The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-31

gon Short Line has just been COM
pleted, and this will bring into promi-
nence the splendid farm and grazing
lands of Fremont county. This coun-
" is one of the most prosperous and
promising in the state. 1t has already
nearly 500 miles Of irrigating canals,
not including laterals, which will fur
nish water for all the rich lands IN that
county.
At Boise the proposition to build the
main line of the Oregon Short Line
through the city has met with such IA
Vor that the necessary money is nearly
raised and your correspondent predicts
that ere the next New Years edition
of The Herald appears, the main line
will be run through Idaho's capital.
From the political standpoint, Idaho
is doing all right. The state is having
a first-class administration in every
department. All of the state institu-
tions are well and economically con-
Quoted, the finances of the state are
ably handled by Governor Steunenberg
and his associates and there is general
satisfaction all over the state with the
way her affairs are being conducted.
The only ripple 10 disturb the general
harmony was the Occur d'Alene riots
last spring, but they are now thing of
the paSt-all the WaTdner matters nave
been settled up, the rioters are out OF
the state, it is hoped never to return,
and in their places are splendid lot
of law-abiding miners, who have
formed a union on law and order prin-
ciples and everything is prosperous and
safe, even in Shoshone county.
Taking a general outlook of the year
it may be said that Idaho has had
good year and that the outlook for 1900
is bright.
State Valuations.
The assessed valuation of Idaho, as
returned by the county assessors, IN
Guiding railroads, telegraph ana tele-
phone lines, for 1899, is s47,000,00O, as
against $50. 00O, 600 for 1898. 1t may be
explained that valuations have been
raised by action of the various asses
sors on recommendation of the state
authorities. The valuation is now
higher. but the rate is correspondlngly
lower.
In the matter of livestock, the state
auditors books show the following:
Horses. &C, 634 with a valuation of S425,-
600: cattle. 1850 with a valuation
of $s.13S.O sheep, 1,035,7 13, with a val
uation of S3,176,647 As matter or
fact. as TO the number of these stocks
it would be safe to add 90 per cent
There are nearly 100000 sneep IN TINS
state. The wool clip of Idaho for this
Mineral Output
The state of Idaho ranks fifth in the
nroiuction of precious metals and lead
The lead product Of the state for 1898
was nearly 12S.000,000 pounds, OF winch
Shoshone county produced over 49,
COO 600 rounds of pure lead. The prod
uct for this year will reach, from care
ful estimates based on what reports
have been received by Jay A Czizek,
state inspector of mines, about $4,000
tons of pure lead.
In 1897 the gold, silver and lead prod
net of the state was nearly $i5,0OO.0OO.
an increase of % per cent. For 1898
the product of the same metals was, in
round numbers, SIS, 591,2I3. For the
year 1899 il is estimated from reports
now in that the product Will reach
nearly the $4,000 600 mark. Inc gold
output will be more this year than
last, owing to the increased activity IN
gold mining, while the silver output
will not be quite so large
Since 1862 the mines of Idaho have
added $3.50, 0O0, 900 to the wealth OF the
United States. 1t may be said with
truth that her mineral resources have
been as yet touched only on the sur
face. The fact is that the state has
never been thoroughly prospected:
When ii is, the world will be astonised
at the marvellous wealth stored up in
the mountains Of Idaho
The Willow Creek district, near Boise,
has come 10 the front in the past year.
The Pioneer mine has a thirty-inch
vein of S100 ore, while the Checkmate
has become a large gold producer
There are over 1000 locations in the
camp and the outlook is quite good
The Owyhee county mines are the
largest producers in the state. Ali the
leading properties have been worked
the past year and the output has been
large. Two big tunnels TO tap the
veins lower down on Florida and War
Eagle mountains are being run and
nearly completed. They are gigantic
enterprises. The Trade Dollar recently
shipped a carload of ere to Denver
which sold for over $4,000. The De
Lamar mine is turning out its usual
amount. The Black Jack yielded over
8, 000,e90 this year. Silver City and De |