Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-12-05
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Genesee City.

Ed. TELLER:-It is raining and the
mud is very adhesive, making it ex-
tremely difficult to travel, even in the
saddle. The weather is quite warm,
and one at this season can get good
view Of the country from any of the
bluffs within quarter of mile of
the city. A dry goods store, hotel,
saloon and blacksmith shop compose
the principal features of the city.
There is considerable improvement in
building going on, and some new dwell
lings are being erected. The farmers
are jubilant over their Fall crops and
all speak very encouragingly of the
country. The flax crop for this year
was total failure by frost, except on
the high lands, but what was lost in
this respect was largely gained in the
yield of grain over the preceding sea-
son. The people generally in this sec
ton of the country are energetic and
are continually extending the improve
ments on their ranches, except a few
men who have squatted or pre-empted
one or more ranches for the purposes
of speculation. AS and illustration, a
farmer during the last harvest being
pushed for help, approached one of
those persons who has two claims
holding them by the simple improve
ments of small cabin and garden,
without a fence, and who was at the
same time making his dinner of raw
turnips and water, but under all these
circumstances of distress he refused to
assist in the harvest field even when
offered extraordinary wages. They
are a detriment to the country and
will remain till they sell their claims.
AS an illustration of the thriftiest
class who have settled in this Genesee
valley I will gave few examples: H.
b. Hodgins has one section of land
fenced and 400 acres under cultivation.
He has been located here for the past
six years. This Fall he has put in
100 acres Of wheat. From patch Of
sod land that he broke last May and
sowed with oats during the latter part
Of the last month he harvested Il
bushels to the acre. He has good out
houses and comfortable dwelling
house. He works with the best i'm
proved machinery, and has about 50,
500 worth of them on his farm. HI
has put in ten acres of timber, con
sisting of box elder, maple, walnut
European larch and shellbark hickory
The wheat in some sections of thi
country was touched with frost thi
season, an unusual occurrence. Tn
average yield for the last season wa
about 80 bushels to the acre, the pre-
vious years have given an averag
yield Of 40 bushels. All kinds o
vegetables are raised without irriga
ton. Mr.. Hodgins has raised from
bed 2Ox2O 500 pounds of onions. Il
his root house are turnips weighin
! from Is to 90 pounds apiece. w
were shown band Of hogs eightee
> months old that averaged 400 pound
in weight. The land is principal
rolling, and is watered by creeks an
elsprings. The wood is scattering, an
!. is from six to twelve miles distanc
y from Genesee city. There are goo
!, schools in every organized district SUI
u piled with efficient teachers, but as "
u there are no stationery ministers al
IS no church edifces Occasionally CT
u cult ministers hold services at the di
/ ferent school houses. The people a
:, - free from all infectious and malari
n diseases, and thus far / have not M
:, or heard Of a doctor resident in tn
le country. Messrs. Murphy and SUIT
. erland came to this country from Wa
la Walla a little over year az
They harvested on each of their +
. spective ranches last season from SIEVE
= to nine thousand bushels of wheat al
:. barley. There are many hundr'
. others situated similarly, but these fe
!. are a true index of the spirit of Il
community.