The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-01-05

-, iP~s anu DOCKS cOntaining
useIui and necessary data. and with d
SoIps OF assistants completed hls
historical SERIES a work az ver,
great value. in 1890 of 20 vo,urna.
rms Bancroft collection was after.
wards acquired by the University os
Callfofnia. A history OF idaho was
included in this series. and Mr. Shau,
detailed as field worker to eollect
data concerning this state. He col.
lected all material possible from the
parties themselves, thus getting II
| Ifon nrst sources. The foIIowing
arucle was secured from one of the
early pioneers of this county. THE
Lemhi Historical society has been in
quest of this article for several
months and has at last secured a copy
rom the curator of this collection
Inc author of this Idaho Terri
Iory' tamiliarly called Colonel
Snoup, was born in Pennsylvania in
1886 and died at Boise in 1900 He
came TO Lemhi in 1867 and in that
year lald out the site of Salmon CITY
When Lemhi county was organized by
ne legislature OF 1863. he was one
oI lhe hrst county commissioners ap-
pointed. For these acts he has hen
designated the Father of Lembi
county He afterwards served this
county as representative in the terri
torial legislature during the sth SEES
sion OF 1875, and as councilman dur.
ing the 10th session of 1879. He was
idaho's last territorial and her frst
state governor and served ten wears
as one OF our first Unites States sen.
dtors' Six years after his death. the
people OF the State OF Idaho selected
hlm AS their most distinguished SON
whose statue should stand In statuarv
pau, a position occupied only by the
most 2striouc and loyal of Ameri.
can clllzens. ASd an honor which will
i've on the sfn0ls of fame down 10
me me isst Ei9fNiing pendulum of time.
ms Lie NNA Hch thRt he was FIRST
Z. r. '''e''
Col Geo. L. Shoun 81 Aas,,,cD f,,,.
Lemhi county, Idaho a6kr4fnVs. =. = .s
born in Kittanning. Arm f1ne ol.;sr. ~
ty. Penn; removed win - 49, 4 r..
to Illinois in 1852: Occupation anrI.
culture and merchandising. il 10s8
went into the new Territory 81 colo
rado and engaged in mining and mer-
ehanaising at Boulder City. Col
fohou& supplies tA5 following Earra.
i've: In 1850 ] was at Crescent CITY
ana WhLe there was u member of the
first Constitutional Convention OF
Colorado. On the breaking out of
the Rebellion / organized an indie.
pendent cavalry company and served
as End Lieut.. Col, Major. etc
throughout the war. In 1866 / took
stock of goods 10 Virginia City
Montana, and commenced a business
as general merchant AT this time
the Salmon river mines were dlscoy-
cred. and in the way of trade was
forced TO send large stock of goods
over the Rocky Mountains 10 the Sal.
mon river, Idaho Ty. (The Rocky
Mountains here are simply a rang.
OF nils and seem TO have expended
their force in the almost parallel
chains, the Bitter Root, Saw Tooth
and Coeur d'Alene) In the sprinR of
1867 l went over myself with intent
10 transfer my business TO the place
ana IN January 1867 commenced the
erection OF the first (almosD log ca
DIN OF any size. The following spring.
the town site was moved TO the oppo-
site side OF the river
These diggings were discovered in
1866 by a party consisting OF men
from Montana mines, and were
Messrs- Barney Sharkey. VIM Smith
Ward Girton, Lie Mulkey and others
names forgotten. Great excitement
sprung up concerning them and In
1867 tsummeT) 5000 men came into
camp, Most OF these were Adventures
and soon drifted away, and left about
1900 bona fide locations in Salmon
City and vicinity The claims paid
from IS TO an uncoe (&l7) to the hand
per day-dust coarse and medium nj
al once with others laid out a town
site and we distributed lots and set
aside ones for public use. schools |
etc, and called 1t Salmon city The
Wards Gulch Sapias creek. and
Homestead Gulch named after the
prospector Ward Girton. Claims were
taken up under the old law. which al. |
lowed 200 feet TO claim, and a disCoy |
cry claim also. After five years work /,
by old methods the best deposits had |
been worked out but the new methods I
of bedrock fumes and hydrahc ap /
pafatus still carry on the work with mo-
seeming lack in quantity OF dust This 1
OF course lessened the population to /
ats present standing. 500 OF 500 men .
More Pope started the first ex /
press in 1867 70 Idaho City and charE- l
ed 50 cents per letter, and 70 Ban
mock City. Montana The L s mail 1
was pdt on IN 1863, and ran from Ban.
mock City. Population reached mini. /
mum IN 1870
Farmers commenced TO come in /
and make homes almost Immediately.
a. there was a large extent Of finest
agricultural land IN Lemhi valley /
which T. s To 5 miles vide and IS !
miles long All grains and temperate
fruits grew IN proiusIon. and cattle
Of all kinds throve in the hardest
winters without stall feeding. and We
lost none through sold or snow
my loss 10 hardest winter 10 5000
head was not more than one per cent
The town Was az the confluence
Of the Lsmhi and Salmon rivers
Twenty miles above on the Lemhi
river Is the Indian reservation twelve
miles square. This is a choice body
Of land and is occupied by the Ban
nockss ShOshones and Sheepeaters
This is what is called old Fort Lemhi.
to which there was a wagon road
built in 1857 by Mormons who were