The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1899-08-26

inquiry about the town Boomers Ferry and the country
surrounding it, by people anxious to Idaho and To-
cite for benefit of those and of patrons of the
HERALD who have friends whom they wish to send
descriptive of tie country that the following brief
and conservative article is written:
Bonners Ferry is the commercial of the upper
portion of the Panhandle of Idaho is located at the head
Of navigation the Kooena River % miles from the In
ternational line 1t is situated the line of the Great
Northern Railway and at the American terminus of Koote
mai Valley Railway extending into the mining camps OF
British Columbia 1t is at present town of about 500 pop
uatOn which is increasing with the development of the
The of the country surrounding Boomers ]
Ferry in its timber ranches and mines. The country
contains vast forests of pine fir and CEDAR which capable
of manufacture into excellent quality of lumber aid shin
giles There mills at Boomers Ferry, besides q
millions Of feet of logs cut and RATED down the Kooena
annually to the mining towns Kootenai lake
British COMMUNICATING employment to many persons As
to agriculture the kootenai Valley is one OF the most fertile
and attractive in the Northwest 1t is from three to five
miles wide and 80 miles long There many broad mead
ow utilized for hay land and ranchng But the best ranch
ing land is usually found along the foothills owing to the
overflow of the meadow land Almost every variety of
can be raised but gardening ana rut raising nave proven
the profitable owing the demand for these products
in the mining camps where all products of the ranch bring
prices that IN eastern states would seem fabulous The
of the Kooena country the last but not least
be named famed world wide and need special
ton in these columns he three principal resources men
toned above all yet in their iDancy compared with the
great possibilities of the country.
Tributary to Boomers Ferry other smaller valleys
than the Kooena and thriving settlements exist at Cow q
creek Paradise valley Moravia, Naples Deep Greek Moyea
Meadows Round Prairie and number of other places and
the remarks made herein apply to them well as the
greater valley. Z
Port Hill is thriving town located at point in
the valley where the Kootenai the International Line.
incidentally speaking frnit culture is receiving great
Apples, pears pums peaches apricots and all
the small fruits thrive The quality of the fruit fine ard
the quantity all that could be asked, has been demon
straed by actual results AS an instance year gem
teman sold 800 worth Of strawberries from quar-
ter of of ground.
Stock raising and the dairy business is also profitable
Rancers have not sold pound of butter in Boomers Ferry
in the last for less than 25 cents and ranch bring
% cents per dozen.
AS Illustrating the possibilities of ranching take the
one item of raising hay Many ranchers own fine meadow
Of the river each 1t makes good feed and sells well
in the market But hay yields enormously ground
suited for its culture ana is always 10 demand at good price
We know of instance where the crop tnohy five
the and timothy hay has been worth less
than $40 in Boomers Ferry and up high S5 1t cost
about S25 clear the ground referred to and put
in cultivation At prevailing prices the ground yielded $50
last year And there still unclaimed ranches in
the KCOtenai Valley that can be made productive.
All products find ready market at good price The
mining camps within easy reach furnish home market
The climate of the Kooena country is remar& ably
mild considering the latitude This is demonstrated by the
tender fruits that may be raised here. 1t is unusual
thing for the Thermometer not to get below zero the whole
winter through.
The beauty of the Kootenai country unrivaed,
and nowh ere in the world is there finer hunting and
fishing close to transportation lines.
The Kootenai is navigable stream and many fine
steamers ply upon it.
Ferry has many of the qualifications for good
the least of which is the 9c that electric power
may be obtained from Moyea Falls only six miles distant
There are thousands OF acres OF railroad and government
land suitable for agriculture yet be had railroad land
be had cheap and on payments Government land
may he homesteaded No great of land required.
10 piece of ground for fruit and garden with your
grazing the hills will yield in actual profits
than whCe quarter section in many prairie countries The
greatest expense in clearing the ground but get start
and the profits from few well cultivated will do the
Wages always fair and an industrious laborer
nearly always get employment Loggers get $50 $40
month aud board; ranch hands, $25 to $50 ana board
miners 70 to SO 80 per day. day labore $3.50 to 50;
pentrr So 80 30 per day. Board is "a to 50 per week.
. not including lodging
Bonners Ferry has large of country from which
draw trade and does immense business each year
Nearly every line of business IS well represented and the
population made of exceptionally nterprising class
of people 1t has splendid public school and there
churches located here. The people law abiding and