and unques-
tioned is that E. D. Hol-
brook, former Democratic
Congressman from Idaho,
was mortally shot in the ab-
domen in a wild exchange of
pistol fire in which both men
emptied their weapons.
Douglass escaped injury by
hiding around the corner of a
drugstore. The bow - window
of the ,drugstore was between
the two men and their shots
destroyed the window and
everything in it.
Holbrook lingered for
twelve hours, remaining con-
scious to the end, and ex-
pressing satisfaction that he
had not hit his assailant.
We must assume that the
background of the fatal clash
was political, since E. D.
Holbrook was one of the
leading Democrats in Idaho
Territory, and at the time of
=,r
was entirely suspended in
order to give the miners an
opportunity of following his
remains to their last resting
place."
As a result of the Holbrook
killing, Idaho City's newspa-
per, the World, got involved
in a heated dispute with The
Statesman over the amount
of murder in the Territory.
It maintained that Idaho
* * *
was not as had as other
places, which prompted The
Statesman to report that
"murder is becoming a mere
pastime in Idaho Territory,
and it is about time that
something was done toward
putting a stop to it."
Later The Statesman point-
ed out that "upwards of one
hundred persons have been
killed by the hands of others
. of this number, so far as
we can learn, only five legal
executions have taken'
place."
This was Life and Death in
Idaho, 1870 style; Douglass
was later tried and ac-
quitted.
5tZ4 _rtilk
4-)--
E.. Holbrook helped get UPS. assay office in Boise.
the shooting the leader of
one of two opposing factions
in the party. So deep was
the rift that the two groups
even sided with the Republi-
cans against each other on
occasion.
The killing of Holbrook was
a distinct shock, to his politi-
cal enemies as well as his
friends.
The Idaho Statesman, con-
trary to its long habit of at-
tacking him, actually wrote a
remarkable editorial listing
his virtues:
"As a politician, he was
shrewd, wary, and strategic;
as an orator, eloquent and
impressive; a man of more
than ordinary ability and in-
telligence, of indefatigable
energy, ever watchful and
vigilant, and leaving nothing
undone which he had once
undertaken.
"Although differing widely
In politics, we ever consid-
ered him a foeman worthy of
our steel, and probably no
h i g h e r compliment could
come from us than to admit
that, as a political enemy, he
was feared and respected by
all who opposed him."
Holbrook was elected to
Congress from Idaho twice,
in 1864 and in 1866. He de-
voted great energy while
there trying to get Republi-
can Governor Ballard dis-
missed from office, and al-
though these efforts failed,
they were enough to cause
President Andrew Johnson to
try to dismiss him four
times.
On the positive side, The
Statesman credited Holbrook
with securing the new Terri-
torial Penitentiary and the
6-"rte 2 4-Z�
J
0
i
U.S. Assay Office for Idaho,
and for other strong efforts
for a capitol and other gov-
ernmental buildings here,
even though they did not
materialize then.
He had -great influence on
President Johnson through
his personal friend Senator
Nesmith of Oregon.
Holbrook's funeral was re-
ported as "the largest that
has ever taken place in the
Territory. Work on claims
E. D. HOLBROOK
... "shrewd, wary"
THE IDAHO STATESMAN, Boise, Sunday, May 11, 1975
'ort Boise Days
By TIM WOODWARD
The Idaho Statesman
MA Anyone longing for a
e of old fashioned, "howdy
b..�or" America would have
found it Saturday at Parma's Old
Fort Boise Days celebration.
In contrast to recent drizzles and
downpours, the weather was flaw-
less Saturday for the big day of
Parma's annual fling. The day be-
gan with a free 7 a.m. Lion's Club
breakfast for the entire community
and ended with dancing until late
at night.
If there is anything Parma isn't
lacking, it's neighborliness. Several
hundred people sat and chatted at
the morning egg, pancake and ba-
con feed as if they breakfasted to-
gether every morning.
"Hello, by golly I haven't seen
you in years — you're sure lookin'
good," a man said to an elderly
gentleman as he seated himself at
the public table.
"Well, I wish I felt as good as I
looked," came the reply. `Been
feelin' kinda' saggy lately like I'd
been drinkin' a fifth every mornin.'
Course I don't do that 'cause if
they found out about it out at the
home they'd throw me plum outa'
there."
Commenting further on his looks,
the old man said he was "just a
kid. They got one out there (at the
home) who's 99."
The past is a big part of Parma's
annual celebration in honor of the
historic old Fort Boise, which was
located near the confluence of the
Snake and Boise rivers. This year's
activities emphasized America's bi-
centennial.
One float in the parade featured
Washington crossing the Delaware
— wearing a cherry -red cape and
standing in the bow of a blue,
aluminum rowboat.
Many of the displays in the pa-
rade were drawn by horses or
mules. Perhaps the most unusual
feature was an ancient tractor,
belching steam and grinding its
way over the pavement on metal
wheels.
Afternoon activities included a
beef barbecue, horse pulling, beard
and log sawing contests. A live-
stock judging contest for Future
Farmers and 4 -H members was
held throughout the day.
Attending the celebration for the
ANCIENT TRACTOR TOOK PART IN FETE
one of many displays recalling the past
first time, one gets the feeling that
old fashioned, rural American pa-
triotism is alive and well in Parma.
Flags line streets and decorate
houses. People slap each other on
the back and talk about crops and
the weather and how good it is to
see each other.
The parade passes by and voices
of kindergarten children float over
clear, country air, singing a tune
you don't hear very often these
days — "My Country 'tis of Thee."
Old Fort Boise Days end today
with a baseball tournament begin-
ning at 4 p.m.
Thomas Bowen
Mason Brayman
Thomas Bennett
These three Idaho governors had been generals in the Civil War
Idaho 's territorial go vernors
held various Po litical offices
Idaho's 12 territorial gover-
nors also held a variety of politi-
cal offices in other states, both
before and after their terms of
office in Idaho.
William H. Wallace, Idaho's
first chief executive, was ap-
pointed governor of Washington
Territory by his friend Abraham
Lincoln. Before he could take of-
fice, however, he was elected to
Congress in July 1861 and never
became governor.
Two years later Lincoln ap-
pointed him governor of Idaho
Territory, but he was soon
elected to Congress again, this
time from Idaho. Appointed gov-
ernor again in 1865, he did not
get the job due to political ma-
neuvers in Washington by
friends of Caleb Lyon who was
appointed instead. Wallace had 2
brothers more famous than he
was. David was governor of In-
diana and Lew, author of the
best - selling novel Ben Hur, was
a Civil War general.
Caleb Lyon, Idaho's 2nd ap-
pointed governor, had served in
the New York Legislature, (in
the Assembly in 1850 and the
Senate in 1851) and was elected
to Congress from New York in
1852.
David Ballard, an Oregon phy-
sician, was appointed governor
of Idaho Territory in 1866, after
several terms in the Oregon Le-
gislature. He served until 1870.
Thomas Mead Bowen, who
succeeded Ballard, had been a
Civil War general and a Su-
preme Court justice in Arkansas
Idaho
Yesterdays
By Arthur Hart
t
He was later a judge, a state leg-
islator and a U.S. senator from
Colorado.
Thomas Bennett became
Idaho Territory's next governor
in 1871, after 5 other appointees
refused the job for one reason or
another. He too was a Civil War
general and had served 2 terms
in the Indiana Senate before
coming to Idaho. He appointed
himself to Congress as the terri-
tory's representative, even
though his opponent got more
votes. He was ousted from this
post, but not until he had served
most of the term.
David Thompson had served
in the Oregon Legislature before
coming to Boise in 1876. After
serving only 4 months as Idaho
governor, he resigned and re-
turned to Oregon where he was
again elected to the state Legis-
lature. He was mayor of Port-
land from June 1879 until June
1882.
Mason Brayman of Illinois,
another general in the Civil War,
had been a city attorney, jurist,
and special commissioner be-
fore coming to Idaho in 1876. He
served through Idaho's Indian
wars of 1877 -79_
office anywhere. He was ap-
pointed governor of Idaho be-
cause he had been private secre-
tary to Rutherford B. Hayes
when Hayes was governor of
Ohio.
John N. Irwin, governor of
Idaho for only 3 weeks, resigned
because of illness on May 15,,
1883. He later served 3 years as
governor of Arizona, from 1890
until 1893, and was minister of
Portugal.
William M. Bunn was elected
to the Pennsylvania Legislature
before his one year of service as
Idaho governor.
Edward A. Stevenson was the
first Idaho governor to qualify
as an Idaho pioneer. He had
come to Boise Basin in 1863 as a
miner, and had a long and distin-
guished political career in Cali-
fornia and Idaho before his ap-
pointment in 1885. He was
elected to 4 legislative terms in
California and 3 in Idaho.
Stevenson's successor,
George L. Shoup, was another
pioneer. He had served in the
Civil War and fought Indians in
the frontier before becoming a
member of the Colorado Consti-
tutional` Convention. In 1867, he
settled in Salmon, and later
served in the territorial Legisla-
ture. In 1889, he was appointed
governor, continuing in office
after Idaho became a state in
1890. In December of that ,year,
he was chosen U.S. senator by
the Idaho Legislature.
. J -1 U1.
... till
.8A
9, 10D
11D
11D
... 1B
2B
1 -6c
.. 9D
.. 3B
.. 1-4D
177 -6370
.flying
Ipport d
A tale of assassination 75 years ago
By MARK CRANE
The Idaho Statesman
CALDWELL -- On Dec. 30, 1905, Idaho
Gov. Frank Steunenberg stepped outside his
home for a stroll. A blowing snowstorm had
kept him indoors all day. It was dusk now,
the wind had died down, and a walk in the
bracing air would be invigorating.
The governor walked downtown and en-
tered the lobby of the Saratoga Hotel, where
he was to meet his insurance agent. The
agent had informed Steunenberg that his life
insurance policy was due to expire that day,
and the governor had agreed to meet the
agent to renew the policy.
As the insurance man and the governor
talked, a man who went by the name of T.S.
Hogan watched them.
Hogan was staying in Room 19 of the
hotel. He'd spent the day playing cards in the
bar. Noting that Steunenberg had not re-
moved his hat or overcoat, Hogan assumed
correctly that the governor would be in the
lobby only a short time.
Hogan went upstairs to his room and
picked up a metal box. Inside the box was a
homemade bomb. He wrapped it in newspa-
enberg--- - - - - --
in 1892 failed to
wanted, but the
suit: The organi-
Harry
Orchard
When news of Orchard's
confession hit the newspapers, the
attention of the entire United States
began to focus on Idaho. Harry
Orchard became a household name.
per and hurried outside. His destination was
the intersection of 16th and - Dearborn streets
— the location of Steunenberg's house.
Hogan hurried through the darkness to the
governor's home. Kneeling beside the front
gate, he buried the box in snow and tied a
string to the gate. It was a simple device,
When the gate was opened, the string would
jerk a cork stopper from a bottle of acid, the
acid would spill out and ignite the blasting
caps. The caps would set off the dynamite
charge.
Hogan hurried away. On his way back to
the Saratoga he probably passed the gover-
nor, who was walking home.
Steunenberg arrived at Nme and opened
the gate' The blast was h6ard in Nampa,
nine miles away. Family members found the
workers who helped blow up the Bunker Hill
& Sullivan mill in 1899. He was 33 at the time.
He had no stomach for the brief gunfight
that ensued when the guards were chased
away — he sat in a cafe eating breakfast
during that part of the riot — but he volun-
teered to light one of the charges used to
governor 20 feet from the gate, horribly
wounded. Neighbors carried him into the
house, where he died a few minutes later.
Frank Steunenberg was assassinated 75
years ago this week, but the story is one
worth retelling, and Steunenberg was a man
worth remembering.
The circumstances leading to Steunen-
berg's murder still represent one of the most
violent chapters of Western history. It was
the stuff of Hollywood — gunfights, riots,
train thefts, dynamitings and hired killers.
The trial of Steunenberg's killer, and the
trials of men accused of complicity in the
murder, were international events. For
sheer sensationalism, they would compare
to the trials of Patty Hearst and Charles
Manson.
And the assassination was, above all, a
tragedy, for historians portray Steunenberg
as a statesman of integrity and conviction.
Steunenberg was elected governor of
Idaho in 1896, and re-elected in 1898.
One of the most volatile national issues of
the 1890s was the clash between labor and
management. The conflict pitted corporate
(See STEUNENBERG, Page 2A)
Frank Steunenberg
S f a,/� - /lies / ay c, / 6 Z
Spawning grounds
Oct S / g 7y
The people make this
area rich in history
by Roxanna Allen
r. sd as
Tales of', Whtf(6MAP s grasses, plentiful water
supplies, untains, open valleys and
game car settlers began to arrive
and file aims. Many of the first
settlers comin valleys were Finnish and
found that the mountains and valleys reminded
them of their homeland.
