Omaha daily bee., 1892-03-06

the eastern border. At that time there were
about $4,000 people in Idaho, aud at this
period they first began to develop the
various resources of the country Nearly
the entire thought of the people was cen-
tered on mining until this era in our history.
Rich gold placer mines had been found in
various sections of the territory, and the
adventurous spirits who tlocked to
these camps cared nothing for the tame pur-
suits Of ordinary business, and rushed off to
NEW fields when their present ones showed
signs of exhaustion. In 1SS4-5 rail
road building began, and with it the gradual
settlement of the country by steady and in
dustrious citizens. There are now about
1,500 miles of railroad in the state and $780,
600 people, and agriculture is the chief indus
try. One reason why this wonderful devel
opment has attracted solittle attention comes
from the fact that the increase in population
and wealth has been scattered evenly over
the entire state. There are no large towns.
and no particular section has grown abnor-
mally. Ranches or farms have been opened
up and mines developed SO quietly as to cause
no comment.
Boise, the capital and largest town, has
about 1000 inhabitants.
Pacatello III the southeast and Moscow In
the northwest have about 5000 each. Some
seven or eight other towns have populations
ranging from 900 to 1000, and each farming
ing from 100 to 500 people,
The bulk of the people are on the farms,
and thus sure and lasting foundation is
laid for our future prosperity. The resources
of the state are boundless and another cen
tury will pass before the activities of man
fully develop them.
Northern Idaho, or that portion of the state
embraced within the counties of Idaho, Nez
Perce, Latah, kootenat and Shoshone, Is q
mining or agricultural regou The Ceur
d'Alene mines in Shoshone county are very
productive In silver aud lead, and the supply
of wealth from these sources seems mex
haustible. Kootenai county has fine agrlcui-
tural lands, splendid mineral prospects and
water power which will build up great in
dustrles before many years.
Latah and Nez Perce counties are agricul-
tural essentially, and there is no better farm
ing country in any portion of the entire
union. Idaho county is both agricultural and
mining This entire section Of north Idaho,
containing an area three times as great as the
state OF New Jersey, does not require irriga-
tion, but crops are sure and enormous through
the natural causes. Some large cities are
certain to grow into being in this portion of
tho state.
The larger portion of the state, generally
known as south Idaho, IS dependent on ir-
rigation for its crops. This section, which
Is about seven times as large as New Jersey,
like the northern portion, is rich in minerals,
water power and productive lands While
Latah county In northern Idaho contains q
dependent on farming without irrigation,
Bingham county in southeastern Idaho con-
tains prosperous community of 10000 who
are all dependent on farming by means of ir-
| rigation. The soil Of north Idaho is excep-
tionally rich, and tho yield is equal to the
| yield of south Idaho. The average yield
! throughout the state per acre is Wheat 30
| bushels; rye, 20 bushels; oats, 55 bushels;
| barley, 40 bushels potatoes $50 bushels; hay
| or alfalfa 5 tons. Irrigation Implies neither a
! defect nor n disadvantage, which fact is be-
coming generally known. 1t Is better
fertilizer than rainfall, the bright skies
| OF the arid region are more favorable to veg
| citation than cloudy skies. arid soil Is the
most fertile soil, on which account irrigation
is now opening the best lands OF the union
| to cultivation, irrigable lands are more pro-
ductive than those fortified by showers and
irrigation is favorable to the creation of a
numerous class of comparatively small pro-
| prietors. There are innumerable small
streams running through the state, creating
an abundance of water for all purposes.
The Snake river carries volume
OF water as great as the Ohio
| and traverses the state for a distance of
about 1900 miles. II is navgable for large
steamboats, for 100 miles down the river,