A valley of log cabins: canyon timber in Arbon and Crystal, 1917

In the fall of 1917 a correspondent who signed himself "The Pilgrim" went from ranch to ranch around Crystal, Pauline and Arbon for the American Falls Press page "With Power County's Farms and Farmers." The valley had been in Oneida County until Power County was formed in 1913. His columns are mostly about farming methods, but they also show how much of the valley was built from its canyon timber, and kept warm by it.

The first cabin

The paper called David J. Bowen Arbon's first settler. Bowen came into what was then Bannock Valley in June 1892 and staked his claim when he found that the stream in Knox Canyon ran all year. In the fall of 1893, the Pilgrim wrote, Bowen built "the first settler's log cabin erected in Arbon valley north of the west fork of Bannock creek." The logs "were cut from a quaken aspen grove in Knox canyon." A larger log cabin came later, and in 1898 the valley's first post office opened in it, with Bowen as postmaster.

The Pilgrim worded his claim carefully, and the site's story of the first house sets out the other accounts. In October 1917 the 1893 cabin still stood on the Bowen home site, beside a row of tall Lombardy poplars at the foot of Bowen's Peak. Bowen told the Pilgrim he was thinking of removing it. The Pilgrim urged him to keep it on its original site as one of the historical cabins of that part of the state. It needed some repairs, he admitted, but:

It has stood up there at the foot of the mountain since 1893 and surely is entitled to its reward of being classed among the historical structures of the Gem state, having witnessed the transformation of a great domain of erstwhile sagebrush flats into numerous productive farms.

The papers read for this post do not say what Bowen decided.

Cut, snaked and hauled

T. B. Evans and his family began in a dugout, then built a cabin of sawed logs and lived in it for sixteen years. For many years, the Pilgrim wrote, it was "the only place in the valley where accommodations were to be had" by travelers needing meals and lodging, and candidates of every party stayed there. The Arbon post office was in it for two years, with Mrs. Evans as postmistress, and in 1913 the valley's first telephone central was installed there.

R. Thyberg, southwest of the Arbon post office, built his cabin alone. He was probably Axel Rudolph Thyberg, whose homestead lay among the Iverson claims. "When he came here five years ago," the Pilgrim wrote in November 1917, "the first thing he did was to go into the mountains, cut his logs, snake them out and haul them to the homestead, and build the cabin—doing all this work single handed." Snaking meant dragging logs out of the timber.

On the east side of the valley, D. B. Ripley's family had lived in log cabins ever since they moved onto his homestead. They spent three years on that original claim, then moved into the four-room cabin John A. Gibbons had built on land Ripley bought. In November 1917 Ripley was building a seven-room modern house on a concrete foundation across the road, and the old cabin was to become a granary.

Aspen at Crystal

Around Crystal, one farm northeast of town adjoined the Pocatello National Forest, and the Pilgrim wrote of the aspen groves that "no ranch in the Crystal mountain country is without them—and they furnish plenty of fuel and poles." Mrs. John Bryant told him that at harvest many women got in the aspen fuel and chopped it, because the men were heading and threshing from early morning until late at night.

F. C. Reiger, who lived in a log cabin on Clifton Creek just outside Crystal, also had a homestead, filed in March 1916, three miles north in the hills. He said that in the deep snow of the previous winter he had cut aspen there for poles, thinking he was cutting close to the ground. The stumps left standing showed "that he cut them ten feet from the ground."

The Pilgrim also heard about a windstorm of unusual severity in the Crystal country:

The story goes that a young homesteader over there went to Crystal that night to attend a dance and when he returned to his cabin in the hills he was unable to locate it for the reason that the storm had blown it to pieces and the pieces were scattered far and wide down the gulch.

Next morning the young man bought a log cabin from a neighbor and moved it onto his homestead. On November 16 the Pilgrim named him: Carl Wrensted, who had filed in 1913 on land north of Crystal. The cabin had been built by Forrest Whiting and sold to David Handy, the neighbor who sold it to Wrensted. That fall it stood empty, because Wrensted had been called into the army and was training at Camp Lewis, Washington.

Wood for the winter

That fall southern Idaho ran short of coal. On November 20, 1917, a notice on the Press's front page told readers to get wood from the hills before the snow: "Wood is the only fuel we can depend upon." There had been times that fall, it said, when for a week at a time not a pound of coal was for sale in American Falls.

The same day the Pilgrim reported that a number of Arbon ranchers who drove to the railroad towns for their winter coal found the bins there empty and came home without any. Ever since, they had been "going up into the canyons to the east and to the west of the valley and coming back with pine and quaken aspen wood for fuel." In the Pauline items on that page, Noel Waylett, probably the homesteader Noel Byron Waylett, had cut his foot badly "while in the canyon getting his winter's wood."

