Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #43

Adams County Leader
Council, Adams County, Idaho
C. H. Wines, Lessee-Editor-Proprietor
Wm. Lemon, Owner

November 5, 1937
STREETS WITHOUT NAMES

The streets of Council are unadorned with names to guide the stranger about town, and to a stranger this is a disadvantage.  While it is true that Council is not so large that one would be in any danger of getting lost and needing the police to get oriented again, yet it is a disadvantage to tell a stranger, or even some not so strange, the way about town.  To try and describe where So-and So lives, so many blocks south and so many blocks east of such-and-such a place is a poor way of telling one coming to inquire where another is to be found.

It seems that the main streets, at least, are named, and we have heard their names a time or two, but they are as strange to the ears of Council residents as they are to strangers.  Why would it not be possible for the village to have small signs painted and placed to designate the principle streets at least?  The cost would not be too great and the benefits certainly would be great.

January 28, 1938
NO SIGNS ON THE STREETS  

Miss Trumbo in her talk at the dinner Saturday night, stressed some of the needs of the village and suggested that some of the civic and fraternal organizations might help.  Her suggestion that the streets of Council have signs placed on them was entirely in harmony with our ideas on the subject.  Some time ago, this paper mentioned the subject in an editorial, but to date, nothing has been done about it.  Again we urge this improvement.  Of course, there is no danger of losing oneself in Council, we all know that it is too small for that.  But what a convenience it would be to be able to describe where someone lives by giving the name of the street.  Besides, it would give strangers to our town a much better impression.  If the village board will not do this, why not some or all of our organizations get together and do it?  This improvement would not be expensive.  The streets are already named, but it is doubtful if there are many who know the name of the very street on which they live.  Let's have some action on this matter.

LOCAL ITEMS, 1930s

Fruitvale: Mrs. Caseman had a birthday, so last Thursday, in spite of the cold wind which held sway that day, a few of her friends gathered to help her celebrate.  Anna Kathrine McGinly brought her Aunt Jo a large platter of popcorn balls, which the whole crowd helped to dispose of.  They were delicious.  After singing, playing, telling stories and jokes, and doing a little sewing and tatting, a table was laid with good things to eat and twelve gathered around to eat in a merry mood.  About four thirty, the guests departed for home, voting a good time and the determination to have another surprise party some day.

Council to The Dalles, Oregon - By Telephone, $1.20

Wrestling Match at the Legion Hall: L. L. Noregaard of Willowa, Oregon, “Kid” Farrens of Mesa, Idaho.  Dance after the match.

Reports have gone the rounds the past couple of weeks that the children of the Fred Schultz family have had infantile paralysis.  This rumor is all a hoax as they have been under the doctor’s care for some time and have been pronounced physically OK.  The paralysis scare has frightened a good many people but as far as any one knows, there are no cases in the valley.

John Hoover says the worms are out and ready for a mass attack on orchards.  He is making ready for a vigorous fight against them with all the weapons of modern insect warfare.

Dale Donnelly has visualized spring just around the corner and in a spirit of preparedness has stocked up on a big supply of garden seeds.

Three cents a week.  That is all the Leader costs.  Surely you can’t afford to get along without it at that price.  Don’t borrow it.  Subscribe.  Do It Now!

Mrs. Jennie Braden, who owns the farm about three miles west of Council where Ben Gulliford farmed for the past several years, brought in two big ears of the corn raised on the farm.  The ears are about eleven inches long and well-filled.

On the Silver Screen at the People’s Theatre: “Park Avenue Logger,” a thrilling outdoor drama set against New York City and the rugged background of a gigantic lumber camp in the Northwest. 

Some County Expenses, 1938:
County Health, contagious diseases, etc.: $549.81
Rodent Control:  $504.22     
Grasshopper Control: $80.00          
Brand Inspector: $16.25      
Sheriff, wages: $1,497.00                   
Superintendent of Schools, salary:  $1,100.00 
Road and Bridge: $13,411.63                    
Charities (aid, medical, burial, temporary, children, etc.: $7,172.46

February 26, 1937

Leader Readers:
If Anyone
--Elopes
--Dies
--Gets Married
--Has Guests
--Goes Away
-- Has a Party
--Has a Baby
--Has a Fire
--Is Ill
--Has an Operation
--Has an Accident
--Buys a Home
--Wins a Prize
--Receives an Award
--Builds a House
--Makes a Speech
--Holds a Meeting
--Or Takes Part in Any Other Unusual Event

That’s News

We Want It

PHONE 25
compiled by Eberle Umbach

Thus concludes the series, Adams County Makes the News.  A big Robert Frost's Banjo thanks to Eberle for making this available to us!

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #42

Adams County Leader
Council, Adams County, Idaho
C. H. Wines, Lessee-Editor-Proprietor
Wm. Lemon, Owner

October 14, 1938
LEADER’S POLITICAL POSITION
Your editor and publisher of the Adams County Leader is taking time out long enough this week to try and make it clear as to his position and attitude toward publishing a newspaper in this county where there are patrons of different political party alignments and only the one newspaper in the county.  Plainly, and right off the bat, I think my duty to my patrons and the citizens of the county is to publish a strictly non-partisan newspaper.  I shall be frank to say that my personal political faith is democratic, but I am determined to keep the Leader out of politics in deference to the varied political faiths of my constituents.  The various county candidates are all my friends, and I regard each and every one of them as mighty fine citizens and, also, I feel that the voters of the county are entirely competent to judge as to the respective merits of the candidates without any advice or argument from me.  Therefore, I shall strive to let the candidates fight their own battles while I endeavor to give them a perfectly fair deal in the columns of the Leader.  I shall welcome signed articles on political subjects as long as they refrain from personalities and mud slinging.

April 1, 1938

The Mountaineers, Meadows Valley High School newspaper, Betty Bevans, editor.

Does a change of scenery once in a while make a person easier to live with?  The pessimist says "no" and the optimist says "yes."  As for my own personal opinion, I say yes.  When you see different faces and hear new ideas, you are awakening some dormant cells in your brain.  When enough of these cells are stimulated you feel vigorous again.  While you are allowing these cells to lie in a sleepy state, you are not interested and soon become bored with the world.  This is bound to upset those around you and make life even more difficult.

You think probably that you cannot afford a trip.  You really can't afford not to take a trip.  You may be spending more time at home making up for the trouble you are causing because of your befuddled frame of mind.  If a short visit out of town is taken, it will soon pay for itself by the things you learn while you are gone.  It may seem minute in importance at the present, but it will open up a new vein of thought of countless value.

Right now is an excellent time of the year to haul in your anchor, kiss your family goodbye, and set off down the road.  Your mind is full of the few important things that have happened during the winter, and you feel sluggish and old.  If you get away from it all for a while, you will find the summer a much brighter one than ever before.

January 14, 1938
The Mountaineers, Meadows Valley High School newspaper, Betty Bevans, editor.

While peacefully putting dog-ears on a weekly picture magazine, I chanced upon a group of pictures comprised of college students.  This large group was gathered about a small bonfire.  My interest was aroused by seeing: "Fire!"  I read the explanation under the picture.  The idea seemed to me that the college students were doing away with all of the silk and knickknacks which might have come from Japan.

To me this is a measure that seems to be carried to an extreme.  I think knickknacks may be burned, but why burn stockings and silk dresses and clothing?  I think the thing has gone far enough.  I, for one, being used to and proud of the silk things I possess would not, in any manner of the word, burn my things.  If we do burn all of our silk things that have any part of them from Japan, we would be back in the days of long woolen undies, homespun, of course—of horse-drawn carriages and plain old cotton things.  Of course, we have got rayon, but for all the silk that people buy for its beauty and durability, I would venture to say we would never have just the right imitation to take its place.

Perhaps we might be able to produce our own silk.  Maybe this would open new fields for our industries here.  Maybe this little incident may lead to destruction, or maybe it will open new gates.

January 21, 1938
BONNEVILLE POWER

The mails have been full the past week or two with stories and pamphlets and other propaganda about the great new power project on the Columbia River, the Bonneville project.  The administrator, L. D. Ross, has filled columns in the papers with the great expectations of cheap power, and the great benefit that will accrue to the people of the Pacific Northwest by the use of this power.  But in reading further, one must wonder what is to become of this power.  The administrator makes it known that they will sell to private companies where such private companies are already in the field.  Or if there are no private utilities there, the people may form a power district, or a co-operative, or municipalities may buy the power.

