Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-05-29
IDAHO AND HER FUTURE,
WhGt a Government Director OF
the Union Pacific RdiirOdd
Says 1bOit Orr State.

The following is from a re-
port made by Jesse Spaulding,
government director of the
Union Pacific railroad. 1t con-
tains facts and figures that will
interest all Idaho readers. The
report was made to the Board
of Directors at Boston, April
80, as follows
During my trip last fall |
was carried over the Idaho di-
vision of your system for the
first time. The road, which
had been transformed from a
narrow to a broad guage, |
found to be, generally speak
ing, in a good physical condi
ton. There are some heavy
grades, however, between Po-
catello and Lima as well as at
some other points on your
branch lines which will have
to be lowered before the traffic
over this division can be con-
Quoted satisfactorily. Especi-
is this the case near High
Bridge. The roadbed and track
of this division are not up to
the standard. / allude to this
because I believe that in the
near future the growth of the
population of eastern Idaho
and western Wyoming will de-
mand of this company much
greater Accommodations than
are now afforded by the Idaho
division. The mountain sides
along almost the entire length
of the road from Pocatella un-
til it enters the Missouri val
ley, are clothed densely with
pine, which will at an early
day attract the attention of
lumber producers in large
numbers. Besides, Idaho is
just beginning to exhibit her
real mineral wealth, and her
farming lands are being taken
up rapidly. There are besides
the 100000 acres agricul-
tural and the 100000 acres
forest land in this young state,
no less than 20,000,000 acres
of grazing lands, where cattle
may live and fatten with little
trouble to the herdsmen. 1t
is not to be wondered at, there
fore, that Idaho is attracting
An intelligent and energetic
class of immigrants. 1t may be
worthy of mention here, as an
evidence of the prosperity of
this youthful commonwealth
that the total assessed value of
the real and personal property
owned by her citizens in 1890
was $25,58l, 1906, a very re-
spectacle figure considering
that but a few years ago the
territory Of Idaho was an al
most unknown wilderness. The
figures given do not include
any lands unpatented, nor ma
ny fine farms in a state of Gull
tivation, which are not survey
ed. Besides, the mines of the
state are untaxed, and they are
estimated as representing in
1891 a value of $70,000,000.
The new state in 1890 had a
total railroad milage of GAL
miles and over these roads
there was exported during the
year ending June 30, 1890,
202,087 tons Of product, and
imported l89,863 tons. The
value of the home products
marketed during the same
time was $l0,385,05O. 1t will
bea surprise to most people to
learn that since the discovery
of gold in Idaho in 1860 her
mines have yielded about
$l75,O 100000. At first, placer
mining was carried on exclu-
sively, and lately quartz min
ing has been undertaken, but
the want of transportation
facilities and high freights
have retarded the development
of this great industry. The
Union Pacific system has the
first claim on Idaho. 1t can
maintain the lead in the young
state for all time if it is watch
full of the interests committed
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