Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1885-01-22
AN ENCHANTED ISLAND,
MERE THE LUCKY SErClER EN.
JOYS PERPETUAL SUMMER.
But tle Female Form Divine Never III.
vades His NOmestead--A Hint TO DR..
Rice Sturdy Women Pining Away
for tho Lack If WrbfoOt Girls.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TINES:
Lest our little corner of the moral
vineyard be entirely forgotten aud
lose its place. in the annals OF pro,
gress, | will try to indite few items
for your readers, such as are suggested
ny the inspiration surrounding "the
little old log shantv on the claim"
This portion of the Lost River val
lev, known as the Island, and also the
country adjacent, has of late been the
chief point of attraction for hcme-
seekers, and the rush for land claims
here has been almost stampede. The
reason Of this is not only that this por-
ton has been surveyed and open for
entry through the Haley Land Office,
but that thu past 70 seasons have so
abundantly proved its superior ferti-
itv, and repeated tests have shown
that not only potatoes and other veg
etables, but wheat, oats, barley, etc,
AN be grown here with the greatest
success. The soil is deeper, less
rocky, and of more uniform richness
than in the upper part of the aley,
and besides all these manifest advant-
ages, th.re is less snowfall and m;lder
winters. The peculiar trend Of the
mountain ranges, folio wing with the
bend of the valley on either side.
breaks the force of the north winds
and serves as Il protection against
storms and billiards. from that quarter.
The Island proper is about IL miles
long, and in width averages from one
and half to three miles, extending
from near the mouth of Antelope
creek to within a few miles Of Arco;
all in A,turas county. 1t contains not
only the finest agricultural land, but a
large part Of it is composed Of nat
uraI meadow, whereon an almost un-
limited quantity Of the choicest hay
can be easl y obtained,
Why section Of country present
iny such manifold advantages for both
1he stock grower and the farmer,
should have remained SO long vacant,
while other and less desirable local.
ties were being thickly settled up, is IA
question which is "a puzzle to all new
corners. 1t is, however, a mining ex-
citement which always brings the first
tide Of immi grafton to IL new country,
and now that the mining interest is
permanently established in this sec
ton, the deve opment of the farming
and stock-growing interests will 20 on
with rapid strides.
Here is land Of the best quality, an
ample water supply, and All abund-
ance of timber easily accessible; all
this, to say nothing of the mining pos
sloili,ies on the north, east and west
OF us, and the additional advantage of
comparatively mild winters, where
stock is usually kept over wthoui
feeding, gives an ample guarantee
that his country will, in the near fu
turc, furnish homes and subsistence
for thousands of people. The imme-
date settlement aud cultivation Of
every acre of the land here is assured.
for It is doubtful if in all of Uncle
Sans broad domain there is at this
time to be found as large body of
land of equal quality still unsettled
and unimproved. 1t is observable
that there is growing tendency
among that large nomadc class of
men who float with the tide and hang
on to the ragged edge of mining ex.
elements, to turn to the soil as the
safest and most certain road to future
competency, fully approaching the
fact that the time is at hand when it
can no longer be said that Uncle Sam
has land enough to give us all farm.
Of such is the greater part of the pres.
ent settlers of Lost River, and partic-
ularly of the Island.
Now, however it may be in a min.
ing camp, farming community of
bachelors, most OF whom fill to the
full measure all that is expressed or
implied by the term sold stiffs," is, to
say the least. an anomaly which bod-s
no good to the cause Of future pro.
gress. Therefore, in addition to the
need Of thrifty farmers, Touring mills,
ETC., there isa pressing demand for
families. women, society and other
civiizing agencies. whose presence