The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-12-03

when it comes from the mines and to
depreciate the production of greater
values from the field and farm. call
the gold in California" is an express
sion that has been used for half a
century to denote great wealth, but
California in its palmiest days never
yielded as great values in gold as did
its humble farmers in wheat when
that industry was creating no excite
ment at all. So it was in Idaho, when
Its placer mines were turning out
millions in gold dust, every ounce
lifted with the round-pointed shovel,
It set the civilized world afiame and
in story and song the romance in
spired by The Gem of the Mountains,
big courageous manhood everywhere
cancel current engagements and go.
AS the mines were exhausted the
round-pointed shovel and its owner
turned to agriculture, and in more
modest way and without acclaim, pro-
duced more millions than ever poured
from the mines. While its workers
blazed the way each year for greater
wealth, men born or trained to be
captains Of finance, observed the
trend of the times, and, like the
mounted police Of the dominion on
the north, arranged for the applica-
tion of its vital powers, that COM
merce and progress might properly
work their way.
Among the pioneers whose fore
sight paved the way for strong finan-
cial institutions of today, were C. w.
Bergman, J. N. Ireland, David and
Lorenzo Evans, and W. G.. Jenkins,
who conserved their wealth wrested
from the mines by heroism and hard
ship and self forgstfulness, and in
commercial ventures made each his
ten talents" earn other ten talents
that entitled him to enter into great
er ventures and responsibilities that
are now crystallized into chain of
eleven banks in this part of the state.
They and their associates who came
later and especially those who estab-
lished and operate that branch Of
their business known as the bank of
ID. W. Standrod & company of Black
foot are the subject of this brief
sketch.
Seventeen years ago there was no
bank at Blackfoot; none between Po-
catello and Idaho Falls and none to
the northwest for distances varying
from 300 to 500 miles There was
no means of exchange excepting by
the issue Of postal or express money
orders or the shipment of the money
like merchandise or by banking bv
mail and express in some distant city
Expensive, inconvenient. trade-de-
stroying. making transa rtions so slow
that live enterprise starting out met
its own corpse coming back, there
was need for bank and it was
started. The original projectors of
the enterprise were Judge D.. w.
w G. Jenkins, ]. N. Ire
land and D. L. and o. L. Evans in
q co-partnership. This lasted from
February. 1899. until the year 1904,
when 1t was INCORPORATED with c. w.
Bergman, DR.. J. w. Givens, George
A. Robethan and D. r. Jones among
Its stockholders. D. R. Jones was
and C. v. Fisher assistant /
and in 1907 Mr.. Jones RESIGNED and
Mr. Fisher filled his place. and
George F. Gagon became a stockhold-
er and director: I
1t has always been the policy of
this bank to handle it's capital in
harmony with the best development
Of this part of the state. and in the
application of the principle it has aid
ed in developing number of de-
sirable industries among which may
be mentioned the Blackfoot Water
Works to supply the town with pure |
water pumped from beneath the lava
strata, to take the place of the water
Drawn from the open wells that were
! constant menace to health. This
was a simple business venture 1t is
rue, but nobody who studied con-
1itions doubts that long list of per-
IONS who are alive and we'll today |
would have fallen the victims of ty-
)hoid fever and other troubles aris-
ng from the use 6f the polluted sur
ace water, had the wells of the old
Ityle not been displaced. While in
resting their money in an enterprise,
hey placed 1t where it would be
useful and safe and would
tart an enterprise that would be in
reasing in usefulness as the scope OF
ts operations increased.
Another institution of which they
nay be justly proud of having ma
erially helped to capitalize, was the
lectric lighting plant that made the
ataract illuminate the town from the
ear 1908. At the time OF it's in-J
option 1t was hailed as something
lmost too good to. be true and when
had spread rapidly into general
Sc and coal Oil and gasoline were
0 longer necessary to the household,
nd the wave OF sentiment against
was followed by the gen. ]
al and almost honizing plaudits for q
lblic ownership or public utilities 1
whatever sacrifice of quality and V
rvice and with the destruction of Y
listing capital, there resulted here '
elsewhere, popular conviction
at lighting plant constructed and I
Grated by money borrowed by the k
lnicipality upon Its bonds. and op- s
ated by municipal officers elected D
litically would be better than one
Instructed with money borrowed by
iividuals or corporation of in