USA > Idaho > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 64
USA > Montana > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 64
USA > Washington > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 64
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34 H. F. Wild, U. S. Assayer at Boise, in the Rept of' Gov. Stevenson for 1888.
Ju Shoshone Journal, in The Northwest Magazine, May 1889.
573
MINING AND IRRIGATION.
metals, the abundance of iron, copper, salt, sulphur, mica, sandstone, limestone, granite, and marble dis- tributed throughout the territory offered a profitable field to capital and industry.
About 16,000,000 acres is the estimated amount of agricultural lands in Idaho, 600,000 acres of which in 1889 had been brought under cultivation, by an expenditure of $2,000,000 in irrigating canals. Expe- rience had proved that when irrigated the soil of Idaho produced all kinds of cereals and vegetables and all the fruits of the temperate zone in almost unexampled abundance and unrivalled excellence. Farmers had come to prefer the irrigable lands, for, water being brought upon them, they were more constant in their productiveness than lands depending upon rainfall. Irrigation thereby became a subject of vast impor- tance to agriculturists, who eagerly studied the various plans from time to time proposed by govern- ment agents and commissioners for some generally practicable solution of the question which thus far has been little illumined by their observations.36
There were 2,000 miles of irrigating ditches in the territory, and schemes on foot for constructing canals which would cost several millions, for reclamation purposes, and to bring arid lands into market, either as agricultural or grazing farms. Even stock-raising, which is a leading industry in Idaho, will be greatly promoted by the reclamation of waste lands. Much has already been done to improve the stock of the breeding-ranchos, the total value of animals of all kinds on farms being set down at $11,882,196.
A movement looking to the closing out of Indian reservations by allotting land in severalty to Indians
36 The last report of the irrigation commissioners presents a bill of costs, with their plan of diverting the waters of rivers over arid lauds which ren- ders it wholly void of utility. Then comes Wm N. Byers of Colorado with a plan for storing water by means of artificial glaciers, which he claims could be easily constructed during the winter high in the mountains, and which we are assured would keep supplied during summer those streams which otherwise are dried up. The plan is deemed worthy of consideration by some people.
574
MATERIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.
had been begun, and promised good results. The Fort Hall and Bannack reservation, comprising 1,202,330 acres, contained 525,000 acres of first-class, easily irrigable land, the remainder being good grazing land, with some portions rich in mineral. The Indians, for whom all was reserved, numbered 1,700 men, women, and children. If every individual should receive 160 acres, there would still be left over a million acres. The Indians on the Fort Hall reser- vation had made some progress in agriculture, 380 of them cultivating small tracts, on which they raised a variety of farm products.37 The Lemhi reservation contained 105,960 acres, which was held for 548 In- dians, who cultivated 258 acres.38 The Nez Percé reservation embraced 746,651 acres of the best agri- cultural land west of the Rocky Mountains, and not excelled by any portion of the union for soil, water, timber, and all natural advantages. It was held for 1,227 Indians-men, women, and children. About 300 families cultivated small farms, raising grains, fruit, and vegetables.39 This tribe had been taught almost continuously for fifty years, and were, when first known, superior to all the other tribes west of the Rocky Mountains. Indian Agent George W. Norris, in his report to the governor of Idaho in 1888, remarked concerning this people that they took little interest in education beyond a desire that their
37 These Indians raised 8,523 bushels of wheat, or an average of 22} bushels to the farm; 8,085 bushels of oats; 915 bushels of barley; 8,450 bushels of potatoes; 1,200 bushels of turnips; 100 bushels of onions; 40 bushels of beans; 2,500 tons of hay; 500 pounds of butter. The stock owned by these Indians were, 6,250 horses, 2 mules, 1,000 cattle, 45 swine, and 350 domestic fowls. Gor.'s Rept, 1888, p. 47.
38 The Indians on this reservation raised 200 bushels of wheat; 3,200 bushels of oats; 450 bushels of potatoes; 25 bushels of onions; 400 bushels of other vegetables; 70 tons of hay; and owned 3,000 horses, 1 mule, and 60 cattle. /d. 48.
39 The Nez Percés raised 68,750 bushels of wheat; 1,000 basbels of corn; 22,000 bushels of oats; 1,000 hushels of barley and rye; 10,000 bushels of potatoes; 100 bushels of turnips; 300 bushels of onions, 500 bushels of beans; 1,000 bushels of other vegetables; 25,000 melons; 15,000 squashes; 4,000 tons of hay; 400 pounds of butter; and owned 14,000 horses, 10 mules, 3,500 cattle, 500 swine, 7 sheep, 2,500 fowls; and cultivated 5,492 acres. Id. 49.
