USA > Idaho > The history of Idaho > Part 16
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Lemhi County has a large area of mineral, grazing and moun- tainous timber lands, with a considerable amount of good agri- cultural lands in small bodies.
Lemhi County is noted for having furnished the last Territorial Governor, the first State Governor, the first United States Senator elected-all three in the person of the late Hon. George L. Shoup.
Lemhi county's assessable property in 1870 was $81,836. Her vote for delegate in 1870 was 436. The principal business at that time was mining.
This concludes a brief summary of the nine counties in exist- ence in the Territory of Idaho up to and including the year 1870, which nine counties included all the territory of Idaho. Since that time, many changes in boundary lines have been made, and the number of counties has been more than doubled by dividing up several of the large counties, all of which we will speak of later on.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
SIXTH SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE TERRITORY-CONVENED AT BOISE CITY DECEMBER 8, 1870; ADJOURNED JANUARY 13, 1871.
The names of the members of the Council were as follows:
I. N. Coston. Ada County
John McNally Alturas County
R G. Allen Boise County
Wm. Lynch. Boise County
W. M. Vance.
Boise County
H. A. Mattox
Boise County
S. P. C. Howard
Idaho County
B. J. Nordyke
Lemhi County
C. C. Call. Nez Perce County
J. H. Stump. Oneida County
D. G. Monroe. . Owyhee County
Gilmore Hays Owyhee County
B. F. Yantis Shoshone County
President of Council, D. G. Monroe.
The House of Representatives was composed of the following: W. A. Yates Ada County
W. T. Porter Ada County
T. D. Cahalan. Ada County
P. Everett Ada County
R. W. Marshall Alturas County
E. B. Hall. Alturas County
J. H. Wickersham Boise County
D. B. Mooney Boise County
J. J. Tompkins Boise County
A. E. Callaway Boise County
John West Boise County
J. H. Hawley Boise County
Julian Smith Boise County
J. G. Hughes Boise County
Perry Clark Idaho County
P. Cleary Idaho County
Jefferson Williams
Lemhi County
J. P. Silverwood Nez Perce County
H. H. Wheeler Nez Perce County
J. W. Morgan. Oneida County
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SIXTH SESSION OF LEGISLATURE
J. B. Pierce. Owyhee County
W. P. Usher . Owyhee County
P. Campbell Owyhee County
J. R. Crawford. . Owyhee County
W. H. VanSlyke. Owyhee County
W. B. Yantis. Shoshone County
Speaker, W. A. Yates.
At the beginning of this session, there appeared to be two reports of The territorial Comptroller and Territorial Treasurer, the first purporting to cover the time from December 1, 1868, to and includ- ing December 31st, 1869 (thirteen months), and the second cover- ing the time from December 31st, 1869, to November 30th, 1870 (eleven months). While these reports make a very discouraging showing to the over-burdened taxpayers, they are more satisfactory than any made before, from the fact that they cover all the time that intervened since the reports made to the last legislative assem- bly. The custom heretofore followed by these Territorial officials seemed to have been to have their reports cover the first three quar- ters of the year, leaving out the fourth quarter and not including it in the next report during the first four years when sessions of the legislature were held each year for four years. The Fifth ses- sion was held two years after the Fourth session, but the reports of these Territorial officials do not appear to cover the time of but one of the last years. It may be, however, that reports of the first year were made to the Governor and never sent to the legisla- ture. We think it doubtful whether the members of the legislature ever thought to inquire into this matter.
From the first report we have in connection with this, the Sixth session, from the Comptroller, covering time from December 1, 1868, to December 31, 1869, we take the following extracts:
Balance in Treasury December 1, 1868. $ 8,977.94
Dec. 31, 1869, paid in to treasury, for 13 months, from all sources 79,809.65
(The receipts as shown in this report, include most of the taxes for the two years, 1868-9.)
Paid out :
For interest on territorial bonds $17,475.75
Prison fund warrants redeemed. 20,121.99
General fund warrants redeemed. 25,955.93
School fund warrants redeemed. 160.65
Library fund warrants redeemed 284.27
Express charges on money received 715.40
Printing, adv. and newspapers. 116.29
His-11
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THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
Postage 323.54
Stationery 140.69
Rent of office, Comptroller and Treasurer 1,350.00
Fuel and sawing
260.98
Office furniture and lights 139.66
Treasurer's Com. 3,748.28
Dec. 31, Bal. in treasury
17,194.16
Total $87,987.59
The amount of assessable property for the year 1869, as shown by reports, was $5,544,501.36. Territorial tax, eight mills on the dollar. During the time this report covers, the Comptroller issued warrants as follows:
Against general fund $40,508.67
Against prison fund
19,033.32
Against prison fund 160.65
Total $59,702.64
Of this amount, there was issued to the three Judges, for extra compensation $
7,500.00
To the Governor, for extra compensation. 2,500.00
To the Secretary, for extra compensation. 1,000.00
Extra compensation to members and attaches of the
Fifth session of the legislature. 13,019.25
Total. $24,019.25
This amount was given as extra pay to officers who were receiv- ing pay from the United States Government. Besides this, there were a number of other warrants issued in accordance with legis- lative enactment, which, considering the condition of the people to pay, we think ought never to have been ordered.
