Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-08-04
PROSPEROUS DENVER.
Impression Of C0mds PrGirie's
NeW City, as Gathered by the
Editor On a Late Trip.

n llttlt OtcT u year dSo tuc du-
nouncment was made that a syndi-
cate of capitalists had purchased
the 2.7OO acres of land in the mid
die of Camas Prairie belonging to
Ben Morris, and were going to
start a "boom" town thereon. In
due time the town plat of Denver
was put on the market, a few days
later a newspaper plant was put in,
and despite many discouraging fea-
lures which have to be overcome
in establishing all new towns, it
has thriven and is still growing
rapidly. 1t is particularly diff
cult matter to inaugurate boom
for any enterprise in so isolated a
country, so far from railroads and
so difficult Of access as Camas Prai-
rie, and the boom failed to materi-
alize. But Denver is to-day a bet
ter town than it would have been
had it's birth been attended by the
'hurrah' which had been prepared
for it. Syndicates cannot build a
town; but they can very materially
aid it during its infancy and pro-
mote it's prosperity in various ways.
This is particularly noticeable in
the operations of the Denver syn
dicate, which are marked by lib
erality of expenditure without a
parallel in the history of the devel-
opment of Camas Prairie. From
the time they first started to ad-
vertise Denver and the Prairie, up
to the present hour, their every
movement has been beneficial to
the people and the PrNirie together.
The primary purpose and object
of these expenditures was, of course,
to enhance the value of the syndi-
cate property and while this pur-
pose has been successfully accom-
plished, they have in very mate
rial and practical manner also been
of the utmost benefit, both directly
and Indirectly, to every property
owner on Camas Prairie. This is
particularly noticeable in the opera
tions attendant upon the borings
for water which have been going
on for a year, and upon which the
company have already expended
$4,000. They brought to Camas
| Prairie the finest artesian well-bo-
ring apparatus in the State, and
although not yet successful in Sc
curing flowing water, they have
demonstrated that the bowels OF
Camas Prairie are natural reserv-
oirs containing inexhaustible guam
titles of pure soft water suitable
for all purposes at q depth of 25O
feet. This knowledge is worth
thousands of dollars to many of our
farmers who are investigating the
artesian well subject and who are
waiting to profit by the experience
of the Denver syndicate. This is
only an indirect benefit. A more
positive and direct one is that the
well at Denver provides constant
and apparent ineXhaustible supply
of pure soft water, pumped by
steam direct from the bowels o
the earth to what has hitherto
been known as the "Dry Belt" o
Camas Prairie. The residents o
this neighborhood who are unfort
unate in not having water on thei
premises are permitted to haul al
the water they need from the Den
yer well, and also the privilege Q
watering all their live stock at tn
charge.
In other matters the actions {
the town company have been {
equal benefit to all the people. o
the strength of the anticipate
, building boom new sawmills wei
started up in the adjacent timbf
zones, and planers and shingle mil
established, the multiplicity
which has brought the price
building material below the cost
production all over the Cam;
Prairie country. The syndica
'- made two newspapers grow in
= community which before was t.
poor to support one. In shol
\ they introduced railroad metho
y and railroad prices into count
that is still a hundred miles di
tant from it's nearest railroad poir
and in a hundred other ways tn
have advanced the hands on t
dial of progress in this communi
,. fully fifteen years.
What they are doing for Denv
can be seen at a glance by the C;
ual visitor. The church, the scht
house, the race track, the wal
works, and last, but by no mea
least, Parker Bros. planning a
(. wood manufacturing enterprise ;
all illustrations of the methods a
determination of this syndicate
town builders. The principle
subsidizing diverse business int
ests to locate where they wol
not otherwise be located may
a. right or it.may be wrong, but il
new town like Denver the adva
- ages of the system are too obvi
1 to be discussed. The foundati
- of the town have been laid o
broad and liberal basis. Its fut
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