575
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
children should learn to speak the English language; and that their ambition was bounded by a demand for the fires, beds, clothing, and subsistence furnished during the winter by the government. In his opinion, land should be allotted to them individually, and secured by patent, and they be compelled to labor, instead of being dependent upon the bounty of the United States, whose creatures have taken from them about all that they once possessed. Their increasing wants would lead them to dispose of their superfluous lands, and thus the reservation question be amicably settled; but to open reservations to settlement before the allotments were made would alarm the Indians and lead to trouble.
The fourth Indian reservation in Idaho was the Cœur d'Alêne, in which was contained 598,500 acres, held for the benefit of about 500 individuals. A por- tion of this territory was rich in minerals, and was in actual possession by a mining population. Steps were being taken to secure its relinquishment by the In- dians, who jealously guarded their rights under their treaty with the United States. The Cœur d'Alênes were catholics, and were far behind the Nez Percés in intelligence.
Still another reservation was that of the western Shoshones, comprising 131,300 acres at the head of the Owyhee river, and occupied by about 400 Indians. These were wild Indians who cultivated no farms.
Thus there were within the boundaries of Idaho 2,884,731 acres of the most valuable, agricultural, timbered, and mineral lands, held for 4,375 persons, not more than one fifth of whom were heads of fami- lies. Aside from the desire to have these lands pro- ductive and taxable was the apprehension that any misunderstanding might involve the territory in an- other war such as had desolated certain portions only as recently as 1877 and 1878. This conjunction of circumstances led Governor Stevenson to point out to the general government that while Idaho had be-
576
MATERIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.
tween 4,000 and 5,000 Indians within her borders, she had but one company of cavalry and one of in- fantry for defense, at Boisé Barracks.“ Fort Sher- man, also a two-company post, was, to be sure, in Idaho, but almost at its extreme northern boundary, and so nearly in Washington that its influence was not felt. The governor called attention to this want of consideration for Idaho, and demanded "one good permanent, at least, four-company post," to check the roaming habits of the Indians, "whose presence ex- cites the fears and evil passions of our people." 41
Previous to 1885, when the Oregon Short Line rail- road was completed from its junction with the Union Pacific in Wyoming to its connection with the Ore- gon Railway and Navigation Company's railroad at Huntington, on Snake river, 418 miles, Idaho could not be said to have any commerce, or at best to have a very one-sided commerce with the world on any side. The opening of railroad transportation marked a new era, encouraging every existing industry, and developing new ones. The exports of live-stock in 1885 aggregated 36,000 head of cattle and horses, or 1,800 car-loads; and the imports of improved stock for breeding purposes reached 200 car-loads, or about 4,000 head.42 The railroad was a great relief to miners, also, in the transportation of ores and bullion ;
40 Boisé Barracks is a two-company post, with a reservation one mile square. on which are erected many fine buildings of a durable stone peculiar to the locality, which gives them an imposing appearance. The grounds are well cared for and handsomely laid out.
+1 Stevenson pointed out that while Idaho was so nearly defenseless, Montana had 36 companies, stationed at 7 different points; New Mexico had 23, at 5 points; Arizona 34, at 11 points; Utah 15, at 2 points; Washington 20, at 4 points; Wyoming 27, at 7 points; and Dakota 37, at 10 points. Gov.'s Rept, 57-58.
4" One of the horse-raisers of Idaho was Miss Kittie Wilkins, sometimes called the Horse Queen, of Bruneau valley, where she resided with her parents, on a large range. Her stock consisted of Black Hawks, Morgans, Percherons, Hambletonians, and French draught-horses. The father of Miss Wilkins settled in Idaho in 1865, when she was an infant, and from one filly, given the child, came, by good management, a band of 700 or 800 horses. Miss Wilkins was educated at St Vincent's academy, Walla Walla, and the convent of Notre Dame, San Jose, Cal.
577
COMMERCE.
and to merchants and farmers. For the year ending June 30, 1888, the total tonnage of Idaho carried on the Oregon Short Line and Utah and Northern divisions of the Union Pacific was 44,809 tons, 8,386 of which was grain, 11,874 ores, 6,913 live-stock, 6,678 bullion and lead, and 4,766 merchandise; the remainder being miscellaneous freight.
