The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-06-12
FAIRLY HISTORY OF
CANYON COUNTY

Deitrick ana Will NC PLCSOiNCd III tue
Carnegie library. 1t shows consider
abIe original research work and is
'seII worthy of preservation from an
Historical point of view. The Tribune
has two other papers on the same
subject but treated differently which
viii appear in the near future. One
If these papers is by Miss Hazel
Harrington and the other by Miss
Ida Shorb.-Editor.)
No people settled permanently in
CANYON county before about 1868, al
though fur traders and trappers came
through in the eighteenth century
and parties of emigrants passed over
tbe country on their way to Oregon
az early as 1911. The Hunt party in
1911 was about the first. In 1882,
Captain Bonneville was given leave of
absence to explore the northwest, and
with ninety men he crossed the
nlains. Many others following to
STAY. In 1882, Captain Nathaniel
Wyeth came overland from Boston,
returning in 1884 for supplies. In
1896 the missionaries, Whitman and
Spaulding, with their families emil
grated to Oregon. Mrs. Whitman
and Mrs. Spaulding were the first
white women to pass through this
country. Later, many others follow
ed through this part of the country.
One followed Boise river and crossed
the Snake river at Keeneys Ferrey;
another from Boise to Emmett, along
the Payette river and across the
Snake river at Older's Ferry; the third
was on the other side of Snake River.
Among the first settlers were Mr..
Frank Gilbert and Mr.. Byall, who
came in 1868. In 1864, the first house
was built from logs. The chinks were
filled with mud and at first they had
no floors. The first floor, made of
puncheons, was laid in 1864, below
the Canyon. AS soon as the floor was
finished, they had a dance, and every
one, men, women and children for
miles around, went to this first social
affair. The roofs of the houses were
made of poles covered with mud and
hay The first table in the country
was made by l. M. Bowman from
luncheon logs.
In 1868, Middleton, the first town
in Canyon county, was founded, by
Mr. Montgomery. The first buildings
were store and hotel. The prices
on all goods at this time were very
high. Flour worth from sixteen to
eighteen dollars a sack Very little
flour ground at milD was used. |
The people ground their wheat be-
tween rocks dug out of the lava beds
Bacon, sugar, and coffee were each |
one dollar a pound. Butter cost from |
one dollar to SIPS a pound. Calico
was dollar yard. One lady, Mrs.
Allison, said she had to get along
with only one dress, and when it got |
dirty she had to take it off and get |
along without any until it dried, then
wear it until it got dirty again. Shoes
too were very costly. Women's shoes
were worth about six dollars. Mems
shoes cost from seven to eight dollars
and boots were ten to fifteen dollars
a pair. The chief reason for the high |
prices was the cost of freighting.
cost twenty-five cents
pound to be hauled in at first. Later
i was reduced to twelve cents and a
half.
The first grain put in was planted
BY Mr., Smith and Mr.. Bowman in
1865. They planted wheat and oats
md paid l2H cents pound for it. In
May 1865, the first rye grass, the only
nay they had, was cut, baled and
hauled to Idaho City and sold for