THE RAILROAD.
It occurs to few men, as they glide smoothly across the Snake river
in a vestibuled train, and watch the seething waters toss and tumble
below the substantial iron bridge, to think of the problem the passage
of this same stream afforded the traveler of fifty years ago. In his
“Ventures and Adventures,” Ezra Meeker tells of how he crossed the
Snake in 1852. Mr. Meeker and his party had crossed the plains from
Iowa, on their way to Oregon, and by the time they reached Idaho their
funds were almost exhausted. Ferries were scarce and where one was
found, the price asked for a passage was prohibitive to most of the
immigrants.
“Some immigrants,” writes Mr. Meeker, “had caulked three wagon beds
and lashed them together, and were crossing, but would not help others
across for less than from three to five dollars a wagon, the party
swimming their own stock. If others could cross in wagon-beds, why
could not I do likewise? Without much ado, all the old clothing that
could possibly be spared was marshalled, tar buckets ransacked, old
chisels and broken knives hunted up, and a veritable boat repairing
and caulking campaign inaugurated, and shortly the wagon-box rode
placidly, even if not gracefully on the turbid waters of the formidable
river.
“My first venture across the Snake river was with the wagon gear run
over the wagon box, the whole being gradually worked out into deep
water. The load was so heavy that a very small margin was left to
prevent the water from breaking over the sides, and some actually did,
as light ripples on the surface struck the “Mary Jane,” as we had
christened (without wine) the ‘craft,’ as she was launched. However, I
got over safely, but after that took lighter loads and really enjoyed
the novelty of the work and the change from the intolerable dust, and
the atmosphere of the water.”
The Utah & Northern was the first railroad to enter the territory of
Idaho. It was promoted by John W. Young, a son of Brigham Young, whose
name has been given to Young street in Pocatello, but although a large
sum of local capital was invested, the enterprise received its chief
support from Joseph and Benjamin Richardson, two contractors of New
York City, whom Young interested in the project.
In March, 1873, congress granted a right of way to Young’s company
running along the Bear river valley, through Soda Springs, up the Snake
river valley and across Montana to a junction point with the Northern
Pacific. The act allowed ten years in which to complete the work of
construction. A second act, passed in June, 1878, empowered “the Utah
& Northern Railroad company and its assigns to build their road by way
of Marsh valley, Portneuf and Snake river instead of by way of Soda
Springs and Snake river valley.”
By the spring of 1877 the road had been constructed as far as the Snake
river. In the following year a bond issue of $4,991,000 was floated and
during 1880 the rails were extended to Silver Bow, Montana, a distance
of 328 miles from the Utah line.
In July, 1882, congress officially ratified an agreement made at Fort
Hall between the Shoshone and Bannock Indians and Joseph K. McCammon,
whose name has been given to the town of McCammon in this county, and
several railroad officers, by which the promoters secured a right of
way through the reservation.
The opening of the Utah & Northern railway gave the first great impetus
to settlement and development in southeastern Idaho, making it possible
to market produce profitably and at the same time bringing the settler
into touch with the outside world. The Portneuf canyon, through which
this line was constructed, is one thousand feet lower than any other
mountain pass within three hundred miles either north or south, and
constitutes a natural gateway through which a very large portion of
the produce of the great northwest must pass on its way to an eastern
market.
The Utah & Northern Railway company was consolidated with the Oregon
Short Line Railway company in August, 1889, being known as the Oregon
Short Line & Northern Railway company, and in 1897 the two were merged
into the present Oregon Short Line Railroad company.
The Utah & Northern had constructed a narrow gauge line. When the
old Short Line Railway company built its line between Granger and
Huntington it used the transportation facilities afforded by the Utah
& Northern both to the east and west of Pocatello. During the early
part of 1882 the Short Line laid a narrow gauge track between Pocatello
and the Snake river crossing, now American Falls, and from McCammon,
at that time called Harkness, to a point near the present station of
Pebble.
During the year 1882, the Utah & Northern track between McCammon and
Pocatello was rebuilt to standard gauge, the narrow gauge equipment of
that company being provided for by laying a third rail. By the summer
of 1887 the entire line between Pocatello and Silver Bow, Montana, was
operating on a standard gauge, while the lines to the east and south
had been similarly reconstructed before 1890.
At the time the first railroad bridge across the Snake river was built,
American Falls was located on the western side of the river. The
population was made up of the usual assortment of men, who make up the
population of frontier towns. The good, the bad and the indifferent
were there--graders, stockmen, Chinamen, gamblers and business men,
with a few women--all rough and ready: hardy people of the plains and
the mountains. Law and order were administered in a ready manner and
summary justice was meted out to the evil-doer by self-constituted
judges and juries.
Two of the worst characters in the neighborhood at that time were
cowboys, gamblers and probably murderers; “Tex” and “Johnson,” as they
were known to the people of American Falls.
