USA > Idaho > The history of Idaho > Part 26
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
D. W. Fouch Ada County
J. P. Wilson Ada County
I. N. Coston. Ada County
H. K. Hartley Ada Counnty
E. M. Willson Alturas County
A. R. Wright.
Bear Lake County
H. S. Wooley Bear Lake County
R. H. Robb. . Boise County
Fred Campbell Boise County
W. C. Martindale
Cassia County
J. C. Shoup. Custer County
W. C. Pearson. Idaho County
Robert Larimer Idaho County
O. A. Dodge. Kootenai and Shoshone Counties James A. Haywood. Lemhi County
A. Buchanan Nez Perce County K. Larson. Nez Perce County
G. W. Tomer Nez Perce and Latah Counties
C. J. Bassett. Oneida County
D. L. Evans Oneida County
270
THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
M. L. Grunnell. Oneida County
J. B. Thatcher Oneida County
J. M. Harbour Owyhee County
F. M. Hickey Washington County
Speaker, D. W. Fouch.
This Legislature gave us about one hundred and seventy-three pages of new laws, including many amendments to former laws.
The members of the different legislatures seemed to have differed very greatly as to the laws they considered should be in force in the Territory. Certain laws would be enacted by one body of Legis- lators, and at the next session they would be repealed or amended, and various new laws enacted. So it was somewhat difficult for the average layman to keep posted as to what the law really was-in fact, laws would be repealed before many residents had time to read them.
Among some of the important acts passed by the Twelfth Legis- lature was:
An act requiring county auditors to transmit annual reports to the comptroller of the financial condition of their counties under oath.
Also an act for registering the names of electors and preventing frauds at elections.
An act to establish a public school system, and for the main- tenance and supervision of the same.
An act amending the revenue laws, reducing the Territorial tax levy from forty cents to twenty-five cents on the one hundred dollars.
An act appropriating three thousand dollars, or so much thereof as might be necessary, for the support of poor emigrants in and around Boise City, to be expended by a committee.
The Territorial treasurer's report dated November 11, 1882, shows, after all outstanding warrants had been paid, all interest on the bonded debt and all other claims, a balance in the Territorial Treasury of forty-one thousand eight hundred and sixteen dollars and ninety-seven cents ($41,816.97).
The bonded debt at this time was as follows:
Interest bearing bonds 10 per cent per annum.
Act 1875, due 1885
$22,533.54
Act 1877, due 1891 46,715.06
Total $69,248.60
Whole bonded debt. 69,248.60
Deduct from this cash in the treasury 41,816.94
This left the Territorial indebtedness $27,431.66
CHAPTER LII.
FARMING, TRANSPORTATION, STOCKRAISING AND MINING IN 1883
AND 1884.
Farming and farmers flourished during the years of 1883 and 1884. There were better markets for the farm products and trans- portation facilities were greatly improved, so there was more of an incentive for the farmer to cultivate his land.
A railroad was now running through the eastern part of Idaho in a northerly direction, via Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Market Lake and Beaver Canyon in Idaho, to Butte, in Montana. The Great North- ern was running through the northern portion of Idaho in an east and west direction and the Oregon Short Line had lines through the southern portion of Idaho. In 1884 there was still a gap of seventy miles where stages were run. This distance was between Baker City in Oregon and Weiser in Idaho. The stage men were losers by the railroads being built in Oregon and Idaho, but the population of the territory began to rapidly increase with the improved travel- ing facilities, and there were opportunities for many new lines of industry.
Stock-raising increased, as stockmen were now able to ship their surplus stock, wool, hides, etc., east on quick time and at more reasonable rates.
The mining industries also received new life. Having quicker and cheaper transportation for ore and being able to have the proper machinery shipped in, many more mines were developed and some of them paid well.
The population began to increase with permanent settlers-far- mers, storck raisers, merchants, miners, lawyers, doctors, and minis- ters. The people seemed to take on a new supply of energy and began in earnest to improve and develop the resources of the coun- try with the view of making permanent homes.
