The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-07-10
IN IDAHO.
Two Towns Of Bingham County
and Their Backing.
Eagle Rock or Idaho Falls-Blackf0ot the
County Seat-A Successful and Well
Watered Section Of Idaho.

Bingham county is a monstrous piece OF
Idaho. From north to south it measures
about one hundred and eighty miles, and
from east to west something like ninety
six miles. Its property valuation this year
will no doubt cut close to 5000, 900. Black
foot is the county seat. Pocatello the large
town, and Eagle Rock the main town in
western portion. But of Eagle Rock and
Blockfoot will treat this time.
EAGLE ROCK, OR IDAHO FALLS,
as, the postoffice department at Washing
ton designates the town, will this month
vote OF the change of name, as provided by
the last session laws. There will be q
lively election day on this question, as
many of the old time taxpayers can't let go
of Eagle Rock for name. The late
arrivals generally want the new name.
But the Colorado town men are giving
the place a grand boom. The county re-
corder's Office shows town plats and addi-
tons surveyed and laid out three and four
miles to the north of the town as she now
is. The great farming section hereabouts
is great. for L am very reliably informed
that in eighteen months no less than 5000
settlers took up homes, so as to make Eagle
Rock the N marketing center.
The water right OF Snake river Is OF such
fall as TO allow of irrigating canals being
taken out readily, aud so as to cover large
areas of the fertile lands of this section.
All lands in Idaho have proved wonderfully
productive when water is got upon them,
and already the gray soil is seen above the
sagebrush line in many directions, showing
the course of dozen or so canals for irri-
eating purposes, some by stock companies
regularly organized, and others by farmers
who have Joined forces and secured plenty
of water.
Eagle Rock as the railroad guides still
show the town, is, therefore, center for
hundreds and hundreds of acres of farm
land, and the town has several unusually
large supply houses. She has also splen-
did race course and a successful fair asso-
citation. and the fair this season, as is
shown by advance sheets OF the programme,
promises larger purses and larger displays
than ever before.
BLACKFooT
is an independent town, being the county
seat of Bingham county, and the location
of the land office for Eastern Idaho. II is
also the supply. depot for a
vast farming region that is also
Blackfoot is shown to be just outside the
boundaries of that extension, Fort Hall
Indian reservation. In the early days of
the great Wood River mining region-from
'79 to 'S3-this town was the main shipping
point by stage and freight teams. But it
is not large town; eight hundred people,
probably. and all seem prosperous, conten.
and confident Of the towns future. Some
very wealthy farms are in this immediate
vicinity
The county court house is building well
suited fer the county business, and is evil
IDENTIFY pride of the people. The yard is
the shady party OF the town. and the in
terror fittings for the offices are economical
and substantial.
The state insane asylum is not over half
a mile from town, and here the state is
making some surely needed improvements.
a large and well arranged addition is being
finished. and will be occupied before Aug
ust Seventy six patients crowd the pres
ent quarters TO great inconvenience, but
the management shows experience in caring
for these unfortunates.
w. b. GEORGE,
In1,