The Teton peak. [volume] (St. Anthony, Idaho) 1899-1904, 1904-06-23
". r. DUVALL SAYS ENC OURAGlNG WORDS

The extent OF irrigation iii Idaho
at this time, as we'll as the possi-
bilites CT the State in that direc-
ton, are not generally understood
and appreciated in spite of all that
has been written on the subject.
The State now has 230Q miles of
main irrigation canals, costing five
and a half million dollars ard
covering /, 400,0 600 acres Of land,
of which something more than half
is now under cultivation.
III addition to this there are i'll
tie State now in course of construc-
ton or under contract projected
canals covering nearly 1000, 600
acres more. Virtually all Of this
is in the valley of the Snake and
its tributaries except the small
section of southeastern Idaho the
drainage of which is into Great
Salt Lake thragh Bear river and
its tributaries.
But it is of the upper part OF the
Snake river valley, and especially
OF 'the St. Anthony country, " of
which l wish to speak. l have
been over most of it by rail, by
stage, on horseback and on foot.
1t is region richly endowed by
nature. For many years its great
resources and possibilities seem to
have been almost overlooked by
the advancing tide of settlement, but
within a comparatively recent
period they have been seized upon
with avidity and with the result
that the counties of Fremont and
Bingham are now receiving more
immigrants than any other section
of Idaho.
i St. Anthony is no longer the
remotest settlement, but rather the
5 center OF great district which is
) being rapidly settled and converted
from a range for the antelope, the
} coyote and the jack rabbit into
t fields of waving grass and grain.
5 For thirty-fve miles northwest Of
r St. Anthony the best land is all
5 taken up, and much Of it is fenced
f and otherwise improved. It is
: probable the Short Line railroad
will be extended soon from St.
Anthony to Marysville, about
d twenty miles northeast and only
It about that distance from the corner
s of the Yellowstone National park.
P A Short Line surveying party has
J. been at work on the proposed ex-
S tension recently, and there is every
e reason to believe it will be built,
It and later extended to the southeast
:. through Teton basin.
l. The new Idaho State reform
n school is now building one mile
IL west of St. Anthony. 1t is an
II imposing building of brick and
J. stone and will be credit to the
1t town and the State.
j. St. Anthony is at present the
Sc terminus of the Yellowstone park
lie branch of the Short Line road, and
h is desirable outftting point for
i park travel as we'll as for the big
lie game hunters desiring to go to the
t. best big game hunting grounds
S, now left in the United States, the
id Jackson Hole country and the
te mountain regions lying just south
+. and west of the park.
J. To the southeast of St. Anthony,
lie apparently near at hand, but III
b. reality forty-ive miles distant,
s tower the sharp peaks of the Three
a Tetons, cold and white with ever
I'd lasting snow. Their appearance
of varies with point of view, but from
I'd any viewpoint they are an inspir-
st ing sight and the most prominent
landmark for scores of miles III
I'd every direction.
IN No sketch of St. Anthony would
Id uot be complete without mentioning
O. its pioneer settler, c. II. Moon
= Half a generation ago, in his search
IL for a place where man with {
h small capital could create farm
ne from the desert by taking out q
It ditch at cost within his means
II. he reached the big lava rock on th'
an bank of the river near where tht
II, bridge III St. Anthony now STATUS
d After careful examination o
y. the country, he p,ounted this rocl
r.. and there planned the canal hs
nd afterward constructed on the nortl
ly side of the stream and which wa
Wv the basis of the comfortable fortun
Is. he now enjoys He rapidly ac
lc- quired large area of land, on par
ed of which the town was atferwar
er- laid out.
ad The pleasant home in which h
tn now resides, opposite the Riversid
We hotel, was the first building erecte
in St Anthony. Although MI
led Moon is getting to be an old mar
.on he has lost none of his enthusiast
WI as to the future of the section {
country in which he lives. A fe
ted months 400 he said TO me 9TH