In observing the situation as it applies to this section of Idaho, it would appear to the layman that there is already about all the power that is needed.  True, there are many, many farms in isolated districts that have no electricity unless by individually owned power plants.  But in the better-populated districts and every town of any size, there is some provision already made by private companies to supply electricity. 

If these companies find that it is unprofitable to supply these outlying districts, what can the government hope to do about it?  Do they intend to build high priced transmission lines to these scattered farms?  In reading this high-pressure literature, one does not get the idea that the government will build the transmission lines, so it is left to the power districts or cooperatives.  For these organizations to build these lines and maintain them is going to be a mighty expensive business.

The private power companies, mostly, have all the power they need, and it does not seem as if there would be any great need for them to buy power from the project.  All in all, we wonder just what will become of this mighty reservoir of power that the government has built on the Columbia.  It is doubtful if any of it will get into southern Idaho, despite the administrator's glowing pictures of its great benefit here.

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #41

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

July 13, 1934
FRANK GALEY DISCUSSES NEED OF SQUAW FLAT WATER PROJECT
 
I wonder if our citizens realize what will happen to the orchard industry if we do not get the Squaw Flat reservoir?  Last year the coddling moth struck us in damaging quantities with a consequent heavy carload loss to fruit shippers.  The moths are here again and will always be here.  From now on we will spray three to six times.  Therefore, the apples must be washed before shipping.  Now this added expense absolutely prohibits anyone owning, renting or caring for an orchard which has not an adequate supply of water to mature the fruit every year.

Before the heavy infestation of moth, we could take a chance on the water supply.  Today, the best orchards in the valley are not producing commercial apples because of water shortage.  Many of them are completely abandoned.  Bill Spahr examined a limb containing twenty apples in an abandoned orchard about June first.  Nineteen apples were wormy and one contained seven worms.  He said, “I would not give $3.00 for the orchard now, but if it had late water I would like to own or rent it.”  The law demands that these abandoned orchards must be sprayed or chopped down.  The question now is—are we to save and improve our orchards by getting a water supply for them?  Or allow about half our best orchards to be chopped down next year.  It seems to me the tremendous loss to the owners, to our taxes, and our pay roll will warrant us getting Squaw Flat.  Otherwise, we can hope for only a sleepy cow town—at least while we have .02 cattle.
   
Frank Galey
February 9, 1934

A PERTINENT QUESTION

A Leader reader writes:  "In the name of sense, why should the village dump be in such close proximity to the cemetery and so conspicuous from the highway?  That situation is indicative of a town on the ragged edge of decay.  Certainly the dump ground should be in some out-of-the-way place and less conspicuous."

December 31, 1937
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: A SIMPLE TALE
The habits and ways of men are little known!  No one has yet found out for certain whether Mother Nature blinds them in one eye or confines man's reading ability to horses, cows, women, and wine-- whether the world's supply of men are increasingly dumb, blind, or don't care.  Above Council (birthplace of Noah, apples, and George Wink) is a sign reading "Stock Drive."  This by-way is one of the greater engineering feats of early days.  A narrow crawling road for the modern cars, but a boulevard for your grandpap and mine.  An obviously good highway for cows, sheep, and sons out riding.

You cannot cross this road without reading the sign, but local stockmen drive their critters nonchalantly down the highway.  Past the "Stock Drive" sign.  Tramp! Tramp! Aha! A soft spot.  Ascend the Forest lawn.  Several hundred hoofs to cut the turf of velvet.  Three sleepy herders to drive them off.  Four disappointed Forest men.  A hundred furious townsmen.  On across the town they go.  Down to green pastures or feed lots.  Fifty cents an hour for dirt to fill the tracks.  Up once more the grass comes, only to be trodden underfoot.  A peculiar situation which surrenders its beauty to industry.  The ways and habits of men with his neighbors and beasts are little known.

October 1, 1937
THE COURTHOUSE LAWN
What has happened to the courthouse lawn this summer?  In the past several years there has been a beautiful green lawn, always nicely watered and mowed, and it has been a beauty spot on top of the hill the courthouse is situated upon.  This summer there has been no lawn.  Why not?  All other county and municipal buildings of the state are characterized by the beautiful lawns surrounding them.  The official and other visitors coming to the Adams county court house, the sight of the barren spot there now, made worse by the dried burned grass that was once a lawn, leaves with a feeling that there is a lack of care of the public buildings.  Where does the fault lie?

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #40

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

A WORD OF APPRECIATION

294th Company CCC
Office of the Company Commander Camp S-221
Tamarack, Idaho

The Editor, Adams County “Leader”
Dear Sir:

Permit me to express to the people of Council through the medium of your paper, the sincere appreciation of the men and officers of this company for the royal hospitality extended to them on the Fourth of July.  Nearly three-quarters of the company were present in your city that day and for every one of them the celebration staged in Council made an impression that will never be forgotten,

Joseph C. Haw
Major, U.S. Army
Commanding.

September 22, 1933
CCC SHOW

Ben “Bernie” Bleckner singing—I Like Mountain Music
Freddy Anderson, Roy Baker, and Aaron Resenkranz—comedy, acrobatic act.
Tony Mancini, Bill Linsky, and John Wachine, trio—Moonlight Bay, Coney Island
Baby, Mademoiselle, Sweet Adeline.
Joe Brunetti singing—Black Eyed Susan Brown, Sunday Down in Caroline.
Izzy Goldberg—Rhumba dance.
Frank J. Walsh singing—Pink Elephants, Mississippi Mud.
Selections by the Council Wood Ticks.
Pete Sosnowski singing—Lazybones, and Let’s Call It A Day.
FINALE—Hills of Idaho.
SPEAKERS—Reverend Horton, Major J. J. O’Hare.

July 21, 1933
LEAGUE ATHLETICS TABOO
According to L. L. Burtenshaw, chairman of the Council school board, at the recent meeting of the school board it was agreed that Council high school league football and basketball athletics are obsolete, unimportant, non-essential, disorganizing to school work, and therefore “out of the picture” in the forthcoming school year.  The board is upheld in its position on this item by Carl Shaw, newly elected member of the high school faculty, succeeding Philip Manning, former coach.  The policy of the new superintendent on this subject has not been ascertained by this writer.  The school board, however, will encourage home athletics which will include all the students, giving each one an opportunity to benefit by such activities—all contests to be on week ends, separate and apart from school hours.

This policy of the school board no doubt will arouse wide and diverse argument.  Many will oppose the policy, but the Leader suggests and predicts that a very large majority of parents and patrons will agree with the board action.  One of the main reasons for opposing the league activities is the breaking into regular schoolwork and its disrupting influence.  Another is the necessity of student exposure on frigid nights when both girls and boys, regardless of health results, go on long journeys to play exhaustively and expose themselves detrimentally.  Any physical benefit derived by the athletic nature of the game is far outweighed by the exposures.  In fact, there are, on the contrary, decidedly dangerous results.

Some will argue that boys will not be interested in high school under such a regime.  In answer to that, it can be said that if athletics is the only motive drawing the boys to high school, it is an insufficient motive, and therefore those who refuse to go because there are no league athletics had quite as well remain out and turn their attention to a livelihood at once.

September 22, 1933
NEW ATHLETIC ACTIVITY AT COUNCIL HIGH SCHOOL
Since it has been feasible to dispense with football in the Council High School this year, tumbling has been substituted in the athletic program.  It is hoped that this activity will prove successful, and be a genuine benefit to the boys.  Since the aim of this activity is purely self-development, this sport should be a practical success.  Football has often been criticized on the ground that it gives little benefit to the smaller and weaker boys.  This is because football carries the greatest athletic spirit of any game, and the aim of the coach is victory rather than the self-development of athletics.  This cannot be said of tumbling, as it depends upon the individual, and everyone can acquire a certain amount of success.  All boys are urged to attend these classes, for here lies a real opportunity for boys who are unable to make athletic teams.  With strict supervision this is not a dangerous sport, for only simpler stunts will be taught, with probably some pyramid building after the boys have learned the preliminary work.

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #39

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance
February 12, 1932
A BUM MOTTO
 
The Democratic party added no dignity to its standing when the motto, “He Haw! We are Coming Back,” was adopted for its 1932 catchy phrase.  We have read in an exchange, the following, well said: What kind of a motto is “He Haw! We are Coming Back!” for a party of high patriotic principle and of sincere resolve to serve the public and the nation?  Imagine Mr. Jefferson, creator of the Declaration of Independence and founder of the Democratic party; or Mr. Madison, inspired author of the Federalist Papers; or Mr. Monroe, sponsor of the Monroe Doctrine; or General Jackson the hero of New Orleans and of the greater battle against the United States Bank; or Mr. Cleveland, who protected the American people from privileged power and maintained the integrity of the western hemisphere from foreign aggression— Imagine the great leaders of the great party which outlined the fundamental principles of our government and more than doubled the extent and importance of our country, devising as a fit expression of their principles and their purpose the truly asinine motto, “He Haw!  We are Coming Back!”