The Pilgrim also summed up what he had seen. Arbon Valley, he wrote, was a home of log cabins, with "hardly a ranch up there being without a log structure and a majority of the farmers residing in log cabins." He went on:

The buildings constructed from logs are the warmest in winter and the coolest in summer and the least expensive. One thing, however, has been noticed, and that is the entire absence of the good old fire place.

Some families were already leaving their cabins. The Evanses had moved into a four-room frame house about 1915, and the Ripleys meant to move into their new house that winter.

The article as printed

American Falls Press, November 20, 1917, page 3: the Pilgrim's whole department from that page. Transcribed from the Library of Congress text of the page scan.

The column is given as printed. Its passage about an Indian family met on the road south of Arbon uses the mocking language of its time.

With Power County's Farms and Farmers
What They are Doing and How They are Doing It—Methods That Bring Success and Those That Do Not—Reminiscences, Items of Historical and Personal Interest—A Department for and About Farmers.
By "THE PILGRIM."
LISTED AMONG THE PIONEERS
[illegible] R. Bailey Had Only Four Neighbors When He Located at Arbon.
J. R. Bailey is entitled to have his name enrolled among the pioneers of Power county. While he was several years behind the first settlers at American Falls, Neeley and Rockland, he was among the first to locate in Bannock valley, and for twelve years saw little increase in settlement in his locality. Now he is surrounded by neighbors and cultivated fields, and is prospering.
His ranch of 560 acres embraces his original homestead, filed on as such in 1901.
Seven years prior to the date of his homestead filing, in 1894, he took up a squatter's right to the tract and lived on it as a squatter until the government survey was made. This ranch also embraces the desert claim entry of Mrs. Bailey. Of the 560 acres a total of 450 acres are in cultivation, 275 acres being in summer fallow at the present time. This year 120 acres of Turkey Red and 60 acres of Bluestem and Marquis wheat and barley were harvested, and a total of 1800 bushels of grain were threshed. Taking into consideration the adverse conditions of the season, Mr. Bailey is satisfied with the yields of his fields.
In past seasons this farm has produced some excellent yields, 4300 bushels of grain being threshed in 1913. The soil on the ranch is a dark sandy loam, and at an altitude of somewhat over 5000 feet 21 crops have been raised without a total failure.
Mr. Bailey attributes his success in no small measure to the fact that summer fallowing is constantly practiced by him. During these 21 years the averages per acre vary—some being good, some not so good—but a total failure of any crop is not on the record of the farm.
The plans for 1918 call for every available acre to be seeded to wheat, and most of it will be seeded in the spring on account of the need of combatting the mustard evil. Mr. Bailey is one of the farmers decidedly of the [illegible] that spring seeding is the [illegible] to do to overcome the menace and believes it far better to be sure of a crop of spring wheat, even if it is reduced in acreage, than to seed fall wheat and take a chance of losing the fields of grain owing to the weeds overcoming the wheat. He states that in his opinion summer fallow and fall plowed land should be seeded in the spring, and then give the weeds time to sprout before going after them with the disc, harrow and weeder. Discing stubble land in the fall to cover the weed seeds and let it sprout in order to kill the growth more surely is also a good method practiced by him.
About 22 acres of the ranch are in alfalfa. Irrigated from the stream flowing down Knox canyon. These fields never fail to give two annual crops, and now and then they give three cuttings—this being the case this year. The tonnage per acre from the three cuttings this year amounts to three and a half, and the big stacks in the yard look good to the owner as he awaits the coming of the winter.
Mr. Bailey is convinced that the lower lands on his ranch will grow good dry land alfalfa and his intention is to put [illegible] belief to the test.
Mr. Bailey is an advocate of the practice of increasing the depth of plowing each year until a depth of nine to ten inches has been reached, thus planting in new soil each year, and then starting again with a depth of only five inches. He follows the plow with the harrow, the weeder, the disc—any implement that will get and kill the noxious growths. The soil is thoroughly cultivated by the harrow before seeding, the utmost importance being attached to the necessity of getting a good seed bed for the grain.
In fall plowing for spring seeding this rancher sets the plow to go to a depth of five to six inches, and lets the land lie in the rough until spring operations commence. Then the ground is gone over several times with disc and harrow before seeding. Mr. Bailey expresses the belief that every time the harrow is taken over the grain land the yield is increased from one to three bushels per acre and that harrowing after seeding will do no harm whatever.
Spring plowing for spring seeding is not practiced on this ranch, summer fallowing being the only spring plowing done.
The main reliance for the creation of mulch to hold the moisture is placed on the harrow, and the same implement is depended upon in the main to get the weeds. Not only is the harrow used on the plowed land before and after seeding, but the springtooth harrow is taken over the alfalfa fields to stimulate the growth of the plants, and to eradicate weeds and grasses that have no place in a well regulated alfalfa field. Treating the alfalfa fields to this combing every year will surely keep out all noxious and foreign growths.
