By 1900 Maude Peters was about 20 years old. That September the Signal said she was a primary school teacher in Council.
In 1900 the Peters family had a home built on the corner of what is now Moser Avenue and Railroad Street (207 Moser Avenue), which is still standing and occupied.
Weiser Signal, December 20, 1900: “John O. Peters and family are now living in their new house on the Moser flat, and with its green coat of paint, makes a fine appearance.”
Council Journal, April 13, 1901 – “John O. Peters has a force of men at work erecting a warehouse near his residence. Structure will be 24 X 30.” This building was in what is now a vacant area east of his house. The railroad had reached Council just the month before, and the town was booming.
Evidently the new warehouse was for yet another store that Peters established at Council. Weiser Signal, October 31, 1901:“John O. Peters has just completed a big building and he and William Peirce sic will go into the furniture business. Their first car load arrived during the week.”
The above item seems to refer to Peters’ new store building that he built in 1901 about where the M&W Market parking lot is today (or maybe slightly west of it). The new store no longer sold furniture.
Council Journal, Feb. 1, 1902 – Advertisement: “John O. Peters, the leading hardware merchant – doors, windows, building material, forks, shovels, farm implements, camping outfits, wire fencing and barb wire, building paper and carpenter tools of every description. Mining tools and nails from one penny to a 310 spike. Miners supplies and ranges, furniture, harness, boots & shoes and everything in an up to date hardware store.”
On April 9, 1902 the furniture store was the scene of a wedding, in which Amason Smith of Council married Mrs. Nellie’s Syverson of Nebraska. Seems like a curious place for a wedding.
That summer of 1902 James F. Lowe and his family moved to Council “to join John O. Peters in Merc. Business.” Lowe bought an interest in the store. Lowe had been principal of the public schools in Weiser. He had married Carrie Madge Blue in Kansas in 1898. Carrie Lowe (1870 - 1945) would later become well known as Adams County Superintendent of Public Instruction.
1902 was one of the most frenetic years in Council’s history. The rails ended here and Council was the closest rail point to the Thunder Mountain gold fields. Dozens of men arrived on the train every day all spring and summer, and they wanted supplies and horses or mules.
In August the Weiser Signal quoted the Council Advance newspaper: “Every day there is loaded and unloaded at the depot here from 30,000 to 50,000 pounds of freight. Last week I. McMahan loaded out over 50,000 lbs; Haworth & Co., between 40,000 and 50,000 lbs; Haas Bros. & Co. about 60,000 lbs.; and Peters & Lowe nearly 30,000 pounds, of merchandise for the surrounding country, and this office received over 100,000 pounds of ore. Every thing is booming here and room for more.”
The ore was copper ore from the Seven Devils Mining District. The tracks ended, and the depot stood, about where the Dollar Store is today. Local people found copper ore lying about that area for years afterward. (The railroad would be rerouted to the west side of town in 1905.)
At some point, Peters worked to develop his mine, the Golden King, along the Weiser River near the Steven’s Stage Station (mouth of the East Fork).
In January 1903 the Village of Council was incorporated. The first “trustees” or what would now be called City Council members, were H.M. Jorgens, Lewis Shaw, J.J. Bolan, Isaac McMahan and John O. Peters.
That summer of 1903 the Signal said James J. Jones “bought John O. Peters’ interest in the store.” This left the store to Peters’ partner, James Lowe, and James Jones. They renamed the store Lowe & Jones.
Now without a store, Peters set up a new retail business in the west part of Council.
Weiser Semi-Weekly Signal, August 20, 1904: “John O. Peters moved his store building to the lower part of town last Monday.” Apparently Peters converted his warehouse near his home into a store. The next week the Signal said, “John O. Peters will open up a new stock of hardware and furniture in his building in the west part of town the first of next week.”
Weiser Semi-Weekly Signal, September 21, 1904: “The stock of furniture and hardware ordered by John O. Peters, for his new store, has arrived and will be installed and ready for business early next week.” Council was still the terminus of the P&IN line and was the closest rail point to Long Valley. The same Signal issue reported that people from Long Valley were beginning to come to Council for their winter supplies. This added to Council’s already growing economy and illustrates how vital railroads were.
Due to Council’s growth, the school on top of the hill north of downtown was becoming overcrowded and there was talk of expanding it. Maude Peters was still teaching there and was in charge of the primary grades.
In the summer of 1905 the Peters family added a wing to their home on Moser Avenue. That September, John Peters moved his store. The Signal said, “John O. Peters has rented the lower floor of the Odd Fellows hall and will move his stock of merchandise there.” The move could have been to locate his business more in the heart of downtown, as the brand new Odd Fellows Hall was just north of the town square. (That space is now the east part of M&W Market.)
100 years ago
December 12, 1924 Married at Payette: Miss Theodosia Preston, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. I. H. Preston and Goldie Garner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Garner, all of Midvale.
Died: Jerome Benjamine Cox, 77, at his home in Cambridge. He came West when a young man. He hunted buffalo in Kansas in the early 1870s and crossed the plains several times while a young man. He freighted from Kelton, Utah to Boise during the latter part of the 1870s. He was a scout under General Miles during the Bannock Indian War in Oregon in 1877-’78.
75 years ago
December 15, 1949
After standing a little over 60 years, the old Salubria school house, one of the last remaining historically famous landmarks in Salubria Valley, was moved from its foundation. It was purchased by Harry Smith earlier this year from Charles Organ. Built by George Hofstetter in 1889, school was held both up and down stairs until about 1919, when Fay Davis became teacher there. Three large Caterpillar tractors were used in moving the school last Friday. It was taken through Organ’s field to the Harry Smith place in Salubria where it will be placed on a foundation.
“Art Wilson reports that the Village water system now has 165 users, and all time high.”
Died at Salt Lake City: Earl W. Hinckley, 65, a retired railroad man. He was born at Halfway, Oregon and has lived the greater part of his life at Riggins. He had lived in Midvale since 1944.
A total of 5,172 elk were killed in Idaho open and special hunts this fall. The bulk of these animals were taken in the Lochsa and Selway areas.
49 years ago
December 11, 1975
Died: Jack E. Day, 44, at Council. Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Larry (Jerry) Bowman and Mrs. Eldon (Terry) Paradis, both of Council; son, Byron (Butch) Day of Council.
Died Mrs. Gus (Barbara) Welker, 55. She taught at Cambridge for the past five years.
A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Delray Platt the Weiser hospital December 6.
A mud and rock slide near Pollock, that buried part of highway 95 in January, is moving again and is threatening the Highway and Little Salmon River.
25 years ago
December 9, 1999
Cambridge will celebrate its Centennial. “December 29, 1899 the City of Cambridge came into existence by the ceremonial driving of the spike that welcomed the Pacific and Idaho Northern Railroad.”
