The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-11-29
The Gem of the Mountains.

W
. admiration it has been received and
, adopted by our people 1t is writ
ten on everything-blazoned every
F where over the state. Mining claims,
mills, hotels, stores, restaurants,
livery stables, ranches; whatever is
distinguished by name-one OF
our counties even-bears the name
of Idaho: and wherever applied it
is found to retain all of its poetic
beauty and euphony, and to sug-
gest, rather than express, qualities
of loneliness and conditions of ex-
cellence, rare as are the scenes of
,splendor and majesty which char
acterize our state. But Idaho is
not alone remarkable for her won
derful scenery. She enjoys the
finest summer climate in the world.
Her death rate is the lowest on the
globe. Consumption, that dread
destroyer of human life, is here
entirely unknown, except when
brought in from abroad. Her noun
famous districts surpass in attract
iveness the Alps or the Adriondacks,
and are scarcely, if at all, inferior
to the Yellowstone Park. Her cat
aracts are surprises to all who visit
them; and the great Shoshone Falls
are natures supremest effort. They
have no rival anywhere. To attempt
to describe them would be to court
failure. The pen and brush are
alike impotent to portray their re-
atty. But the interest Of the be-
holder ends not at this sublime
spectacle. Her rivers and lakes,
her foothills and forests, her noun
taiDs, canyons, peaks and valleys
present such shifting scenes of Va
ried loneliness that WEAKNESS and
monotony are impossible in their
presence. The lover of nature is
continually discovering new de-
lights, new attractions in our seen
cry, and even the most blase are
interested and pleased. The most
delicious water in the world is every
where at hand; poured in silver
threads from springs and melting
SHOWS it descends, rosy-hued with
health, BENSON to men and thirs-
ty fields and kline below. When all
the facts are known Idaho will be
the favorite resort of tourists and
seekers after health and pleasure
from all parts of the world, and none
who come will be disappointed.
But Idaho has other attractions
than beautiful scenery and health
full climate. Her possibilities in
mining, agriculture and manufac-
turing are beyond the reach Of hui
man ken. Her mines, though but
specifically prospected, are greater
in numbers and richness than those
Of any other place on the continent,
and yet there remain large tracts
of territory within her borders that
have never prospected. These will
doubtless prove, when examined,
quite as rich as the rest, for the en-
tire state lies in the midst of the
great mineral belt that traverses
Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah,
Nevada, California, Montana, East
ern Oregon. Washington and Brit
ish Columbia, and is lost in The
icebergs of the North So favorably
situated and conditioned no lam
guage can exaggerate the possibili- |
ties of our great state; and when
silver has been remonetized, her
progress and her prosperity will be
one of the most magnificent specta-
cles in the history of the American
frontier. Her countless tons of sill
yer coined into American dollars
will then go into circulation among
her farmers, traders, mechanics, in
fusing new hopes and energies into
the hearts and lives Of her people. |
Lands will be irrigated and made |
productive, farms will be cultivated |
with greater zest and intelligence,
houses will be beautifed, enterprise
will be quickened, new mines will |
be opened and newer and better
machinery applied to the extrac-
ton and reduction of ores. Sue
cess will be the rule and abundance
will smile on every home and every |
heart will be glad. But these bless |
ings can only be realized in full /
when our silver is coined into money
as fast as it is taken out of the |
mines, and the volume of our circu-
lating medium increased sufficient
ly to enable our men Of energy and
enterprise to accomplish their de-
signs and purposes. The silver we
have in inestimable quantities,
but whether we shall be able to
prevail upon our government to
coin it, that our people may realize
the just hopes the greatness of our
states's natural resources inspire,
yet remains to be seen.
THE number of immigrants arriv-