CHAPTER LIII.
THIRTEENTH SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE TERRITORY OF IDAHO.
Convened December 8, 1884; adourned February 5, 1885. The names of the members of the Council were as follows.
COUNCIL.
George Pettingill Ada County
T. C. Galloway Ada and Washington Counties
James S. Hart. Bear Lake County
Ben Willson
Boise County
E. C. Brearley Alturas and Boise
R. L. Wood. Cassia and Owyhee Counties
Charles A. Wood
. Custer and Lemhi Counties
S. C. Poage Idaho County
S. G. Isaman Nez Perce County
S. W. Moody . Nez Perce, Shoshone and Kootenai Counties
George N. Crawford. Oneida County
H. W. Smith Oneida County
President-Charles A. Wood.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Charles J. Simpson Ada County
D. W. Fouch. Ada County
M. H. Goodwin .Ada County
D. S. Lamme. Ada County J. K. Watson. Alturas County
W. N. B. Shepherd Bear Lake County
Amos R. Wright Bear Lake County
G. B. Balding.
Boise County
M. G. Luna
Boise County
W. C. Martindale.
Cassia County
J. C. Fox.
Custer County
W. S. M. Williams
Idaho County
Philip Cleary Idaho County
J. P. Clough .Lemhi County
W. F. Kern.
Nez Perce County
R. P. Quarles Nez Perce County
L. P. Willmott Nez Perce County
D. A. Jones Oneida County
273
THIRTEENTH SESSION LEGISLATURE
C. M. Hull. Oneida County
A. R. Stalker . Oneida County
W. B. Green . Oneida County
David Adams Owyhee County
William King . Shoshone County
George F. Adams Washington County
Speaker, D. W. Fouch.
An act passed at this session of the Legislature for the erection of the Capitol building at Boise City and for an issue of eighty thousand dollars in bonds to pay for the same. This act also provided for an issue of twenty thousand dollars in bonds to build an insane asylum at Blackfoot.
Other acts were passed, among which were the following:
An act authorizing the appointment by the Governor of three commissioners to revise and compile the laws of the Territory and to submit them to the next Legislature.
An act creating the office of Attorney General for Idaho, making the appointment by the Governor and fixing the salary at $2,000.00 per annum.
An act re-apportioning the members for future legislatures in Idaho.
An act creating Bingham County.
An act providing for holding elections and prescribing the quali- fications for electors and for other purposes. The anti-Mormon test oath was embodied in this act.
An act fixing the amount of bonds for County officers to give.
This Legislature also passed a number of acts for the issuance of bonds by different counties to build school houses and for other purposes.
It will be remembered the Territorial taxes were reduced at the Eleventh session from seventy-five ments on the hundred dollars to forty cents, and a further reduction was made by the Twelfth ses- sion from forty cents on the hundred dollars to twenty-five cents. In spite of this reduction in the taxes, the financial condition of the Territory was better than it ever had been. The Territorial Treas- urer's report for November 14th, 1884, showed the bonded debt not yet due to be $69,248.60; cash in general fund, $54,395.59; library fund,$1,670.56; school fund, $426.39. This was the amount at that date, and a large amount of taxes were still unpaid for that year.
On page 6 of Hon. James L. Onderdonk's Territorial Comp- troller's report, under date of November 15th, 1884, we find the following: "Our Territory is practically out of debt, our only indebtedness being the two classes of bonds with accruing interests, as follows:
His-18
274
THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
Act of 1875, due Dec. 1st, 1885. $22,533.54 Act of 1877, due Dec. 1st, 1891. 46,715.05
Total $69,248.59 There was in the treasury at this time the sum of $56,490.54. By statement in the report, "There was due from the Counties on Ter- ritorial taxes, $35,980.54. The greater part of this amount was to be paid during the quarter. This, together with the amounts re- ceived from poll taxes and licenses, after deducting expenses of collecting and the necessary disbursements, would leave about $80,000 in the treasury at the beginning of the next quarter.
