Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of Alturas and Blaine Counties, Idaho McCleod, George A. pub. Hailey Times, Hailey, Idaho - 1930 [33 - 38] CHAPTER V BIG BOOM OF 1880 1880 was the year of the Wood River boom. Thousands of miners came and found ready employment in mines that were reputed to be making their owners "rich beyond the dreams of avarice." So ubiquitous seemed prospectors that every mountain and hill was covered with them in their search for precious metals. While the country was virgin they struck many prospects which afterward developed into good paying mines. Of the prosepector, it truthfully can be said, in the words of Pope, "Hope springs eternal in the human breast," and furthermore, that hope never dies while he lives. He hopes on, hopes ever, firmly believing that he is within a short distance of a rich streak of ore. In a log hut with a dirt roof and floor, pole bunks for bedsteads, and candle and soap boxes for seats, at times many miles distant from any other habitation, with the bare necessities of life, alone save for his faithful dog to bear him company, he spends a life of unremitting toil, to often, alas, unrequited. Yet who will say that his is not a happy life? When he lies down upon his humble couch, gentle sleep "weighs his eye-lids down and steeps his senses in forgetfulness." Here is a good il- lustration of the following words of Goldsmith, and, at least, a partial substantiation of them: "Still to ourselves in every place consigned, Our own felicity we make or find." Millions of dollars in ores were shipped out of this region, but how many millions it is impossible to say. Many believe that there may be as much ore shipped out of here in the future as there has been in the past. Gold in good paying quantities was discovered on the Gold Belt in the early eighties. There was considerable mining activity there for many years. A little town by the name of Doniphan was built there. It was situated about 15 miles southwest of Hailey. It was named in honor of JUDGE DONIPHAN, who was the principal operator. It had a Post Office, a school house, a general store, a shoe shop, a boarding house, several dwelling houses for the miners, a saloon, etc. About 25 years ago all the tailings containing gold were worked over by the cyanide process. With so many miners at work all the way from Broadford to Vienna, on East Fork, Deer Creek, Bullion, the Gold Belt, and Rocky Bar, and mining being a hazardous occupation, it was necessary to have a hospital where they could receive treat- ment. A miners' hospital was accordingly built in the early eighties. It was a frame building situated near the Hailey Hot Springs, about two miles west of Hailey. Each and every man who worked at the mines was assessed one dollar a month for board, room, medical and surgical treatment. One severely injured was generally taken to a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. In connection with the miners' hospital was a ward for the care of the sick and dependent poor of the county. This building was destroyed by fire in the nineties. Ketchum was first called Leadville. ALBERT GRIFFITH was there in 1879. He left that fall but returned in April, 1880, and resided there permanently until his death. In 1879 there was only one cabin there and it was owned by DAVID KETCHUM, who lived in it. When application was made to the proper authorities for a post office by the name of Leadville it was refused. Application was then made for a post office by the name of Ketchum and the same was granted. The name of the town was then changed to Ketchum in honor of DAVID KETCHUM. The Post Office was established in 1880 and WILLIAM H. GREENHOW was the first Postmaster. The present Postmaster is JACK RILEY. Ketchum is situated about 12 miles northwest of Hailey and is the northern terminus of the Wood River Branch of the Oregon Short Line Railroad. Even before the advent of the railroad it was a prosperous town. At one time it had three banks, seven daily stages, two hotels, several restaurants, seven stores, seven blacksmith shops, three doctors, three lawyers, six liv- ery stables, two assay offices, a weekly newspaper, several saloons, etc., and its population was estimated at nearly 2,000. ALBERT GRIFFITH, PAUL P. BAXTER, GEO. W. McCOY, WILLIAM H. GREENHOW, THEO HAGE and GEO P. HODSON were among its earliest residents. ISAAC I. LEWIS, T. E. CLOHECY and J. O. SWIFT were some of the earliest business men. WILLIAM HYNDMAN was an early resident of Ketchum. He was a Major in the Civil war, a practicing attorney-at-law and a promi- nent mining man. He died in Ketchum October 1, 1896. HORACE C. LEWIS, son of I. I. LEWIS, of Ketchum, started in business while quite young. He organized the Ketchum & Challis Toll Road company and was one of its stockholders. This company built the first wagon road over the Trail Creek summit. He owned the freighting outfit that freighted into Challis, Clayton, Bayhorse, Custer and Bonanza. He had the mail and express con- tracts for the above mentioned towns and did practically all the freighting in that region. He had a large forwarding house and express office at Ketchum. He had the largest freight wagons in the State. They were drawn by 20-mule teams. He continued in the freighting business for a few years after the building of the railroad from Blackfoot to Mackay in 1901. At the time of the Thunder Mountain boom in 1902-3 he opened the road from Ketchum to Thunder Mountain in the dead of winter. On December 29, 1898, he conveyed to SAMUEL E. RIGG of Spokane, Washington, for a consideration of $80,000.00, the Croesus lode, Croesus Extension lode, Croesus millsite and Croesus Extension millsite, all patented, situated in Scorpion Gulch about three and one-half miles southwest of Hailey. He died January 19, 1911. Ketchum is now quite a summer resort. In the spring of 1929, CARL E. BRANDT had the hot water from the Guyer Hot Springs, (about three miles west of town) piped into town, and a large natatorium built. This water has a temperature of 170 degrees, Farenheit. There are 31 tourist cabins heated by this hot water and supplied with all modern conveniences. The town has two good general stores, one hotel, one restaurant, one garage, one service station, etc. It is one of the greatest sheep and lamb shipping stations in the state. ===========================================================================