Shortly after statehood, Statesman reports show what life was like in Boise

The big news in 1890 was Idaho’s admission as a state and the celebrations that took place thereafter, but throughout that year the Idaho Daily Statesman reported on many things that tell us what life was like in the little city of Boise.

At the end of January the threat of the usual spring floods led the Statesman to publish this: “A Stitch in Time. Urgent repair of Tom Davis’s dam or embankment is needed at the point where the river makes a sharp bend, or spring floods will surely cause great damage due to the winter’s heavy snows.”

In April: “Valuable Bricks. Capt. J.R. DeLamar sent 5 bars of gold and silver bullion to Boise City National Bank worth over $20,000.”

“Two soldiers who were rounded up by the police night before last, were sent to the barracks yesterday morning, probably with aching heads, less money, and more experience.”

In October 1890: “Everything was quiet yesterday. This is surprising considering the fact that nearly all the saloons were kept open.”

“Judging from the number of horses that were hitched on our streets yesterday afternoon, one would come to the conclusion that a majority of the voters from the suburbs came in on horseback. The corner of Eighth and Front streets is used as a sort of headquarters for teams from the country. Fully fifteen teams were feeding there yesterday.”

“A man and his wife and three children passed through town yesterday on their way to Pendleton, Oregon. They had come all the way from Eastern Nebraska in an emigrant wagon.”

“A Long Journey. A party consisting of M. Thibodian and family, and Charles Howard of Colorado Springs, Colorado, William Wilton, Edward Jones and Herbert Dawson of Denver, Colorado, reached this city yesterday afternoon. They came all the way from Denver by team and are on the way to Tacoma, Washington.”

“The party are in the best of health and spirits, and will undoubtedly get through in about three weeks. They have been on the road since the first of August, and have traveled over some of the best and some of the worst portions of Wyoming and Idaho. The trip has been one continual round of pleasure and excitement. Several deer and a large number of rattlesnakes were killed. Mr. Wilton wears the skin of one of these venomous reptiles around his hat as a ‘band.’ As the rattles are still on the skin, he does not lack for music.”

“The election at Oreana precinct passed off quietly. The weather was nice and pleasant, but the voters did not all get to the polls, several of the cowboys being busy with cattle on the mountains.” Then, almost incidentally, “A shooting occurred in the polling rooms. James Ray was shot by Dave Johnson and is dying.”

Both men were drunk at the time.

This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 3:44 PM with the headline "Shortly after statehood, Statesman reports show what life was like in Boise."