"To meet the first class of indebtedness due December 1, 1885, with interest, would require about $25,000, and at the rate of ex - penditure, there should be a fund largely in excess of what would actually be required."
This was certainly a good showing under a low tax levy of 25 cents on the one hundred dollars. As an indication of the prosperity of the Territory, the Comptroller issued the following table:
Year. No. of Taxpayers.
Assessment Roll.
1878-
3,892
$ 4,520,800.50 5,926,149.60
1879-
5,518
1880-
5,600
6,408,089.14
1881-
6,961
8,066,365.75
1882-
8,162
9,339,071.05
1883-
10,533
13,938,412.31
1884-
12,272
15,479,598.38
This shows an increase in seven years of something over three hundred per cent. in the number of taxpayers and a corresponding increase in the amount of assessable property, all of which was very gratifying.
CHAPTER LIV.
FARMING, TRANSPORTATION, STOCK-RAISING, MINING, 1885 TO 1887.
It had been fully demonstrated by this time that Idaho was an excellent farming and fruit country. Grain of various kinds had been grown successfully with a good average yield to the acre. Vegetables of various kinds were grown in abundance. Berries and fruits of many kinds were grown and were of a very fine quality.
The Oregon Short Line had been completed through the southern part of Idaho and with the increased facilities for transportation, stock raising had increased.
A number of new mines had been opened up in Shoshone County and the population had increased greatly. The Wood River mining country had also developed very much. There was still some work going on at Atlanta and Rocky Bar. The De Lamar mine, near Silver City, in Owyhee County, was a large producer of gold and silver and gave every indication of continuing for many years.
The schools had increased throughout the Territory and the people generally were successful in all their business enterprises. A branch railroad had been built and put in operation from Sho- shone, on the Oregon Short Line railway, to Hailey, in the Wood River mining district, a distance of fifty-seven miles. Daily trips were made over this branch, connecting with the main Oregon Short Line at Shoshone. This was a very great saving and convenience to the people of the Wood River country. It gave them much quicker and cheaper transportation than they had ever had before.
CHAPTER LV.
FOURTEENTH SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE TERRITORY OF IDAHO.
Convened December 13, 1886, adjourned February 10, 1887. The names of the members of the Council were as follows:
COUNCIL.
Charles Himrod Ada County
R. H. Robb. Ada and Boise Counties
James H. Beatty Alturas County
E. C. Helfrich Alturas County
H. W. Smith. . Bingham County
P. L. Hughes . Bingham and Oneida Counties
E. H. Jordan Bear Lake, Oneida and Cassia Counties
Robert Larimer . Idaho County
A. J. McNab
Lemhi and Custer Counties
Charles Watson. Nez Perce County
James I. Crutcher Owyhee and Washington Counties
A. E. Mayhew . Shoshone and Kootenai Counties
President, A. E. Mayhew.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
D. L. Badley . Ada County
George Goodrich
Ada County
H. M. Goodwin. Ada County
E. G. Burnett Alturas County
J. J. Guheen
Alturas County
G. W. Hunter
Alturas County
T. B. Shaw.
Alturas County
R. W. Gee.
Bear Lake County
T. A. Hartwell Bingham County
C. B. Wheeler Bingham County
Josiah Cave . Boise County
Charles Cobb . Cassia County
J. C. Fox. Custer and Bingham Counties
John S. Rohrer
Custer County
Frank A. Fenn
Idaho County
J. P. Clough Lemhi County
James DeHaven. Nez Perce County
A. S. Chaney . Nez Perce County
W. A. Elyea Nez Perce County
277
FOURTEENTH SESSION LEGISLATURE
Wm. B. Thews Oneida County
John S. Lewis Owyhee County
R. S. Harvey Shoshone County
John M. Burk Shoshone and Kootenai Counties
M. L. Hoyt. . Washington County
Speaker, Wm. B. Thews.
