USA > Idaho > An illustrated history of the state of Idaho, containing a history of the state of Idaho from the earliest period of its discovery to the present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future; illustrations and biographical mention of many pioneers and prominent citizens of to-day > Part 31
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termed "poor men's colleges," and such they were to Mr. Adams. While working at his trade he gained a broad, miscellaneous knowledge that has made him a well informed man, and he has ever maintained a deep interest in the living ques- tions of the day and kept well informed thereon.
In 1864, however, Mr. Adams gave up his posi- tion in the printing office in order to enter his country's service as a member of Company A, Eighth Regiment of California Volunteers. It was expected that the command would be or- dered to the front, but instead they were engaged in defending the coast until the close of hostili- ties. In the fall of 1865, at the Presidio, in San Francisco, Mr. Adams received an honorable dis- charge. He remained in California until the spring of 1866, and then, with a horse team, took a load of flour to Humboldt county, Nevada, where he engaged in various occupations, among which were operating pack trains and burning charcoal for smelting companies. In the spring of 1868, in company with seven or eight others, he walked from Humboldt county, Nevada, through a portion of Oregon to Silver City, Idaho, a distance of three hundred miles. That summer he was employed on the Ike Jennings ranch in Snake river valley,-the place now known as Oreana, and in the autumn joined a government surveying party engaged in draw- ing township lines and subdividing the land on both sides of Snake river, between Walters' Ferry and the mouth of the Bruneau river. Soon after his return to Silver City he accepted a position on the Tidal Wave, a newspaper then published by the Butler brothers, but in July, 1869, he left that office to go on a prospecting tour in the Salmon river mountains, in company with Henry Knapp, a printer and assayer. That fall the fam- ous Loon Creek Placer Camp was discovered, and Mr. Adams and Mr. Knapp were the first men on the ground with the exception of the dis- coverers. They located several claims, and as a flourishing town soon sprang into existence, they admitted M. A. Wentworth to a partnership, built some houses, and on pack animals brought in a stock of general merchandise from Boise Basin and started in business. They also estab- lished an express line between Loon Creek and Idaho City, a distance of one hundred and forty miles, carrying mail and express, making the
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journey in summer on horseback, but in winter going on snow shoes. Flour sold as high as fifty cents per pound. The charge for carrying a letter either way was fifty cents; newspapers from fifty to seventy-five cents; magazines one dollar and small packages in proportion. The camp, however, proved to some extent a failure, the mineral deposit not turning out to be what was expected. The firm of Adams, Knapp and Went- worth had done much of their business on the credit system, and when the miners could not pay they in consequence suffered heavy losses.
' In the fall of 1870 Mr. Adams went to Boise, where he again worked in a printing office. In 1871 he returned to Silver City and engaged in mining on War Eagle mountain for a few months, when he secured a situation on the Ava- lanche, then published by W. J. Hill, continuing in that position until July, 1874. His health fail- ing him, he then made a tour of the coast towns of California, and at San Francisco speculated unsuccessfully in mining stock. He returned to Silver City in July, 1876, and a few days later went to Boise, where he secured the position of foreman on the Statesman, which was then pub- lished by Judge Milton Kelly. In 1877 he again returned to Silver City and worked for a year on the Avalanche for Major Hay, but the following winter he engaged in mining on War Eagle mountain and met with losses in the venture. In 1879, however, he conducted a number of suc- cessful speculations at Silver City and surround- ing places, and in October, 1880, in partnership with Guy Newcomb, purchased the Avalanche plant, conducting the paper until 1882, when he sold his interest to Charles M. Hays. Mr. Adams then purchased the Silver City Iron Foundry, and in addition to its operation dealt in wood, conducted a number of speculations, and bought and sold real estate. In 1889 in connection with a partner he opened a furniture store, and three years later, closing out their furniture business, they put in a full line of general merchandise. The same year the partner absconded, but Mr. Adams continued the business, and such was the confidence of the people in him that he soon won a very large patronage, and carried on the store with excellent success, eventually having the largest trade in his line in the county. On the Ist of May, 1898, he sold out in order to give
more of his time and attention to the conduct of a private banking business which he had pre- viously established and which had grown to con- siderable proportions. In the year 1897 his oper- ations in that line amounted to nearly two hun- dred and fifty thousand dollars, for the bank is considered a great convenience by the miners and business men of this section of the state. He still conducts a profitable banking business, and is regarded as one of the most reliable and trust- worthy men of the county. His success is cer- tainly well merited, as it has been won entirely through his own well directed and honorable efforts.
