The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-26
YEARS ACHIEVEMENTS.
Growth and Magnitude Of the States Industries Mineral
Output.

Miss Idaho pauses on the threshold
robes she watches the spry young 1898
chase bent and bearded 1897 to its
death; she hears the pealing of the
Christmas bells and as she awaits the
death lnell of the old year she glances
swiftly back over her achievements of
the past year-and her heart swells
with pride. for to her it is a crown of
glory set with u gems of rare bril-
liancy. Proudly she holds her head.
She has won an honored place in the
sisterhOod of states. and she feels her
Importance, Before her vision passes
a pageant of glittering splendor. EN-
blazoned on its banners are inScrip-
tons, telling the story of the year, and
as she reads she resolves that the next
record shall be even greater, grander.
And, indeed, Idaho's record for 1897
is one that the people of the state
need not be ashamed of. In those u
short months the growth of the state
as a whole has been fiattering. While
the advancement of sections of it has
been nothing short of phenomenal.
In the northern part of the state the
people have experienced a season of
great prosperity and they have taken
advantage OF it to upbuild their
respective localities. This has been
particularly true in the great wheat
belt, the advance in the price of the
cereal having absolutely saved that
section from ruin. The farmers have
prospered. and the result is that pow
erty has given away. to plenty, turmoil
to tranquility-and,. incidentally,
couple of wagon loads of mortgages
have been consigned to the flames.
North Idaho'S mines have poured forth
- -
put for the yeaI greatly exceeding that
of 1896.
In the southern part of the state the
advancement has been even more
marked. owing largely to the fact that
there We're found more undeveloped
resources, more unprospeeted noun
tains, more untitled fields. Yielding to
the mystic touch of capitals golden
wand. the mountains have disgOrged,
and land a year ago inhabited by the
rollicking rabbit and OvergroWn with
the sun-scorched sage has "blossomed
as the rose Eastern people have come
and their friends have followed, and
these have made waste places populous
and barren hills productive. a fair
sample Of this is found in the Ply
mouth colony, in the Payette valley.
Where a short time ago was a wilder
ness is now a thriving community, with
a prosperous town and farms of great
productiveness
BOSSES ADVANCEMENT.
The growth of Boise during the year
has been very gratifying to her people
as well as to all those who know the
city as their capital. On a cOnserva-
tive estimate the population of the city
has increased 1900 during the past
year, and the population is now over
5000. Summarizing, the city this year
has paved the business portion of Main
street, five blocks, laid cement walks
IA feet wide on each side for that dis
lance and built several miles of other
sidewalks, made extensions of its sewer
system, expended S2S0,000 in buildings
and improvements to buildings, and
these things. with a splendid water
system (both artesian, hot and cold
water and an abundant supply, and
an excellent electric light system, give
the city many metropolitan airs.
The merchants report that business
has been better than at any tim the
history of the city. During tn. .seek
OF the Iutermountain fair in the
neighborhood of 100000 was expended
with our merchants, principally by
outsiders. and some of the stores
practically depleted. The railroad
and although the yearly statement is
not yet Obtainable, it is estimated the
increase compared with last year is
30 DER cent
1t was expected a year ago that
New Years day, 1898. would witness an
extension of the street railway system
but the company has been unable to
carry ont its plans. During the com
ing year, however. it expects to build
an extension, giving the city a loop
service.
A word as to the city's great resort.
the Natatorium, and its supply Of hot
water During the year the business
of the resort has increased 70 a flatter-
ing extent and many people from the
outside have been attracted to Boise
on account of her superb Nat The
\ supply Of water is ineXhaustable and
Wit comes boiling uD from depth of
400 feet, 100000 gallons a day, with a
surface temperature at the surface Of
III degrees Fahrenheit. This water, in
addition to its use at the Natatorium
is piped to the city proper where it is
utilized among other things 10 heat
the buildings in winter and sprinkle
the streets in summer, this by way of