The total outward tonnage of all the railroad and steamboat lines in Idaho in the year ending July 30, 1889, was 184,015, of which 50,000 tons was of wheat, oats, barley, flax-seed, and other farm pro- ducts; while the freight received for consumption amounted to 119,600 tons. The value of farm pro- ducts and building material marketed was $9,520,176 -a statement which shows the importance of rapid transit in increasing commerce.
The legislature of 1886-7 enacted a law constitut- ing the governor, controller, and treasurer of the ter- ritory a board of equalization, whose duty it was to place a valuation per mile on each line of road passing through more than one county. In 1889 there were eleven railways traversing various parts of Idaho, so sudden was the transportation system by rail devel- oped in this inter-montane commonwealth.43 The assessed valuation of 888.73 miles of railway was fixed by the commissioners at $4,719,786-a moderate valu- ation, especially when it is considered that the rail- roads fixed their own tariffs, which the people had to pay. The Northern Pacific claimed exemption from
43 These were the Oregon Short Line; Utah and Northern, 129 miles; Idaho Central, 183 miles; Northern Pacific, 88 miles; Wood River, 15} miles; branch of Oregon Short Line, 54} miles; Washington and Idaho, 33 miles; Cœur d'Alene Railway and Navigation Company (narrow-gauge), 38 miles, and carrying 93,000 tons per annum; Spokane and Palouse, 6} miles; O. R. & N. Branch in Latah co., 3 miles; Spokane Falls and Idaho Railway, 13} miles. Besides these, the Midland Pacific, a transcontinental line, was projected from Seattle to Sioux Falls and Chicago. This road would enter Idaho from the east on the north fork of Snake river, crossing the Utah and Northern at Market lake, crossing the plains to Birch creek, thence on the divide he- tween Snake and Salmon rivers, down the Lemhi to Salmon City, thence down Salmon river to Slate creek, and through the northern Camas prairie to Lewiston. Its length in Idaho would approximate 500 miles. It was contemplated changing the route of the Oregon Short Line so as to bring the main line through Boise City. Rept of Gov. George L. Shoup, 1889.
HIST. WASH .- 37
578
MATERIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.
taxation for its franchise and road-bed by act of con- gress, and only its rolling stock was valued for taxa- tion by the county authorities."
The fifteenth legislative assembly of Idaho con- vened December 10, 1888.45 The session, which held until the 7th of February 1889, had under con- sideration as subjects of more than usual interest the division of Alturas county and the creation of the county of Elmore out of its western territory, the exclusion from the house of two members from the mormon districts of Bingham and Bear Lake on account of illegal voting and the question of state- hood. In the case of Elmore county, after much display of legislative tactics, including the bolting of the speaker of the house, who abruptly left his chair during the reading of the journal on the last day of the session,46 the bill was passed and approved by the governor. Logan county was organized at the same time, and the county of Custer also created at this term.
With regard to the contested elections, notwitlı-
" The Western Union Telegraph company had 776 miles of wires in the territory, valued at $61,393.90. Other companies had 131 miles of wires, valued at $3,700.
43 The members of the council at this term were: J. S. Neglee, Ada co .; Charles MePherson and Perkins, Alturas; Frederick Campbell, Ada and Boisé; S. F. Taylor, Bingham; J. P. Clongh, Custer and Lemhi; J. N. Ire- land, Oneida and Bingham; J. W. Brigham, Nez Perce and Latah; T. F. Nel- son, Idaho; J. W. Lamoreux, Oneida, Cassia, and Bear Lake; E. S. Jewell, Owyhee and Washington; A. E. Mayhew, Shoshone and Kootenai. J. P. Clough was chosen president.
The representatives of the lower house declared entitled to seats werc: D. L. Bradley, J. M. Martin, and M. A. Kurtz, of Ada co .; J. H. Vau Schaick, H. H. Clay, Ira S. Waring, and H. C. Burkhart, Alturas; J. H. Kinnersley, Bear Lake; H. B. Kinport and George P. Wheeler, Bingham; G. W. Gorton, Bingham and Custer; J. A. Bruner, Boisé; E. A. Jordan, C'as- sia; C. M. Day, Idaho; A. S. Chaney, J. I. Miteham, and James De Haven, Nez Percé; R. H. Davis, Oneida; George W. Sampson, Owyhee; I. C. Sar- geant, Shoshone; J. Rand Sanburn, Shoshone and Kootenai; Marvin Kilborn, Washington; George W. Emory, Custer. No member from Lemhi was present at the opening of the session. W. H. B. Crow and James Lyons were admitted to contested seats. H. C. Burkhart was elected speaker. Idaho Jour. Council and House 1888-9.