In his political views Mr. Adams was long a Republican, voting for the men and measures of that party until 1896, when not favoring its stand on the money question he gave his support to W. J. Bryan, the Democratic candidate for president. He was elected to the territorial legis- lature in 1884, and therein labored with patriotic and untiring zeal for the adoption of many meas- ures which he believed would advance Idaho's best good. He is still the owner of extensive mining interests, and his business career is one of which he has every reason to be proud. Start- ing out in life in the humble capacity of errand boy in a printing office, he has been connected with many business interests and has ultimately not only won prosperity, but through all has maintained a reputation for honesty and integrity of character that is unassailable. His connection with the journalistic, mercantile, mining and banking interests of the state has gained him a wide acquaintance and all who know him speak of him in terms of the highest respect.
COLUMBUS R. SHAW.
One of the most enterprising, energetic and successful business men of Caldwell, is the gen- tleman whose name appears above. He is a na- tive of the state of Missouri, his birth having oc- curred in Ray county, in 1859. His father, Will- iam P. Shaw, was a native of Tennessee, whence he removed to Missouri, in 1833, becoming one of the pioneers of the latter state. He married Miss Julia A. Waterman, a native of New York, whose people were also numbered among the early settlers of Missouri. The Shaw family is of Irish origin, and leaving the Emerald Isle crossed
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the Atlantic to North Carolina during the colon- ial epoch in the history of this country. In re- ligious faith they were Methodists, and were peo- ple of the highest respectability and worth. The father of our subject died in his sixty-ninth year, and the mother passed away in the forty-eighth year of her age. They had six children, three sons and three daughters.
Columbus R. Shaw, the youngest of the family, acquired his education in the schools of Missouri, and in 1883 came to Idaho as terminal agent for the Oregon Short Line Railroad Company. Subsequently, locating at Mountain Home, he engaged in cattle-raising and in conducting a stage line, meeting with fair success in his under- takings. His next venture was in the lumber trade, to which he has since devoted his energies, building up a large and profitable business. He makes his home and headquarters at Caldwell, but his operations are not confined to the one city. He carries on the lumber and milling busi- ness in Boise and Guffey also, and the volume of his trade has constantly increased until it has as- sumed extensive proportions. He is president of the board of trade of Caldwell, was one of the organizers of the Caldwell Creamery Company and is its president, and in this as in his other enterprises displays marked ability in his man- agement and control of affairs. In matters of judgment he is rarely at fault, and his keen discrimination, resolute purpose and untiring en- ergy have brought him most gratifying pros- perity.
As a citizen, Mr. Shaw is public-spirited and loyal, manifesting a deep interest in all that per- tains to the welfare of his city and state along educational, moral, social and material lines. He is now serving as a member of the city council and exercises his official prerogatives to upbuild and benefit the town. He is now chairman of the board of county commissioners, and though he takes a deep interest in political affairs, and keeps well informed on the issues of the day, he cannot be called a politician in the sense of office-seeker, as he prefers to devote his time and energies to his extensive and varied business interests.
In 1891 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Shaw and Miss Mabel Stucker, of Silver City, Idaho. They now have four children: Clarence Rupert, Inez, Francis and Della Elizabeth. Mrs.
Shaw is a valued member of the Episcopalian church and presides with gracious hospitality over her pleasant home in Caldwell, which is the center of a cultured society circle. Mr. Shaw be- longs to the Masonic order, the Odd Fellows society and the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He is justly accorded a place among the prom- inent and representative citizens of Idaho, for he belongs to that class of men whose enterprising spirit is used not alone for their own benefit; he also advances the general good and promotes public prosperity by his ably managed individual interests, thus placing this section of the country on a par with the older east. He has excellent ability as an organizer, forms his plans readily and is determined in their execution. This en- ables him to conquer obstacles which deter many a man, and it has been one of the salient features in his success.
JOHN C. CONNORS.