The Treasurer reports the Territorial debt on December 31st, 1869, as follows:
Bonded debt $ 73,954.93
Interest on same 739.55
General fund warrants outstanding 20,723.43
Interest on same. 1,710.87
Prison fund, warrants outstanding 26,290.14
Interest on same 3,943.50
Total.
$127,362.42
Amount in treasury 17,194.16
Balance indebtedness $110,168.26
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SIXTH SESSION OF LEGISLATURE
The finances seemed to have been conducted upon the principle that the more revenue we take in, the more liberal we should be with the officers, no matter if the Territory did get a little more in debt each year.
We will now take up the next reports of these Territorial officers, which cover from December 31st, 1869, to November 30th, 1870 (eleven months). The assessment roll shows valuation of all prop- erty assessed for the year 1870 to be $3,665,705.55. The Territo- rial portion of tax, eight mills on the dollar. This is a falling off of $1,878,795.81 in the valuation from the year 1869, or about one- third. The greatest decrease seems to have been in Owyhee county, which is less than one-third of what it was the year before. The decrease from the year before in the different counties, was as fol- lows:
Owyhee
$1,238,008.25 Alturas $ 29,697.03
Boise
372,701.80 Nez Perce
25,480.52
Ada
100,150.01 Shoshone
12,336.85
Lemhi
96,880.39
Idaho
39,759.25
$1,915,014.10
Oneida increased assessment.
$ 36,218.29
Decrease in assessment in 1870, below that of 1869.$1,878,795.81
All of the counties fell off in valuation of property except Oneida, which increased on account of the matter of the line dividing Utah and Idaho having been established, which showed that a number of people who had claimed to be in Utah were in Idaho, and were as- sessed in Idaho for the first time in 1870. The large decrease in the assessed valuation of property in Owyhee County is a problem which it is difficult to solve at this late date. However, at that time there seemed to have been a general falling off or depreciation in value of property throughout the Territory. It also appears that at the time the Comptroller made his report, December 1, 1870, that the subsequent assessment rolls for the counties of Lemhi, Owyhee and Shoshone, for that year had not been received at his office. They may have increased the assessment of these counties and of the Territory when they came in.
The Comptroller's report shows that he issued for the eleven months ending November 30, 1870, warrants on account of current expenses, amounting to $30,876.41. This did not include the sal- ary of the Comptroller, nor of the Treasurer, nor rents, fuel, lights and other incidental expenses, which seem to have been paid in cash out of the treasury on vouchers. These officers seemed to have looked out for themselves and got their pay in cash.
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THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
The Treasurer's report for the eleven months ending November 30th, 1870, is as follows:
Dec. 31, 1869, balance on hand. $ 17,184.15
Nov. 30, 1870, received from all sources 31,723.92
Total.
$ 48,908.07
Disbursements during same period 32,331.11
Balance on hand Nov. 30, 1870. $ 16,576.96
He reports Territorial indebtedness Nov. 30, 1870, to
be: Bonded debt with interest due $ 79,073.49
Warrant debt with interest due. 67,802.68
Total debt. $146,776.17
Cash in treasury 16,576.96
Nov. 30, 1870, debt less cash on hand. $130,199.21
The comptroller reports the official vote for delegate to Congress at the June election in 1870 to be only 4,724. This seems to be a poor showing all around-decrease in population, decrease of taxa- ble property and an increase of public debt, with high taxes. Cer- tainly this was not very encouraging to the few taxpayers, nor in- viting to others to come.
In those days the usual output from the mines had fallen off greatly, and most of the money was sent away soon after it was taken from the mines by our merchants to pay for goods and other necessary supplies. Our per capita circulating medium ran down very low. The extravagance practiced by our legislature in allow- ing extra pay to themselves and to the federal officers and large fees to county officers, was so discouraging to taxpayers that many people left the country, and but few came to take their places.
