The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-09-07

as the location OF Cne university Oh
Idaho, the donation of the city park
to the city of Moscow, and other in
cidents, which would beof interest tc
those who have since come to make
their home in this beautiful little city
so we will start in with the Location
of the 0. w. R. & N. depot.
Way back in the eighties when Jay
Cooks went bankrupt in financing the
Northern Pacific railroad, it SO af-
fected the finances of the whole
country, that other enterprises had to
suspend operations. Among others
which affected Moscow was the COM
pletion of the 0. w. R. & N. railway
which was then completed to Colfax,
and surveyed and partly graded to
Moscow. At that time Mr.. O'Bryan
was chief engineer of the O. w. R. &
N. railway system. Through the in
fluence of Charles Moore, who in COM
pany with his brother, Miles c. Moore
of Walla Walla, had purchased the
Mathony and John Benjamin places
just north of Moscow and was build
ing a grist mill where the foundry of
the Idaho National Harvester COM
pany now stands, induced Mr.. O'Bryan
to locate the depot on the old Math-
ciy place. anu IIe SIdue was dlLlOSC
completed to that point and the depot
in this condition about two years
when work was again started and the
grade continued to the north of town,
in the meantime Mr.. O'Bryan had been
succeeded by Mr.. Theisonas as chief
engineer Of the road and Mr.. Nc
Clelland as assistant engineer, at that
time | was running the Barton House
which stood where the Hotel Moscow
now stands, and upon Mr.. Thiesons'
first visit to Moscow he was accomp-
anied by Mr.. McClelland, old timers
will remember that a long porch ex-
tended the full length of the Barton
House and one evening Mr.. Thieson
and Mr.. McClelland was sitting on
this porch and discussing the location
of the depot. Being in the office of
the hotel and alone / overheard the
conversation. | heard Mr.. Thieson
say it is a damned shame to have
located the depot where it is, what
will they do if they want to extend
the road tunnel through the hill when
they could have a natural grade if 10
Gated on the south of town. 1t might
be well to explain that there was
quite a strife between the north and
south part of town one being anxious
to pull trade to the Barton House.
l said why not change it yet? They
both shut up like clans but being
quite well acquainted with McClel-
land, | called him in the office and
requested him to get Mr.. Thieson to
meet James Deakon and Henry Nc
Gregor to see what they would do
about giving depot grounds. l then
went on the street and met Henry
Durham, asked him where he wanted
the depot located. He was then run
ming a store where the Spicer block
now stands. He answered to the south
of course. We then hunted up Jim
Shields and had another conference
with McClelland. By this time it
was ten O'Clock. By this time John
Kensley had Joined us in order not
to attract attention of any one in
the northern part of the town we
scattered out and sent one at a time
to the bridge oven Paradise creek and
sent Kensley to rout out McGregor
and Shields to get Deacon, both be-
ing in bed, but soon appeared on the
bridge. Shields became spokesman
and after telling them the situation
said something like this, Now by
God when they ask you what they
want for depot grounds give it to
hem no dickering. Your land will be
worth four hundred dollars per acre
While it is not worth thirty now. They
agreed to do so and also agreed to
give equal amounts if located on one
he other vas to deed half the amount
the other. We again scattered
'ut and | piloted them up the back
tairs to Thieson's room It was now
bout eleven o'clock. They offered all
he road asked. When they came out
hey informed US that Thieson had
AIKEN the offer but as the road was
lready located and partly graded he
ardly thought it would be changed.
S short time after this there was a
tockholders meeting in Portland and
lilies G.. Moore being one of the stock
olders and director attended the
leeting with the deed of the depot
in his pocket. Now it so hap {
that the Moores and w. S. I
add of Portland who also was a {
,ockholder and director and owned I
lie Albina Mills of Portland had an {
.reement with the Moores to fur
lsh his mill with wheat, so when c
ley came to the consideration of the S
spot grounds at Moscow, Moore took 9
1T his deeds and said Gentlemen | t
ave the deeds to the depot grounds il
cost to the company all we
TX is the exclusive privilege of the o
arehouse grounds at Moscow. Mr.. 0
1ieson spoke up and said we cannot W
We you that privilege. Mr.. Laid V
id these people are. giving us valu- a
lie lands and we should give them E
is privilege or pay them for the t,
Theison answered I Ear get 81
better site there for nothing. Laid Ia
identity thinking this a bluff said
u had better go and get it Theison tt
once arose and took his hat and a.
alked out of the meeting, came to p
and started the grade to the
nth. The old grade is still in exist
&c. So with the unwilling assist A
ce of Mr.. Moore and Mr.. Laid we
cceeded in getting the depot located
the south end of town. This pro Is
sding in Portland / got from Mr..
aries Moore himself. This is a At
lie history of the change of the 0.
N. depot from the north end of S
'scow to the present location. 1t
now known as the O.. w. R. N. 81
Respectfully submitted.
R. H. BARTON. ct