An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 191

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 191
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 191
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 191
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 191

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The town site of Sandpoint was laid out in 1898 by L. D. Farmin. Its level is ten feet above the high water mark of 1894. In this year the water in the lake raised thirty-one feet and a few houses that had been

built in the flat back of the town were floated away on the flood.

The damage done by the water at this time was not considerable, however, and there never has been a time before nor since the year 1894 when there has been danger from high water at Sandpoint. The elevation of the lake surface at this point is two thousand and fifty feet at low water stage, while the elevation of the main portion of the town site is two thousand, one hun- dred and nineteen feet. At the present time there are three divisions of the town site within the corporate limits, the original portion laid out by Mr. Farmin, 1. Weil's addition and Law's addition. Outside of the corporate limits is what is known as the Mill addition, containing about eighty residences, which have been built and are owned by the company and rented to employes.

Sandpoint was incorporated in 1900. The men- bers of the first town board were H. C. Culver, J. M. Bradley, P. H. Moran, C. F. Ewing and C. W. Wil- son. The first municipal election was held in 1901. The members of the present town board are O. F. Page, chairman, J. F. Yost, O. L. Peavy, C. R. Foss and J. M. Bradley. F. E. Catlin is town clerk, W. F. Whitaker treasurer and H. Sawyer marshal. In March, 1901, the town council passed the following ordinance defining the town limits and describing the town seal :

Be it ordained by the board of trustees of the vil- lage of Sandpoint :

Chapter I. Section 1. The following described lines shall, for the present and until changed or altered, be and compose the limits of the territory of the village of Sandpoint, to-wit: Beginning at the northeast cor- ner of the northeast quarter of section 22, township 57 north, range 2 west B. M., running thence one-half mile west; thence one-half mile south: thence due east to the low water mark of Lake Pend Oreille, thence in a northerly direction along said low water mark to the section mark to the sec- tion line between sections 23 and 14 in said town- ship and range : thence west to place of beginning.

Chapter II. Seal. Section 1. That a seal in cir- cular form with the words "Town of Sandpoint, Ida- ho," on the outer circle and the words, "Koonetai County" and the word "Seal" in center, and the same is hereby made the corporate seal of the village of Sandpoint, Idaho, to be used in all cases in which by the laws of Idaho and the customs of nations it is necessary to use a seal by a corporation.

The public schools of Sandpoint deserve special mention. The success which has invariably attended the conduct of these schools is in a measure explained by the following remarks recently made by a prominent citizen in speaking of the conditions prevailing in the town. He said: "We take special pride in our public schools. There are none better elsewhere. Our teach- ers are efficient, enthusiastic and conscientious, and the school building does the people of the town credit. 'Progress' is our watchword, and we take a keen in- terest in all that pertains to educational matters." We have already given some of the very early school his-

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tory. After incorporation a small school house was erected, which was afterward purchased by the Meth- odist church people, was remodeled and is now used as a church building. Land for its occupation was donated by L. D. Farmin. Among those who taught school here just prior to the erection of this building were Miss Minnie E. Price, who taught in an old shack that stood on the Prichard place, and Mrs. Bellamy, who occupied a former saloon building. In 1897 the present handsome structure was built on ground donated to the school district by L. D. Farmin. It is a two-story frame, containing five rooms. The cost of the building and furniture was about four thousand dollars. At the time of the organization of Kootenai county there were but two school districts. Number one included Coeur d'Alene and all the ter- ritory south ; number two included Rathdrum and all the territory north. The first district formed after county organization was number three, which included the settlement at Sandpoint and a great deal of terri- tory north and west. It is now known as independent district number three. The present board of trustees consists of W. E. Hutchinson, chairman, B. L. Wal- rad, clerk, and W. F. Whitaker. The enrollment for the present school year has reached two hundred and twenty-five. The corps of instructors now in charge of the schools is made up of Professor F. W. Roberts, principal, Miss Bertha Huey, Miss Leona Hern, Miss Clara Sydow, Miss Carrie Bullock. The principal re- ceives a salary of seventy-five dollars per month, his assistants, each fifty-five dollars.

Sandpoint has one church building which is occu- pied by the Methodists. Rev. J. C. Reed is pastor. The building was reconstructed from the old school house. There are other church organizations, but they have not as yet built houses of worship.

