The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-11-02
UNCLE SAM A TOWN BUILDER.
He Will Install Two New Villages 1
Idaho.

Uncle Sam will soon act as sponsor
out in southern Idaho for great events.
The birth OF two promising towns is
expected: not twins, however. for they
are seven miles apart and the first will
be born and christened a week before
the second. Names have already been
chosen for them: Hepburn for the one
whose natal day will be Nov. IA; Ru-
pert for the one that will look back
TO Nov. II as the day OF its official be-
ginning. On these important days
sale OF town lots will be made under
the benignant auspices of Uncle Sam.
Already the town-sftes are being sur
veyed and laid or into precise lots with
the proper streets. diagonal avenues
public squares and reservations for 'mu-
nfcipal purposes that belong to the City
Beautiful. Tidings OF these prelimi-
naries and rumcrs OF the coming auc-
ton have spread throughout the West
and hundreds OF intending settlers are
anxiously awaiting the announcement
Of the dates of sale. Some who fear to
lose bargain have already encamped
on the ground, where they have erected
temporary houses and stores. The lots
VIII be appraised and sold for cash to
The highest bidders.
These two towns will be situated on
the newly-constructed branch of the
Oregon Short Line extending to Twin
Falls. This country is now a desert
but when the irrigating canals which
the Government is now building at a
cost OF more than 100000 are COM
pleted, It will be land OF milk and
honey, of waving fields and verdant
pastures. Men of imagination who need
only the background on which to paint
their mental pictures have filled in all
the pleasant lines and lights, ard will
come from Utah, Colorado, Nebraska
even from Iowa and Missouri, probably
from Oregon, Washington and wyo-
"a &c 81
that the railroads will make special
rates for homeseekers from points east
of the Mississippi River.
The proceeds Of the sale of the town
lots will go to swell the Reclamation
Fund, and an attempt will probably be
made to spend them on the construction
OF systems of municipal water supply
and sewerage for each town. The pro-
ceeds of town-lot sales I'm Oklahoma
were expended by the Secretary OF the
Interior in the construction of school
houses, bridges. Court Houses, water
works and sewerage systems. IL
similar policy prevails in this case, the
value Of lots in Hepburn and Rupert
will be greatly Increased.
1t Is expected that the return on the
sale OF lots in these Idaho towns will be
even greater than the returns on the
sale of town lots in Oklahoma In the
case Of Lawton alone over $500, 900 was
realized, while the returns on sales i'm
other parts OF the Territory brought the
sum up to more than 100000. The
conditions in southern Idaho are supe-
rior to those which existed I'm Okla
homa. because Of the fact that the sur
rounding country is subdivided into a
large number Of farms, each of which
will be provided with water by the
canal now under construction. The cli-
mate of this region is unrivalled by any
that has been more praised in song and
story. An increase in land values would
seem to be as assured as are the funds
with which Uncle Sam will pay the
expenses Of developing this hopeful re-
gion.