History Corner

Near the end of May 1894 John Peters’ store, in what was becoming the town of Council, burned down. It sat about where the M&W Market parking lot is today. It’s not clear exactly when he moved his store here from its previous location north of “town” on Galena Street. Peters began building a new store almost immediately, on the west side of what is now Michigan Street, about a block south of present-day M&W. Before the summer was over, Isaac McMahan joined him in that store.

Although more information was forthcoming, the Salubria newspaper said the Peters fire was one of two that had occurred that same week. Having no alternative to lighting with an open flame, it was almost always responsible for such fires.

Idaho Citizen, June 15, 1894 – “George Robinson Robertson has been making a ditch on his ranch, when completed he will have a fine farm.” This would be the Robertson – Seavey Ditch, originating from the Weiser River north of Fruitvale.

Baseball games between various communities and towns was becoming very popular, and the Council Valley team played a game every Sunday. In those early days, umpires and catchers wore no protective equipment. That summer Bill Winkler was the catcher for the Council team and a hard pitch sent the ball hurtling into Bill’s nose, breaking it.

Emmett Index June 30, 1894: “Jim Perkins arrived from Indian Valley Saturday. He spent the winter and spring on Salmon River and says the contractors on the state Wagon Road down Little Salmon River completed a considerable portion of the road before high water and it was almost entirely destroyed by the spring raise. Salmon River was 16 ft above high-water mark – higher than it was ever known to be before. Nearly all of the state Wagon Road that was constructed before high water will have to be rebuilt.”

Even building a pack trail down the Little Salmon was a very difficult endeavor. Before this, pack trails followed ridges high above and west of the river, as mentioned in this August 16 item in the Weiser Signal:

“The first of August finds Meadows rejoicing over the double event of the completion of a new trail down the Little Salmon and the opening of a new mail route to Grangeville. The trail, which has been built at the expense of private parties, also makes a fair beginning on the state wagon road, as it follows the grade of the latter. Heretofore the trail has wound around for eight or ten miles over Little Salmon mountain, travel being difficult. Now it follows a water grade through the canyon, part of it being blasted out through solid rock.

“The opening of the mail route to Grangeville also marks an epoch in this line. It is the forerunner of direct communication between north and south Idaho. Heretofore the mail from Grangeville, Lewiston and northern Idaho has made a circuit of several hundred miles around through Washington and Oregon to reach the capitol. This new route was established through the efforts of Postmaster Cal White of Meadows, on the strength of the building of the state wagon road.” “It is to be regretted that no money was set aside from the state wagon road fund for the building of the Little Salmon division of about twenty miles. The road up the main Salmon will be finished this fall.” “There is now a good road down through the Meadows for fifteen miles to Round Valley. The people of Washington county will extend this to connect with the state road, a distance of about five miles. When this is done there will be direct communication between north and south Idaho via Grangeville and Lewiston.”

What would become the town of Council was growing rapidly at this time. An attorney moved in, as well as what would seem to be Council Valley’s first resident doctor – his ad in the Idaho Citizen said: “S.C. Craft, M.D., physician and surgeon, Council Valley, Idaho - office on Main street.”

Also that summer the firm of Cohen & Criss started visiting Council Valley as traveling merchants to sell clothes and dry goods. I believe their headquarters were in Weiser. Sam and Harry Criss were brothers, and Abraham Criss (1852 - 1901) may have been their father, although evidence is lacking. They were all involved in the business, which continued in Council for many years. They were devout Jews and did not do business on the Sabbath – sundown on Friday through nightfall on Saturday. They became known as the “Jew peddlers,” and would later establish a major store in Council.

The community of Bear was prospering around this time, probably due, in part, to being on the road to the nearby mining district. (Even though the mines were not very active in 1894 due to the economic depression.) The Bear school had 17 students, including Byron Davis, Jesse Smith and a number of Warners: Janie, Levern, Mary, Charles and Sam.