The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1907-03-09
THINKS PARMA
IS ALL RIGHT
Statesman Staff Correspondent
Visits Our Lively Burg and
Notes His Impressions

PARMA, Feb. 27.-This is one Of the
towns where the peculiar condition ex-
lists in having the country developed
ahead Of the town. instead of having he
town ahead Of the country. This result
is partly from two caus-s. An unfortu-
nate litigation over the title to- townsitv
is one Of the causes and y general in,pr,s-
sion abroad that Parma was strictly y
Zone man" town was the other. The
litigation over the title is now in fair
way TO be settlrd soon, and the other
difficulty has been removed ly reason uf
the fact that the kirkpatrick Mercantile
company, which has been doing the
greater part IF the business ot the town,
and to dispose uf each 81 the depart.
ments OF their great store to Individual
parties.
+. NJ. Kirkpatrick says that he con-
siders this distributing ri the interests
OF the department store, of which lac
important step taken ior II long time in
the interests Vf the town. MIR. kirkpat-
rick says that he wishes the public 10
know that he is NJ longer connected with
the mercantile company and that lac ex-
poets 10 confine his energies in the fu-
ture strictly to the banking business.
He wishes it understood that Parma il
an open town to any person who Wishes
to come here to establish business.
Mr.. Kirkpatrick's idea is that the more
the interests of the town are distributed
among different individuals, the better
the town. In disposing Of the various
departments OF the mercantile company,
the drug store has been sold to J. Msln-
tosh, recently of Blackfoot. The hard
ware department was sold to +. +. Fisk l.,
the furniture to A. III. Lang. The other
departments.- dry goods, groceries. boots
and SHOES, and clothing, MIR. kirkpat-
rick says will likely bc sold to company
of which IL. G. BaIdridge will be the
head. Mr.. Kirkpatrick is of the opinion
that the bank will do better by reason
of this change in the business, as here
tofore the bank has been but little more
than an accounting room for the mer-
camille company. MIR. Kirkpatrick saws
that he is going into the banking busi-
ness now to make the Parniz bank y
- first-class banking institution, entirely
Disconnected from all other interests in
Parma. He reports that at the present
time the bank has a capital Of s30,OOO
with a surplus Of s. 500 and undivided
profits Of $7,70O, while the deposits
amount to $9i 900.
Mr.. kirkpatrick says that while the
cuuntry about Parma il rich country
and its people are mostly in good circuni-
stances, yet it is q borrowing communi.
ty rather than ~ depositing community
so far As the banking business goes. Ii,
explains this statement by saying thai
the country being new everybody il still
adding improvements to their property
. II farmer makes n stake he ut once
wants to invest in new barn or n new
house, or in buying the land which join
his, and he is willing to risk borrowin,
some to add to his own clean up. Th'
country is expanding very rapidly, say
Mr.. kirkpatrick and it takes money t.
make il 20, 50 that but few Of the ranch
ers have yet begun piling up bank ac
count.
A. S. King. manager Of the Parm
Mercantile COMPANY, Says ia I his com
pany has only been in business here
- little over year, 30 that lac has nut
short period OF time to Use for compar
= ing business conditions, but that the
have been doing Il furnishing bu-Inr-
3 ever since they started. He estimate
= the business of The past year at abor
: 100000 and the start this year indicate
. much better business during the con
= ing season.
, Dir. King expressed himself as partie'
. lsrly we'll pleased with the fact Of Il
large number of new corners locxtii
here this spring and winter. and Il
fact that they are mostly people of col
siderable means who are ready To pa
the cash for their merchandise. VI
- King says that the farmers around he
are taking lively interest in the raisiI
Of a finer grade Of horses ami that mai
ofthem are already showing some unus
ally fine specimens. lie says that Il
quality Of the horses raised about Psrn
has attracted purchasers from abro'
and that the statement raised in ps