The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-03-13
LETTER FROM IDAHO.
,udenco Of the IutclIlsetecrl

Correspondence Of the IntelllSeteetl
LEWISTON, IDAHO, Feb. /, 10.
Now that the Northern Pacific Rail.
road is vending its way from Lake supe'
Iior to Puget Sound, passing over this
Territory, and bringing near the long.
hOped-r0r day when the iron bands shall
unite US TO civiliZ4 alton, letter from this
far of country may DO OF interest 10 your
readers.
EXTENT.
Idaho Is about 4l0 miles long from
north 10 south it's width on the southern
border is 9S7 miles; narrowing TO forty
miles on its northern boundary. It's arcs
h about equal to that OF Minnesota, con
tanning s8,294 square miles, or % 22S, l6O
acres. Il forms part of the basin Of the
Columbia, and Is drained by Snake River
aud by Clarke's Fork Of the Columbia
River, and their tributaries.
GOLD AND SILVER.
In 1850 It was noIsed abroad that val
liable deposits Of the precious metals had
been lound In this territory. From Call
lJrnia and other States immigrants pour
cd in, who were soon convinced that the
half had not been told them. Eagerly
they went to work, and secured rich
spells. the knowledge Of which gathered
their friends around them. The history
Of placer mining in California repeat
cd itself. BY work that seemed like
play many got rich, and the
surface wealth was measurably eX'
hausted. say medsuraJiy, for even YET
there are thousands who by placer min
inc secure what you would call exhorbi
tant wages. Notwithstanding the very
high price OF food, clothing and other
necCssariCs, these miners would socn BE-
come wealthy II they were only enam'
CURED of eastern thrift. Several years
since the gold and silver quartz yield
ca such large returns 10 tho sim.
pie machinery employed that moro
valuable machinery was imported from
the East and now quartz mining leads
10 the industry Of this territory. Before
the building Of the U. P Il, Il, freights
from the Atlantic States 10 Idaho were
charged at the rate Of 5000 per ton. Not,
withstandiug the wonderful richness oI
our mines, such excessive lreights so re
lsrdGd the development OF quartz mines
hat We may well say that mining In
Idaho Is yet in It's infancy. Our mineral
wealth may DO guessed at when you arc
informed, that, despite all our disAdvau-
tsges we have produced during the las
twelve years not less than 800 100000 o
sod aDd silver. In afew years the Nor
iaeFn Pacific Railway will be at oul
"1ors, bringing men, food, clothing, ma
eaIGcry, &c, to us at human prices, %
that 1t seems safe to predict that within
years our mining products will b
leuIOld what they now are, and tha
lisho will contain a population Of quar-
Ter Of million.
AGRICULTURE.
Few territories are more coplously
walcred than Idaho. Especially Is lhf
true Of northern half Of tho Territory
which Is about equally divided between
framing and mineral land. The tarminl
lands are praries covered with the mos
luxurious growth of grasses, from sage
brush and grease wood, skirted with tim
hcEst suitable distances and waieret
With rivers, creeks and brooks from til
mountain gulches. II Is difficult to eI
sIgerale the fertility Of our valleys, Tn
most luXuriant crops Of all those fruits
cereals and vegetables, common 70 lali
tides 500 mileO nearer the equator, re
ward the labor Of the huS6andmen, an
command the most remunerative price
IRRIGATION.
Agriculture can be can carried on pro
lSaoly in the northern half Of this Terri
10Y with but little aid from irrigation
but the southern half belongs 10 Ii
dry" region, where permanent and gen
efal agricultural success can alone be g
cured by moisture ArtiAciAlly suppllel