USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume I > Part 60
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Pocatello, a historical sketch of which is given in another chapter, is the
BEAR LAKE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, PARIS
HOTEL PARIS, PARIS
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HISTORY OF IDAHO
second city of Idaho and an important railway center. Other thriving villages in the county are Alexander, Bancroft, Downey, Grace, Lava Hot Springs, McCam- mon, Marsh Valley and Swan Lake. These places are all on the railroad lines and are shipping points for the surrounding agricultural districts. Grace is the terminus of a branch of the Oregon Short Line railway system which connects with the main line at Alexander. It is located on the Bear River and is said to have the largest hydro-electric plant west of the great dam across the Mississippi River at Keokuk, Iowa. At Lava Hot Springs, which are owned by the State of Idaho and leased under state control, a health resort is growing up which is becoming more notable every year.
BEAR LAKE COUNTY
On January 5, 1875, Governor Thomas W. Bennett approved an act of the Legislature creating Bear Lake County, with the following described boundaries : "Commencing at the twenty-third mile post on the boundary line between Utah and Idaho territories; running thence northerly along the summit of the range of mountains between Cache Valley and Bear Lake Valley to the corner of town- ships 9 and 10 south, range 41 east ; thence east twelve miles; thence north to the summit of the divide between the waters of Bear River and the waters of the Blackfoot River; thence easterly along said last named summit to the line be- tween Wyoming and Idaho territories; thence south on said last named line to the southeast corner of Idaho Territory ; thence. west to the place of beginning."
The above described boundaries are those of the present and until the crea- tion of Franklin and Madison counties in 1913, Bear Lake County enjoyed the distinction of being the smallest county in the state, as well as one of the richest in proportion to area. It was named for the lake on the southern border, about one-half of which lies in Idaho and the southern half in Utah. This lake, which is one of the most attractive in the Rocky Mountain region, is about twenty miles long by eight miles wide, with an elevation of 5,900 feet, is fed by the mountain streams and abounds in fish of various kinds. Its outlet flows north into the Bear River and its shores are of sand or gravel, affording a clean and easy approach to the water's edge. Some years ago an effort was made to ascer- tain its depth near the center, but the sounding line ran out to 900 feet without touching bottom.
All through the Bear Lake Valley are mineral springs, the most noted of which are the soda springs, in Caribou County, and the hot springs on the shores of Bear Lake, where a stream of water, almost boiling hot, flows from the side of the mountain. These waters contain niter, sulphur and other ingredients, which make them of great curative value in ailments of a rheumatic nature and when they become well known they will rival the famous hot springs of Arkan- sas as a health resort.
The first settlements in the county were made in the fall of 1863 and the spring of the following year, at Paris and Montpelier, and are described in con- nection with those places in the chapter on "Cities and Towns." Charles C. Rich, the founder of the settlement at Paris, was a native of Kentucky, where he was born in 1809. When about twenty years of age he went to Illinois, where in 1832 he joined the Mormon Church and in March, 1849, was ordained one of the twelve apostles. In 1857, when Col. Albert Sidney Johnston led the expedi-
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tion of United States troops into Utah, the Mormons, expecting Salt Lake City to be destroyed, organized for defense and Mr. Rich was elected colonel in the Utah forces. He was afterward prominent in locating new colonies and when the land in Bear Lake came into market he acquired a half section, which he developed into a fine farm. One of his sons, Joseph C. Rich, was at one time judge of the Fifth Judicial District of Idaho, and another son, Samuel J. Rich, assisted in building the first roller flour mill in Bear Lake County. Mr. Rich at his death left fifty-two children, living, many of whom were afterwards prom- inent in public affairs.
In the mountain valleys the precipitation is great enough to enable the lands to be cultivated without irrigation, but in the lower altitudes much of the land is irrigated. Dairying is becoming one of the leading industries of the county, some of the finest dairy herds in the state being found here, and the cheese making industry, especially, having assumed great proportions. The Caribou forest reserve, the headquarters of which are at Montpelier, contains 718,000 acres; most of it lies in Bear Lake County and affords good grazing. The greatest deposits of phosphate in the world have been found in the county and have been held in reserve by the United States until recently, when an order was issued by the Government for their development.