October 2, 1933
MRS. PEARL BROWN WINS NICE PRIZE

Mrs. Pearl Brown, Council (Mrs. Billie Brown) has outgrown the environs of Adams county and even Idaho in her art of making fine jelly.  This was evidenced during the past week when she received notice of having won third place among 5842 jelly makers.  She had sent her contest contribution some time ago to the Household Magazine Nationwide Jelly Contest.  It was a glass of red raspberry jelly, made of Adams county fruit, using Idaho granulated BEET sugar.  (Some jelly makers say beet sugar will not make good jelly.)  Additional to the big red badge and the abstract honors, Mrs. Brown received a check for $15.

August 8, 1933
DIRE POVERTY DISCOVERED

Mrs. D. Russell and Mrs. Emery, acting as an investigating committee for the Worthwhile Club, looked up a family of husband and wife and six children who were reported to be in dire circumstances.  The result of their investigation brought to light a most distressing condition: the mother and children without any of the bare needs of clothing, no bedding, nothing to cook with, no dishes—eating from tin cans, a thirteen year old girl with no clothing except a wrapping of rags about her body, a baby with no clothing at all, and a dejected mother on the edge of collapse.  The women report it a case of poverty beyond description.  Mrs. Russell, acting for the Adams county chapter of the Red Cross, will coordinate all local relief workers to set about to rehabilitate the family.  Mrs. Russell says that anything and everything is needed and that anybody who will contribute necessities should at once notify her.  The husband has been given work on the Alpine road job, but his wage will amount to but little to care for the family in its present condition.

August 11, 1933
HUDSON CITY BOYS WRITE
Civilian Conservation Corps, Company 284, Council, Idaho
Editor Jersey Journal:

Just writing you a few lines to let you know what a member of the CCC has to say and is doing.  To start off, this state is a remarkable one, with its mountains, valleys, wampas cats, and ticks.  Our camp, I think, is one of the neatest ones in the country.  That is the report of boys who have been to other camps.  We have a mess shack seating 215 men and the meals are pretty good, nothing to brag about, but pretty good.  We sleep in large tents holding 24 men and we sleep well, God bless us.  Some of the boys have written home that snakes, wampas cats, bears, etc. come into the tents, but that is just talk and I hope our mothers pay no attention.  The sports we have are O.K.  Baseball, volleyball, horseshoe pitching, boxing, swimming, and track.  Every Tuesday we have an entertainment and dance and do we love it!  The Council folks are kind and generous to every one of us.  The time out here is going fast and our six months will soon be up.  One thing is bad for our pay—a bottle of beer costs 25 cents.  Just lately we have had a recreation hut built and that will help a lot.  The boys have books, hometown newspapers, game boards and everything to have a good time with.

Best of all we like the work of building roads through the timber country.  Swinging a mattie and shovel will make us all hard and healthy and when we get home we will be in fine shape.

Three Hudson City Boys
Vincent Wiebbroski
John Schanicy
Vincent Matthas


July 7, 1933
HELLISH REPORTS

How and why people should start rumors about killings and murderous attacks and such bunk about CCC camp men is beyond understanding.  During the past week, rumors of various such affairs have been current and when traced down, there was nothing to say to any of them.  One report went so far as to say that two victims of a killing at Manns Creek camp were in the morgue at Weiser and the killers were in jail.  Not a word of truth in it.  Someone gets it from someone and then it goes, a sweet morsel in the mouths of scandalmongers.  Such matters, which are so detrimental to the CCC, deserve to be verified before being repeated by anyone.  If all CCC men are as respectable, on the average, as the Council camp men are, they will average up pretty well with local people and deserve to be treated right.


compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #38

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

July 17, 1931
SAW MONSTER METEOR

J. W. Wheeler can not be accused of being accustomed to "seeing things," so when he reports he saw a monster meteor speed across the heavens Tuesday night about 9:45 o'clock, we are sure he did see it.

Describing the incident, he says it was many times the largest meteor he ever saw—as big as a full moon, and it left a string of blaze behind it like a comet.  It disappeared, on its eastward plunge, over Council Mountain.  It was so high in the heavens that he felt sure it would not hit the earth.  This sight was described as truly wonderful and he is wondering how many others saw it.

July 24, 1931
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Are college girls really the best women?  Is the fact that a girl is in college proof of her superior character or intelligence?  Or is it merely proof that her Dad has money or influential friends whose “pull” was used to get her in?  Or perhaps simply the result of raising so much Cain at home that the folks were glad to mortgage the old place and let her go to get a little peace?  Isn’t sometimes greater proof of fineness for a girl to refuse to go to college, refuse to accept the sacrifice which a college course entails?

But granted, she’s there and everyone’s pleased—then what?  What is there in campus life to develop a girl into a better wife than the stay-at-home or the working girl?  True—she attends interesting lectures, meets worthwhile people.  But what does she get out of those lectures or those people beyond a transient interest or stimulation?  Are they really any more “educational” than a job as a first class secretary would have been?  They give her the feeling of culture—but do they make her more cultured?  Does she learn more about those qualities on which marriage is based—patience, self-control, generosity, common sense, sympathy, courage, endurance, fair play?  She thinks she does.  She’s sure those four years of college have given her a better brain and a bigger heart as well as a diploma.  But have they?  The truth is that many a good plain cook was spoiled to make a bachelor of arts.
  
July 24, 1931

DEAR DAD, OR MR. EDITOR
I have just finished reading the proof on the above column, wherein you reprint a lot of “hooey” about college women—“hooey” is the best way I know how to express it.  The exception I am taking to it at this time, and wish to comment on, is that which refers to “working” girls as distinguished from college girls.  Just as if the girl in college doesn’t work.  I venture the assertion that there isn’t a girl out of college who works any harder than does the college girl.  Of course, there are exceptions, in and out of college.  The college girls who do make their grades, have to work, and work hard.  Get up at 5:30 in the morning and dig into long difficult assignments and continue at something all day long, charged with nervous anxiety every minute and throw herself onto a bed at 10 p.m., utterly exhausted.  This is a day after day drag, and if she sandwiches in any sort of social activity between, it means nine months of grilling that only those who go through it understand.

Girls who do not go to college but “work” have no conception of the college grind.  Believe me, I do know, and I do not count myself as a dumb bell, either, when it comes to getting my assignments.  As to which kind of work, that of the college girl or that of the girl who gets a job or helps at home, is the most conducive to a broader understanding of life and its obligations—that may be debatable.  I am taking exception to the work insinuations in the article.  There are other phrases of that article that I would like to tear to pieces also.
Charlotte Lemon.

November 25, 1932
ROD AND GUN CLUBS
Mr. Editor, Adams County Leader
Dear Sir:
Is it not about time that fishermen and hunters of Adams County (who buy about 600 fish and game licenses, $1200 cash) woke up to the fact that they must get together and do something or find that a half dozen city sportsmen located in Twin Falls, Pocatello, Idaho City, Boise and Lewiston, will control the state Fish and Game Department—tell you when you may fish or hunt, which of you own streams or lakes you may fish and when you may fish them; the streams to be planted, the kind of fish and the amount for each stream or lake, and then tell you how much you can pay for a license.

I believe we should have a game club in Adams County without any membership fee, a fish and game license being a certificate of membership, and have the fish and game of Adams County in the hands of all the license holders to decide what is best for our county.

A small assessment of less than 25 cents per member would pay all expenses, unless a big meeting or feed once a year is wanted—that expense would have to be raised by assessment or donations.
Very Truly Yours, Billie (W. R.) Brown
 
October 7, 1932
THE DIPTHERIA SITUATION
By Dr. Alvin Thurston

It is natural that there should be a great deal of discussion in the community at this time about Diptheria, in view of the recent epidemic in our near proximity.  From the very onset, your local physician has been pretty much in touch with the situation.  Adams County has no funds available for a County program of immunization against communicable diseases.  Any action that is taken is only done at a time when there is an actual epidemic or epidemic scare at hand.  It would require the hiring of a County Nurse and such other aids as would be necessary to get all the work done that should be done to protect our people from the communicable diseases.  However, the community is in no financial shape to take on this need.

