The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-03-30
LIFE IN LEMHI COUNTY
IN THE Gan. DAYS

| "a charming story OF the early
days Is begun in the Pioneer depart
ment today from the pen of Mrs. Me
Caleb of Salmon. IL is TO be divided
and run in two or three issues. Mrs.
MeCaleb made this contribution for
a club paper in Salmon many years
ago, investing the narrative with an
intimate personal character that
makes il now all the more interest
ing as chronicle of the time. Edo
| The passage of the holiday season,
that somehow always sets one dream
ing OF the past and the beginning Of
the New Year. with its fresh resolves
and active duties, have served as q
reminder OF promise made. To con
tribute something to the columns OF
the club newspaper, and that
should, if possible, be a reminiscent
of life in the early days of Lem
county, The promise and It's fulfill
ment seemed easy enough when the
former was given; but once seated
with pen in hand, the difficulties in
the way OF writing a readable article
began to present themselves for con
sideration. In the FIRST place, dates in
many instances could not be recalled,
and then a history to be at all inter
esting, would have 10 deal largely In
personalities, and this In many in
stances. for obvious reasons would
not be best. Then somehow things
lose so much by being put on paper
The story needs to be verbally told,
and told to those who have memo.
ries in common with the narrator
The telling needs for encouragement,
the sparkle of the eye, the hearty as
sent, the aye ayes of those who took
part in all that made up the life OF
those early days. and who came here,
when hope was fresh and life was
young. But in spite of the difficulties
the promise shall be kept While oy-
er the general record of the happen.
ings, in this little bit OF mountain
surrounded country then as now
known as Lemhi county. might apt.
| ly be written, THE Annals of a Quiet
Neighborhood," for we were all
neighbors, still, even In this place
then so remote from all the great
centers OF trade and civilization, and
with a population scattered in what
was a much larger county than at
present, there were episodes as ro-
mantle, tragedies as awful, devotions
as beautiful, and unwritten heart his
| tories as pathetic as any that by
glazing headlines compels attention
in the newspapers of today. Mar
riages, births and deaths brought
their quota of Joy and pride and pain
of which there can be no forgetful.
ness. There were friendships which
in unselfishness and loyalty APP
Doached TO that OF Damon and Ply
thias, or TO that strange love that
knit the soul OF Jonathan to that Of
David, the shepherd king of lsreal.
II was early in the fifties that the
Mormons first settled and named
Lemhi county; but owing 10 their
small numbers, and the determined
hostility of the Indians, they were
compelled 60 abandon their homes in
the year SIS thus making way for
i thoge who would affect permanent
settlement. which was the result Of
gold being found In paying quaint
ties In the year &c In W. became
known as the Leesburg mining dis.
trict. The daring and hardy men who
made this discovery were Elijah Aul-
key. b. F. Sharkey, William Smith,
George Chamberlain and Festus
Butts. soon other prospectors joined
them, and the result was what H.
known IN miners parlance as a
stampede" TO this district in
whose limits was located the site Of
what rapidly grew into the booming
little mining town of LeesburR. whose
setting amid mountains which I'm
wildness OF beauty could hardly be
surpassed and with an ideal summer
climate that made II delightful
place in which To spend the warmer
months. But the winters were long
and often rigorous, and the snowfall
so great that snow shoes were ne
cessity; and books and all the good
cheer a miners cabin could furnish
were needed TO while away the days
and months Of enforced idleness,
which must be spent. until the mild
or weather, and the melting snow,
made continuous active work possible
Who can tell of the dreams dreamed
by these men while they waited for
the coming OF spring? Who shall say
what high resolves in which duty and
love and wealth were mingled. came
to them while shut away IN these
mountain Businesses, away from
home and friends and without the
means Of communicating with them
except at long intervals? The clrcum
stances which led 10 the settlement
of Leesburg and the country about H.
lied almost as directly TO the location
and building OF Salmon City. This
place was then the terminus OF the
wagon road Here all the provisions
and the supplies needed In WORKING
the mines would have 10 be stored
until they could be sent across the
mountains to Igeesburg by pack ant
mails There was then no bridge
across the Salmon river so fern
boat was kept These things a. vel
as the gradual settlement OF the LAND
adjacent 20 this locality. made a no
tel. shops and a store an early nee"s
sity. Here Hon. Geo. l.. Sh0up beRaI
business in q small log house and
year or so after Messrs. NcNut an'
Phillips. who had engaged in M
mercantile business in LseEburE u