The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-02-01
THE OLD TIMER.
"reminiscences Of a Washington County
Pioneer Who Game With the Valiant
Little Band of Quarter of Century
Ago.

ears ago in an eastern home. when
told friends | was going to Idaho to live
they exclaimed: Way off therel Why.
It's somewhere near the British posses
sions, isn't it," Idaho was not very well
known then, only as an abode for Indians
and bear. saving a few foolhardy people
Even To myself it seemed a long way from
civilization, though had invested it with
good deal OF romance. | was great
admirer at that time Of Fennmore Coop
ers tales and believed my future home
to be something like his descriptions Of
frontier homes.
imagined picturesque log cabin in
the midst of "A luxuriant grove, fertile
fields, lmpid streams. mountains covered
with giant trees, and among them all
kinds of animals including the noble red
man. You see | include him with the
animals, and if all of you knew him as
well as do, you would think had given
him high place. Well, have no doubt
but that there are many places in Idaho
that will come up to Coopers descriptions,
but | must say, from my first view of
Idaho until reached Weiser it was one
grand disappointment. The miles upon
miles of dry dusty sage brush seemed
unending in their loneliness. 1t did not
seem possible then that it could ever be
reclaimed and be what it is today, for by
the many fertile fields, fruitful orchards
and pleasant homes one sees now, truly it
can be said of many places in Idaho the
desert has been made to bloom as the rose
do not mean to infer that it was all des-
est land far from il; but to one coming
from green, rolling prairies, it seemed as
IL there was vast amount of waste land
When first came here there was. where
Weser city now stands-old Weiser- one
house of entertainment, for man and beast
alike, called the Dead Fall have heard
old timers say it deserved its name. from
the bad whisky sold there, Very little
causing a dead fall upon the part of the
person partaking of it. John HALEY ran
daily stage past there then. was 60
ing to say it was one of the stations, but
remember now the station was called But
termilll station, and was over about where
Mr. Westeryedt now lives The next one
was called the Old Canvas House station,
and was somewhere near Mr. Styles place,
below Poverty Flat" as it has been
called for long time, which | think is
mistake and misnomer as it is rich in
brave, industrious people who. under great
difficulties, have taken up the desert land
and made themselves homes. which. when
the hard times are over, will be made some
OF the beautiful homes So. | say. it was
named wrongly, as only men rich in
strength and purpose could stavthere and
live A great deal of freighting was done
in those days. and teams were constantly
passing on their way to Boise and below.
Our principal market was Boise. and
nearly everyone did their trading there.
At Payette, close to VIM Stewards. there
was branch store of d. Falks, of Boise.
and one Mr.. Toombs had another at the
Payette river, afterwards owned and con
Quoted by A. j. Mcfarland.
We paid double, yes more than double
for everything we had in those days. but
hard times were unknown and everyone
had an abundance of the necessaries of
life, though of course we had very few of
the luNuries; but we We're happy without
them. We did not raise fruit then. only
Weiser Strawberries. e., big brown
beans,-but they were pretty good to have
and to sell at eight and nine cents Der
pound. ! do not SEE why they do not
raise them now. | should think they
would be profitable at five cents, and our
merchants ship them in here and sell
them for that; they ought to give a little
more The farmers in those DAYS hauled
their grain and their bacon to Boise and
brought back six months supplies. They
all had their own meat and -four every
body had enough and to spare, so every
one was happy and the goose hung high.
Our churches were our school houses and
the attendance was generally good We
used to hear some good sermons, too. 1t
seems to me the ministers were more in
earnest then, or maybe we needed harder
preaching to. Nearly all the od-timers
will remember Father Allender a good
old honest Methodist minister. He was
sincere and believed every word he said.
Peace to his ashes; he was a christian and
tried to make us all better. Our old
school district of Ada county extended for
miles. The first school house still stands !
at Lower Mann creek. The children.
when first came here. were taught by
Mr.. Paine, in Jimmy Jeffrey's house, now
owned and remodeled by A. b. Anderson.
Mr.. Paine was an odd character. but he
the art of imparting knowl- |
edge, One of Washington county's best
teachers studied under him, if he did not
there learn the whereabouts of the longest
railroad in the world. Our school house
was used for years for church, grange
did boast a secret society in |
those days. yes, two of them, for we had |
Good Templar's Lodge also-and all !
social entertainments, dances included. |
While haven't IA word to say against the
dance of today as being great pleasure to |
the young people. our old-fashioned dances
were not of the money making kind For
forty miles around they gathered in the