lu CaßtaKll Sftlttiîc
VOL. XXX. NO. 3.
CALDWELL, IDAHO, FRIDAY, JAUARY 17, 1913.
•VEEKLY, $2.00 PER YEAR
PERTINENT NEWS OF
STATE WITH OUR
OWN COMMENT
Measures to Reduce Cost of
Government Introduced
in Legislature.
COST OF ELECTION CUT
Judge Bryan Decides Against Ten
Mill Tax Levy in Pocatello—New
Process of Extracting Gold Dis
covered—Germans Make Success of
Dried Potatoes.
Te legislature seems determined to
carry out the recommendations made
by Governor Haines in regard to eco
nomy. Bills looking to the cutting
down of expenses have been introduc
ed and many of them will be enacted
into law. A measure has been intro
duced by Senator H. C. Baldridge of
Canyon county which it is said will
effect a saving of at least $25,000 per
year to the taxpayers of the state.
This bill provides for the compensa
tion of election judges and clerks at
the rate of $2.50 per day instead of
$4.00 as at present. It also limits the
time that such election officers shall
serve to two days. At present the two
day limit does not exist. Senator
Baldridge states that his meausrc
would have saved t/he people of Can
yon county $2,000.00 during the p^st
year. This particular bill or one with
the same purpose in view will be en
acted into law.
Another bill will be introduced look'
ing to Phe reformation of the registra
tion laws. The legislature, as well as
the people, is covinçed that registra
tlon for every election is entirely un
necessary. This useless expense can
be greatly reduced. Registration
should not be compulsary oftener
than once every ten years, except for
new voters and those who change their
residence. The fees could be entirely
eliminated by having the county au
ditor attend to the registration and
making it possible to register at any
time during the year. The present
plan of chasing electors should be
done away with entirely. If the voter
does not care to go to the court house
in order to qualify as an elector the
public will not suffer to any great ex
tent if he does not vote at all. The
cost of elections. has increased by
leaps and bounds. Elections are
becoming more frequent and the ex
pense greater for each election. We
are convinced that elections are held
too often, but see no practical way of
lessening the number. The legislature
must effect reformation by making the
cost of each election less.
Other Proposed Laws.
Already a great many bills have
been introduced. Among the most
important are those to conrol expen
ses of municipal government; to bene
fit taxpayers; and to reduce the legal
rate of interest. The first bill men
tioned was introduced by Ferguson of
Bannock and provides that at the ad
journment of each session of a city
council or board of trustees the board
shall cause to be published the amount
of any bill allowed and the name of the
person to whom it was allowed. With
in 20 days after the publication of the
bill allowed any person may take an
appeal to the district court and the
judge is required to .hear the appeal
as soon as possible. If the court is
of the opinion the appeal was taken in
good faith no costs may be entered
against the person who appealed. The
second measure provides that the
county assessor notify each taxpayer
what of his property is listed and what
figure it is assessed. The bill requires
that sudb notices must be mailed on or
before the first Monday in July, and
sets the date when the board of county
commissioners shall meet as a board
of equalization. The object of the
measure is to give every taxpayer the
right to make an appeal before the
state board of equalization in ease he
deems the assessment unreasonable.
The third measure, also introduced by
Ferguson, reduces tlw legal rate of in
terest from 12 to 7 per cent. It also
provides that a judgment on a note
shatl not bear interest at a rate to ex
ceed 7 per cent.
The legislature lus also passed n
resolution in favor of an amendment
to the constitution of the United
State* providing for the direct elec
tion of United States senator. The
members of the legislature feel satis
fied that the proposed amendment to
the Constitution will be made and that
this sessjon will be the last to elect
senators.*
Borah Asks for More Money.
The Committee on Irrigation of the
United States senate has favorably re
ported a hill introduced by Senator
Borah authorizing an additional loa
of $30,000,000 to the reclamation sor
vice by the federal treasury. Senator
Borah has also notified the saine com
niittee that at the next congress he will
advocate a vital change in the recla
mation law. He proposes that settlers
be relived of the burden of repaying to
the government the cost of reclama
tion projects. It is too early to pre
diet the fate of Senator Borah's pro
posed amendment to the reclamation
law. He must feel that he has a fair
chance of successfully accomplishing
his purpose.