The fraternal spirit pervades all circles at Sand- point and the lodges are well represented. The fol- lowing orders have regular chapters and good inem- bership rolls: Helmer Lodge No. 32, K. of P., S. G. Yoder. C. C .; L. D. Farmin, K. of R. and S .; I. O. O. F., Sandpoint Lodge No. 59, Alex Platt, N. G., P. H. Moran, R. S .; Royal Tent, No. 23, K. O. T. M., W. F. Whitaker, Com., E. A. Sherburne, R. K .; Mizpah Hive, No. 15, L. O. T. M., Louisa Wil- son, Com., Blanch Hurd, R. K .: M. W. A., Sand- point camp No. 7191, P. H. Moran, V. C., C. R. Foss, clerk. Lakeside Camp No. 2373, R. N. A., Mrs. Ella Farmin. oracle, Mrs. Maude Miller. re- corder. Foresters of America, Pend Oreille, Court No. 12, Joseph Helms, C. R., Thomas Martin, F. S.

The business houses and manufacturing establish- ments of Standpoint rest upon a sure monetary foun- dation. Some of them have had struggles in the past but they have weathered financial storms safely and the prospects for the future are as good as could be desired. A review of these interests is essential and will complete the history of the growing city.

The absorption of the Sandpoint Lumber Com- pany in 1901 by the Humbird Lumber Company was a great thing for Sandpoint. The new com- pany has practically reconstructed the saw, shingle

and planing mills, installing new machinery that has more than doubled the former capacity of the plant. The company also built eighty houses for the use of its employees, and installed an electric light plant, which furnishes light for the mill and yard and also for the town. The sawmill is the largest in the region between the Rocky and the Coeur d'Alene ranges of mountains. It has a cutting capacity of two hundred thousand feet every twenty-four hours, while the shingle mill output is four hundred thous- and in a like period. The mill has a most convenient location on the lake. Recently the company put on a night shift and are now employing two hundred and twenty-five men regularly. The company also con- ducts a large general merchandise store. The mill was put up in August, 1900, at a cost of two hundred thousand dollars. The officers of the company are john A. Humbird, of St. Paul, president ; F. Weyer- haueser, of St. Paul, vice-president ; E. Rutledge. of Chippewa Falls. Wisconsin, secretary. The mill is un- der the local management of A. E. Rickerd. The trans- actions of this firm foot up over three hundred thou- sand dollars vearly. The company employs, on the outside and inside, about three hundred and fifty men. It now operates two steamers on the lake, the Pend Oreille and the Daisy, and has two others in course of construction.

B. F. Butler and H. C. Culver constitute one of the pioneer business firms of the city. Mr. Butler has been a resident of Kootenai county since 1881. Mr. Culver came to Sandpoint in 1899. They have an extensive trade in general merchandise, cedar posts and poles. They are men of excellent business quali- fications and have contributed very materially to the city's growth and prestige.

C. W. Wilson, the present postmaster. has a stationery, fruit and cigar store. He has always had faith in the future of the town and surrounding country and has been identified with all public meas- ures for the common good and the advancement of the city's best interests. He was appointed postmaster in 1900. T. J. Stonestreet is manager, and W. F. Whitaker, treasurer of the Idaho Cedar Co., which deals in poles, posts, piling, etc. Mr. Whitaker came in 1898 as secretary and cashier of the Sandpoint Mercantile & Lumber Co., now the Humbird Co. He is now a justice of the peace. Charles R. Foss. the druggist, opened his present business in 1900. His establishment is one of the most popular trading places in the city. Mr. Foss is a member of the city council. L. D. Farmin and J. O. Burket are pro- prietors of the Sandpoint Hardware & Furniture Co., established in 1902. L. D. Farmin, I. Weil, J. R. Law and the Sandpoint Real Estate Agency, deal in city lots and outside property. A. R. Sweet has been established for two years in the jewelry and re- pairing business. W. H. Wells is a painter and deco- rator. A livery stable and transfer is conduced by C. B. LeDean. L. D. Farmin also owns a transfer line between the two railroad stations. E. J. Cos- scallen has a good trade in hardware, vehicles and furniture. T. H. Darrow conducts the Sandpoint