The Department of Public Welfare in Boise provides for each county a sum of money each year to be expended on materials for immunization purposes.  Adams County was granted some $16.00 for the cost of materials this year.  Our share was claimed last March but to date there has been no countywide program, owing chiefly to the lack of funds to finance the work.  However, we have now in the County the materials that will be necessary to test at least one hundred persons, and enough of the immunity material to immunize about thirty more persons.  Your doctor is prepared to give these tests to any and all who so desire.  Should the school districts care to have them done, it is but a matter of making it known.  Unfortunately, a charge for such service, enough to cover the cost of administration of the material, will have to be made, as there are no county funds available to pay for this work.  As long as our supply of State and County material holds out, the determining of immunity may be had at very low cost to each individual.  As in the case of the administration of the Spotted Fever serum last spring, $1.00 will be charged for each injection.

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #37

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

January 10, 1930
DR. HIGGS FIGURED IT OUT
San Diego, California
Mr. William Lemon
Dear Sir: That chain letter came a few days ago, and after thinking it over, I consigned it to the wastebasket for the following reasons.  First, if each person was to send on to seven more as directed, and it took one week to pass from one to the other on the average, in six months time there would have been 70,387,187,802,763,680,139,543 letters sent, which in plain English is seventy octillion, three hundred and eighty-seven pentillion, one hundred eighty-seven quadrillion, eight hundred two trillion, seven hundred sixty-three billion, six hundred eighty million, one hundred thirty-nine thousand and five hundred forty-three.  This is a greater majority than the Republicans ever carried Pennsylvania even with the help of Vare’s money.  To haul these letters, it would require one hundred quadrillion cars, making a train one quadrillion miles long and Bert Hagar and Swanstrom would not catch that many fish all summer.  And besides it appears that Tom Heflin started this and he starts too many things.

Aside from that, we are well and hope the natives of Adams County are the same.
Respectfully,
D. P. Higgs

January 10, 1930
BIDDING ON MAIL ROUTES
Postmaster Prout says that the bidding on star routes is going on merrily at this time, numerous persons being convinced that they can make some easy money running these routes over the next four years.  There is a route from Council to Cuprum, one from Council to Mesa, and one from Old Davis on Crooked River to Wildhorse.

January 17, 1930
WINTER PEARS DELICIOUS
We are indebted to Mrs. Wm. Wilson of Hornet Creek for samples of their winter pears.  And even now we are suspicious that they might have put one over on us and gave us fresh pears from Florida.  As Mrs. Wilson (Mrs., understand) is particularly known for veracity, we are accepting her word about these being pears grown on their place and stored for winter use in their cellar, and we are devouring them voraciously.

January 17, 1930
CORRECTION

In the arithmetical spasm I sent you yesterday about the chain letter accumulation that would occur in one half year, I made a mistake in that I put Octillion instead of Sextillion at the beginning of the total.  I was about to carry it out for a year, but I found that I was going to run out of figures.  Say, Lemon, seriously, one is surprised how fast multiplication will get into high finance.  The figures I sent you were absolutely right, except for the mistake noted.  I had some fun with the kids last night and they would not believe the total after they got it.

Raining to beat the band today.

D. P. Higgs

February 21, 1930
THE DOCTOR QUESTION AGAIN

Editor, Adams County Leader:

I was very much interested in your article with reference to a doctor for the county.  I hope you will continue to urge this matter through the columns of the Leader.  I had to cling to the front end of the car to keep a flashlight on the road because of the dangers ahead while taking our boy to a doctor recently, and I, for one, would appreciate having a doctor at the county seat.  A few miles of such driving might be all right under the stress of extreme circumstances, but 38 miles of it reminds one that a doctor should be nearer at hand.

We certainly do need a doctor.

There are a great many things a county doctor could do.  In schools, for instance, he could instruct the children on disease prevention, and I have seen some very efficient work done in this line by doctors working with the P.T.A.s of the various schools of the county.

Sincerely yours,
An Interested Leader Reader

November 14, 1930
HAVE TO GIVE IT UP

The editor of this family-fireside home-companion started something he can’t finish.  He just has to give it up.  You know it is often said that if we have bouquets—flowers to give folks—give them while the person is living and don’t wait until he or she is dead.  Piles of flowers on a casket are worthless to that departed one.  Or, if you have anything good to say about neighbors, say it now while they are living.  Don’t wait to say it in an obituary after they are dead.

But folks, it won’t work.  This editor tried it out, and has proved definitely that it’s a joke.  Some of our readers will remember that in recent months, this paper attempted to make a feature under a heading “Special Folks Among Us.”  For several issues, intermittently, we wrote complimentary resumes of different men or women who are our neighbors.  Well, sir, every time we did so, we stirred up a hornet’s nest of protest.  Various and numerous readers would joke and jibe us about those things we said about so-and-so.  Then we would try again and attempt to pick a better subject, someone we suspected might run the gauntlet.  But no use.  We just quit.  So don’t tell us to hand bouquets to living folks.  We are going to wait until they are dead, and then no one dares jibe us about it.

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #36

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

July 26, 1929
KILLING BEARS
There are a lot of things that this editor doesn’t know about bears, but we do visualize the time, and not far distant, when bears will be a thing of the past in our Adams county mountains unless something is done to protect them.  There is no closed season on bears and they are killed promiscuously—whenever and wherever it is possible to bag one.  Under such conditions one can readily contemplate a time when bears in these woods will be no more.  It may be that they are destructive enough to justify killing them off, but we doubt it. 

The mere fact that they are all gone and that man has so wantonly divested these mountains and woods of one of its most interesting and rather likable wild animals makes us feel ashamed of ourselves.  It is high time, we believe, for the state game department or the Rod and Gun Club to begin to look to some sort of protection for these animals, for they are none too plentiful now.

July 26, 1929
TOM MORGAN IS “AGIN” BEARS
To the Adams County Leader:

It seems that some of our town friends are getting alarmed and think the bears are becoming extinct.  There is no need for this worry.  There will always be too many bears.  They are now frequently seen from the highway as was stated in your paper.

No.  These cunning, destructive pests will always be with us; like the coyote, civilization can only keep him down to a minimum.  The combat has been on ever since the seven she-bears ate those Hebrew children.  The mother bear begins at two years old with two cubs and raises a pair every year for 8 to 10 years.  I am glad this question has come up at this time.  There has been considerable agitation to put bears on the protected list as a game animal when in fact they are one of our worst predatory animals. 

Just two weeks ago you will see in the Statesman where at Fall Creek, Colethorpe and a partner had 400 sheep killed in a pile-up caused by a bear.  The dread of bears is the sheepman's nightmare.  Last year 26 head were killed within a half mile of the highway; 28 head in one night on Hazard Creek.  Colethorpe’s loss alone will be around $5,000.00.  Let something like this happen in a city.  Would there be a protection put on the Cause.  An attempt was made at the last Legislature to put a protection on bears, fostered by a lot of bear-hearted Gun Club fiends, and it was nearly accomplished.

Now, it’s just this: if we are going to protect pests, why not cover them all—rattlesnakes, codling moths, and all living things.  Nature set us all going together.

Moses says that God told him that Man was “to have dominion over the world and subdue it.”  Some job.  And it’s not finished yet.

If you could put in a few days at Yellowstone Park, you would see what bears will do under a protective law.  Check up the property damage, the number of people who have actually been killed by them.  It’s appalling!  The make of a bear’s anatomy naturally makes him a pest.  He is a strange mixture—being both carnivorous and herbivorous.  It requires an immense quantity of food to put on the fat necessary to carry him through his five month’s winter sleep, at which time he safe from all harm, consequently he must eat anything he can get.  Toward fall, he becomes a wanton killer not satisfied with just enough.

In early times when they were more plentiful and they could get at a settler’s orchard, they would ruin the trees in a short time by breaking off the limbs.  And to go in his hog pen and pack off his winter fattening hogs was a common occurrence.  Coyotes will not do that.  There is nothing too bold for a bear to do.  He is dangerous as a pest.  I have had my camps destroyed in the daytime, I have seen sheep killed while staked out on a rope.  Now why on earth do they want to make it worse?  With wool 18 to 26 cents per pound and a tariff of 38 cents per pound, isn’t this enough. 

Another thing—there is no pest so hard on young game animals as bears and especially bird life.  He is so snoopy and can clean up a bevy of little grouse quicker than anything I know of.  If I can keep the bears from killing too many sheep, I hope to pay up expenses and pay for a subscription to the Adams County Leader.

