Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-15
e Gem State Its Rapid Growth and Varied Resources

fortune-seekers of all classes and from
all countries that followed the dlscov-
cry Of gold in 1860 has but few COM
parsons in the worlds history OF min
eral discoveries.
The population Of the intermountain
region was made up OF this class Of
settlers when the federal government.
on March 3, 1868, organized territory.
comprising all Of what is now embraced
In the states of Montana, Wyoming
and Idaho, containing $4,000 square
miles, and named II Idaho.
TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION.
Important events quickly followed
the organization of the territory. The
mining industry, yielding her millions
In gold, becoming permanently fixed
In this region, people Hooked In like
birds returning from the southern
cline, and settlements sprang up In q
day. Trading posts were established,
great stocks of merchandise Of all
kinds were shipped in and the founda-
ton of an empire was laid.
The act of Congress creating the new
territory made the town of Lewiston
the temporary capital where the first
legislature convened in November of
1858 The first governor of the territory
was presented by President Lincoln in
the person of W. H. Wallace,
Upon the discovery of rich mines in
the Boise Basin the population drifted
thitherward and 1t reached such COM
managing proportion that the seat of the
capital was shifted from Lewiston 10
Boise by the act of the second legisla-
ture.
NEW BIOGRAPHICAL FORM.
The next date of great importance as
affecting Idaho was that OF 1868, the
year IN which she was carved into her
present form, This was done by an act
of Congress creating the territories OF
Montana in 1864, and Wyoming in 1868.
In its present form, Idaho cantains
81, 500 square miles, or 5i,li4,OO0 acres,
which can be properly segregated into
the following classficatlons. Timber
land, 10000, goo acres; pasture land, 20
1000 acres, agricultural land, 1l,O00,-
600 acres; and mineral land 3,lii,OO0
acres.
Idaho had now reached a period
where she no longer stood In the
dark. on the contrary. she had merged
out into the open day and Haunted be-
fore the world her wonderful possibili-
ties, her great resources and her store
houses of wealth. Commencing, as she
did generation ago, by handing out
Il few furs to the hardy trappers, as a
kind of lead to better gifts, she now
contributes to the children Of the earth
the boundless treasures of her rich
storehouse From her bosom she
yields an annual product in the precious
metals equal to s25 600. 900: she sends out
OF her surface the growing grains,
which reap a harvest to 1.-THE children
of the soil" amounting TO slS,OOOOO
she nurses the sheep upon her thou
sand hills" and the pockets Of the
fock-masters jingle with 100000 OF
gold 100000 horses and cattle live from
her wondrous bounty and 100000 of her
v<ildren are now at home in her great
mercury in the mountains Crowned
with statehood, Idaho has thus climbed
the ladder of fame, until she can now,
not In the uncertain stammerings OF
youthfuness, but In the firm mien of
maturity and standing in the light of
her splendid achievements, face the
world and claim her own,
AGRICULTURE.-B Hid.
OF the five great industries OF the
state, mining. agriculture, stock rails
ing, numbering and horticulture agri-
culture ranks as second from the
standpoint Of product.
This industry found It's birth In Ida
no with the advent of the first settlers
to the territory, in 1862 Not that the
hardy immigrants OF those hard days
had sought out these mountain valleys
as being more favored spot to plant
their seeds--for that was not the OBJ
ject OF their coming-the search for
gold brought them here-but fear OF
starvation compelled them to thrust
their seeds into the ground and send a
prayer 10 heaven, that Providence
might grant them bread.