On July 15, 1870, Congress passed an act which nullified all Ter- ritorial laws that provided that extra compensation should be paid to any federal officer, or to members of the legislature in Territo- ries. This action by Congress was a God-send to the oppressed tax- payers of Idaho. It lessened the expense of Territorial govern- ment one-half.
As to what laws were passed at the Sixth session of the Territo- rial legislature, we are unable to give any of them from the fact that we cannot find a single copy of the Sixth Session Laws. I do not think the people will be much the loser if none of them are ever found.
At this time it seemed difficult to get a Governor for Idaho. Gov- ernor Ballard's term of four years expired on April 30th, 1870.
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SIXTH SESSION OF LEGISLATURE
Samuel Bard was appointed on March 30th, 1870, to take Ballard's place. He never came. Gilman Marston was appointed on June 7th, 1870. He never put in an appearance. On January 12th, 1871, A. H. Connor was appointed and he failed to show up. On April 19th, 1871, Thos. M. Bowen was appointed. He came and stayed in Boise a week or ten days. He left and resigned. During all this time E. J. Curtis, Territorial Secretary, was acting Gover- nor. He delivered a message to the Sixth session of the legisla- ture, which met December 5th, 1870, which message was a very creditable document. But the President seemed determined we should have a Governor from some eastern State, so on October 24, 1871, Thomas W. Bennett of Indiana was appointed Governor of Idaho. He came soon after his appointment, and remained for some time.
CHAPTER XXXV.
NAMES OF FEDERAL AND TERRITORIAL OFFICERS FROM MARCH 10, 1863 TO JANUARY, 1870.
Idaho's first Governor, William H. Wallace, was appointed on March 10th, 1863. He was in Washington, D. C., at the time of his appoinment. The usual route traveled by officials from the East to the West in those days was by water, by the way of Pan- ama, San Francisco and Portland, which took considerable time. He did not arrive in Idaho until in July, 1863. As soon as he could have the census taken, lay the Territory off in legislative districts, appoint judges of elections, call an election (which he did for Oc- tober 31, 1863), get the returns in and canvas them and issue ccr- tificates to members of the legislature and one to himself as dele- gate for Idaho to Congress, he resigned as Governor and returned to Washington, D. C., leaving the duties of Governor of Idaho to be performed by the Territorial Secretary, William B. Daniels, who was appointed Secretary on the same day that Wallace was ap- pointed Governor. It may be presumed that Mr. Wallace went back to Washington, D. C., soon as convenient got his certificate on file, drew mileage and salary for the balance of that term of Congress, but what became of him I do not know.
William B. Daniels performed the duties of both Governor and Secretary. He delivered a very creditable message to the First session of the Idaho legislature on December 9, 1863, and con- tinued to discharge the duties of both offices until he retired.
Caleb Lyon was appointed Governor February 26, 1864, but did not arrive in Idaho until about August 1st, 1864. He was a jolly old fellow and remaincd most two years. He delivered a fairly good message to the legislature each year. In the meantime Con- gress had made the Governor of Idaho ex-officio Superintendent of Indian affairs of Idaho. This Governor was well posted on public affairs in the eastern States, but knew but little of the Northwest. But he thought well of himself and seemed to act as if he thought the people should allow him to think for them and direct them in all matters of importance. The result was that he did not always have fair sailing. However, after nearly two years of service, there seemed to be some complaints about the disbursement or non-disbursement of money that came into his hands as ex-offiio Superintendent of Indian affairs, and he was called to report at
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TERRITORIAL OFFICERS, 1863-70
Washington, D. C., for an adjustment of his accounts. That was the end of him, so far as Idaho was concerned.
William B. Daniels was succeeded as Territorial Secretary about the first of August, 1864, by C. DeWitt Smith, who held the office until succeeded by Horace G. Gilson in September, 1865. On April 10th, 1866, David W. Ballard of Oregon was appointed Gov- ernor of Idaho Territory. Governor Ballard was not much of a statesman. He was by profession and practice a physician. He was a very pleasant and agreeable gentleman, quite a politician, and upon the whole a very good man. He served his four-year term out and until about July 1st, 1870, at which time he returned to his home in Yam Hill County, Oregon. We were then left without a Governor for more than one year.
Horace C. Gilson, whose duties, among others, were to disburse the money appropriated by Congress to pay the members and at- taches of the legislature, received a check for this purpose amount- ing to about twenty-five thousand dollars. He procured stage fare for himself and another person from Boise to Walla Walla to be paid upon return, ostensibly going down to get this government check cashed. He went, but after reaching Portland, he seemed to change his mind and took passage to some foreign country and has not yet returned; neither has the government money nor the stage fares ever showed up.