The discovery of gold in the Thunder Mountain
area in 1894 brought even more people. Thunder
City became an important stop over for freighters
and miners following the Old Thunder Mountain
Trail. Freighters would carry supplies on to Knox
and there they would be transferred to mules and
horses to be carried on into the mines. Yellow
Pine also became an important way stop for the
miners going into the area.
On Thunder Mountain the town of Roosevelt
sprang up. The population was reputed to be
about 5,000 people at one time. After a while the
operations slowed down and in 1907 some of the
mines were closed. During the spring of 1908 a
mud slide dammed up Monumental Creek and
flooded the town of Roosevelt.
Gold in the Warren area brought freighters
from Weiser through Lardo and McCall following
the wagon trail along the shore of the Payette
Lake and across the mountains.
Through the va%eYs small communities were
established at Alpha, Thunder City, Van Wyck,
Crawford, Arling, Roseberry, Spink, Norwood
and Ele. Even though a portion were made up of
only a post office or perhaps 'a small store and a
school, they were part of the county at one time.
Others were larger and more established but
were soon lost with the coming of the railroad
through the valleys in the 1910s. The railroad
bypassed the towns of Crawford, Thunder City,
Van Wyck and Roseberry and formed new ones at
Cascade and Donnelly that were made up from
businesses and homes moved from the bypassed
towns.
During World War II the mines at Stibnite
became a major producer of tungsten for the
nation. The area's population grew until the lower
grade of ore and higher operation costs brought a
shutdown in 1952 of the mines. Smelter and mill
operations were completely closed in 1957 and the
homes, buildings and equipment were moved out
of the area in salvage operations.
Indians coming through the valley to fish for
salmon, miners trying to find a rich strike,
farmers and ranchers building homes and raising
families, and the loggers utilizing the rich forests
have all played an important part in the
establishment and growth of Valley County and
its rich history.
Corrections in last week's column:
Eighty -eight Ridge -- Named after a mining'
claim located by a woman from Seattle in 1888.
Suicide Rock -- An Indian girl was supposed to
have jumped from this rock, killing herself. The
rock is located on Monumenta: Creek below the
mouth of Trap Creek.
Project ends
anna Allen
Forme
orthern section of Boise
County a
n section of Idaho County,
Valley Via,
s created by the state
legislature" *4W.4ith
Cascade serving as the
county seat.,
But the
of the area began with the
search for
`1860s, with some of the first
being alo
Fork of the Salmon River
and the ea
of the county in what is now
referred to -
k country.
Throug
ley, Packer John Welch
carried f
pplies from the Columbia
River are
ers in Idaho City on an old
Indian tra
he valley, which started at
the Payett
'eild went south. Packer John
established camp sites at Meadows, on Gold Fork
Creek and at Clear Creek, where he built a brush
cabin to prof t
s and horses.
With an es tA
ail, miners soon followed
with stopsq
js y to pan for gold. The
small amou
overed would soon peter
out and the
k up and move on. A few
would stay
'mild homes in the area they
found much, fl&
` l 'ino
r. sd as
Tales of', Whtf(6MAP s grasses, plentiful water
supplies, untains, open valleys and
game car settlers began to arrive
and file aims. Many of the first
settlers comin valleys were Finnish and
found that the mountains and valleys reminded
them of their homeland.
The discovery of gold in the Thunder Mountain
area in 1894 brought even more people. Thunder
City became an important stop over for freighters
and miners following the Old Thunder Mountain
Trail. Freighters would carry supplies on to Knox
and there they would be transferred to mules and
horses to be carried on into the mines. Yellow
Pine also became an important way stop for the
miners going into the area.
On Thunder Mountain the town of Roosevelt
sprang up. The population was reputed to be
about 5,000 people at one time. After a while the
operations slowed down and in 1907 some of the
mines were closed. During the spring of 1908 a
mud slide dammed up Monumental Creek and
flooded the town of Roosevelt.
Gold in the Warren area brought freighters
from Weiser through Lardo and McCall following
the wagon trail along the shore of the Payette
Lake and across the mountains.
Through the va%eYs small communities were
established at Alpha, Thunder City, Van Wyck,
Crawford, Arling, Roseberry, Spink, Norwood
and Ele. Even though a portion were made up of
only a post office or perhaps 'a small store and a
school, they were part of the county at one time.
Others were larger and more established but
were soon lost with the coming of the railroad
through the valleys in the 1910s. The railroad
bypassed the towns of Crawford, Thunder City,
Van Wyck and Roseberry and formed new ones at
Cascade and Donnelly that were made up from
businesses and homes moved from the bypassed
towns.
During World War II the mines at Stibnite
became a major producer of tungsten for the
nation. The area's population grew until the lower
grade of ore and higher operation costs brought a
shutdown in 1952 of the mines. Smelter and mill
operations were completely closed in 1957 and the
homes, buildings and equipment were moved out
of the area in salvage operations.
Indians coming through the valley to fish for
salmon, miners trying to find a rich strike,
farmers and ranchers building homes and raising
families, and the loggers utilizing the rich forests
have all played an important part in the
establishment and growth of Valley County and
its rich history.
Corrections in last week's column:
Eighty -eight Ridge -- Named after a mining'
claim located by a woman from Seattle in 1888.
Suicide Rock -- An Indian girl was supposed to
have jumped from this rock, killing herself. The
rock is located on Monumenta: Creek below the
mouth of Trap Creek.
Project ends
z or .z_
This is the final week for the history project
with the City of McCall, under a CETA grant, that
was started by Jeff Fee last January. Jeff and
Mayor Bill Evans gave me the opportunity to
continue the work in May and I would like to
thank them for the encouragement and confi-
dence they have provided me with. And also a
thanks goes to Jan Nelson for her typing and her
help with the research.
We have gathered as much as we could find on
the communities that were once here and how the
ones that were still here began into a booklet that
will be placed in the McCall Public Library. Also
included will be photo copies of early pictures of
some of the communities found in the Idaho
Historical Society Library and a map that gives
some idea of the locations of such.
We have obtained personal biographies, oral
and written, of some of the early families of the
area and copies will also be placed in the library.
We also outlined the transcripts that are in the
Progressive Club files and have notified Beth
Merrill, ,oral history coordinator for the Idaho
State Historical Society, that there are tran-
scripts here in McCall and as soon as they have
indexed, catalogued, etc. What they are working
on now they will be happy to see and hear about
what is available here.
It is -hard for me to sit down and list all that has
been done on this project, but I hope it will be used
and people can learn just, how much it takes to
make up the history of our area.
/ �-t`f If
lRememlwryy
By Dr. Dora J. P. Gerber
I was born August 3,
1889, in Lapwai, Idaho, of
sturdy stock. My father,
Byron Powell Gerber, was
the first government farmer
hired by the government to
teach the Nez Perce Indians
how to raise food, and good
farming methods. He
found they were not much
interested in learning, but
he tried.
After my father quit that
job, he homesteaded in the
Potlatch area, between
Lewiston and Moscow.
When I was about to be
born, Dad and Mother to
Lapwai so she could be
attended by a doctor. We
traveled in a dead axel
wagon. This is a wagon
with no springs. Dr. Mc-
Gee attended Mother. His
wife was my mother's
cousin. Dad took us back to
the homestead in a few
weeks when Mother was
strong enough to manage.
Dad stayed on the home-
stead for 31 or 32 years.
There were no children to
play with as a usual thing,
but when the Indians got
their allotment money, they
my father saddled up a
fresh horse and put me, a
five year old girl, up on the
horse behind him and we
rode out to this spot, and he
showed me Mr. Owen
swinging dead on the end
of the rope. He said,
"Now that's what happens
to people who do wrong.
Don't ever forget it."
This thought has stayed in
my mind all these years.
This hanging surely
quieted the rowdies in the
area. We had peace and
quiet for four or five years.
Father, in 1890, started
to drive the Stage from
Kendrick to Weippe on the
Clearwater River. He did
this several years.
I attended school in Ken-
drick. The first school
was built of board and
batten. It consisted of
one room, and the furniture
was homemade. There
were 15 to 20 students
attending. They used
slates and some pencils and
paper. There was an
inkwell in the center of each
desk. I walked to school
one mile, breaking my own
l
the first of four women, to
graduate from this school.
I did two years appren-
ticeship at Pendleton, and
then came home to Ken-
drick, to care for Mother
who was sick. She passed
away from diabetes when
she was in her late fifties.
I practiced dentistry for
two years in my hometown
of Kendrick, and then
practiced dentistry for eight
years in Grangeville.
In 1924, I married Mr.
Samuel Gerber and we
moved to Payette. We had
one daughter, Rhea Ger-
ber.
We lived in Payette for
20 years, and I practiced
dentistry all this time. My
husband was killed in his
mine in 1945, on the Sal-
mon River, and I came to
Council in September 1945.
Many interesting things
can happen in a dental
office. One funny incident I
have never forgotten is,
one day, two Nez Perce
Indians came by the office
to visit me. They were
going through Council on
their way to Boise. As
Dr. Dora J. P. Gerber with her faithful companion Katie. Dr. Gerber, a resident of
Council since 1945 still practices Dentistry at the age of 88.
would go to the small towns
to spend it. The allot-
ment money was paid to
them for the land the white
men homesteaded on the
Indian Reservation. Well,
when the Indians came to
our little town, then I had
children to play with....
Indian children. Of course,
I learned to speak their
language. The children
and I would play while the
braves were drinking their
favorite beverage---whis-
key. This was their favorite
pastime. The squaws,
papooses, little kids and
dogs camped on the bench
across from our house.
The ranchers all stood
together when it came to
law enforcement in those
days. An outlaw named
"Owens" had been steal-
ing horses, and one day he
was caught'. ih the act by a
farmer. Owen shot and
killed the farmer and took
his horse. Other farmers
heard the shot and gather-
ed around and caught
Owens. They hung him up
on the limb of a yellow pine
tree. The next morning,
path when it was snowy.
A high school was built in
Kendrick on a hill, knd it
included two years of high
school.
The government re-
quired that all Indian child-
ren be educated, so the
government built dormi-
tories for the boys and
girls, and roomed and
boarded them. They built
one dormitory for the boys
and one for the girls, and
they stayed there the entire
school term, room and
board free. These dormi-
tories were located in Lap -
wai.
The last two years of my
high school education were
completed in Tacoma,
Washington. I lived with
Father's brother, Dr. John
Powell, who was practicing
medicine.
After finishing high
school, I moved to Port-
land to attend old Doctor
Miller's School of Den-
tistry. This school was later
taken in to the University
of Oregon's School of Den-
tistry. I was 23 years old
when I graduated, and was
children, t h e i r grand-
mother and I used to play,
and they promised her they
would come see me. I
started speaking Nez Perce
with them, and two women
in the office watched with
interest, and their eyes got
bigger and bigger. So the
Indian lads decided to put
on a show for them, and
they put on one caper after
another. One of them
started pointing to the
ladies hair and saying in
broken English.... "purty"
hair make purty scalp".
After repeating this several
times, all of a sudden,
the women just disappear-
ed .... seems they left in a
big hurry. After the ladies
left, the Indians had a big
laugh.
These "savages" were
graduates of the University
of Carlyle in Pennsylvania
and Pullman State College
in Washington.
I've had an interesting
life, and enjoyed the pro-
fession of dentistry, and am
still practicing this art at
201 Exeter Street in
Council.
��) d 4 , 1 4 1 n I
I n t h e I d a h o t e r r i t o r y , t h e I n d i a n s
s a w t h e i r w o r l d s l o w l y c h a n g i n g .
T h e w h i t e t r a p p e r s w e r e f o l l o w e d b y
t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s . I n 1 8 3 4 , t h e R e v .
J a s o n L e e , a M e t h o d i s t , c o n d u c t e d
t h e f i r s t E u r o p e a n - s t y l e r e l i g i o u s
s e r v i c e s a t t h e r e c e n t l y e s t a b l i s h e d
F o r t H a l l i n E a s t e r n I d a h o . I n t h e
n e x t f e w y e a r s , H e n r y S p a u l d i n g
f o u n d e d a m i s s i o n a t L a p w a i . I n t h e
n o r t h e r n p a r t o f t h i s s t i l l - w i l d
c o u n t r y , t h e C a t a l d o M i s s i o n w a s e s -
t a b l i s h e d i n 1 8 4 6 .
T h e w o r l d s o f t h e w h i t e m a n a n d
I n d i a n g r e w e v e r c l o s e r .