" The president of the council also vacated the 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 eleeted Geo. P. Wheeler, of Bingham, chairman, and the council chose S. F. Taylor, of Bingham, president.
579
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
standing a well-argued minority report in their favor by the member from Nez Perce county, the mormon members were unseated. This bitterness towards a portion of the population of the territory, however much it may have had to justify it, is a painful spec- tacle in a republic. Congress was memorialized to refuse Utah admission into the union, and also to re- quire of homestead and preëmption settlers an oath touching polygamous practices.47 A perusal of the pro- ceedings of the legislature would impress the reader with the conviction that the main point to be gained in all their legislation was security against the growth of mormon principles in the territory.
A bill establishing a board of immigration to en- courage the movement of population to Idaho was passed. "It is a well-known fact," said the report of the committee on territorial affairs, while recommend- ing the passage of this bill, "that the advantages and resources of Idaho are the least known of all the ter- ritories. We believe the time has come when Idaho should take that rank among the territories which her mines, her soil, her climate, and her resources justly entitle her to." 48
47 The law required superintendents of schools to take an oath that they were neither "bigamist or polygamist," 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. Idaho Jour. Council 1888-9, 128.
48 With regard to mines of which the early history has been given, the fol- lowing may be interesting: The Oro Fino group of S mines belongs to the Oro Fino Mining company, limited, of London, England. The original Oro Fino mine produced $1,800,000, and is soon, according to Gov. Shoup's report, from which I take these items, to produce much more. The lode is situated on War Eagle mountain, in Oroyhee district, 3 miles from Silver City. The vein is a true fissure, varying from 2 to 6 feet in width, carrying free milling ore of gold and silver. The shaft has reached the depth of 307 feet, while the mine has not been stoped out to that depth. Levels already started on this mine before it was purchased by the company now owning it have been continued with good results. A lode of very rich ore has been discovered for a distance of 120 feet in length, reaching upward 100 fect. At a recent test this ore assayed $225 per ton, nearly all gold. Over the mine is a substan- tial shaft-house, with hoisting machinery capable of working the mine to a depth of 1,500 feet, while at Silver City is the new Oro Fino 20-stamp steam quartz-mill. The Oro Fino group of mines is covered by ten locations, patents for which have been applied for.
The Poorman group covers an area of about one half mile in width by one mile in length, and is composed of 8 or 10 lodes, the principal of which is the celebrated Poorman, the Belle Peck, Oso, Illinois Central, South Poorman,
580
MATERIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.
It is worthy of mention that the legislature appro- priated $50,000 for the construction of a road, long needed, between Mount Idaho, in Idaho county, and Little Salmon Meadows, in Washington county, more closely connecting the Panhandle to the main body of the future state. Congress was memorialized for an amendment to the alien act, so as to except mines from its prohibitions. A bill was passed establishing a board of immigration. The ' University of Idaho' was established. Congress was asked to pay the In- dian war claims of 1877-8-9, and a badge or button asked of congress as a distinguishing mark for the men who served in those wars, with local legislation of or- dinary importance.
On the 14th of January a bill was introduced in the house by Bruner of Boisé providing for a consti-
Silver Cord, and Jackson. All these mines have produced more or less, while the Poorman has yielded millions. United States patents have been applied for for this group of mines. The property was purchased in 1888 by a syndi- cate then living in Lenden.
The Morning Star mine, situated one fourth of a mile from Silver City, owned by Stoddard, Townsend, & Smith, has predneed $750,000. Six other mines sitnated in this district are mentioned in the report of Gev. Shoup. In the adjoining district of Wagontewn, discovered in 1876 by J. W. Stedard, is the Wilson, the largest and richest mine in Idaho, owned by Christian and Louis Wahl of Chicago, and J. R. De Lamar ef Owyhee co. The veins, 15, 30, and 77 feet in width, have all been opened, shewing 300,000 tons of ore that will mill frem $15 te $200 per ton. The bullien produced is high grade in gold.