A great many people have thought
all along that settlers on government
reclamation projects would never be
called u;>on to pay for the projects.
The government has expended money
for the benefit of states and communi
ties in the past without expecting to be
paid back. Rivers and harbors have
been improved and frequently, we fear
where there wre no such rivrs and
where there were no such rivers and
lions of dollars in an effort to con
trol the Mississippi river. Other in
ternal improvements have been made
from time to time by the government,
but until the passage of the reclama
tion law a return of the money ex
pended to the government was never
thought of. The policy of the govern
ment should not be changed by the
reclamation law. The settlers on gov
ernment reclamation projects should
receive their water free of cost. We
all know that tih'e arid states have re
ceived little consideration in the past.
As eastern men of affairs are becom
ing better acquainted with western
conditions they are inclined to take a
broader view of our needs and re
quirements. They will be more in
clined to look favorably upon Senator
Borah's measure than they were a
decade ago.
Can Extract Flour Gold.
The extraction of fine gold from
placer grounds and the saving of the
finer gold of the black sands of Snake
river has been one of the dreams of
miners and scientists for years. Up
to the present time no scientist ihas
been able to extract the gold profit
ably. The Idaho Falls Register claims
that E. C. Rowden of that city has
successfully succeeded where so many
others have failed. Mr. Rowden has
devote tihe better part of 20 years to a
solution of the problem. He has evol
ved a method tfhat is practical. It has
been tried out on a commercial scale
Southeastern Idaho and found
to be profitable. The details of the
process have been kept secret, but from
well authenticated sources the fact has
been established that in a plant con
structed in 1,000-ton units 65 per cent
(Continued on page five.)
MEET TO DISCUSS
TAX REDUCTION
Wednesday about fifty delegates
from the various districts of the
county met at the court house with
the county commissioners to discuss
the matter of taxation.
Mr. Harland, state master of the
Grange, presided. Various addresses
were made by those present, discus
sing conditions obtaining and many
were the changes in our present sys
tem which were advanced with the
sole idea of lowering the rate of tax
ation.
The Payette Commercial Club in
conjunction with the grange had pre
pared several recommendations,
among wihich were the abolishing of
the office of probation officer, platter,
and care in the making of appropria
tions by the commissioners.
The majority of those present were
agreed on the proposition of doing
away with the office of probation of
ficer, although it seemed that the idea
that the office was costing the city
several thousands of dollars annually
was the principal reason for this feel
ing, while as a matter of fact the of
fice has never cost more than $1,800
in any one year; the present only
about $1,600.
The matter of the platter did not
receive any attention at thfc hands of
the meeting. The assessor states that
lie is the platter and that in the last
two years he has expended about $500
in securing new plats of rough
country, which he deemed a very
good investment, and one that was
required by law.
After much discussion it was found
that the probation officer is appointed
by the Probate Judge—or not, the
matter of having such officer being en
tirely to his discretion. The meeting
then passed a resolution asking the
Probate Judge to let the office go
vacant tOie coming year, and a com
mittee consisting of Messrs. VI. W
Dorman, R, W. Stoughton, and R, S.
Madden was appointed to wait upon
the Probate Judge and make known
their washes.
Other measures of economy dis
cussed were the abolishment of the
state immigration bureau and a new
law by which each political party
would Jjave to stand the expense of
conducting its own primary. The pri
maries in Canyon county in connec
tion with the last general election cost
about $4500.
W. A. Coughanour raised a laugh
by declaring that such a law would
save him money, for under the present
conditions it would not be Worth while
for Democrats to hold any primaries
Upon motion of Mr. Albert of Pay
i-tte, a committee consisting of Messrs.