Thos. Morgan

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #35

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

August 6, 1920 
WOULD CLOSE THE COUNTY’S STREAMS

In the latter part of the week, a petition was prepared for presentation to the State Game Department which asks that practically all trout streams in this county be closed for three years.  The petition included nearly all important streams except the main Weiser below Evergreen.  It is expected that the petition, which was signed by local nimrods in general, will receive favorable consideration.  From conversation with farmers, we predict that the move will meet with general favor.  During the past few summers, the great numbers of tourists that come into the county have been largely responsible for depletion of streams to the point where exhaustion is threatened.  Hence, unless action is taken, game fish hereabouts will soon be a thing of the past.

September 23, 1921
PREDATORY ANIMALS

Attaining the highest average since the inception of the work in 1915, nine hunters of the biological survey of the United States Department of Agriculture, working 247 days, killed 272 predatory animals in Idaho during the month of August, according to the monthly report issued Wednesday by Luther J. Goldman, inspector for Idaho.

February 10, 1922
MUSKRAT RULING

Roy L. Black, Idaho attorney general, recently made a ruling to the effect that muskrats are not to be disturbed while in their houses.  During the open season, traps may be set for them at any place except within their homes, but Mr. Black says the little animals are not to be disturbed after they have crossed their own doorstep.  It is also declared unlawful to break in to the house of the muskrat for the purpose of setting traps.

September 21, 1923
EXPERTS FIGURE

Experts figure that in 85 years there will be no lumber in the world at the present rate of destruction.  Reforestation is the only hope of averting this calamity, they assert.  By this means, forests may be made a permanent asset, they claim.

September 21, 1923
BERRIES

In Bear Creek, easily accessible from a good county road, there is a stretch of what forest officials state comprises four sections of the finest huckleberries in Idaho or any other state.  It is possible to drive an auto right into the patch and an ice-cold mountain stream flows through it, making it an ideal camping spot.  In fact, almost adjacent to the berry patch is a regular campsite, fixed up with tables and other camp conveniences.

This season the local forest service has practically forced the sheep men to pasture herds of sheep in this huckleberry patch.  In former years, the sheep men themselves have kept out, but this season it is understood that Superintendent Rice has told the sheepmen that if they do not graze the huckleberry section, a like amount will be cut next year from their grazing allotment, so they are practically forced to run their sheep in the huckleberry swamp.

We understand Mr. Rice is from Kansas, where they raise huckleberries only in barrels.  Mr. Rice seems to think that 12 cents a season for grazing sheep mounts up on four sections to huge sums, and he says that amount of land cannot be spared from the sheep to furnish a few thousand people with huckleberries and the incidental recreation of camping and picking them.

The Leader believes Mr. Rice is wrong.  Mr. Rice intimates that there is only one person interested in huckleberries, and that that one person is an ignorant faultfinder.  The editor wants to add at least one more ignorant faultfinder to the list.

August 24, 1925
HUCKLEBERRIES

Last season, considerable commotion was caused when a simple request went in that grazing sheep in a restricted area at Bear campground, where huckleberries grow luxuriantly, be stopped and the place reserved for campers and berry pickers.  The matter was of rather small consequence, but had merit, and the request was finally granted and two sections ordered so reserved, although not until a few persons had been wrought up somewhat and at least one man had lost his job or been transferred.

The facts are that the United States forest service invites and in every way encourages the public to travel through and camp in the forest areas.  This being true, the effort last season to keep campers out of, or at least discourage them from coming into, the Bear section was directly in opposition to the general policy of the forestry service, as is proven by the fact that Mr. Rice, a man thoroughly qualified no doubt in other respects, was transferred to another less desirable station because, it is rumored, of “friction between the supervisor and the public.”

July 26, 1929
MAY CLOSE IDAHO FISHING STREAMS
Lewiston, Idaho, August 11 

Idaho state game warden R. Thomas said tonight that the unusually dry summer had so depleted mountain streams in north Idaho that fish were in danger and that mountain streams may be closed to fishermen temporarily.  The Little Salmon River, he said, is the “lowest I have ever seen it, and the Big Salmon River is running little water.”  He said he had received many requests to close the Big Salmon to fishermen.

The state fish hatchery at Grangeville has almost lost its water supply and attendants are confronted with the problem of disposing of 800,000 fingerling trout in the hatchery’s tanks.  Thomas said he had not considered a successor to W. M. Keil, who resigned the post of state fish commissioner recently.  “We won’t fill that position for some time,” Thomas said. 

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #34

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

July 26, 1929
NEW AND CELEBRATED SCIENTIFIC FORMULA
COUNCIL PHARMACY SECURES EXCLUSIVE 5 YEAR FRANCHISE

Never before in the history of the world has the progress of Medical Science been so rapid.  One important discovery after another has been made which will have a far-reaching effect upon the health and well being of mankind.  As a result of this worldwide medical research, Science has discovered that good health is largely governed and maintained by three vital organs and fluids of the body.  These are: the liver, the blood, and the endocrine glands.  What is more important, we have learned that these basic elements can be stimulated and invigorated by certain basic elements.  One of America’s leading bio-chemists succeeded in combining these basic elements in one formula—which may well be considered one of the greatest health-giving remedies of the age.  It is called Sargon.  The formula for Sargon Soft Mass Pills are the property of the Sargon Laboratories and can be obtained by no other firm or individual in the world.  This new scientific treatment has been acclaimed by druggists throughout America as a triumph in the field of medicine.

February 22, 1929
JUST WONDERING

After a casual observation of women’s activities in Council, it is noted that there about six organizations wholly under control of women of the town and all six are “going strong”—Witness, Worthwhile Club, Women’s Auxiliary, P.T.A., Royal Neighbors, Rebekahs, and Ladies' Aid.  Each of the organizations just named are officered by energetic enthusiastic women who make things go.  They are not turning the world over—don’t expect to, but they are keeping the women’s part of Council affairs “on the map.”

And we’re just wondering about the men.  They do manage to keep three lodge organizations going—the Woodmen, Odd Fellows, and Legion.  But they haven’t the pep or whatchamacallit to keep any sort of community improvement organization going.  They have a Chamber of Commerce organization, but it is lifeless and seems to be on the way to “innocuous desuetude.”  We are just wondering, what’s the matter?

March 22, 1929
DR. HIGGS OFFERS SUGGESTION
San Diego, Calif. March 12, 1929
Editor Adams County Leader, Council, Idaho
Dear Sir:
Being a pilgrim in a foreign land, I welcome the arrival of the Leader; of course it don’t take me long to read it, but the keenest enjoyment necessarily can’t last long.  I see where you said things could be worse, that they might take to holding beauty contests for men, or words to that effect.

Why not hold a beauty contest for men?  Take Council, for instance.  Of course, you would have to bar Jim Winkler or else there would be no contest.  After barring Jim, you would have a line-up left that would be worth going miles to see.  Among those eligible would be Dale Donnelly, Carl Swanstrom, Professor Figley, William Lemon, Bob Young, Stanfield, Bill Winkler, Bert Hagar, Bill Camp, Dad Perkins, and if I knew it would be on the square, I might come up and enter myself.  The proceeds from the zoo to go to the Pinochle widows or some such worthy cause.  I think the idea a good one and no doubt it would be well supported.  Don’t think that this plan is advanced as a subtle way of proving the correctness of Darwin’s theory—it is merely a coincidence, that’s all.  Make it an annual affair and you would attract big game hunters from all over the world.  The money from the moving picture rights would put in a new water system for the city and put a streetlight in front of every City Dad’s house. 

Anyway, you may tell all the people of Council and environs that I would like to see them and that they have my best wishes, and it may be that I can come up and snag a few trout and spin a few yarns this fall.

Yours Respt.,
D. P. Higgs, M.D. 

LOCAL ITEMS 1928 - 1929
The Worthwhile Club voted to assist the Chamber of Commerce to put on the banquet for the basketball teams.  Roll call was responded to by Irish jokes.  A number of Irish songs were sung and several of the members put on funny stunts.  After much fun and laughter during the previous part of the program, it was hard to settle down to listen to a paper on
Capital Punishment.  Next meeting will be held with Mrs. Johnson.

The special train carrying Odd Fellows and Rebekahs to the big doings at New Meadows Saturday night will pass through Council at 5 p. m. according to information given by Claude Ham, noble grand.

Fred Schultz is doing renovating work in the post office room, much to the joy of the post office forces.