" " "
A s t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s r e a c h e d i t s
s e v e n t h d e c a d e , m o r e a n d m o r e r e s i -
d e n t s b e c a m e u n h a p p y w i t h t h e i r
l i v e s i n t h e c r o w d e d c i t i e s . T h e b e n -
e f i t s o f t h e i n d u s t r i a l r e v o l u t i o n
w e r e o f f s e t , i n t h e m i n d s o f m a n y ,
b y t h e p r o b l e m s o f d i r t y a i r a n d d e -
t e r i o r a t i n g c i t i e s . T h e y d r e a m e d o f
t h e f e r t i l e v a l l e y s a n d c l e a n r i v e r s
d e s c r i b e d b y r e t u r n i n g e x p l o r e r s a n d
t r a p p e r s .
T h e s e u n h a p p y E a s t e r n e r s
g r o u p e d t o g e t h e r a n d h e a d e d w e s t -
w a r d i n m a s s i v e w a g o n t r a i n s , d e -
t e r m i n e d t o b r i n g t h e w o r l d o f - m a -
c h i n e s a n d m o n e y c l o s e r t o t h e l a n d
o f t h e N e z P e r c e .
I n 1 8 4 1 , t h e f i r s t g r o u p o f c r o s s -
c o u n t r y t r a v e l e r s a r r i v e d i n F o r t
H a l l , w h e r e t h e y a b a n d o n e d t h e i r
w a g o n s a n d c o n t i n u e d t h e t r e k t o
O r e g o n o n f o o t .
C o l . W i l l i a m C r a i g o f V i r g i n i a w a s
t h e f i r s t r e c o r d e d h o m e s t e a d e r , t a k -
i n g u p r e s i d e n c e n e a r t h e C a t a l d o
M i s s i o n s i t e .
T w o y e a r s a f t e r t h e f i r s t s e t t l e r s
l e f t F o r t H a l l , t h e O r e g o n T r a i l ,
w h i c h c u t t h r o u g h S o u t h e r n I d a h o ,
b e c a m e t h e r o u t e f o r t h e m a s s m i -
g r a t i o n h e a d i n g f o r t h e P a c i f i c
C o a s t .
A s t h e e v e r - i n c r e a s i n g l i n e s o f C o -
n e s t o g a s , p r a i r i e s c h o o n e r s a n d
c a r t s - p a s s e d t h r o u g h e n r o u t e t o t h e
p r o m i s e d l a n d s o f O r e g o n a n d C a l i -
f o r n i a , m o r e a n d m o r e t r a v e l e r s b e -
g a n t o s t o p o f f a n d s t a y i n t h e f u t u r e
I d a h o s o m e f r o m c h o i c e , s o m e b e -
c a u s e t h e i r e q u i p m e n t , t h e i r t e a m s
o r t h e i r f a m i l i e s s i m p l y c o u l d n ' t c o n -
t i n u e t h e r u g g e d j o u r n e y .
D e s p i t e t h e g r o w i n g n u m b e r s o f
w h i t e m e n w h o m a d e t h e i r w a y
t h r o u g h a n d i n t o t h e t e r r i t o r y , t h e
I n d i a n s c l u n g t o t h e i r h e r i t a g e . T h e
t r i b e s C o n t i n u e d t o m e e t e a c h s p r i n g
t o c a t c h s a l m o n a n d g a t h e r b e r r i e s ,
a s t h e y h a d f o r c e n t u r i e s .
T h e c h a n g e s w e r e c o m i n g , b u t a t
a s l o w a n d s t i l l - g e n t l e p a c e .
I n t h e 1 8 5 0 s , t h e f i r e s o f h a t r e d
w e r e s i m m e r i n g i n m a n y p a r t s o f
t h e E a s t e r n U n i t e d S t a t e s . T h e s u b -
j e c t w a s s l a v e r y a n d t h e d e b a t e i n -
c r e a s e d o v e r w h e t h e r b l a c k s w e r e
p r o p e r t y o r h u m a n b e i n g s w i t h
u n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s s e t d o w n i n t h e
D e c l a r a t i o n o f I n d e p e n d e n c e . T h e
c o u n t r y s t a r t e d d o w n t h e r o a d t h a t
w o u l d l e a d t o b r o t h e r f i g h t i n g b r o t h -
e r .
T h e b a t t l e o v e r s l a v e r y s e l d o m
p e n e t r a t e d t h e C o n t i n e n t a l D i v i d e .
G r o w t h c o n t i n u e d a s i t h a d i n t h e
p a s t t w o d e c a d e s . T h e f i r s t M o r m o n
s e t t l e m e n t i n I d a h o w a s e s t a b l i s h e d
i n 1 8 6 0 a t F r a n k l i n , n e a r t h e U t a h
b o r d e r .
B u t t h i s e a s y p a c e w a s t o c o m e t o
a n a b r u p t h a l t . A d i s c o v e r y w a s
m a d e a t O r o f i n o C r e e k i n N o r t h e r n
I d a h o w h a t w o u l d m a k e w h i t e m e n ' s
h e a r t s p o u n d a n d p a l s m s w e a t :
G o l d .
I n 1 8 6 2 , t h o u s a n d s p o u r e d i n t o t h e
t e r r i t o r y a f t e r t h e d i s c o v e r y o f g o l d
i n t h e B o i s e B a s i n . T o w n s s u c h a s
P l a c e r v i l l e , I d a h o C i t y a n d B o i s e e i -
t h e r s p r a n g u p o v e r n i g h t o r q u i c k l y
g r e w f r o m q u i e t s e t t l e m e n t s i n t o
b u s t l i n g c i t i e s .
P r e s i d e n t L i n c o l n a u t h o r i z e d t h e
f o r m a t i o n o f I d a h o T e r r i t o r y i n 1 8 6 3 .
T h e f i r s t c a p i t a l . w a s L e w i s t o n . A
y e a r l a t e r , t h e t e r r i t o r i a l l e g i s l a t u r e
m o v e d t h e c a p i t a l t o t h e " b o o m
t o w n " o f B o i s e .
T h e w h i t e m a n h a d c o m e t o s t a y .
T h e n a t i o n b o r n i n t h e s t e a m y s u m -
m e r o f 1 7 7 6 i n P h i l a d e l p h i a h a d
c r a w l e d a n d l e a p t i n t o t h e I d a h o
T e r r i t o r y .
T h e I n d i a n s n o l o n g e r w o u l d c o n -
v e n e e a c h s p r i n g t o c a t c h s a l m o n
a n d g a t h e r b e r r i e s . N o w , t h e N e z
P e r c e a n d t h e o t h e r t r i b e s w o u l d
f i n d t h e i r w o r l d s h r i n k i n g e a c h y e a r
a s t h e f u t u r e o f I d a h o b e c a m e
c o u p l e d w i t h t h a t o f t h e r e s t o f t h e
e x p a n d i n g n a t i o n .
" " "
T h e p o s t - C i v i l W a r p e r i o d b r o u g h t
i n c r e a s e d g r o w t h . W h i l e J o h n D .
R o c k e f e l l e r b u i l t a b a n k r o l l o n o i l
a n d A n d r e w C a r n e g i e e s t a b l i s h e d a n
e m p i r e o f s t e e l i n t h e E a s t , o t h e r
m e t a l s g o l d , s i l v e r a n d l e a d
w e r e t h e c e n t e r o f I d a h o ' s e c o n o m y .
R a i l r o a d s w e r e e x t e n d e d t o r e t r i e v e
t h e r i c h o r e .
M a n y I n d i a n s f e l t t h e y n o l o n g e r
c o u l d s u r v i v e i n t h i s c h a n g i n g l a n d .
I n t h e s p r i n g o f 1 8 7 7 , a b a n d o f N e z
P e r c e , i n c l u d i n g C h i e f J o s e p h , a t -
t e m p t e d t o f l e e t o C a n a d a . S i x
m o n t h s l a t e r , t h e I n d i a n s s u r r e n -
d e r e d t o t h e U . S . A r m y a n d p r o g -
r e s s .
F / D f ? ,
T h e w e a l t h p r o m p t e d t h o u g h t s o f
s t a t e h o o d f o r I d a h o . I n 1 8 9 0 , I d a h o
b e c a m e t h e 4 3 r d s t a t e i n t h e u n i o n .
B u t t h e r i c h e s a l s o b r o u g h t
t r o u b l e . I n t h e 1 8 9 0 s , u n i o n i z i n g m i n -
e r s i n t h e C o e u r d ' A l e n e d i s t r i c t b e -
g a n a m i n i a t u r e w a r w i t h t h e m i n e
o w n e r s . B o m b i n g s , r i o t s a n d t e r r o r -
i s m r u l e d t h e a r e a . I n a n a t t e m p t t o
q u e l l t h e d i s t u r b a n c e s , G o v . F r a n k
S t e u n e n b e r g c a l l e d i n t h e A r m y , a
m o v e t h a t m a d e h i m t h e o b j e c t o f
t h e m i n e r s ' h a t r e d . .
S t e u n e n b e r g w a s k i l l e d i n 1 9 0 5
w h e n a b o m b e x p l o d e d a t t h e g a t e o f
h i s C a l d w e l l h o m e . H a r r y O r c h a r d , a
s o c i a l i s t a n d N o r t h I d a h o m i n e v e t -
e r a n , c o n f e s s e d t o t h e k i l l i n g , b u t
s a i d t h r e e W e s t e r n F e d e r a t i o n o f
M i n i n g o f f i c i a l s h a d f i n a n c e d t h e
m u r d e r .
T h e 1 1 - w e e k t r i a l o f " B i g B i l l "
H a y w o o d f o c u s e d t h e n a t i o n a l
s p o t l i g h t o n t h e i n f a n t s t a t e o f I d a h o
f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e . W i t h W i l l i a m B o -
r a h a n d J a m e s H a w l e y h a n d l i n g t h e
p r o s e c u t i o n a n d C l a r e n c e D a r r o w a s
t h e c h i e f d e f e n s e a t t o r n e y , t h e t r i a l
w a s a c l a s s i c l e g a l b a t t l e .
A f t e r 2 1 h o u r s o f d e l i b e r a t i o n , t h e
j u r y a c q u i t e d H a y w o o d . O r c h a r d
s p e n t t h e r e s t o f h i s l i f e i n t h e s t a t e
p r i s o n o n t h e e a s t s i d e o f B o i s e .
" " "
T h e t h r e a t o f w a r g r e w l a r g e r i n
E u r o p e a s t h e f i r s t d e c a d e o f t h e
2 0 t h c e n t u r y d r e w t o a c l o s e . T h e
U n i t e d S t a t e s , w i t h n e w p r o m i n e n c e
a s a w o r l d p o w e r , c o u l d r e m a i n o n
t h e s i d e l i n e s o n l y s o l o n g .
W h e n _ t h e n a t i o n e n t e r e d W o r l d
W a r 1 , t h e r e s i d e n t s o f I d a h o w e r e
q u i c k t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e n a t i o n a l
e f f o r t . A s t a t e c o u n c i l o n d e f e n s e
w a s f o r m e d t o m o b i l i z e t h e c i t i z e n r y
a n d r e s o u r c e s o f t h e G e m S t a t e . T h e
c o u n c i l m a i n t a i n e d a c l o s e w a t c h o n
I d a h o ' s G e r m a n p o p u l a t i o n , k n o w n
s o c i a l i s t s a n d r e s i d e n t s w h o d i d n o t
s u p p o r t t h e w a r . T h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f
I d a h o ' s a g r i c u l t u r a l e c o n o m y w a s
s p u r r e d b y t h e i n c r e a s e d n e e d s t o
f e e d t h e " d o u g h b o y s " w h o h a d g o n e
t o s u c h s t r a n g e p l a c e s a s B e l l e W o o d
a n d V e r d u n .
T h e f i g h t i n g a l s o m e a n t h e a r t -
b r e a k f o r I d a h o f a m i l i e s w h o s e s o n s
and husbands did not return to share
in the victory celebration.
• • •
The national economic growth
spawned by the war continued
through the 1920s. The increased af-
fluence brought a new round of so-
cial changes to society. The Charles-
ton, flapper hats and bathtub gin
were signs of the times.
Idaho farmers attempted to main-
tain their role as a principal force in
the nation's agricultural economy.
Then came Black Friday — Octo-
ber 29, 1929 — when the bottom fell
out of the nation's bank account.
The Wall Street crash reverberated
across the land. Once again, Ameri-
cans were on the move — searching
for a place to start life anew. Al-
though Idaho could not isolate itself
totally from the dark days of the
Depression, many penniless wander-
ers saw a reason for hope and de-
cided to settle in the state.
• • •
War again grew like a cancer in
Europe. Hitler was determined that
his "super race" would rule the
world. Countries fell before him like
dry leaves in a wind storm. Half a
world away, the Japanese expanded
their Pacific empire, finally striking
at the heart of the American hold-
ings with a surprise attack on Pearl
Harbor on the morning of Dec. 7,
1941. Americans would fight again to
save the democracy they had estab-
lished 165 years before.
Idaho played a variety of roles in
the national effort.
Just as it had 25 years earlier, the
state provided men to carry on the
battles and food to feed the soldiers.
