Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-03-19
IDAHo's GIANT srR1DEs.
Portland orssoniau.


Hon. A. F. Parker, the graphic |
pencil pusher of the Idaho Free
Press, whose descriptive articles on
Idaho Territory have been read with
pleasure by the thousands Of readers
Of the Oregonian for many years past,
arrived from Boise City yesterday,
and knowing him to be q walking
epitome of facts relating to the re-
sources, advantages and industries Of
his Territory, reporter sought him
out and was greetad with that urban
ity and fellow-feeling which hard
working journalists experience to-
wards each other.
In response to question as to af-
fairs in Idaho, Mr.. Parker said: ssThe
Territory is making giant strides to-
wards progress and prosperity, and
that her growth in the next Ave years
would exceed that which had oc-
Cured since its organization in 1868.
In Southern Idaho the growth which
has taken place in the last FIVE years
is remarkable and the influx of immi-
grafton continues unabated. The
opening of the Fort Hall Indian res
ervation will also open to public set
tlement = large area of good lands,
which will be speedily occupied and
made to support dense population.
The town of Pocatello, started last
year, has already 500 buildings, and
another thousand will surely go up
this summer. Great irrigatlng canals
are being built, and syndicate of
New York and Boston capitalists are
maturing a scheme to take out the
waters of Snake river at Eagle creek
and divert them on to the great sage
plains which border that stream, thus
reclaiming millions of acres of arabic
land from the desert and rendering
them productive. Senator Hearst
stated in the Senate the other day
that the great Snake river valley was
capable of sustaining population OF
100000 inhabitants, aud although
the statement may appear incredible
to those who do not intimately know
the great extent and resources of that
country, it is reasonable enough to
those who do, and expect to llve to
see the day when every acre of those
sage lands that lies under watel
ditch will be worth $50 an acre. The
soil is very fertile and needs but ths
one element of water to produces
enormously"
"Are the northern counties grow
ing?"
Eyes, the northern counties ar
increasing faster in proportion t
population, area and wealth, thar
the southern counties, owing to tn
fact that the agricultural lands in tn
Panhandle do not require irrigation
to become productive, and they ar
i, therefore considered more desirabl
for settlement and are fast being alb
sorbed. In fact, outside of 1dah
county, there is not very much de
. sirable land left that Is fit for agri
culture, except in isolated spct'
The growth of the north is retarde
> by Indian reservations, and the pros
S pect does not look very favorable fo
a speedy settlement of the India
a problem. Both the Nez Perce an
Ceur d'Alene Indians have our bes
4 lands under lock and key, as it were
r and the country adjacent thereto
a afflicted with a physical dry-rot an
il stagnation In consequence. The Ne
n Perce reservation is pretty much a
:. under fence now, and the Indiar
a themselves are beginning to see th'
the severalty system is the only or
IS under which they can live in the II
d ture. The reservation system, ho'
Il ever, has its adherents, and they a
8 6phting hard to maintain things
g. stdtu quo
If "What is the character of the N
$. Perce Indians, and how do they g
along with the whites?"
,o "The Nez Perces and Pen d'Orill
he are the mother tribes of all the Mort
a. west inter-mountain Indians, and t
n. cbaracrer of the Nez Perces is We
v. high. Their record is one OF I
,Iy blemished loyalty to the whites a
IT they are steadfass friends to our p'
ed pie. They herd their stock under
rk laws of the Territory and are 9th
ad wise far advanced in civilizati
is The Kamiahs. in particular, are W
Id, intelligent, and gave US great
l.. distance in the Chief Joseph outbrs