You May Have Tuberculosis—Let Your Doctor Decide.  Watch for these danger signs: Too easily tired; loss of weight; indigestion; cough that hangs on.

The mask dance given by the American Legion Friday was well attended by both maskers and spectators.  The maskers were many and varied, and some of them caused much fun and curiosity.  When the masks were removed after the grand march, many were the surprises.

Only two girls in Idaho so far as the Leader knows have managed to resist the vogue to have their hair cut.  Council has the distinction of one and Boise the other.  Miss Gertrude Oylear, now with her mother at Krigbaum’s Camp, and daughter of the well known state Federal law enforcement officer is one of the two, while Miss Pearl Parker, post office clerk at Council, is the other.  Of course there may be others, but this editor doesn’t know them.

Next Tuesday evening will be a red-letter time for husbands of these beautiful ladies of the Worthwhile Club.  Said husbands may have wondered many times during the past year what it is all about—this club business—but now they are going to be shown.  It is the first annual banquet in honor of the husbands of club members.

“Windmills of Holland” An Operetta in Two Acts Presented by the Music Department of the Council High school at the People’s Theatre.  Charlotte Lemon, Accompanist.

Church Notes:  The C. E. Party Monday night was the first of several planned.  Starting modestly, this was an invitation affair, although a welcome was accorded a few who came without invitations.  Games were followed by refreshments, and the committee is to be commended for trying to make the event agreeable to all in an orderly way.  Two or three seem to have taken advantage of the fact that no chaperone was present.  This will not be repeated as dates will be arranged so that the committee may have the benefit of the presence of some who are older. 

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #33

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

December 14, 1928
BURTENSHAW HAD INTERESTING CASE

Attorney L. L. Burtenshaw had an interesting case at Cascade last week when court convened over there.  He was defending a case of Dr. Jones, who was being sued for damages for having killed a so-called tame fox that belonged to Mrs. Mille Kealer.  She had brought suit for $500 damages against the doctor who shot the fox because it was making raids on his chicken pens, he being a neighbor of the plaintiff.  The case went to the jury Tuesday, as reported in the Cascade News, and the verdict was for Mrs. Kealer for $250 and costs, which made it a rather expensive fox for the doctor, and he didn’t get the hide either. 

And this leads the Leader editor to ponder as follows: last summer we read of a farmer who shot a lad that was trespassing in the farmer’s watermelon patch, somewhere over in Oregon—in the Nyssa neighborhood, as we recall.  In the trial that followed, the farmer was exonerated.  In other words, it seems all right to shoot a boy that steals your watermelons, but you must not shoot a fox that steals your chickens.  Of course, we understand there may be different circumstances connected with the two cases but we do not know what they are.

December 14, 1928
HOLIDAY GREETING CARDS
 
Our holiday greeting cards, 18 assorted, with tissue-lined envelopes, are last minute life-savers for those who waited—only 75 cents.  Leader Office.

PICKED UP ABOUT TOWN 1928

“That’s the guy I’m laying for,” said the hen as F. L. Scholl came home Sunday evening.

The invention this county most needs,” says Ernest Winkler, “is a four wheel brake for quick tempers.”

“It’s the little things of life that bother us,” asserts Norman Johnson, “you can sit on a mountain in comfort, but not on a tack.”

June 7, 1929
LISTEN TO THIS

No matter how important the task in hand, we want every one of our readers to drop everything and listen.  A dispatch to the daily press from Washington City says the Department of Commerce has turned its attention to the standardizing of men’s pajamas.  We’ve got standardized bed slats, bird cages, fence posts, and tombstones, and now our happiness is to be complete—we’re going to have standardized nighties for men!  From now on there should be less complaint about crime problems and prohibition problems.  We may have sharp pains in our stomach from eating food that costs us more than we like to pay for it; we may have pains in the head from smoking too many 15 cent cigars; we may worry because carbon gets into our 8-cylinder car worse than it did in the old two-lunger—but let’s forget all that and start living in a new paradise.  Isn’t our government going to make it possible for us to sleep in standardized nighties?

June 7, 1929
WHY WASTE MONEY?

A U. S. Senator has offered a bill providing for broadcasting the proceedings of the Senate, and it strikes us as being just about the most unnecessary measure ever to be introduced.  If any senator thinks the owners of radio sets would like to listen to his speeches, he does not know the people.  When even the senators themselves do not listen to each other half the time, what excuse have they for thinking the general public would do so?  The newspapers give the public all that is worthwhile of the speeches made in congress, and we don’t believe one in a hundred read that much any too closely.

April 26, 1929
HOW TO STOP WAR

Our national pocketbook being mightier than our national conscience, Ralph Hayes, a New York banker, speaking to a group of bankers, made a plea for peace purely on a dollars-and-cents basis.  “With nearly $10,000,000,000 worth of foreign trade each year,” he said, “and with more than $25,000,000,000 of U.S. money invested abroad, every shot our artillery fired would hit a debtor and every bomb our airplanes dropped would kill a customer.  Call that cold-blooded calculation if you want to; the conquest of war is not to be achieved in terms of sweetness and light.”

If cold, materialistic bankers and industrialists can rid us of war, then let’s get rid of it that way.  Most great reforms in history have come through men stopping to count the cost in dollars and cents.  If we can stop war by deciding that it is too expensive, then let’s get together and reach that decision without further delay.

June 7, 1929
FRUITGROWERS, ATTENTION!

How about that Calyx spray.  If you haven’t it on, you had better hurry.  We have been making record catches of Coddling Moths the last few days.  Owing to cool weather, they were slow starting to hatch out, but since the warm weather they have been making up for lost time.

It appears from our record of moths in the “hootch” pots that the peak of the moth brood was on May 21, which would make the peak of the hatch about May 30th to 31st.  Our record for one trap on the 21st was 224, and the average for 16 traps was 83 moths.

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #32

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

March 9, 1928
SUCH A THING AS AUTHORITY

During the past week, a youth of the community was hailed before Justice Watt by the village marshal, George Childers, the complaint being that he rode a horse up and down the street at an unlawful pace, all to the violation of town law and the peace and order of the community.  Without entering into the discussion of guilt or innocence of the boy, though we take it for granted he was guilty as the fine was paid, we do assume to take the side of enforcement of law and the maintenance of peace, order, and discipline.

There is a tendency on the part of youth, and every reasonable man knows it, to override authority and laugh at attempts of enforcement.  In other words, a very large majority of boys appears to think that as they never did have to obey or respect authority, when they come face to face with laws of the commonwealth, that too can be ignored and ridiculed.  If more law enforcement officials would do their sworn duty rigidly, there would be less disrespect of law and order, and the citizenry of the country would be better for it.

Since we have observed the attempts of town law enforcement in Council, we have noted that each time the officer made an attempt there was remonstrance raised by some that he was “picking” on the accused and that he was venting his personal prejudice on this particular one.  If an officer is known to observe violations of some and to ignore them, and then pick up another for the same thing or a similar violation—that is reprehensible; but no such condition has been shown to be true against Marshal Childers.  Some have been heard to make statements to the effect that he “passes up” some violations and then jumps on others.  But such accusations have not been substantiated.  We doubt that any of them can be proven.  At least the marshal defies anyone to prove such charges.

There is such a thing as authority, even in a small community, and the sooner it is made evident and respect for it established, the better it will be for all concerned.

March 9, 1928
NEW VILLAGE MARSHALL

George Childers submitted his resignation to the village fathers Monday night and will prepare at once to move to the ranch on Cow Creek, west of Goodrich.  He thinks the ranch offers better possibilities for a living than does the small town.  “At least,” he says, “we can be independent.”  The council elected Will Pouste for watermaster and marshal, who enters on his duties at once.

March 9, 1928
P. I. N. PROBLEM IS VITAL ONE
Editor Adams County Leader
Dear Sir:
I want to add a few words to what has already been said in regard to the P. & I. N. railroad which operates between Weiser and New Meadows and which for the past three years has not been making expenses.  I was among the first settlers in Meadows Valley, before there was any railroad, and have not forgotten the inconveniences of living without a railroad.  If this railroad should be discontinued and we should have to depend on trucks, our lumber could not be moved and every sawmill in this section would have to go out of business.  I feel it would set our country back forty years with inconceivable disaster.

Respectfully,
George W. Clark

March 16, 1928
EDITOR TOO GREEN
Some have said that the Leader editor has no business to “butt” into this P.I.N. and truck discussion so vigorously because he hasn’t been here long enough—he’s too green in the affairs of this community to have any say about our local affairs.  And by this it may be assumed that the editor may editorialize all he likes about something way off in Chicago or Boise, but when it comes to local affairs, he should keep out of discussions.

