Payette County ID Archives News.....Hotel Bancroft Formal Opening October 19, 1916
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Payette Enterprise October 19, 1916
Payette Enterprise
Payette, Idaho
Thursday, October 19, 1916    
 
FORMAL OPENING HOTEL BANCROFT
 
WITH ATTENDANT CEREMONIES BIG FEATURE OF PAYETTE PROSPERITY DAY
 
There could not have been desired a more successful celebration of an 
important local event than that which was carried out in connection with the 
formal opening of the new Hotel Bancroft.
 
As had been announced, last Thursday was "prosperity day" at Payette, in honor 
of the completion and opening of the splendid building of which our citizens 
are justly proud.
 
A number of the enterprising business firms took advantage of the opportunity 
to present elaborate displays and to make interesting demonstrations in their 
various lines.
 
The city was thronged with visitors all the afternoon and evening, band music 
enlivening the occasion.
 
The festivities of the day closed with the banquet and attendant ceremonies at 
the Bancroft, where more than 250 people dined, listened to the orchestra and 
vocal selections and enjoyed the several addresses to which prosperity was the 
keynote.
 
As has well been said by the staff correspondent of the Boise Capital 
News:  "Throughout the entire program, in every address, tribute was paid to 
the man who made the building of the new hotel possible, and who has been the 
guiding spirit in many enterprises which have been of lasting benefit to the 
Payette country, Hiram E. Dunn."
 
THE EVENING'S PROGRAM
 
When all had been served at the banquet the large ball room in the basement of 
the hotel was thrown open for the exercises of the evening.  Col. Joel L. 
Priest, of Boise, general agent of the Oregon Short Line, presided as 
toastmaster and sustained his widely known reputation in that capacity.
 
The principal speakers of the evening were M. F. Albert, Judge J. H. Richards 
of Boise, and Hon. P. Monroe Smock of New Plymouth, while brief talks were 
made by Judge Calvin Keller, Burt Venable, W. A. Coughanour and Ned Jenness, 
of Nampa.
 
ORIGINAL POEM READ
 
In closing Mr. Smock read the following original poem:
 
Hail Idaho, thou youthful state
With giant power and fearless heart
enriched by God thou shalt create
A people bold to play their part.
 
Hail Canyon county, fairest child
Of such a state, thrice blessed art thou!
Lead on unfettered, undefiled,
With health and wealth thy state endow.
 
Hail river, valley, city - all
That bear the matchless name Payette
Go, on, grow on, thou needs't not crawl!
Rise - win thy spurs and conquer yet.
 
Hail Bancroft Palace, shed they light!
Eclipse the Moore and Dewey Grand,
The Washington leave out of sight, 
Thou can'st the hotel trade command.
 
Hail William Reilly and your noble wife
With outstretched hand you welcome every one
For with you we'd stake our very life
The best of hosts beneath the shining sun.
 
Hail Hiram Dunn -- wit, wisdom, worth;
These all are thine, thou man of cheer; 
We bless the day that gave thee birth
And twice the day that brought thee here
 
GIVES STATISTICS    
Mr. Albert, in his opening address, gave some very valuable and encouraging 
statistics on Payette.  He spoke as follows:
 
"I have been requested by the committee on arrangements to prepare a few 
statistics supporting the contentions of the business men that we are in 
reality a prosperous community.  In other words, they have placed upon me the 
tremendous task of proving to you that we at least, feel prosperous.  Men used 
to create that feeling in other ways, but that practice is no longer 
practicable in dry territory, hence the necessity to resort to other means to 
produce similar effects.
 
"In every smoothly running business concern there is someone delegated to do 
the lying for the other fellows.  I take it, it is in this capacity they want 
me to serve this evening.
 
"Seriously, however, uppermost in the minds of the people can really be 
prosperous in the face of the fact of a complete failure of her fruit crop.  
Let us stop a moment and examine a few figures.  They say figures don't lie -- 
if liars do figure.
 
"Business firms interviewed disclose the following condition:  Business better 
than last year, nine average 10 per cent.  Less volume than last year, four 
average 5 per cent.  Same as last year, 35.
 
