The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1883-11-10
Western Rainblings.

special Correspondence.
PocArELLo, Idaho, Nov. sth, 1884.
After leaving Fort Fred Steele, w yomine
from whence our last letter was posted, We
passed through some rough country. Raw.
Inns, town Of some 1900 inhabitants, Is
the point from which the White River
Agency is supplied. Thirty miles farther
west and lSa miles from Fort Steele, att ran.
ger, Is the point where the Oregon short.
line dtverges In northerly direction for
the gold regions of Wood River and other
points in Idaho. Just after crossing into
the territory Of Idaho the road runs into
the Bear river valley which, by the way, is
beautiful section ofthe country. Consider.
able farming is done, but the principal in.
dustry seems to be stock raising and put.
ting up hay to supply the ready market
found for it. The soil is Of black loan
similar to that found in Iowa and Illinois.
Some miles north Is Pocate!lo, our pres.
ent stopping place. 1t is where the Utah
y Northern branch Of the U. p. R. r. con-
meets with the Oregon Short Line. The
former extends on some 900 miles to the
N. P. r. R. at Garrison, the latter to Cald.
well, Idaho. A branch runs to HALEY, the
great mining region. The U. p. Co. pur-
chased 40 acres Of land Of the Shawnee and
Bannack Indians and located the town on
1t and Of course have everything their own
way as the Indian reservation embraces all
the surrounding country. There are al
most 1900 Indians on the reservation. A
large number Of employees are at work
here grading the grounds, laying track and
building houses for the company. The
hotel is an extensive building furnished
equal to any 6rst.class hotel.
Idaho Territory embraces an area Of S..
600 square miles. Below the mountain re.
gions the high rolling hills are covered
with nutritious grasses upon which stock
may feed the year around. The still low.
er table lands covered mostly with sage
brush, when farmed by irrigation produce
large crops Of grains and vegetables. The
first bottoms along the streams produce ex.
cellent hay without irrigation. The noun.
tains are mostly covered with heavy tim
Der. The mineral wealth Of the territory is
increasing yearly; already has the territory
added to the worlds wealth $oo,oooooo Of
the precious metals and yet tire develop.
ment Of the mines OF Salmon, River Wood
River, Sawtooth and Yankee Fork dist
riots has but fairly commenced. From
10000 to 10000 head Of cattle are marketed
yearly from the natural pasture lands Of
the territory. Throughout the territory
the farming lands are being teken up rapid.
ly. In many localities fruit does we'll; an
orchard In Boise Valley produces on an
average 1000 bushels Of apples, pears and
peaches yearly. Statistics state that whea,
yields on an average 80 bushels to the acre; !;
oats 50 bushels; barley 40 bushels, and that
all kinds Of vegetables usually raised in the
temperate zones grow to an immense size.
Our observation Of the soil and products
gives us reason to believe the above state.
ments are not overdrawn. A lady in this
valley who has been here three years says
the winters are rather severe as we might
suppose, owing to the elevation and the
proximity to the mountain ranges, some Of
which have peaks 10000 feet above ocean
level and covered with snow all the year.