R. S. Madden of Caldwell, Finley
Monroe of Emmett, J. S. Scritchfield
of Fruitland, B. L. Johnston of
Kampa, and W. A. Coughanour of
Payette was appointed to draw up a
resolution recommending certain
(30,000,0110 LOAN
CHEERS OUCH
CANYON
Senator Borah Making Good
on Promises of Help for
District.
CAREY ACT ALLOWED
Interior Department Allows Applica
tion to Carey Act 15,000 Acres Un
der the District—Affairs Look Very
Much Brighter—If Loan Bill Goes
Through Work Will Start Soon.
..6..,n,b shrdlu cmfwyp „cmfwyp mf
It begins to look as though through
the efforts of Senator Borah the af
fairs of the Black Canyon Irrigation
District will in the near future as
sume a very encouraging look.
Tuesday of this week the senate
irrigation committee ordered a favor
able report on the bill authorizing an
additional loan from the federal
treasurer of $30,000,000 to the recla
mation fund. It is confidently expec
ted that the bill will receive favorable
consideration, and that the govern
ment will take up the Black Canyon
proposition as soon as the money is
available.
Carey Act Segregation.
According to one of the directors of
the district, word was received Wed
nesday that the Interior Department
had approved tihe Carey Act Segre
gation of 15,000 acres within the dis
trict.
By this action of the department the
settlers are relieved of a heavy bur
den of Residence until the affairs of the
district assume such shape that water
is available.
The Black Canyon Irrigation dis
trict embraces nearly 200,000 acres of
some of Khe best land in the state. The
lands are in the hands of an exception
ally fine class of settlers and the plac
ing of water on the tract will mean
much to the welfare of the community
and give a decided tone to the con
fidence investors feel in the section
much-needed legislation looking to
ward greater economy. This resolu
tion is to be handed the Canyon re
presentatives in the state legislature
Mr. Coughanour suggested that if the
legislation needed were to be embod
ied in bills all ready prepared, that
some legislator might be induced to
introduce them and perhaps some
thing might come of the matter.
H. W. Dorman, president of the
Caldwell Commercial club, suggested
that each district collect a certain
amount of the sum necessary to de
fray the expense of drawing the need
ed bills.
Probation Officer Already Appointed.
When the committee waited upon
Probate Judge Harger, they found
that teyh were too late, the Judge
having appointed Tim Driscoll Pro
bation Officer on Monday last.
All our watchwork is absolutely
guaranteed—F. A. Harmon, Main
treet Jeweler. Caldwell. (Adv.)
BRADY LEADS IN
SENATORIAL
FIGHT
The vote yesterday on the United
States senator to take tihe place made
vacant by the death of Senator Hey
hurn resulted in a slight gain by
Brady. Speaker French of Canyon de
serted the colors of Ailshie and went
over to Brady, as did Johnson of
Oneida. Chandler of Clearwater and
Parks of Blaine for some reason found
the Brady standard more to their lik
ing the Beale insignia. This brought
the total for Brady up to tht high
water mark—27.
To offset his loss of French and
Johnson, Ailshie welcomed Deffen
bach and Elliott of Bonner, who came
over from French, keeping his total
vote the same as yesterday.
There seemed to be a strong indica
tion throughout the day tfhat the
North would get together and cast a
nearly solid vote for Ailshie today.
~If the North fails to agree on one
candidate and force an election to
morrow, there is growing sentiment
in favor of breaking the deadlock with
Dewey. The Dewey stock has been
steadily going up for «he past few days
and he seems to be a good compromise
between the two strongest factions in
the fight.
The defection of Speaker French to
the Brady camp is thought to be be
cause of a strong pressure being
brought to bear from the Bull Moose
adherents. A petition is being circu
lated in Caldwell asking that the Can
yon delegation cast tUtelr vote straight
tor Brady.
DORMAN IS ELECTED
PRESIDENT OF
CLUB
Commercial Club Holds Their
Annual Election of
Officers.
GIBBONS SECRETARY
Vote of Thanks to President J. W.