Concerning the Cœur d'Alêne mines of the Panhandle, the following is the histery: In 1884, the first discovery of galena was made on Cañon creek, a tributary of the Cœur d'Alene river. The Tiger and Peerman mines, new famous for their prednet, are the nucleus of the flourishing town of Burke. Soon after their discovery, the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mines, on Mile gulch, alse a tributary ef the South Fork, were found. They were of such extraor- dinary magnitude and richness as to awaken the interest of the capitalists of Montana, whe the ensuing year constructed a narrow-gange railway frem Lake Cœur d'Alene to these mines, and hegan shipping the ore te the cen- centrating werks at Wickes, Mont. This was the entering wedge which opened the marvellous treasures of the Cœur d'Alene to the world, and enabled it in less than 3 years te become the greatest lead-producing regien in the United States. Ten concentrators, with an average capacity of 100 tens daily cach, are now in operation in this district. They produce 70,000 tons of con- centrates per annum, containing an average of 30 ez. of silver and 60 per cent ef lead, besides 45,000 tons of selected ore, averaging 40 oz of silver and 60 per cent of lead, aggregating a cash value of $9,030,000 at the market price of silver and lead.
Large copper mines are found in Washington ce., but cannot be profitably werked until railroads are constructed te this district-Seven Devils by name-alse in Alturas, Custer, and Bingham counties.
58
STATEHOOD.
tutional convention preparatory to the admission of Idaho into the union, and on the 17th councilman Perkins of Alturas gave notice of a joint memorial praying congress for an act enabling Idaho to form a state government. In the mean time the citizens of Lewiston, having held a mass meeting, sent their reso- lutions to the legislature, in which they "insisted upon, and respectfully demanded of congress, admis- sion as a state into the federal union," and indorsed the efforts of delegate Dubois and others to secure this end, and calling upon the legislature and the towns and counties of Idaho to unite in urging imme- diate action. On the 29th of January the council approved a house joint memorial for the admission of Idaho without a dissenting voice; and on the 4th of February a select committee appointed to examine a house bill providing for the calling of a constitutional convention made a favorable report. The desire of the people was declared to be, while not doubting the national will and power to legislate for the interests of the territory, that the government affairs of Idaho be placed in their hands. They had the wealth and population, and believed that further delay would postpone the enlistment of capital in the development of their resources. 49
Nothing more was needed to impel the governor to issue a proclamation calling for a state constitutional convention.
The general condition of Idaho was much improved in 1889. Mining and agriculture were both making long strides forward by means of transportation facili- ties and irrigation.50 Land was advancing in value, population increasing, and various enterprises being
19 Idaho, Jour. House 1888 -- 9, 204.
50 The Central Canal and Land company was 24 miles in length in Decem- ber 1889, and would irrigate 50,000 acres. The Settlers' ditch, which had been in progress three years, was about ready to run lateral lines to 100 farms. Both these canals were in Ada county. Portland Oregonian, Dec. 20, 1889.
582
MATERIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.
projected. All, or nearly all, the old political acri- mony had died out. Even the scheme so long entertained in northern Idaho of being annexed to Washington was no longer heard of, except to be de- nounced. The legislature of 1886-7 passed a resolu- tion protesting against any proposition to segregate any portion of Idaho with a view to attach it to another state or territory by a vote 9 to 3 in the council and 20 to 4 in the house. A similar resolution was in- corporated in the platform adopted by the democratic territorial convention held at Boisé City in June 1888; and the measure was strongly denounced by the republican convention of the same year.
The republican convention of 1888 also declared in favor of statehood "for the whole territory." The movement for statehood, it was alleged, was based upon the desire of the people to have a voice in presi- dential elections, the need to become possessed of a state's landed dowery, and the wish to do away with the alien act of congress, prohibiting the invest- ment of foreign capital in the territories, which was detrimental to mining interests. Of the opposition to statehood, which proceeded chiefly from the farming population, it was said that a state government suffi- cient in all its departments for the needs of a growing commonwealth, affording means for the prompt admin- istration of justice in the courts, providing a teacher for every child of school age, and an asylum for every helpless, blind, dumb, or idiotic dependent, would cer- tainly cost more than a government which delayed justice, turned out the feeble to the charities of the world, and reared the young in ignorance; but that every good thing was worth its cost, and no people ever bore just burdens with greater patience than the people of Idaho.51 The general government paid only $28,000 per annum for the support of the territory, while the tax-payers paid $75,000, and by economy the state, with its greater advantages, would be able
bl Proclamation by Gov. Shoup in Gov.'s Rept, 1889, 106.
583
STATEHOOD.
to meet all the increased obligations necessary to be assumed. These arguments, as we shall see, proved convincing to the majority.
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