The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-10-24
Opportunities at Boomers Ferry.

Bonners Ferry is the principal town in
the north end of KOotenai county, Idaho,
beautifully situated at the head Of navi-
cation on the KOOtena river, with about
500 population. 1t is the commercial and
social center of the great Kootenai valley
on the main line of the Great Northern
railroad, the northern terminus of the
Kootenai Valley railroad. and about 80
miles from the British possessions.
The surface and character of the coun-
try tributary to Boomers Ferry are agree
ably various. Beginning with the great
alluvial flats along the river, comprising
about $4,000 acres, of natural meadows
prairie and grass lands, chiefly valuable
for stock raising, dairyng and kindred
Industries. Then the great table of bench
lands extending back to the mountains,
covered with one of Idaho's greatest for
ests of pine, fir tamarack and cedar. The
Northern Pacific Railway company own
ed all the odd numbered sections, and
has sold most of its holdings to settlers
in the last few years; the even numbered
sections. or government lands, are beins
rapidly taken as homesteads and a few
file under the timber and stone act. On
these bench lands the soil is good, with
plenty of good water, plenty Of rainfall
and no irrigation needed On most of the
claims there is a spot where there is lit
tie or no heavy timber, where 1t is cas-
lily cleared: here the settler commence
settlers have splendid orchards, bearing
all kinds of northern grown fruits of mos
excellent quality, and the newcomers are
all setting out young orchards Timothy,
clover and the cereals are yielding abund-
antly. as well as all root crops and ber-
ries. Rich grass grows all through the
timber and on the bald hills. furnishing
unlimited grazing for cattle There is at
least one wagon road on every township
surveyed in the valley leading to and
from Boomers Ferry. Settlers wisely leave
the heavy timber stand on their claims
to sell to lumbermen when wanted. There
is yet a great deal of government land
in the valley subject to entry under the
homestead and stone and timber acts,
with more or less timber on all of it, but.
naturally. the best locations and the best
,imbered claims are taken and those re-
naming are chiefly suitable for home
steads, rather than timber claims. These
are to be found from 5 to 20 miles from
he town and from IA to miles from
railroad and large river.
Some of the main valley and most Of
the lateral valleys are yet unsurveyed. In
these unsurveyed localities are to he found
some splendid farming and timbered
lands, with some fine bodies of white pine
and cedar
Now is the time to take up claims;
the time for selling them has not yet ar
rived Just as soon as some of the pro-
/ posed SdWinlllS are DUH ana OpeTdleu
at Bonners Ferry there will be an unlim-
tied market for timber. and the supply
will be as unlimited as the demand. The
numbering industry has not yet begun;
there is no timber being cut or market
ed; 1t IS all awaiting the erection and OPP
Grafton of sawmills here.
There are great opportunities for in
| dustrious people to get cheap homes here
and to engage In agricultural, hortcultu-
raj and stock raising pursuits on any
scale, large or small; there are still
| greater opportunities for sawmill men 10
engage In the manufacture of lumber on
any scale, but especially on a large scale.
a good quality of yellow pine. red fir.
famarack and cedar can be bought In
large or small qu90+i'ics at 81 pc 100
stumpage. or the timber land can b.
bought for from g to 80 per acre. all
| along as fine a river as flows anywhere
! Splendid facilities for manufacturing and
! shipping exist at Bonners Ferry. WI +
! good freight rates. we have the world
FOR market Don't write too much Tor
| information. but II you want anything
! ZONE and get II; shot &c what the rest o.
hem are doing. II you don't 10 :. you
| WI he too late.
I There is no room now for anv bus
{ ness hat does not utilize ~ natural re-
, sources 90 fhe con"f~v rou.s 'lv.
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