Evan E. Filby's Blog: South Fork and More, page 103

Workmans' Compensation Law Initiated in Idaho [otd 03/16]

On March 16, 1917, Governor Moses Alexander signed Idaho's first Workers' Compensation law. The state thus joined a trend that began in this country around 1910-1911, and even earlier in Europe.
Governor Alexander.
McDonald, Moses Alexander.
Historically, records of the concept date back almost as far as we have writing … some four thousand years. It seems likely that the idea grew right along with the notion of one man paying another to work for him. Written laws, like the ancient Hammurabic C...

Idaho Legislature Creates State Highway Commission [otd 03/13]

On March 13, 1913, the Idaho legislature established the State Highway Commission. They thus joined a nationwide trend to raise highway planning and construction to the state level. Prior to that, roads had been almost exclusively a local concern.
Country "Road." National Archives.
Of course, emigrant wagons cut the first roads across Idaho, starting in the early 1840s. The pioneers naturally did only enough to make the route passable. In 1857-1860, the U. S. Army built the first planned roads...

Colonel Judson Spofford: Civil War Veteran, and Idaho Developer [otd 03/10]

Civil War veteran and Idaho developer Judson Spofford was born March 10, 1846 in Derby, Vermont, two or three miles from the Canadian border. He enlisted in the 10th Vermont Regiment in July 1862. The regiment saw minor action initially, and just missed participation at Gettysburg in 1863.
Union infantry in Fredericksburg trenches, 1863.
Library of Congress.
Later, the 10th Vermont fought in many celebrated battles of the Army of the Potomac: The Wilderness, Cold Harbor, and the Siege of Pe...

Gold Rush Fuels Murray Building Boom [otd 3/5]

The Lewiston Teller for March 5, 1885 published a glowing report from a correspondent in the new town of Murray, Idaho. The observer first noted that people in the entire mining district exuded confidence. At a settlement 3-4 miles west of Murrayville (Murray's original name), the reporter "counted eleven buildings under construction."
Placer mining, Murray area, 1884. Note miners in foreground.
University of Idaho Archives. Miners were running large placer rigs on streams throughout the area....

Geography Makes Idaho Territory Ungovernable, Should be Split

On February 24, 1864, news from proceedings in Washington, D. C. included a note that the Territory of Idaho had petitioned Congress to split the region.

More details on this event have been posted on the blog for Sourdough Publishing. A version of this material also appears in my book, Idaho: Year One – The Territory's First Year.

Physician and Drug Store Operator William Anderson [otd 02/14]

Dr. William Hopkins Anderson was born February 14, 1835, in Florence, Pennsylvania, 20-25 miles west of Pittsburgh. He had family roots back to Revolutionary War times and his paternal grandfather participated in the War of 1812. His mother, Dorcas Hopkins, had a distant relationship with the founder of Johns Hopkins University.
Country Doctor. National Archives.
Anderson graduated from a Cincinnati medical school in 1855. He immediately opened a practice in a rural section of Iowa, about seven...

Governor Signs Junior College District Bill into Law [otd 02/07]

Governor Bottolfsen.
University of Idaho archives.On February 7, 1939, Governor Clarence A. Bottolfsen signed a bill that authorized the formation of local junior college districts in the state of Idaho. The new law allowed district voters to approve a local tax levy to support the school. Also, the district would receive half the state liquor store profits collected in the county where the school was located.

The law arose largely at the instigation of advocates in the Boise Valley, who had lo...

Long-Time Boise Fire Chief William Foster [otd 01/28]

Chief Foster.
Boise Fire Department.Boise Fire Chief William A. Foster was born on January 28, 1870, in Grinnell, Iowa. The family relocated to the high plains of northwestern Kansas when William was about fifteen years old. Then, in 1890, he moved to Idaho. He worked as a teamster hauling lumber for a time and then went into the freight business for himself.

After that, Foster spent five years representing a lumber company before moving out of state for a couple years. He returned to Boise in...

Idaho’s Magnificent Shoshone Falls Announced to the World

On January 25, 1864, the Evening Bulletin, in San Francisco, California, published a glowing description of Shoshone Falls, on the Snake River in Idaho Territory. They opined that the falls might be “the greatest in the world.”

More details on this event have been posted on the blog for Sourdough Publishing. A version of this material also appears in my book, Idaho: Year One – The Territory's First Year.

First Christmas Services in the Boise Basin

On December 25, 1863, Roman Catholic Fathers held the first Christmas services in the gold towns of the Boise Basin.

More details on this event have been posted on the blog for Sourdough Publishing. A version of this material also appears in my book, Idaho: Year One – The Territory's First Year.