Building Boom is on – 1899

BUILDING BOOM IS ON

Rome was not Built in a Day, nor was Any Other City, but Weiser is Demonstrating just About how Quick A Great Commercial Center Can be Created.

The final adjustment of all differences between the town company and the railroad company has started the long-delayed move in the erection of business buildings and many new residences as well. Of course, the present is only a starter and to be followed by an increased and steady growth necessary to meet the necessary business demands. There is nothing of the ‘boom’ nature in all this. True, property is advancing and prices have been established, that is to say, the minimum and the margin for speculation subject left to individual judgment. So far, all the property bought will be improved at once.

On the north side of Commercial Street opposite the Hotel Weiser Block, all the lots have been sold and brick business houses are under construction or contracted for. The first building is a 40-foot front for A. Hoff; east of this, a 30-foot building will be erected by Mr. Fuller, recently from Florida, who also has purchased a fraction west of the Mulloy corner. Mr. Simmons will occupy the next 30 feet with a brick, and James Patton has the next 30 feet between Simmons and Coakley. This will give a solid brick front from Jenney’s drug store to the Mulloy corner opposite the brewery building. Mrs. James Patton has bought the lots on which the soda factory stands and the frontage as far as the little building known as the Novelty Works.

Mr. Tom Coffee of Atchison, Kansas, brother of Mrs. Patton, has bought the small brick and ground—3 lots—where W.W. Cowin resides. Work on S. Sommers’ brick, next west of Sears, is progressing. Stone is being hauled for the foundation of Sommercamp’s new store joining the Ayers’ building. The foundation for the new store east of the Bank of Weiser is complete and brick laying commenced Wednesday. This block will be improved by an additional story on the bank and a third story on the Hotel Weiser. Contractors have also commenced work on Mrs. Stephenson’s new lodging house on the corner west of the Vendome. All these will give Commercial Street a boom that cannot fail to give it a business prominence that will make it a center for some time to come.

As there are no vacant residences in town, newcomers are forced to buy or build. Mr. N.B. Merritt will build an addition at once to the Newman House recently purchased by him, and many others are contemplated. In addition to these are the Sommercamp, Davis, Butterfield, and Morehead residences, all fine structures, and the Catholic Church. The weekly payroll from these sources alone amounts to $1000 per week.

Mr. Gordon of the Weiser Brick Yard is doing his best to keep his product up to the demand and no delay is feared unless it be want of wood, and this can only occur from want of cars for transportation, and when the P. & I.N. is a little further advanced the fuel question will be among past difficulties.

Property generally has advanced, and as it is changing hands readily at present prices, an advance can readily be expected. But as before stated, so far as heard from, no investments have been made for speculation; all for occupation and immediate improvement.

The commanding location of Weiser as a future center of trade and railway possibilities is now assured and our rapid advancement beyond conjecture, being the central point in a circle, the radius of which would be common to or include Butte, Spokane, Portland, Salt Lake, and Sacramento, with local advantages incident to an extensive agricultural territory, backed by timber and mineral resources, practically unlimited.

From The Weiser Semi-Weekly Signal – Weiser, Idaho – Thursday, July 27, 1899