Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-01-01
CAPITAL LETTER.
Boise Cry, Dec. ~, 1883

sad, at the remembrance of the asso-
Citations Of days numbered among the
things that were.
Our weather is beautiful. No
snow.
The article that appeared In the
WORLD in regard TO tho roads of Ada
has caused the supervisors to coil
up" and a general growl is heard
among the delinquent farmers, who
dislike very much to lubricate their
muscles or pungle the required sum;
but, however, the way the valley road
is being fixed is surprising.
All that is required in this city and
county is more work and less talk.
As an example of what judicious la.
Dor will accomplish | will cite the
place OF a Mr.. Hubble, who purchased
a supposed worthless patch of land
some forty acres of what was once
nothing but greasewood brush, within
two miles of Boise City. The own
ers said it was of no account and so
broken that it was utterly impossible
to get water on it, Mr.. H. has lew
elled the high places and filed in the
low ones and has water on every part
OF his land. Last year some Of the
poorest OF it yielded four tons of al
falf,, worth 90 per ton, to the acre.
Just think of $36 in cash from one
acre of ground. Mr.. II. has been
ridiculed by his ne,ghbors for the
pains he took with his ground. Time
will tell them "who the race is to-"
He intends planting ten acres of
rrdnes. Some Of the trees | have
seen in tins valley would have yielded
400 or 500 bushels to the acre. That
made into dried product would turn
off 5000 pounds of Italian or petite
prunes worth castle S400 to 5000 at
to 10 cents to the pound. To pay
all expenses of curing and packing
will not exceed 800 per acre; so the
net profit is immense. Is there any
business to be preferred, then, to
fruit growing in this valley. If those
who have ranches would endeavor to
bring them into state of perfection,
then they must labor and not depend
on the hay crop year in and year out
We have in Boise City two No.
Touring mills that are unable to run
one. half the time. Why? Because
there is no grain raised aud the wheat
that is ground here is shipped in from
Oregon and elsewhere. This year
there were thousands Of tomatoes that
were not gathered, and as nice in IA
yor as the writer ever tasted in the
State OF California. There is enough
raised to start canning establish
ment and supply at least our home
consumption. But will our people
patronize home product or home pro-
duction? Alas, | am reminded of
the fate Of Smith, the great Idaho
soap manufacturer, headquarters,
Boise City, Office, 9th aud Idaho
streets; seat of mandatory, Russel's
slough, on Cottonwood creek, Gem of
the Mountain Avon, Boise City
ring, streaked and striped, the best
ever made, rubbing clothes dispensed
with, the virtues duly attested by
analysis Of unexoeptionable chemists.
Did our merchants patronize poor
Smith? No. He had hardly got
started before an opposition appeared.
Cy Jacobs went into the business and
was followed by Warden Harley, of
The penitent'ary, and poor Smith was
left after being encouraged by the
Board Of Trade. The merchants
would have nothing to do with the
home production, and objections were
made to the soap. One lady com
planned and said she understood that
the soap was made out of dead hogs
grease and she did not want any dead
thing around her house. After that
Smith sought new fields. He tried
Caldwell and the railroad run him
out of there. Then grim despair
drove him to Nampa, and when the
writer saw him he was trying to make
the virtues of sagebrush mix with his
toilet soap for the restoration of cap
Hilary substance on the bald heads of
the cause of his misfortunes. Poor
Smith you are not the first who
missed his calling in Idaho.
We have immense water power
here. The Boise river has a magnif-
cent volume Of water and no use for
it at all. Nature has done all she
can for this place, and man does not