The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-07-06
NJ. R. KIRKUP WRITES
An Interesting and Well Written Letter From Our Former
Townsman Telling of the Great West and of Cid
Crawford County People.
Mr.. w. R. Temple.

crawford -
Mr.. w. r. Temple.
Dear Uncle: You will no doubt
think it strange that you have not
heard from me before this, especially
after promising to write and let you
know something of the west as it APP
peared to me. 1t is certainly a long
ride out here, owing, think, largely
in passing through so much sparsely
settled country, so much of western
Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and east
ern Oregon, that is barren and other
parts for hundreds of miles that is
covered with sage brush and apparent
~ no good, and towns seem so far
apart, but quite frequently you see
in the distance from the cars little
patches of beautiful green grass that
shows what can be done when you can
get water and the muscle Of the
sturdy pioneer to work. have no
doubt that in ten years or less Idaho,
parts of Wyoming and eastern Ore
gon will blossom like garden. The
very sight Of these things makes you
wonder what is man, surely he must
be little lower than the angels, for
his ingenuity and his determination
to conquer and develop the earth, to
build for himself home and provide
competency all appeal to you, es-
pecially when you think Of how many
of them have left comfortable homes,
friends and social conditions that
they cannot find in the country, at
least for some time.
1t is really wonderful the amount
of irrigation projects that are under
way in Idaho, the number of teams
and men that are busy clearing OF
the sage brush, digging bitches, and
little towns that are just springing up
like mushrooms. and people by the
train loads coming from the east.
Young people. middle aged and some
we'll along in years. people with fam
lilies. You meet all kinds on the
train bound for the Great West,
which seems large enough to take
them all into her bosom.
My first stop after leaving Denison
was at Nampa. stopped three days
with Frank and Bell Stone, and they
certainly treated me fine. They are
lovely people and certainly enjoyed
my visit. The first night was there
we sat up until twelve o'clock, the
second night we stayed up until ;2:3O
| In the morning. They were hungry
for someone to talk to from old Craw-
ford county, and 1 guess we talked
over everything that happened in
Crawford county for the last twenty
years. Frank is doinng fine, has a
splendid business and is one Of the
most influential citizens, so much so
that both political parties asked him
to accept the mayorship of the town.
Nampa is very fine little town of
about 5000; splendid business houses:
beautiful homes; her people are wide
awake and full Of energy, and fully
alive to the best interests of the town
and expect great future as the coun-
TRY becomes settled. You know 100
acres will support six families in Ida
no, where they have irrigation and
raise such large crops.
From Nampa went to Boise City,
4 which is about twenty miles, on the
electric line. Frank went over with
me- He returned in the afternoon
and I stayed over night with Perry
Marshall. Perry has good position
In a stationery store similar to what
they had in Denison, only much larger.
He is bookkeeper. He had just moved
into a nice new cottage, which he
bought on the installmept plan, four
rooms with all the modern improve
ments. Perry and his wife enter
tanned me right royalty and enjoyed
every minute was there. The wealth
er was ideal. also saw Mrs. Roden.
baugh, Will Rodenbaugh and wife,
Chas. Anderton's daughter, who is
married and lives there; also saw the
Norris Mr.. and Mrs. Morris, George,
Charlie and one of their daughters.
They were all at work and seemed to
be prosperous and happy. saw one
Of the Orr boys, the carpenter, be-
lieye his name is Frank, but did not
see Mr.. and Mrs. Orr, as they live out
In the country. There are some very
pretty little homes and farms between
Nampa and Boise. Farms of from
ten to twenty acres, which looked like
gardens, SO we'll cared for. 1t seemed
to me like the ideal life; Of course it
has been settled for some time as