The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1913-10-07
By James Mcmillan.


The conception of the Twin Falls
country, as an irrigation project, came
to A. d. Foote, a talented engineer
who organized a company consisting
of w. j. Mcconnell, then governor,
Geo. Parsons, attorney general, E. W.
Johnson of Boise, S. ID. Boone of Hal
ley, and himself, and the company
spent more than $4,000 in making
preliminary surveys, but were unable
to secure sufficient capital to carry
on the project
This company was succeeded by one
consisting of Gov Frank Steunenberg,
ID. w. Ross, state engineer, j. II. Lo-
well, |. B. Perrine, and Stanley B.
Miner, and ii was during the time this
company was in charge, that through
the efforts of Gov. Steunenberg, a
large portion of the land was with
drawn from the National Park Reser-
walton, and made available for entry
under the provisions of the Carey act.
1t was in 1902 that Stanley b. Mil
ner, of Salt Lake, and l. b. Perrine
of Blue Lakes, succeeded in enlisting
the Buhl-Kimberly Corporation of
Sharon, Pa, in the construction of the
Twin Falls South Side Canal and the
Twin Falls Land and Water Co., was
Incorporated as the Construction Co.
Walter G. Filler of Salt Lake, was en-
ployed as general manager, Paul S. A.
Bickel, of Helena, Mont, chief engi-
neer, and Jas. d. Schuyler, of Los An
geles, Cal, consulting engineer. Con-
tracts were let to the Faris & Kesl Co.,
of Boise, for the erection of the dam
at Miner, and the Nelson-Bennett Co.
OF Tacoma, Wash, secured the con-
tract for the building of the first %
miles of canal. Active work was be-
gun early in 1903 and water was turn
ed into the canal in March, 1905.
The first opening for sale of the
land under the canal was held in the
opera house at Shoshone on July list.
1903, and was the first sale of land
under the Carey act in Idaho. The
price fixed by the company for water
rights was $500 per acre and these
rights carried a porportionate share in
5000 second feet of the waters of the
Snake river, which have recently been
decreed by the courts.
AS the work progressed, it became
apparent that town must be estab-
lished on the tract, and the company
bought school section 16, in township
10 south, range II east, which was
plated by Engineer Bickel, laying the
streets on semi-carnival lines. Prices
were fixed at from $50 to $1,000 per
lot and the sale of lots was held on
the ground.
A contract was made by the Canal
Company with the Twin Falls Invest
ment Co., consisting of Thos. Costello
| u ~
Boise, and R. M. McCollum, Geo. F.
| Sprague and I. B. Perrine of Twin
Falls for the sale of lands and lots
of the company and then began the
most extensive advertising campaign
for the sale of these properties evel
made in Idaho. The first buildine
erected on the townsite was small
wooden building used as an office by
the investment company, over which
R. M. McCollum presided.
AS the country grew and developed
it became necessary to have a county
seat on the tract and the legislature
of 1907 passed a bill creating Twir
Falls county, which was signed by
Gov. Frank r. Gooding, February 21st
1907, who appointed as county officers
| Harry T. West, clerk; James McMil.
Ian, assessor; Geo. D. Aiken, sheriff
Frank e. Chamberlain, probate Judge
Miss Edna DeBow, superintendent OF
schools; G. J. Hahn, treasurer, and
John E. Hansen, Geo. l.. Croker and
l.. b. Salliday, commissioners.
| The village form of government was
in effect until April list, 1907, when
| by petition a charter for a city of the
| second class was granted and the
| first city election was held during that
month, resulting in the election oil
Fred A. Voigt as mayor. He has
been succeeded by G. j. Hahn, Geo. S
Aldrich and the present Mayor, C. o
Meigs.
The first official train on the Mini
doka and Southwestern Ry., reached
Twin Falls Aug. 18th, 1905, and was
celebrated by barbecue and other
| festivities.
The growth of Twin Falls has beer
marvellous. From the sage brush il
1905 we now have a population Of
S0O0.. Our schools are the pride Of
the city, the buildings and equipment
being valued at $3.50, 900, nearly 2OO(
children enrolled who are instructed
| by an able corp of So teachers ant
duuul 20 SCHULZ wagons are USED II
carrying the children from the dis
tant portions of the district We have
a perfect sewer system, electric light
and many of our homes are withou1
chimneys, depending entirely on cleo
trio heat. Most OF our streets are
| lined with concrete sidewalks and We
have miles of bithulithic pavement. A
gravity water system from the cana
supplies the city for all purposes ont
gives sufficient pressure for fire pro
! lection. An interurhpn railway tx
Shoshone falls is in course of ron.
struction, the cars to he onerotoH y,
Edison's latest invention in sto~a@r
batteries. While It Is t~,le that VIZ n-r
new, this very fact enah'es re tn hrv>
the ADVANTAGES of all tte lotoct ~.
provements in AL lines We '>avo twf
strong financial institutions IN t',e
First National Bank r-I TIE Tr-i-
Falls Benk and Trust Co. who Nv in
eral management and brood Vows nj
the future have dore mpch il TIE do
veIODrlent of the city Tive Co-,-.,o~