The Thirteenth session of the Legislature had passed an act enti- tled, "An Act to Provide for the Revision and Compilation of the Statutes Laws of the Territory of Idaho." This act authorized the Governor to appoint a commission of three persons to perform this work and fix the compensation and made an appropriation of four thousand dollars for this purpose. The Governor, Wm. Bunn, ap- pointed as commissioners, Hon. R. Z. Johnson, Hon. H. E. Prickett, and John S. Gray. All of these men were well qualified in every respect to perform this important work. Soon after they entered upon their duties, Mr. Prickett died very suddenly. Hon. James H. Beatty was appointed to fill the vacancy.
These commissioners worked long and faithfully and when their revision was presented to the Fourteenth Legislature, the Legisla- ture not only adopted their revision of the laws, but also passed a joint resolution authorizing these commissioners to include all the laws passed at the Fourteenth session in the general revision, and place them in their proper places for publication. The laws were arranged under the following heads: Part 1st, Political Code; Part 2nd, Civil Code; Part 3rd, Remedial Code; Part 4th, Penal Code. These revised statutes were published and went into effect on the 1st day of June, 1887. This work reflected great credit upon the commissioners and was of great convenience to the attorneys of Idaho and of great assistance to the average layman. The Legis- lators appropriated four thousand dollars to pay for the publication of these revised laws of Idaho.
The financial condition of the Territory is shown by the following report, made to the Legislature by a committee appointed for that purpose :
Outstanding warrants. $ 4,877.52
Outstanding bonds, act of 1877.
46,715.16
Outstanding capital building bonds 80,000.00
Outstanding asylum bonds. 20,000.00
Total.
$151,592.68 Cash on hand-
In Capitol sinking fund. $ 7,478.59
In Library fund. 1,307.56
278
THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
In School fund. 1,165.64
In General fund. 2,699.61
Total $ 12,651.40 This seems to be a rather poor financial showing; still, the people had something to show for the money that had been spent.
The bonded debt of $22,533.54 that became due on the 1st of December, 1885, had been paid, and the bonds taken up. The Cap- itol building had been completed and the insane asylum built. Both buildings were furnished and in use. Expenses had, however, necessarily increased and this Legislature passed an act increasing the tax levy for Territorial purposes from 25 cents to 35 cents on the hundred dollars of assessable property.
CHAPTER LVI.
FIFTEENTH SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE TERRITORY OF IDAHO.
Convened at Boise December 10, 1888; adojurned February 7, 1889. Recommendations of Governor Shoup to First State Legis- lature; assessable property, etc.
The names of the members of the Legislature were as follows:
COUNCIL.
J. D. Negley. . Ada County
Fred Campbell
Ada and Boise Counties
Charles McPherson Alturas County
W. Y. Perkins Alturas County
S. F. Taylor Bingham County
J. P. Clough Custer and Lemhi Counties
. Idaho County
T. F. Nelson Nez Perce and Latah Counties
J. N. Ireland.
J. W. Bingham Oneida and Bingham Counties
Thomas Sparks. Oneida, Cassia and Bear Lake Counties
E. S. Jewell. Owyhee and Washington Counties
A. E. Mayhew Shoshone and Kootenai Counties President, J. P. Clough.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
D. L. Badley Ada County
J. M. Martin Ada County
M. A. Kurtz. Ada County
J. H. VanSchaick Alturas County
H. H. Clay Alturas County
Ira S. Waring Alturas County H. Z. Burkhart Alturas County
James Lyons.
