An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 36

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 36
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 36
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 36
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 36

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The Lapwai basin, varying in width from a quarter to half a mile, extends in a southerly direction and about four miles from the mouth, the stream widens into a truly magnificent little valley, perhaps two miles long by a mile in width, elliptical in shape, the hills on the west rising from the level of the plain by much easier gradles and presenting longer and more gentle inclines than do those in any other direction. About the center of this depression are the cluster of build- ings which constitute the town of Lapwai, while at the extreme southwestern end, snug up against the base of the hills. are the present Indian agency and school occupying the site where once was the historic Fort Lapwai. On the railroad are the grain warehouses of the Vollmer-Clearwater Company and the Kettenbach Grain Company, giving a hint of the principal indus- try of the people.

A mile above Lapwai the Sweetwater, a creek larger than the Lapwai and really the main stream, empties into the latter. Here has been established a small trading point. Three miles farther up the valley Mission creek enters the Lapwai. This stream takes its name from the Catholic mission school at Slickpoo, established, it is said. in the early 'sixties by Father Cataldo and still maintained.

At Culdesac, the terminal town of the Northern Pacific's Lapwai branch, the traveler journeying soutlı- ward soon begins his ascent of Craig's mountain. This is not really a mountain but a high plateau, many miles long and in places many miles wide on top, comparatively level when you once get up there. It was formerly the sheep man's paradise, being elevated sufficiently to furnish excellent summer range, but the advance of civilization has injured it for this industry somewhat. The leading pursuit of its enterprising in- habitants at present is lumbering, and the traveler over the mountain will notice a saw-mill at least every few miles. However, on each side of the mountain are quite extensive glades or prairie arms extending into the timber, and these are closely settled by energetic farming communities. Not a few also are establishing homes for themselves where the timber once stood. There can be little doubt that the mountain will be all settled up as soon as the timber is removed, but so ex- tensive are the forests and so dense in places that it will take a long time to fell them and convert their timber into boards. There are several towns and post- offices on the mountain for the convenience of and sup- ported by the lumbermen or agriculturists or both.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Most of the maps show Craig's mountain as occupying comparatively small space and situated just north of the great bend of the Salmon and between that river and the Snake, but in reality it is an extensive plateau, bearing upon its sides or broad top several widely sep- arated towns. principal among them Forest, Morrow, Westlake, Kenterville and Winchester. Near the top of this mountain and west of the reservation line is Waha lake, twenty-one or twenty-two miles southeast from Lewiston. It is described as a beautiful little sheet, elliptical in shape and a half mile long, sur- rounded on all sides by a pine forest. The old stage road passes around its eastern margin. It has long been and still is a favorite summer resort. At one time an attempt was made to stock it with fish, but the plan did not prove a success. There is a well appointed hotel on its banks, the Lake House, kept by Mr. Faunce, who also has an abundance of row and sail boats and such other equipments as will augment the convenience and comfort of recreation seekers. To reach it from Lewiston you take the old stage road which passes through Tammany hollow, Lewiston prairie and Waha prairie, all rich farming and stock raising sections, though the last named is more elevated and consequently colder than the other valleys. The soil of these prairie sections is very productive and har- vests usually bountiful. Many of the farmers have excellent orchards. In Tammany hallow, on the old Dowd ranch, artesian water has been struck in several places, and many attempts will be made to find it else- where in the valley, that orchards and gardens may be irrigated.

But it is to the country to the eastward of that just described that we must look for the finest and most extensive agricultural region of Nez Perces. Extend- ing practically the entire length of the county is the beautiful, rolling Nez Perces prairie, justly celebrated for its rich, black soil and its wonderful capacity for producing wheat, flax and other cereals. Until 1895 this prairie was in the hands of the Indians and its productive power was consequently undeveloped. Then, however, it was thrown open to settlement, by act of congress, which provided that homesteaders should be required not only to use their rights on the land but pay for it as well. Fortunately the provision that the land must be purchased was later repealed, but it is also fortunate that the proviso was there at first, a's it resulted in keeping out of the country all but thrifty, energetic people who meant business.