Gue for Splendid Work Accomp
lished—Financial Condition of Or
ganization very Satisfactory—Direc
tors Elected.
At the regular annual meeting of
the Commercial club, held Monday
evening, H. W. Dorman was elected
president, and M. H. Gibbons re-elect
ed secretary-treasurer for the ensuing
year.
The meeting was one of the largest
and most enthusiastic ever held. Pro
ceeding the business of the meeting
several wrestling matches were put
on for the amusement of the members
through the courtesy of Jack Gordon
Mr. Gordon, a 210-lb stripling, gave a
splendid exhibition of the art, taking
on several of his pupils. The event
taking real precedence was three bouts
between Masters Breshears and Sto
vel. The lads were very evenly match
ed and gave a very creditable account
of themselves. At the end of the last
bout someone threw a coin on the
mat for the lads and soon a veritable
shower of silver descended upon Che
little contestants.
After the bouts were concluded the
regular business of the election of of
ficers was taken up. President Gue
made a short address in which he
briefly reviewed the work of the club
during *he past year, reading a con
densed financial report, which showed
the club to be on a sound foundation.
The membership has increased the
past year most satisfactorily, thanks
to the untiring eforts of President
Gue and Secretary Gibbons.
H. W. Dorman was elected by a
unanimous vote as successor of Dr.
J. W. Gue as president, and W. P.
Lyon, cashier of the First National
Bank, was elected vice-president. For
directors Messrs. C. J. Westcott, Dr
J. W. Gue, Dr. F. M. Cole, T. S
Jackson and A A. Binford were chos
en; all men prominent in tihe business
and professional life of the city.
For secretary, R. B. Scatterday in a
few well-chosen remarks nominated
M. H. Gibbons. C. S. Doan seconded
the nomination, calling attention to
the splendid woijc which Mr. Gibbons
has done for the city in the brief time
which the has been in the office. Sev
eral others added a few words of com
mendation, and Mr. Gibbons was elect
ed without a murmur of d'ssentine
voice.
Dr. Gue was tendered a vote of
thanks for the work accomplished
through his help and direction dunnu
the year. In his address Dr Gue
spoke in part as follows:
"During the year 1912 the Com
mercial club has brought to a sue
cessful conclusion many things of the
utmost importance to the citizens of
*****************
* t
* SENATORS *
* *
* AILSHIE—Baldridge, Barton, *
* Borden, Hedrick, A. G. Johnson, *
* P. W. Johnson, Sweet—7. +
* BRADY— Davis, Haight, Hunt, *
* Lee, Luck, Shepherd—6. *
* HAMER — Edgington, Hart, *
* Robinson—3. *
* BEALE—Hanson. *
FRENCH—Fields. *
BABB—Goodnight. *
REPRESENTATIVES ^
AILSHIE—Church, Conner, *
* Dickenson, Edelblute, Evana of +
* Bear Lake, Fannin, Harchelrode, +
* Johnston, Koelach, Norton, +
* Oakes, Rockwood, Ryan, Sargent, *
* Storey, Taylor, Wearne, Deffen- +
* bach and Elliott—19. +
* BRADY—Adams. Booth, Brad- *
* ley, Brown, Ferguson Gardner, *
* Hayford, Henderson, Lau, Law- *
* son, Lewis, McDermott, Menden- *
* hall, Mickels, Nielson, Shattuck, *
* Wright, Speaker French, John- *
* son, Chandler, and Parks—21. *
* BEALE—Campbell, Feather- *
* stone, Jones, Sinclair.—4. *
* HAMER—Bowerman, Evans *
* of Lincoln, Gilchrist, Hunt, Mer- *
* rill, Warnick—6. *
* FRENCH—Clark of Utah, *
* Mason, Oversmith—3.
* BABB—Case, Finke—2.
*****************
Caldwell and tributary territory
Thousands of letters have been writ
ten to prospective settlers; good road-s
have been built; electric railway de
velopment encouraged, and legit ii'ate
enterprises of every chcractei have
received moral and in sevrai cases fi
nancial assistance.
