The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1897-02-16
Tb~ ssate of Idaho.

ldanO was nrSCS etUleu al FOrU
Hall in 1884. The first white
men to enter the territory were
and Clarke's exploring
party. The boundaries of the
territory were defined in 1868 by
congress, and it vas admitted as
a State in 1890. Thousands of
California miners entered the
territory in the COS, after the
discovery of gold on Orc Elmo
creek. The area of the State in
square miles is "a, 800. There
are 25, 900, 5000 acres of grazing
lands, $1,000, 900 acres of forest,
10, 900, 900 acres of farm lands,
and 5000, 900 acres of sage brush
and plains. Idaho has been liken-
ed in shape to a great chair, with
the Rocky and Bitter Root rang
es as it's front, seat and back. 1t
is 400 miles long from north to
south, and at the base is 800
miles wide. South of Snake
river the valleys and foothills
contain bunch grass and arabic
bottom lands, alternating with
abrupt ranges of mountains.
Other valleys are occupied by
Mormon hamlets, around which
extend broad farms with efficient
irrigation systems. The Bear
Lake country has q mountain of
sulphur and deposits of lead and
coal. Coal is also found on Irwin
lake and at Lewiston.
The are 10, 900, 900 acres of
forest in Idaho, producing a vast
and valuable timber supply.
White pine logs 100 feet long
and five feet thick have been cut
on the Clearwater. In the south
the forests are mainly along the
highlands, but in the north they
cover the entire country, and
include valuable tracts of red
cedar, lodge pole, yellow pines
and great spruces.
The lakes of Idaho are it's
most beautiful feature. Below
Goose creek the Snake river en-
tiers a profound canyon, within
whose solemn depths it flows for
seventy miles. In this chasm
the river sweeps througha group
of five volcanic islands, around
which occur several cascades.
and then forms the magnifcent
Shoshone falls, descending in
Z full volume, $50 feet wide, over
a semi-circular cliff 225 fee
: high. AT times the volume O.
water nearly equals that Of
l Niagara.
Agriculture in southern Idaho
is based on irrigation, which
causes GASES of verdure to spring
up in the arid desert. In north
ern Idaho irrigrtion is not essen
+, tial. The farmers find gooo
markets in the mining camps.
Among their products are over
' 1, 500, 900 bushels of wheat and
/, 300, 900 bushels of oats yearly
with large crops of rye, alfalfa
sorghum and huge vegetables
are produced abundantly. Thu
Mormons of the south also rails
large crops of cereals. TIL
q grazing capabilities r availe'
l of by 900, 900 horses and cattle
and $50, 900 sheep, yielding 2,
900, 900 pounds of wool annually
They winter in the open air ant
n fatten on bunch grass and whit
q sage.
: Mining has been hampered b.
= the remoteness of the railroads
4 yet some of the richest placer'
and veins in America are worke
9 here, and the Rocky mountai-
range for 400 miles abounds il
g gold and silver. Gold was dis
= covered as early as 1852. TIL
!, State has produced above $3.50,
y 600, 900 in precious metals. TIL
-four gold of the river sands wa
so fine that it had to be separat
! ed by slowly running it owe
: murcury-covered electroplate
choo+c IF ci1xrar Tho Woo