Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-06-02
IN IDAHO.
Descriptive Of a Trip Through
BannOck Stake.

REXBURG, Bingham County
Idaho, May g, 1890. Correspond.
ence Of the DEsERET NEws.l-Ir
company with Apostle Mariner w.
Merrill and Bishop Geo. l.. Farrell,
1 arrived a; Eagle Rock, Bingham
County, Idaho Goa miles north OF
Ogden, Utah, early on the morn
ing Of Saturday, the 18th inst. We
were met at the station by ThGs. L.
Kicks, and after partaking OF the
hospitality OF Bishop James
Thomas, Of Eagle Rock, we boarded
wagon provided for the occasion
and rode Is miles north TO Louis
vile, where we attended a Stake
Primary conference in the forenoon
and the Relief Society conference
in the afternoon.
The following day Sunday, May
lSth), the twenty-fifth quarterly
conference Of the Bannock Stake
OF Zion was commenced. On this
and the next day five interesting
meetings Including q Priesthood
meetingl were held, and good and
timely instructions given to the
assembled Saints.
The BaunOck Stake Of Zion was
first organizel in 1854, the small
settlements OF which il then con-
sisted having previously belonged
to the Cache Stake. II now en-
braces twenty organized wards with
a total membership Of about four
thousand. OF these, ten wards are
ON the north side Of the main |
branch Of Snake River, nine on the |
south side, and one In the Teton
Basin, far 10 the east. At this time |
Of the year communication OF travel |
between the settlements on opposite
sides OF the rivers Is extremely diff
cult and often very dangerous,
owing to high water. On this ac-
count only a few Of the brethren /
from the north sale Of the river at
tended the conference, and they
had to travel about sixty miles 10y
way OF Market Lake aud Eagle
Rock, instead Of about eighteen
miles, which Is the distance from
ReXburg IL Louisville 10y way Of the
Big Buttes Ferry. Notwithstanding
TINS there were sufficient numbers
Of Saints present from the South side
TO I'll the largest Westinghouse in
the Stake, If which the good people
Of SnOwville are the happy pos
SCISSORS. IL i n respectable brick
building, constructed Of the first
brick mace in this part Ofthe cOun-
try. Conference being over, Bishop
Farrell and myself, accompanied by
several brethren from the north
side, crossed the "DEy Bed Of
Snake River ia ferry and held a
with the Saints Of Menan
Ward, Monday evening.
Menan, fsnnerly known rs
Cedar Buties, Is tine oldest
- Mormon 4" settlement in the
Bann0ck Stake. II was first
settled by John z. Poole. in 1879,
md now has forty families. presided
over by Bishop VIM. y. Stephens.
Il Is situated on the 50 called Poole's
Island, one Of the choice spots
n the upper Snake River Val
ey. This island, which is
wenty- five miles long from
asst 10 west and from one TO four
niles wide, is separated from the
main land Ivy the main Snake River
N the north and the "Dry Bed''
once dry but now large river with
swift and dangerous cuTrentl Oh
he south. Fine groves OF timber ,
md numerous clusters Of cotton
FoOd trees bcautify the Island. :
which il also noted for its extensive !
meadows and very rich and pro- I
uctive sell. The Saints residing in
he east end Of this fertile Island
ave a separate ward organization ,
allied Iabslie, presided over 10y a
bishop WinsloW +. Walker. About {
iirty families reside i'm this ward. |
he toynsite Of l.ahclle Is eight i
li!es southwest Of Menan.
Elder John II. Poole. who vOlun- i
erred 10 take us 10 Rcxbury. started I
18th us for the Headquarters Of the Z
stake, on Thursday. May a
ith, about noon. We crossed the 1
lain Snake River at the Big Buttes b
Try, the water in the river having 4
ibsided little 50 as to make ferry- "a
Y possible again, though still I
ute dangerous.
After travelling five miles further II
e came 20 the foot OF the largest Of n
20 butteS. or extinct volcanic vents, \
hiCh rise abruptly from the level I
the valley 10 the height Of about 4
ve hundred feet above the river, :
nj standing clcn upon an oval /,
lse Of about two miles in diameter. n
.aving had cur attention drawn 20 :
lese buttcs several times since we =
9rted 10 come moth from Eagle ,
.Ock, We decided TO ascend 10 the
y OF the largest one. We found /,
5 crest rugged. showing some curl h
rs cliffs, while its SLOPES consist n
lOstly OF sliding sand and are GOV. y
red more or less with a struggling !,
rOwth Of bushy shrubs and small q
ines and cedars. Its crater is absut n
ali mile long by aquarter Of n I
lille wide. and perhaps 100 feet. a
rom the highest point Of this re- n
larkahle butte We had 4 most mag 4,
iticent view Of the upper Snake n
liver Valley. Looking northeast, the
findings Of Henry'S Fork and the 7
etOn River are visible for forty n
lilies or more, and looking south \
~ the main Snake River is seen 4
merging from the mouth Of
inyon in the Teton Range and
lence flowing in a nOFthwesterly :
ERECTION until it unitcs with the