But the editor relies somewhat for his guidance in this particular proposition on the theory that according to the laws of existence, growth, etc., green things at least have the characteristic of being able to grow, while ripe things quickly come to the point of decay—even rottenness.

July 27, 1928
CONSERVE CITY WATER

On account of extreme dry weather the springs that feed the village water supply are running so low that the reservoir has been drained to the extent that water users in the east end have been short of water for house use.  Water must be conserved by all, and it is anticipated that next week, three days can be set apart when water can be used for irrigation purposes during specified evening hours (5 to 10 o’clock) designated by the village council and supervised by the marshal.  This program will be tried out but if found impossible, water for irrigation will have to be discontinued for a longer period, as fire protection must be maintained.  Every water user MUST conserve water for all purposes.

Village Council, by George W. Prout, Chairman

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #31

The Adams County Leader        Published Weekly On Friday
Wm. Lemon Editor and Manager
Member State Editorial Association 
Member National Editorial Association
Official Paper of Adams County Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance

January 27, 1927

WATCHING FOR REACTIONS

Last week, the editor of this family-fireside home-companion got back home and wrote about some matters right here in Council that deserved attention after a whole month or two of editorializings on general items far away and which would not tramp on anybody’s toes or antagonize the humdrum everyday uprisings and downsittings of our home folks.  We wrote our opinion about conditions in public halls and discussed high school athletics.  Then we reclined ourself curiously to watch reactions.  And there are some—reactions.  A lot of folks are talking about what we said “in the paper.”  Some have come to us and reported personally somewhat concerning their reactions.  All who came personally to report have reacted favorably, saying it was timely editorializing.  Those who think it was “bad business” to say anything about our beloved status quo are either keeping it to themselves or are talking to somebody other than this editor.

November 4, 1927
THAT AUTO ACCIDENT
Dear Editor: I don’t know who reported our accident last Sunday evening a week ago but whoever did did an awful poor job.  I will try and tell you the truth about our auto accident.  We were getting up to Crooked River and just before we came to the Hornet Creek Ranger Station we met Bob Weddle driving hell-bent-for-election.  There was a curve in the road and the road was too narrow for us to pass so we pulled over as near the fence as we could and stopped, and Bob tried to stop, but he was going so fast he couldn’t.  So when he threw on his brakes his car skidded sideways and bumped into our car.  The front bumper on our car received the shock so it didn’t damage our car much.  It was not dark so we did not need our lights on.  Bob said he was driving fast so he could get to Council before dark because he didn’t have any lights.

Yours Truly,
O. B. White

November 4, 1927
FOX AND FUR FARMS

During the past few weeks, several new fur animal breeders have located in Meadows valley.  Three years ago, Mrs. I. L. Keener, a trained nurse of Boise, bought a pair of foxes.  Her pair has developed to 14 and she and her husband have purchased what was known as the Lone Pine Fur Farm in lower Meadows valley.  They have built a new five-room bungalow and are doing a fine business in fur animals.  This farm was a going concern stocked with martin and mink and muskrats.  Now they have added foxes and have one of the most up-to-date fur farms of the Northwest. Then there is the Harrington fox farm with fifty pairs of silver gray and blue foxes.  The prediction for this territory is that within a very few years, the fur industry will rank among our foremost revenue producers.

January 20, 1928
OUR PUBLIC HALLS 

The editor of the Leader has observed somewhat critically the public halls in Council where people are accustomed to assemble for entertainments, dances, socials, etc., etc., and we believe it is not untimely, not inappropriate, to say that these halls are entitled to complaint.  For dances, or any other public gathering, none of them are suitably equipped with such ordinary conveniences as would be expected at such assembly places.  Most of all, they are lacking in a lavatory for women.

The People’s Theatre may get along for theatre purposes without such ordinary conveniences as toilets and rest room, but as dances are often held there, and other public gatherings, it certainly should be properly provided in that respect.  The same can be said of the Legion Hall.  When women must leave the warm dance hall on the coldest of nights, clothed as they usually are in not enough to offer the least protection against the cold, even though wrapped in a cloak, there is grave danger to health, and it is a bad situation, to say the least.  The Odd Fellows hall is likewise lacking in the same way, so it might be said, and properly, that Council hasn’t a single suitable place for dances or public gatherings, except the school house, where now there is an assembly room with a stage in first class condition, while on the first floor there are toilets for men and for women, drinking fountains, and in fact all necessary conveniences.  This is not written in a spirit of censure on anybody, but with the thought that when the condition is thus presented, the public will demand that the condition be improved.

January 20, 1928
INDOOR SCHOOL ATHLETICS
The first and greatest handicap that Council school athletics, particularly basketball, has to contend with is a lack of a gymnasium.  Under present conditions, only a very small number of students get the physical benefit of basketball or other indoor athletics, while a very large effort is put forth by the high school faculty to carry on the work.  That effort, properly apportioned through the school, could be lauded, but when it reverts to so small a number of pupils or students, it is a grossly unfair deal to a very large majority.  Those pupils who really need physical activity get absolutely none from this big effort and disposition of time. And no one can figure that while effort is being put forth, it is not being done to neglect of other school duties.

Without a gymnasium, it is a very questionable matter whether the school should undertake those athletic activities which require indoor facilities, and it would be well for school patrons to analyze this question and be prepared to express themselves should the school board and the faculty bring it to the fore for final decision.

January 20, 1928
FROM A COUNCILOR

Jim?
Jim who?
Why, G-y-m-n-a-s-i-u-m.
Do we need one,
Can we have one?
Well, that all depends on how badly we need one.
New Meadows has one.
Cambridge has one.

New York has many according to her needs.  Council needs only one, and needs it as badly as Cambridge or New Meadows.

The cost would represent not over one per cent of our assessed valuation, and surely we can manage to set aside one per cent even if we have to drive the old car another season.

A Councilor.

compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #30

The Adams County Leader   Official Paper of Adams County
Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance
Published Every Friday by E. E. Southard
Matter for publication should reach this office not later than Thursday noon – earlier if possible

February 12, 1926
WOMAN BLOWS HER MAN’S BRAINS OUT
SWEET TEMPERED LADY HAS COME-BACK FOR HER ABUSIVE HUSBAND
Mrs. Ben Rapin, living a little ways north of Cambridge, got peeved at her Ben last Sunday night and blew his brains out.  It seems the couple had quarreled the day before and Mrs. Rapin claims her spouse choked her and did other playful little stunts like that.  When he got nicely to sleep the lady evened up the score, and perhaps even got a little the better of the argument.

The couple retired and went to sleep, but the old girl awoke about midnight, hunted up the old family fowling piece, placed the muzzle cozily against Ben’s head, and crooked her trigger finger.  “Boom,” went old Faithful and Ben’s brains went slathering around as promiscuous as shillelaghs at a Donnebrook fair.  The records show that she’d blown the “stuffin” out of her loving husband.

Rapin was about 68 years of age and the wife is 50.  There are three children, who, aroused by the shot, hopped out of bed and called the neighbors.  Mrs. Rapin was taken to Weiser where it seems the coroner’s jury failed to indict her.  But Mr. Feltham, prosecuting attorney of Washington County, is expected to file a charge of murder against the lady.

April 2, 1926
MRS. RAPIN

Mrs. Pearl Rapin of Cambridge was acquitted of all blame for the death of her husband in Judge Varian’s court in Weiser last Friday.  It was alleged that the woman placed the muzzle of a shotgun against the head of her husband while he slept and blew his brains out.  They jury acquitted her of all blame, arguing apparently either that she did not do what she admitted doing, or else that it was no crime to kill the late Mr. Rapin. 

The writer did not hear the trial, but persons who did hear it were scratching their heads last Friday afternoon in Weiser and wondering what it was all about.  Several were heard to remark that they hadn’t the faintest conception as to what the crime of murder consisted of any longer.  As the lady is now a widow, it would seem the logical things for the Washington county board of commissioners to grant her a pension.

May 14, 1926
TRIPLE DEATH STALKS WEISER
MAN CHOPS WIFE’S HEAD WITH AX AND BLOWS HIS OWN OFF
Those Washington county people make me nervous.  Man in Weiser last week went home, hunted up the old wood choppin’ instrument and started in to chop the head off of his faithful helpmeet.  When the lady was as dead as he felt she ought to be, the gentleman started to carve his sister-in-law up in the same manner.  Then he hunted up a shotgun à la Rapin and placing the muzzle carefully up alongside his face, he pulled the trigger.  Most of the head was carried away, brains and other impedimenta being found scattered impartially over the floor, the walls, and the ceiling, and it is hardly necessary to add that the man died suddenly.  The sister-in-law was expected to live, but the man and wife, whose name was Leath, are no more.

