USA > Idaho > Bannock County > The history of Bannock County, Idaho > Part 6
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In 1910 the county had 1,503 farms, as against 769 in 1900. The value of all farm property was $10,957,609, an increase of 188.6 per cent over the total valuation in 1900. The value of all crops in 1910 was $1,339,642, the most valuable being cereals, which totaled $653,768. Hay and forage came next at $610,585. The remain- ing crops were made up of grains and seeds, vegetables, fruits and nuts, and a few other products. The total irri- gated area is about 110,000 acres. (113)
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The altitude in the valleys varies from 4.250 feet to 5.780, while among the mountains it is, of course, much higher. There is a large acreage of fine, well-watered pasture land in the county, on which grows an abundance of nutritious bunch grass. McCam- mon, Downey, Oxford, and Soda Springs are all surrounded with rich agricultural lands, and at the latter place are a number of hot mineral springs, whose waters are bottled and widely sold. Lava Hot Springs will in time be a health resort of more than state-wide fame, the beauty of its surroundings as well as its health- giving springs making it an ideal spot for rest and recreation.
There was a time when deer, bear and other game were plentiful in this county, and it is only about ten years since a settler was sitting quietly in his cabin one summer evening, read- ing a magazine, when he was dis- turbed by a slight noise. He paid no attention to this, but was suddenly startled a second time by an ear- splitting scream from his cat, who made a dash for the door, and in her exit, jumped over a bear, who was calmly walking in. The settler was not in the habit of entertaining stray bears in his cabin, and was at a loss ' to know how to greet the visitor. In his perplexity he emitted a yell that startled all the bears for many miles (114)
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around and caused the one lone bear in the cabin to make a hasty dive for cover under the bed. The rancher's gun hung over the bed, but he did not turn that way. He headed toward the door. As he neared it, the bear, for reasons known only to himself, made a dash in the same direction and man and beast were jammed in the narrow entry. The man pushed in and the bear pushed out, but in his excitement the animal turned clean about in the open and presently rushed back into the cabin to his own surprise no less than that of the inmate. The latter, however, was now safe on his bed, and reach- ing for the gun, he probably added considerably to Mr. Bruin's perplex- ity by sending him unexpectedly into kingdom come.
Parts of three national forests are situated in Bannock county; the Caribou in the east, the Cache in the southeast, and the Pocatello in the western part. The Pocatello division of the Pocatello forest was created September 15, 1903, from an examina- tion by Edward T. Allen.
Following an examination by Rob- ert B. Wilson, the Portneuf division was created March 2, 1907. The Malad division, created May 28, 1906. as a part of the Bear River forest, became a part of the Pocatello in the reorganization of July 1, 1908. These (115)
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national forest lands, covering, in general, the Portneuf and Marsh Creek watersheds, were merged into the Pocatello forest July 1, 1908.
The Bear River forest, almost en- circled by the Bear river or its tribu- taries, was formed May 28, 1906, and with the Logan became the Cache July 1, 1908.
The Caribou forest was established January 15, 1907, the part in Ban- nock county lying mainly on the wa- tersheds of the Blackfoot, Salt, and Bear rivers.
Peter T. Wrensted, Clinton G. Smith, and J. F. Bruins, in turn, su- pervised the Pocatello, the headquar- ters during this time being at Poca- tello. The Pocatello and Cache were joined March 1, 1914, for administra- tive purposes, under Mr. Smith, whose headquarters are now at Logan, Utah. Logan is the headquarters of the Cache, which has had four super- visors, John F. Squires, Mark G. Woodruff, W. W. Clark, and C. G. Smith. The Caribou has been admin- istered by Supervisors J. T. Wede- meyer, N. E. Snell, and George G. Bentz. The headquarters is at Mont- pelier.
The need of planting to restock the great areas of burned and insuffi- ciently forested land in the national forests was recognized almost as soon as they were proclaimed. Particular- (116)
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ly was this need felt as to the forests withdrawn for watershed protection, and on watersheds furnishing a do- mestic supply the need was most urgent. At that time a pleasing theory existed that every forest ranger should have a nursery in which to raise trees for setting out in the hills during his spare time. With this idea, the nursery on Mink Creek among others, was started.
