, 1882-03-25
Editorial corrsspoadsnce.
I.x1srox IT.. March 18th, 81.

Like every ot0ef toSL ~ tne ePP~i e
try Lewiston is making steady but sure pro-
gress good. solid and handsome buildings
are fast taking the place OF the old elApbosrd
and hewed log sh4nties Of al early day and
the citizens generally are alive to the fact
that future awaits their town and they are
row prepared for any emergency that may
arise.
The great and only drawback TO the city
and country surroundIngit it Is thedou5t as to
whether they will have = railroad or not
.be fear tha. the o. r n Co. Will mol
build has induced few men TO make over
lures 70 the Union Pacific masnates AMI
think very foolishly; my reason TOR this
opinion is that the country is not Yet lar
enough advau led to keep even a portion OF
one road busy, and yet here they ara ereach-
ing out for another with the idea OF opposi-
ton. The scheme must fail, for another
transcontineutal railroad will be impossible
until the resources OF the country are more
fully developed, and that, from the very
nature Of things, cannot be until the next
generation
I really believe that if the citizens IN
Northern Idaho would act together they
could very easily persuade the company to
extend their line up Snake river to this sec
ton of country; that it would pay does not
admit of doubt: an astonishing amount OF
land would be put into cultivation which IS
now devoted to grazing purposes, and the
great Nez Peree Reservation with its NIL
lions of acres OF the finest arabic land IN the
world. would contribute its quota to feeding
the nations; simply becouse 1t is reserSa
ton is no reason why it should not be cultl-
waited. The Indians are as avaricious as the
whites. and If they are not industrious they
could very easily and with profit to them
selves rent their lands to the whites
A petition is now il Washington asking
that these Indians De allowed TO take mp
land in severalty, and what they do not re
anire. or when each individual lndian has
had an allotted portion, the remainder to be
thrown open to settlement; on this reserva-
tion there is over 5000 acres of land for each
man, woman and child, and is the best un-
settled country in the United States; ; the
Indians themselves sent on the petition and
they earnestly pray that it may be granted.
There are towns around Lewiston which will
assume some importance IL the course OF
time, but the most thriving one OF all IS
Moscow, north OF this place the land is OF
the richest and most productive of all this
upper country. and grain OF all kinds yields
as it does nowh :rc else 1t was at first said,
years ago, that the country was too cold to
raise ANYTHING but the most hardy vegeta-
bles, but experience has taught the settlers
that everything will grow and thrive that
will in any similar climate and altitude
Some years ago took a ride over to that
country and put up for the night at the ranch
of Mr.. j. :. Howard, who had then bat re-
Gently arri' ed from Russian river, in Cali
foTnia. ami was one Of few settlers who
were then merely experimenting and knew
not what the soil really would produce but
alter the first year they were satisfied III,
80 an / even 60 bushels Of wheat were raised
To the acre, and the yield of harley was
$ sDmething wonderful, ior | well remember
that ten acre patch yielded 10 less than
nine hundred and ninety bushels or within
one bushel per acre Of averaging one hundred
bushels to the ac,e. have just met this old
time acquaintance, then 4 poor hut ndG>tri-
ous settler, nov he is solid muidoon
and one OF his sons IS assessor of NJ
Perce county, he has invited me over to his
place and / may probably Yet 20; fruit
grows very well in his vicinity and every
farmer Of any ambition has his orchard
Lewiston is obtaining well deserved Iepu-
triton as being one of the healthiest towns
in the upper country aud | certainly recon-
mend all who are desrous OF change IL the
fall, winter or spring would bentit them
selves by coming here; there are many whom
| have heard complain that they do not
know where to 20 when their health re
quires it; they say Portland is too damp, and
the mountains are too cold and snowy; now
here the SNOW has not fallen on the ground
half an inch at a time all winter and now
the grass is getting green, the sun shines
warmly and everybody feels good. As for
hotels lewiston has always been celebrated
for its tirst-class houses and | have proved
that they still retain their well deserved
and am only sorry that can
not stay at both ot the same time; | shall
toot Lewiston's horn for all it is worth at
every opportunity; meet many old friends
who most heartily rejoice IN the STATES
MANS prosperity in spite of the many cow
ardly attempts to iniure it; did think that
had all the subscribers that could be Oh
tanned for it here but find myself pleasantly
over dozen voluntary subscrib-
ers have requested the honor of being pat,
ron OF the paper; these volunteers ere men |
like for they always pay up III advance.
This Is my old stamping ground and l am
happy to say that my old friends are the
same noble hearted men l always found
them, in time of peace or in war they are
there and retain those sterling qualities that
can ONLY arse from a thorough dependence
cn self. May they live long and prosper.
F. j. z.
A THRIVING TOwN.-Frank w Parker,