The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1896-07-25
AL ABOUT wElsER.
Biological Pathological Sociological,
Political and Otherwise,


multiply, and replenish the earth and
subdue il" The last few years have
developed wonderful progress, Orch
ards, hay and grain fields, and gardens
are to be seen on every hand, some of
which are very beautiful The land as
a rule, has been settled upon by a sturdy,
honest and hardworking people, as is
evidenced by the farm houses, which
are small, very substantial, with little
or nothing upon them in the way Of
architectural adornment. About half
hundred new farms can be counted
on either side Of the railroad between
Caldwell and this place.
The first town of Importance along
the route is Ontario, Oregon, pretty
little village with population of about
400, with many fine residences and one
or two substantial brick business
blocks. A great majority of the houses,
residence and business, are frame build
ings. A zine, large, brick schooIhouse
is one of the striking features. This
speaks volumes for the intelligence and
love Of education which the people pos
sess.
About three miles northwest Of On
tariO is the town of Payette. The first
time ! visited it was in the fall of 83.
The town was then called Pomeroy.
AT the time it was the terminus of the
O. s. L., and the bridge over the PaYette
river was not yet completed. It was a
tough little place then, with great
abundance of saloons and restaurants.
Since then the name of the town has
changed twice-First to Riverside and
later to Payette. 1t is a pretty little
town now, with substantial buildings,
fnO residences, beautiful orchards and
lawns, fine school house and several
churches, and contains about a thousand
souls, and am pleased to relate, vastly
more civilized than was Pomeroy. 1t
has few sidewalks and much dust.
Weiser is the comfy seat of Wash
ington county, with a population the
same as Payette, only it covers much
more ground. Weiser proper, the city
of Weiser, the old town, has within its
borders handsome brick court house.
q brick school house about the size of
Caldwell's public school, and two
churches-the Baptist and the Congre-
gational-two brick store rooms, two
livery stables, brewery and flour mill.
and several store rooms-all empty.
A spirit of antagonism exists between
the old and new town. The old town
has, besides the buildings above, several
handsome dwellings, and aboye all, the
city charter, The new town is out of
the city and the old town viii not let it
in. The new town is 10th to adopt a
new name and the old town will not re-
linquish her charter. 1t is merry war
and very silly.
New Weiser has the town proper,
such as it is, 1t is laid out seemingly
without method or system. Cows
browse along streets which are hot,
narrow and dusty, fringed with grass.
The town has no fire hall, no fire appar-
atus-nO protection against fire what
ever. In it are a number of brick and
frame business blocks, the Episcopal
church, a large grist mill and the great
Vendome hotel IA two-story brick, and
few residence plots, some of which
have handsome dwellings upon them.
The town is quiet-no hustle, no hurry.
Everybody seems to take life easy.
1t is largely farming country, and
as usual with such people, not a read
ing public. A few books are on sale at
the drug store and at the post office
but they tell me there is no sale for
them; that they have had them since
they began business. The books are of
the best and well bound. Byron, Moore
Swift, Homer, Virgil, Dumas, Tenny
son, etc, are among the list, as well as
the leading poets of America, and
numerous prose works. Daily papers
are scarce, the only one / have seen on
sale at the postofice was the Denver
News.
They are all wild on the silver cues
tion, and not few Populists are ex-
tant. Their knowledge of the silver
question is simply immense, and few
beer barrel tinanciers are ready at anv
moment to regulate the finances of the
nation, and they are vehement in as.
surfing US that they can't be bribed, aud
/ don't think they can, not with money
at least, but would dislike very much
to offer them beer. That would bring
down the house. All have read one
side of the question and assure us that
1t is the only side. They wonder how
all other people are ignorant, and assure
US with extreme candor that the east.
ern people are either idiots or bribe
takers. The crime Of '73 is quite a
stock argument, and the financial
orator expatiates how that old traitor
John Sherman engineered the demope.
tiEstion bill through Congress with the
lightness Of cats tread. How the
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