It happened that two years before the opening of the reserve, an unusually wet harvest season caused many of the farmers of the Palouse country, in Wash- ington, almost all of them indeed, to lose their crops. Much of the destroyed grain had already been har- vested and some of it was threshed and lying in sacks in the field. The farmer, therefore, was obligated to pay harvesting and sometimes threshing bills, whereas the grain to which he must look for reimbursement was worthless. The next year the price of wheat dropped to fifteen cents a bushel. The result of the two bad years in succession was that not a few of these ranchmen were rendered homeless. The opening of

the reservation in 1895 gave them the opportunity they were seeking of starting again in life, so securing a hundred and sixty acres apiece they began anew the struggle for a home and competency. They have brought to the cultivation of the rich virgin soil of Nez Perces prairie the experience gained on their Palouse farms and, avoiding the errors which caused them to fail in the past. they have made for themselves happy and comfortable homes. No better illustration can be found of what an industrious, thrifty and skillful peo- ple can accomplish when they have to start with a goodly portion of rich, fertile soil and enjoy favorable conditions otherwise.

In a recent interview in a Spokane paper, James Marker, of Nezperce City, said :

"Nez Perces prairie, Idaho, is in a most flourishing condition, and the farmers of that district are rapidly gaining wealth. The flax and hog industries are the mainstays of the district, although cattle raising is carried on extensively. The farmers' tramway that extends from the prairie to the railroad has five and a half months' work ahead in bringing down the flax for shipment. The yield in flax varies from nine to twenty-two bushels an acre, the average being about sixteen. I know of one man who, when he came into the country about six years ago, had nothing except four broken down cayuses, but who last fall sold fifteen thousand bushels of flax from his different ranches, for which he obtained ninety-eight cents a bushel. When I first arrived in the country I had only suf- ficient money to build a house costing four hundred and seventy-five dollars. I now have a standing offer of six thousand dollars for the farm.

"Most of our shipments are made from Kamiah, on the Clearwater Short Line, about sixty miles from Lewiston, Idaho. Nezperce City is twelve miles from the railroad. On one day last fall there were nine car- loads of hogs shipped from the station, while the total shipments in this line for the past three months have been thirty car loads.

"I have just disposed of four car loads on the Sound. There were three hundred and sixty-two head, weighing eighty-two thousand pounds, for which I received six dollars and sixty cents per hundred pounds."

Before discussing the productive capacity of Nez Perces county as a whole, it is well to give some sta- tistics regarding its size, population, etc. In super- ficial area the county is one of the smallest in the state, only two being smaller, namely, Latalı and Bear Lake. These have 1,100 and 1,080 square miles re- spectively, while Nez Perces has 1,610. Though rel- latively so sniall. the last mentioned is, however, the most populous county of Idaho, being credited by the latest census with 13,748 persons, while Latah, its near- est competitor, has 13,451. It is claimed that Nez Perces leads in the number of farms, having 2,144, containing 400,510 acres, while Latah, the next in rank, has only 1,821 farms containing 353,700 acres. In the production of flax, Nez Perces county far outranks all others, yielding 91 per cent. of that arised in the entire state.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Official statistics of productions for the year 1902 are not available, but those furnished the Spokesman Review by its Lewiston correspondent at the close of that year are doubtless close enough approximations to furnish a clear idea of the producing power of the county. They divide the wheat shipments among the different stations as follows: Lewiston, 175,000 bushels ; Waha and points on the river, 45,000; Lap- wai, 150,000 ; Agatha, 75,000; Peck, 125,000; Greer, 40,000; Kamiah, 125,000; Stites, 50,000; Culdesac, 450,000 ; Sweetwater, 225,000 ; Basalt, 59,000 ; Lenore, 225,000 ; Orofino, 35,000 ; Nez Perces tramway, 550,- 000; Kooskia, 75,000. Idaho county is credited with the shipments from Kooskia and Stites, 125,000 bush- els in all. Of the 2,404,000 bushels shipped from the stations named approximately 650,000 bushels were flax, which sold at average price of $1 a bushel ; while 1,500,000 bushels were wheat, vauled at 60 cents a bushel, the remainder being oats and barley of the estimated value of $11,250. The same authority places the corn crop of the county at 10,000 bushels, worth $5,000. "Of beans, there were raised 250,000 pounds, which found ready sale at 3 cents a pound, or $7.500. Sales of hay by the farmers were about 10,000 tons, of the average value of $8 a ton or $80,- 000. This would indicate a total value of $1,653,250 for the grain and hay crop of the county."