The garden on this ranch always supplies the household with plenty of vegetables and the potatoes this year gave a particularly fine yield.
A large bunch of work horses is needed for a ranch of more than 500 acres and the equine crew on this farm numbers an even dozen. Among them are two fine high grade Percheron brood mares and the horses on the place are being graded to this favorite standard. Mr. Bailey is the owner of "Percheron," a registered dapple grey Percheron stallion. A number of high grade Percheron colts are attaining a fine growth, the raising of horses for the market being a feature of this ranch.
A dairy herd of twelve cows of mixed stock is one of the principal revenue producers on the ranch, and at the present time ten are being milked. During the summer both cream and butter were marketed, but at present the latter product only is sold. The intention is to dispose of the mixed stock and establish a dairy herd of pure bred Shorthorns on a large scale.
The dairy herd, in the opinion of the owner of this ranch, is ever to be considered one of the indispensable features of a well conducted farm. His barn is so arranged as to accommodate a large number of cows, because the feeding of hay in a barn means the prevention of waste.
A flock of 50 laying Plymouth Rock hens adds to the income of the farm, and a number of geese and ducks are "doing their bit," too.
Mr. Bailey is a native of Cache county, Utah, and came to Idaho in 1894. His father, Charles R. Bailey, was a native of Lancashire, England, and came to America when a child. He crossed the plains in 1856 in one of the early Utah ox team immigrant trains, and later returned east several times. In 1861 he was married to Susannah Hawkins and they settled in Wellsville, Utah. "Father Bailey," as he was affectionately known to all in Utah, took an active part in the upbuilding of that territory and in the annals of the state his name is honored and revered. He died in 1909 and is laid to rest in the cemetery at Wellsville, Utah. Mother Bailey resides at Wellsville, aged 73 years, and each year the descendants of these pioneers hold a family reunion. Last year more than 200 relatives were present at the reunion held in Wellsville, including the children, more than 100 grandchildren, and [illegible] great-grandchildren.
J. R. Bailey is the oldest of eighteen brothers and grew to manhood in Utah. In 1890 he was married to Miss Anna Kerr, daughter of Thomas and Jane Kerr, also Utah pioneers. Her father was a native of Scotland and her mother a native of Utah, one of the first white children born in Cedar valley. When J. R. Bailey and his wife came to their present home in 1894 he had only four neighbors. They went to work clearing and breaking the sagebrush lands and putting in crops long before the land was surveyed and opened to entry. Their first domicile was a tent and later a log cabin was built for the family. Still later a frame dwelling was erected and is now occupied by the family. In the early days the handicap of poor school facilities had to be overcome, and this was a source of sincere worry to the parents. The records of the schools in Arbon valley show that these pioneers insisted that their children attend the schools unremittingly. One of their daughters has the record of attending eight terms of school with just one tardy mark opposite her name. Last year four daughters attended the Central school and all of them have a record of "neither absent nor tardy" during the entire term and this includes the past exceptionally severe winter. This year five daughters are attending the same school and to date their record of attendance reads the same. One of their sons is attending high school at Hyrum, Utah, and upon his graduation there next spring will enter the agricultural college at Logan, Utah. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey rejoice in the opportunity of giving to their children the best education possible.
For seventeen years Mr. Bailey was postmaster at Arbon, and fifteen years of his residence in the valley he has been at various times a member of the board of school trustees, at the present time being chairman of the board.
When they came to the valley these pioneers had ten cents in actual cash capital, some debts, two cows and a small flock of chickens. While poor in material wealth, they had plenty of energy and even more raw material to expend it upon. That their opportunity was not wasted is proved by their farm with its well tilled fields and the homesite with its dwelling, big barn, granaries and implement sheds. Son and daughter of the early pioneers of the west, they have followed the precepts of their forebears in all things—and not the least of these is that they have seen to it that their children learned to cheerfully acquire the education necessary to success in life.
[illegible] number of farmers, having finished their fall work in the fields, hooked up their teams and blithely sallied forth to the towns on the railroad [illegible] week to get their winters supply [illegible] coal and then they sallied back to Arbon valley again, but not so blithe for [illegible] humped up against empty bins in the aforesaid towns. However a little thing like that does not dismay the rancher; ever since the time that they came back without coal they have been going up into the canyons to the east and to the west of the valley and coming back with pine and quaken aspen wood for fuel. For these many years the canyons have given wood to the rancher and the supply is still good for many years to come.
