The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-08-15
LITTER FROM soUAw CREEK.
UpPxR SouAw CREEK, BOISE Co.. /. r,
August 6, 1874.

ED. WoRLD:-Having some idea d becom-
Ing q Gfanger at no very distant day, and
Knowing but little about farming besides
thinking It would do me good. from the fact
that / worked under ground eight m0ntns OUT
Of twelve in IdahO-I accepted an invitation
from Messrs Hoffman 4 Bockrath. well 70 DO
farmers Of Upper 6quaw Greek. to visit their
ranch situated there. So, without taking time
to bid our friends goodbye. myself and family
started. We had q splendid ride behind. our
friends grey team to Harris toll gate. 10 Sha-
fer Canyon. The hills and gulches here arc
lust as nature left them, and il paysa person
to.make trip out occasionally. After paying
our toll to Miss Annie Moore. who, by the way,
receives toll here, we started down Shnfer
Canyon, arriving at Judge Moor~'s old place
We took lunch-strawberrie and cream-and
again started for the town Of Clarksville. late
Horseshoe Bend, arriving at Hank Clark's
early in the evening. Hank keeps the princi-
pal hotel on the principal street OF the embryo
inetropolis-keeps good house and NOT only
expects. but tries. to make people feel ut home
Not having any time to visit people At the
Bend We started. the next morning, down the
river. to the crossing. distant about eight mies
A nice breeze coming up and the road being
good we enjoyed the ride very much. reaching
Mr.. Peters0n's place early in the forenoon;
be was soon across the river with boat and
took us across to hs house. What q change
ut the crossing! l passed here. few days
ago, when there was nothing but rye grass to
be seen : but Mr. Peterson. an industrious Ger
man. has settled on the 1at built good house
and has tho best garden have seen since
lett Idaho City-everything in the vegetable
line in abundance. and last. but not least, Mira
Peterson, his wife. has the incest flower garden
| have seen for many days. The fishing here
10 good tried my hand at it and soon had
mess Of nice white fsh. Having enjoyed our.
selves very much here far few hours. we
hitched 10 and started for the valley of Squaw
creek. arriving ut Mr., Andy McQuaide's before
evening. Riding along We hac fine view OF
the valley famous for raising grain and cattle.
All the farmers appear tn be- contented. aud
nearly all are well OF. Mr. McQuaide made US
feel ut home. and after hearty breakfast offried
chicken we naturally inquired our bill--noth.
ing. was the answer. rs il 10 in all this farming
section Bidding our friends good bye. We
started for Upper Squaw creek. distance oil
about fourteen miles. over very good road.
made and kept in repair by .he farmers Of Up.
per Squaw creek valley; each man having 10
devote from one Ia two weeks every year To
keep il In repair: aud. notwithstanding this.
according;o the present law they are COMPELLED
to pay their So road poll tax. IL that right
lust, but our legislators in the past have been
KEEP, too busy framing relief bills for the en-.
richm.nt Of fings and ring friends Ia spare
tim. for the enactment of laws fur the "cotn-
mon people" who can work. csen IL il does
soil their hands little !, 10 also right that
the Rad should BE- a county read aud be- kept
in repair BY III. county. but this being mat
ter Of no pccnniary ini.rcsi to the Legislative
lobby and its instruments has not been attend.
I'd to-Ep As they are compelled To pay
the tax. i. il anything more than justic. that
the road should belong {" the county,
There 10 M land ot consequence between
the lower and upper valley. There are numer.
aus good springs ON the route. We arrived
early in the afternoon nj the upper valley. and
were saon nj the residence of our friends HoG
man g. Bockrash. This IL . beautiful little
valley. tour miles long by one wide. and lying
north and south Th. soil 10 black. sandy ham.
and will average four feet deep. bearing oil
kinda Of grain in abundance. The climate
her. is verv good: one peculiar thing about il
is the wind. Every day. ~ regularly as clock.
work it changes. in the evening Ia the north.
and in the morning Ia the south. thus keeping
tn. valley cool. A great drawback to the val
ley 10 its great distance from market; but IL
makes up for this in great measure. from the
fact that it IL one Of the 6ncst cattle ranges in
Idaho. Hogs also'do splendid. There are Eve
ranches taken up here at present The best
rancho IL that of Carl Beard & Brother; next
comes Hoffman e. Bockrath's Their rancho
10 smaller. but for productivencsa cannot be
beat At the upper end Of the valley are the
families Of Mr.. James Ballentyne. late
Of Centerville. and Of Mr.. Rockhill. who will
have good farms in the course Of time. The
three families contain fourteen children all in
good health. The crops never fail here. BE-.
cause they depend on irrigation. They came
near having trouble with crickcts this spring.
there having been millions Of them that could
not get across the creek-ereat big insects two
inches long and over m ounce weight You
can drive them like hogs, and they act like
them in some respects: for Il you drive them
too fast they turn on yon. and 60 by you. II 10
. sight to see them going over the ground,
sometimes three deep.
There il what il known 10 the I" High Valley"
about six miles from here. about one thousand
teet higher than this place. tits there that
the farmers Of the Psyette and Squaw creek
drive their cattle in the GUNNER. and they stay
up there contented. The valley 10 sarrounded
By timber. and the ladies' from % far away ~
Boise City visit it during the summer season
70 gathoe hnckleberries and have good time
generally. The country hero abounds In game
Of all kinds. and plenty Of 6sh in the spring.
Harvesting has fairly commenced. and al have
good crops; taking i all together. Il 10 good
farming country All that ID wanted ID for the
farmers to make their homes more home-liko.
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