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

795

meat market. Charles Hutchins and Mr. Ewing are photographers. Ferguson & Morrison deal in gent's furnishing goods. The Sandpoint Hospital is con- ducted by Dr. N. A. Goddard, formerly senior physician and surgeon to St. Joseph's Hospital at St. Paul. The Peoples Store Co., which has an ex- tensive general trade and ships poles and timber, is under the management of Frank Ewing. In the list of professional men are H. H. Taylor, John A. Steinlein, Peter Johnson and D. H. Tandy, attorneys ; Mr. Steinlein is justice of the peace. Dr. O. F. Page and Dr. Charles S. Moody are physicians and sur- geons. Dr. J. B. Buchanan practices dentistry. H. E. Hunt is an undertaker and embalmer. Nelson & Perkins are proprietors of a new bakery. J. C. Helms is a contractor. V. M. Underwood & Co., have a laundry and lodging house. Warren & Richards deal in gent's furnishings, notions, cigars, etc. There is an opera house with a seating capacity of about four hundred. The Bazaar millinery and dress goods establishment is conducted by Mrs. E. E. Brey. O. D. Juergs is a practical shoemaker. A cigar factory is operated by M. J. Krakenburg. W. F. Springer is proprietor of the Queen barber shop. C. B. Jones conducts the Jones feed sore. Jack Mullen is a painter and paper hanger. J. W. Lea is a custom tailor and has a good trade. W. E. Hutchinson main- tains an insurance agency. J. H. Ashley is a civil engineer. The Star meat market is owned by T. D. Pritchard. The Lumber Jacks eating house is con- ducted by William Hanna ; the Palace Hotel by Mrs. J. Maloney ; the Pend Oreille Hotel by John Murray, and the Baldwin Hotel by Harry Baldwin. Mr. Murray came to Sandpoint in 1900; his hotel is modern in its appointments and enjoys a good patron- age. Harry Baldwin was one of the pioneers of the town, having built the first hotel ; the building he now occupies is a new twenty-room hotel and is a credit to the growing city.

Sandpoint has excellent prospects for the future. For months there has been a rush for business and residence lots. Seventy-five buildings were erected from the first of March to the last of July, 1892, and there has thus far been no material decrease in the building boom. At the present time the buildings are with one exception frames. Mr. D. H. Tandy has the distinction of having erected the first brick business building. The Sandpoint Brick Co., of which H. H. Taylor is secretary and treasurer, has installed machinery with a capaciy to turn out twenty thousand bricks per day. This is a new industry here but will doubtless prove a profitable one and brick structures will no doubt in time replace the frame store buildings of the present. While Sandpoint has exceptionally good shipping facilities, mail, telephone and express accommodations, it as yet has no water or electric light plant. These modern conveniences, however, are soon to be supplied. In Sand creek, three miles from town, there is a direct fall of twenty- two feet and the volume of water is sufficient to pro- duce one thousand horse power. The elevation at the falls is seven hundred feet above the city. The

water rights here have been taken up by Peter John- son and D. H. Tandy, who propose constructing a system of water works and putting in an electric light plant in the near future. Besides the mills already in operation, the Kootenai Bay Lumber Co. is constructing a mill on the lake, three miles east of the city. Their present timber supply is located in the Pack river district. It is estimated that there will be almost one million feet of logs for the Sandpoint mills put into the lake during the season. It is be- lieved it will require thirty or forty years to saw the visible supply of timber tributary to this point. In addition to the agricultural areas now surrounding Sandpoint there are about six townships on the flat at the foot of the lake, now covered by a heavy growth of timber, that will, when cleared, make the best of farming land. This territory will in the future con- tribute of its wealth to the further upbuilding of the city. Material support is destined soon to come from the lake mineral region. A vulcan smelter, costing about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, is about to be built at Sandpoint. The Panhandle Smelting & Refining Co., of which H. M. Williams, of Spokane, is general manager, has the matter in hand and pro- poses to have the works in operation by September Ist. Other officers of the company are president, Jacob Hines, Minneapolis; vice-president, M. A. Murphy, St. Paul ; secretary, W. E. Nelson, Denver. T. W. Teasdale, F. W. Condron, and E. J. Norton, all of St. Paul, are directors. The plant will be lo- cated about two miles east of the city and will have a capacity of three hundred tons of ore per day. The company has already purchased boats for use on the lakes and have closed contracts with mines not only in the Pend Oreille region but along the line of the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific railroad in Montana. This enterprise will bring a great deal of business to Sandpoint.

