Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-01-04
FROM LOST RIVER.
The Settlers Content with the Past, and
Looking Hopefully TO the Future,

The Settlers Content with the Past, and
Looking Hopefully TO the Future,
Etc.
To THE EprroR OF THE TINES -
Once more it is our pleasure to send
to you and your readers everywhere,
the merry greetings Of a"Happy New
Year."
Here in this eglected part OF the
moral vineyard, the old year has left
many signs of substantial progress.
And although there is some we'll
founded complaint of dull times it
must be said to the credit of the
settlers OF Lost River, that in spite of
many discouraging circumstances and
disappointments they have, upon the
whole, done remarkably well.
The growth of this section has been
regular and uniform, and so constant
and quiet as not to attract attention.
-Four years ago this valley, from Arco
t. Willow Creek, a distance OF sixty
miles, contained but six settlers, all
told, and FIVE of these were at stage
stations. Statistics of the present
time for full comparison are not OBJ.
tainable, but when we come to con-
slider that nearly all the desirable land
in the valley has since been claim d
and is now occupied; that hundreds
of homes have been made, where four
years ago a man could have travelled
whole day without seeing the frs:
sign of human habitation, the contrast
between that time and the present is
indeed striking. From Arco to Ante
lope, distance Of twenty miles, the
part of the valley which lies in AL
turas County and which is justly re-
garded as the cream of the valley,
there were at that time but two
settlements; one at Arco and one at
Antelope, beth stage stations. Now
to show the contrast, we note the fact
that within the above. mentioned lin.
It's there are, at present, four school
districts, wherein about l2O pupils are
numbered. This, of course, leaves
| nC J, tho l.
''old baches" who fail to contribute
to the increase of population show,
by the school census. AS additional
indications Of the growth and develop.
ment OF this section we can also poin,
to the returns which show that owe,
thirty thousand bushels of grain was
threshed in this valley the past sea.
son. All of this goes to show that al.
though the long-expected boom com
eth not, there is no possible doubt as
to the future of this country.
The present dizziness is caused by
the stopping Of work in the mines al
Ira, Houston and Alder Creek, anc
the lack OF ready market for the sur
plus of grain, hay, etc, raised here
All this, however, is only temporary
there is no doubt that work will b.
resumed in all the mining camps i,
the spring, if not sooner. Moreove
there is every probability that flour
ing mill will be put up here soor
which will, next year, furnish mar
Ike, for all the grain, enough of which
can be raised here to feed half tn,
present population of the Territory.
The Christmas holidays have passed
quite pleasantly and the people OF
and about the Island entered will
hearty zest into the enjoyment an'
festivities of the season.
A notable event OF the season wa
the Christmas tree festival given by
the following named young ladies. al
o! whom deserve special praise for thu
par. they bore: Misses Hattie an,
LILLY Nee, Ella Pearson, Lizzie Ma;