"The most important arconr.'ish
men>. of the cl-ib during the year was
tlf* securing the '.right of way for
t!ie Caldwell Traction Compan/s ex
tension to Snake river, l'he extension
i ihis lin - hai ,in<! w:'. 1 in the fill i-e
• an muc l lo H it 1 >'ness me i t.f
Caldwell. It ta-j-5 "ne of the ri ,- fci\t
fatn.ing cji-i nuuH'.-s in the i i"i
mountain :o;liitry and a «-rction thn.t
from the impetus v. v cn it bv cheap
transportation facilities is developing
rapidly. Thro'jiih the bml-ling of the
Sebree road -esi-ienu of 'he fertile
Gem district hive been broug.v. into
close comnian-cati >n with the busi
ness men ot CVidwdl : nd trade lt-li
tions have been firmly established.
The importance of the road to Cald
well and her interests can not be too
strongly emphasized. The company
plans several extensions for the near
future. The most important of these
is the building of the road to Jordan
valley, and this will probably be the
first of the extensions built. A branch
will also traverse the Gem district.
Several other improvements are yet
in the formative stage, and the com
pany officials have made no definite
announcement regarding them.
"The work of the club has not been
confined to the encouragement of
electric railway builders. Hundreds
of dollars have been spent in repair
ing and in construction wagon roads
leading into the city. Notable
achievements in this respect are work
done on the Henderson Ferry, Peace
ful Valley, Greenleaf and the good
roads program now being worked out
under the direction of Mr. Vassar.
"With the co-operation of the Cald
well banks the Commercial club
greatly aided in the stocking of the
farms in the vicinity of Caldwell with
high grade dairy cattle, adding much
to tihe welfare of the farmer and to
the prosperity of the city. The cam
paign conducted by the club resulted
in the farmers purchasing approxi
mately 700 head of dairy stock. To
the banks of the city, however, be
longs much of the credit for the suc
cessful conclusion of the plan.
(Continued on page five.)
THIRTEENTH
ORGAN RECITAL
l-'ederic Fleming Beale, organist at
the Methodist church, announces the
regular organ recital for January to
he given next Sipiday afternoon, the
19th, at four o'clock. There will be
no soloist but the program offered
contains much enjoyment. The ré
citais are free, though a silver collec
cio'n is taken. Mr. Beale has just re
turned from the East where he play
ed on a number of organs, and in his
opinion the organ in Caldwell com
pares most favorably with any of
them, large or small. The program for
next Sunday is given below.
1. Chromatic Fantasy Thiele
(a) Prelude Rachmaninoff
(b) Ave Maria Gounod
(c) Angelic Voices Batiste
(a) To a Waterlily ...MacDowell
(b) A Sea Song .MacDowell
(c) In Nomine Domini MacDowell
(a) Catilene Pastorale Higgs
(b) Under the Leaves ....Thome
(c) Torchlight March ..Guilmant
(a) Fanfare in D Faulkes
(b) Festal Postlude Faulkes
2.
DODGES DEATH
DY10 SECONDS
George Glenn, a lineman in the em
ploy of the Bell telephone company
here, had a narrow escape from death
by electrocution Wednesday. Glenn
was working at the top of a 40-foot
pole near the Caldwell Mill on Fifth
avenue, assisting in taking down
number of telephone wires which
the company is replacing with a heavy
cable. In some way one of the wires
which he was handling came in con
tact with a high tension light wire,
establishing a circuit which sent
high voltage of electricity through his
body. Kept from falling from the
pole by his safety belt and unable to
to free himself from the live wire,
Glenn must have soon succumbed to
the shock. His predicament was dis
covered by a fellow workman who
immediately climbed the pole to his
assistance, cutting the wires and low
ering the unconscious lineman to the
ground. It is believed that ten sec
onds more contact with tihe current
would have resulted in Glenn's death,
but owing to aid reaching him just
when it did, he suffered nothing more
than a severe shock and will be able
to return to work in a day or two.