In eastern lumber markets Sandpoint is known as the largest shipper of cedar telegraph, telephone and electric light poles, and piling in the northwest, the annual shipments being about four thousand cars. The development of many of the natural resources of the surrounding country is still in its infancy, which assures a continuance of growth and prosperity. Although much has been accomplished in the lumber industry it is only partially developed. Within a radius of thirty miles there still remains 500,000,000 feet of timber, the chief varieties being cedar, white and yellow pine, fir and tamarack. Dairying and fruit raising have passed the experimental stage and are destined to become important industries. Close by the town, along the lake, are immense beds of the finest aluminum clay, where brick factories are cer- tain to be built. As a summer resort Sandpoint pos- cesses excellent advantages, as Pend Oreille is the largest and most magnificent body of water in Idaho. The scenery along its shores is indescribably grand and beautiful. The lake is over sixy miles long and has a shore line of more than three hundred miles. Portions of its surface are shadowed by the most ma- jestic mountains, and occasional wooded island adds

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its charm to the natural grandure of the surround- ings and in places long beaches and shallow water afford excellent opportunities for bathing. Fish are. plentiful and the wooded shores and hillsides afford excellent grouse and deer shooting. In the higher ranges of mountains bear, cougar, and caribou are found. Steamers run from Sandpoint to Hope, Lake- view and Idlewild on the lake and as far down the Pend Oreille river as the towns of Priest River and Albany Falls. Almost invariably there is a lawless element in frontier towns and in its earlier days Sand- point was temporary headquarters for a few individ- tals of this class. But in the process of development she has driven this disturbing element to seek other places of rendezvous and through the efforts of efficient executive officers, has become a quiet, law abid- ing city. The older portion of the town was built along the Northern Pacific railroad right of way, near the lake, but the rapid growth of the past few years has forced it across Sand creek to an ideal site, above the highest water mark of lake and river, where there is plenty of room for a very large city.

Much of the prosperity that has come to Sand- point in the past two years has resulted from the advertising its advantages have received in the news- papers and magazines of the northwest, and no small portion of the credit is due the Kootenai County Re- publicans, the local newspaper so ably edited by State Senator John F. Yost. Its descriptive and statistical matter has been copied extensively by exchanges and as a consequence the peculiar advantages of the lo- cation and the wonderful opportunities afforded have become known far and wide. There is no more desirable location in the northwest for the business man, the professional man, the home builder or the capitalist than Sandpoint, Idaho.

BONNERS FERRY.

Bonners Ferry is a town about which center the most interesting reminiscent and historical events as- sociated with the early history not only of Kootenai county but of northern Idaho. The trail made by the Boundary Commission in 1859 when on its expedition to locate a point on the forty-ninth parallel of latitude which had been agreed upon as the international boun- dary line between the United States and British Amer- ica, led by the present site of the town. The old Koo- tenai chief, Abraham, and his braves carried the mem- bers of the commission over the Kootenai river in their long canoes, entertained them in their tepees and fur- nished them with guides for the remainder of the journey. This old trail was used afterward by the pony riders in the Star mail route service, and was better known after the early sixties as the Wild Horse trail. After the discovery of the Wild Horse mines of British Columbia in 1863 it was used for years by the great army of prospectors that rushed to that re- gion from California, Colorado, Oregon and central Idaho. When the rush to the Wild Horse mines began Edwin L. Bonner was in the mercantile business in Walla Walla. From this point the caravan traveled

over the old Mullan road until it joined the Boundary Commission trail at the Antoine Plante ferry over the Spokane river at the present site of Spokane bridge. In company with his cousin, R. A. Eddy, and two oth- er business associates, Herman Roberts and John Wal- ton, Mr. Bonner joined one of the northbound parties, accompanying it as far as the present site of the ferry over the Kootenai river. He saw the need of a good ferry at this point and realized that it would prove a remunerative investment. He at once began negotiat- ing with Chief Abraham and from him purchased land on either side of the river for use in establishing the ferry and a trading post. Following these prelimin- aries he secured the passage of an act through the Ida- ho territorial legislature, at its first session, a copy of which will be found in the first chapter of the his- tory of Kootenai county, granting him exclusive ferry privileges at this point and fixing transfer charges. John Walton became Mr. Bonner's agent and man- aged the ferry and trading post until 1874, when he was succeeded by Louis Lee. (Mr. Bonner died at Missoula, Montana, July 10, 1902.) This ferry and trading post constituted the first business enterprise in Kootenai county and the pioneer establishment of Bonners Ferry. The ferry and post were leased in 1875 by Richard Fry, who eventually became proprie- tor. Mr. Fry established a pack train service between Bonners Ferry and Victoria, British Columbia, via the Wild Horse country, bringing in supplies which he disposed of to the prospectors and Indians, from the former receiving gold dust and some coin, and from the latter, furs. Besides Mr. Fry's pack train there were four trains carrying supplies from Walla Walla to Wild Horse creek. Martin Fry came with his fan- ily to Bonners Ferry in 1876, associating himself with his brother Richard in conducting the ferry, the post and pack trains. From this date until 1884 his was the only white family in this part of the country. In the fall of 1884 a Mr. Stone, with his family, settled near the river about three miles below the ferry.

