Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-08-19
THE CLIMATE OF IDAHO.

Persons are frequently at loss to know
why this territory has such charm about
it; but when change Of residence to some
other country has taken pl zee, there seems
to be such pleasant recollections of ,hei,
former home. Meet an Idahoau in Califor.
MIA, where he is famed by The soft breezes
that ripen the fruits that skirt the gull, OF
who hss his habitation in the lovely valley
OF the Sacramento, or the Willamette in Or
epon; or find one who has settled down
among the scenes of bis earlier life among
the Atlantic States, and he loves to tell
what good time he had in Idaho; how
healthy and happy he was, and how be
would like to live the "golden days" over
again. There seems to have been charm
over the days Of his sojourn among the
granite mountains that never is lost, and
pleasant memories that never fade. He
will tell you that he had hard work and
poor fare that he delved in mud and wa
ter, and lived on coarse food that he had a
fine tree for a shelter, and a single piece o
blanket for bis bed but still he had good
luck and splendid health, and that the hap
piess days of his life we're spent thus. 81
didn't like the country much" be is apt to
say, "but l did like the climate and the peo
ple." Aud here lies the secret Of this lin
gering fondness for Idaho. The climate
cannot be surpassed in the temperate lati
tudes. The lowest valleys are several thou
sand feet above tide.water, while the mining
camps are frequently from FIVE to eight
thousand feet, and but little under the line
of perennial SHOWS. The elaborate range,
Of mountains which lie between US and the
Pacific Ocean milk the clouds ere they
reach VA, snd hence we have sky that.
whether it be spring, summer, autumn Or
winter, is seldom clouded, aud an atmos.
phere IS pure and cool as it is dry. This
freedom from moisture is sort Of antidote
for the heat Of the sun in summer and the
bitterness OF the cold in winter. A person
will sit 20 overcome with the heat at Acs.
pulco, for instance, that active exercise
would endanger life, yet the thermometer
will mark only somewhere in eighty. Here
the miner or the farmer will Labor without
discomfort in the broad glare Of the sun
when tho thermometer marks $50 in the
shade. Again, in winter with the cold
down to zero, and the timber cracking with
cold and frost, men stir abroad in the streets
without overclothes Of any kind, and with
perfect impunity. Idaho experiences few
weeks Of hot weather in summer, and as
many generally Of cold in the winter Of each
year but it has always been q noticeable
fact that these extremes are felt less than in
any other country. Our air is dry, pure
and bracing. The health Of the individual
il good. hs is full of cheerfulness and ener.
~, and when he makes . change he real.
ges the difference between this delightful,
bracing and elastic climate; and any other
in which he mnY 60. In the heat of the
summer, when the sun has set, the cool
brath Of the mountains comes down to
temper the air, and at bed time we are ready
for blanket covering. and enjoy the most
de icious temperature for sleep. A person
will suffsr more from sitting hot nights in
the valley Of the Mississippi in One summer
month than be viii. in Idaho in lifetime.
Hence, after residence Of year or two in
this territory, it is almost universal that we
find the emigrant extolling the halcson time
that he wandered among our mountains or
dwell, in our valleys. Our country may be
less fruitful on account Of this irrigation
mus: supply the place Of showers and other
pursuits than agriculture b. found, but no
harder, weather., or moro chesrful race Of
men can be found in tho void than the
travellers Of Idaho. Idaho Sta 'esman. III