A na,*al training base at the south
end of Lake Pend Oreille was the
temporary home for about 45,000 re-
cruits. 0
An ordinance plant in Pocatello
was busy relining 18 -inch artillery
pieces and other weapons of war.
Men and women trained at air bases
in Mountain Home and Boise to do
battle against the Luftwaffe and
Japanese air force.
Idaho also had a place in one of
the more unsavory aspects of World
War II. Ten thousand Japanese -
Americans from the Seattle and
Portland areas were shipped to the
Minidoka War Relocation Center
near Hunt for the duration of the
fighting. Many stayed in Idaho after'
the war.
• • !
The last 30 years have been times
of more growth and change for Ida-
ho. As more and more people discov-
ered the beauty; and joy of Idaho liv-
ing, new questions confronted its
residents.
As the nation enters its third cen-
tury, Idahoans are weighing their
desire for open sapces against the
changes mandated by a rapidly in-
creasing population.
The question today, in its rawest
form, is not dissimilar to those that
have been argued throughout Ida-
ho's history.
But the battle no longer is red man
versus white man. Now it is white
man versus white man ... nature
against development.
F =Q�z I
Few notice
Gem State's
birthday
Most Idahoans probably were un-
aware their state had a birthday
Thursday — the 90th anniversary of
its admission to the Union.
Even if they did remember the
date, they probably didn't know the
historical event came a day earlier
than its promoters had planned.
Dr. Merle Wells, state historian,
explained it this way:
Territorial delegate Fred DuBois
and his friends in the 1890 Congress
pushed the admission bill through on
July 1 to make Idaho the 43rd state..
Then they thought it would be a
great advantage to have the presi-
dent sign the measure on July 4. That
way the folks back home could cel-
ebrate both their state's and nation's
birthdays on the same day.
"But," said Wells, "President
Benjamin Harrison told them that
stars were added to the flag only on
the Fourth of July, and if he signed
their bill on that day, Idaho would
have to wait a whole year for its star.
So they decided on the July 3 date."
The folks back home in Boise were
tremendously excited when the bill
passed the Senate, according to the
Idaho Daily Statesman of July 2,
1890.
The story, published on Page 2
(Page 1 was reserved for advertise-
ments and local news) began:
"At a little after three o'clock yes-
terday (July 1) when everybody in
the city was dreaming of how they
could best serve their Territory, a
great shout went up on the sidewalk
in front of Jacobs' store and cheer
after cheer rolled down Main
Street," wrote an equally excited re-
porter.
"People gathered in crowds al-
most in an instant and almost by
magic the buildings were covered
with the national flag on whose blue
sky had blossomed another star of
the Union. ... Fireworks were ex-
ploded in honor of the news and soon
every bell in the city was adding its
clangor to the general tumult ...."
in contrast, when the bill was
signed two days later on July 3, the
newspaper gave two sentences in an-
nouncing that official act. The sec-
ond sentence was a congratulatory
message to the people of Idaho from
delegate DuBois that ended: "Turn
the eagle loose."
The editor rose to the occasion
when he wrote the headline for the
announcement:
"Let the Eagle Scream!"
Idaho Historical Society
This dredge was active on Grimes Creek in 1899. It was one of many that
pulled gold- bearing gravel from Idaho streams.
Dredges s up millions
Huge gold barges also left tons of debris, scars along streams
Gold dredges once chewed
their way through gravel beds
and bars along scores of Idaho
streams, extracting millions of
dollars worth of gold dust, but
leaving a scrambled landscape
behind them.
More than 30 years after
major dredging activity in Idaho
came to a halt, scoured valleys
and mountains of gravel still line
streams like the north fork of
the Coeur d'Alene, Yankee Fork
of the Salmon and More's Creek
outside Idaho City.
The earliest reference we
have found to a dredge in Idaho
appeared in the Idaho Tri-
weekly Statesman of Dec. 1,
1881. It described a company
from Detroit that had secured a
claim at Starrh's Ferry, near
present Burley: "They will at
once build a scow upon which to
place their machinery for
raising gravel from the bed of
the river and separating the gold
from it. The machinery,
consisting of boiler, engine,
pumps, a Sanders dredging
apparatus, separating
machinery, etc., has been
shipped from the East, and will
be put in operation as soon as it
arrives."
This basic description of a
dredge accurately describes
those that followed over the next
{ 75 years, except that later ones Burroughs
were powered by giant diesel
engines rather than steam.
A dredge on the Payette River
made news in October, 1894,
when the company cook
"pirated" the barge. He was
owed $200 in back pay and got
the attention of the owners by
keeping the crew at bay with a
gun and a knife.
Another dredge was given a
successful test run at Warrens in
October, 1895. Like nearly all
Idaho dredges, its components
were manufactured in the East
and shipped by rail as far as
possible before being hauled by
oxen or mule teams the rest of
the way into the state's rugged
mountains. The Warrens dredge
was built by the Marion Steam
Shovel Co. of Ohio.
By 1897 the dredging bug had
really caught on in Idaho. The
big machines had been
perfected by then and a number
of companies were eager to try
them on Idaho streams. George
of the Sweetser &
Burroughs Cattle Co., operated
one on the Snake River that was
105 feet long and 20 feet wide. It
had two 50 horsepower steam
engines.
The Bay City Mining Co. of
Michigan began dredging that
year near Lardo, at the head of
the Payette River. Long Valley
would see a lot of dredging over
the next half century.
In 1898, a New York company
built a Snake River dredge with
a capacity of 600 yards of gravel
per day. A few months later a
2,000 -yard dredge was built
farther downstream near the
mouth of Burnt River, Oregon.
Its owners proudly dubbed it the
Golden Giant — a name
designed to inspire and attract
investors. In May, 1899, the
Golden Giant was working at
Bridge Island near Nyssa, Ore.,
extracting 8 cents worth of gold
per cubic yard of gravel.
This worked out to $160 per
day, if all went well, and was
considered a successful
operation by the owners. There
were at least half a dozen gold
dredges operating between
Grandview and Burnt River by
1899.
Arthur Hart is director
emeritus of the Idaho Historical
Society.
and Played `Down Went McGi*n
At Silver City's, Only Hanging
OWTHEI COUNTI
H WIDE OPEN
Snow fell all morning. Wind
whistled dismally across Ruby
City cemetery, where none
Chad been buried for many
years. Henry McDonald rose
from his jail cot at dawn and
looked at a cold and disagree-
able world. It was glum be-
ginning for his last day. Silver
City people were disappointed,
too. Weather was miserable for
Owyhee county's only legal hang -
ing.
Sheriff Springer loaded his pris-
oner on a sleigh at noon and
started the procession to the gal -,
lows. Small boys dashed along
side.
"No hurry, kids," said McDon-
ald. "There won't anything much
happen 'til I get there."
Across Morning Star avenue,
down Washington street, and past
the old Idaho hotel went the grim
retinue. Snow was still falling
when McDonald climbed on the
trap and was permitted a few
words. He protested his innocence
of slaying Old Meyers, a freighter
who was last seen alive on a trip
with McDonald and whose body
was found in a badger hole.
Coyotes dug up a shoe. That shoe
was enough to hang McDonald. He
said Old Meyers had gone east, but
the jury didn't think so. They said
he had gone west with McDonald's
bullet through his head.
Trap Is Sprung
The trap was sprung. Down
went McDonald. The band muffled
his gurgles by playing "Down
Went McGinty," a piece consider-
ed by the young bloods to be ap-
propriate to the festivities. Wo-
men fainted. Strong men choked
on their special hanging day lunch
put up by the Silver City Chop
house. McDonald was buried near
the scaffold.
In the late afternoon boys came
to play hangman on the scaffold.
One of them adjusted the rope
about his neck. He fell through
the hole in the floor.
"Dang you guys," he screamed.
"You let the rope- slip off my neck
and now I've. broke my leg." He
had.
Silver City was on the wane by
that October day in 1.881. Mines
were not so prosperous, as they
had been in 1.866 when millions
were carved out of Florida and
War Eagle mountains, and when
the Owyhee output was the barom-
eter of metal markets throughout
the silver world. Many men had
been shot and a few had been
lynched. Ministers of the gospel
had preached in the Billiard sa-
loon and Mike Rock had guaran-
teed a liberal collection with his
hand on the butt of his gun. He
passed the hat personaly, "just to
see none of youse guys chips in a
suspender button."
Sought Legendary Mine
Owyhe@ county, second largest
in the state and scene of more dra-
matic joy, tragedy and color than
any section of Idaho with the
probable exception of Boise basin,
dates back to 1863. It was a
suburb, an offshoot of Idaho City,
although it soon outshone the
mother lode on More's creek and
was sprinkled with wide -open,
hard hitting cities when Idaho
City was wearing the seat out of
its second pair of pants.
A party of miners from the
basin found pay dirt on Jordan
creek in May. The adventurers
were known as the "twenty -
niners" because there were 29 of
them. As far as most of them
were concerned the expedition was
a fizzle. They were glad to find
gold and silver, and all that, but
they were hunting the blue bucket
diggings. They didn't find them.
Nobody did,
The blue bucket gold existed
only in legends told by immigrants
of 1845. They claimed they found
enough nuggets to fill a bucket
and didn't know what they were.
The story was elaborated to say
that immigrants used nuggets for
sinkers. That is the origin of
"Sinker creek," an Owyhee
stream that has sunk many a su-
perintendent's hopes by its can-
tankerous underground flow.
Fabulous Mines Found
As soon as gold was found near
Boonville, some of the men hasten-
ed back to Boise basin and the
rush was on. Claims were staked
thick and fast. In July the first
quartz ledge was struck in Whisky
gulch. Month later the Morning
Star was located. The stampede
increased. By the middle of 1864
there were more than 30 claims
on War Eagle mountain. The War
Eagle property which gave its
name to the hill was never de-
veloped. Parts of the property
were worked in later days.
Florida mountain, on the south
side of Jordan creek, was also ex-
amined carefully and staked on
every foot. Some of the tunnels
became fabulous producers. The
Black Jack, Trade Dollar, and
DeLamar came through richly.
Both mountains are honeycombed.
Laybrinths of tunnels and shafts,
reaching for dozens of miles into
the depths of the earth are probed
today as fresh sparks of vigor are
pumped into the varicose veins.
Prime discovery of 1865 was the
Poorman, uncovered by Charles S.
Peck on property belonging to an-
other company. He tried to buy
the Hays and Ray. claim but was
unsuccessful. Subsequently anoth-
er company found the ledge but
lacked capital to work it. Peck
obtained an interest. The claim
was soon snarled in a court squab-
ble. Not trusting in the mills of
,justice, the owners barricaded,
their tunnel and brought up a
couple of young cannon. The forti-
fication was called Fort Baker.
lThe ore was silver chloride,
heavily impregnated with gold and
easily worked. It sold for as high I
as $4 an ounce in the raw. A
chunk of 500 pounds, made up
mostly of ruby crystals, was sent I
to the Paris exposition in 1866 and
won a gold medal. A long tram-
way was built from the mine to
a mill near Silver City. Part of,
the mill still stands.
The panic of 1873 put the mines
on the skids. When the Bank of
California failed a short time.
later finances were buttoned up.
Silver City was strapped. Hope,
backed by cash returned in the-
90's. James Hutchinson and Joseph
H. Hutchinson took charge of the
Trade Dollar. The Idaho. and
Pittsburgh Mining and Milling
company, John Irwin,, jr., presi-
dent, renewed work on The Black
Jack, and opened half a dozen
more tunnels. Stanley E. Easton,
a young man from California, be-
came superintendent of the Cum-
berland on War Eagle mountain.
Easton is now president of Bunker
Hill and Sullivan in the Coeur
d'Alenes, one of the biggest silver
mines in the world.
c,V P
County Seat Moved
Silver City, which had boasted
3. population of 7000'in 1867 and
hAd dwindled to about 3000, felt
FL second surge. The boom carried
over until 1907 when another
panic knocked. the spots off every-
one's pocketbook. Silver City
threatens every spring to get go-
ing again. The ghost refused to be
calm. Silver is even more a de
serted village than Idaho City.
Only a handful of people remain.
Their county seat is gone.
Since 1935 Murphy has been
Owyhee county's capital. The old
courthouse is at Silver. Part of it
will never go. Back wall of the jail
was cut from native granite flush
on the sidehill. The wall is ap-
proximately half a mile thick. No-
body dug out of that. A prisoner
in the old courthouse south of Jor-
dan creek delivered himself from
clutches of the law in an earlier
day. He set fire to the jail and
burned to death with a Chinese
cell mate who had been careless
about putting his hands in other
people's pockets.
