The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-11-29
CONTRIBUTION BOX


Editor Star Mirror; As the great
world war is over and the intense in
terest manifested by the general pub
Ilic has somewhat subsidized, it may be of
interest to those who have cast their lot
with Moscow since the early pioneers
did so much to mould it into the beau
tiful little city it now IS Much inter
esting information may be had by re-
ference to the records of the Pioneer
Association now in the possession of ].
/ L. Naylor. BY personal interviews
with Ex-Governor Mcconnell, G. w.
Toner. William Frasier Merdo Camera,
Henry McGrtgor or any other old
! timer who has survived the ravages of
time and yet live to tell the true his
tory of those early days when we had
no railroad, telegraph or telephone and
had to go to Walla Walla for most of
CUR supplies. In this article I shall only
attempt to give some of the transactions
which may seem somewhat personal to
myself. | do this not to exploit anything
may have contributed to the advance
nlent of Moscow. but to a belief that
those who have cast their lot with Mos
COW subsequently may have a true his
tory of the early life and growth of
the town, and who were its early ben
efactors.
To go into detail would take more
space than could be spared in the col
umns of your valuable paper. Suffice
it to say that among the early benefac
tors might be mentioned Ex-Governor
w. J. Mcconnell, NJ. ]. Shields, Herbert
Clark. John Russell, Charles Moore, A.
A. Lieuallen. The first grist mill was
erected by c. and n C. Moore on the
present site of the foundry of the Idaho
National Harvester company. A short
time after Mr.. Moore contracted with
John Russell for 240 acres of his one
half section being all not already sold
of what is now east Moscow for $1,000
He then induced the following to take
a seventh interest in the deal Herbert
Clark, w. w. Baker, Mr.. Boyer of
Wala Walla C. S. A. Howard, William
Simpson, river man, and myself.
Herbert Clark was made attorney in
fact to transact the business of the COM
Dany He had what is known as the
Park addition laid out in blocks and
OTIS After disposing of several blocks /
and lots at low figure I remember
giving $500 for the beautiful block
where the Parsons residence and the
Mark p Miller residence now stand. +
Herbert Clark disappeared !
md the court appointed a commission
o divide what was left of the purchase
except the four blocks which had been :
eserved for a park but had not been
but was used as a pasture by 4
our humble servant. 1t remained in {
his condition for several years until
.indol Smith was elected mayor. The
own having been Incorporated in the I
1ean time. He then took the matter
f procuring title from the owners of
ne tract for the city. J. w. Lieuallen
ras city clerk and he had a deed made
nd asked the owners to sign which they
id. AS the lots were worth at that s
inc $500 apiece and as there are "a e
ITS in the Park they gave $1,000 each {
) the city, a larger gift than has ever F
cen given to the city by anyone else Z
efore or since Frank White was z
nployed to set the park in trees and f
lie place has been beautified largely =
7 the public spirited ladies of Moscow y
SISTED by the city council y
This is a rough and an imDerfect his