Payette County ID Archives Obituaries.....Bates, Thomas W. 1902
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/id/idfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Cheryl Hanson ihansonb@fmtc.com December 4, 2005, 1:16 am

The Payette Independent  9-11-1902
The Payette Independent
Payette, Idaho
Thursday, September 11, 1902

Death of T. W. Bates

Thomas W. Bates, for a number of years a prominent resident of Payette and one 
of the best known railroad and mining promoters of Idaho, died Thursday 
morning, September 4th, at his home in Boise after a long illness with 
Bright's disease. The deceased had been a sufferer for years and his death was 
not unexpected as a few weeks ago serious complications had set in and he had 
been in a very critical condition for some time. Mrs. Bates and the aged 
mother of the deceased were at his bedside when he died. The other member of 
the family, his son Walter, was in the Thunder Mountain country. Word was 
dispatched to him at once and it was expected that he would be able to reach 
home in time for the funeral which took place yesterday afternoon from the 
family residence at 6 o'clock.

The deceased was well known throughout Idaho as a railroad promoter. Previous 
to coming to this state he was connected with railroad construction work in 
Colorado and other states in the West. He was attracted by the possibilities 
of the mining interests in Idaho, and removed with his family to Payette about 
11 years ago where he resided on his homestead just east of town until several 
years later when he took up his residence in Boise. He had the greatest faith 
in the possibilities of the Seven Devils mining region and for several years 
after coming to Payette spent a great deal of time in the east trying to 
interest capital in the project of building a railroad from this point into 
the district. Several times it was thought he had been successful and at two 
different times grading was actually begun. Afterwards Mr. Bates transferred 
his promoting operations to Weiser and was active in the organization of the 
railroad now heading towards the Seven Devils district known as the Pacific 
and Idaho Northern.

The latest project which Mr. Bates was interested in was the proposed road 
from Boise to Butte, known as the Idaho Midland. Mr. Bates had carefully 
canvassed the value of the mines along the proposed route, and had an 
optimistic faith in the wonderful possibilities to be opened up. 

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/id/payette/obits/b/bates60nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/idfiles/

File size: 2.8 Kb