Chinese were ill- starred at Sil-
ver. As in other camps, they fol-
lowed white miners like jackals
follow lions. Their best placer
field, they decided, was far back
on Florida mountain. There was
no water. They hired an engineer
to, survey a ditch. For a year they
labored on the waterway. The
ditch was complete, but it was no
good. It ran uphill. Good joke on
John Chinaman, thought the engi-
neer. Back came the Chinese with
another ditch. It carried water.
They mined tremendously, goug-
ing a great scar on the mountain.
All earth was taken except the
cemetery.
Cemetery in Gold Field
That cemetery is one of the rich-
est in the country. Estimates of a
million dollars have been sub-
stantiated by engineers. It will
never be mined. Chinese have
been shot for crowding too close
to the fence. Pioneers who gave
their lives for gold are buried in it.
Idaho's first daily newspaper.
The Owyhee Avalanche, was pub-
lished at Silver in 1874. The paper
was founded in 1865 and was sus-
pended about six years ago. L. A.
York of Boise was its publisher for
many years. Charles Hackney,
also of Boise, was the last editor.
Between Boise and Silver City
ran stage lines and freight service
that_ were frequently plundered
by Indians and road agents. The
area near Murphy is filled with
graves of men killed by Indians.
There are reputed to be strong
boxes in the. gullies. On Reynolds
,,creek, according to the tale, is the
`grave of Bigfoot Star Wilkinson,
biggest and toughest Indian pf the
territory. The Negro - Indian was
six feet eight inches tall, and
weighed more than 300 pounds.
Legend has it he was killed in
1869 by a Silver City tough guy
named Wheeler.
Famous Hotel Closed
I Murphy was a long time mak-
ing good its threat to emaciate
'aiNer City. The village was start -
ed as the terminus of a railroad
built, by Col. W. H. Dewey, mining
man of Silver; Nampa and Thun-
der Mountain. It is a cattle coun-
try and a shipping point for beef
and lambs. The railroad that ulti-
mately gave it the county seat was
intended to reach Silver City, but
did not get over the mountain,
Idaho hotel at Silver is a noted
hostelry. It is no longer operated.
In its barroom, and on its porch
took place many an event of Idaho
history. The bullet that killed
Marion More in 1868 was fired
from the stairway. A posse that
went out after Indians in 1878 was
recruited at Idaho hotel and at
Champion hall.
O' H. Purdy, member of the
twenty- niners, lost his life in the
battle at South Mountain after
killing Buffalo. Horn, chief of the
Indians. A skull of Buffalo Horn
adorned the bar at the Idaho hotel
in later years. It was the genuine
skull. Two others have popped up
simultaneously as recently as last
year. The one believed to be the
genuine' is in the State Historical
society; another is in an eastern
museum.
STEM OF THE GEM IN 1939
WHAT THE GUEST of Idaho hotel saw from the front porch in
1868 is much the same as would see today, looking toward the
center of business. In the background is a wing of Champion
hall, the courthouse for many years, and later occupied by a
general store. The countyseat has been at Murphy since 1935.
Cattle Country Today
Eastern Owyhee county is
,biggest dagnabed cow country
the state. It is also the grazii
ground for thousands of shee
Parts of the southern section 'a
so remote from Murphy th
county officers have to go to Tw
Falls and sneak up on them fro
the rear. In Owyhee's 7956 squa:
miles are only 4000 people. T]
reaches around Three creek, Ri
' dle, and Battle creek are so va
that it has been claimed that an
thing under the sun may be four
there including the lost tribes
Israel. The canyon of Brunea
river is deep, narrow and long.
is hard to approach and hard 1
get out of. Therefore it is litt
explored although it is a seen
wonder.
Bruneau is the eastern cente
Long the headquarters for stoc
outfits and scattered farmers, tl
town has come up lately as a pau
ing point on the highway fro,
Mountain Home to Mountain Cit.,
Nev. Out of 'Bruneau on Jacl
creek, Bruneau river, and Mary
creek is found highly satisfactor
fishing, if you don't mind blazin
jsunshine and an occasional ra
I tlesnake.
FAMOUS SILVER CITY HOTEL WAS HISTORY'S PARTNEI
EVENTS that have made Silver a treasure chest of pioneer lore LOOK place „a .— t
of the '60s still standing in the peer of Idaho's ghost towns. Until two years ago the hotel provided
meals and lodging. _ --
Water for the fire engine was hard to find in winter
Boise 's fire com antes stru led
One hundred years ago, Boise's
p _ g�
volunteer fire department was in its
infancy and struggling. Organized in
1876, the department suffered from
the problems of any volunteer group,
even though the stakes in life and
property were high.
It was hard to get young men who
worked without pay to attend meet-
ings and drills with any regularity.
On Jan. 1, 1880, The Statesman re-
ported that only half a dozen mem-
bers had responded to the clanging of
the fire bell. It suggested that heav-
ier fines be levied on those who failed
to answer the call.
A serious problem for the volun-
teer engine company, even if it had
turned out in force, was a lack of
water. In winter, all of the ditches
were either dry or frozen solid. To
remedy this situation the city began
building covered cisterns at each of
the principal intersections. The dig-
ging was difficult, and in January
1880, a steam derrick was employed
to lift the dirt and gravel out of the
hole.
Nearly all of January was needed
to complete the cistern at 6th and
Idaho, even with the steam engine.
The big hole reached a depth of 21
feet on Jan. 22, and promptly started
to cave in around the edges. This ne-
Idaho
Yesterdays
l By Arthur Hart/ : y`
cessitated enlarging its diameter and
took a lot more time.
Water filled the hole as the crew
worked, making pumping necessary.
On Jan. 29, two workmen fell into the
icy water and had to be pulled out
and sent home to warm up.
Another cistern at 8th and Grove
streets was tested at the beginning of
February and a request made to the
mayor and City Council to build eight
more as soon as possible.
The cost of running a fire depart-
ment in those days was modest, since
there were no paid employees as yet.
It was the custom to raise money
with an annual Lincoln's birthday
masquerade ball, and in 1880 this
event netted "the snug sum of
$202.50."
Boise City's second fire company
was organized that winter. The new
fire engine was less than a year old
when the following ad appeared in
The Statesman:
"Attention Firemen and Citizens
- A meeting will be held at the City
Hall on the evening of March 16th,
1880, for the purpose of organizing a
Hook & Ladder Company, indepen-
dent of the Engine Company.
— Ross Cartee, Secretary."
( Cartee was the son of Surveyor
General Lafayette Cartee, who had
been one of the founders of the de-
partment in 1876 and its first presi-
dent.)
In March 1880, tests of the new cis-
terns were made. The engine boys
apparently enjoyed the drill a bit
more with the new cisterns to work
with. On March 15, they got their
chance for real action when four
wooden buildings at 7th and Idaho
streets burned. The fire engine
pumped water from a cistern onto
the walls of the Central Hotel, saving
it from certain loss. Its walls were so
hot from the nearby flames that
great clouds of steam arose when the
water hit them. Both the new engine
and the system of cisterns proved
themselves in their first real test.
The volunteers appreciated the value
of their practice sessions a bit more
as well
by Dwight R. Droz
he old prison still stands
staunch and bleak, on the Boise
bench at the end of Old
Penitentiary Road. If the stones in
that fortress could speak, what tales
they would tell —but their tongues are
locked where wind, sun and blowing
sand have gnawed them for a century.
It was still Idaho Territory when
the cornerstone was set in July 1870.
The mining' boom brought an assort-
ment of riff -raff and criminals along
with law- abiding men, and a new
prison was badly needed on the Idaho
frontier. The new Territorial Prison
filled the need with a vengeance.
Prisoners were brought in two
years after construction began. They
quarried stone, erected walls and built
the very cells that shut them in. The
large compound that resulted was a
beehive for over a century. Suddenly,
all action ceased; it became a
museum.
Though pictures of famous outlaws
line the walls, one man who spent
long years in that prison was
overlooked, gained no mention, and
was completely obscured to the time I
began searching for him. He lan-
guished there between 1874 and 1886
passing day after day— dreaming,
hoping and despairing by turns. The
years rolled on.
The reason for a manhunt is easily
explained. I am a compulsive barb -
wire collector —not any barbwire —an-
tique barbwire is my thing!
Hooked on Barbwire
I buy barbwire, trade it, hunt, read
and write articles about it; and I have
to watch that I don't become a bore on
the subject. Robert Clifton's book en-
titled Barbs, Prongs, Points,
Prickers & Stickers is one of many
good reference books on the subject.
Well, thumbing through Clifton's
book on a stormy winter night, I came
across a picture of an odd looking
barb that resembled a small, double -
coil spring. It had been issued an U.S.
Patent and was named Butler's Shock
Absorber Barb.
The inventor was William W.
Butler of Boise City. I've lived in
Boise and roamed its back country. I
had never heard of any wire inventor
from Idaho, so my curiosity was
aroused. The possibility that there
might be some Butler Barb on a fence
in those foothills got to me for a time.
Such wire would be extremely rare.
( ) 9 '7 I --J` ` 1, % -1
The
Prison
William Butler
Researchers doubt it was ever
manufactured. I sincerely hope some
old timer in Boise valley can provide
more information on William Butler
and his pipe -dream barb.
The Search Begins
The State Historical Museum on
North Julia Davis Drive in Boise had
many fine artifacts, but their supply
of any barbwire was nil, and no one
had ever heard of an inventor named
William Butler. They referred me to
the archives on State Street. By late
afternoon I was chocking microfilm in
a viewer examining newspapers from
1880 through 1883.
I, was turning the crank like a wide -
eyed kid at a peepshow, when all at
once old history sprang out of the
machine and danced before my eyes! I
kept forgetting the object of my
Saga
search. I'll confess that I have a rather
wild imagination. With the help of old
headlines, news reports, ads for quack
medicines and fading pictures, I
gathered swirling visions of roughly -
dressed men riding down the elm -
lined groves of Warm Springs Avenue
a century ago with gray dust swirling
around the horses knees. Once again I
heard the faint swish and creak of
saddle - leather and the rumble of
wagon wheels— sounds I remember
from ranch life in Idaho as a small
boy.
Images continued to flow. I ima-
gined tossing stagecoaches rattling
down Black Canyon and women with
broad brimmed hats and full - pleated
dresses mincing along the board
walks of old Boise City with ribbons
flying in the wind.
The bannerhead came into focus
again. It proclaimed: Idaho Tri-
Weekly Statesman, Vol. XVII,
Boise City, Idaho Territory, January
6, 1881. (The year of Butler's wire pa-
tent.) A fight with Sioux, Fort
Buford, Montana: January 5, 1881.
An engagement of an hour occurred
Saturday afternoon at Poplar Creek,
between Major Ilger's command and
147 , ( - 6"� 19 7 9 — 6� ' ")- 'Y 3
a band of Sioux. The firing was rapid,
but no soldiers hurt. The Sioux
displayed a white rag and made a for-
mal surrender. Three Indians were
killed. "
I cranked the reader some
"Patent Spri more:
ng Whiffletree. Thurs-
day, Jan. 6, 1881. We have purchased
a Wilsen Patent Spring Whiffletree of
Mr. Charles Coplin," read the ad.
"He is their agent in this city, and all
recommend them as the best sir.dle
drat gdht bars that have ever been in
"1 his was goon information aoout
other inventors, but this was not the
inventor I wanted to meet. Reading
on: "Murder of a medicine
man— Tillamook George, the Orego-
nian, Jan. 1, 1881." (That was an
item dated two days after Butler's pa-
tent was granted.)
News of murder, hanging, rob-
beries, stagecoach holdups, and trivia,
came spilling across endless pages of
newsprint. Patent medicines will cure
your aches and pains —I thought of
our modern television commercials
and sighed. "Times don't change
much," I decided. "It makes you
realize today's bad news is not so new
after all. We're better off than we
think!"
Finding Butler Not Easy
By this time, I realized that finding
William Butler would not be easy. At
closing time, I wound up the spools,
returned the film and grabbed for my
hat with the feeling I had a zero.
I returned to the Archives next mor-
ning. Mrs. Freda March in Geneal: ,t_ -
Section found the first clue on pa ,
129 of the Census of Upper Boise
Valley, 24 June 1880. A prisoner
named William W. Butler was then
residing in Idaho Territorial Peniten-
tiary. He was listed as a merchant.
Born in Ohio; father in Ohio; mother
in Wisconsin. The inmate was single
at time of census; his age was 33. The
trail ended there. She advised me to
sec Mr. Bettis upstairs. He had seven
boxes of prison records; this was
bound to take time.
A Letter Arrives
This letter from the Idaho State
Historical Society arrived a week
after I returned to Poulsbo,
Washington:
Dear Mr. Droz:
I have had an opportunity to search a
bit more for information on the William
W. Butler that was listed in the 1880
census as being in the Territorial
Penitentiary. There is nothing to in-
dicate that he was the patent holder of
the barbed wire, but his occupation is
listed as "machinist" at one point and
"engineer" in another instance and does
certainly give us reason enough to con-
tinue our search.
