The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-07-06
THE HALEY DISASTER.

The terrible calamity that visited
our neighboring town on the nigh
of July LIST, when four blocks in thu
business center of the town were
burned completely down, and wipec
out of existence, was the straw tina
broke the camel's back at last il
Alturas county. Before the smoul
dering ruins had time to cool 6
meeting of the board of trade was
called, and the business men of the
Inflated town talked over the stu
alton, and with their characteristic
pluck agreed to rebuild the town.
and in better manner than it was
before. HALEY has the reputation,
not only in our community, but
throughout the territory, of possess
ing men of more enterprise and
perseverance than any other place
in Idaho. Her citizens have done
more to advertise and build up the
reputation Of Alturas county than
all the other towns in the county
combined. They have worked for
the advancement of the best inter
ests of our county and territory in
every enterprise, and have always
contributed to the extent of their
means towards building roads and
bridges to reach the outside camps
that needed help. They never re-
fused to respond literally and freely
to any demand upon their time and
means to help others. Dull times
came upon them a few years ago
and it required their utmost efforts
and courage to keep the county
seat in its place in the front rank,
but Hailey's loyal citizens never
flinched, but with quiet determine
ton they succeeded in doing it.
Last winter when the legislature
proposed to destroy Alturas county
and ruin HALEY, these men fought
for their existence as such brave
men would fight. Instead of re-
aeiving credit for their enterprise,
they were belied, and abused, and
finally sacrificed to the prejudices
Of some, and to The ambitions of
other jealous office-seekers, which
was plainly shown in the halls of
the territorial legislature last win
ter. Even after being subjected to
such unfair treatment which re-
suited in putting the small remnant
Of Alturas county in such a fnan-
cial condition that she was on the |
very verge of bankruptcy, still Hal
ley kept bold front and was more
than ever determined to become a
city that the territory should be
proud of: The town was the best
and most substantially built of any
in Idaho, and her business houses
would have been, before the fire, a
credit to any older town or state.
After fighting with undiminished
vigor against combined human en-
ergy, she has been put through
fiery ordeal and called to stand up
against the elements, against which
all human skill and strength avails
little, where fire and Whirlwinds
combined to battle all efforts to
subdue them. But the courage of
HALEY is equal even to this emer-
gency; her men talk bravely and
try to make the most of all the lit
tie CLEANS Of encouragement to be
found, and are busy devising ways
and means whereby this terrible
disaster may be retrieved, and if
any community can repair such |
losses, they will, but they have !
hard task before them. Some of
the business houses are no doubt
in a condition to start again with
out very much inconvenience, but
many of those who suffered by the
fire lost everything, and have not
dollar in the world. After laboring
for years and accumulating a COM
potency they now find themselves
penniless.
This disaster is worse than Seat
ties for HALEY and Alturas county.
1t has wiped out fully half of our
taxable property, and has crippled
the enterprising community that
might have put our county on a
substantial basis. To-day, bank
ruptcy stares Alturas county in the
face if the acts Of the last legislature
are allowed to stand and the debt
as now apportioned be left to bur-
den her. In the face of this calam-
ity, which is more than local and
affects our whole county, let all
jealousies and animosities and Sec
tional feelings that may have here
tofore existed toward our county
seat, be sunk in feelings of sympa-
thy and brotherhood for the suf-
ferers, and let the helping hand of
substantial aid be extended to those
who have lost their all in this awful
fire. ketchum has already con-
tributed large sum considering the
financial depression under which
our town is suffering. and doubt
less our citizens will give still fur
her aid in many WAYS,