Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-08-11
TOWy OFCOTTONWOOD.
1t is the "Gate City" OF Cdnds
Prairie.

The ride from Denver to Cotton
wood takes one through the most
thoroughly cultivated part of this
Prairie. We traverse the Swedish
settlement, where such noted farm
ers as the Heartburg's, Nelson,
Ahlberg, Jorgenson's, Moberg, Els
worth, Peterson and others, show
fields of grain on either side of the
road which are picture to behold.
These are the first fields of wheat
seen by the traveller as he enters
the Prairie and the last as he
leaves it, and the impression thus
created does more to convince them
Of the actual wealth of our soil and
climate than all the printers ink
in the world. The most newspa-
per can do is to invite home seek
ers to visit a country by attractive
descriptions of it's resources. But
the farmers in the Swedish settle
ment show that these descriptions
of the wonderful fertility and pro-
ductiveness of our soil are neither
Overdrawn nor exaggerated. These
people are the best farmers on this
Prairie, and although only natural
lied citizens they can give points
in sobriety, propriety, honesty and
the other qualities of good citizen
ship generally to, alas too many
of the native-born element. The
Almighty has laid to their hand
advantages which they were quick
to appreciate and to utilise, and
their farms are pictures of order,
contentment and thrift.
The town of Cottonwood has
made wonderful progress in the
last twelve months. For many
years its sole business interests
comprised the post-otfice, stage
stables, hotel, store and saloon. 1t
was small country post-office and
the principal feature of its business
was that it was convenient stop
ping place for travellers bound to
and from Grangeville. To-day all
the more important branches of
business are represented, and still
others are locating there, while in
many lines competition is as keen
as elsewhere. One year ago the
F. P. was the only newspaper in
old Idaho county. To-day there
are newspapers at every ten-mile
station ON Camas Prairie, to wit 4:
at Cottonwood, Denver and Grang-
vile. Verify, we are making his
tory fast on Camas Prairie in these
days of rapid development, and for
our part we rejoice at it. From
the date of it's initial publication
the FREE PRESS has represented
Cottonwood as a good trading
point, and recent developments
confirm the prediction even beyond
our own sanguine expectations.
The residents are thoroughly alive
to the best interests of the town,
and leave no stone unturned to
extend the sphere of its business
and influence. They believe that
there is the making of good town
on the Cottonwood side of the
Prairie, and they are more than
half right about it. All the trade
of Camas Prairie will not center
in one point any more than the
rain will descend from only one
side of the roof of a house. There
are ample resources surrounding
Cottonwood to support goot
town. In the first place it is the
gateway to Camas Prairie, and thus
secures the full benefits to be de
rived from the passage through it,
limits of all the freight and passen
ger travel to and from this county
Transient business is cash business
and Cottonwood gets the full bene
fit of it. Then the public lands OF
that side are more generally div
ded into smaller farms than on an.
part of the Prairie, thus making
larger local population. Much O
the land was taken in 4O-acre lot
by a large number of Germans, win
are unusually careful in thei
methods ofcultivating the soil AM
thrifty in their habits of living
This advantage more than com
pensates for the quite large are
of waste land on that side. Th
great grain belt of the Prairie i
the Swedville settlements also az
knowledges Cottonwood as il
nearest trading center. The SCI
Elements on the table lands I
Craig's mountain are also highl
important part of the productiv
country over which the Gate Cit
of Camas Prairie" has jurisdiction
Being half-a-day's haul neare
market there is great deal MOI
farming done around Cottonwoo
than elsewhere on this Prairi
But the main business Of Cottol
wood, like all the other towns
this country, is with the live stoc
men. In country without a ma
ket, and 80 far from railroads, a,
riculture beyond the necessiti'
. of the home markets. the mo
Improbable industry any one CO
engage in on Camas Prairie und'
existing conditions. The live stot
industry has precedence here al