Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-04-19
SAGE BRUSH FIESTA
Wants a Fete to Mark Passing Of
Sage Brush.
A BIG "FIESTA DEL. SALIVA
Pocatello Tribune Makes This Novel
Suggestion in Honor of Passing of
Monarch of the Desert

Los Angeles is making prepara-
tions for the annual fiesta there.
This years celebration will eclipse
all others, it ls believed. The mat
ter brings to mind the fact that
Pocatello might do we'll to follow
In the footsteps of the California
city and arrange for fiesta. There
Is not an abundance of flowers in
this part of the country, but there
is plenty of sagebrush. Why not,
then, arrange for a sagebrush fiesta?
In the midst of beauty and frag-
rance, in the land OF sage "a wilder
ness of odor," as the poet might
phrase it-where every soft breeze is
heavy with the fragrance Of a mil
hon sagebushes and where the habit
ations of both the lowly and exalted
are powered amid the odorous bush,
where summer zephrys, whispering
up from the Snake, bring a breath
of naked nature from the north, to
mIngle with scent of cedar and
pine brought down from the skyline
hills on the wings of gentle wind
what more appropriate than feast
of sage-la fiesta del salvia-a holiday
given over to revelling in fragrance
and sweetness, subdued by pity for
a rapidly disappearing speciesP
Some time this year the govern
ment Of the United States will begin
the expenditure of $S6O,ooo in the
construction of an irrigation system
on the Fort Hall lands, including
the immense tract abutting on the
north end of town, where hundreds
of Pocatello citizens haYe taken up
homesteads and are awaiting the ap'
plication of water to mark trans
formation for aridlty into fertility,
from vast waste into waving fields
of grain. Within couple of years
at most the sagebrush will have dis
appeared from this tract, and IN 1T
place will appear the plebian cab
bage, the succulent young onion
the saccharlnc sugar beet, the earth.
but palatable potato, the usefu
alfalfa and the humble hay. Befor
this transformation is accomplished
before the rains OF two more spring
kiss the level acres INTO a new greer
ness and sweetness and purity, Poo
atello should honor the sage, shout
attire herself in wreaths of sage an
festoon her homes and public buile
ings with sprigs and boquets
sage, heaping. homage upon th
altar of a goddess who is about I
be deposed, but who is worthy
all honor for past greatness.
Time was when the sage rule
snpreme in Idaho. Over mlllio
acres it reigned, clinging to Il
precipitous walls of The canyon
the Snake, fighting with the la
reefs of the great Lost River plain
for foothold, battling bravely WI
the bunch grass for the scan
moisture of the arid belt, drlnkll
thirstily of the winter rains 81
antumn showers, creeping to {
dooryards of urban homes, seentl'
half a state with an odor clingil
and cloying. Coyotes and "a
rabbits roamed amid it, affections
woodticks clung TO it, pinto cayu'
threaded a nazy way through
and Indians of other days avoid
= IN their migrations from win
camn TO summer hunting groun'
Then civilization came
v;ewed. calm-eyed and unafra
This vast waste of sage. Slowly,
hef,s the task of transforming
empire. the sage began TO be elbow
o.t not urgently, but always 40
o,sttully. The magic wand Of va
.s wayed over the Boise vail
The Paye,te valley, the lmme
valley of the Upper Snake. "a
,.osn to appear, widening With