Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1890-01-14
FROM LOST RIVER.
The Coalition Of Stock Is BecOmlug Q
Serious Question-An Abundance Of
Water Assured for Years, aud the
Settlers More HOprful-Etc.

and seldom heard Of portion Of our
much abused Alturas, it is our pleas
ure to send to you and your readers
every where the merry greetings of
happy New Year. The old year has
left US little to show in the way of
improvement aud will pass into ira
dltion here as memorable chiefly for
its calami,ies and disappointments.
After such u protractcd drouth, the
partial failure of crops and the dry
ing up of the river it
might we'll be supposed that the
settlers we're really to welcome any
thing for change; The present
winter, however, is more than we
have bargained for. The new year
greets Us with two feet of solid, well,
settled snow on the ground and
temperature considerably minus zero
Such snowfall is entirely unprece-
dented and all our old timers and
weather prophets are nonplussed
Coming nearly a month earlier than
it is usually expected here, the snow
cannot be regarded otherwise than as
a calamity to the stockmen, some of
whom are, it may be said, caugh. un
awares. Hay is scarce and high,
owing to the short crop last year, and,
at the very hest that can be hoped
for, there will be some losses of
cattle. IL our Island ne,ghborhood
the largest cattle owners are con6da"t
Of their ability to weather it through
with what hay they have; others are
Offering to give half their herds 20
anyone who will feed and take care
of the whole until spring. The only
really happy man here, at present, is
the one who has hay to sell. Much
depends upon the character Of the
weather during the next two months,
for by the first of March, the crisis is
usually passed and until the time
comes when the snow leaves the hill
sides, ye Cattle King will anxiouslv
count the days and carefully calculate
the amount of hay that will keep
COW OH her feet. There are some
who drive their cattle into the hills
and take the chances and coldly call
culate the difference between loss
of half their number and the cost of
finding and saving all. Such cruelty
to the poor, dumb animals would
bring tears to the eyes of disciple
Of Henry Berg; and to all of US it
raises the question, whether such a
thing is either necessary or can pos.
sibly be profitable :?
However, "it's an ill wind that
blows nobody gooi," and, whatever
may be the loss OF the cattle men,
there Is thousand fold compensation
for the community at large in the Ger.
tainty Of abundance If water and
bountiful crops next season. lnthe
mountains around the sources Of the
Lost River, the snowfall has been
enormous and it will undoubtedly
settle the water question for years
to come.
In the way of social amusements
our reighborhood is rather dull this
winter owing to the difficulty OF
travelling about. Our enterprisine
postmaster, Judge Mathews, has
lately completed the larges. and bes.
hall in the valley, for the special az
commodation of the dancing fra
ternity, and thong some irreverently
call it "The Tabernacle" it is there
that the beauty and chivalry of Lost
River frequently meet ito chase the
happy hours with flying feet"
At Houston and vicinity times
seem to be fairly prosperous for the
season, and the town often presents
quite a lively appearance. Several
new families have lately moved in
to avail themselves of the school,
which under the direction Of Mis-:
Mary Rogers, q very popular young
lady, has large attendance.
Just before the holidays sorrowfu
gloom was cast over the entire CON-
munity by the death of Miss Lizzie
Rogers, eldest daughter Of Chris
Rogers, of Alder Creek. The de-
ceased was one of the most beautiful
and accomplished young ladies of thu