An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 142

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524

USA > Idaho > Kootenai County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 142
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 142
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 142
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 142

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CHAPTER II.

ORGANIZATION AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS.

Three times the citizens of northern Nez Perces county had failed in their efforts to lessen the incon- veniences to which they were subjected on account of their geographical position with reference to Lewiston, the county seat, and in their efforts to secure to the growing town of Moscow deserved political honors. But they were undismayed and never for a moment rested from their labors. The congressional enact- ment referred to in the previous chapter forbade them to hope for relief from the territorial legislature. Their last and successful fight was made in the national legislature. Congressman Fred Duboise of Blackfoot, Bingham county, was induced to champion their cause in the lower house of congress, and through his in- fluence Senator Mitchell, of Oregon, looked after their interests in the senate. In the winter of 1887 a bill was introduced in the house of the Fiftieth congress by Mr. Duboise, creating from a certain described tract in the northern part of Nez Perces county, the new county of Latah. The residents of Lewiston and vi- cinity made a vigorous defensive campaign and sent Attorney J. W. Reid to Washington to oppose the leg- islation and the consequent segregation of the county. The interests of Moscow and the north were repre-

sented at Washington by Charles Moore. The bill met with but little opposition in either house of congress and by the signature of President Cleveland became a law May 14, 1888. This is the only instance where a county in any state or territory has been formed by act of congress. The following is the text of the act :

PUBLIC ACT NO. 91.

AN ACT TO CREATE AND ORGANIZE THE COUNTY OF LATAH.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That all that portion of Nez Perces county, in the Territory of Idaho, lying north of the following line, to-wit: Commencing at a point where the middle line of township thirty-eight north intersects the line between Nez Perces and Shoshone counties in said territory; thence west to Big Potlach creek, where it first intersects the middle line of township thirty-eight : thence down said creek southwesterly to a point where it inter- sects the middle line of township thirty-seven; thence due west to the line between the Territories of Idaho and Wash- ington be, and the same is hereby, formed and organized into a county, to be known and designated as the county of Latah, with all the rights, powers, and privileges of counties under the existing laws of the Territory of Idaho.

Sec. 2. That W. W. Langdon, J. L. Naylor, and William Frazier are hereby appointed commissioners of said county of Latah, and their annual compensation shall be the same as

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

now provided by law for the cojmuyssioners of Nez Perces county.

Sec 3. That the county commissioners above named are hereby authorized, within twenty days after the approval of this act. to qualify before a justice of the peace and enter upon the discharge of their duties as such commissioners. and are hereby empowered to appoint all necessary county officers to perfect the organization of said county of Latah under the laws of the Territory of Idaho, and the said county commissioners and other county officers appointed as afore- said shall hold their offices until the next general election pro- vided by the laws of said Territory, and until their successors are elected and qualified according to law.

Sec. 4. That the justices of the peace, constables, road supervisors and other precinct and school officers heretofore elected and qualified and now acting as such, residing in said connty of Latah, are hereby continued as such officers in said county of Latah until the next general election aforesaid and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

SFC. 5 That the county of Latah shall pay to the county of Nez Perce a just proportion or the net indebtedness of said Nez Perce county, the same to be determined as follows, to wit: The county treasurer. recorder, and the present county assessor of Nez Perce County are hereby constituted a board of adjusters, who shall proceed to ascertain the net indebtedness of said county of Nez Perce, which shall be done as follows, namely: Ascertain all the county justly owes in warrants, scrip or other just debts, which amount shall constitute the gross indebtedness of said county, from which deduct the amount of the mmpaid portion of the assessment roll of eighteen hundred and eighty-seven and the amount of all delinquent assessment rolls which are considered collectable up to that date, and the amount of all moneys and other credits due the county then ; and the balance so found shall constitute the indebtedness of said county of Nez Perces ; and the net indebtedness of said county of Nez Perces ascer- tained as aforesaid, shall be divided equally between the coun- ties of Nez Perces and Latah in proportion to the taxable property of the counties as it legally appears on the assessment roll for the year eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, and the said county of Latah shall canse a warrant or warrants to be drawn upon its treasurer pavable to the county of Nez Perces, which said warrant or warrants shall take priority in payment over all other warrants, scrip, or other indebtedness of the said county of Latah.

