Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1889-01-02
FROM LOST RIVER.
Abundant. Crops, but No Markets
Trouble About tho Lack OF Public
HighWays-Etc.

lTOuDIe ABOUT tno LACK OF YuDIlC
Highways-Etc.
To THE EDITOR OF THE TInxs,-
Another year is now drawing to an
end and though the results of it have
not been as satisfactory as we had
reasonably expected, the Lost River
people have no reason to feel des.
pendent. Times are and have been
very hard and the settlers have la
bored under many disadvantages from
the outset. Abundant crops were
raised here the past season, but the
great difficulty is to find a market.
The closing of mining operations in
the camps directly tributary to this
section has, for the time being, shut
the Lost River farmers off from all
available markets, and to procure the
money wherewith to pay taxes and
provide the necessities of life for
themselves and families, many of them
have been obliged to haul their pro-
duce to Bayhorse, Clayton, or Custer,
and there sell it at prices which scarce
ly paid them reasonable freight. All
this, however, is only a repetition of
the experiences of pioneer settlers
everywhere, and there is no reason to
expect that such conditions will long
exist here. There is confident ex.
pectation that another year will bring
about resumption of mining oper-
atoms, an increased immigration, and
greater degree Of prosperity to the
country at large in which we, the
poverty stricken denizens of Los,
River. will doubtless share. All this
and even greater blessings we expect
to result from the election of Har.
rison and Morton.
The weather up to within the past
week has been simply perfection fol-
this latitude, at this season. But at
if to provide the conditions which the
legend describes as attending the ad.
vent OF Santa Claus, our first snow
fall occurred just before Christmas
There is but little snow, however, or
the ground; not enough for sleighing
but temperature Of 20 degrees be-
low zero is not exactly what can be
called good holiday weather.
The social event Of the season was
the Christmas tree festival which was
held at the residence of Mrs. S. E.
Harger, on the evening of the 24th
instant. The neighborhood general.
ly participated and all of the little
ones were made happy in the dis.
tribution of the many neat and ap.
propriate presents. The audience
was agreeably entertained by the
songs, Rotations, etc., from the pu-
pills of the Island District School.
Much credit is duo to Mrs. Harger
and the three charming young laiies,
the Misses Ella Pearson. Hattie Moe,
and Lizzie Matthews, for the refined
taste shown in the decorations, the
elaborate preparations that we're made,
and the success which attended the
enterprise. An elegant toilet case
was presented to Mrs. Harger as a
token of esteem by the members OF
the Lost River Sunday School OF
which she, as Superintendent, has
always been the leading spirit and
the success of which she has so long
and earnestly labored to promote.
The winter now being on hand
there is but little work that can be
done for the next two or three months,
and most of the people will simply
hibernate until spring. A social
country dance, happening about once
week, will afford the only diversion
and an occasional lawsuit in the JUS
tice court will provide the most ex.
citing topic of the times here. A
prolific source Of such contentious
and disputes is now found in the
question of public roads. Nearly
every quarter section upon the Island
has been fenced without regard to
existing roads or to where roads may
be needed in the future, and thus the
traveller in any direction is met by g
perfect Gordon of barbed wire fences
and, after bewildering search fol
bars or gates. encounters perfect
maze of irrigating bitches in crossing
the ranches. The connection OF one
or two more fences will close every