In 1910 the population of Bear Lake County was 7,729 and in 1918 the as- sessed valuation of the property was $8,260,218. The main line of the Oregon Short Line Railroad runs through the county from southeast to northwest and a branch runs from Montpelier to Paris, the county seat. Besides Montpelier and Paris, the principal railroad stations are Border, Dingle, Georgetown, Man- son, Nounan and Ovid. Bloomington, a few miles south of Paris, Geneva in the eastern part, St. Charles on the shore of Bear Lake, and Sharon in the western part, are thriving villages not on the railroad.
BENEWAH COUNTY
By the act of January 23, 1915, Benewah County was erected from the south- ern part of Kootenai County and St. Maries was designated as the county seat. The county is situated in the part of the state known as the "Panhandle," and is bounded on the north by Kootenai County; on the east by Shoshone; on the south by Latah; and on the west by the State of Washington.
Pursuant to the provisions of the act creating the county, Governor Alexan- der appointed the following county officers, to take office on February 10, 1915, and serve until the next general election: John Skelton, Charles Wells and J. L. Moran, commissioners ; Charles W. Leaf, sheriff; W. T. Shepherd, auditor and recorder ; E. M. Davis, treasurer; C. R. Reynolds, assessor; Edward Kolman, probate judge ; L. E. Purvis, surveyor ; C. J. Kinsolving, coroner ; Edward Elder, prosecuting attorney ; Ruth E. Gerhart, superintendent of public instruction.
Farming, fruit growing, lumbering, dairying and raising poultry are the leading occupations. There are no large towns in the county, the largest being St. Maries, the county seat; St. Joe, near the eastern boundary; Fernwood, in the southeastern part; Plummer, on the main line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. in the western part; and Emida, Desmet and Sanders in the southern portion are the others. The St. Joe River flows through the northern part of the county and down the valley of this river runs the Chicago, Milwaukee
BINGHAM COUNTY COURTHOUSE, BLACKFOOT
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CITY HALL, BLACKFOOT
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& St. Paul R. R., a branch of which leaves the main line at St. Maries and runs up the valley of the St. Mary's River to Elk City, Clearwater County. A line of the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company runs across the northwest corner, so that all parts of the county are provided with transporta- tion.
In the United States census for 1910 the population of Benewah was included in Kootenai County. The assessed valuation of property in 1918 was $9,649,759.
BINGHAM COUNTY
The County of Bingham was created by the Thirteenth Territorial Legisla- ture, Governor Bunn approving the act on January 13, 1885. The original boundaries, as described in that act, were as follows: "Beginning at the point where the northern boundary of Idaho Territory intersects the western boundary of Wyoming Territory ; thence running westerly along the northern boundary of Idaho Territory to the northeast corner of Lemhi County; thence along the eastern boundaries of Lemhi and Alturas counties to the Snake River; thence down the Snake River to the mouth of the Port Neuf River; thence up the Port Neuf River to what is known as the point of the mountain, about four miles northwest of Pocatello; thence southerly in a straight line to the top of the range ; thence along the crest of the mountains between Malad and Marsh valleys to a point on the top of the range due west of a point one mile south of the present southern boundary of the townsite of Oxford; thence due east to the Bear Lake County line; thence northerly and easterly along the line of Bear Lake County to the line of Wyoming Territory; thence north to the place of beginning."
As thus established, Bingham County included the present county of that name, Bannock, Bonneville, Clark, Caribou, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison and Teton counties, and portions of Butte and Power. J. M. McCollum and Charles Bunting were appointed commissioners to ascertain the indebtedness of Oneida County (from which Bingham was. taken) and apportion that indebtedness be- tween the two counties.
Blackfoot was named in the act as the county seat, and on January 29, 1885, the Legislature passed an act authorizing the county commissioners to build a courthouse and jail at Blackfoot, for which bonds to the amount of $20,000 might be issued by the county. Before the adjournment of the Legislature the commissioners reported that Bingham County's portion of the debt was $70,000 and on February 4, 1885, the governor approved an act authorizing the county commissioners to issue bonds to that amount for the purpose of funding the debt.
The eastern end of the county is mountainous and well timbered; the central part lies in the Snake River Valley, a rich agricultural section; the western part is adapted to dry farming; and there is some lava desert that can be classed as waste land. A large part of the Fort Hall Indian reservation lies in this county. Bingham is an agricultural county, the principal crops being alfalfa, sugar beets, potatoes and cereals. At the little village of Springfield, on the American Falls Canal west of Blackfoot a number of people are engaged in growing alfalfa seed for the United States Government. Some fine orchards are also in this county.