Sec. 6. That the county commissioners of Nez Perces county are hereby authorized and required to furnish to the county of Latah transcripts of all records, indexes and docu- ments and other papers on file and of record in the offices of Nez Perces county, which may be necessary to perfect the records of Latah county. They may contract with the auditor of Nez Perces county to make the above-named transcripts, the compensation for which shall be in addition to his regular salary. The necessary books for the aforementioned trans- cripts shall be furnished by Latah county, and the expense of making the said transcripts shall be paid by the counties of Nez Perces and Latah equally. Certificates of the correctness of said records, made as aforesaid, shall have the same legal effect as if made hy the auditor of Nez Perces county.

Sec. 7. That the county of Latah is hereby attached to Nez Perces County for judicial purposes until the next meet- ing of the judges of the supreme court of Idaho Territory, when it shall be the duty of said judges to fix a time for hold- ing court in said county of Latah as provided by the laws of said Territory for the other counties thereof. Thirty days after the time of holding said court is fixed as aforesaid. the said county of Latah shall assume and be vested with all the judicial rights, privileges, and powers of a county under the laws of the said Territory of Idaho.

Sec. 8. That the county of Latah shall remain with Nez Perces county for legislative purposes until otherwise pro- vided by law.

SEC. 9. That the county seat of Latah county is hereby located at the town of Moscow in said county.

SEC. IO. That the commissioners of Latah county be, and they are hereby. authorized to issue bonds to an amount not exceeding twenty thousand dollars, of denominations not

less than one luindred nor more than one thousand dollars, running for a term of not less than ten nor more than twenty vcars, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding eight per centum per annum, with interest conpons attached, which bonds shall he signed by the chairman of the board of county commis- sioners and the auditor of said county, and be authenticated by the seal of said county.

Sec. II. That the said board of commissioners are hereby authorized to make sale of said bonds and apply the proceeds thercof to the erection of a court-house and jail, and such other public buildings as may be necessary; Provided. That no bond shall be sold by said commissioners for less than its par value

Scc. 12 That the said board of commissioners and their successors in office are herehy empowered and required to levy such tax as may be necessary to promptly pay the interest on said bonds, and also to levy such tax as may be necessary to pay the principal of said bonds as the same shall become due.

Sec. 13. That in the event said board of commissioners shall issue said bonds as hereinbefore authorized, the interest coupons thereof shall be receivable in payment of the county taxes of said county.

SEC. 14. That the commissioners of Nez Perces county be, and they are hereby. authorized to issue bonds to an amount not exceeding thirty thousand dollars, of denomina- tions not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, running for terms of not less than ten nor more than twenty years, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding eight per centum per annum with interest coupons attached, which bonds shall be signed by the chairman of the said board of commissioners and county auditor, and be authenticated by the seal of said county.

Sec. 15. That the said board of commissioners are hereby authorized to make sale of said bonds and apply the pro- ceeds thereof to the crection of a court-house, jail, and such other public buildings as may be necessary, and for the build- ing of necessary bridges; Provided, That no bond shall be sold by said board of commissioners for less than its par value.

Sec. 16. That the said hoard of commissioners and their successors in office are hereby empowered and required to levy such tax as may be necessary to promptly pay the interest on said bonds, and also to levy such tax as may be necessary to pay the principal of said bonds as the same shall become due. Sec. 17. That in the event said board of commissioners shall issue bonds as hereinbefore authorized, the interest coupons attached to said bonds shall be receivable in payment for the county taxes of said county of Nez Perces.

Sec. 18. That the county of Latah shall not be entitled to any portion of the property. real or personal, of the said county of Nez Perces.

Sec. 19 That all acts in conflict with any of the pro- visions of this act be, and the same are hereby. repealed.

Sec. 20. That this act shall be in force from and after its ratification.

Approved, May 14, 1888.

That conditions fully warranted the organization of the county at this time is shown by a statement is- sued December 13, 1888, by County Auditor W. B. Kyle, showing the financial conditions. By this state- ment it appears that the total revenue, both county and territorial, amounted to $40,783.54; total amount of warrants drawn, $33,130.84, including $20,000 in bonds lately issued under the creating act for build- ing purposes. The $33,130.84. amount of warrants drawn, included warrants for $17,000 issued in favor of Nez Perces county in payment of Latah's propor- tion of Nez Perces county's indebtedness. The new county was about thirty-six miles square and had a population at that time of 10,000. The number of persons assessed in 1888 for poll taxes was 1629. The division of a county not infrequently inflicts griev-

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

ous burdens upon the citizens of the new political body through the necessity of special taxes for the sup- port of new officials, the erection of new buildings, etc., but in this case the necessity for the existence of the new county had been of long standing and the people were prepared for the new financial burdens. The new order of things went into effect without disturbance to the affairs of Nez Perces county and Latah at once took rank among the leading wealth producing coun- ties of the territory. The total valuation of property for purposes of assessment in 1888 was $1,168,255, including Moscow's valuation, which was $356,998.