Entrusted with an important public service, the care of the funds of Owyhee county, John C. Connors is proving himself an efficient officer as well as a leading business man of Silver City. The greater part of his life has been passed at the place which is now his home, and for many years he has been actively connected with its mercantile interests. A native of California, he was born in Placer county, on the 10th of Feb- ruary, 1859, a son of Peter Connors, who was born in county Galway, Ireland, in July, 1822, and came to the United States in 1846, when a young man of twenty-four years. In 1852 he went to California by way of the Isthmus route and at times made considerable money in his mining ventures, but lost much of it in other mining speculations. In 1866 he came to Silver City and for about thirty years was successfully engaged in mining and stock-raising in Owyhee county. In 1875 he devoted his energies to mining and milling and also conducted a dairy at South Mountain. In 1882 he located a ranch on Trout creek, where he resided until 1896, when he came to Silver City and retired from active business life. He now makes his home with his son John. He was married in New Or- leans, Louisiana, April 10, 1849, to Miss Mary Dimond, also a native of county Galway, Ireland,
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who departed this life on the Ist of February, 1880, leaving a husband and family to mourn her loss. They had seven children, five of whom are yet living.
John C. Connors was the fifth in order of birth. He spent the first seven years of his life in his native state, and then came with his parents to Silver City, where he acquired his education in the public schools. After putting aside his text- books lie began to earn his own livelihood, and has for some years been numbered among the leading and influential business men of the com- munity. For some years he was successfully engaged in the stock-raising business, but in 1888, in partnership with Timothy Shea, he opened a meat market at Silver City, and the Owyhee Meat Company, which was then organ- ized, conducted shops at this place and also at De Lamar, George W. Bruce being the other member of the firm at the latter place. Mr. Con- nors has conducted his business in a most hon- orable and upright manner and in consequence has now a very liberal patronage, enjoying the leading business of the kind in this part of the county. His efforts, however, have not been lim- ited to one line of endeavor. He is an enterpris- ing and resourceful business man, who having made judicious investments in real estate is now the owner of several houses in Silver City. He also has eight hundred acres of land in Pleasant Valley, where he raises two hundred and fifty
head of cattle, while his fields are largely planted to hay for the use of his stock.
Mr. Connors was married on the 30th of April, 1891, Miss Alice McMahon becoming his wife. She is a native of Owyhee county and was a daugliter of Patrick McMahon of Silver City, now deceased. One son has been born of this union, Daniel P., who is the joy of his parents' home. In his political associations Mr. Connors is a Democrat, having supported that party since obtaining the right of franchise. The first public office he held was that of county commissioner, to which he was elected to fill the unexpired term of T. Shea. In 1896 he was elected county treas- urer and so acceptably filled the office that he was made the nominee of the three parties at the succeeding election. This fact is certainly a liigh testimonial of his efficiency and also indi- cates in an unmistakable manner his personal popularity. He is an active member of the Ma- sonic fraternity and the Odd Fellows lodge, has filled most of the offices in both organizations and is past master of the blue lodge, past high priest of the chapter and a member in good standing of Idaho Commandery, No. I, K. T. His life exemplifies the noble principles of the craft, and his brethren of the order hold him in the highest esteem. In his business dealings his course has ever been marked by probity and fairness, while in public life patriotism and loyai- ty to duty are his chief characteristics.
Top of Shoshone Falls.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE MORMON QUESTION-THE FIFTEENTH LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY-LOOKING TO STATEHOOD-CHANGES IN JUDICIARY-CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
T HE fifteenth legislative assembly of Idaho convened December 10, 1878, when the people were excited over Mormonism more than in regard to all other things together. In all contested elections the Mormon candidates were excluded, and even an undue prejudice was bitterly exhibited against them. Congress was memorialized to refuse Utah admission into the Union, and also to require of homestead and pre- emption settlers an oath giving a statement of their polygamous practices. Already the local law required superintendents of schools to sub- scribe to an affidavit that they were neither biga- mists nor polygamists, but at this session it was so altered that in case the person challenged were a woman the objectionable terms should not be included in the oath!