ALONG THE HIGHWAYS
Gleanings by the Pilgrim in His Wanderings Here and There.
During his stay in Arbon valley—all sections of it—the Pilgrim has never failed to note that the Jim Hill mustard menace is the most difficult problem confronting the farmers. All the wheat growers are practically a unit in the opinion that exclusive spring seeding for a period of two or three years is the method to adopt to exterminate the pest. It is true that one result of this method will be that the farmers will get a few bushels less per acre during that period, but all the advocates of the method are frank in saying that the reduction must be accepted in good grace; either that, or no wheat at all in the infested districts. Before coming to Arbon valley the Pilgrim covered a fairly wide stretch of Power county, and wherever farmers were met their opinion anent the mustard evil coincided with the stand taken by Arbon valley wheat growers. The enforcement of the new weed law and the active cooperation of all farmers throughout the county in the matter of exclusive spring seeding will undoubtedly result in the elimination of the evil. It is a case of brains proving itself the master of matter.
On the main road leading south from Arbon to Oneida county the Pilgrim met an Indian and his family plodding north toward the reservation. On inquiry it was learned that the red man had been down to Utah working in the sugar beet fields and earning around $4 per day. He stated that the work was too hard and that he had quit the job. Asked for particulars as to the work engaged in, he stated his part of it was to load the beets into a wagon and haul them to the factory, and he added that the wagon was too high and the beets too heavy. This Indian was one of the fat variety and somewhat more than six feet high, and of course the idea of loading sugar beets at $4 per day did not appeal to him to any great extent.
Dave Lusk has a little son three years old, and the little rancher is about as lively and active a chap as can be found anywhere. The other day the Pilgrim was at his father's ranch and the little fellow announced his coming by telling Mrs. Lusk that the "Program" was here. The appellation was not so far off, either, as the Pilgrim came to Arbon valley with a well defined program and carried it out.
While at the home of L. B. Evans on the east side of Arbon valley the Pilgrim was told of an Oneida county man who a year ago sold his ranch for $4500, paid his obligations, and invested the balance of the money in a bunch of sheep. This fall he declined to sell the flock for $11,000 after reaping the wool harvest last spring. The statement of this flockmaster seems to be sufficient [illegible] that a small bunch of sheep [illegible] ranch is at all times a revenue [illegible].
Arbon valley is sure [illegible] home of log-cabins, hardly a ranch up there being without a log structure and a majority of the farmers residing in log cabins. The buildings constructed from logs are the warmest in winter and the coolest in summer and the least expensive. One thing, however, has been noticed, and that is the entire absence of the good old fire place.
In most sections of the west where pioneers built log cabins the fire place was an honored institution, and a more comfortable spot during the long winter months is difficult to imagine.
That the cultivated area of Arbon valley is new ground, as far as farming is concerned, is evidenced by the fact that throughout its domain the remnants of sagebrush are still being turned up by the plow and the harrow. Hiking through summer fallow or stubble the decaying roots of the sagebrush are seen everywhere. When the land up there has been cultivated a few years more it will show the result by the increased yield per acre. The old saying that wherever the sagebrush grows wheat will grow will prove out correct up here the same as it did elsewhere, and the productiveness of the soil of Arbon valley will yet rival that of other sections of the wheat growing west.
Many of the farmers around Arbon have done their utmost to keep their lands free from mustard and other weeds, working with harrow, weeder and hoe to keep the pest out. In spite of all their efforts the mustard got the upper hand because some other rancher adjoining them left his land and went to reside in some other county or state, refusing to lease the land except on grasping and exorbitant terms. This class of men will come within the scope of the terms of the new weed law, and fervent and sincere will be the thanks of the honest and industrious farmer who recognizes the fact that no owner of land has the moral right to contaminate his neighbors' land with crop-destroying weeds just because he is too weary to eradicate the stuff on his own land.
Roy Lindley and his father conduct farming operations on 1200 acres of land on the east side of Arbon valley. Their ranches are well up into the foothills, and during the winter months coyote hunting and trapping adds to the income of the ranches as well as affording good sport. Coyote pelts are worth money these days; in fact anything that wears fur readily finds a market. Mr. Lindley is a good rifle shot and brings down many coyotes in that manner, but the trap is not overlooked. Last winter on several occasions he had all four of his traps full the same night. It seems that the hills are still full of the chicken thieves to judge by the nightly concerts put up by them.

On this site: the Arbon area history and the stories of the first post office and the first telephone line.