Street cred is earned

One of the two front-pagers for today...

By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer

Legislators from all over the world have made their way into Carbon County politics to represent the area in the state Senate, but only two have earned street-name status in Rawlins.

On Tuesday night, Sen. Bill Vasey, D-Rawlins, spoke about the history of Carbon County politics at the Carbon County Higher Education Center’s “The Power of Place: Legacies of Carbon County” lecture.

Briefly reviewing the long list of state senators, Vasey said he stuck to the Senate because there were simply too many commissioners, city councilmen, school board officials and House representatives to talk about.

Looking at the Senate, Vasey highlighted several key figures. Among them were John Mahoney, serving in 1907 and 1909, and W.W. Daley, who had a 10-year stint in the Senate from 1915 to 1925. These were the fellows whose last names became street signs.

Interestingly, neither Vasey nor local historian Dan Kinnaman could give a reason as to why these gentlemen were bestowed with such an honor. However, Kinnaman wagered a guess. “Maybe just the times they lived and the times (the city) was making additions,” he said. “Whoever was making the additions may have thought it was something to do.” He pointed out that Daley Street was more likely named after W.W. Daley’s father.

The Daleys were a wealthy family who dealt in sheep. In fact, the William Daley Company was one of the largest livestock dealers in the area in its time and was started by the elder William Daley. He was a politician and businessman and was also a man with connections. So much so that he hosted Theodore Roosevelt at his ranch during Roosevelt’s bid for vice-president. “He was an outstanding guy, no doubt about it,” Kinnaman said.

William Daley’s son, W.W. Daley, filled his father’s shoes and more. In his 10 years in the Senate, he saw beneficial laws passed including the state highway system, the Workingmen’s Compensation Act, and educational and banking laws.

According to the August 27, 1929 issue of the Rawlins Republican, “(W.W. Daley) introduced the bill creating the state flag and flower at the request of the Daughters of the American Revolution and fathered the bill for memorial hospitals throughout the state.” The newspaper listed W.W. Daley as a “public-spirited man in Rawlins,” one of a series of men given the title as the newspaper’s editor sought to inspire more individuals to contribute to the community.
The Daleys were well-established in the United States and only became more so when they rooted themselves at their ranch not far from Rawlins.

John Mahoney was of a different blood. Mahoney immigrated from Ireland with his brother Tim. “Either to eat or go west, they joined the military,” Vasey said. Tim fought Apaches in the southwest while John served in Meeker, Colo., fighting in the Meeker Massacre or Battle of Milk River, depending on what side you’re on. There, he found a partner that would cause him trouble until the day he died — a bullet.

When he was out of the service, John Mahoney went into agriculture, Vasey said. He became a landowner of vast proportion, having lakes and dams named after him. He was also a civic man and served as part of the agriculture committee. “It’s the American story,” Vasey said. “An immigrant in Boston who took the train west to where he wanted to be.”

Beyond illustrating the lives and personalities of Carbon County’s historical characters, Vasey also answered the question of why Wyoming is as conservative as it is. “Grant, Hayes, these guys were Union presidents, Republicans,” Vasey said. “Wyoming was created after the Civil War, so its officials were appointed under Republicans.”

Vasey went on to discuss the top issues of the Senate during his tenure. Triple trailers on trucks, voting redistricting, the location of the penitentiary, tort reform, gun control, abortion and gay marriage have been the most emotional issues, he said.

He answered questions about recent decisions regarding school funding, water issues, possibilities for levies and speed control for trucks on the interstate as well as mentoring the youth in politics.