It was then realized that nursery and planting work presented special- ized technical problems calling for a high degree of skill to meet success- fully the adverse conditions of an arid region. Soon after the nursery was started, it was realized that suc- cess could be hoped for only by cen- tralizing this work at favorable loca- tions. The shipping facilities at Poca- tello, together with the need of ex- tensive planting there with a favor- able site for the nursery determined the location at that place.
The early work was experimental and principally valuable as indicating the future methods to be followed. However, actual production of stock was begun on an extensive scale in 1911, and since that time half a mil- lion or more young trees have been shipped each year to the forests of southern Idaho and Utah. The pres- ent capacity of the nursery is about 2,000,000 plants a year and the nur-
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sery is firmly on its feet with a rec- ord of successful production of stock for several years at a cost not ex- ceeding five dollars per thousand for the stock supplied. At present there are probably three or four million young trees in the nursery, the prin- cipal species being Douglas fir and yellow pine.
Stream flow protection is the first object of the service on the area of the Pocatello city watershed. Dur- ing the time that this area was part of the Indian reservation there was not much difficulty with stream flow protection, but when it was opened, the citizens received an object lesson in the effects of free grazing that led to the inclusion of the watershed in a forest and the prohibition of graz- ing. The protection of this area has been devoted to prevention of fire, prohibition of grazing and replanting to forest. During the last five years, not five acres of this area has been burned. Control of grazing is more difficult because the boundaries are not fenced, but it may be stated that with the exclusion of stock, the for- age has been completely replaced, forming a sight such as gladdened the eye of the first explorer and inciden- tally a cover that prevents erosion and rapid run-off of water. The streams are almost always clear and the city of Pocatello has an excep- (118)
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tionally pure and palatable supply of water.
The planting operations will prob- ably have no effect on the water sup- ply of the present generation, as it is being undertaken for the future timber supply and present experimen- tal value. About 200,000 trees are being planted a year and recently with good success. The conifers planted are slow growing, but the early plantations are a foot or two high and even the present generation should see fine groves as a result.
Lately the question of stocking this area with game has been considered. It is pointed out that the area is an ideal natural range for elk, deer and other game, also that such a use would not interfere with the stream protec- tion, but would furnish meat, sport and attractiveness to the region and would tend to reduce the fire danger. To provide complete use with com- plete protection will be the next logi- cal step.
In spite of the wild and sometimes forbidding scenery that meets the traveler's eye from the train window, there are probably few more peaceful communities than Bannock county in the farming sections of the east. Women frequently live alone and un- protected on isolated ranches and are seldom molested. The case of Hugh Whitney, the bandit and outlaw who
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robbed Pocatello of a true citizen, and upon whose head there rests a large reward, is today an exception. His story is too well known to be re- peated in detail here. In brief, Hugh Whitney, who was a Wyoming sheep- man, and a companion, held up a sa- loon at Monida, just over the Mon- tana line, in 1911, and were appre- hended on a train running south to- ward Pocatello. The sheriff who had boarded the train to make the arrest, placed his guns on a seat in order to handcuff the prisoners. Whitney grabbed these and shot both the sher .. iff and Conductor James Kidd, who was helping the officer. Conductor Kidd died in Pocatello within a few days. The sheriff recovered.
Whitney and his companion jumped from the moving train and separated in making their escape. Whitney was trailed by posses for weeks, and in the course of the chase killed several of his pursuers. Although blood- hounds were used in the attempt to capture him, he eluded all pursuit with an ingenuity worthy of a better cause. When the excitement had died down somewhat, he and his brother held up a bank in Cody, Wyoming, driv- ing the employes into the safe and locking them up there while they made their escape.
Evidently the days of "bad men," in the criminal sense of the term, are
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not yet ended in the far west, but the facility of communication afforded by the railway, telephone and telegraph makes their trade very hazardous, and the ordinary citizen lives in less danger of being held up or shot than does the wayfarer on the streets of New York or Chicago.
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CHAPTER XI.
POCATELLO.