Information located in AR
42- Penitentiary Records, provides the
following: Born in Ohio. Convicted and
sentenced for four or five charges in-
cluding `Assault to Kill" and "Grand
Larceny" from Oneida County. Total
sentence was 10 years. Received at the
Penitentiary November 19, 1874. Oc-
cupation is listed as machinist. Dark
Complexion. 27 years of age (in 1881).
5' -8" tall. Light hazel eyes. Brown hair.
Discharged June 19, 1883.
Later records in AR 42 and in 2nd
rDistrict Court records at Ada Cour,'y
'show that he was again sentenced to
s prison on December 6, 1882 following a
jury verdict of guilty to `Assault to
Murder" on November 28, 1883. He
was tried for a crime committed on
August 15, 1874. Evidently he had
committed the Ada County crime first
and then committed crimes in Oneida
County and his previous sentence was
for the Oneida County crime. I do not
know if he was in the Ada County Jail
from his June 19, 1883 release date un-
til he was re- sentenced. This sentence
was for five years. On this term his oc-
cupation is listed as engineer. At this
point the records are sketchy. He wa in
prison in April of 1886. I do not knt..
what happened to him.
1 Cttd check fhe Statcsu,au itum
rune to December of 1883 to see if there
was any mention of him and except for
notice of trial and conviction there was
none.
We will be investigating this further
and will let you know if we are able to
find anything of value.
Sincerely,
M. Gary Bettis
s book,
Stickers,
1*�A Q� ham- _ 117 q _ (1
A patent was born in a cell like these.
Trapped in a Cell
Now we must face a persistent
question: Could the man in the ac-
count we just read, trapped and
badgered by the dull and daily routine
of prison life develop new concepts
like a spring- loadEd barb? Seems
doubtful, doesn't it? Yet I felt certain
somewhere in one of those remote
cells a man 5' 8" in height with dark
complexion, brown hair and hazel
eyes was still empowered with the
will to dream as he watched the years
drift by past those iron bars.
"He must be the first man to obtain
a patent through iron bars," I
decided. We waited for proof to ar-
rive.
The Search is Over
Summer passed without further in-
cident. October brought welcome
news in another letter from the
Historical Society.
Dear Mr. Droz:
We have some good news for you to-
day. One of our staff researchers was
working on a project and noticed an arti-
cle in the "75 years ago" column of the
Statesman, October 20, 1957, stating
that W. W. Butler, the prisoner, was in-
deed the inventor of the barbed wire.
I checked the Statesman for Oc-
tober of 1882 and found the original
story on page 5, column 1 of October 7,
1882.
This should give you a good post-
script for your article.
Sincerely,
M. Gary Bettis
This is the news clipping the letter
contained:
Improved Fence Barb
his city,
"Mr. S. W. Kroff, f
formerly Warden of the Penitentiary,
brought into our office a model piece of
wire fence with a new patented barb for
the wire. This barb is the invention of
W. W. Butler, a convict in the peniten-
tiary for the past eight years, and his
time will be up next March. Butler ap-
pears to be very ingenious. He has in-
vented a tug hook, for which he has ap-
plied for a patent, and has several other
inventions on which he is working. He
obtained a patent for this barb, and no
doubt if barbed wire is to be used at all,
his is superior to any now in use. The
barb is lighter and is formed by a
separate piece of wire coiled around the
fence wire so that the prongs or points
will give and not seriously injure an
animal that gets on to the wire fence. It
is very properly called an elastic barb,
and while it will prick an animal, it will
not cut or tear him to pieces like the old -
fashioned rigid barb, which is equal to
so many butcher - knives. It ought to take
,precedence over all other barbs. Mr.
Kroff has the sale and is interested in
the patent, and will no doubt make a
handsome fortune out of it, both for
himself and Mr. Butler. "
reprinted from Robert T. Clifton
'Barbs, Prongs, Points, Prickers
ler% Shock Absorber 407
vire with two - point, double -
irb gives way under load.
489991 November 1, 1881,
W. Butler of Boise City,
-�7 S�
Randy Stapilus
Opinion,
Meanness in
Idaho's birth
The strange road to Gem
statehood starts in the remote
hamlet of Oxford with a visit
by the U.S. marshal.
Today, this spot near Pres-
ton is an unremarkable collec-
tion of farm houses set in a
peaceful hill country.
But in the summer of 1884, it
was the launch pad of a politi-
cal revolution that would lead
to Idaho's admission six years
later as a state and set the
course of its politics and its
constitution for a century.
Fred T. Dubois, the U.S. mar-
shal and one of the pivotal
figures in Idaho political histo-
ry, recalled the meeting in his
book, "The Making of a State."
Idaho then was a Democratic
state, largely because the Mor-
mons were almost all Dem-
ocrats.
Dubois was a Republican bit -
terly critical of the Mormons.
He attended the Democratic
county convention in 1884 in
his home county, Oneida,
which then included most of
Eastern Idaho, while keeping
watch of them.
Of the 42 Democrats there,
35 were Mormons. They were
led by a man who had just
arrived in Idaho: Thomas
Ricks, who had been called by
church leaders to colonize the
Upper Snake River Valley. (He
succeeded: Rexburg was named
for him, and current state Sen.
Mark Ricks, R- Rexburg, a for-
mer majority leader, is a de-
scendant.)
The Mormons pushed
through their nominations for
delegates to a territorial con-
vention, and the seven Gen-
tiles stormed out.
Outside the meeting hall,
Dubois -- sensing a common
bond -- proposed a new Anti -
Mormon Party (that was its
actual name) which would run
for office both Republicans and
Democrats. Dubois, who was
building a career out of throw-
ing Mormons in jail for their
beliefs, was the natural leader
of the group.
After a bitterly disputed vote
count, the Anti - Mormons beat
the other parties in Oneida
County, which sent two dele-
gates to the territorial Legisla-
ture. They were the deciding
votes in a Legislature which,
besides themselves, was split
between 10 Democrats and 10
Republicans.
The Anti - Mormons merged
with the Republicans to pass
laws keeping Mormons out of
office and out of the voting
booth — - where they had been ;
active — for years.
In 1886, Dubois ran for Con-
gress as a Republican and ;
Anti - Mormon, and added a sec-
ond plank: keeping northern
Idaho together with the south-
ern part of the state, instead of
meshing it with Washington.
This and the Mormon ques-
tion were the key local issues
in Idaho. Dubois' insight was
to combine them, and political-
ly it worked. With the Mor-
mons not voting, Dubois swept
the south while cutting his
losses in the north (although a ;
Democrat who favored combin-
ing the region with Washing-
ton state still won there).
Politicians do what works,
and in the next few years Idaho
politicians of both parties emu- ;
lated Dubois.
In the 1888 elections, almost
all the Republicans were fero-
cious Anti - Mormons, and Du-
bois was re- elected to Con-
gress. The Democrats, now a
minority, also started Mormon-
bashing. Democratic territori-
al Gov. E.A. Stevenson was an
ally of Dubois'; in 1889 he was
replaced by another Dubois
ally, Republican George
Shoup.
Such was Idaho's political
condition when its Constitu-
tional Convention was gaveled
to order.
Dubois recalled that al-
though the two parties were
closely balanced, "every dele-
gate vied with every other del-
egate in expressing his desire
and determination that the
Constitution should be so
framed that at no time in the
future would there be any dan-
ger of the new state coming
under the political domination of
the Mormon organization."
The Idaho Constitution was
written specifically with that in
mind. A provision to block Mor-
mons from political participation
stayed in the Constitution until
1982, although church members
became active much sooner.
Other provisions — such as the
one banning lotteries, written to
demonstrate how self - righteous
the delegates were — spun off
those attitudes.
(Early in the new century Du-
bois switched parties and ran as a
Democrat for the U.S. Senate: But
this time he failed, and his legacy
was a shattered Democratic Party
and Mormon allegiance to the
GOP that lasts to this day.)
+ The fact that Idaho politics had
turned both Republican, like the
i new president and Congress, and
:, ,anti- Mormon, was a big selling
point in Washington, D.C., for
statehood . "Idaho might not have
become a state then (and delegate_
Dubois would not have pushed it)
otherwise.
rt Constitutions usually are born
in times of turmoil, but few such
o births look as strange and some-
times ugly in hindsight as Ida-
ho's. No matter. Idaho is good at
overcoming disabilities.
An update needed
One good thing the Idaho
founders did that the nation's
founders didn't was to keep a re-
cord of their debate.
In good Idaho tradition, the
Legislature didn't bother to have
it transcribed or printed until
1912 -- nearly a quarter- century
after the convention.
Titled "Proceedings of the Con-
stitutional Convention," the two -
volume set can be found in some
l law libraries (such as the state
Supreme Court's) and a few law
offices (such as the state Attorney
General's).
It should be more widely avail-
able. Most of the copies now in
existence, such as the Supreme
Court's, are falling apart, their
binding turning to dust with the
decades. Apparently no edition
has been printed since 1912, when
the Legislature authorized $2,000
for the job.
An annotated reprint would
make a nice centennial project
for someone. Few states have
such a revealing — and entertain-
ing — record of their founding.
AD X� 4 7'cS i(//g'- N
Wagons, riders get ready
for Ketchum's big celebration
By Karen Bossick
The Idaho Statesman
he Lewis Stringy was the
Fe era x ress an 1d noan g dis-
tance Mauler o e 1 s ro e
iri o one It an o e aeons
like it hau a up to 24,000
poun s o ar ware,
clothes ana ore in and ou o e
Cen o munng o
ay ors ,
ChaIILS ah n. — v
"�iow-'{Tie ny, high wag-
on gets out of the barn only
once a year. But, oh, what a gig
it is — before 15,000 people in
what is believed to be the
largest non - motorized parade
in the West.
The Big Hitch is set to roll
again Saturday as part of
Ketchum's Wagon Days Pa-
rade. It will be joined by more
than 100 museum - quality bug-
gies, carriages, carts, buck-
boards and wagons and a lively
assortment of horses ranging
from Percherons to Pasos. The
parade is part of a three -day
Wagon Days celebration spot-
lighting cowboy music, arts and
antique sales.
This year's parade will fea-
ture the award - winning Silver
Spurs riding group from Salt
Lake City, as well as the Amer -
icanas from Rexburg.
But, of course, the highlight
will be the Lewis Ore Wagon,
which traditionally ends the pa-
rade much as Santa Claus ends
Boise's Holiday Parade.
One round trip on the
Ketchum - Challis Toll Road,
now the Trail Creek Road, took
these wagons two weeks. It
takes an automobile four hours
to make the rounds now.
"I think people are just mes-
merized by them," said Wendy
Jacquet, of Sun Valley. "I know
I always get shivers up and
down my spine when I see the
Big Hitch."
This year, for the first time,
spectators can purchase re-
served bleacher seat buttons for
Y_;/",
uour[esy ianyrl ..y-,,-
Wait for the wagons ... The
Big Hitch will roll Saturday as
part of Ketchum's Wagon
Days parade.
$5 from the Visitors Informa-
tion Center on Main Street in
Ketchum. Bleachers will be set
up on Sun Valley Road and
Main Street.
Theft of the first great seal of the territory of Idaho - and the rest of the story article
by John A. Mock 2006
Idaho in 1863
I'
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The purpose of this brief numbered chronological order of historical events related to the
first territorial capital and Great Seal is listed for your enjoyment, interest and record.
Special thanks to Ladd Hamilton, formeueditor of the Lewiston Morning Tribune, noted
Author of Lewiston Country, This Bloody Deed, and Snowbound, for helping me with
journalistic structure and historical summery.
My gratitude to Bill R. Miller for his generosity, allowing me access to his private, early
Lewiston newspaper collection.
Special appreciation to Melva Mock, my gracious wife, who partners with me in
historical research adventures.
Special recognition goes to the Nez Perce County Historical Society and the Lewiston
1
Historic Preservation Commission, and fellow members who are knowledgeable,
enthusiastic and encouraging.
a "MUST READ" historical book for an in
early history.
broke the lock on the door of the territorial capital and stole most of the territorial treasures,
including the Great Seal. Smith and his companions and the remaining soldiers bypassed the
town and met the others at the Clearwater ferry. Marshal Vincent ran after them trying to
serve his injunction on Smith, but the soldiers prevented him and they escaped by ferry into
Washington Territory.
26. Secretary Smith entered Boise with the First Great Territorial Seal of Idaho and most of the
archives on April 14, 1865.
27. That same night on the other side of the continent, the country was stunned by the assassination
of President Lincoln.
28. The injunction by the probate judge was later sustained by Territorial Judge Alleck C. Smith in
a judgement handed down April 17, 1865, as presiding judge of the first judicial district of Idaho
Territory. His ruling closed with these words: "It is the decision of the court that the act
permanently locating the capitol of Idaho Territory at Boise City is invalid, having been passed
by an illegal and unauthorized body. His final ruling was: The capital of this Territory is at
Lewiston. Therefore, let judgement be entered in accordance with the prayer of the complaint.
