The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-02-20
FAIR ASSOCIATION
ANNALS REVIEWED
Short Sketches of Men
Who Labored for Its
Success
CHAPTER SIEVE N
Planning Big Features

i JOhC vi HlASCll ouCC NY uuyluS up b.
lot of very fine lands in the south
edge of town and some more outside
Of the town limits and laying it out
in city lots. Townsites were selling
over night in some of the plains of
southern Idaho, electric lights were
strung over sagebrush, where street
corners were marked by posts taller
than the brush, and they were SELL
ing and turning into towns between
seasons, and why should not people
have some sense and buy better land
for less money, in the edge of the
Grove City. There was every reason
why they would buy at Blackfoot
when they got to know about its ad-
vantages, and surely the information
would leak thru in the course of
time.
Mr.. Johnston was so sure of the
rapid sale of the lots that he asked
to have the land all taken into the
town corporation, and the town was
very glad to accept. 1t would be
able to tax all these fine meadows as
| city lots, and it has been doing it
ever. since. He sold a lot now and
thClt uOSIly Ou tlC luSIdiimCAl pldI,
and small boys have grown to full
size while he was still paying city
taxes on open meadows. Some years
ago Mr.. Johnson decided that if it
was going to keep right on taking all
he got on the sales, to pay the taxes
on what was left, it would ultimately
eat up the tract, and he asked the
city fathers to release the meadows
and let it be again a part of the
country, but they only jollied him a
little and laid the matter on the
table, and he is still paying the city
taxes on the alfalfa fields.
But Mr.. Johnston can't keep from
looking ahead. A few years ago
there was sale of some land from
the asylum farm in the edge of town,
and he got it into his head that
Blackfoot ought to have park right
there, so he bid in piece to be held
in trust by himself, and to be turned
over without any profit to him
self to, any organization which
the town might create to take it and
improve it for a public playground
that should be under management
that was non-political and nom
sectarian and open to use by all
alike. People applauded him when
he paid in his own money to hold the
tract for such worthy purpose, but |
in the course of many years nobody |
has done anything towards organic
ing to make use of his generous Of
fer. He decided long ago, that if he |
had it to do over again he would |
leave it alone. When people asked |
him why he didn't sell it, he reliped |
that if he did he would make some |
money and then he would be accused |
of bad faith in the first place, go"
he added, what can l do but let it |
set there?"
1t is just as natural for Peter G."
to be scheming for some big future
development as it is to enjoy fine
weather, and three or four years ago
he decided that a fine agricultural
school could be established at the
fair grounds with combination of
state and county money, and put it
Under the management of the local
city schools and do some real farm
ing there on some such plan as the
boy scouts and the boys and girls
clubs do things. These things had
not been developed so much then as
they are now, and Peter was working
on quite advanced ideas when he
evolved his plans. But he had tried
developing something in the south
side of town and had not succeeded,
he had tried starting the public play
grounds in the east side of town and
nobody responded to his offer, so he
decided that he had better camou
1age the source Of the plans to get
somebody else to bring it before the
public. He brought the plans to The
Republican office and we spread it
hru our valuable old sheet and found
With boosting future blessings" the
same as Peter had, and nobody paid
my attention to it. Now that the
arm bureau has taken hold of the
air grounds, and the boys and girls
,lubs are a part of it's activities,
perhaps something akin to Mr..
Tohnston's original wish will come
nto practice.
Mr. Johnston travels more than
most men, and he brings home good,
progressive ideas. He was Bing-
lams representative in the Idaho
legislature for several terms, and
vas often accused of having con-
,ressional ambitions, tho he never
his wish to go to
for anything more than
o fight for Idaho wool, its freight
ates, classification and general
reatment as governed by aw and
'ractice that required combined ef-
ort to get square deal for He
pent last winter (their summer) in
australia land has been at home
most of the past summer.
lie has suffered considerable
rom rheumatism and admits that
is hard to cure.
An Early CoIonist
L. r. THOMAS was a member of
he board in 1910 to 1913 inclusive.
Ir. Thomas was an early resident of
IDAHO, and bore the distinction of
eing treasurer Of Idaho when he
'as hardly more than a boy, and a
ndora1 0fHca hn1aar nc cooo ~