Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-04-29
FOR
IDAHO LANDS
Colonel A. Miller Receives
Bushels Of Letters Of
Inquiry

statistics, says that the volume Of his
correspondence regarding the state Of
Idaho as place to make new homes
grows almost daily, says the Boise
Statesman.
The larger number of letters ask
for homestead lands. The average
dweller in the Mississippi valley, or
anywhere east of the Rockies, be-
lieves that there is still vast ex-
pense of virgin land. rich beyond the
dream of averice, boundless beyond
possibility of exhaustion, on the west
ern slope of the great hills that form
the watershed and backbone of the
continent.
They have read Of the spreading
miles of prairie and forest, and con-
sidering 1t all the same as eastern land
where every acre is cultivated, or at
least owned and held for an appreci-
able value. they believe that the world
is theirs IL they but cross the divide
and start to follow the streams to
the westward until the find a likely
spot and pitch their tents.
rave wrong impression.
| They believe in the inaIeinable right
Of every man to get quarter section
of good land direct from the govern
ment. They believe that Providence
is holding out fertile farm for them,
and that it is right here in Idaho. They
have not read of the forest reserves
which occupy 40 per cent of Idaho; to
the eastern farmer it is as meaning
less as to talk to a scientist about the
fourth dimension
They do not realize that to get
farms of the best Idaho irrigated STAN
dard, there will be miles of rock and
barren land-like the miles Of barren
pebbles before finding the bed of dia-
monds.
But still there are many inquiries
for Idaho homesteads. There have
been millions of acres of good home
steads taken in the state; there are
still many homestead applications be-
ing filed. And these home hunters
from the east want to be among the
ones who are yet to avail themselves
of their rights. A good many such
will visit the state upon advice from
the commissioners Office
Want irrigated Lands.
Others want irrigated lands, with
or without the homestead right. Lands
with the possibility of bidding adieu
to the necessities of a variable rainfall
lands where a spade and a good right
arm are homemade Jupiter Pulvius
more potent than the old Greek god
who might be invoked in vain by the
devout who have not a good water
right and farm to use it on, are most
attractive.
Tales of the marvellous Nile, Of the
Euphrates, where the rivers and moi
the rains are the moisture sources fol-
all that grows are part Of the race
history; and irrigation appeals as ma
turally to- the average farmer as would
an everlasting youth to the pleasure
lover.
They want irrigated lands. idaho
has made an international reputation
for her fertile irrigated fields. Per.
haps the irrigation hunters are not les.
sturdy, nor less desirable citizens from
any standpoint than those who ash
for homesteads, and they are undoubt.
eldy richer in earthly possessions.
Timber Lands Demanded
There is some demand for timber
land. The story OF timber frauds In
the west has called attention to the
fact that Idaho. too, has or has had
some good timber. Skyward prices
for lumber all over the east have also
had to do with the general idea thai
timber Is valuable acquisition. Sc
there are many inquiries as to the pos
sibilities Of securing timber lands here
Like the statement that John Sher-
man. the ather the'crime of '7S'
would draw a bigger audience in
populistic Kansas than any other mar
in the world, people focking in JUS
to see If it were really true that some
one was waiting for them just around
the corner, to buy their holdings. as
has been charged.
At any rate, the fact that timber IL
aleged TO nave been acquired by hay
methods in Oregon and other states
does not deter them from wanting t.
pick up good holding in idaho.
Sending Out Reports.
Colonel Miller and his able assis.
tant. n. o. Hale, are spreading thei,
excellent biennial report over tbs
United States as thinly as possible 81
as to give every state and every in
terest good look into the wonderful
possibilities Of the state as outlined
in their book
They reach all the inquirers where
ever possible, and their efforts arr
likely to be productive of great GEN.
sus gains in the state.
| WASHINGTON n q Anr,l On III :.