ONE BY ONE THE ROSES FALL

——- 16 Sep 1960—–By John Creedon

Some years back, during the days of the “Noble Experiment” known also as the 18^th Amendment or Prohibition, we had a tavern owner by the name of Jack Creighton.  Jack being an Irishman was both friendly and witty and had a host of friends.  During the term of one extra zealous Sheriff of Slat Lake County, who was going to dry up the town and reform all of us. Deputies were sent out to raid our taverns and confiscate their wares and close them up one by one.

In due time Jack’s place was raided and found to be selling something stronger than Becco or Necco, Volstead’s answer to mans’ insatiable thirst, and his establishment was padlocked.  Jack had a large sign painted and placed in his window draped in black with the wording: “One by one the Roses Fall.”

I am reminded of this sign as I see the buildings up town fall to the battering ram and bulldozer of the wrecking crew.  There was some hope in Jack’s case, as he opened again, as good as new and with more and better merchandise, but our buildings are gone for good, to rise no more.

Each of these buildings had an interesting history and an important part in the life of our town, so I will try and recall some of the highlights of events that took place and the people who were part of it.

Carr Fork Bar at 6-1/2 Carr Fork was occupied by Bunker and Jimpson around the early 1900’s.  It was later known as the Thompson Block, owned by Frank Thompson family.  I remember when Otto Kappel had a tailor shop there and where he wrote his little paper taking to task various individuals and groups, especially the politicians and lawyers.  I recall one passage from his sheet, “Some men get callouses on their hands from work, some on their feet from work, our Town Clerk sits in the City Hall.

The county jail was in this building for a short time, when there was a misunderstanding with city government.  It consisted of an iron cage about eight feet square.

In the Mid-twenties there was a boarding house on the ground floor run by Mrs. Roper.  This was to be the setting for one of the most gruesome murders in the town’s history.  Nursing a fit of jealousy, one of the boarders by the name of Blackburn laid in wait in the Carr Fork garage for Miss Nelson, a waitress at Ropers, who had spurned his courtship, and cut her throat from ear to ear.  He was sentenced to life in prison and was released a few years ago.  That sentence was very unpopular in our community.

Bill Goris had his barber shop there for many years.  One of the features on his sign was, Bath with hot water, towel and soap for two bits.  Last one to occupy this part of the building was the Copper Trading Post.

Probably the best known and remembered was John Feraco’s Café where the finest meal, both in quality and quantity was featured.  I can see now as clear as yesterday, the trio that made Feraco’s famous, Della, Jennie and John with their friendly smiles and hearty laughs.  No wonder it was a pleasure to eat there, with good food, expertly cooked and served by those wonderful girls and with John always on hand to help out and join in the conversation with his inimitable manner of speaking.

Gone too is the building at 505 Main, where one of Bingham’s first clothing stores was operated by Steve Hays.  Several stores were operated in this building, the last I remember was Herman Ritter’s Outlet.

Next door was the Stage Line office where the buses have operated for many years.  This building was a saloon in the early days and according to old timer, was owned by Jacob Newman.  I remember it as the Liberty Theater where I first saw Eddie Polo in a movie serial. After the Liberty closed, it was a saloon again, but I don’t recall the name of it, but one event happened that was amusing but could have been tragic.  A somewhat roused miner put some blasting caps in the pot bellied stove and when the Chinese janitor went to stir up the fire, the caps exploded and blew stove and Chinaman out through the single wall.  He was badly hurt, but the saloon was a shambles.

Down the street at 497 was the Senate Bar, where the best whiskey in town was dispensed (not being of age at the time these comments are based on hearsay).  This bar featured Warwick Whiskey and was run by a Mr. Jackson.  He did not allow any drunks or rowdies in his place.  It had the traditional swinging doors and I remember a time or two when my brothers and I shoved a bucket and a dime under the door and got our bucket of suds to take home.

Many stores opened and closed in the Senate building.  Ben Lewis and C.A. Eliades had jewelry shops, Art Tremelling had a tailor shop and Jack Lutzger ran a clothing store.  Later “Panco” George Nacheff had a shoe repair shop and T.P. Durrant a photo studio.

For those who enjoy a touch of nostalgia, I shall in the coming issues of the Bulletin, try to recal to mind the people, places and events that made history in Bingham Canyon.  Join me and travel with a boy that grew up in Bingham and loved every minute of it-down Memory Lane.