At this session, also, was created the county of Elmore from the western portion of Alturas county, and Logan and Custer counties were formed. In the case of Elmore county, after much display of parliamentary tac- tics, the bill was passed, although the speaker became so excited that he bolted and left the chair abruptly during the reading of the jour- nal on the last day of the session. The president of the council also left his chair on the last day of the session, in order to obstruct the passage of a measure obnoxious to him. In neither case was the action successful, as the house immediately elected George P. Wheeler, of Bingham, chair- man, and the council chose S. F. Taylor, of the same county, president.
To encourage the settlement of the territory a board of immigration was established. This mea- sure was recommended by the committee on ter- ritorial affairs, whose report set forth that the natural wealth of Idaho was less known to the world than that of any other part of the Union. This legislature appropriated fifty thousand dol- lars for the construction of a road, long needed,
between Mount Idaho and Little Salmon Mead- ows, more closely connecting the Panhandle with the main body of the commonwealth. Congress was also memorialized for an amendment to the alien act, so as to except mines from its provis- ions and encourage the immigration of miners, and the establishment of the "University of Ida- ho" was provided for.
Preparatory to the admission of Idaho into the federal Union, a bill was introduced in the house by Bruner, of Boise, providing for a constitu- tional convention; and Perkins, of Alturas, gave notice in the council that a joint memorial to congress would be presented for adoption in due time for an act enabling the people of Idaho to form a state government. The citizens of Lewis- ton held a mass meeting and adopted resolutions, which they forwarded to the legislature, demand- ing of congress admission into the Union, and indorsed Delegate Dubois and others who were laboring to secure this end. Accordingly, on the 29th of January the council approved a house joint memorial for the admission of Idaho, with- out a dissenting voice; and on the 4th of Feb- ruary a special committee, appointed to examine a house bill providing for the calling of a con- stitutional convention, made a favorable report. Statehood was unanimously regarded as a great help to the investment of capital in Idaho. The year 1889 found the people in a much improved condition. Both mining and agriculture were making rapid advances, aided by the opening of routes of travel and transportation, and also by plants for irrigation. Prosperity was in the air. Nearly all the old political acrimony had died out. Even the scheme for annexing the Panhan- dle to Washington was not heard of, except to be denounced. Such an expression of sentiment was indeed made emphatic by resolutions of the legislature and of both the main political plat- forms. The little opposition to statehood was ex-
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hibited principally among the farmers, who feared increased expenses without a full com- pensation.
In the judiciary of Idaho the changes during its territorial career were frequent. James B. Hays was appointed chief justice in 1886, in place of John I. Morgan; Norman Buck and Case Bro- derick, appointed in 1884, were his associates, while James S. Hawley was the United States at- torney. In 1888 Hugh W. Weir was chief jus- tice, and John Lee Logan and Charles H. Berry associates, with Hawley still the federal attorney. In 1889 Weir was superseded by James H. Beat- ty, of Hailey; and Logan, who was removed on account of ill health, was succeeded by Willis Sweet, of Moscow, who had a few months pre- viously been appointed United States attorney.
Judge Logan came to Idaho when the bench and society were shaken to their foundations and mob law openly advocated, but he exhibited a remarkable degree of moral courage and re- formed matters as if by magic. The people rec- ognized in him a splendid lawyer and a man of firmness and clear intellect. He conducted and ruled the court, instead of permitting the court to rule him. He was just and fearless. The very first criminal cases tried before him showed that he was a judge for the people and that he would apply the law as it should be applied.
With a change of administration, and the elec- tion of 1888 in Idaho, came a general change of federal and territorial officials. Frederick T. Dubois, however, was again chosen delegate to congress. George L. Shoup was appointed gov- ernor, E. J. Curtis remained secretary, Joseph C. Straughan was appointed surveyor general Richard Z. Johnson was elected attorney general of the territory, James H. Wickersham comp- troller, Charles Himrod treasurer, and Charles C. Stevenson superintendent of public instruc- tion. Regents of the university, capitol and pri- son commissioners, etc., were appointed by the legislature. Thus it may be seen that as the country grew older a greater and greater propor- tion of the territorial officers were taken from the resident population.
