Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1885-03-20

The Ranca'erS letting Ready for the
Summers WOrk-HoustOn Getting So
Dull that the Saloons Close to Save
Coal OIL and WOOd-Etc.


To THE EDITOR OF THE TINES:
The spring, IN all its gorgeous fitness
of bright sunny days and genial, mel
low oreezes, is now bursting forth
from the bonds of winter which has
been very mild and of short duration.
The snow is nearly all gone from the
valley and the frost is rapidly leaving
the ground, while under the influence
OF the soft, balmy chinook and the
sunshine Of a cloudless sky, the soil Of
our enchanted island is fast resuminp
its usual appearance of sweet fields
arrayed in living green, while the dull
Get notes of the bobolink and the
meadow lark, breaking on the stiffness
of the morning air. But enough of
this.
The Lost River rancher, particular.
ly the old stiff of the island, is ex-
tremely practical and unpoetic in his
nature, and continual wrestling with
the kettle and frying pan, bacon and
beans and other unromantic inclden-
tails of his old bachelor life, has rem.
dered him impervious to the sentiment
which dilates on the harmones of ma
ture and sings the larks to the gates
of paradise. Therefore, as the season
draws nigh when the bri ghter iris
CLEANS upon the FURNISHED dove, his
fancy lightly turns to thoughts, not of
love alone, but to his potato patch and
Il summers grubstake; of the mining
prospect in the hills far away, which
his imagination, while absent from it,
has transformed from barren hole in
the ground into veritable cave of
Aladdin; whether it is better to pros
poet, try the uncertainties of search
for ~ a day, or stay on the ranch and
raise crop. Thus it is with those
who, while working for 81 a day, have
resisted the fascination of bar.rooms
and stud poker and saved few hun
dred, which they are prudently invest
ing in improvements on their ranches.
We have, however, a few skillful
and practical farmers, who are encr-
getically pushing ahead, extending
their acreage, building substantial i'm
provements, etc. Of these may be
mentioned Daniel Pickett, who set
tied here in 1881, and S. Move, who
settled the year alter-hoth of whom
have since farmed it with the best re.
suits, as did also Mr. Hooley and
James. Edster during the season of
1884. All of these gentlemen will
farm on more extensive scale this
year, and the tireless energy of our
neighhor, Squire Cummings, bids fair
to make of his timber-culture claim a
perfect Eden of green verdure and
flowers, of luscious fruits and shade
trees wherein will cling and creep the
trailing vines.
William Hanna, formerly of Wood
River, one of our incipient cattle
kings, has completed the largest and
neatest dwelling-house on the island,
and rumor has it that he will soon re-
turn to Wood River and bring over
the future better.half Of himself.
Dame Runor also says that our
friend, Mr.. Smithson, will soon slump
the broom" and doublc-team over the
hill of life, but he innocently denies
the soft impeachment. The rest of
our old bachelor fraternity are obeying
the preccpts Of st. Paul and waiting
anNlously to hear from your DIR. Rice.
New settlers are coming in daily.
Every quarter-scction on the island
has claimant, and the jumping of
unreprescnted claims is becoming tile
order of the day. Those who are
absent from their claims are warned
that it is useless to stretch the limits
Of reasonable compliance with the
law in regard to residence.
There is but little being done in the
way CT mining yet, and times are dull
aud quiet; but there is great expecta
ton and unborlsded confidence in the
future, both ut Houston and on Lava
creek. The new ,nixes OK the latter
district will undoubtedly mako it the
chief point of attraction during the
ensuing season, and quite a boom is
expected there.
At Houston everything indicates
what old. timers call ga close game"
as money is so scarce that stud-poker