The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-01

southern end Of one or the other of the
interstate systems, presumably the
Northern Pacific.
These lines or either of them, when
completed, will work a revolution in
this state AS it is today the business
of the northern part of the state, and
it is immense, embracing the shipments
from the great wheat belt and from the
Occur d'Alene mines, goes largely to
Washington on the one side and Mon
tana on the other, Idaho receiving very
little benefit from it. With these roads
in operation the state will reap the ben
eft from that business in losses now
and also from the production of the
large territory, at present practically in
primaeval state, that will be opened up.
The travel accommodation will be quite
an item in itself, for now one desiring
to pass from the north to the capital is
forced to travel through Washington
and Oregon, involving a long and
wearisome trip, while under the new
arrangement it viii be a matter of
about six hours.
IDAHO FRUIT.
Idaho is justly celebrated for her
fruit, particularly the prune, and dur
ing the past year the state has invaded
the eastern market in a manner that
has more or less crippled the shippers
from other states. Idaho has secured a
special hold on the eastern fruit mar
ket because of the keeping qualities of
her fruit This has been demonstrated
forcibly this year and that feature,
coupled with the prime color and I'M
surpassed richness of the products Of
her orchards, has given the state
splendid name abroad in this cOnnec-
ton. The shipments this year have
been very satisfactory. From this place
and Payette alone the shippers have
realized over 500, 600 from about ninety
cars of fruit A great deal of fruit was
shipped in addition to the carload lots.
The following will give an idea of the
prices secured for Idaho fruit in the
eastern markets and of its keeping
qualities:
A carload of mixed fruit was shipped
from Boise on Oct. is and sold on the
29th. The car contained 1855 crates o.
prunes and 132 crates of pears This
prunes sold for $1.S2 a crate of twenty
five pounds, the Kiefer pears for $3.50,
the Beaurre Anjou pears for S1Se5, the
total amount realized on the car being
s.. 431. 40. There is no other state in Tx
Union that could have shipped pruned
to Chicago so long after they had rip
ened without the entire shipment being
unsaleable upon arrival.
GROWTH IN POPULATION.
started out with prunes and popu-
Iation, and 1 may as we'll end with
them. Idahos population has mater
tally increased during the past year. In
1880 there were 81, 600 people in the
state. A year ago the population was
estimated at 150 goo. Today it is not
one less than 10000. and some place 1t
at $50, 600. And that population is
spIendidly housed and churched and
- n mr.
considering the isolation of this state
from the centers of cultivation. VIII be
found more substantial and cheerful
homes or more refinement. The state
ment is magnificently eXemDlified in
this city. 1t is essentially a city of
homes, and homes that people can be
proud of. During the past year in this
city alone there were over S15O.OOO or
new homes and other building improve
ments, and the same desire to improve
was witnessed all over the state. Here
in the neighborhOod of $4,000 was eX-
pended for sidewalks alone. and a
great deal more for paving. But 1899
promises to be a banner year for build
ing in Boise A number of handsome
private residences will be constructed.
and at least two business blocks. while
the public building. which will cost
$500 900, will be we'll along before the
New Years bells shall ring out their
glad tidings.
A word concerning another industry
of Idaho, and very important one. the
wool business. During the past that
industry has thrived DhenomenallY.
the production for the state being H.
600, 900 pounds, and the average price
secured by the growers was from IL to
13 cents a pound. This has materially
swelled Idaho's bank account which
represents as diversified interests as
any state in the west