Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1901-12-19

The growth Of growing Grange
vile is typical of the conditions at
tending the growth aud settlement
of Camas Prairie. Starting in
modest way in 1874 the town has
steadily grown in size and business
importance until it is now one of the
ten largest towns in the whole
wide expanse of the state Of Idaho.
Grange7ille owes it origin to
Charity Grange, Patrons of Hus-
handry, which organized in 1874,
and in 1876 built the structure
known as Grange Hall. The build
ing was designed for the meetings
of this organizations, and incident
ally for peighborhood dances and
other forms Of entertainment
amongst the pioneer settlers. In
the following year the same society
organized an association Tor the
erection Of a Touring mill for the
convenience of the surrounding
farming country.
Charity Grange has long since
disbanded, and the hall and the
-four mill have passed into private
hands; hut upon these small be-
ginnings the foundations of the
present prosperous and flourish
metropolis have been laid broad
and deep. The first store in the
town was China store. The Chi
nese population of the county at
that time vastly out-numbered the
whites, and in it's beginning the
Chinese contingent followed the
white mans steps into this town.
William Hill started the first
white mans store on the Vollmer
4 Scott corner Then followed the
jersey House, erected by William
Pearson, since deceased In 1877
the Methodist church was organ
lied and a Sunday school estab-
lished Then came the Indi an ont
break, when Grangeville was pract-
ically the seat of war, from whence
were dispatched the messages an
nonncing the progress of the cam
paign to the entire country, 80
that Grangeville berame aim ost a
household world throughout the
entire country. For year or two
thereafter the growth of the town
and country was naturally very
slow. In 1850 Alexander & Freid-
enrich established their store in a
modest building which looks like a
pill box compared with their pres
ent magnificent premises. In 1886
the growth of the town was very
materially fastened by the re-
moval from Mt. Idaho of the long
established business of Weller 4
Wax, and also by the publication
of the old reliable IDAHO COUNTY
FREE Pass, which made it's mi
tial bow to the public on June l,
1856. From that time the growth
Of growing Grangeville has been
very marked.
In 1897, by a practically unani-
nous vote of the residents, vii.
lsge incorporation was decided on,
and at the subsequent election
Messrs. Henry Wax, A. Freiden.
rich, E. G. Sherwin, w. w. Brown
aud w. F. Schmadeka were elected
as the board Of Village trustees.
Under this dispensation the town
has made rapid strides in civic
progress, and now it stands as one
Of the very best and most econom.
ically administered municipalities
in the state.
Prior to the incorporation of the
village everything was .'wide
open;" the streets were not graded,
and such sidewalks as we had were
built on the stepladder principle
or as the fancy or interest of the
individual property owner dictated.
The streets were uncared for, and
there were no fire limits, or means
for fighting fire. The town il
those days was Of the primitive
order common to new and un
formed communities. But nov
all is changed for the better. Uni
form grades have been established
for streets, sidewalks and buildings
aud a competent police force main
tains order where formerly thu
visiting cowboy and honest miner
bent on spending his money could
shoot up the town at his OWL
sweet will. The wide open policy il
now thing of the past, and growing
Grangeville takes second place to
none in the matter Of maintaining
law and order. The Sabbath day
Is generally observed by the closing
Of business houses, and the curfev
bell ringing promptly at eigh
o'clock in the evening warns thu
small boy that he must retire from
the streets to the sacred privacy o
his home. And in more practica
matters, such as the care OF thu
streets and sidewalks, growing