The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-02-13
FAIR ASSOCIATION
ANNALS REVIEWED
Short Sketches of Men
Who Labored for Its
Success
CHAPTER SIX
Misfortunes and Smiles

1 MlSfOrtuneS and Smiles
F. P. ROBERT was in the milling
business in Blackfoot, and later, op
Grated a mill at Rigby, Idaho. We
believe his mill burned down in re-
cent years and we have lost track Of
Mr.. Robert, but think he Is still in
business at Rigby. Felix has been
in the way Of good many mis-.
fortunes in twenty-five years, fires
and financial failures that overlook
the enterprises he put money into
but he has always kept up his cour-
age and his smiles.
Affecting the Centuries
o. F. SMITH was the original
nurseryman at Blackfoot. He
started his ventures in Idaho with
about $1.00 down and nothing COM
ing till he raised it. To be exact
he started with less than that, for he
was in Nebraska during some Of
those very dry years that were also
panicky years, and he came to Ogden
to look for a job. He took a job
selling some household trinket, and
as he said to the writer, he put in
about week ringing peoples door
bells and getting turned down. Then
he walked into an implement house
and told them his name was O. F.
Smith, that he was broke, but did
not propose to stay broke, and
wanted to borrow $50 to go to Idaho
Falls, where he believed he could
get job and make new start. You
know how men are sometimes when
regular fellow" approaches them
in the right way-they take a
chance. Smith got his $50 and
afterwards paid it back and bought
so much goods of the firm that they
were glad he borrowed. the money
of them.
But that was not the last nervy
venture that Smith made. He leased
some of the fiat that is now COM
prised in the E. M. Snyder farm and
Pat Kings place at the north end of
Snake river bridge and planted it to
treelets and potatoes. He farmed 1t
five years, and made money on 1t.
He planted treelets and sold trees.
Then he rented more land, with the
privilege of buying, and before he
had that paid for he bought more on
the installment plan, making the
land pay the installments. He es-
tablished nursery with a good
name all up and down the valley,
and it was the only one in Bingham
county. 1t was known as the Bing-
ham county nursery, tho he used the
particular wording "Blackfoot Nurs-
cries, o. F. Smith, Proprietor" in all
his advertising. Somebody else took
advantage of the situation and
started another one right close to
him and called it the Bingham
County Nursery, gobbled all the
business it could under the name
that careless friends and customers
used in addressing Smith, and it
went broke, fiat, by the acts of other
men who were still keener than they
were at taking the other fellows
goods and money away from him.
Mr. Smith was always trying, al
ways busy and always in a venture.
He drove good horses, and if autos
had been in vogue then, he would
have been driving the best ones. He
lived more in fifty years than most
men do in that length of time, and
did it by his constant activity. The
last years of his life were at some
disadvantage, for he hi 4 strange
illness that kept him from carrying
his enterprises to success, but his
good wife stepped into the breach
and did il for him.
Mr. Smith did much for III, fair.
IIe did much for Idaho outside OF T. G
fair. His nursery was fair, and at
times, hdral exhibit. Are you so
ing to attend the Blackfoot chautua-
qua next June? Sure you are; on
season ticket. And when you go in
and take one look at the stage, 1t