Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-03-05

might be romantic, but when 1t in
wolves the unbroken strenuous effort,
the daily hard knocks and hewing TO
the line to fill the overflowing with
human effort the wide and deep gap
Of so years, Is it? At any rate, it's the
record for Robert e. Strahorn.
For Church Anniversary.
"Mr and Mrs. Strahorn, Idaho pion-
GERS of 1878, came down from their
Spokane home a few days ago to help
celebrate the 25th anniversary of the
completion of the Presbyterian
church at Caldwell, of which Mrs
Strahorn is affectionately called the
mother, on aoount Of her prominent
part in its founding and support. They
have been receiving an ovation from
their many good old friends, at the
home of Mr.. and Mrs. d. Blatchley,
and are now guests Of Mr., and Mrs
M b. Gwinn here, reviving the mem
ories and associations Of other days,
There are no friends just like the
friends Of our pioneering days, and
we cling to them as our most pre-
cious HERITAGE says Mr., Strahorn.
An Idaho Town Boomer.
"The Strahorns founded and ma
tured to lusty stature the cities Of
Caldwell ontario, Mountainhome,
Shoshone and HALEY and had much
TO do with the building Of others on
the Oregon Short Line, and they have
figured largely in the same work all
over the West, but were particularly
in Wyoming, Montana, Oregon and
Washington. 1t is the wealth of these
experiences that figure so largely in
Mrs. Strahorn's book, Fifteen Thou
sand Miles by Stage which was pub
lished by Putnam's last year, and is
just about to enter on its third edition
Early Day Publicity Man.
"Mr. Strahorn organized the pub
licty department of the Union Pacific
railroad in 1877, and in this interest
toured Idaho and other western terri
tories with his wife in 1878, continued
in this work until he resigned to go
into colonization, townsite and irriga
ton work in 1888 1t was the first
trip above noted which resulted in his
pamphlet on Idaho which was adopted
and extensively circulated as an irri-
cation document by our legislature
probably Idaho's first official public
ity work. But while his subsequent
efforts here at real estate building,
which entered into every phase of
public and private enterprise, was Of
value to Idaho, he was too far ahead
Of the times to personally profit by
them.
Rode In, Walked Out.
"As he laughingly remarked last
night. We came to Idaho in good
style, in one of Uncle John Hailey's
best stages, but we went out afoot. We
seemed to be able to get everybody
else started off alright but notwith--
standing, we put forth the hardest ef-
forts of our lives we went away much
poorer than we came. Nevertheless,
It was an experience I shall never for
get. Besides rejoicing that we were
instrumental in giving many others a
start in life and treasuring the many
friendships established above every
thing else, the hard knocks seasoned
me for larger things We have never
ceased sounding the praises Of Idaho,
and you can hardly imagine how graf
flying it is to note all these splendid
evidences OF progress since our last
visit to Boise over 20 years ago
after leaving this section Mr. Stra-
horn engaged in the investment bank
ing business in Boston for eight years
going through the panic Of 1890 and
1893 and Subsequent liquidation in
which all his fortitude stored up in
Idaho was s0rely tried, but he made
enough headway so that in 1898 he
was enabled to return to the Pacific
Northwest with enough capital to en-
gage extensively in the development
Of water powers, electric lighting and
water works enterprises, some Of
which he still operates,
His Mission for Hartman.
His most notable achievement was
in connection with his confidential
mission for the Hartman interests
through which, as president Of the
North Coast railroad, he built many
miles of railroad and expended many
millions OF dollars in invading the
best railroad preserves Of James J,
Hill, all without the latter being able
to uncover the identity Of Mr. Stra-
horns hackers until after the fight
had progressed some five years, and
they had accomplished their object
the Hartman people disclosed 1t them
selves The North Coast system was
then consolidated with the Oregon
Washington Railroad & Navigation
Company, Of which Mr., Strahorn Is
vlce-president
"As president of the Portland, Eu.