Bear Lake County
W. H. B. Crow Bingham County
Geo. P. Wheeler Bingham County
Geo. W. Groton Bingham and Custer Counties
J. A. Bruner . Boise County E. A. Jordan. Cassia County Geo. W. Emery Custer County
C. M. Day. Idaho County
O. W. Mintzer Lemhi County
A. S. Chaney . Nez Perce County
J. J. Mitcham Ne Perce County
280
THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
James DeHaven Nez Perce County
R. H. Davis. . Oneida County
Geo. W. Sampson Owyhee County
J. C. Sargent. Shoshone County
J. Rand Sanburn. Shoshone and Kootenai County
Marion Kilborn Washington County
Speaker, H. Z. Burkhart.
This was the last session of Territorial Legislature in the Terri- tory of Idaho. The next session was under State government. Idaho was admitted into the Union of States on July 3rd, 1890.
The last Territorial Legislature did not enact as many laws as some of our former Legislatures. They gave us only seventy-seven pages, including laws, memorials and resolutions, but they managed to increase both our current expenses and our bonded debt; also our Territorial taxes. Among the important bills passed at this session was "An Act to Establish the University of Idaho at Moscow." This act provided for a board of nine regents to be chosen from the Territory at large, which board the Governor should appoint by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council, and $15,000 was appropriated out of the Territorial treasury to enable the re- gents to procure suitable grounds and plans for the buildings, and for the expense of the regents, and an additional ad valorem tax of one-half mill was levied by this act on each dollar of assessable property in the Territory to create a building fund to pay for the construction of the University buildings; this tax to be collected and used for this purpose for four years.
Another act was one creating and organizing the Counties of Elmore and Logan, and defining the boundaries of Bingham and Alturas Counties. This act caused an abundance of litigation and expenses amounting to many thousands of dollars, and a great deal of ill-feeling among some of the people of Alturas County, and after several years resulted in more litigation and the wiping out of old Alturas County and Logan County and creating in lieu thereof the Counties of Blaine and Lincoln, with a re-adjustment of the boundary lines. The heavy debt that was hanging over old Alturas, together with the expensive litigation, made taxes very oppressive in these Counties for several years, but at last things quieted down and all seem to be getting along fairly well.
There was also an act to appropriate $15,000 for improvements at the Idaho Insane Asylum; also an act authorizing the appoint- ment of four commissioners to look after the improvement of the Capitol grounds, and appropriating $14,630 to enable the commis- sioners to have the grounds fenced, and the yard properly improved
281
FIFTEENTH SESSION LEGISLATURE
with paved walks, graded, seeded, and trees and shrubbery set out. Also an act to provide for a wagon road between Mt. Idaho in Idaho County and Little Salmon Meadows in Washington County. This act authorized an issue of six per cent. bonds for $50,000 to raise funds to construct this road. In addition to these appropriations, this Legislature passed several relief bills amounting to a few thousand dollars.
It appears from the report of the Territorial Comptroller, Hon. J. H. Wickersham, for the years 1887 and 1888, that the current expenses of the Territory paid out of the Territorial treasury, in- cluding interest on the bonded debt, was about $75,000 for each of those two years, and that the amount of assessable property was, for 1887, $20,095,495, and for 1888, $21,624,747. On this prop- erty was levied by law an ad valorem tax for territorial purposes of thirty-five cents on each one hundred dollars, and in addition, five cents on each one hundred dollars to raise a fund to build a State University at Moscow, in Latah County, making the total levy for Territorial purposes forty cents on each one hundred dollars of assessable property within the territory. This, with the license and poll tax, brought in sufficient revenue for all necessary purposes.
In order to show that the people in Idaho have necessarily had to practice economy in governmental affairs in past years, I herewith give the amount of the assessment rolls for each year for the whole Territory, beginning with the year 1864 and including 1888. There were little or no taxes collected in the year 1863, because it was too late in the year before the officers were appointed and the machinery of the Territory and County governments could be put into working order, but there was considerable expense incurred in the year 1863 which had to be paid by the Territory in after years. During this long period of twenty-six years, our tax levy ranged between 25 and 100 cents on each hundred dollars of taxable property, and the Territory was able to meet her obligations.