From the railroad and commission men it was learned that the shipments of vegetables aggregated ten thousand packages, of the value of $15,000 ap- proximately. Of the live stock industry it was not possible to obtain as accurate and definite data, the · shipments of cattle, hogs, sheep and horses not being separated either as to variety or the county from which they came, but it was thought that the value of the stock experts from Idaho and Nez Perces counties would not vary much from $1,000,000, half of which might be credited justly to the latter county. Poul- try and dairy products for the year were of the esti- mated value of $10,000.

"It is estimated," continues the correspondent, "that the wool crop of the county slightly exceeds 1,500,000 pounds, which, at an average selling price of II cents a pound, adds $165,000 to the total of the present vear values.

"The industry, not so much of the present as of the immediate future in this county, is lumbering. There are now eighteen sawmills in the county, having an average capacity of 25,000 feet each, a day. It it estimated that these mills cut an aggregate of 2,- 000,000 feet, which has nearly all been sold to people within this county and which had an average value of $9 a thousand and an aggregate value of $324,000."

The receipts from fruit shipments are placed at $80,000. Recapitulating we have the value of differ- ent products as follows : grain and hay, $1,653,250; vegetables, $15.000; fruit, $80,000; live stock, $500,- 000; wool, $165,000: dairy products, $10,000; lum- ber $324,000 ; total, $2,747,250.

Naturally one studying the development and pro- ductive power of a county is impelled to inquire what are some of its still undeveloped resources that

he may correctly estimate the possibilities of its fu- ture. Though Nez Perces county is one of the oldest settled in the state, it has many resources undeveloped. One of these is fruit raising. Should the time ever come when the county will be called upon to support a population many times more numerous than it now has, this industry will become one of the mainstays of the people, and as the arid lands of the section are re- deemed hy irrigation, the acreage devoted to fruit will be greatly increased. The advantages possessed by Nez Perces county as a fruit section were thus com- prehensively set forth, some years ago, in the Lewis- ton Teller :

The conditions which the experiences of all countries lias shown to be the inost favorable for the perfect develop- ment and ripening of fruits are: freedom from extremes of low temperature and early and late frosts; necessity of adequate summer heat with abundance of sunshine and an atmosphere with a low percentage of humidity. These con- ditions exist in the Snake and Clearwater valleys in a degree equalled in no portion of the United States, with the ex- ception of the interior valleys of California. A careful examination of the records of the signal office will show that during the growing season, from April to November, observations taken at Lewiston will compare favorably with those taken in the favored valleys of California, with the number of sunshiny days in Lewiston's favor.

These favoring climatic conditions find their fitting compiement in the peculiar adoption of our soil to the perfect development of fruit bearing tree or vine. This soil varying from light and sandy loam in the river bottoms to heavy, clayey, black loam on the table lands, all contains in a high degree the very elements that have to be supplied artificially in other countries, viz: the salts of soda and potash. These are the results of thousands of years of disintegration of the basalt formation underlying the whole country and form such a large component part of the soil that fertilization for fruit growing need not be a consider- ation for years to come.

While fruit growing is yet in its infancy, when the acreage and number of persons engaged in the business are considered, it has years ago ceased to be an experiment. A few orchards were planted near Lewiston during the early days in the settlement of the country, some thirty years ago, and yielded so abundantly every season since they arrived at bearing age that the supply was more than the small population of the country could then consume. The excess of production over consumption, with no transportation facilities to reach distant markets, prevented the planting of orchards on a more extensive scale. This condition of affairs has undergone a great change during the last few years.

The rapid increase of population in the surrounding country, causing an unlimited demand for fruit, and the building of the railroad, about to be finished, gives assurance of a possibility of supplying the demand. That this changed condition is appreciated by our land owners is evidenced by the fact that numerous orchards have been planted within a few years, in extent surpassing those in bearing now, and that many more are being planted this spring.

