The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-11-08
Extract From an Address by Hon.
j. w. Reid.

Idaho is imperial in extent. Its
area ia greater than that of New
York, New Jersey. Massachusetts
and New Hampshire combined.
The people of the East have but a
poor conception of the dimensions
of the new states of the Union. 1t
has been said that if Idaho could
be taken from it's mountain fastness
and set down on the Atlantic coast,
while touching the middle line of
Lake Ontario on the north, its
southern boundary would be in the
vicinity of Raleigh, N. c.; and
with it's eastern line at the city of
Washington, it's western boundary
would be on the parallel of Colum-
bus, Ohio. In area it embraces 55,-
228,l 100 acres, or more than $4,000
square miles, exceeding in size
twenty-seven other states of the
Union. Of this vast domain, 85
per cent thereof is adapted to in
dustrial occupation. and the remain
der is largely covered with immense
forests of timber.
The first mining excitementwhich
resulted in permanent settlement
was the Orc Fino stampede Of 1861
and 1862. Probably the first white
men that ever trod Idaho soil, so
far as any authentic record shows,
were the party that accompanied
the famous Lewis & Clarke explor-
| ing expedition sent out by President
Jefferson in 1866.
Idaho was created a territory by
the act of March 3, 1868, from parts
of Dakota, Nebraska and Washing
| ton territories. AS originally con-
stituted it embraced 326,373 square
miles, including all the present
state of Montana and a large por-
ton of Wyoming. In 1868 Idaho
assumed its present dimensions.
Idaho's climate is proved by the
official reports ofleading nations to
be the healthiest in the world. lts
geographical position would natur'
ally suggest the fligidity ofthe polar
circles, but no climate with such
eouable temperature and so large
an average of sunlit days, can else
where be found on the American
continent. In the same latitude a.
sunny France, Italy, Spain, Portu
gal aud Switzerland, and subject te
similar oceanic influences, it pos
sesses a similar climate. Statistic;
demonstrate that Idaho is the
healthiest country in the world
It's death rate is less than in any
other state or territory of the Union
Even California, with its wonder
| full climate, has death rate nearl,
five times greater than Idaho Col
orado, a summer land, the resor
of thousands of health-seekers, ha
a mortality three times as great a
Idaho ;" Florida, "where It's sprin
all the year, makes shown
three times less favorable than Ida
no. From the United States arm
mortality statistics and the vita
statistics Of all nations, we glea
the remarkable fact that in the pur
> atmosphere of Idaho, with its light
dry soil, pure water, and bright
genial sunshine is found the health
lest region in the universe.
Idaho is in reality mountai
land. Professor Hayden describe
her surface "as literally crumple
!; or rolled up in one continuous serie
ofmountain ranges, fold after fold.
1T is from the bosom Of her mour
tains that her mineral product:
the chief source of her wealth, ar
delved. 1t is her mountain side
: that afford the innumerable varie
ties Of nutritious grasses that sus
tain the thousands of her herd
and alternating and nesting anon
the mountain ranges, are man
valleys, large and small: affordin
: in the aggregate vast area OF al
ricultural lands not exceeded !
fertility by any under the sun.
r Of swift, noble rivers, Idaho ha
:. a score. Chief among them tf
l. ,awny Snake, aptly named tt
e "Western Niagara" rising anon
d the marvellous scenes Of the yellow
!, stone National Park, within a fe
q feet of the crystal founts from whic
:; springs the great tributary of II
9 Mississippi-the Yellowstone, wit
I, in sight of the headwaters OF tn;
.e grand inlet of the Gulf Of Califo
,r nia-the Rio California, and vii
of its romantic start only days rit
t. from it's twin torrent, Clark's For
"a it sweeps southwark 500 miles
Il gather in the waters Of wider al
richer fields, and then flowing m
jestically northward to mark II
= boundary between Idaho and Or
gon, it unites with the river tro
the north to form the mighty Z
+ lumbia.
Of An enthusiastic writer thus d
re .. scribes its course:
ID Springing from perpetual sno'
OF a midst the dizZy heights and to