The creating act became a law May 14, 1888, and on May 28th the steps were taken to complete the or- ganization. Minutes of these proceedings are as fol- lows: In accordance with an act of congress approved on the 14th day of May, 1881, entitled, "An Act to create and organize the county of Latah in the Terri- tory of Idaho ; appointing W. W. Langdon, J. L. Nay- lor and Wm. Frazier, commissioners of said county of Latah ; the said W. W. Langdon, J. L. Naylor and Wm. Frazier, met at the office of Moore & Langdon in the town of Moscow, I. T., on Tuesday the 28th day of May, 1888, at 9 o'clock A. M. and proceeded to organize the said county of Latah. Each of the afore- said appointed commissioners qualified before Jus- tice of the Peace John Moore, by subscribing to the oath of office, and the necessary bonds as by law pro- vided for : each was approved and filed by the said Justice of the Peace John Moore on this 28th day of May, 1888. J. L. Naylor was elected chairman and W. W. Langdon, clerk pro tem of the board of county commissioners in and for the said county of Latah and Territory of Idaho.

May 29, 1888, the board made the following ap- pointments for county officers : Auditor and recorder, W. B. Kyle ; probate judge, Louis Jain, Genesee ; treas- urer, W. W. Baker, Moscow ; sheriff, Robert Bruce, Deep Creek ; district attorney, C. B. Reynolds, Mos- cow ; assessor, L. C. Roberts, Viola ; surveyor, S. L. Campbell, Moscow; school superintendent, J. W. Lieuallen, Moscow; coroner, William Gray, Bricka- ville. For a board of pharmacy the following named physicians were appointed: A. E. Sanders, Moscow ; W. C. Cox, Genesee; E. E. Watts, Juliaetta. June 4th, Robert Bruce of Deep Creek declined by letter to act as sheriff and recommended R. H. Barton of

Moscow, as his choice for that office. The board ac- cordingly appointed R. H. Barton sheriff. June 7th, Louis Jains of Genesee declined by letter to act as pro- bate judge and recommended Roland Hodgins for ap- pointment. The board accordingly appointed Roland Hodgins probate judge. It was ordered that the sal- aries for the county officers appointed by the board of commissioners for the remaining term of 1888 be fixed as follows : sheriff, $1,200 per annum ; recorder, $600 per annum ; assessor, 12 per cent on per capita tax and 5 per cent on all other taxes as provided by law ; probate judge, $200; district attorney, $600 ; treasurer, $300, and school superintendent, $200 per annum. On July 16th the board created ten election districts as follows : Genesee, Thorn Creek, Moscow, Four Mile, Palouse,

Pine Creek, Gold Creek, Bear Creek, American Ridge, Little Potlatch. August 2d, R. S. Browne was appointed treasurer in place of W. W. Baker, resigned. Sep- tember 29th the contract for a court house was let to the Pauly Jail Building & Manufacturing Company, of St. Louis, through their agent, James T. Jones, for $20,000. On November 2d the twenty bonds, each of one thousand dollars, bearing interest at eight per cent annually, were sold to the estate of Dorsey S. Baker for $21,700 cash. These bonds were dated November 2, 1888, and were drawn payable twenty years from date. Ten were made payable to M. C. Moore or bear- er at the Importers and Traders National Bank, New York City. They were delivered to the First National Bank of Moscow as agents for the estate of Dorsey S. Baker.

The first county officers, appointed by the commis- sioners served until their successors qualified after the first general election in November, 1888. During this campaign there were three parties in the field, Republican, Democratic and Independent. As this was the first election held as a new county, national politics were not so prominent throughout the campaign as were local affairs. Conventions were held late in the summer and for the more important offices each party nominated a full ticket. The Republican can- clidates were: For the legislative council, J. W. Brig- ham, of Moscow ; for the assembly, A. S. Chaney, F. E. Mix and J. H. Irvine; for district attorney, A. J. Green of Moscow ; for probate judge, William Wilson of Potlatch ; for sheriff, R. H. Barton, of Moscow ; for coroner, C. C. Carpenter ; for assessor, G. J. Parker, of Moscow; for surveyor, S. L. Campbell of Moscow ; for recorder, W. B. Kyle of Moscow ; for treasurer, R. S. Browne, of Moscow : for school superintendent, T. N. Creekmur, of Moscow ; for commissioner, first dis- trict, F. L. Bell; 2d district, J. L. Naylor ; 3d district, S. D. Oylear.