Besides producing apples, pears, cherries, plums, prunes, in such quantities and of such high quality as to astonish visitors when they first behold them, these valleys are emi- nently fitted for growing the tender fruits, such as peaches, almonds, nectarines and apricots. It is true that an occasional hard winter destroys this latter crop, but this occurs less frequently even than in those portions of the eastern and middle states, which have become justly celebrated for their ability to produce these crops.

But the one fruit which surpasses all others in excel- lence and seems to find here the very conditions essential to its best development, is the grape, nor is its cultivation

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restricted to the hardy varieties such as are grown on the Atlantic seaboard and in the Mississippi valley, but includes the very finest varieties of the European grape of the Vinis Viniflora family, whose successful growth in America has ever been believed to be restricted to California. As grown here this grape not only rivals the California product but in quality is even pronounced by connoisseurs as excelling it, and this has again been demonstrated by the verdict of the jury experts at the Portland Mechanics Fair last fall (1890), who pronounced Clearwater valley grapes as of higher quality than the same variety grown in California, both being exhibited side by side. As yet only a limited number of varieties of the grapes have been planted extensively, and their success has induced the planting, in an experimental way, of nearly the whole list of the finer grapes grown in California and the chances are that some of them will show still better results in this climate.

The unexcelled combination of conditions favorable to fruit tree growth is, however. proven in the most forcible manner by the high quality present in seedling fruits originating here, there being a number of apple and pear seedlings growing now, bearing better fruit than many of the well known older varieties. The most remarkable case in point is the "Idaho Pear" originating on the outskirts of Lewiston from seed sown by Mrs. Mulkey some twenty

years ago. Samples of the fruit have been sent to the leading authorities in the United States. They pronounced it an entirely distinct and new variety, worthy of a place among the very best pears for size and quality and ranking the best ever known for vigor and hardiness. A few gentle- men, engaged in fruit growing here, organized the Idaho Pear Company for the purpose of propagating and intro- ducing this valuable new variety and by their efforts have succeeded in making it widely known all over the world and creating a demand for these trees grown here, not only from all parts of the Union, but from Europe and Australia as well. It is stated that this is the most valuable new fruit introduced in half a century, and being hardier than any variety of the same quality, it will greatly enlarge the terri- tory where pear growing may be successfully engaged in. The introduction of this pear has, more than all other causes combined, called the attention of the horticultural world to the resources of our climate and the gentlemen of the Idaho Pear Company are entitled to all the credit for their enter- prise.

This climate also offers unexcelled advantages for raising all varieties of berries, melons and vegetables.

The territory in Nez Perce county which can grow fruit successfully is now limited to the valleys of the great rivers but embraces the arable land of nearly the whole county ; and, while the higher altitudes may not grow the tender fruits, they rival, if they do not surpass, the valleys in the production of the hardier kinds and especially the apple. This latter fruit as shown by specimens grown on young trees just coming into bearing at different points, notably the prairie lands on the Big Potlatch to the east of Lewiston and Waha, to the south both at an increased altitude of some 1,300 feet. possesses fine flavor combined with keeping qualities which are not attained in the hotter atmosphere of the valleys.

With the large belt of the country to the north of Lewiston, which, owing to the high altitude, can but raise the verv hardiest of fruits but whose wheat product sus- tains a large population; with the Coeur d'Alene mines still further north; and the prosperous states of Montana and Dakota in the east. all non-producers of fruit and easy of access by rail to all those points; there is not another fruit raising country in existence possessing such an unlimited market for its product.

White Brothers, wholesale fruit shippers, estimate the value of Nez Perces' exported product at $43,000 for 1902, and certainly not over half the crop was shipped out through channels that preserve records, the remainder being either consumed at home or taken

in wagons to a market. In variety and quantity the shipments were as follows; pears, 2,000 boxes ; peaches, 9,000 boxes ; apples, 10,000 boxes ; strawber- ries, 1,000 crates; grapes, 4,000 crates; black ber- ries, 2,000 crates ; raspberries, 1,000 crates.