"Building operations (excluding residences), including hotel, three business 
blocks, garage, two churches, aggregating $95,000.
 
INFANT INDUSTRIES
"Idaho Canning company - Monthly payroll, $2300; paid out to farmers in 1916, 
$8000; cans and box materials in 1916, $12,000; money necessary to handle 
season's crop $30,000.  Farmers doing well at raising peas.  Experimenting 
with sweet corn and tomatoes.
 
"The Payette Mills - Monthly payroll, $725; paid out for grain in September, 
$23,000; labor and improvements, $4500.  Demand for manufactured products 
greater than the supply.  Mill running day and night.
 
"Payette Cold Storage company - Cost of plant, $75,000.  Expects to store 130 
cars of apples, besides large quantities of butter and eggs.  Colonel Muller 
is busy making preparations for the apples from eastern Washington.
 
"Payette Brick Manufacturing company - Monthly payroll, $800, number brick 
manufactured in 1916, 1,575,000; value of season's output valued at $12,600; 
ready demand for entire output.
 
"Payette Valley Rex Spray company -- Payroll, monthly, $400; manufactured 1916 
season, 3000 barrels; value of same, $30,000.  Will require double that amount 
when there is a full fruit crop.
 
"Idaho Vinegar & Pickle company -- Value of cider vinegar on hand $6500; value 
of pickles, dill $300.  Will require 2000 bushels of pickles next year.  Will 
pay farmers 1 cent per pound for same.
 
"Farmers' Co-operative Creamery company - amount paid out to farmers for 
cream, monthly, $5000 to $10,000; aggregate amount first year operations, 
$90,000; number of cows imported during year, about 300.  Patrons well 
satisfied.  Business extending and constantly increasing.  Ice cream as side 
line making money for the stockholders.
 
"Poultry and eggs -- In September, 1916, $8100; estimated average for year, 
$100,000.  Demand greater than the supply.  Two bustling firms engaged.
 
"Paid out for hogs and cattle -- By one dealer, per month, $10,000.  Prices 
very satisfactory.
 
"Automobile business -- Number of cars sold in 1915, 40, valued at $24,000; 
number of cars sold in 1916, 85, valued at $51,000.  Four (unreadable) repair 
shops running full blast.
 
"City and school budgets -- City, $20,400; school, $30,000. 
 
"Washoe district - New canal just completed at cost of $4000; covers 3000 
acres of land with abundant water; expect to run 1500 milk cows on the tract.
 
"Little Willow irrigation district - Reclaiming 6000 acres of fine land, many 
homes; expending $200,000 on the project.
 
"Now ladies and gentlemen, you many not believe a word I have said.  I may 
have utterly failed to convince you that you are prosperous, but you cannot 
escape noticing the improved appearance of our little city by reason of this 
beautiful edifice, erected here where only a year since, piles of rubbish 
covered with unsightly weeds marred the beauty of one of the principal squares 
of our city.
 
"Most fortunate indeed are the citizens of Payette to have among their number 
with a vision clear enough and a confidence in his home town - to inspire him 
with the courage to invest his own money and that of his associates in 
providing for Payette what she so long lacked, a good, fine, first-class 
hotel, and who had the good judgment with it all to place therein, as host and 
hostess, those who have had wide experience, who know how to cater to the 
public and cause the guest to feel at home and happy.
 
"Mr. Dunn, the people of Payette greet you as a benefactor;  Who but you, with 
a large vision, could have seen around the circumference of a silver dollar 
and discovered the opportunity to do a good turn for your fellow citizens?  
May this beautiful structure be to you a living monument, standing long after 
you have gone to the great beyond, as a constant reminder of the achievements 
of an honored citizen."
 
There were many out-of-town visitors in attendance and dancing was enjoyed 
until a late hour that night at both the Hotel Bancroft and Modern Garage.
 
Each of the business establishments taking part in the displays and 
demonstrations of the day secured a great success in that particular feature 
of the day's celebration.

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