29. On October 9,1865, the remaining capital effects were taken from Lewiston by U.S. Marshal J.
H. Alvord, who had a commission from the federal government at Washington.
30. On June 14,1866, the newly formed Idaho Territorial Supreme Court, reversed the action of the
district court, thus making Boise the capital in law as well as in fact. Judge Milton Kelly and
Chief Justice John R McBride voted for this ruling and Judge Alleck C. Smith voted against.
Idaho's Second Territorial Seal
Before Statehood, adopted 1866
Not surprisingly, dissatisfaction with the First Great Seal of the Territory of Idaho caused
Governor Caleb Lyon to present a seal of his own design, which was accepted by the Idaho
Territorial Legislature on January 11, 1866. Lyon's design was contentious and was redrawn several
times. However, it was used until Idaho became a state in 1890.
Where is the First Great Seal
of the Territory of Idaho?
Shockingly, to this day, IT IS MISSING. The most important historical Idaho legislative
artifact is the missing victim of unlawful theft and removal of the first territorial capital from
Lewiston to Boise. This is the only time in the history of the United States that a territorial capital
has been transferred from one city to another without due process of law.
The beautiful Historic Lewiston License Plate is a dynamic, ongoing project of the Lewiston
Historic Preservation Commission and reflects the historical beginnings of Idaho history. The money
received is used for historic preservation and historic education for our children and for forthcoming
generations. It is available in regular or sample plates. For additional information call (208) 790-
0999. The web site address is: www.historiclewistonnlate.org
God bless Idaho and the United States of America!
4
I
REFERENCES:
Lewiston Country, Margaret Day Allen and Ladd Hamilton
Lewiston Morning Tribune
Sunday, March 2,1913
By H. L. Talkington, Head of Department of History of Lewiston State Normal School.
Nez Perce County Historical Society and Museum
Lewiston Historic Preservation Commission
Lewiston A Pictorial History . Gene Mueller
City of Lewiston
The Idaho State Historical Society
State of Idaho
The Fourth has a long history
of local celebration
'Anvil- firing' was popular Fourth of July activity in early Idaho
By Arthur Hart
The Idaho Statesman
n early Idaho the Fourth of July was
celebrated with enthusiasm. Holiday
events began the night before, as this
Statesman account of 1875 tells us: "After
ten o'clock Saturday night the noise of
gunpowder rose on the midnight air. To
be sure, the great Fourth was near, and to
the young, noise and happiness, patriotic
enthusiasm, and Chinese crackers are
synonymous and convertible terms. If
they wish one day of the year, or even
two days, to sit up all night so as to usher
in the day with noises, to accompany
themselves with fire _and flame, concus-
sion and reverberations, and lager beer,
and to wind up with weariness, blisters,
and colic — why `tis the Fourth of July
and a free country." The story concludes
with "Long may the eagle wave and the
stars and stripes float o'er the land of the
free."
Anvil- firing on the Fourth was a pleas-
ant pastime common on the Idaho fron-
tier, but virtually unknown today. Here
is the recipe: Move one large anvil out of
the blacksmith shop to open ground. Pile
as much black powder on top of it as you
can, attached to a length of fuse. Place
another anvil upside down on top of the
powder. Light the fuse and run like hell.
The clang of the steel, coupled with the
explosion is said to have made a most
satisfactory sound. In 1891, at the little
town of Van Wyck, Idaho, aplace now
under Cascade Reservoir, "The sound of
anvil firing resounded from the grove at
the foot of West Range, wakening the
sleeping echoes which went vibrating
across the valley, rousing its silent popu-
lation into activity and a realization that
the Glorious Fourth was at hand."
In Idaho City in 1870 an arbor of ever-
green boughs was constructed at the hot
springs resort "wherein the crowd might
shield themselves from the sun's rays
and the oppressive heat of the day... the
city during the day presented rather a
deserted appearance, as nearly all the
business houses were closed and every-
body's family repaired to the Springs."
Lawyer Jonas W. Brown read the Decla-
ration of Independence "in a clear and
distinct voice." After music by the Idaho
City brass band, the orator of the day,
lawyer Frank Miller spoke for an hour.
"It was listened to with marked atten-
tion. It was well written and well deliv-
ered, and was replete with interesting
historical facts which occurred in those
times that `tried men's souls. "' It is hard
to imagine an audience sitting still for
any speech that long in today's less -pa-
tient world, but Fourth of July orations
often ran longer.
Most early Fourth of July celebrations
included a parade, often with a Liberty
Car carrying pretty girls in costume,
pulled by matched teams of horses, a
brass band, and local dignitaries in car-
riages.
A grand banquet was sometimes
served, or a community picnic, and later
a ball that lasted into the wee hours of the
morning. Idaho's pioneers loved to
dance, and loved to express their patrio-
tism. It is hard for us to realize that those
Idaho City folks of1870 were a lot closer
to 1776 than we are to them.
Idaho Centennial ... 1863 -1963 * * *
Idaho Territory was voted into being after a bitter Congressional fight be-
tween Wm. Henson Wallace (delegate from Washington Territory) and his staunch
supporters, and James N. Ashley, Chairman of the House Committee on Terri-
tories, who was determined to have two territories. It was near the close of the
last hectic legislative day of March 3, 1863 of the 37th Congress of the United
States, that the vote was pushed through the Senate. It was sent to President
IDAHOAbraham Lincoln, who signed it in his chambers in the Capitol. Wm. Wallace
� _L_L was appointed its first Governor. On July 10, Governor Wallace established
rcoLewiston as the capital of the Idaho Territory. It was the new gold rushes in the
fall of 1862 to the Boise Basin (and what is now Montana) that made the creating
of a new territorial government imperative and Governor Wallace made Lewiston
TERRITORIALthe capital over opposition from the people who had settled in Boise Basin. They
UNTENNI AL Wanted the capital in southern Idaho.
1863 1963 There is some question as to how the name of Idaho was chosen —Geo. W.
Walker claimed that he proposed the name —the "Golden Age" (first newspaper)
referred to the proposed territory as Idaho —F. T. Dent claimed that he was so
impressed by the use of the term by the Indians that he urged members of Con-
gress to use the name —and the Wallace family give the honor to Mrs. Wallace.
Abraham Lincoln, who was a personal friend of Wallace, often referred to him
as "Old Idaho ''. At any rate, the name is the white man's derivation of the
Indian name for this region of soaring peaks, ''Ee -da- how ", which meant "Light
on the Mountain ''.
Idaho has advanced far in the 100 years, and we salute her on her Terri-
torial Centennial!
39
6 �
rY �
PAGE SPONSORS
CONSUMERS MARKETS
BARGER- MATTSON AUTO SALVAGE
116 14Th Ave. So. — 124 Caldwell Blvd.
Boise - Nampa - Twin Falls
BULLOCK JEWELRY STORE
NAMPA TRANSFER & STORAGE CO., INC.
NORDSTROM LUMBER CO.
MERIDIAN WOOD PRODUCTS CO.
2523 2nd St. So. — Dial 466 -7377 — Nampa
Nampa, Idaho
WALTER OPP CONSTRUCTION CO.
PIX THEATRE
Res. - Comm. & Industrial -Phone 466 -2914
Picks the Pictures
"No Job Too Small"
Idaho Centennial ... 1863 -1963 * * *
Idaho Territory was voted into being after a bitter Congressional fight be-
tween Wm. Henson Wallace (delegate from Washington Territory) and his staunch
supporters, and James N. Ashley, Chairman of the House Committee on Terri-
tories, who was determined to have two territories. It was near the close of the
last hectic legislative day of March 3, 1863 of the 37th Congress of the United
States, that the vote was pushed through the Senate. It was sent to President
IDAHOAbraham Lincoln, who signed it in his chambers in the Capitol. Wm. Wallace
� _L_L was appointed its first Governor. On July 10, Governor Wallace established
rcoLewiston as the capital of the Idaho Territory. It was the new gold rushes in the
fall of 1862 to the Boise Basin (and what is now Montana) that made the creating
of a new territorial government imperative and Governor Wallace made Lewiston
TERRITORIALthe capital over opposition from the people who had settled in Boise Basin. They
UNTENNI AL Wanted the capital in southern Idaho.
1863 1963 There is some question as to how the name of Idaho was chosen —Geo. W.
Walker claimed that he proposed the name —the "Golden Age" (first newspaper)
referred to the proposed territory as Idaho —F. T. Dent claimed that he was so
impressed by the use of the term by the Indians that he urged members of Con-
gress to use the name —and the Wallace family give the honor to Mrs. Wallace.
Abraham Lincoln, who was a personal friend of Wallace, often referred to him
as "Old Idaho ''. At any rate, the name is the white man's derivation of the
Indian name for this region of soaring peaks, ''Ee -da- how ", which meant "Light
on the Mountain ''.
Idaho has advanced far in the 100 years, and we salute her on her Terri-
torial Centennial!
39
6 �
rY �
Snake Riuer Stampede Story * * *
It is generally conceded that the first authentic rodeo was held July 4, 1883 at Pecos,
Texas, twenty years after Idaho became a territory. Here is the story of the beginning of the Snake
River Stampede, with excerpts from the 1950 program.
During the fall of 1915, during the 5th annual Harvest Festival —with Geo. King and E. R.
Brace serving huge chunks of delicious barbecued beef and coffee, a bucking contest was held
in a downtown corral as a supplement to entertainment.
1. ... A number of wild horses were gathered and during the afternoon only three were suc-
cessfully ridden.... In those days before the ten second rule in rodeo, and pickup men, the rider,
once in the saddle, remained there until it was safe for him to get off .. . if he could! Thus
tonight's show began.
Every year thereafter these contests were held, and in 1920 had become an important part
of the Nampa Harvest Festival, and as a result was officially adopted. Many of the great rodeo
performers from the days of Nigger Bill, Bob Coven, Hugh Strickland, Lloyd Stillings, Yakima
Cannutt, Burl Mulkey, Guy Cash, Pete Grubb, Bob Crosby and in fact all the early -time "greats"
contested at Nampa. It then became fashionable for rodeos to be named, and the show was
appropriately christened "Snake River Stampede '', the name it bears today.
Les Gray then entered the rodeo picture and for years managed the Nampa show. With
him came Ed Moody, a great bronc rider in his own right, with an excellent string of bucking
horses. These men inherited Nampa's only rodeo livestock, the great Widow Maker.
In 1937 the Snake River Stampede became a night show, and with the lights came Leo
Cremer, the world's greatest rodeo producer. Aside from four years during World War II, the
Snake River Stampede has carried on, featuring the big outlaw bucking horses and the mean
Brahma bulls of the Cremer string. The Snake River Stampede has always been favored with
rodeo's greatest cowboys. The entry list accompanying this program is no exception to former
years.
1950 is the 35th birthday. The stands, some of which were 35 years old, have been re-
placed by new rodeo arena, designed especially for rodeos, and although only completed, are
now being copied as a model by others building arenas.... "
The Stampede is RCA approved with prizes of $2,125 for each event plus added entry fees.
Entry fees are $30 in all events except calf roping, which is $50.
A far cry from those first cowboys, the 1963 version will climb into his cadillac or chartered
plane and be off to the next rodeo to prove that the horse can be rode, and he won't be throwed!
THANKS * * *
Our thanks to the many merchants who are the sponsors listed on the pages
of this program. Dorothy Ferdinand, Editor; Carol Murray, Associate Editor;
Pat Duro, Barbara Douroux, LeRonis Wardle, Assistant Editors; Advertising Chair-
man, Venice Grant.
40
Schwartz Printing Co., Nampa
By ARTHUR A. HART
Director, Idaho Historical
Museum
The classic antique print-
ing presses now on display
;at the Idaho Historical Mu-
'.teum are reminders of the
;colorful early days of Idaho
Journalism. Just how color -
,ful is suggested by some de-
lightful stories that have
;been printed about one par-
ticular press, well over a
`century old.
When the Boise News
,(named for Boise Basin, and
not the town, then only a
month old) started publica-
tion in September, 1863, on a
:Washington press manufac-
tured by R. Hoe & Co. of
New York, the previous own-
er of the press, the Washing-
ton Statesman, of Walla
Walla, reminded its readers
that the new paper was
printed on a press with con -
siderable history:
"It is one of the first that
was brought to the Pacific,
and made the voyage, from
^New York, around Cape
Horn, to Portland, Oregon,
in the 'early days.' ... The
tales that it has impressed of
the early history of Oregon
and Washington — which,
i
f_
with Idaho, were one when it
commenced its career of
usefulness — are, we believe,
all among the archives of
the Oregonian office."
The story relates that the
Washington press was used
to print the Oregonian from
1851 until 1861, after which it
went to Walla Walla to print
the Washington Statesman.