As to the number of head of cattle now in the county, the assessor's roll furnished the best basis, perhaps, of estimate. It should give the exact num- ber at the time it was made but unfortunately for human weakness it falls far below the actual. How- ever, the numbers of the different varieties upon which taxes were paid are as follows : cattle, common, 3.351 head; cattle, beef, 156; cows, milch, 2,964; horses, graded, 1,256; horses, stock, 1,256; colts, 590; mules, 40; sheep, 25,251 ; swine, 9,019. The valua- tion of all these animals aggregated $449,098. From the above figures it will be seen that stock raising is an important industry of the county yet, notwith- standing it is more thickly populated than most other parts of the state and devotes much attention to the various forms of extensive and intensive agriculture.

In estimating the future possibilities of Nez Per- ces county due weight should be given to the fact that it is located so as to enjoy a central position in that wonderful area known as the Lewiston or Clearwater country, embracing an extent of perhaps 15,000,000 acres, and including the northeastern cor- ner of Oregon, Asotin county, Washington ; Nez Per- ces, Latah and Idaho counties and a part of Sho- shone county, Idaho. This vast region is drained by the Snake, Clearwater and Salmon rivers, with their tributaries. Should the Columbia be opened to the sea, as it some day will, this great empire must be- come many more times more populous than it now is, and the importance of the little county so near its center and holding a key position to so much of it must experience as great and as yet scarcely dreamed of augmentation. From the nature of the case much of the wealth of this tributary country must go to assist in the upbuilding of Nez Perces county's indus- tries and the increase of its wealth.

The people whose lot is cast in this happily favored section are fully aware of the opportunities which are theirs, and manifest a deep interest in every move- ment which has for its object the development of any of their country's resources or those of neighboring sections. They are not, however, so wrapped up in industrial pursuits as to neglect the civilities and re- finements of life. The education of the young receives due attention. Public schools have been established all over the county, even on the reservation so recently settled, and diligence is given to the improvement of the system. The county sends its share of students to the state normal school in its own county seat, to the state university at Moscow. just outside its own borders, and to other schools of higher learning and technical instruction east and west. Churches, fraternal organizations, and institutions for the bet- terment of mankind are widespread in their distribu- tion, and everything which is at once the outcome and the promoter of refinement and intelligence finds here a welcome and a home. With a wealth of resources

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developed and a still greater wealth undeveloped within the county and in tributary territory, and a climate mild at all seasons, with a bright, intelligent class of people ambitious for the blessings of wealth

and the promotion of culture, Nez Perces county cer- tainly takes rank among the most favored sections of the northwest and those with the brightest, most hope- ful outlook.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES NEZ PERCES COUNTY

JOHN P. VOLLMER was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, on January 25, 1847. Still he is an Ameri- can citizen, since his father, Otto P. Vollmer, Jr., was a naturalized American citizen at the time of the son's birth. His father was a chemist of note and a man of fine literary attainments, having added to the know- ledge gained by study and diversified reading, that of extensive travel and close observation. The grand- father of our subject, Otto Phillip Vollmer, was a surgeon of high standing and extensive practice in Baden, Germany. Being in sympathy with the revolu- tionary element of that realm in the middle of the last century, in consequence whereof he had to pay the penalty of the independent stand he took, by ac- cepting voluntary exile, and came to America in 1849 accompanied by Hon. Carl Schurz, and other men of national reputation in Germany. The family followed the elder Vollmer in a very short period, but the father of our subject returned to Germany, after becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States, and was then united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Fix, his fiancee, a native of the old home place, Wurt- temberg. In 1851, the father and mother set sail for America, bringing their young son. They settled in Indianapolis and there, in a private German school, young Vollmer received his elementary educationi. It was in 1861, that he entered the Northwestern Christian College of Indianapolis, where he received a thorough English education. About this time, Mr. Vollmer associated himself with the firm of Merrill & Company, now Bowen, Merrill & Company, a large book concern of Indianapolis, where he remained for several years. He also engaged in the manufacture of ink and was for a time connected with his father in business, in all of which places he made money and saved it. In his early teens, he enlisted to fight for the Union and he assisted to repel the rebel raider Mor- gan and his riders. In 1863, the mother died at the home in Indianapolis, leaving the youth at the age of sixteen without that sweetest of all earthly love, a mother's. It was a sad blow, but he stood bravely beneath it and continued his business. His business success, his graduation with high honors from the

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 36

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