On July 26th, 1866, S. R. Howlett (who was a resident of Boise) was appointed Territorial Secretary for Idaho. Mr. Howlett got along fairly well, except some lively friction he had with the legis- lature at the Fourth session. We were not present and do not know who was to blame, so will leave the details of it out. Mr. Howlett held his position as Secretary until May, 1869, when he was suc- ceeded by Edward J. Curtis, also a resident of Boise, a lawyer and a very competent and pleasant gentleman. Mr. Curtis held this position for nearly nine years, a large portion of which time he was acting Governor. Everything went along quietly and smoothly during his administration.
Justices of the District and Supreme Court were appointed as follows :
Sidney Edgerton, Chief Justice, March 10th, 1863. Alex C. Smith, Associate Justice, March 10th, 1863. Samuel C. Parks, Associ- ate Justice, March 10th, 1863.
These Judges seemed to get along fairly well, but from some cause, none of them kept their places very long. On July 25th, 1864, Silas Woodson was appointed Chief Justice to succeed Ed- gerton, and on February 28th, 1865, John R. McBride was appoint- ed Chief Justice to succeed Woodson. On April 17th, 1865, Milton
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THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
Kelly was appointed Associate Justice to succeed Alex C. Smith, and on May 29th, 1866, John Cummins was appointed Associate Justice to succeed Samuel C. Parks. On July 1, 1866, Richard T. Miller was appointed Associate Justice to succeed John Cummins. On July 18th, 1868, Thomas J. Bowers was appointed Chief Jus- tice to succeed John R. McBride. Miller and Bowers were known as delegates. Holbrook's appointment was by the President, An- drew Johnson. On April 9, 1869, David Noggle was appointed Chief Justice to succeed Thomas Bowers. On April 15, 1869, John R. Lewis was appointed Associate Justice to succeed Richard T. Miller. This carries the Judges up to 1870.
CLERKS OF SUPREME COURT.
A. L. Downer served from June 9th, 1864, to March 31, 1866; William J. Young from March 31st, 1866, to March 1st, 1868; Sol Hasbrouck from March 1st, 1868, to July 5th, 1869; Don L. Noggle from July 5th, 1869, to May 11th, 1871.
UNITED STATES MARSHALS.
Dolphus S. Payne was U. S. Marshal from March 13, 1863, to April 17, 1865; James H. Alvord, from April 17, 1865, to May, 1869; H. W. Moulton, from May, 1869, to March 25, 1870.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS.
George C. Houghf was U. S. Attorney from February 29, 1864, to April 19, 1869; Joseph W. Huston, from April 19th, 1869, to May 10, 1878.
These clerks, marshals and attorneys all seemed to acquit them- selves in a creditable manner, except H. W. Moulton, U. S. Mar- shal. For some cause, he seemed unpopular and was called back east soon, never to return.
Delegates to Congress were William H. Wallace from January 1, 1864, to March 4, 1865; F. D. Holbrook, from March 4, 1865, to March 4, 1869; J. K. Shafer, from March 4, 1869, to March 4, 1871.
Territorial officers appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice of the legislative council:
AUDITORS AND COMPTROLLERS.
John M. Bacon, from July 23, 1863, to September 23, 1863; B. F. Lamkin, from September 23, 1863, to January 27, 1867; Horace B. Lane, from January 27, 1867, to May 14, 1867; William R. Bishop, from May 14, 1867, to January 1, 1868; Daniel Cram, from January 1, 1868, to January 15, 1875.
The office of Auditor was changed to that of Comptroller in 1876, and carried with it ex-officio Superintendent of Public Instruction.
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TERRITORIAL OFFICERS, 1863-70
Horace B. Lane, the first Comptroller, was accidentally killed a few months after his appointment. He was a very competent officer.
TERRITORIAL TREASURERS.
Derrick S .. Kenyon, September 7, 1863, to May 18, 1865; Ephriam Smith, May 19, 1865, to January 7, 1867; E. C. Sterling, January 7, 1867, to January 16, 1871.
SUPERINTENDENTS OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
J. R. Chittenden, December 23, 1864, to July 25, 1866; W. R. Bishop, July 25, 1866, to January, 1867.
This office was then consolidated with the Comptroller's.
Beginning in 1863, up to 1870, there was but little friction be- tween the masses of the people and the federal officers. Most of the people were attending to their legitimate work, but there were often complaints between and among the officers, dissatisfaction among attorneys about the actions of the judges. It seems there must always be a few to growl and find fault with others. I have sometimes thought that a few complainers were necessary to hold officers and the community inside the limits of justice and good morals. All things considered, the people and the officers did fairly well in those by-gone days.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
MINING-PUBLIC BUILDINGS-MILLS, ETC., IN 1869 AND 1870.