From the beginning Bonners Ferry has devel- oped, through many vicissitudes, to its present stand- ing as a progressive commercial center. During the eighties but little progress was made. It remained a trading post, but only in a small way did it attempt to furnish supplies for the mining camps in the north and the scattered ranchers and stock raisers in the valley. After the completion of the Northern Pacific railroad, in 1882, Kootenai became the supply point for the north. In 1885 a toll road between Kootenai and Bonners Ferry was constructed by Dr. Hendyrx and Bonners Ferry being at the head of navigation on the Kootenai river it gradually assumed a position of importance as a transfer point from freight wagons to steamer and from steamer to freight wagons. In 1888 William Eaton established a general store which gave an impetus to trade. But is was not until 1892 that the town really began to grow. In that year the tracks of the Great Northern railroad were laid and immediately thereafter people flocked in from all points and the town began to assume the appearance of a thriving business center. The town of Kootenai,

A VIEW ON LAKE COEUR d'ALENE.

INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY STONE NEAR PORTHILL. David McLaughlin, one of the First Settlers in the Valley, and Son of Dr. John M. McLaughlin, Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

having fulfilled its mission as a supply point for the north country, was abandoned by most of its business men who came to Bonners Ferry. Among those who settled in Bonners Ferry about this time we may name W. L. Kinnear and W. I. Williams, who established a grocery and provision store with a stock valued at $20,000; H. W. Gates & Co., stationers and confec- tioners : W. W. Johnson and son, S. W. Johnson, who opened a wholesale and retail meat market ; John C. Callahan, who invested in town property and opened a real estate office ; A. J. Stauffer, a general merchant ; B. H. Williams & Co., harness and saddles ; Branden- burg & Vangasken, general merchandise; A. L. Jame- son and Capt. G. R. Gray, proprietors of the Holly Hardware Co .; J. F. Cooke, Jr., druggist. General A. Kaiser built the Palace Hotel at the cost of $10,- 000. H. P. Green became proprietor of the Bonner House. Among the professional men of this period were S. E. Henry, Bartlett Sinclair and Judge J. C. Harkness, attorneys ; T. A. Bishop, G. H. Barker and U. G. Campbell, physicians.

The town was first known as Fry ; a postoffice was Established under that name and Richard Fry was ap- pointed first postmaster. The old post trading store, not being fitted up with mail boxes, a dry goods box was used as a receptacle for all mail. This portion of the town afterward became known as Bonnerport. Will- iam Eaton platted an adjoining townsite, which lie named Eatonville. In 1899 the two sites were com- bined under one name, Bonners Ferry. The owners of the original townsite were Richard Fry and Will- Fam Ainslie. J. C. Callahan was also, at one time, an interested party.

In 1892 a custom-house was established at Bonners Ferry, at first through the courtesy of the chief officer of the district, and later by congressional act. James E. Dolan and Rufus L. Cheney were the first custom officers stationed at this port. Three-fourths of the passenger and freight business to and from the British: Columbia mining regions at this time was via Kootenai river and Bonners Ferry. The freight was principally coal and ores. Since the building of the Kootenai Valley Railroad in 1899 the bulk of the imports and exports has passed through Porthill. A custom of- ficer, Judge Henry Melder, is still stationed at Bon- ners Ferry to look after the business that comes and goes via the Kootenai river.

The first steamer on the river was a small affair, twenty-five feet long by six feet beam, built by Baillie Gorman and dragged over the trail from Kootenai. It was named the Midge, but was later known as the Mud Hen. Another vessel, the Ozier, was brought in over the same trail a few months later by Lundy and Wright. The Alton was another of the early boats and G. R. Gray built still another about 1890, which he named the Spokane. The largest and finest steamer engaged in the import and export trade on the Koo- tenai river was built by the Bonners Ferry and Kaslo Transportation Co., in which Richard Fry was inter- ested, in 1893. This vessel was named the State of Idaho; it was designed and modeled by Capt. H. S. Depuy and was one hundred and forty-two feet in

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 191

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