One night some Chinamen were murdered and the more law-abiding citizens
decided that if the culprits were found they should suffer for the
crime. The two cowboys, “Tex” and Johnson, were suspected of the
murder, but as no certain proof was obtainable, they were not punished,
but ordered to leave town. This they did, going to the east side of
the river and spending the night in a house occupied by Buck Houston.
The next day they returned to the west side. The law and order element
immediately organized a necktie party, with “Tex” and Johnson as the
chief guests. With a grim brevity the two were taken to the river,
ropes thrown over an iron span, and with a short wait for the usual
last words they were hurried into eternity. Their bodies swung back
and forth, suspended from the bridge, the falls roaring and splashing
beneath them, and the spray shooting up into the air, wetting their
high boots and leather chaps.
Afterwards the two bodies were cut down and taken to the top of the
bluff, overlooking the river, and there they were buried. Two rough
slabs, with “Tex” carved on one, and “Johnson” on the other, were
placed at their heads. The mounds where these men were buried are still
discernable.
In most newly-settled communities, justice is administered quickly and
without the formality of legal proceedings. This was especially true
of the early days in the west. Time was when the regular method of
collecting overdue bills in Bannock county was at the mouth of a gun,
and this within the memory of living men. Horse theft was punishable
with death throughout the far west, the penalty being no more than
proportionate to the crime. For the west in those days was a desert
country, and the loss of a man’s horse often meant a horrible death
by thirst because the next watering place was further away than a man
could walk. So it happened that while a cowboy sometimes paid a hundred
dollars for his saddle and only twenty-five dollars for his pony, he
would forgive the man who stole the former, but without scruple hang
the man who stole the horse.
The terminal facilities of the Oregon Short Line at Pocatello have been
steadily increased and the roadbed improved because of the immense
traffic caused by the development of the tributary territory. In 1904
the “Michaud Cut-off” was made in order to straighten the track a few
miles west of Pocatello. Since 1910 the road has been double-tracked
between Lava Hot Springs and Michaud, and in that year the system
of mechanical block signals was completed from the eastern to the
western boundary of the county. A branch line, connecting Alexander and
Grace, a distance of about six miles, was opened in 1913. Among other
noteworthy recent improvements are the Batise Springs water plant, the
Center street viaduct and Halliday street subway in Pocatello, the new
shop buildings and depot, now being built in the same city, and the new
depot and water plant at McCammon.
The Oregon Short Line is the artery through which pulses the very life
blood of Bannock county. In the Pocatello shops over eleven hundred
men are employed, and those who find work on the Montana and Idaho
divisions bring the number to about 4000. It is, therefore, a very
fortunate thing for the community at large that the Oregon Short Line
Railroad company is one of the apparently few large corporations in
this country today that realizes a moral responsibility toward the
general public. A comparison of the Safety First movement as conducted
by this company with the conditions that are not only tolerated but
apparently encouraged by the owners of the Colorado mines shows what
a great blessing or curse the attitude of big corporations toward the
public welfare may be.
Some years ago, Mr. Harriman, while talking with the claims attorney
of one of the roads in which he was interested, about the policy to be
adopted in dealing with injured employes in the matter of settlements,
and particularly of providing them with some kind of work when they
had been so seriously injured that they could not fill their former
positions, said that he wanted “all injured men to be dealt with along
the lines of practical Christianity.” That this idea is still followed
by the company is shown by the fact that in June, 1914, only one
injured employe had a suit pending against the company for injuries
received in its service; the rest being satisfied with the terms of
settlement accorded them by the company.
The Safety First movement, by which the Oregon Short Line seeks to
guard the safety of its employes and of the public alike, is an
educational measure inaugurated about two years ago and intended to
interest all people.
The work is carried on by means of committees. At each division point
is what is known as a “sub-committee,” composed of men from all
branches of the service, who suggest changes in the road’s equipment
or in existing conditions, that will make the work of railroading
safer. If the suggestions made cannot be acted upon locally, they are
referred to the “division committee,” which in turn accepts or rejects
them, and if unable to enforce them by its own vote, recommends them
to the “central committee.” This body is composed of officials of the
road and their decision is final. In this way the entire Short Line
force, from the newest and lowest paid employe to the highest officer,
is interested in the common safety, and is in a position to suggest
measures for the general good. That the system is successful is shown
by the fact that during the year ending June, 1913, there were 2829
people injured on the Oregon Short Line. During that ending June, 1914,
the total was reduced to 1711, or 39.5 per cent. During the first six
months of this year there were only 606 accidents, as against 955 for
the same months of 1913--a reduction of over 61 per cent.
The company is also conducting a campaign to eliminate the accidents
caused by trespassing. In 1913, 5434 trespassers were killed on the
railroads in the United States. Of these, 10 per cent were tramps, 70
per cent young men or heads of families, and 20 per cent were children
under 14 years of age. By trying to educate school children, their
teachers and the general public in precautionary measures, and by
attempting to secure proper legislation on the subject, the Oregon
Short Line Railroad company is trying to still further enhance its
value to the people at large and to reduce to a minimum the accidents
connected with all great railroad corporations.