Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1884-01-02
THE WOOD RIVER TIMES.
The Trials Of a Pioneer Newspaper
Success Attending Enterprise and
E,it

SUCCESS Attending enterprise ana
Grit.
Salt Lake Tribune
When HALEY was laid out as a
town in May, 1891, Mr.. T. E. Picotte
cast his fortune with the place, before
the sagebr,sh had been trampled
down to mark the spot where Main
street now is, with its hustle and life
n small tent sheltered from the sun
and storm. the man and bis material.
for several months, while the WEEKLY
WOOD RIVER TINES was sent abroad
to enlighten the world on the min
eral resources of the district, and give
the local happenings. The newspaper
plant at that time consisted of a small
army press and about $500 worth Of
type, and a few lesser articles, indis-
pensable about a printing Office. The
oxlO tent furnished Office room and
place to eat and sleep, while the cook
ing had to be done outside. An
empty dry goods box served as a
table for use in writing editorials and
making up the form. Towards fall
small log house was built and covered
with canvass, and the visitor fou.d the
lndoinitable editor shivering under the
canvass roof one October day of that
year, with the winds whstlng through
the openings in the unchinked walls,
carrying dust in and making the place
anything but a pleasant one. As fast
as could be done, this log house was
fixed dp 10y putting in a floor, covering
with shine lie roof and making the
walls tight by filling and plastering.
During the winter the paper came out
with the regularity of clock work,
filled with fresh news and spicy articles,
all the time gaining popularity.
The season of 1882 witnessed an ad-
dition of another log house to make
room for increased business. The ex-
pertinent of daily issue proved sue
cessful, and has been kept up ever
since. Without teleo graph or railroads
nearer than Blackfoot, $50 miles
away, an arrangement was made for
daily Geographic reports, entaiing the
expense OF Il special operator at Black
foot and Il messcuge.' service via the
stage. In the fall of the same year
a llrst-class job Office was added, where
a specially has been made of artistic
printing at low rates.-Ep. Through
such enterprise the TINES has pros
pered and grown until its daily and
weekly issues circulate in every State
and Territory in the United States, ex-
cepting two of t C Southern States,
and it goes to various Canadian sub
scribers.
During the past season two-story
frame building was added, and now
MIR. licotte has one of the pleasantest
Offices in the West. The old army
press has given place to a Washing
tonhand-press, capable of printing
with ease the large edition of the
paper The proprietor is one Of the
most active and energetic men in the
country, and he attends strictly to bust
ness. 1t is the universal verdict Of all
who know lin that h. merits the sue
cess which has crowned his labors IN
his field of Journal. m.
We present an illustration, repre-
sentng his office rs it now stands.
The poles and canvass of the original
office have disappeared, but the log
Office which superseded It is still IN
use and forms the central portion of
the picture. The Office is well sup
piled with type and print, rs material.
Mr.. PicNtte is manager Of the Bell
Telephone Company, operating instru-
ments III circuit embracing Haley,
Rellvue, ketchUu, Bullion ana! s.v-
eral mines ana smcltcrs, and the cen
trail Office occupies portion Of the
TINES building.