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HISTORY OF IDAHO
Among the first settlers in the county was Frederick S. Stevens, who estab- lished a ranch where the City of Blackfoot now stands in 1866. William E. Wheeler, a native of Vermont and a veteran of the Civil war, came to Black- foot while that place was still in Oneida County and on July 1, 1880, began the publication of the Register, which was afterward removed to Idaho Falls. George H. Storer, another pioneer of Bingham County, arrived at Blackfoot in 1879 with only 50 cents in his pocket. He was a member of the democratic state central committee in the first campaign after Idaho was admitted into the Union and in 1896 was elected state treasurer. Theron J. Smith came to the county about the time it was organized and was made immigration agent of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, in which capacity he induced a number of people to become residents of the county. Henry W. Curtis came about the same time and in 1885 opened the first hardware store in Blackfoot.
The Oregon Short Line Railroad follows the Snake River through the county. At Blackfoot a branch leaves the main line and runs to Mackay in Custer County, and at Moreland Junction on this branch connection is made with another branch that runs to Aberdeen in the southwest corner of Bingham County. These lines afford transportation to all parts of the county except the mountains and timbered portion in the east end.
Blackfoot, the county seat, is the only city in the county. Shelley, in the northeastern part, and Aberdeen, in the southwest corner, are important towns, and there are several small villages scattered over the county. In 1910 the popu- lation of Bingham County was 23,306, but since then the counties of Bonneville, Butte and Power have been created, which took part of Bingham's population. The assessed valuation of property in 1918 was $13,698,200.
BLAINE COUNTY
The history of Blaine County really begins with the erection of Alturas County by the first territorial legislature, the act creating it having been approved on February 4, 1864. Alturas County embraced all the present counties of Cus- ter, Blaine, Elmore, Gooding, Camas, Jerome and Minidoka and part of Power. The settlement of this part of the state is due mainly to the discovery of lead- silver mines in what is called the "Wood River country." It is said that the first mineral found in this section was on Warm Spring Creek, near the town of Ketchum, by Major Cavanah and Doctor Marshall, but the discoverers located no claims. During the years 1879-80 a number of prospecting parties visited the Wood River region and filed on claims. The first settlement was made at Belle- vue, shortly followed by a mining camp at Ketchum.
Blaine County was created by the act of March 5, 1895, which abolished the counties of Alta and Logan, the new county embracing all the territory in the two counties thus abolished. It was named for James G. Blaine, who served for many years as a representative in Congress from the State of Maine, and who was secretary of state_in President Benjamin Harrison's cabinet. The act creating the county provided that the following county officers (made up from the officials elected in Alta and Logan counties at the preceding election) should serve until the next general election: Sidney Kelly, Israel T. Osborn and Fred W. Gooding, commissioners; H. H. Clay, treasurer and ex-officio public administrator ; Joseph J. McFadden, probate judge and ex-officio super-
BLAINE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, HAILEY
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HOTEL HIAWATHA, HAILEY
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intendent of public instruction ; Frank J. Mandell, surveyor ; Andrew J. Dunn, coroner; and for the offices of sheriff, assessor and clerk it was provided that the official elected in one county should be the principal and the one from the other county the deputy for one year, and then exchange for the remainder of the term.
Since the erection of Blaine County its area has been reduced by the organ- ization of Butte, Camas and Power counties. It is now bounded on the north by Custer County ; on the east by Butte and Bingham counties; on the south by Power, Cassia, Minidoka and Lincoln counties; and on the west by Camas County. A large part of Blaine lies in the Sawtooth national forest, one of the best grazing sections in the West, and as many as three thousand carloads of sheep have been shipped from this range in one season. The valleys of the Big and Little Wood rivers and the Carey Valley are well adapted to agriculture, either by means of irrigation or dry farming methods.
