News delays in 1860s, including on Lincoln, illustrated need for telegraph in Idaho

The news that President Abraham Lincoln had died of an assassin’s bullet on April 15, 1865, did not reach Idaho until it was reported in Idaho City’s Idaho World two weeks later.

Had the transcontinental telegraph been completed to Boise and other Idaho towns, the sad news would have arrived that same day.

On May 29, 1868, the Montana Post of Virginia City, Montana, picked up a story from the Idaho Statesman of Boise: “If there is any one thing that the people of this city, and indeed the people of all this portion of Idaho, eastern Oregon, and the south-western portion of Washington Territory have neglected more than any other, it is a telegraph line. Either from the overland line at or near StarCity via Owyhee and this place, thence via Grand Ronde valley and Walla Walla to Dalles City, Oregon, or from the Western Union line from Salt Lake City to Helena, Montana Territory, either of which routes are feasible, but we think the latter route the best, because the Western Union line can be tapped at or near old Fort Hall, thence to this city, Baker City, Uniontown, and Summerville, Oregon, Walla Walla and Wallula, Washington Territory and Umatilla, Oregon, to Dalles, where it will again unite with the Western Union line now in process of construction from Portland to the latter place.”

The Idaho World reported on June 9, 1870, that the telegraph line between Walla Walla and Portland was now complete. “We now have telegraph lines on both sides of Idaho and yet not one in our Territory, except the line running through to Virginia City, Montana.”

The World reported on Sept. 15, 1870: “The people of Southern Idaho have been isolated so long, from a telegraphic point of view, from the balance of the world, that the idea of the construction of a line from the railroad to Boise Basin at any time earlier than the completion of a branch railroad has been but little thought of. It is mainly due to our own want of enterprise and energy that we have not had a telegraphic line between Boise City and the railroad for several years past. We confidently predict the completion of a line from Elko, via Cape District, Silver City and Boise City, to Idaho City within the next two months.”

A week later: “The Telegraph: Messrs. DuRell, Vantine, Bryant and others: Gentlemen: I promised to write you from Boise City but neglected to do so. The ‘Idaho Telegraph Company’ was incorporated at Boise City with C.W. Moore, Geo. L. Greathouse, C. Jacobs, Jas. S. Reynolds, Eb Pinkham, John Lemp, and R.H. Mann. There was subscribed in Boise before I left $4,600, and the Trustees promise to raise considerable more. Yours very truly, R.H. Mann.”

On June 2, 1874, the Articles of Incorporation of the Nevada & Northern Telegraph Company were filed. A single line was to be operated by the Morse system between Winnemucca, Nevada, and Boise City, a distance of 275 miles. Completion of the line to Silver City on Aug. 28, 1874, was celebrated with orations, a free dinner and a grand ball. Gov. Thomas W. Bennett and his wife had made the trip from Boise to be in on the fun.

On Oct. 15, 1874, the Statesman asked dolefully, “Is Boise to be ever left out in the cold?”