Memories of Early Aberdeen - BY E. L. Davis
Chapter 9

In the early history of Aberdeen, I think, the hardest nut to crack was the road situation. As chairman of the road committee for a longtime, I can recall that we really had some problems-and a constant fight to get what we thought was our share of help from the State and County. For the first few winters, for instance, when the snow was deep and drifted, there, quite naturally, would be places in the road where said snow had to be removed before travel to American Falls, and beyond, could be continued. We had no modern equipment, so the volunteers would be told to bring their shovels, picks, scrapers and fresnos, or other "Armstrong" tools, and we would get busy on the tough spots, clearing the worst drifts on down as far as we could in our county. There were no cars here in those days so all we had to do was prepare the way for horses and wagons-which we did. Sometimes the labor had to repeated in, maybe, a couple of days. Sometimes the roads would be passable for weeks. All this was volunteer labor, freely given for the sake of travel to the outside.

With the coming of cars and trucks, snow and other road equipment arrived, then the problem was to get some of the machinery at the right place and time. Being in the very end of a large county-42 miles from Blackfoot, the county seat-we had, at times, trouble getting the authorities to look in the direction of Aberdeen.

We had many meetings in Blackfoot where the business men all seemed to be with us, but the commissioners had the say, and controlled the purse strings. Some banquets were prepared by the business men of Blackfoot to which voters from all parts of the county were invited, and, where roads was the chief topic; and big crowds attended. Also a delegation was sent to Boise a few times.

In Boise we met with the governor, and Road Commissioner, Joe Woods, while there, and received promises. We had meetings several times here in Aberdeen. One day the commissioners were all here to a Commercial Club meeting, and it was a bad, rainy day. The discussions were hot that day, so, at the close of the meeting, as Chairman of the Road Committee, I asked the three officers if they would mind going out on the highway a little ways with me. They all agreed, and one of them said his car would go anyplace. I told him that was the kind of car we wanted. The four of us started out and got down by the Chas. Nielson farm about four miles out, and the car went to the axles. We worked a long time to get out and were not so clean as we had been. So I told them I was sorry they got stuck there as there were some bad places I wanted them to see. One spoke up and said, "That place was bad enough,thank you."

The next night we met Governor Ross in Blackfoot at a big feed, and Commissioner Tori Bennett of Shelley, spoke, and told of what had been done to them the day before. Also, saying he was in favor of fixing our roads as soon as possible, and the quicker the better.

Next day Governor Ross came down and was taken north, through Sterling and back to town on present highway site. He vowed that the road must be built on the higher land. That night, we had another banquet at the school house (it was now getting to the point where the banquet money had better be used to build the roads). At that meeting a large delegation was there from Sterling to try to persuade Governor Ross that the lower, or Sterling road, would be the better route. I introduced their chairman to the Governor but did not stay for the talks. However, Mr. Ross was still in favor of the high road.

We were in Boise to find out the score on chances for better roads from Blackfoot and American Falls to Aberdeen, Commissioner Woods showed us plans for some road work to be done on these two roads-later he met with the Chamber of Commerce here. I had taken the figures as to how much our school district had paid in for road taxes in a period of years, with no returns for our money. He agreed that we had paid for and were entitled to better results, but said, in effect, there was no money to do the work.

We got some gravel on the highways later, which helped, but we kept on trying, not giving up, until at last oiled roads were built. I suppose our complaints were typical of many other smaller communities, each trying to get help for its own locality, and feeling that their people were getting less than they deserved. Our own people felt that they were being discriminated against, rightly or wrongly. So keenly did they feel about it that they decided they would be better off in another county with the county seat much closer than Blackfoot.

Mr. Henry Toevs and myself were sent to Boise to present our case to the committee on boundaries. Power County also sent a delegation, for the same purpose. Senator Maurice Meyers from Power County, a very keen attorney, took charge of presenting the facts to the committee. The Blackfoot delegation also presented their case. After deliberating for some time, the committee voted to send a bill to the Senate. Mr. Meyers then took charge of the bill. Sometime later, the Chamber of Commerce, being in a regular meeting, Mr. Meyers called from Boise stating that the bill had passed the Senate by one vote, and so I reported to the meeting. The House defeated the bill a little later, however, so we still are in Bingham County, and we have fairly good roads. So far as I know there now exists a friendly feeling all around, which is as it should be.

I do think, however, that one commissioner should be elected from the Aberdeen territory, with all due respect to my friend, Mr. Judge, and his able assistant Mike Lloyd, a man from here would know more of our needs than a fellow from 20 to 25 miles away.

If each district could elect its own commissioner, there would be no doubt that one would be chosen from down here, but the law being what it is, the upper country can always vote us down. I don't say they would, but it should be talked over with the people of Blackfoot and Shelley, and a good man nominated and elected from the Aberdeen section.
When Mr. M.A. Fugate was our man on the Board, a ferry was operated across the Snake River, and run by John Parsons. The ferry was located just east of the present beach, or the old Toner place. We could leave here and go across the Snake and Portneuf rivers, across Horse Island, to the site of the present 30 N Highway, and on in to Pocatello, covering almost exactly the same distance as from American Falls to that city. In other words, the distance from American Falls and Aberdeen to Pocatello was the same. Moreover, when the highway site was reached, we had a six to eight lane highway from fence to fence-one could choose any lane he might wish, and could expect, and receive, a rut 6 to 8 inches deep and always wishing he had taken another lane. Except when the road was wet, the dust was terrific.