The main line of the Oregon Short Line Railroad touches the southern part, near the Snake River, and a branch of this system runs to Ketchum, in the northern part of the county. These roads pass through the most thickly settled parts of the county and afford transportation facilities for the grain, hay, wool and live stock, which are the leading products. Hailey, the county seat, is sit- uated on the branch railroad, northwest of the center of the county, and on the same line are the stations of Balaam, Bellevue, Gannett, Hay Spur, Ketchum and Picabo. On the main line of railroad are the stations of DeWoff, Hawley, Wapi and Yale. From each of these places large shipments are made every year.
A short distance from Hailey are the Clarendon Hot Springs and at Ketchum are the Guyer Hot Springs, both noted camping places for sportsmen who visit the sawtooth reserve for big game. In 1910 the population of Blaine County was 8,387, and 1918 the property was assessed for tax purposes at $6,188,023.
BOISE COUNTY
Boise was one of four counties created by the First Territorial Legislature by an act approved on February 4. 1864. The original boundaries, as described in that act, were as follows: "Beginning at a point on the Snake River in lati- tude 44° 30' north; thence in a due eastern direction to longitude 114° 30'; thence in a southwestern direction on the dividing ridge between the waters of Moore's Creek and the North Fork of the Boise River, following said divide to the confluence of Grimes' Creek with the Boise River; thence in a southerly direction to a point on the Snake River opposite the mouth of Goose Creek; thence down the center of the channel of the Snake River to the place of be- ginning."
By tracing these boundaries on a map of the state, it will be found that Boise County included all the present county of that name, as well as Ada, Canyon, Gem and Payette counties and the southern part of Washington. The Boise News of February 27, 1864, announced that the governor had appointed the following county officers : John C. Smith, Frank Moore and Henry I. Crow, commissioners ; Sumner Pinkham, sheriff; Daniel Mclaughlin, probate judge; Washington R. Underwood, auditor; Charles D. Vajen, treasurer. The fol- lowing justices of the peace were also appointed: Charles Walker, Idaho City;
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HISTORY OF IDAHO
J. H. Johnson and C. W. Depuy, Centerville; T. H. Stringham and Charles Woodbury, Placerville ; and Daniel S. Holton, Boise City. The first term of the district court in the county was held beginning on Tuesday, February 23, 1864, before the county officers were appointed, Judge Samuel C. Parks pre- siding.
The first white men came into the Boise Basin in 1862, attracted thither by the hope of finding gold-a hope in which they were not disappointed. Among the first to arrive were George Grimes, John Reynolds, Joseph Branstetter, Moses Splawn, D. H. Fogus and a few others, who made the wonderful discovery that led to the settlement and organization of Boise County two years later. Within a few months after the first discovery, several hundred men were pros- pecting all the valleys and gulches of the Basin. Idaho City, afterward the county seat of Boise County, Centerville, Placerville and Pioneer City were all thriving mining towns in 1863 and 1864, estimating their population in thou- sands. Late in the year 1862 and the early part of 1863 some of the most active pioneers were Marion Moore, David Alderson, Ralph Bledso, C. C. Higby, William Ritchie, John Hailey, Henry Greathouse, Ben Wilson, Wm. Lynch, George Thatcher and Capt. "Jeff" Standifer. Hailey and Greathouse were the pro- prietors of the first stage coach lines in the Basin, and Standifer commanded the first volunteer company when an Indian outbreak was threatened in the spring of 1863.
For twelve years the population of Boise County exceeded or equalled the population of the rest of the territory. Boise County had until 1873 four members of the Upper House of the Legislature and eight members of the Lower House, and from 1873 to 1880 had three members of the Upper House and eight of the Lower House, the total membership during that time of the entire Legislature being thirteen in the Upper House and twenty-six in the Lower House.
In 1868 the votes for the democratic candidate for delegate in Congress, upon which the delegations from the several counties were apportioned, were greater in Boise County than in all of the other counties of the state. In fact, the influence of Boise County in political conventions of both of the great parties was commanding until 1878, and the county took the lead in all political and business matters.
The second session of the Territorial Legislature cut off the southern and western parts of Boise County to form the County of Ada. Since then the boundary lines have several times been changed, and in 1917 the northern. part of the county was taken to form the new County of Valley. Gem County in 1915, having already taken a part. This left Boise County only a fraction of its original size, bounded on the north by Valley County; on the east by Custer ; on the southeast and south by the counties of Elmore and Ada; and on the west by Gem County.
