Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-11-05
FIRE DESTROYS
OLD LANDMARK
Dwelling House North of
Glenns Ferry Built in the
Early Days of Elmore
County Wiped Out by
Fire October "a.

The destruction by fire on Mon
day. October "a, as briefly men
toned in the Gazette of last week,
of the residence on what is better
known as tht Latty ranch, removes
pioneer landmark. The ranch is To-
Gated on Cold Springs creek, twelve
miles north of Glenns Ferry.
The ranch, now owned by the
Wbitsen brothers of Mountain Home
comprises $50 acres. The filing on
the original 800 of this ronch was
made by Andrew Pugh, who yoor
or two later--in 1SS1-sold his as
signment to James Stout, father CT
Charles Stout cf Glenns Ferry. Mr..
Stout at once set about improving
his place and in 1882 had the walls
built and the flooring laid In the
following year he had the building
completed. There being no saw
mills in the country at that time
and it being too far from market to
haul all of the lumber, the upper
and lower joists were of hewn logs
and saplings. The walls were of
stone and were put up by Doc Glenn,
the father of G. p, G. c., and 0, S,
Glenn, pioneers of this section. He
was also the grandfather of Roy,
Charley and Horace Glenn, now re-
siding here.
At that time, there being no lime
or cement within "a reasonable dis
tan2e, mortar made of the native
earth was used 1t is said on Mr..
Glenn, the mason, that he was great
on his designs for exterior effect,
To obtain this in building the walls
he would here and there use fiat
1tone four to five inches thick and
two to four feet long These he
would place in building the wall on
end with the fiat side out. Mr..
Stout had his doubts as to the sub
stantiality Of the walls with stones
so placed and with the earth mortar
as a cement, Mr.. Glenn replied he
need have no fear as the walls
would stand. And they are stand
ing as a testimonial to the good
Judgment of the builder and the
hardships of the early pioneers.
Mr.. Stout was "a great worker and
in addition to other improvements
made on his ranch, he built stone
smokehouse with milkhouse and a
stable also of stone. In addition to
this, two high walls Of stone were
built enclosing a fourteen foot court
connecting the main building with
the outbuildings.
In those days it would require
some time for one man to prepare
the necessary wooden material for q
fence and this pioneer devised and
built about a mile in all Of new
kind of fence. He dug two tren-
ches-one on each side of the fence
line. The earth was thrown to the
center and formed the ba or part
of the fenc. On this r.lge, s,me
two feet high, he placed sage brush
laying them in horizont position
with the butt ends in. On these
butts dirt was thrown % ht.l cht
brush in place and thus WIS formed
his first and effective fence.
In those days the men who were
occupying the range with the cat
tie were 10th to see settlers coming
in and fencing up the fertile val
leys and water sources. For this
reason the early-day rancher wa'
not altogether free at all times from
outside molestation.
: At the death of the pioneer N
1911 the ranch reverted to the son
! Charles Stout, who sold 1t in 1917
to John Latty, who had for som'
years prior been a lessee ON th'
land.
Mr.. Latty later filed and provet
up on the 800 acres adjoining Of
] the south, the original filing. II
addition to this Mr. Latty als'
proved UP on 40 lying to the north
east and on which is located the no
@ springs. The filing for this 40 wa
n made BY james Stout.
( The fire, which destroyed tn
, woodwork Of the building and al
t the contents, originated in the roo
n off the kitchen at about 10 oclocl
: IN the forenoon. There was no in
n surance. Hunter Davey and famil
was living on the ranch at the tim
le 49, ara CLAIM Ferry Gazette