Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Adams County Makes the News - Council Leader #13

The Council Leader
Published Every Thursday by the Council Publishing Company
Fred Mullin, Editor


October 10, 1912
ADAMS COUNTY AND COUNCIL

On March 15, 1911, Washington County was divided and the new county of Adams was created. A number thought we should have a new county because we had the wealth and the territory to warrant it, and by making a county would get the credit for whatever of progress and prosperity that came our way, and which would be an advertisement that would bring new settlers into our county. The latter view has proven correct, for the population has almost, if not quite, doubled in the new county, new industries have sprung up on every hand, and an era of substantial development is upon us, with good prospects of becoming one of the richest and best counties in Idaho. Its versatile resources of mining, lumbering, horticulture, farming and stock-raising give Adams an advantage over many of the other counties in the state.

Within a radius of fifteen miles of Council, three-fourths of the population of the county reside; within a radius of ten miles of Council, more than half the votes of the county will be cast; within a radius of 12 and a half miles of Council there are 3,000 acres of orchards worth at least $500 per acre, to say nothing of the new orchards that will be set out within the next three to five years. It will take an army of people to care for the trees and handle the crops, which will always keep Council in the center of an ever-increasing population.

The town of Council is the present county seat and is a live, growing place. It has good streets, cement sidewalks, proper drainage, good churches and schools, and ample hotel accommodations. All lines of trade are represented and large stocks of goods are carried in the four big general merchandise stores, which have carried many people over misfortunes and hard times when money was scarce. Then we have a number of up-to-date exclusive stores, such as hardware, furniture, feed and grain, confections, notions, fuel, lumber yards, box factory, repair shops, livery and feed stable, and as good physicians as there are in the state.

Exceptionally good wagon roads, for this western country, lead from Council to every section of the county that is populated, by the most direct accessible route. From the Meadows valley, Council can be easily reached by rail. The train coming down in the morning and back at night gives those people an opportunity to transact business in the county seat and get back home the same day. The above are a few reasons why Council should remain the county seat of Adams County.

LOCAL ITEMS, 1912

Sure death to smut. Just received a fresh supply of blue vitriol and formaldehyde at Cool’s.

I have the only public bathtub in town. Your patronage respectfully solicited. Frank Weaver.

Fresh oyster stews at Billie Browns.

See my new line of children’s hats before buying elsewhere. Iola DeGaris.

Remember I am the only Licensed Weigher in Adams County and my scales are absolutely correct. Fred Cool.

Married— January 20th, at the Congregational parsonage in Council, Will Wilkerson of Salubria and Miss Mary Ricksecker of Indian Valley. Both parties are well and favorably known in the valley, the groom having been born and raised in our sister valley and the bride being prominent in the social life of the valley the past two years. While the happy event was a surprise to all their friends in this part of the country, all join in wishing them a happy and prosperous journey through life.

A.J. Anderson, W.E. Henke, A.J. Francis, J.I. Linder, A.E. Bailey, Thos. Hutchison and Frank Murphy attended the meeting of the anti-Council League at New Meadows, January 16th.

On Monday, January 22nd, the home of John Hutchison was burned to the ground. Only a small part of the contents was saved. This is a heavy loss to Mr. Hutchison, as he has a large family, and had their winter provisions stored in the house, none of which was saved. The origin of the fire is not known, but is supposed to be a defective flue. There was no insurance so far as we have heard.

At the state fair at Boise last week, Adams County won 73 premiums, mostly on fruit. So far we have been unable to get a list of the winners, but we hope to have it for publication next week. Indian Valley won second sweepstakes on dry farm products.

Our people were surprised Tuesday night to learn that Fred Cool, the popular feed store man, had developed a sudden and severe case of appendicitis. Mr. Cool was taken to the Weiser hospital on the morning train Wednesday accompanied by Mrs. Cool and Dr. Martin. Word received from Weiser Wednesday evening stated that an operation had been successfully performed and we all hope for his speedy recovery and return.

“Dr. Stork” visited our valley again last week and left a 10 pound girl at the home of Clyde Steward. He was accompanied by Dr. Schmidt of Cambridge.

Remember the Carnival at the Eagle opera house tomorrow. A good chance to buy Christmas presents and at the same time visit with friends.


Nels Hanson was in Saturday and requested us to say that he did not file complaint against Walter Schroff and his wife as stated in the Leader two weeks ago.

August 22, 1912
ONE ON THE DOCTOR

A good joke on Dr. Gillespie leaked out this morning. He was hunting grouse east of town yesterday and flushed a bird which flew into town. The doctor thought it alighted on the hill north of Dr. Brown’s residence and took a long tramp after it. When he came to the home of his brother-in-law, he asked Mrs. Ransopher if she had seen the grouse. She had. The bird had flown into her woodshed where she caught it and had it in a box. We will not try to express Dr. Gillespie’s feelings, but the Ransophers had chicken for supper.

November 13, 1912
A CIRCULAR LETTER

To the Citizens of Council and vicinity:
A political campaign, honestly financed and conducted, may be productive of good. It is inspiring. It is educative. It tends to provoke thought. The late campaign was a complex one. Local issues made it a vitally interesting one to us as citizens of Council and vicinity. But the campaign of 1912 is over. Election day is past. Wilson is to be our next president, Haynes the new governor of our state, and Council the permanent county seat of Adams County. The last named result of the election is very satisfactory to us all. Other results may not be as satisfactory to more or less of us, but they’re beyond our power to change for the present. To be grumbling and grouty will only make matters worse. Let us settle down and make the best of it for nation, state, and county.

The Great Architect who built the earth has piled up many grand hills and mountains and dug out many beautiful valleys. We are living in one of those beautiful valleys. Let us see to it that our city is a sane and safe place. When fathers and husbands and brothers come to Council on business, may those at home not fear their return crazed with drink or penniless through gambling, or tainted by vice of any kind. Let us keep our city free from standing temptations to vice and sin—a place where it is comparatively easy for men and women to be good.

Our churches are meant to be standing invitations to good living and good citizenship. Now that political excitement has subsided and the season of greater leisure is approaching, we, the undersigned, pastors of the churches of Council would urge upon you a broader and deeper interest in our work. As pastors of the churches in Council, our business is to get men and women to live right before God and with their fellows. We ourselves desire so to live before you that you will not be ashamed to own us as ministers of the gospel and pastors of the churches in Council.

Yours for what is high and good,
E.I. Getman
H.C. Stover


3 comments:

  1. Sad to read of the house fire. I had a gg grandfather who was killed in a house fire in Kansas. There were so many then, with the use of oil lamps and candles.

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  2. This is very intriguing: 'Sure death to smut. Just received a fresh supply of blue vitriol and formaldehyde at Cool’s.'

    I wonder exactly what it means!?

    I like the story of the grouse trapped in a box, too.

    These little snippets of life seem so much more personal and interesting than what we read nowadays in local papers.

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  3. Hi Willow & Nana Jo

    Willow: Yes, true about fires. Much of the town of Council burned at one point--I can't recall the dates on that tho.

    Nana Jo: Smut originally meant stains from soot, so this is something to clean around wood stoves & wood-burning ranges. Actually, the local paper still has some of this air! Glad you liked this.

    ReplyDelete

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