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

effected by the railway company. which
had decided on this spot as the location
of the main shops of the system. The
town is consequently railroad town
and as such enjoys all the prosperity
that attends the monthly circulation
of a large sum of money in the hands
] of a class proverbially known as good
| livers-
1 At the present time the shops en-
| ploy $50 men, and a large proportion OF
these own and occupy their cwn homes,
which they have beautiffed in the same
manner that numerous other places in
the west hayevbeen beautified-by the
simple Introduction of water to- the
soil which here is a mixture of scoria
and loom.
In addition to being headquarters for
shcpmen, Pocatello being the center
of four divisions of railroad, is the
home of numerous crews of engine and
! trainmen operating on these divisions.
A Wholesale Center
To supply the wants of this army of
employees numerous business enter
priseS followed the establishment OF
the municipality, and these have
thrived out of all proportion to the
population catered to. For no sooner
was Pocatello established than it was
ural deDot and the mart for all east
ern Idaho, therefore, branch houses of
establishments having their headquar-
tiers in the railroad town are to be
found in the communities stretching
north to the Montana line and west to
Boise and even farther.
This condition is what makes Poca-
tello people advance the claim THAI
their city is the first in importance in
the state of Idaho.
The railroads are SO situated that
Boise people having business in the
eastern part of tine state must pass
through Pocateilo, both going and COM
ing. Senator Shoup, in passing from
the capital to his home in Salmon City,
is subject to this condition.
One result of Pocatello's acknowI-
edged centrality is that it has become
a feeding point for all livestock in
transit from west and north, extern
sive and commodious stock yards hav-
ing been established.
Pocatello has a present population
bordering on 5000, of which q per cent
are in the school census. This high
juvenile percentage suggests that the
town should become the Mecca of
childless couples.
Fine School System.
There is a first-class school system,
the school property consisting of two
modern, commodious structures built
of native stone. but even these do not
supply sufficient class room, and the
council chamber in the city hall also
does business as school room.
The city is lighted with electricity,
generated by the waters of the Port
neuf; has a telephone exchange and is
literally on speaking terms with Salt
Lake, Butte, Helena, all of eastern
Idaho and Spokane, Wash.
Its water system, before alluded to,
is a model one. The main reservoirs
are at an altitude of about 400 feet
higher than the city and about two
miles distant. The supply is much
has its sources in mountain springs, the
surroundings of which have been re-
served and parked off from all in
truders; but even with a sufficient sup
ply the water company is developing
and conserving additional sources in
of the coming growth of
the city.
The development of Pocatello into a
great and prosperous city is a result
that cannot fail of accomplishment. /
Being the junction point of the two
main trunks CT the Oregon Short Line
the one connecting Utah and Mon :
tana, the ether the Missouri river and
the Pacific-it is reasonable to believe
the principal car and locomotive shops (
together with division Headquarters /
will always be here.
Preparing For Enormous Growth.
Plans are now perfected for new and !
shops and the coming year /
will see them a reality. The assur- /
ance of these shops is partially reeQon-
sible for the activity of the past few !
months IN real estate, but a more i'm I
portant cause lies in the assured restor-
alton to the public domain of the Fort |
Hall reservation, to affect which .
Idaho's representatives in both branch
IS OF the national legislature are now
as a unit. The opening of this
reservation will throw open TO settle
ment 100000 acres of rich agricul-
-ural and mining lands, the former in
Guiding the rich and extensive bottom |
ands Of the great Snake river and its
countless tributaries.
Of this domain Pocatello is the geo.
railroad and business center.
Preparatory to the growth that will
follow the opening of the reservation
he city has built all it's institutions on
L solid basis. There are numerous
handsome churches. St Joseph's Cath
'lic) and Trinity tEpiscopaD being the
most imposing. Two newspapers are
published and the city has a. national
bank and a very small police force.