Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-06-05
THE GREAT MIRACLE WATER HAS
WROUGHT ON IDAHOS sage PLAINS
Interesting Letter from Bismarck Boy in IdahOGives
an Idea Of Wealth Lost to This Vicinity by the Farm
erS' Failure to Accept Irrigation -

| anght from the train ind there is an
| hour to be spent before the train run
ming down the branch to Twin Falls
! will leave. Here let it be made plain,
, that while Uncle Sam is busy at Nina
doka private capitalists. under the
Cary act, are developing a stretch
twice as large farther down the river.
The metropolis of this country being
Twin Falls, a place now of 5000 in
habitants, although but few years have
elapsed since the first shack was
built. The private company was
some time ahead of the government
SO while the Minadoka tract is still
dry, the Twin Falls project is under
water for the second year..
In due course of time the branch
train backs down to the depot and the
passengers pile on. For some miles
no change in the general outlook is
noticeable, but it is not long till one
catches sight Of very new looking
building off to one side of the track,
then another and another appears till
the desert waste is fairly dotted with
them. AS yet one notices few signs
of cultivation or clearing, as this Sec
ton does not expect water till next
year. Here is Rupert, yearling
town, that is soon to be sold under
the hammer of the auctioneer, for the
lots are still government property.
Not far beyond here we get onto the
Twin Falls tract. Now comes the
time for exclamation and cries of
| establishment. The number of new
looking buildings increase; they now
appear in clusters and punches; the
sage brush has begun to disappear,
stretches of plowed ground cheer
the landscape. Every inch of the
land is taken. A house decorates
every 40 or 80 acre piece. AS we
travel through this part of the tract
the fact is suddenly forced upon us
that we have gone many miles, and
that every acre we have crossed is
watered by a ditch dug by men; that
to right and left, ahead and behind
this whole country is network OF
them, and all these hundreds of miles
Of bitches have been dug with a
year. :+.,>. -. -..-.. 4.
Twin Falls at last, 81 miles from
Minnadoka, down the Snake river
Here the eye is greeted with a won
derful sight. A city under course OF
construction. Not ramshakle make
shift place such as we have seen
heretofore, but a substantial town
built for all time, carefully. planned
and executed. Walking down the
| street, one hears din of myriad
hammers and the shout of many
laborers and witnesses the sight of a
whole street 10 blocks in length in
course of construction; not with
wooden buildings but brick, stone and
cement blocks. A $45, 1000 high school
building is nearing completion as a
first precaution for the welfare of the
younger generation. The streets are
wide and around the whole town is a
boulevard system, miles in length
The hotel Perrine is a 100000 struc
ture, beautifully furnished, equipped
with its own power plant, for lighting
and other purposes. Telephones are
Installed in every room. Shoshone
Avenue stretches away from the front
of the hotel straight road to the
4 beautiful and grand falls of shoshone
and Twin, the Blue Lakes and Other
4 marvels of the wonderful Snake river
i yet this remarkable town was moi
thought Of a scant two years ago.
/ The traveller has now arrived at i
point where he may review the won
/ derful change wrought in the desers
] by irrigation. From the Falls a mum
4 Der of roads lead into the countr,
and from the very edge OF the town thu
a homes of the settlers begin. Fo,
j miles and miles In any direction ons
q may travel along a road lined Will
81 home after home and see the sight O
q thousands of people working liks
ants, grubing the sage brush from