The city of Pocatello, so named in memory of an Indian chief, stands at the western entrance to the Portneuf canyon, and for that reason is appro- priately known as the "Gate City." Its site marks the junction of the Montana and Idaho divisions of the Oregon Short Line railroad, and the tremendous volume of traffic that passes through its yards, together with the many departments main- tained here, is rapidly developing a large and prosperous city. Twenty- five years ago the town was a mere hamlet; in 1910 the United States Census returns gave a population of 9,100, and in 1914 Polk's Directory credits Pocatello with over 12,000 in- habitants, to which must be added some 500 transients. The city is the metropolis and county seat of Ban- nock county, and the second largest place in the state of Idaho.
Pocatello is pre-eminently a rail- road town, and to the railroad she owes her birth as well as her growth. When the westward course of the Oregon Short Line crossed the tracks of the Utah & Northern railroad, some fifty miles south of Idaho Falls, (122)
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then called Eagle Rock, a hamlet nat- urally sprang up at the junction. This was in the heart of the Fort Hall Indian reservation, but the rail- road had a grant of some two hun- dred acres for its right of way, upon which it allowed settlement, and upon which, in 1882, it erected the Pacific hotel and station. Shoshone had been selected by the railroad officials aş a division terminal, but there being some dispute relative to the townsite, they determined upon Pocatello in- stead. In 1887 the town received a further impetus in the removal thither of the shops from Idaho Falls, which brought several hundred men, many of them with families, into the ham- let. For the accommodation of this addition, the railroad company built what is today known as Company Row.
One of the most historic buildings in the city is the two-story frame house to the left of the west end of the Center street. viaduct. In the days when buildings were scarce and the little available space overcrowded, this building, now used for office pur- poses, served as a public meeting hall. Portneuf Lodge, No. 18, A. F. & A. M. was organized here in 1886, and met in the building for some time. In the late eighties the building was used for public school purposes, and in 1891 as the fire hall. At various (123)
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times it has been used as a church, a theatre, a pool hall, and within its walls were held many a church fair that helped to build the present city churches, and many a dance that lives yet in the memories of the older mem- bers of Pocatello society. The city council also used it for a meeting place.
Although there was no land open for settlement, there quickly grew up a typical frontier town, "wide-open," as the saying is, where excitement ran high, where vice went unashamed, and where saloons and gambling knew no closing hours nor Sunday laws. At last the demand for more room be- came so insistent, that the United States government purchased two thousand acres of reservation land from the Indians, to be used as a town-site. This was surveyed in 1889, and the following year lots were sold at auction at prices ranging from ten to fifty dollars. At that sale the foundation of many comfortable for- tunes of today were made. Already some buildings had been erected, and it was feared that the purchase of their sites by other parties might cause trouble. But the squatter''s right was honored, and the man who had built a store or home was allowed to secure a title to his holdings.
The community was organized into a village during this year, with H. L. (124)
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Becraft as chairman of the board of trustees, and D. K. Williams, A. F. Caldwell, L. A. West and Doctor Davis members. Another tract of reservation land was opened for set- tlement in 1905 ..
Before 1892, Pocatello had a popu- lation of over three thousand, and by an act of legislature it was in that year created a city of the first class. At the first city election, held in 1893, Edward Stein was elected mayor; Ed. Sadler, clerk, and J. J. Curl, treas- urer. Eight councilmen were also elected.
Edward Stein, Pocatello's first mayor, and now a citizen of Boise, has had an eventful career. He is a grandson of Baron von Stein, com- mander-in-chief of the Prussian army during the Napoleonic wars. His father, William von Stein, a veteran of the Franco-Prussian war, became a follower of the brilliant reformer Carl Schurz, and upon the failure of the latter's attempt to establish a democracy in Germany, was cast into prison. He was afterwards released, but lost his title to nobility. Edward von Stein was born in Schubina, Poland, January 17, 1854, and was educated at the Prussian University of Bromberg. His republican tenden- cies naturally turned his attention to- ward America. where Carl Schurz and many another European revolu-
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tionist had already found a haven, and with his father's approval, em- barked in 1871 on the steamer Weiland from Hamburg to New York.
