Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-04-18
LONG VALLEY, IDAHO.


grand and picturesque mountains that
shoot out from the west end IT the
Sawtooth range, is one &C the most
beautiful aud fertile valleys of Idaho.
Hero the scenes are SO varied and
entertaining to the mind that the
time can not be long distant when it
will be great pleasure resort. Tour
lists will so there to sail on the lake,
wing grouse and prairie chickens,
trail ok and deer in the forests, drive
bears from their dens in the dark,
gloomy, wooded canyons, and follow
sheep and goats to tho crags and
peaks of the perpetually snow capped
Sawtooth. Those seeking amuse-
ment of wild, romantic nature can
have their desires gratihed by visit
to Long valley. Standing on those
grand peaks one can look over most
Of the valley, spread out before him
like vast panorama, covered with
its green grass, dotted with farms,
and the North fork of the Payette
winding through it like a thread of
silver, skrtsd on eithor side by tim
Der and beautiful wild flowers. In
the upper end of the valley may be
seon the Payette lakes, the most
beautiful in all Idaho, entirely sur
rounded by dense pine and Gr for
ost. They may very properly be
considered one lake, being divided
only by narrow spur that projects
into it from the mountains. Taken
together, they are twelve miles long,
by an average of three wide. From
the surface of the quiet, clear, mirror
like waters the forests and mountains
are reflected, forming scene grand
and beautiful beyond description.
In the center, soundings to the depth
of over half mile have failed to
find bottom. In August millions of
red fish go from the lakes into the
inlets, followed by thousands of trout
. weighing from ono to FIVE pounds
! each.
The North Fork OF tho Payette, the
outlet of the lakes, is beautiful
stream, clear as crystal, and filed with
the most delicious of the hnny tribe
The valley through which il courses
is sixty miles in length by an average
, Of SIX in width, however, in places it
attalns breadth of ten miles. Tho
stream runs through the center OF the
valley, 1t produdes in abundance
cereals of all kinds, vegetables and
!, some of the more hardy fruits. Every
, portion distant from tho river is well
q waterod by smaller streams that issue
from the mountains; the land is rich,
the hills covered with the very best
$ of bunch grass, and timber for lumber
and building purposes is abundant
and convenient.
Most of tho settlements are on the
east side of the river, on its tributa-
ries. At the lower end OF the valley
is Clear creek; six miles above Clear
: creek is Big creek; Gold fork is six,
u teen miles above the latter, and
/ Bowlder Ave still further up. Lake
creek is five miles above Bowlder
bach of these streams is settled on
y from the point of issuance from the
Z high mountains TO the river by indus
d trious farmers. The first to locate
n land in Long valley were 5. Nj, Sisk
aud j. l.. Horner, in lSS6-the for.
mer taking his family. Mr.. Sisk
u now represents that district in the
n board of commissioners of Boise
0 county.
Z. Fifteen miles up the valley are
- The Falls, which furnish the finest
water power III Central Idaho. A
grist mill will be erected there this
. year, There are four general mer-
!, chaudise stores and two saw mills il
u the valley, and three postoihces. The
. first, at the lower end of the valley
is Alpha, the second Van Wyck, and
the third at the extreme upper end
/ Omega. During the past eighteer
r months the population has increased
A from 800 to 1000, and the assessed
;, valuation of property has more thar
). doubled. The growth of this valley
~ situated, as it is, has been wonder
1 fully rapid; and there is every reason
1t for believing that it will be muol
NJ moro 50 for the next two or tire,
- years.
/, James Copeland & Co. have SOM
- good placer claims just below tn
' outlet OF the lower lake. Beside
to these, an eastern company has pur
IA chased loo acres OF good place
=. ground, which will be worked b,
bedrock fumes. There are som
y splendid quartz properties on Bowl
n der creek. But little development
of work has been done on them, al
ye though the surface rock is rich bot
y. in gold and silver. Lake City place
:, district is on the east side of the rive
I'll and twenty miles above Gold fork
es There is float" quartz over all c
the adjacent hills and mountai