April 2, 1889, Governor Stevenson issued a proclamation that the people elect delegates to a constitutional convention, to meet at Boise City July 4 of that year, although as yet no enabling
act had been passed by congress. Shoup, suc- ceeding Stevenson as governor April 30, issued another proclamation, indorsing the one which Governor Stevenson had published; and accord- ingly seventy-two delegates were elected, who met and continued in session for thirty-four days, framing a constitution for the coming state, which instrument had no peculiar features, ex- cepting perhaps the one which emphasized the prohibition of polygamy. It provided for the election of the state justices, three in number, by the people. Six months' residence was required as a condition of voting. Taxes for state pur- poses should never exceed ten mills on the dollar ; when the assessed valuation should reach fifty millions of dollars, five mills, and when it should reach a hundred millions, three mills, etc., as the state advanced in wealth. The capital was located at Boise for twenty years.
According to Governor Shoup, the population of Idaho in 1889 was 113,777, of whom he thought about twenty-five thousand were of the Mormon faith. Although public sentiment to a considerable extent suppressed the visible fact of polygamy, it was really known that plural mar- riages were occasionally contracted, and that the doctrine of polygamy was taught by some of the Mormon leaders. It was not so much, the Gov- ernor said, that examples of plural marriages were known that the Gentile majority made war upon Mormonism, but because the leaders of that faith taught that all laws enacted for the suppres- sion of polygamy were unconstitutional, on the ground that they were an interference with re- ligious liberty. This was a point, he claimed, most dangerous to the safety of society; for, ac- cording to that heresy, any association of per- sons could, under the cover of religion, commit any crimes with impunity. The legislature of 1884-5 passed a registry law requiring voters to take an extremely rigid oath to the effect that they were opposed to polygamy both practically and theoretically.
The popular vote on the constitution as pro- posed took place on the 5th of November, 1889, when 12,398 votes were given for the document and 1,773 against it. At this time the territory was about evenly balanced between the two main political parties.
In order to settle the question raised by the
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Mormons as to the constitutionality of the reg- istry oath, a Mormon voter was arrested, charged with conspiracy and imprisoned. A writ of habeas corpus was denied and the case was taken to the United States supreme court. Pending this case Delegate Dubois was taking the opin- ion of congress on the admission of Idaho, and was met by the assertion of the Mormon leaders that the effort to disfranchise twenty-five thou- sand people would prove a stumbling block in the way of statehood. He rejoined that rather than have the territory come in without the anti-Mor- mon clause in its constitution he would prefer that it should remain out of the Union.
Furthermore, with reference to loyalty in gen- eral,-for he remembered the secession days,- "Our constitution," said he, "forbids the carrying of any flag in public processions except the American flag. We want a state for those whose highest allegiance is to the United States, or else we want no state at all."
There were several other complications besides the "Mormon test oath" in the way of a smooth admission of Idaho into the relation of a state. One was the objection raised by the Democrats as a partisan measure, that Idaho should not be admitted without Wyoming and New Mexico at the same time. Another was that should there be by this means or other any delay in the ad- mission of Idaho, the near approach of a new
federal census would occasion a new basis of representative apportionment and thus postpone Idaho's admission for a number of years. Thus fears and hopes alternated.
It is well to glance at the material advance- ment now being made here. The thirty-eight newspapers of the territory truthfully asserted that never had there been so many new enter- prises inaugurated in Idaho as in this year of 1889,-irrigation schemes that would cost mil- lions; new mining camps as fast as they could be built and machinery could be transported to the mines; homestead filings for the year, 861 ; homestead proofs, 463; desert filings, 294; des- ert proofs, 841; pre-emption filings, 841; pre- emption proofs, 441; timber-culture filings, 293; timber-culture proofs, 5; mineral filings, 72; proofs, 62. All these meant so many times one hundred and sixty acres improved, or about to be. The total amount of land surveyed in Idaho was 8,500,000 acres; amount of land patented or filed on, 4,500,000 acres; land in cultivation, sur- veyed and unsurveyed, 600,000 acres. Altogether Idaho contained about 55,000,000 acres, 12,000,- 000 of which were suitable for agriculture, while nearly as much more could be made so by irri- gation. There were 5,000,000 acres of grazing land, 10,000,000 acres of timber and 8,000,000 acres of timber land. Idaho had indeed advan- tages unsurpassed in the world.
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