Because he had reached an age at which the German military service would have claimed him, young Stein had entered upon his journey without a passport, an application for which would have led to his compulsory en- listment in the army. Presently an officer of the ship accosted him and demanded his passport, and proceed- ed to make a search for it when none was forthcoming. But the search was vain, which the officer announced in a loud voice, adding that officials had warned the ship's officers that young von Stein had no passport. The future mayor of Pocatello thereupon produced a packet from his pocket, which he handed to the officer, who examined its contents, and promptly shouted to his superior officer, "I find the papers of Mr. Stein to be quite correct. '' The packet contained the four hundred marks his father had given him at starting.
It was, therefore, with a light pocketbook that Mr. von Stein land- ed in the United States. He was anxious, however, to see something of the country before settling down, and got as far as Chicago before his funds failed. He accordingly pawned some of his belongings, and was de- (126)
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jectedly walking the streets, wonder- ing where to turn in his perplexity, when a gun was thrust suddenly in his face, and the order given, "Hands up." The highwayman found noth- ing of value on his victim, and when he learned that the boy was penniless, took him to a restaurant and bought him a meal, and told him where he could find employment as a Polish- German interpreter in a brick yard. From then on von Stein's fortunes began to advance. He spent some time in Wisconsin, was recalled to Europe in 1876 by his father's death, when he made an extended tour of the continent, returned to this coun- try and made a fortune in the Black Hills, which he later lost in mining ventures, and moved on to Colorado, where he married. In 1884 he came to Idaho, and in time became super- intendent of car service on the Ore- gon Short Line, with headquarters in Pocatello.
Before his tenure expired. Mr. von Stein resigned his office as mayor of Pocatello, and moved to Nampa, where he had purchased a section of land, and helped to organize that town. He still has property interests in Pocatello.
A. B. Bean succeeded Edward Stein as mayor of the city. and was fol- lowed by W. F. Kasiska. the present proprietor of the Bannock hotel and
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owner of large real estate and busi- ness interests in and about Pocatello. Mr. Kasiska held the office until 1898, when W. T. Reeves was elected, who in turn was succeeded by A. B. Bean, the former mayor of 1894.
During 1895, J. B. Bistline filled the office. Mr. Bistline is a member of the Bistline Lumber company and has been a resident of the city since 1891.
M. D. Rice was the next mayor and in 1901 Theodore Turner was elected to the office. He was re-elected in 1912. Theodore Turner is one of the most prominent men in the political life of the county. He was a state senator in 1900, and in 1902 was elected state auditor. Besides hold- ing many public offices, Mayor Turner has taken great interest in the Acad- emy of Idaho and in the good roads movement.
Dr. O. B. Steeley succeeded Mr. Turner in the mayor's chair, and has since served the county as coroner and the city as school trustee. In 1904, D. Swinehart filled the office, and in 1905, W. H. Cleare. Mr. Cleare was one of the organizers of the Farmers & Traders Bank in Poca- tello and also of the Railroad Y. M. C. A. He served in the city council during the years 1901-2, and has been a member of the board of trustees of the Academy of Idaho.
Dr. C. E. M. Loux, of the lumber (128)
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firm of Loux, McConnell & Co., a member of the city council, was elected to the mayoralty in 1907, and D. W. Church, cashier of the Ban- nock National Bank, in 1909. Mr. Church is one of the most prominent members of the Republican party in Bannock county, and was a state sen- ator in 1898. He has been identified since the organization of the city with nearly every movement for civic bet- terment and advancement. Mr. Church was succeeded by J. M. Bistline, a brother and business partner of the mayor of 1899, who in turn was fol- lowed by Theodore Turner, who is now filling the office for the second time.
Many other residents of Pocatello whose names make a list too long to repeat here, have rendered valuable public service to both the city and county. Among them may be men- tioned Judge T. A. Johnston, who for a period of twelve years, beginning in 1900, served the county as probate judge; Oscar B. Sonnenkalb, who has been county surveyor since 1896; the late D. Worth Clark, Lorenzo Brown, Andrew B. Stevenson, and John Hull, who have served in the state senate; W. A. Staley, W. J. Ingling, Col. H. V. A. Ferguson, and W. A. Hyde, former members of the state house of representatives; Alfred Budge, who, after long and faithful service (129)
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as district judge, has just been ele- vated to the supreme bench of the state; Daniel C. McDougal, attorney general of the state of Idaho in 1908, and Hon. Drew W. Standrod.
