Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1882-10-14
PIONEERING.
An Account Of the Manner IN which Some
Early Settlers Got to Wood River
A Gentleman who Backs His Confidence
In this Section.


A Gentleman who Backs His Confidence
in this Section.
James Fitzsimmons, a wholesale
liquor dealer of Sawtooth, called at
the TIMES office yesterday, in COM
pany with William G. Seamands.
Mr.. Fitzsimmons was on his way to
Atlanta, to examine some mining
property for his brother, who is asso-
ciated with Mr.. Haverly in all the
theatrical enterprises Of that gentle
man, and who is about to turn his at
tention to the mines of this region.
Mr.. Fitzsimmons will go to Atlanta
via Rocky Bar, and east by way of
Boise and kelton. His fine stock of
liquors and cigars is securely stored
at Sawtooth for the winter, and next
spring Mr.. Fitzsimmons will be back
in time to supply the entire upper
country with all the goods required in
i
his line, before any can be got in
from this side of the range.
Mr. Fitzsimmons is pioneer of this
section. Three years ago, he wintered
in Blackfoot, and early in April started
from that place in company with Mr..
Seamands. They had a good, strong
team and light blackboard, with
which they traversed mountain ranges
almost as easily as level ground.
When the road got too soft to bear
them, they would ascend one noun.
tain after another until they got to an
apparently good road. Having pack
saddles along they sometimes packed
their supplies from peak to peak, then
returned for the blackboard. Oc-
casionally they would meet prospect
ing outfits, and leave them far behind.
One old prospector-a Frenchman-
followed them for two days with a
four-horse team and light wagon, but
finally fell behind, remarking as he
did SO: ''Sacre, zey fly off re noun
tain-top like re bird" 49, III
In this way Messrs. Fitzsimmons
and Seamands got to where Sea-
mands's ranch now is, near Bellevue,
and Mr. Seamands located it, Mr..
Fitzsimmons helping him but not car
ing to share it. After stopping there
a few days, they started up the river,
but rain having fallen in the mean
time, the valley seemed sea Of sof,
loan, and they concluded to trave
over the mountains. Ascending
Lookout mountain, they got fine
view of the country, and decided upon
the fiat where ketchum now is fol
their objective point. It took til, nj
three days to get there, and after
resting two days they proceeded on
up to White Cloud, what is now
Galena) where they met party OF
+ prospectors who had crossed the range
from Challis.
Messrs. Fitzsimmons and Seamands
, helped to lay out the towns of Belle
vue, kctchum, Galena, Vienna and
/, Sawtooth, but they haven't lot in
any of them. Mr.. Fitzsimmons owns
one lot in Sawtooth, but he bought
that, and let a contract to build a
$1,000 hewn-log cabin upon it while
J he looked after a $4,000 stock of Goa
. oil, sugar, wines, liquors, and cigars
which he was just receiving. The
! house was built in sections, and banked
, up with snow all around, to keep il
warm. 1t was 3Ox75 in the clear
Last spring, as the snow melted, the
, logs swelled, and the house fell dowr
! in sections. But this did not STOP
f Mr.. Fitzsimmons from doing business
! as, his experience in mining camp:
: having made him wise, he took out {
!, large tent which he always takes will
, him, when going to new camp, anc
resumed business the same day.
Mr.. Fitzsimmons says that he has
been in this section for three years,
that he has invested between $4,000
: md 600 600 In Il That uaxt c.arin1r hc