American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-03-11
AMERICAN FALLS
TOWNSHIP JUMPED
SHARP STRANGER MAKES HOME
STEAD FILING COVERING 100 AC-
RES EMBRACED IN THE ORIGI-
NAL TOWNSHIP OF AMERICAN
FALLS.
Citizens, Much Disturbed, Hold Quiet
Meetings to Discuss Surprising De-
vel0pment, Preparatory to Protect
ing Their Property Rights-Home-
stead Applicant Has Law on His
Side.
(Recollections of w. T. Oliver)


Property rights of every resident of
the original townsite were placed in
jeopardy by a sharp stranger, In 1887,
and but for the putting up of job on
him which led him to believe his life
was in danger, a man named Redding
ton, would have been the townsite
owner. When the townsite was estab-
lished there was so much land that it
was not considered valuable, and no
steps were taken to secure title to land
for townsite purposes. Danielson &
Stevens had built store which had
& Stebbins. Ed Garland had a saloon
on the ground occupied by the West
building. The Calder restaurant, with
the ell addition to it, stood adjoining
the Oliver house, with the addition ex-
tending into what is now the street
between the Oliver house and the
West building. There were few 9th
er buildings but none of any moment
People simply selected a building site
that looked good to them, and built
And one fine day they awoke to the fact
that man named Reddington, a broth
er of Bob Paxton who was killed by a
livestock detective in 1886, had filed a
homestead on the townsite and was
master of the situation
i was in Pocatello one day where
met Mr.. Dudenhauser, register of the
United States land office for this dis
trict, which was then located at Ok
!. ford, who asked me what we were go
ing to do now.
q Build town." l replied. He then
informed me that a man named Red
dington had filed a homestead on the
100 acres embraced in the original
townsite Reddington had been stay
ing at my house for several months,
thus living on his homestead in strict
compliance with the law, and his legal
claim to the land could have been per-
fected in spite of all we could do.
Campbell, Stebbins and | held several
little conferences to see what could
be done in the matter and as an out
come of these conferences we put up
a job on him which induced him to
take a sudden notion to leave the
country. There was a man here named
Bill Van Orman, a dare devil fun-lov~
ing being, who would do anything
that promised an exciting diversion.
Arrangements were made for he and
Reddington to go fishing. Redding-
ton was an enthusiastic fisherman.
,el,;
then, especially on the lake northwest
OF town. While they were thus en-
gagged Reddington asked for the facts
about the killing of his brother. Van
Orman intimated to him that he
thought the whole town was implicat-
ed in the killing, and that there was no
one living here who would not kill a
man on the slightest provocation, and
that he had heard some guarded re-
marks dropped lately about someone
jumping land around American Falls.
and that If they found out who it was
he 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
he has never been seen in American
Falls from that date to this.
Reddington 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 were discovered
showing that his real name was Red
dinQt0n and tho addraoo of bis faro;t,,
j received reply from a brother of
Paxton, stating that 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 Ameri-
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. 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 ran parallel with the rail-