The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-09-12
To Pickaboo and Back.
Leaving Ketchum last Frid,

\
evening we made a hurried trip to
Pickaboo, arriving at Ketchum on
our return Sunday at about 10 in
the morning. The town of HALEY
does not show the evidences of life
that we expected to find there, still
it is not without signs of prosperity.
Leaving HALEY the narrow valley
begins to widen, and at Bellevue,
five miles below, has assumed quite
spacious width, being probably
as much as six miles wide, and with
its farm-houses, grainand hay fields,
irrigating bitches, herds and other
evidences of civilization, presents a
truly attractive scene. On this valley
are large tracts of land, fertile as any
in the state, that is yet unappro-
priated, because of lack of water to
irrigate it and make it productive.
Whether the water necessary for
this purpose is obtainable is ques-
ton for the future to solve. The
water is not in Wood river, but the
numbers of homeless people are
constantly increasing, as is the
need for the products of the soil.
We, therefore, think by one of
three possible processes the land
will be irrigated and made to
produce. Plenty of water runs to
waste here every winter and spring
to irrigate the entire valley. This
can be stored in reservoirs and
made available for the reclama-
ton of the arid portions of the
valley, and of the table lands
equally as good. Artesian water
is also probable source of supply,
and it now seems possible that some
rain-compelling process may yet
be relied on for water supplies.
But whether from one or all of
these resources, it is practically GER
tain that the necessary water will
be procured, and the next question
for the farmer to consider is at what
cost to the cultivator? For when
the monopolist owns the soil and
the water, the tiller may be permit
ted to exc out wretched existence,
but profits as we'll as the pleasures
of being will then be strangers to
him. He will be the bond slave of
the lord of the soil and the water,
who will then. as now, both make
and administer the law arrogantly
and not intelligently, selfishly and
not justly!
| Quite number of forest trees
have already been planted out on
the irrigated portions of the valley
and are growing luxuriantly. These
with their dark green foliage form a
marked and beautiful contrast with
the gray and sombre hills and brown
and lifeless stretches of valley by
which they are surrounded; but
every one Of them is prophecy OF
the future; every one of them is q
mute but eloquent witness to the
efficacy of water to transform the
valleys wilderness of sage into a
wilderness of forest.
But the loveliest sight on the val
lev is Bellevue. Her streets on each
side are beauti6ed by lines of trees
planted there by the citizens OF the
/ town, while almost every private
5 residence in the place is embowereo
, in growths of orchard and orna
2 mental trees and wreathed and gar
! landed around with flowers of every
: shade and hue. It is a lovely sight
, and the term "city of flowers" ap
: piled to it would not be misnomer
t While at Bellevue we met Mr.. Pat
t rick Furey, an old-time acquaint
! ance, who is in business there ant
i appears to be prospecting, as w
t hope he is. We also had the pleas
ure of meeting with and making tn.
acquaintance of Mr.. and Mrs. A. J
: Graham, and were most delightful,
: entertained at their pleasant hom
I for an hour or more. Mr.. Graham
= is the publisher and proprietor o
!, the Herald which is, as everybod.
! knows, one of the brightest ant
). best edited little papers publishe!
in the state, and is great credi
> to the little city in which it is pub
: lished. But there is a reverse sid
to even the splendid picture o
, Bellevue, as we had the misfortune
J to learn by calling at an alaege'
chop-house for supper. 1t IS KEEP
by an ebon-hued son of-the eqa
# torial regions, and our candid epln
e ion is that his table is supplied from
J. the swill barrels of neighboring no
: tells. The people of the city SHOULD
e starve him out or hire him to leave
j as such a swindle disgraces tn
e place. The following morning W
e breakfasted at the California restau
J, rant at HALEY, kept by our frlen
: Dick West, who always has some
y thing nice and palatable for his pa
5 irons, and were fully compensate
e for the fraud perpetrated on us
e BELLEVUE the evening before. NJ!
). Vests house does credit to h'
business knowledge and to his ger
erosity as public caterer, and tn
9 liberal patronage it receives prove
It that the efforts of its proprietor