LOCAL ITEMS, 1926 - 1927

Long Sought Result Has Finally Been Achieved
We have been given to understand that the Council high school is now accredited.  School patrons have much to be thankful for, that at least one thing we have worked and struggled for has come to pass.

Indian Valley- Eighteen ladies of the Improvement League met at the home of Mrs. Edith Gray.  Roll call was answered by naming an educational toy.  Mrs. Ira Martin gave a paper on “Music in the Home,” Mrs. Frank Johnson gave a paper on “Schoolroom Decorations,” and Mrs. Albert McDowell gave a talk on flower culture, and urged all members to plant flowers in abundance for the flower show next fall.

The local hospital is being kept full this winter with so many cases of sickness among valley folks.

The last weekend brought in the last of the deer hunters with postmaster Prout and H. M. Purnell leading the van.  Among the rest of whom we have had report were Bert Hagar, John Bass, Alva Ingram, and Paul Schaff.  They all had been in the Warrens country and, delightful to report, they all had their venison.

Insist on Sunshine Bread.  It makes good toast.

August 27, 1926
AU REVOIR (MEANING: OLIVE OIL)

With this issue of the Leader, the writer’s connection with the paper is expected to cease.  Next week, William Lemon of Middleton, Idaho, an experienced newspaper man, will take over the paper.  We are saying these words this week in order to leave Mr. Lemon entirely free to “say his own say” next week and thereafter.

I have made many sincere friends in Adams county during the past four years and bid these farewell with much regret.  I have enjoyed meeting and mingling with the good people of Adams County, and have found much enjoyment in the work here.  In other words, I have “had a good time.”  I even feel that much has been accomplished during these four years.  The Leader has stood for what it believed to be for the best interests of the public; I believe this has become generally understood and conceded.  It has not intentionally done a wrong to any man.  In short, the Leader has tried to keep faith with its people.

What Adams County needs is more irrigation and more cooperation—and more education.  There are natural advantages a-plenty here; develop them.  My last word of advice, then, is to keep up your schools, irrigate your land and develop it, and—love your neighbor.  There are no higher things in life for a section situated as this one is.

Whether I personally ever again have an opportunity to “scold” you, friends, is “in the lap of the gods.”  I have no such expectations.  The Leader will continue to be what you make it.  It will always be the greatest possible community asset if you give it your support.  Build it up and you will build yourself up.  Tear it down, and you will go down with it.  The paper really and truly has very great importance in this community; much greater than many realize.  It can help a lot, but you will have to help it in turn, as is only fair.

I am not much given to shedding tears; but I have feeling of sincere regret in severing my connection with the Leader.  The paper has become a part of me, and I love it.  And I realize that words of mine are far too weak to express a just appreciation of the many acts of kindness on the part of the people of Adams County toward myself and family.  Friends, adieu.

E. E. Southard.


compiled by Eberle Umbach

Adams County Makes the News - Adams County Leader #29

The Adams County Leader  Official Paper of Adams County
Price $2.00 Strictly in Advance
Published Every Friday by E. E. Southard
Matter for publication should reach this office not later than Thursday noon – earlier if possible

December 18, 1925
KNOCKING

This week a letter similar to many that find their way into any newspaper office was received.  It was from an entire stranger, and was as follows:

“Waldport, Oregon, December 9, Official County Paper, Council, Idaho: Dear Sirs: Enclosed find stamp.  Please mail me copy of your paper, so I can get an idea of your city’s business, and what is doing in your section.”

Of course, the paper had to be sent: the man had sent stamps to pay for it, and had every right to expect to receive what he had paid for.  He wanted, most likely, to change his residence, and was casting about for a place to enter business, or to at least make for himself a new home.  He wanted to find out what sort of a district he was headed for before spending too much money running around investigating.

Now what impression did this man get of Council?  The official county paper, of which he did not know the name, will show this man that Council is in Adams County, and in Idaho.  It will show him that Council has, so far as he can ascertain, no bank, no meat market, no grocery store, no creamery, no candy shop, no stationery store, no Christmas goods of any kind for sale, and only one firm handling general merchandise—and that a rather small concern, if he is to judge from the advertisement-- and of course he has no other way of judging.  His first thought will doubtless be: “Goodnight, I don’t want to go there!”

Of course, the impression he gets of Council will not be true, but whose fault is it?  Who is knocking Council—is it the paper, which urges merchants to advertise, or is it the merchants themselves, who thus cause to be sent out from the home town every week a worse knock against this section than anything that any paper on earth could ever manage to print, if it should do its very worst.  Who is it that is doing the real knocking?  The fact is that this whole thing is just plain foolishness and unworthy of grown men.


LOCAL ITEMS, 1925

The missionary tea will be held on March 4th, with Mrs. E. H. Fears.

Found- Fountain pen on street.  Enquire at Leader office.

Why don’t you bring the missus and have your Sunday dinner at the Evergreen café? 40 cents a plate.

The bridge at Middle fork, which the recent high water swept out, is undergoing repairs.   Two new piers are being put in, and the expectations are that it will be ready for traffic in  a couple of weeks.

Jess L. Bedwell, who was forest ranger in Council but is now located in Spokane, was
called to Washington D.C. on the investigation concerning the white pine blister blight.

The Lappin Family listened to the radio in the George home till a late hour last Saturday
evening.

Persons intending to go to the McCall Winter carnival in March should notify their local railroad agent in order that arrangements may be made for enough sleds and teams to meet them at New Meadows and transport them to McCall.  If this is not done, persons will be running the risk of facing insufficient sleigh accommodations to meet the demands of the traffic, and general confusion and inconvenience to everyone.

Christmas Shopping Made Easy

Seventeen piece Doll Tea Set; Small Iron Gas Stove with Utensils; Small Sewing Machine. 

Other items from Toyland: The Dolls, The Trunks, The Erector Sets, Books, Stationery, Iron Toys, Wooden Toys, Game Boards, Tricycles, Kiddie Kars, Wagons, Buggies, Beds,  Skooters, Sand Pails, and Blackboards.
5-10-15 Cent Store and Variety Store.  Weiser.

Winter Carnival at McCall March 6th and 7th.  Excursion Rates over the P. & I. N.   Railway.  New Meadows to McCall and Return by 4-Horse team and sleigh.  Why go to
Switzerland when Payette Lakes are so near?

Read your home paper.  Only $2.00.


February 5, 1926
DEPOSITORS
 
Every depositor in the defunct First Bank of Council is invited and expected to be present at the meeting to be held at the courthouse in Council, Monday afternoon, February 8, at 2 o’clock.

February 5, 1926

FRED COOL WRITES A LETTER
COMMENT ON FAILURE OF THE FIRST BANK OF COUNCIL
 
The Leader is taking the liberty of printing the following excerpts from a letter from Fred Cool, formerly president of the First Bank of Council, now a resident of Portland:
Friend Southard: I cannot tell you how much I regret to learn of the closing of the First Bank of Council, for while I have very small personal interest there now, it still seems like home, and I willingly admit I have not been able to make the close acquaintances and true friends on other places that I have in Council.  Of course I realize that this will work a temporary hardship on everyone in the community and slow up business.  And after all, business is community life.  I heartily agree with you in your statement and request for the people to get together, cease local controversy, and boost for Adams County.  For without a doubt, you have one of the best communities in the west, and better times are ahead.

Sincerely yours, Fred Cool.
February 5, 1926

THIS BANK IN GOOD SHAPE

New Meadows, Idaho—My Dear Mr. Southard: It is with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction to us and we know to you, to learn from us that this bank has suffered no loss to speak of during what might have been exciting to us on account of the closing last Friday of the bank there.  Numerous ones here came in and asked if there was anything they could do for this bank and if we needed assistance.  We were assured of strong support if needed and we are glad to state now that we have numerous accounts on our books from Council; each train brings us new accounts, this now being the only bank in Adams County.

We are sorry with you that Adams county should lose one of its needed institutions, and if there is anything we can do to serve those there until such time as they will likely organize another bank, we would have you feel free to command us.

With sincere best wishes we remain yours very truly,
E. F. Kimbrough


compiled by Eberle Umbach