American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1909-07-10
NJ SACEBRUSH
TO FINE HOMES
yer Passes Judgment
Upon the Country.
NJ / is Fine, Fair to Look Upon,
- Homeseekers Should Inveti-
gate and Satisfy Themselves.
as to Advantages.

AuS AOlioWinS drClcle Is from Jne pen
Of C. S. Clarke, publisher of the Colfax,
Washington Gazette, and appeared in
that paper July 2. Mr.. Clark spent
several days here about the middle of
June, and the article reflects his opin-
ions. He was here as an ninfant in 1856.
and camped with an immigrant train on
the banks of the river at the falls, and
although too young to remember many
incidents of the trip, which ended in
California, distinctly remembers the
falls on account of the noise they made.
The article is rater lengthy, but inter-
esting throughout:
Southern Idaho is going through the
transition of a sagebrush waste to a
region of beautiful homes and many
prosperous towns. For several decades
it has been used largely as a sheep and
cattle range, for which it seemed speci-
ally adapted, but the wonders of irriga-
ton and the possibilities of dry farming
have changed the aspect of affairs, and
what was once marked on the map of
ye olden time as part of the "Great
American Desert promises to be one
Of the most fruitful and beautiful Sec
tions belonging to the realms of Uncle
Sam. The sagebrush region of South
ern Idaho is almost an empire in ex-
tent. The Oregon Short Line thunders
along for day and night before it
leaves Idaho to enter similar region
in Wyoming. To attempt to tell all
that is going on in this region would
require more space than can be given
now, so this article will be confined to
the territory in and around American
Falls.
American Falls.
American Falls is located on historic
ground. The ''Oregon trail' $50 cailed)
passes here, and here the Argonauts
who crossed the plains on their way to
Oregon as well as to California in the
forties and fifties wended their way or
camped for the night, little dreaming
Of the changed conditions that would
come over the country in less than half
century. Traces of the old road
traversed by the pioneers are seen here
and there, but it is clear that all lines
viii soon be lost, hence the people of
American Falls as we'll as other places
should mark the historic trail, as it is
IN asset to be priced and to feel proud
Iof. Ezra Meeker was here last year on
his memorable trip across the continent
hy OK team, and urged the people to
erect suitable monument, which they
win probably do when they get over
the building activity which has struck
~ place.
TIE town gets its name from the falls
II &nAke river alongside, which promises
~ e factor in furnishing power and
eae1hlishing manufacturing industries
~ elmost every kind. The Snake is a
49, stream at this point. 1t has a
u3eA of over 900 feet, and pours its
G0o over a precipes az feet in height.
Eough the fall is not perpendicular
MNearly so, the waters tearing over
1hrough jagged rocks with terrific
o. making a roar heard for miles
% 4Orming sight of great interest.
H. railroad bridge crosses oyer the
4o passengers enjoying the unique
,1. Of, thn
. height above. There is always
4 k1ning of necks when passenger
III cross. The railroad was built in
but strange to say the power con-
od with the falls was not appro-
4ed until few years ago, when
ornor Brady opened his eyes and
vht of the latent forces if nature
to waste. A company was
ed, the waters of the falls were
essed and three sets of turbine
Dls furnish voltage at a primary
htial os 2300, or high tension of
b. 1t should be stated that not a
andth part of the power the falls
to use, which is sufficient to
another Fall River of the town
nerican Falls-one of the greatest
bfacturing centers west of the
" mountains. Power is now used
lighting the town with electricity,
he flour mill, brewery, brick yard,
but it takes no stretch of the
ination to tell that it will be used
lveral electric railway lines diverg-
b several directions, besides woolen
canneries and other establish
b to work up the raw products of
region into finished product. The
Dr at American Falls is greater