In 1869, most of the rich placer mines on the creeks, gulches and bars had been worked out in Boise Basin. Many who had been engaged in mining and furnishing supplies for the miners, closed up their business and left the country. A great number of the miners had worked their claims in a very crude manner, and had not saved the fine gold. Some of these miners sold their claims to Chinamen. They worked the ground over and got fairly good pay, in fact some of them did very well. The Chinamen are care- ful in their mining operations, and usually save about all the gold there is in the dirt.
By this time, it had been discovered that many places on the hillsides, near the creeks and gulches, prospected very well, but it would be expensive to get water on these places high enough to work the ground successfully. But the miners were not daunted; they had come for gold and intended to have it. They joined to- gether in companies and began to construct ditches so they could run water on the hillsides. It was a large undertaking, and cost the miners lots of money and many days of hard work, but they made a success of it. They had the line of ditches surveyed along the mountain sides, and fluming across many ravines and gulches. This water was sold by the miner's inch, measured in a small flume with a headgate under a six-inch pressure, at an agreed rate per inch per day. This arrangement seemed to work very satisfactorily. Those who had dry claims and had to purchase water to wash their mining ground, could tell within a few days if it was worth work- ing.
The majority of the claims paid reasonably well while the ground lasted. Some of them were what is known as shallow diggings, and soon worked out, while others were deep and went to bedrock, and so lasted for several years. What is meant by shallow diggings is where it is only a short distance from the surface to the bedrock. The gold seldom settles below the surface of the bedrock unless the bedrock should be soft and seamy, in which case the bedrock is dug up as far down as it is soft and seamy and generally pays well. While most of these hillside claims paid well, they were not so rich as the ground in the creeks had been, and were limited in ex- tent. so the annual output of gold was much less for the years of 1869 and 1870, as compared with previous years.
171
PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 1869-70
The mill at Quartzburg continued to run and paid well. Work continued on quite a number of the quartz mines in Silver City, and several quartz mills were crushing ore. A large amount of silver and gold bullion was turned out from these mills. There did not seem to be much mining going on in Atlanta or Rocky Bar, ex- cepting development work. A small amount of ore was worked with good results. Some placer mining was done at Orofino, Elk City and Pierce City. Some development work was also done on the quartz ledges. At Florence, Warrens, and the Salmon River camps, mining was continued on a limited scale.
Through the efforts of our delegate to Congress, E. D. Holbrook, in 1868, an appropriation was made of forty thousand dollars for a United States prison near Boise. Hon. Thomas Donaldson was appointed superintendent of construction of this building. The contract was let to that old pioneer, Charles May. This building was erected on the site of where our present building now stands, about two and one-half miles east of Boise.
Mr. Holbrook also succeeded in getting an appropriation of seventy-five thousand dollars to erect an assay office in Boise City. Hon. John R. McBride was appointed superintendent of construc- tion of this building. The assay office, as constructed by Mr. Mc- Bride, still stands and reflects great credit upon him for having the work done well.
The people of Idaho were generally an industrious, law-abiding, intelligent people, working together for the mutual benefit of each other. There were no tramps or beggars in those days, and if any one was in need, assistance was quickly and gladly given.
The farmers continued to improve their farms on the Boise, Payette and Weiser rivers. Fine crops of oats, wheat and barley were raised. Many of the farmers had a bountiful supply of veg- etables and some apples, pears, plums and small fruits were raised.
A few years before this, several mills had been erected in Boise Valley. One in Boise was built by Cyrus Jacobs. Mr. Jacobs manufactured large quantities of flour, and also put up quantities of bacon, which he sold to the miners and people of Boise. Another mill was built in what is now South Boise by H. P. Isaacs. He, also, did a good business with his flour mill. Peter Moore put up a mill about six miles below Boise; and Packard and Stevenson, a flour mill about twenty-four miles from Boise on the north side of Boise River near Middleton. All of these mills were run by water power. There was not grain enough in the country to keep these mills going all the time, but they did a good business and were em- ployed for several months in each year.
By this time, many farmers had settled in the southeastern part
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THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
of Idaho and some in Lemhi County. A little farming was done in the Bruneau Valley. In the northern part of Idaho, especially in Lewiston, many fruits and vegetables were raised. Many men were engaged very extensively in raising stock and the business was profitable for the range was excellent.
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