The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1905-04-14
BIaCkfoot in 20 Years

We have received communication
signed San Observer" which was
written on Wednesday, arraigning the
Republican writer for printing the
remarks of some homeseekers last
week who, on first sight of the busi-
ness part of Main street, exclaimed,
IA kind of string town." and sug-
gesting that he refrain from advising
the old residents of the town on mat
ters like the opening of Pacific street
which involve the expenditure of
money, the exercise Of judgment
which comes Of long. residence, and
the wits of somebody besides a far
mer editor. beautifully 1t goes on
to say, "The Republican butts in at
Blackfoot attempts to cut a swath,
and when nine months old, hands
the people history Of the town writ
ten in sacred style. What does The
Republican know about things that
happened here ten or twenty years
ago, and what old resident do you get
to write your editorials for you any
how?" (SuperbD Find your an
swer in this:
Ten years ago this week the repre-
sentatives of the American Falls Ca
nal & Power company were buying
the right-of-way for their canal, and
the directors of the Peoples Canal
we're stringing out their forces to- do
a little grading on al 1.-The hillsides
where the rights-of-way confiicted.
Neither company seemed to know that
there was room for both of these great
canals and more fine lands than both
could water. That same week, ten
years ago, w. D. Trego was opening
up an implement house in town, and
was being freely Informed that that
line could only be handled in connec-
ton with some other business, as the
country would not support that line
alone. There are three implement
houses here now and all doing a big
business. That same week A. NJ. Can
ters opened real estate Office, but
nobody would buy Idaho lands, and
he, the only dealer in the country
from Idaho Falls to Pocatello, had
to quit. There are five firms engag-
ing in this business now. Mr.. Jarvis
opened a store where the back walls
of the Hub stand, and was so far out
of town that he could not work up a
trade. Sam Rich and others came up
from Logan and could have bought
some of the best farms on the west
side for ten dollars an acre, but
didn't. "Old man. Cummings spent
the summer here and tried to buy a
belt of ten thousand acres, including
the best farms from Groveland to
Riverside, at ten dollars an acre, and
failed only because he could not put
up the money. Later in the summer
C. Bunting & Company moved the
livery stable and the old opera house
and built the bank and store where
Standrod and Brown & Eldredge are
doing business.
Twenty years ago this week, Begin
ming with Monday, April 9th, the
weather was fine and sunny, but the
wind was blowing and the air was
smoky-looking, with not tree IL
sight anywhere except along the riv
er. Tuesday was like Monday, anc
Wednesday there was mol wind. Thurs
day it showed and rained; Friday i,
rained and showed, and Saturday il
| was wet and sloppy. Sunday it storm
ed again, and Sunday night it cleared
up.
The county commissioners were ii
session that week in shanty thai
stood on the present site Of The Hub
!, and it was called the court house
The board consisted of Fred S. Ste
vens, H. O. Hardness and Alber
Moyes. 1t was their first meeting
, and the county covered all the coun
try from the Montana line to Cassia
: Oneida and Bear Lake counties. Jus
tees Of the peace were appointed fol
Beaver Canyon, Oxford, Rexburg
Soda Springs, Idaho Falls and Black
, foot, but road overseers had not conn
into use. The selection of site TO,
9 the court house was made, and afte
it was done a lot Of fellows got to
;, gether in the combined depot, express
office, stage Office and commercial
}, hotel and bar, and roasted the boar'
for locating it "away out there in tn
sagebrush and sand Dunes" Survey
or O. Sonnenkalb said he didn't car
L. a cuss where they put it; he wa
: ready to- chain and stake the corners
S The United States District Cour
: was in session, Judge John 7. Nor
: gan presiding. There was a gran'
t jury and a trial jury, about forty il
: number, and as there was no room TO
them in the "court house" (th
Z shack they gathered at the old oper
: house for instructions; the grand jur.
took up quarters in the residence o
e R. J. Osborn, and the trial jury hear
u cases in the opera house and the