The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

Rigby, Ida. Dec. 2S.-A resume of
the wear Just closed would not be COM
plete without speaking of the wonderful
strides eastern Idaho is making in all
of the various branches of agriculture,
trade and commerce. Up until few
years ago the name Idaho" was synon-
ymous with all that is wild and des-
ert-like in summer, and a cold, unin-
habitated, bleak waste during winter
The onward march of immigration
from the east to the west has, by force
of circumstances. made it necessary for
people in quest of homes to settle here.
| Upon applying the life-giving waters
of the many rivers in this part of the
country to the dry sagebrush- covered
! SOIL astounding results have been OBJ
| tanned. These results have been so far
! in excess of the expectation that now
/ the word Idaho" wherever spoken.
| has an entirely different meaning.
Eastern Idaho was not settled with
any degree of permanency until about
twenty years ago. True, the track of
| the old Utah & Northern railway had
been built through the upper Snake
River valley to Montana before that
time. and a few people had settled at
intervals along this line. They were
there because of the opportunities af-
forded by the railroad for a livelihood,
and not because of the agricultural re-
sources of the country AS remarked
the first sturdy pioneers undertook to
I subdue this desert and make il "blOs-
som as the rose" some twenty years
ago These men and women came
mostly from Utah in those early days.
How well they have succeeded every
! traveller or visitor who now has the
good fortune to see the Snake River
valley in the summer time can amply
| testify.
Upper Snake Valley.
! Commencing with the Twin Falls
country and from thence to the Yellow
stone park, following the Snake river.
is what is termed the Upper Snake Riv-
er valley, which is i'm extent about sixty
/ by 200 miles, most of which is good.
| tillable land. Through this valley flow
the north and south forks of the Snake
/ river, forming the largest river in any
| of the mountain states. Into this en-
| ter numerous smaller streams. among
which may be mentioned Warm Fall,
! Teton. Blackfoot ana the Port Neuf
rivers and Ross Fork
/ w lttlOUl question: the snake RIVER
valley . the largest and best-watered
of any of the intermOuntam valleys.
Some people from the east who have
heavily invested in farming property
here, without hestancy state that there
is no valley in America that surpasses
| IT i'm extent natural resources and cli-
mate. At Pocatello the elevation is a
little lower than Salt Lake City. From
| there northward the altitude increases
| impereeptab The valley is excep-
tionally level. and the soil of rich.
sandy loan. most suitable for northern
countries. 1t has been stated that there
| is more water in the Snake river than
all of the streams of Utah Combined.
which is undoubtedly within the bounds
of truth.
On account of the inexhaustible sup
ply of water and such a tremendous
valley. eastern Idaho people have be-
come accustomed to the bigness of
/ things existing around them, and are
planning and building for the future i'm
keeping with natures greatness.
Within this valley exists an empire.
and there is no reason why a large
city. equal to Salt Lake or Butte.
should not be built within her borders.
! This can be done upon the great nat
uraI resources abounding In this coun-
try. without drawing from the terri
| tory of either If the places mentioned.
The distance is about $50 miles from
salt Lake and Butte. and Boise is about
800 miles west from a central point In
the upper Snake River valley Hence il
will be seen that great city can be