In January of 1901 the Council Journal newspaper started publication. Its office was on the NW corner of Moser Ave. and Main St.. Some work on the P&IN had been continuing, in spite of winter weather. By the end of January, the Journal said the rails were “a few miles from Council” with between 400 and 500 men working on it.
Not long before this, the Moser Hotel in Council had become the “Plaza Hotel.” The town was growing rapidly.
In March the railroad reached Council, and on the 13th, a “last” spike was ceremoniously driven by “four young ladies.” The P&IN soon built a large stockyard for loading and unloading livestock. Copper ore could now be loaded onto rail cars here instead of having to be hauled by wagon all the way to Cambridge (or before that to Weiser).
In May, J.F. Surry established a brick making facility near the Weiser River bridge west of Council. By the end of June the Citizen said he had 12,000 bricks in his kiln. If large numbers of bricks were actually being made, I don’t know what they were used for. Council had few, if any, brick structures for years after this, and two disastrous fires would have to occur in the town before brick construction finally became common.
That summer saw the arrival of one man who would become very prominent in Council – Attorney Luther L. Burtenshaw.
Independence Day was always the biggest day of public celebration in those days, and Council held a big bash on July 4. Hundreds of people gathered downtown. A parade of elaborate floats traveled about a mile to “the picnic grounds.” They were followed by 70 wagons, carriages and buggies and people on foot. The Signal reporter said, “There must have been about 1,000 people on the grounds.” Luther Burtenshaw was the featured orator. Pleasant W. Johnson (brother of Seven Devils Johnson), dressed in costume as The Honorable Philander Drumstick Q. K. – leader of the Prehistoric Order of United Society of Independent Humbugs – gave a humorous talk.
That month, Goodrich was granted a post office.
All summer, the Seven Devils mining towns were bustling with activity and construction of new buildings. The Seven Devils Standard moved from Cuprum to Landore under new management of C. H. Mitchell.
Weiser Signal, September 26, 1901 – “The East Fork Ditch Company is taking a ditch out of the East Fork Weiser River, which will irrigate 3000 acres of the finest land in this valley.”
Died in 1901: Queen Victoria, Abraham Criss; George A. Winkler, patriarch of the Winkler family; Leticia Winkler, the matriarch of the Winkler family..
100 years ago
July 8, 1926
It seems the proposed $100,000 flour mill here was a stock selling scheme. The promoters left town after state officials insisted that a showing of good faith be evidenced by depositing the money received from the sale of stock in the local bank.
A girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Williams on July 4.
Dixie – “The well driller ran into a splendid artesian flow of water while at work on the J. R. Glasscock ranch.”
75 years ago
July 12, 1951
Three slot machines stolen from Ott’s club in Cambridge were found dumped in the Snake River south of Weiser.
Married: Donna Lee Lawson and Kenneth Oliver Cunningham.
Married: Carole Duncan and Robert Kienzle. Both are former Cambridge High School graduates.
Harvesting of peas for the Idaho Canning Company of Payette is nearly complete. Charles Organ harvested 20 acres, and Earl Armacost harvested about 25 acres. August Jaeger is another grower. “Two other fields of peas in the Valley are being used for insilage.”
49 years ago
July 14, 1977
A girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Edwards July 13 at the Council hospital.
A boy named Aaron Wade was born to Mr. and Mrs. Everett VanFossen at the Weiser hospital on July 9.
Died: Stanley P. Keele, Riddle, Oregon. Born in Portland, he moved with his parents to Midvale in 1918 where he grew up.
Died: Nellie Goodnight, 88, a longtime resident of Midvale.
Died: Leonard F. Smith, 78, Council. He married Daisy House in 1940. They lived in Council where he was a night watchman for Boise Cascade, and later was a custodian for the grade school and the Adams County landfill.
25 years ago
July 5, 2001
“Governor Dirk Kempthorne has approved drought emergency declarations for Adams and Payette Counties. That brings to 26 the number of counties where commissioners have requested drought emergencies. Irrigation water supplies in both counties are expected to be severely restricted this year. The forecast streamflow on the Weiser River near Weiser is at 32% of normal, which is the third lowest in 74 years.”
