The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-12-08
Lies Of Neighboring States.
FALSEHOOD THE FIFTEENTH

FALSEHOOD THE FIFTEENTH.
In one of the most fertile valleys Of
southern IdahO,' said the gentleman
from Boise, 'is a farm that has been
abandoned for years. It's a peculiar
story, albeit true. There is not in all
that region a piece of land better sit
uated for raising garden truck and
fruit On the hillside back of the farm
are half dozen large natural springs
which in bygone days irrigated every
inch Of the place. When it was being
operated there was not a farm in that
section, if. indeed, in the whole west,
that could compare with it. AS it
stands now the farm is surrounded by
a fence, in good condition despite years
Of neglect, and good two-stOry dwell
ing with barns and outbuildings.
Traces Of former cultivation are plain
" evident, but the whole farm is now
covered by a rank and riot0Us growth
Of weeds and brush. There is much
of value on the place and the land is
worth a small fortune, but you could
not under any circumstances persuade
anyone who knows the history Of the
farm to touch a thing upon it, put a
spade into the ground or to walk
across it.
TT is an interesting story. It was a
I death that caused the abandonment Of
the farm. although the death was not
that of a relative Of the owner. One
autumn about twelve years ago an old
DrOspectOr began his duties A few
days after he came he mentioned that
among his effects were several sticks
OF dynamite left over from his seasons
prospecting, which he expected to use
the following spring. The farmer i'm
mediately demanded that the explosive
be removed from the house. ooh, very
WE'LL said the Old prOspectOr; but
I've handled IL for years and there's
no danger" The farmer was insistent
and 80 the old prospectOr took his dy-
Mantle and a spade and left the house.
He returned shortly with the an
nCuncement that he had buried the
dynamite in half a dozen places in
the field and would dig 81 up when he
! left in the spring Nothing more was
thought Of il at the time. but during
the winter the old prOspectOr accident
} ally shot and killed himself while
hunting. When the time for spring
work on the farm came around it was
recalled that the old prospector had
not told anyone the exact spots where
he had buried the dynamite. Not
; knowing when q spade or pillow might
/ hit some Of the explosive and cause
I q blow-up, the farmer dared not begin
work. He stayed on the place for a
( few weeks trying TO figure out some
/ scheme to get around the trouble and
then left everything behind him and
U
was an honest man, and, refusing to
sell the property to some innocent
/ stranger, before leaving he posted a
warning on the gate and told all his
/ neighbors the story.
+ That's the truthful story Of the
abandoned farm There it lies still.
/ It's story is generally known through
/ out the region and nobody mOlests it.
I The settlers always drive carefully
when they pass It, rabbits and prairie
/ chickens have found It a safe retreat,
/ and everyone is warned not to enter
J the gate. The man who can find some
/ safe method Of locating and removing
( THAT dynamite can get one Of the best
( farms in the west for nothing.
NO, thank you. I haven't touched
( a drop for six years-nOt since I got
fun one day and rode across that farm
] on gallop without realizing what I
/ was doing"