COPY OF TERRITORIAL ASSESSMENT ROLLS.
Assessment for 1864. $ 3,687,304.49
Assessment for 1865. 5,184,322.20
Assessment for 1866 5,016,290.00
Assessment for 1867 4,000,000.00 Assessment for 1868 4,621,984.49
Assessment for 1869. 5,544,501.36 Assessment for 1870 3,665,705.55
Assessment for 1871 3,919,148.82
Assessment for 1872 3,624,747.72
Assessment for 1873 4,362,589.72
282
THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
Assessment for 1874. 4,543,022.49
Assessment for 1875. 4,652,919.13
Assessment for 1876. 4,381,277.46 Assessment for 1877 4,319,958.75 Assessment for 1878. 4,520,800.50
Assessment for 1879. 5,926,149.60
Assessment for 1880.
6,408,089.14
Assessment for 1881. 8,066,365.75 Assessment for 1882 9,339,071.65
Assessment for 1883. 13,938,412.31
Assessment for 1884. 15,497,598.34
Assessment for 1885. 16,230,530.84
Assessment for 1886. 17,725,122.31
Assessment for 1887. 20,090,495.77
Assessment for 1888. 21,624,747.74
It will be seen by a look at these assessment rolls that it was six- teen years before our annual assessment roll reached $6,000,000. During all these years the Territory of Idaho was as large in area as the State now is, and a few people were settled in each and every County. It is true, the United States government paid annually about thirty thousand dollars more of our Territorial expenses than she now pays, but add that amount to the $75,000 that it was cost- ing the people of the Territory the last few years of Territorial government, and it would make only $105,000 per annum then, as against several hundred thousand dollars per annum now. When the Territorial government was merged into a State government, business and things of a public nature were in a fairly good condi- tion, with good public schools in each and every County, a good, new Capitol building with grounds well improved, an insane asylum, etc., and a Territorial debt of less than $200,000.
We have been unable to get any report of either the Territorial Comptroller, the Treasurer or the Superintendent of Public In- struction showing the financial condition of the Territory and the condition of public schools in Idaho for the year 1889 and up to the close of the Territorial days, December 8, 1890. We have, how- ever, through the courtesy of the Honorable ex-Secretary of State, W. R. Gibson, procured the loan of a copy of the late Governor George L. Shoup's message to the First State Legislature under date of December 10, 1890, in which he gives a condensed statement of the financial condition of the territory at the time it entered upon statehood; also a statement of the number of public schools, etc. Being fully satisfied that the statements given in the Governor's message are true and correct and his recommendations for appro- priations were made after a careful examination of the amounts
283
FIFTEENTH SESSION LEGISLATURE
that were necessary for current expenses, in order to show the finan- cial condition of our Territory at the time it entered into statehood, as well as to show that our late lamented first Governor and Senator was a clear-headed, honest and competent officer and believed in economy in governmental affairs, I here copy from his message all he said under the head of finance, beginning on page 3 and ending on page 6 of his message:
"Next to the legitimate object of every important enterprise is the financial basis upon which it rests. This is not only the case in the affairs of nations, states and counties, but also in all business affairs, whether company, corporate or individual enterprise. I will therefore present to you the indebtedness of this State as it appears on the Comptroller's books, balanced on the 15th day of November, 1890, with estimates of expenses for the fiscal years 1891-2, obliga- tions that will mature, needed appropriations, and resources from which revenue can be derived.
INDEBTEDNESS.
Outstanding bonds, Act of 1877. $ 46,715.06
Capitol building bonds, Act of 1885 80,000.00
Insane Asylum bonds, Act of 1885 20,000.00 Wagon road bonds, Act of 1889. 11,000.00
Outstanding warrants 105,571.52
Total
. $263,286.58 Less cash in general and capitol building fund 27,116.58
Leaving balance indebtedness . $236,170.00
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