Judge Standrod was elected district attorney in 1886, while he was still a resident of Malad, where his father practiced medicine for many years, and in 1890 he ran successfully for election as judge of the Fifth Judi- cial District of the state of Idaho. He moved to Pocatello in 1895, since which time he has been actively iden- tified with the legal and financial ac- tivities of the city. In addition to his interest in the First National Bank of Pocatello, of which he is president, Judge Standrod is interested in ten other banks in the inter-mountain country. He is a leading figure in the Republican party, and has recently resigned a six year appointment on Idaho's first Public Utilities Commis- sion, after serving nearly two years.
Of Senator Brady, who is not only one of the most distinguished citizens of Pocatello, nor yet of Idaho, having been governor of the state, but also of the United States, he being a mem- ber of the nation's highest legislative body, we will speak in the next chap- ter.
Men who left Pocatello ten or fif- teen years ago would hardly recognize the city today. Recently a man re- (130)
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turned from Ohio, who had owned a large number of lots near Center and Main streets in the late nineties, and who sold them for a modest sum after having held them for some years on speculation. He learned to his sur- prise and chagrin that the property he had sold for fifteen hundred dol- lars is worth more than twenty thou- sand today. Another old-timer who grew tired of the west and returned to his eastern home, in acknowledging the receipt of a picture of Pocatello, wrote that the picture was very nice but that he knew it was not a picture of Pocatello because Pocatello had no trees !
Not only is the city well supplied with trees, but it is equipped with the full complement of an up-to-date city. Commercially it is one of the most active and prosperous in the west. It has an ample supply of water, of electric power. a street car service, and is gradually installing new improvements in its street and sewerage system. It is a common thing in the west for growing cities to outstrip themselves in their zeal for improvements, and an unwise en- thusiasm and optimism has plunged many municipalities into embarrass- ment and debt. Pocatello has been wisely governed in this respect, and if she is rather behindhand in some lines of improvement, this is far
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preferable to being several years ahead, and attempting by a forced growth to meet an unneeded equip- ment. Several local organizations, notably the Civic Club, have done much for the betterment of civic life in the city, and it is probable that the next five years will see a decided im- provement in the appearance of both streets and homes.
The religious needs of the city are well supplied. The Congregational church was organized in 1888, and Trinity parish, of the Episcopal church, was established the following year. Since then the Baptist, Metho- dist, and Presbyterian denominations have built up strong institutions. The Latter Day Saints and the Roman Catholic church are so strong that they have each two churches, one on the east and one on the west side of the town. No reference to the re- ligious growth of Pocatello would be complete without a sketch of the Rev. Father Cyril Van der Donckt, who came to Idaho as a missionary in 1887 and has resided in Pocatello since 1888.
Father Van der Donckt was born in Belgium in 1865 and was educated in Renaix College, in the Seminary of St. Nicholas, and in the American college in Louvain. By a special dis- pensation from Pope Leo XIII, he was ordained when twenty months. (132)
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under age, and came directly to Idaho, where he has since labored. During six years he was general missionary for the whole of southern Idaho, his ministrations covering eleven coun- ties, and for some time he was the only secular priest in the whole state. In addition to St. Joseph's parish, a large and strong institution, Father Van der Donckt has built a parish school, and will soon see a hospital added to his establishment. The pro- longed and faithful services of such a man as Father Van der Donckt are invaluable to any community, but es- pecially to a country in its formative stage. The hardships, discourage- ments and indifference that the latter condition always throws in the way of a missionary call for no ordinary amount of pluck and perseverance, and great credit is due to the man who faces them unflinchingly and who out of nothing builds up a flourishing and useful work.
Among the religious activities of Pocatello, the Railroad Young Men's Christian Association takes a leading place. This is the second largest in- stitution of its kind in the United States, having a membership of over fifteen hundred members. Its success is due to the ability of its general secretary, A. B. Richardson, and his associate, Eric A. Krussman.
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