Although Boise was the second county in the state to be permanently set- tled, it was the last county to have a railroad. In 1912 the Oregon Short Line branch following the Payette River to Lakeport was completed through the county and gave a new impetus to agriculture, fruit growing and stock raising. On this railroad the stations of Banks, Gardena, Horseshoe Bend and Mon- tour are the principal shipping points for the rich agricultural district of the
BONNER COUNTY COURTHOUSE, SANDPOINT
CITY HALL AND FIRE STATION, SANDPOINT
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HISTORY OF IDAHO
Payette Valley. Away from the railroad the leading villages are Idaho City, the county seat, Centerville, Placerville and Quartzburg. A number of the old min- ing camps are still standing, with their deserted log cabins, and there are some who hope to see a revival of the mining industry, which would make a local mar- ket for the products of the farms that are being developed along all the streams.
The population of the county in 1910 was 5,250, a large part of which is now in Valley County, and in 1918 the valuation of property was $3,327,532, only three counties in the state showing a smaller valuation, viz .: Butte, Camas and Teton.
BONNER COUNTY
On February 21, 1907, Governor Gooding approved the act creating Bonner County from the northern part of Kootenai County, with the following de- scribed boundaries: "Commencing at a point where the township line between townships 53 and 54 north intersects the boundary line between the State of Idaho and the State of Washington; thence east on said township line to the northeast corner of township 53 north, range 3 west ; thence north on range line between sections 36 and 31 to the northeast corner of section 36, township 54, range 3; thence due east six miles to the northeast corner of section 36, township 54, range 2 west; thence south along the range line between ranges I and 2 to the northeast corner of township 52 north, range 2 west; thence east on the township line between townships 52 and 53 to the present county line between Kootenai and Shoshone counties; thence north along the west boundary line of Shoshone County to the northwest corner thereof ; thence in an easterly direction along the summit of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains to the west line of the State of Montana; thence north along the boundary line between the states of Idaho and Montana to the international boundary between the United States and Canada; thence west along said international boundary to the northwest corner of the State of Idaho; thence south along the line between the states of Idaho and Washington to the place of beginning."
The boundaries as above described included the present County of Boundary, which was cut off from Bonner by the act of January 23, 1915. Bonner County was named for Edwin L. Bonner, who established a ferry across the Kootenai River in 1863, where the Town of Bonners Ferry now stands. The act creating the county fixed the temporary county seat at Sandpoint, the location of the permanent seat of justice to be decided by the voters of the county at the general election in 1908. At that election a majority of the votes were cast in favor of Sandpoint and a courthouse was soon afterward erected.
Lake Pend d'Oreille, one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the North- west, lies in the central part. Through this lake flows Clark's Fork, and the western part is drained by the Priest River. In the valleys of the streams and along the shores of the lake are the richest agricultural lands in Northern Idaho, where the rainfall is sufficient to carry on farming without the aid of irrigation. Heavy forests of pine, fir, hemlock and tamarack originally covered a large part of the county and lumbering is an important industry. Excellent trans- portation facilities for the products of the farms and sawmills are afforded by the Northern Pacific, the Spokane & International and the Great Northern rail- ways, which center at Sandpoint and radiate in all directions.
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Sandpoint, the county seat, located on the north shore of Lake Pend d'Oreille, is the principal city, though there are a number of villages in the county, with a population of from 100 to 400 each, to-wit: Albany Falls, Cabinet, Clark Fork, Colburn, Elmira, Harlem, Hope, Kootenai, Laclede, Ponderay, Priest River, Sagle, Severance, Valley and Westmond. Most of these villages are on some of the railway lines and are shipping points of greater or less importance. In 1910 (before Boundary County was set off) the population of Bonner County was 13,588, and in 1918 the assessed valuation of property was $16,261,681.
BONNEVILLE COUNTY
Bonneville County was created by the act of February 7, 1911, from the northern part of Bingham County, and was named in honor of Capt. Benjamin L. E. Bonneville, who visited the Snake River Valley in the early '30s and in the fall of 1833 established his winter quarters at the mouth of the Port Neuf River. The county is bounded on the north by the counties of Jefferson, Madison and Teton ; on the east by the State of Wyoming; on the south by Bannock and Bing- ham counties ; and on the west by Bingham. The act creating the county assigned it to the sixth judicial district and the fifth senatorial district, and designated Idaho Falls as the county seat.
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