The press was then packed
into the wilds of Idaho where
a new gold rush had created
the boom town of Bannock
City, later re -named Idaho
City.
The vicissitudes of early
newspaper enterprises may
be judged from the fact that
the same press was used to
print the Boise News from
Sept. 29, 1863, until Oct. 22,
1864, and that it also printed
the Idaho Democrat and the
Idaho Union in the same pe-
riod.
On Oct. 29, 1864, Henry
Clay Street used the Wash-
ington press to print the
first issue of the Idaho
World.
The World was the chief
political antagonist of the
staunchly Republican Idaho
Tri- weekly Statesman,
which also began publication
This old press once told Idaho story
in 1864, and rival editors like
James S. Reynolds of the
Statesman and James
O'Meara of the World used
to regularly scorch the pages
of their respective papers
with verbal blasts at each
other.
What the old Washington
press knew in its years of
service is suggested by the
Washington Statesman's nos-
talgic article of 1863: "Many
a 'typo' in Oregon, Washing-
ton, and California could
recount pleasant stories of
hours spent beside it in the
Oregonian office, paying
their (respects) to sparkling
bottles of champagne and
rich cake sent in by young
and old couples who had 'put
their foot in it,' or by some
dealer, anxious for a notice,
or better still, in eating
mother is pies and
doughnuts, a bountiful sup-
ply of which she never failed
to furnish on publication
nights ..."
ANOTHER CHARMING
glimpse of the old press ap-
peared in the pages of the
Idaho World in February,
1876, when editor Jud Boya-
kin reported that "The Idaho
World office has recently
had a centennial shake up,
from an avalanche of snow,
sliding a distance of 45 or 50
feet and lighting on the
printing office roof ... The
World building seemed to
jump from its foundation:
the two hand presses, that
have stood side by side for
years, pranced about like a
horse with the blind stag-
gers, which so disgusted old
Washington and Franklin,
who have been looking at
each other from opposite
sides with cast iron indiffer-
ence ever since the presses
were made, that George low-
ered his dignity long enough
to reach across and punch
Ben in the left ear; while
Ben, in defense of these cen-
tennial times, struck back."
Visitors who watch the old
press in action or in repose
at the museum can still see
Washington and Franklin
gravely looking across at
each other, and can perhaps
let their imaginations run
back for a century and a
quarter over the events the
old press has printed about.
Idaho World Building in Idaho City
Old -time newspaper editors
insulted opponents in paper
Old -time newspaper editors
who were in the habit of mak-
ing violent verbal attacks on
their political opponents, or on
rival editors, sometimes had
to back their words with force.
Among the legendary char-
acters of early Idaho was the
fiery editor of the Owyhee Av-
alanche of Silver City, William
J. Hill. "Old Hill," as they
called him, (even when he was
young) had real talent for in-
sulting and abusing his ene-
mies — a talent that helped
sell newspapers.
An attempt was made to as-
sassinate Hill in May, 1868, but
the editor managed to beat off
his attackers, much to the de-
light of Statesman editor
James S. Reynolds. Reynolds
dared his own enemies to try
the same thing.
When Hill bought out his
partner in 1870, the Statesman
said "Hill has battled manfully
in the local interests of
Owyhee County, and as he gets
up a good spicy paper, should
be liberally supported by the
citizens over there."
Samples of the belligerent
style of early newspaper edi-
tors can be found in Hill's
Owyhee Daily Avalanche of
May 7,1875:
"Some person who is either
Idaho
Yesterdays
By Arthur Hart
a knave or a fool has sent us an
anonymous note from Boise
City, embodying an item the
tenor of which is grossly repul-
sive. If we knew the author,
we would nail his hide to the
wall, and make it look like a
wood chuck skin flattened out
on a country barn door in bean
time."
In an item labeled "ARMA-
MENT," the Avalanche tells
its enemies what they can ex-
pect if they decide to drop in
on the editor with trouble in
mind:
"Although these are peace-
ful times, the policy of being
`armed and equipped as the
law directs' seems always to
have been the rule in the con-
duct of the affairs of this of-
fice. We have not been adding
any to our stock of equipments
recently, believing that there
is already sufficient on hand to
afford all the requisite means
for self defense in any emer-
gency. At present the outfit
consists of — one carbine, one
Sharpe's rifle, one old- fashi-
oned musket, one double -bar-
reled shotgun, two heavy navy
revolvers, two Colt's pistols,
one derringer, three six- shoot-
ers, one pepper box, 2 Bowie -
knives each a foot and a half in
length, one carving knife, one
Arkansas toothpick, two mon-
ster jackknives, two Indian
clubs and a great variety of
other small weapons of de-
fense too numerous to specify.
"The office having always
been on a war footing, it is safe
to say that in case of an at-
tack, any invading party would
meet with a warm reception.
"We are not anticipating
any trouble in this direction. if
such occurred however the
well trained force of the office
would be able to cope with a
body four times their number,
and mow them down in the
most approved style of mod-
ern warfare. The compositors
and all others connectd with
the office are well skilled in
the use of arms.
"When an apprentice is
taken in, it is as much the duty
of the foreman to instruct him
in the art of manipulating
arms and weapons as it is to
handle the type. If the lad is
found to be devoid of pluck and
`Old Hill'
an ability to handle pistols, he
(the boy) is discharged on the
grounds of incompetency. All
these facts, however, need not
deter peaceably disposed per-
sons from calling at this office,
especially if they have any
orders to leave connected with
business or any money to pay
for subscriptions or advertis-
ing."
Maybe "Old Hill" was only
joshing his readers, but who
among them would have vo-
lunteered to check out the Av-
alanche arsenal personally?
(Arthur Hart is director of
the Idaho Historical Society.)
Windmill like this one is among machines that changed life in Idaho
9th-century machines helped
make pioneer life productive
By ARTHUR HART
One of the main exhibit themes
now being planned for the Idaho
Historical Museum's new addition
is "Machines that Changed Life in
Idaho."
When the exhibit opens this win-
ter, Idahoans will have a chance
to see for the first time some of
the state's outstanding collection
of machines — long buried in stor-
age due to the small space availa-
ble in the old museum building.
These machines, many dating
from the earliest settlement of
Idaho, will show the various kinds
of work Idaho men and women
have done over the past century.
They will also show how ma-
chines made life easier and
human labor more productive.
Starting with hand tools,
operated by direct muscle power,
the exhibit will move to simple
mechanical devices like the foot
treadle which increased the
power muscles could generate.
Spinning wheels, a farmer's
grindstone, a sewing machine,
and even an early dentist's drill
will illustrate the point.
IHorses, mules, oxen, and
burros also supplied Idaho's 19th -
century people with muscle
Idaho
Yesterdays
power, and machines helped har-
ness that for greater efficiency
and productivity, too. Horse -
drawn farm machines will show
this aspect of our history.
Steam engines came to Idaho
soon after the earliest quartz
mines were opened in the 1860s.
Stamp mills were operated by
steam power from an early date,
as were sawmills and railroad
trains. Models of steam engines
will be part of the new machinery
exhibits, and a tiny stamp mill
that will run at the touch of a but-
ton.
Women joined the paid work
force in early Idaho in large num-
bers after the invention of new
business machines. Typewriters,
adding machines and a variety of
others will illustrate this "revolu-
tion in the office."
Women's work in the home was
also dramatically changed by the
invention of sewing machines,
mechanical sweepers (and later
vacuum cleaners), and washing
machines.
The museum's large collection,
only seen in an occasional special
exhibit in the past, will now be
well represented permanently.
Coffee mills, printing presses, ,
cider presses, lawn mowers,
churns, corn shellers, apple peel
ers, and even an early outboard
motor will further demonstrate
Idahoans' increasing reliance on
machines.
Photography, which recorded
life in early Idaho, depended upon
other machines. The box camera,
folding camera, home movie
camera, theater projector, and
even a series of Polaroid instant
cameras will all be shown.
Player pianos, music boxes,
and phonographs — the list goes
on and on. The museum has a
want list of things needed to make
its display more complete.
For instance — does anybody
have a farm windmill they would I
donate? We have just the place
for it in the new exhibit. Call us at
334 -2120 if you have one or know of
one that might be available.
(Arthur Hart is director of the
Idaho Historical Society.)
Star -News News Main News Page Page 1 of 1
Moon defeats Beyeler in Idaho House primary election
Faulks ousted by Smith for Adams County prosecutor
BY TOM GROTE
for The Star-News
Idaho Rep. Merrill Beyeler was defeated in his bid for re- election by Dorothy Moon during Tuesday's
primary electron.
Also, Adams County Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Faulks was defeated in his re-
election bid by Council attorney Sean Smith.
Moon, of Stanley, drew 58.6 percent of the vote as opposed to 41.4 percent for Beyeler
for the Republican nomination.
Beyeler of Leadore, was elected in 2014 by defeating an incumbent, Lenore Hardy
no-thy Moon Barrett of Challis, who had served in the Idaho Legislature since 1992.
Moon will face Constitution Party candidate Ammon Prolife in the Nov. 8 general election.
Beyeler represents District 8 in the Idaho House of Representatives. The district covers Gem, Valley,
Boise, Lemhi and Custer counties.
Beyeler only won Valley County in Tuesday's vote, gaining 55.3 percent of the vote. Moon won the
most votes in Gem (63.2 percent), Boise (62.9 percent) , Lemhi (52.3 percent) and Custer (62.9 percent)
counties.
In Adams County, Smith received 478 votes, or 61.5 percent and Faulks received 300
votes, or 38.5 percent for the Republican nomination.
t - Faulks has been tangled with the city of New Meadows over who has jurisdiction to
prosecute misdemeanor cases in the county.
* The case went to court, where a judge ruled on May 5 that the city could hire a private
sexn 5miffi firm to prosecute city cases, rejecting the argument by Faulks that his office had
jurisdiction.
Smith is unopposed in the Nov. 8 general election.
No other races for Idaho Legislature or races for Valley County or Adams County offices were
contested in Tuesday's primary.
In the race for Idaho Supreme Court, Robyn Brody and Curt McKenzie received the most votes among
four candidate seeking to replace retiring justice Jim Jones.
Candidates Clive Strong and Sergio Gutierrez fell short in their bid for the seat.
Brody and McKenzie will now face off in a run -off election on Nov. 8.
http: / /www.mccallstamews .com/pages /fp_stories _page.php 5/19/2016
Star -News News Groups Page Page 1 of 1
McCall's Sifford to be Sanders delegate at convention
McCall Resident Bill Sifford has been elected to be one of 18 Idaho delegates supporting Bernie
Sanders to attend the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia July 25-28.
Sifford supports the Sanders platform, including consistent support of veterans, protection of individual
savings and retirement accounts, and Medicare expansion to provide single -payer health care for all
individuals.
Sifford also supports proposals by Sanders to prevent public lands from being sold, jobs programs to
improve infrastructure, federal legalization of marijuana, and protection of groundwater from tracking.
http : / /www.mccallsta.mews.com/pages /groups _page.php 6/30/2016
Star -News News Lead Story Page Page 1 of 1
ISP trooper escorting Capitol tree Injured in Idaho 55 collision
BY TOM GROTE
for The Star -News
An Idaho State Police trooper serving as the lead escort for the U.S. National Christmas Tree was
injured in a collision as the motorcade made its way down Idaho 55 from McCall to Boise on Sunday
afternoon.
A patrol car driven by Trooper Brandalyn Crapo was hit by a pickup driven by Michael
Shields, 49, of Boise, between Horseshoe Bend and Banks, an ISP news release said.
The accident happened about 12:20 p.m. Sunday on a straight section of the highway,
ISP Capt. Bill Gardiner said.
Braa<]nttin Oncoming traffic had slowed as the convoy was approaching and Shields swerved to
Crapo - avoid hitting a car in front of him, Gardiner said.
Crapo managed to avoid a head -on collision, but her patrol car suffered extensive damage on the
driver's side, he said.
"She is dang lucky," Gardiner said. Crapo hurt her left hand as well as suffered various bumps and
bruises, he said.
She was taken by air ambulance to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, where she was
treated and released.
Shields was evaluated on -scene for injuries, the ISP release said.
Crapo, who has been a trooper for two years, was selected by her supervisor to lead the escort of the
U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, Gardiner said.
"She was perfect for this assignment," he said of Crapo, noting her skills for communicating with the
public.
Her assignment would have allowed her to escort the tree to all of its planned stop in ISP's District 3,
which includes nine counties in southwest Idaho, he said.
After the accident, Crapo was placed on medical leave and other troopers were to be assigned as her
replacement, "except now we can't get anyone to volunteer to be out front," Gardiner said.
An investigation into the accident was continuing this week by the Boise County Sheriffs Office.
http: / /www.mccallstamews .com/pages /lead _page.php 11/10/2016