Chapter 3

Weiser began to grow at a rapid rate in 1881 as it had then become an assured fact that the railroad was coming but the first builders to reach this section did not arrive until the latter part of September, 1882, when a part of the Bullen & Hendricks between Olds Ferry and where the Snake river bridge was to be located. There was to be some heavy rock work done and the crew could work through the winter months.

The following spring, as soon as weather conditions would permit, grading crews were put to work all the way from Olds Ferry to the Payette river, and by fall the work of grading was finished. The coming of the rails was delayed because numerous bridges had to be constructed that could not be done until the rails had reached the streams to be bridged so that materials could be brought up. When the Boise river was reached a long halt was made at Caldwell to await the completion of the Boise river bridge.

This work being completed, the rails were laid to Snake river about five miles west of the present location of Parma, where two bridges were required to span the river as it was divided by an island. Another delay was necessary and a mushroom town sprang up there called St. Paul. which was somewhat of a lively place until the bridges were completed. Then it disappeared as rapidly as it was built and not of a vestage of its existence now remains.

Rails Reach Weiser

Once across Snake river, the rails were rapidly laid until the next crossing of the Snake was reachcd, when another halt was necessary, while two bridges were built spanning that river and one across the Payette. When these streams were bridged, the rails were rapidly stretched out to the Weiser river, and a town was laid out at a point about two and a half miles east of  the present depot, called New Weiser. This town was an enterprise of  R.E. Strahorn. a townsite promoter, who had founded the towns of Shoshone and Caldwell.

The first train to carry passengers and freight reached the new town early in the winter of 1883. Several buildings were erected at the site, including a large frame hotel, built by Peter Pence, an owner of a large tract of land in the vicinity, including that upon which the town was built. Probably a longer stop was made at this place than at any point along the entire line from Granger to Huntington because of the building of the bridge over the Snake at the mouth of Burnt river. When this structure was completed, the rails were laid on to Huntington. where a junction was formed with the O.R.&.N. Co.

In 1885 the railroad company decided to build its permanent depot on this side of the Weiser, where the present depot now stands, which act caused the immediate demise of Strahorns venture.

Weiser Tough Town

Peter Pence tore down his hotel building and rebuilt it at Payette, where it stood until destroyed by fire. The other structures were sold to ranchers and others for the material they contained, and in a short time it could not be told that New Weiser had ever existed. On the arrival of the railroad, with its camp followers, many of whom had followed the camps all the way from Granger, Weiser took on a sudden change, but not for the better. They were composed of a motly mob of tinhorn gamblers, pimps, burglars, pickpockets, prostitutes and every variety of mankind that was low and despicable.