One day I went over to Pocatello with Jake Toevs (who was the truckman for many years) in the big old truck. We had on a very big load coming back, mostly lumber, and it was late and very dark, also pretty cold. The ferry man was on the Horse Island side of the river. Jake went to drive on, and the rope holding the ferry to the shore, broke; away went the ferry, and the front of the truck went down into the river. There we were, with the truck loaded, and couldn't back out. There was nothing to do but unload all that lumber, and carry it some distance-then try to crank the truck, the crank being some 12 to 15 inches under the cold, cold water. After many trials, the motor started, and with the help of three men, and lots of lumber, we backed outseemed nearly frozen, and wet. We got warmed up some loading the lumber, drove onto the boat and came home at a late hour. Jake didn't like that trip much and said so, but being a naturally humorous fellow, was soon joking about our experience then, and often afterward.

The building of the dam in 1925, creating the lake which covered the rivers and Horse Island and many acres of land, sent all back to the old route through American Falls. The bridge at American Falls had been condemned for many years, but was used right up to the beginning of construction of the dam. Then it was torn down and another ferry used to cross the river below the power plant, with JohnParsons still the whole crew.

Here, I would like to backtrack a little, and tell a peculiar incident that occurred in Boise, while awaiting the pleasure of the Boundary committee. We would go into the legislature and listen to the speeches and arguments, and the voting on the bills as they came up. One morning a school bill came up in the House, and I was immediately as much (and perhaps more) interested in that bill, than the one on which we were working. The roll was called and a man from this section of the state voted against his own interest, and ours, and I wondered why. We all went to a restaurant together for dinner, and when I got a chance I asked him why he had voted as he did. He looked up surprised and said, "Was that bill up today?" Upon being assured that it was, and that he voted "Aye," he said, "I honestly didn't know it." He apparently had simply voted as the one next to him had voted.

About 1913 there was put on the market a unique sale of Aberdeen property. The Aberdeen Valley Investment Co., with Mr. L.H. Lathrop as president and manager, and backed up with big names and money, got out fine folders. Mr. Lathrop had been assistant Engineer under Mr. Blossom, earlier. I have one of the folders on my knee right now, and as of today, their claims are more than fair and conservative.
1. They list one Hotel (Bingham) $10,000
14. Fourteen bungalows with lots $16,800
1. One Alfalfa Meal Mill $5,200
2. Forty Acre farms $8,000
16. Sixteen five-acre tracts $10,000
7. Seven 21/2-acre tracts $7,000 1309. 
Thirteen Hundred nine residence lots, each $150 to $200 150. 
One hundred fifty business lots, each $150 to $660

Each investment to cost $150 and if desired, customer could pay $10 down and $10 per month. No interest nor tax to pay-also insurance. If purchaser died before full payment, company to issue fully paid up certificate, or refund the money already paid. With the above information ready, the salesmen got busy.

They advertised the meeting for the drawing to be held on November 15, 1913, but it was actually held April 18, 1914.
The salesmen seemed to have settled on Montana, in general, and Butte, in particular. They used such headlines as "You Can't Lose. Fair to Everyone." "Aberdeen's Ideal Location", "The Nile of America", "Government Experiment Farm" etc. But, generally speaking, their estimates of crops and prices were very conservative. They slipped up on some yields, as was to be expected, and they tried to outdo California on weather, viz. "Lowest Winter temperature 23 above, and maximum summer heat, 81 above-sunshine almost guaranteed for 275 days."

Well, when April 18 came, a special train was run, from Butte, Montana, to Aberdeen, Idaho. Mr. and Mrs. Tom Burton were passengers. Also Mr. Tom Prudhomme, father of our friend Bill Prudhomme.
There was a large crowd, and, I remember, we fed as many at our house as we could get in, and Tom Prudhomme was the best entertainer. Many of the prize packages went to Montana. Mrs. Tom Burton was the one who pulled the tickets out of the hat, and that told each one there what he had drawn.

Some of the results of the drawing follow:
Con Cream, an amiable Irishman, drew the hotel, and later traded it for a farm. Most people here except for the young folks will remember Con and his brother, Mike.
The alfalfa mill went to Mr. Leonard Ryall, Hazen, Nev., but was never used.
One forty acre farm' was drawn by C.A. LaCroix, Dillon, Montana, straight north of town, now owned by H.L. Lowe, usually referred to as the Zieger farm.

The other forty acres went to Horace Turner, Lavina, Montana, once owned by T.S. Vanderford.
The fourteen bungalows went to the following:
Winners Now Owned by
1. Perry M. Stout Frank Rich
2. Herman Pieske Alvin Partner
3. Anna Good A. Langenwalter
4. Fred J. Dittman Chas. Dunn on his farm
5. V.F. Wootton Harold Ross
6. F.E. Ellerman School Dist. (Burt House)
7. Arriola Yragerri A.M. Beck
8. Joseph and Helen Lundusky Mrs. J.D. Pratt
9. H.H. Hamilton Mrs. C. Young
10. M. Oakland Alice Lehman
11. T.M. Prudhomme Mrs. Geo. Anderson
12. H.S. Harper G. Anderson
13. J.A. Moore Mrs. J.T. Dvorak
14. H.H. Hansen Moved to A.J. Schreck place

The 5,3 and 21/2 acre tracts were all around town and good property. Of course not many of the bungalows look like they did in 1914, but, I believe all of them are in use.

Before Mr. Freeland left here he circulated a petition to have the Village of Aberdeen incorporated, and we were organized April 17, 1915, with M.A. Fugate as first Mayor, at least, so called.

Mr. and Mrs. Burton can give some interesting facts about the special train, and the drawing. Might be worth your while to talk to them.