The Democratic party placed in nomination, for the legislative council, C. A. Leeper of Nez Perces county : for the assembly, James D. Haven, W. T. Thompson and H. J. Bundy ; for district attorney, J. C. Elder of Moscow ; for probate judge, Roland Hodgins of Mos- cow ; for sheriff, George Langdon of Moscow ; for cor- oner, J. L. Brown, of Moscow; for assessor, Frank Jones of Genesee; for surveyor, Arthur Colburn ; for recorder, C. L. Roberts of Moscow; for treasurer, Henry Dernham of Moscow ; for school superintendent, J. W. Lieuallen of Moscow ; for commissioners, first district, J. S. Randolph : second district, A. Elliott of Genesee ; third district, William Gray of Potlatch.

Those running independent were, for district at- torney, C. B. Reynolds of Moscow; for sheriff. W. A. Galbreath ; for assessor, D. J. Wilcox ; for recorder, W. A. Elyea ; for treasurer, W. W. Langdon of Mos- cow ; for commissioner of the second district, T. F. Maher of Moscow.

The official report of this first election is as follows : Latah's vote on delegate to congress stood; Fred T. Dubois of Blackfoot, Republican, 341 ; Norman Buck of Lewiston, Independent, 864; Jas. H. Hawley of Boise, Democrat, 237 ; Buck's majority in the county,

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

286. For the legislative council, J. W. Brigham re- ceived 1.428 votes and C. A. Leeper 5, Brigham's majority 1423. For the legislative assembly, F. E. Mix received 1138 votes, A. S. Chaney 1406, J. H. Irvine 1244, Jas. D. Haven 194. W. T. Thompson 13, H. J. Bundy 13, J. T. Mitcham 251, and H. B. Blake 21. For district attorney A. J. Green received 627 votes, J. C. Elder 528, C. B. Reynolds 280, Green's plurality 99. For probate judge William Wilson received 670 votes and Roland Hodgins 752, Hodgins' majority 82. For sheriff R. H. Barton received 448 votes, George Lang- don 657. W. A. Galbreath 338, Langdon's plurality 209. For coroner J. L. Brown received 464 votes and C. C. Carpenter 394, Brown's majority 70. For assessor G. J. Parker received 709 votes, Frank Jones 498, and D. J. Wilcox 237, Parker's plurality 211. For school su- perintendent T. N. Creekmur received 672 votes, J. W. Lieuallen 615, and H. W. Grubb 156, Creekmur's plu- rality 57. For commissioners, first district, F. L. Bell received 272 votes, and J. S. Randolph 76, Bell's ma- jority 196; second district, A. Elliott, received 322 votes J. L. Naylor 340, and T. F. Maher 63, Naylor's plu- rality 18 ; third district, S. D. Oylear received 233 votes, and William Gray 115, Oylear's majority 118. For surveyor S. L. Campbell received 1008 votes and Ar- thur Colburn 437, Campbell's majority 571. For re- corder W. B. Kyle received 764 votes, L. C. Roberts 471, and W. A. Elyea 211, Kyle's majority 82. For treasurer R. S. Browne received 671 votes, Henry Dern- ham 395, and W. W. Langdon 349, Browne's plurality 276. The proposition to annex the panhandle to Wash- ington was supported by a vote of 252 for and one vote against.

There was no cessation of activity in Latah county in 1889. The country increased rapidly in population and the towns were growing and becoming more im- portant as business centers. Since the completion of the (). R. & N., Moscow's progress had been continuous and rapid. In 1888 the Northern Pacific from Pullman was completed to Genesee and in 1889 Genesee was ready to incorporate. In the spring of 1889 the court house was completed and accepted by the county com- Inissioners. The full amount realized from the sale of the bonds, $21,700, was expended in its erection.

The total valuation of property for purposes of taxation in 1889 was $2,798,603.

The census of 1890 credited Latah county with a population of 9,176, making it the most populous coun- ty in the state. In the work of framing the state con- stitution and in transforming the territory to a state, the county was represented by W. J. McConnell, H. B. Blake and W. D. Robbins. In September of this year considerable excitement was occasioned by the dis- covery on the farm of William Leasure, north of Mos- cow, of a stratum of rock bearing fire opals. The dis- covery was made while a well was being dug on the farm. The stones were found in pockets, in a porous lava formation, and, on subjection to scientific tests, were found to be genuine fire opals worth from $100 to $500 per ounce. There was, of course, a rush of prospectors to Mr. Leasure's farm and it was soon staked off into more than one hundred claims. As Mr.

