Kootenai History
Coeur d'Alene once had Town Crier
Feb 5, 2005, 12:51
On at least one occasion, Coeur d’Alene had a town crier.
He was Isaac S. Daly, one of five appointed trustees of the Village of Coeur d’Alene by the board of county commissioners when the village was originally incorporated in 1887.
The date was Aug. 29 of that year when the trustees held their first meeting at Daly’s office at 11 a.m. As the first order of business, Charles D. Warner was elected chairman, and, according to the handwritten minutes of the meeting, “after Warner called the meeting to order, Daly, a member of said board, proceeded to make public announcement on the outside of the building wherein said meeting was being held in the following manner:
“To the inhabitants of the town of Coeur d’Alene, hear ye, hear ye, hear ye – the honorable board of trustees in and for the town of Coeur d’Alene is now in session.”
The minutes continue: “The board then appointed Dr. James McGrail, town clerk, where upon the chairman ordered the clerk to call the roll when the following members of the board answered: Warner, Daly, John H. Brown and V. W. Sander.”
Absent was Douglas Ballard, also appointed, who, according to the minutes of a Sept. 1, meeting, failed to qualify for the office and his chair was declared vacant.
At the organization meeting of the board Warren Baldwin was appointed marshall and H. L. Bancroft, town treasurer, with bonds set at $500. At the second meeting Baldwin was sworn in and his salary set at $75 a month, and John Miller was appointed town assessor.
At a meeting Sept. 5, all laws of the Territory of Idaho … relating to breaches of the peace, public health, nuisances, gambling, bawdy houses, crimes of all kinds and misdemeanors were declared to be ordinances of the newly incorporated village. Also Brown was appointed to “make out estimates for the building of a calaboose or … up,” and recommend a location.
On Sept. 20, an election was held to fill the vacancy on the village board, with W. J. McClure receiving 35 or the 36 votes cast.
The Village board had a setback early in 1891 when it was determined that the original charter was invalid. After much time and some expense, the error was rectified and second petition was presented to the county commissioners at a special meeting May 28.
All together, they provide material for a book which perhaps, someday may be written.