American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-04-15

hat he had heard some guarded re-
marks dropped lately about someone
jumping land around American Falls.
and that II they found out who 1t vas
az might go the way Of Bob Paxton.
The next day Reddington was very
busy settling up his affairs. and at
night took the train for the west, and
ne Las never been seen in American
Falls from that date to this.
r~eddington came here as a result
of correspondence following the kill
ing of his brother, Bob Paxton. In
going through Paxton's effects, after
his death, letters we're discovered
showing that his real name was Red
dington and the address Of his family.
I received a reply from a brother OF
Paxton, stating hat as soon as he
could arrange his affairs to do so he
would come west, take charge Of Pax
toms property and settle his affairs.
Paxton had six saddle horses, two colts
about $50 In money and some personal
effects The following May Redding-
ton arrived. The citizens of Amerf-
can Falls did everything possible for
him, accompanying him to Malad to
see the probate judge, and get an or
der from him to turn over the prop
erty, which was done. He remained
at my house from May until Septem-
Der.
After a lapse of time sufficient to
do SO, a contest was filed by Camp
bell, Bennett and myself on his home
stead, which was sustained and we
then filed On the land for townsite
purposes. We employed Oscar Some
kalb, now of Pocatello, to survey the
townsite. Only one street was laid out
and taht a parallel with the rail-
store. The lots were all half a mile
deep and most of them fifty feet wide.
One lot, which is occupied by the office
part of the Oliver house, was only IS
feet wide by half a mile deep.
The townsite began at the Mary
Franklin corner. d. w. Campbell, the
railroad engineer, who built the rail-
road bridge, was given the first lot, be-
ginning at the Franklin corner and
extending to about where the Nichols
garage is located. Frank Campbell
took the next lot, where the l.. l.. Ev-
ans residence property Is. Then came
the Campbell & Stebbins store. Ed
Garland took the property occupied by
the West block. / took the lot now
occupied by the street between the
West block and the present Oliver
house property. The Calder lot came
next, which was the space between the
fence line of the hotel lot and the Oil
yer house. Next came Jim Smith with
the 18-foot lot now covered by the
office wing of the Oliver house. Next
was a 75-foot lot now included in the
hotel grounds, on which Mrs. Mary e.
Rhodes had a building. Ed Kean. now
Janitor of the public schools at Poca-
tello, had the next lot, which he later
sold to Mrs. Elizabeth West. Mr.. Phil
Drlck came to town about then and
was given the next fifty feet. This
took care of all the residents. and
Campbell, ~Stebbins, Bennett and I
took another slice. / took 200 feet ex-
tetnding from the Philbrick lot to
about the Joe Gish property. Campbell
too the next 200 feet, which ran to
or n little past the Alvord property.
Stebbins took 200 feet from there.
which included the old odd Fellows
hail. the lot which he gave the lodge.
Calder took the next 200 feet extend
ing to about where Bennett had his
little building. After this we sold TO
anyone who would buy at SIPS per
acre. c. A. Warner of Rockland, Sam
benson, Dick Driscoll and John Ross
were among those who bought town
site property at s1.25 per acre. When
the townsite was decided to us we pro-
tested against paying s1.25 per acrs for
the 2O-acre tract appropriated by the
Oregon Short Line. under federal laws
but had to pay for it nevertheless.