Leasure had made final proof on his homestead, how- ever, it was not thought that the claims could be held. There was no contest in this matter; considerable prospecting was done and quite a number of stones of value found : but the mining did not prove profitable and the claims were eventually abandoned. Some of the stones mined at this time, as heretofore mentioned, found place in the Idaho exhibit at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. During the years 1889 and 1890 the Farmer's Alliance became a formidable organiza- tion, including in its membership rolls the majority of the farmers in almost every community. At a meeting held in Moscow on November 22, 1890, they decided to establish an alliance store. Of this organization at the time, J. L. Naylor was president, A. T. Lane vice president, C. A. S. Howard secretary. The plans of the organization were never consummated; a ware- house was afterward erected which eventually passed to individual ownership. In the 'nineties the organi- zation became defunct, its members scattering to the Populist and Free Silver parties, whose platforms en- dorsed the fundamentals of the alliance.

On the admission of Idaho as a state, Moscow was chosen as the place for holding sessions of the United States court. James H. Beatty has sat as judge of this court since its first session in 1890, and A. L. Richardson has served as clerk. The first United States district attorney was Fremont Wood, who served from 1890 to 1894. Mr. Wood was followed in this office by James H. Forney from 1894 to January 10, 1898, when Robert V. Cozier, the present incum- bent, entered upon his first term. Marshals who have served this court are Joseph Pinkham, 1890 to 1894; James F. Crutcher, 1894 to 1898; Frank C. Ramsey, 1898 to 1902 : Rural Rounds, 1902 to the present time. In 1892 a session was held at Coeur d'Alene to try the union labor cases which grew out of the riots in the Coeur d'Alene mines. Among the important cases tried at Moscow was that of the United States vs. James Eddy, John Eddy, Newt. Eddy, Emmett Taylor, Charles Scroggins, Frank Freligh, Ike Splawn and Stan. Splawn for counterfeiting five, ten and twenty dollar gold coins. This case was tried at the May term. 1897. The crimes were committed in Idaho county during the summer of 1896. James H. Forney conducted the case for the United States. Attorneys employed by the defendants individually and in parties, were McNamee and Morgan, Lot L. Feltham, Den- ning & Truitt, and James W. Reid. James and John Eddy and Emmett Taylor were fined on one count $100 each and sentenced to ten years at hard labor ; on an- other count they were each fined $100 and sentenced to six additional years at hard labor. Charles Scrog- gins was fined $100 and sentenced to six years at hard labor ; Ike Splawn received a sentence of eight years at hard labor ; Newton Eddy was fined $1000 and sen- tenced to twenty months without hard labor ; Stanford Splawn was fined $1000 and sentenced to two years without hard labor. Another important and famous case tried at Moscow was that of the Bunker Hill and Sullivan Mining and Concentrating Company vs. the Empire State and the Last Chance

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Mining Companies, for the possession of a triangular body of ore valued at $100,000, the same overlapping the line dividing the properties owned by the two com- panies in Shoshone county. Attorneys that appeared were, for the plaintiffs, Curtis H. Lindley, John R. McBride, Myron A. Folsom, Albert Allen and James H. Forney : for the defendants, W. B. Heyburn, Lyttle- ton Price, E. M. Heyburn and A. L. Doherty. The suit was entered in September, 1889, and a final de- cision was handed down by Judge Beatty, July 3d of the present year, in which he found for the plaintiffs. In this case the court sat as a court of appeals. The majority of the cases heard in this court came from the Indian reservations and are trials on charges of petty offences committed by both Indians and whites.

It was the original intention of John P. Vollmer and the officials of the Northern Pacific railroad, to conduct the road via Genesee to Lewiston. But when Genesee was reached it was found that the original plans were impracticable owing to the topography of the country. The difference in elevation between Genesee and Lewiston is upwards of 1500 feet while the distance is less than fifteen miles as the crow flies. These obstacles in the way of a direct line could not be overcome and the plans of the promoters were aban- doned. Two years later, in 1890, the road was extend- ed from Pullman to Lewiston via Moscow, the Pot- latch canyon and the Clearwater valley, and this be- came the main line while the road from Pullman to Genesee became the branch line.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 142

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1524

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524