Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-07-23
Another Letter Fro.n Idsho.

july t4th our party split up, Mr..
/ Reed going into the country near by
to work in the hay fields at sI.75 per
day and board. Mr.. Shepard took the
train for Council Valley and the old
gentleman for western Oregon, We
ind here that the Thunder Mountain
! country is no better than many other
| places in the west for mining. Many
old miners are returning from Thun-
der Mountain and report the great ex-
citement is due more TO printers ink
than gold discoveries. Mr.. French,
Fred Turner and myself accompanied
by an old-timer here who is well ae-
quainted with the west, stated on the
It'll for the Owyhee range 90 miles
southwest of Boise. Stopped over
might Monday with Wilson SpaEgen-
berg formerly of Agra. We found
him the same lively, rustling fellow
as OF Old and he has been prospecting.
He is employed by an irrigation
company at $50 per month 8 months
in the year; he has d certain territory
to ride and sees to the letting on and
off Of the water supply. He has saved
enough SO that he owns a nice home
and has considerable stock around
him-he deals in stock and real estate
in connection with his other labors
and is we'll pleased with this country,
as also his wife and family who all
have good health.
We Travelled up the Boise valley to
Caldwell, nice little city and county
seat, surrounded by beautiful coun-
try under system of irrigation, as is
the entire Boise valley which is about
Il by so miles in area and is as fine a
country as l ever saw. Tame hay and
fruit are the main crop, although
small grain does well.
AT Nampa, 20 miles west of Boise,
they have Palace Hotel which cost
100000 and the town is not as large
as Phillipsburg.
We crossed the Snake River on a !
ferry boat, can.ped and helped to set a
trout line for Sturgeon-the main line
was an inch rope with smaller rope
for lines and hooks accordingly. We
caught three sturgeon from three to
five feet long. They are fine eating
and are boneIeSS. Farther down near
the mouth of the river, men have
way of sharing them and keep them
in log pens built out IN the river and |
retail them out as wanted.
One days drive south from the riy-
er and go miles from Boise, we camp
ed in the foothills of the Owyhee
range on the western slope on Sucker |
Greek. Here we found plenty of sage |
chickens and the best stock range / |
ever grass knee deep and thous-
ands of horses, cattle and sheep run
ming at large all branded. The great |
er portion of the land belongs to Uncle |
Sam. Along the streams willow, cot
tonwood, redhaw, and wild rose
bushes grow to perfection We locat-
ed and laid claim TO two placer claims
each and found very good specimens
Of gold. 1t cost So to file on a placer |
claim Of 20 acres. One man can take |
as many as he likes. providing they do |
not join, and after working out $500 |
worth of labor at $40 per day can get |
a deed. -Four years time is allowed to |
perform the labor. I see what l |
think 4 grand opportunity for profit |
in government land in this country. |
The climate is excellent, the soil pro-
ductive and crops sure where water is
applied. AS yet very little of the
water from the Snake River has been
utilized and it carries enough to irri-
gate millions of acres. Tame grass of
all kinds take hold and Go well with
out even being plowed; all that is re-
CURED is to sow the seed and apply
the water.
We find many Kansas people in this
country.
The majority of the wealth of Boise
is owned by retired sheep dealers who
have made q fortune raising sheep. I
noticed one young lady frequently
riding a bronco about the streets of
Boise who had the appearance of be-
ing very humble creature, but was
that she was heir to two
millions.
The taxes on 100 acres of well i'm
proved land near Boise runs around
S75 annually and the water tax S125.
They raise on an average of tons of
hay to the acre and it will average s.
per ton. I find many bachelors ranch
men here who are pining for sweet
heart to bless their home. There is a
grand opportunity for Kansas
girls with matrimonial intentions.
School teachers get from so to $50
per month, domestics 81 to So per week
md are in demand. carpenters So to
$50 per day and other labor accord
ngly. l have visited several ranches
back in the mountains where we find
some sort of cabin, corrals, branding
and dipping chutes, which are at this
Time of the year are generally vacant
IS the stock runs back near the sum
nit,and we find the cabins well stock
ed wish provisions and all with open
atch and a man is welcome to help
,irocolf IN all no ran Qaf lint fO ~ FrU