The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-08-28


Jones. This Mr. Jones is local
statesman whose fame and reputa-
ton spilled over the boundaries OF
North Idaho long ago when he be-
came one of the strong men of the
legislature Seth is said to weigh
$50 pounds, but l think the figures
are too low A special seat was con-
structed for him in the senate and
every lobbyist, and, it is said, every
| lady who visited the legislature ask
ed about him. He is what adver-
Users call an attention-getter. The
printer setting the large type to
catch attention would take him for
the exclamation point. Place him
in a crowd and watch the passen-
gers coming from the depot and az
ter a glance at the crowd, the eye
of each one rests on Mr.. Jones. He
is one of those lovable characters
like the late S. ]. Rich of Bingham
county whom you had to know pref
ty we'll to fully appreciate. But Seth
doesn't care how long it takes peo-
pie to get to know him that well.
He gets his fun out of doing the
things that make men become at
tached to him. He gets his pay on.
the spot, like the Skaggs stores that
maintain the cash and carry system,
or as certain southerners would say,
"Pay and tote "a
Mr.. Jones is reputed to be one of
those wholesome fellows who can;
en'ioy a Joke on himself. A good
MANY years ago sumo rude fellow
told this one on him and credited
It to Seth. l don't suppose 1t is
true. but it won't hurt to tell it just
among ourselves.
Seth was riding in the rear seat
of his Ford car and wanted to go
down through some meadows to see
a man. When he got to the gate
where the road led in, he had the
driver stop the car while he went
to the house to see how the road
was down in the field-whether1
firm or swampy and rough. boy
met him in the yard, and Seth as
sumed that the boy saw the car and
knew it was his transport, and that
that was what he was talking about.
The boy told him where the road
ran, and told him to go in at that
gate. Seth was still thinking OF the
condition of the field and the road,
and said, do you think l can get
through there?" And the boy, think
ing he was asking about the gate,
sized him up and then looked at the
gate and said, why yes; a load OF
hay just wen through It..
Grangeville is little town where,
in summer, cars are going and COM
ing all night as part of the through
traffic over the North and South
highway, just as Ogden was little
town on the Pacific railroad fifty
wears ago when Grangeville was
founded, and as Rochester, N. T.,
was little town hundred years
ago when the Erie canal was ded1-
Gated in 1924. All night the autos
are whizzing through Grangeville.
It is the convention town of that
part of the north, situated at the
end of branch railroad that leads
seven tunnels and over
very high trestle, which, until re-
cent years was said to be the high
est bridge in the world. That is
a pretty good record for road that
Just meanders across the praries, but
prairies in North Idaho are differ-
emit. They are set up on the top OF
the world, and the drainage system
has sawed through to lower level.
The bridge mentioned was VI SCoci,
made in Pittburgh and shipped to
destination ready. to be erected on
the towering cement piers already
in place to receive it. All the false
work was in position for quick erec-
lion of the steel, and the men and
he whole organizations near at hand
10 do the work and do it fast.
The Tragic Trestle.
When they began to lay the steel
IN position they found that every
,tringer and arch was too short by ;
xix inches Every brace and rod ;
vas correspondingly short. 1t was ;
/ most perfect bridge for some other ]
,lace, but it could not be used on
hese towers and abutments. I have {
orgotten the history of it, but l
hink there were two trainloads OF {
teel and every bit of it was loaded
IN the cars again and shipped back J
o Pittsburgh. The designer had
cad some figures wrong somewhere
md when he found the mistake was
upon him he committed SUI
eide. But the work moved on, and
low the famous highway runs by the 7
completed bridge and the trains spin