Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-08-31
EDITORIAL NOTES.
Brief Summary Of a. Recent
Trip to Boise City.

Trip to Boise city.
An occasional trip to the south
ern part Of the State dispels the
illusion that Idaho is at stand
still. Starting in at Lewiston the
general progress of the country is
evidenced by the vast quantity of
fruit shipped from the Snake river
orchards. On every trip the steam
er loads 4, 900 boxes of fruit of all
kinds, and crates of melons, pump
kins, squash, etc, for shipment
into Palouse, Spokane, Montana
and British Columbia markets.
The grain crop all through the
Walla Walla valley is the finest
harvested in many years. There
are fewer cbangcs through eastern
Oregon than on any other part OF
the route. Crossing onto the Idaho
side of Snake river we are again in
a land of progress. Big irrigating
bitches traverse these great sage
brush plains, and everywhere are
signs of improvement in the way of
fencing, clearing, building and
breaking sod. Two years and five
months had elapsed since my last
visit to southern Idaho, and the
progress of the country in this in
terval and under existing condi-
tions is simply marvellous. Orch
ards, gardens, corn patches and
grain fields without number now
refresh the eye of the traveller and
break the monotony Of the ash
en-gray waste of these great
sage brush plains.
In other years when the old an
nexation fight was raging, l was
subjected to much ridicule for pre-
dieting that the great Snake river
valley of southern Idaho possessed
soil and natural resources to sup
port population of a million
souls. OF course, l was referring
to the distant future; but judging
the future of the country by its
progress in the last decade, that
million of population will be here
several hundred years sooner than
the most sanguine of us ever ex-
pected.
But it is in Boise City itself that
the evidences of progress are most
discernible. Palatial blocks OF
brick, granite and concrete lime
stone loom grandly up on the prin-
cipal business avenues. Costly and
superbly equipped private resi-
dences, surrounded by tropical
wealth of shade trees, ferns and
grasses, impress the stranger that
here is the center of refinement
and wealth in this State; while
the verdure relieves the all-too-
much sun-kissed landscape Of the
bright blue Italian skies for which
our sage plains are world-famed.
Boise has indeed grown to be a
veritable Damascus Of the Plains u
1t was our old headquarters years
before we finally settled in these
northern counties, and frequent
visits have kept us well posted as
to its growth and development
But the progress of the town in the
past two years is fully equal tC
that Of Spokane in her palmiest
days, not alone in the erection o.
big business blocks, but likewise
in the transformation of old-timt
country districts into thickly set
tied suburbs with multitude o
nice homes shrouded in abundance
of foliage.
From the time when it first be
came the capital of the territory
the word Boise has been a syno
nym for hospitality. In the las
few weeks the business men of til,
city have impartially and success
sively entertained the Populist
Republican and Democratic Stat,
conventions, as well as the M. E
conference, and that, too, with NJ
stinted hand. The freedom of tn,
Natatorium, the glory of Boise
was extended to all delegates, ant
an elaborate luncheon was after
wards served them. The Nata
torium is an immense swimmin,
bath one mile from town, enclose,
in magnificent building in whicl
are billiard tables, club rooms, par
lors, dancing hall, galleries, balloon
les, promenades and all the com
forts and luxuries of a fashionabl
pleasure resort. The bath is grad
uated to successive depths an
supplied with the artesian hot sui
phur water SO abundant in Boise.
The streets, stores and residen
ces generally are lighted by elet
tricity, and supplied with hot an'
cold water. One can buy the Bois
Statesman for a nickel and &c
all the news of the world ever
morning with his breakfast coffe.
We had but little leisure fo
sightseeing until convention bus
ness was disposed of. The da
before our departure Gov. McCor
nell drove the Idaho county del,
CATION to the State penitentiar
and showed them through the il
stitution. Vast Improvements hay
been made here since our last Wis