FIGHT ASSESSMENT
UNPATENTED
LANDS
Payette-Boise Water Users'
Association Holds
Annual Meeting.
FORM NEW DISTRICT
Sentiment in Favor of Forming Irri
gation District of Lands Not Now
in any Such Organization—Will
Join Lincoln County Settlers in
Fight Against Unjust Taxation.
The annual stockholders meeting of
Bhe Payette-Boise Water Users' As
sociation was held Monday of this
week, about 100 stockholders being
present.
Professor Shinn was elected chair
man and J. H. Root, of Peaceful Val
ley, secretary.
Upon investigation it was found that
89,607 votes were eligible, it requiring
44,804 for a majority. Only 25,272
votes being represented, no election
could be held and the meeting was ad
journed until the first Monday in Feb
ruary.
The meeting was thrown open for
informal discussion of matters of in
terest to the association.
The first thing brought up for dis
cussion was the matter of taxes on
which final proof had been made, but
for which no patent had been issued.
Mr. Haybaugh of Greenleaf, was ap
pointed a committee to confer with
U. S. District Attorney Lingenfelter
of Boise with a view of combining the
interests of this association with those
of the settlers of Lincoln who are now
in lititagion over the same affair.
Much talk regarding the advisability
of forming the lands under the project
which are not now in any irrigation
district into an organization of this
character. The directors of the asso
ciation at their November meeting au
thorized Walter Griffiths to draw up a
petition to be submitted to the Board
of Directors praying that such action
be taken. Mr. Griffiths has had sev
eral conferences with officials of the
Reclamation Service and the Nampa
Meridian District. The Reclamation
officials have given him ample assur
ance that they will render all assis
tance possible in the formation of the
desired district. The matter will be
taken formally at the February meet
ing.
There are many reasons why the
formation of an irrigation district
would be advisable, chief among which
is the fact that the association would
then have complete control of the pro
ject.
Board of Directors Meet.
Following the stockholders' meet
ing the regular monthly meeting of
the Board of Directors was had, eight
of the eleven directors being present.
Director E. W. Munson has moved to
California: A. P. Jacobs of Kuna has
been sick with an attack of typhoid
fever for a couple of months; and J.
W. Brandt of Nampa* was unable to
be present.
The directors took up the tax pro
position discussed at the stockholders'
meeting and appointed Director C. M.
Rankin and Stockholder George Cla
son as a committee to assist Mr. May
baugh in placing the matter before Mr.
Lingenfelter.
Mr. Griffiths reported that the Su
preme Court would in all probability
render a decision on the Pioneer Irri
gation District bonds not later than
March and that the government would
at once begin operations on the drain
age system if the decision was favor
able.
President Bradley reported that in
the west end of Fargo district there
was a basin containing between 300
and 400 acres that is without drainage.
The farmers have attempted to do
the work, but have found it beyond
their means, notwithstanding the fact
that the government has rendered aid
to the amount of $1,000.00 in materials
which included 1,000 feet of drain pipe.
There is a long cut of 17J4 feet which
makes the proposition a very difficult
one for the settlers to work out them
elves. The government will be asked
to render further aid and provide a
foreman to oversee the work.
Mr. Weeks was appointed a com
mitee to take the matter up with the
Reclamation officials.
Mr. Sower, watermaster at the
Lower Dam, reported that the weather
had caused a stoppage of the work of
concreting the Deer Flat Low Line
and the Golden Gate canals, but that
a few days of good weather would
permit of a resumption of the work
and the canals would soon carry plenty
of stock water.
BOISE VALLEY PIONEER
DIES AT MIDDLETON
George B. Smith of Middleton, died
at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
Maybee in Middleton, yesterday morn
ing of dropsy. Mr. Smith was a pio
neer. Leaves five children, two boys,
and three girls. He had made his
home with Mrs. Maybee for some
time.
Funeral will be held this afternoon
under the direction of the Jones Fur
niture and Undertaking company.