American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1910-07-02

place and made many acquainted
with the new project. He was in
/ yited to speak at the meeting of the
city council in the evening and they
manifested much interest in the
subject.
Mr.. Young has had about thirty
years experience in river navigation
on the Columbia river, and about
two years ago he became interested
in navigating the Snake river in it's
/ upper reaches, and after making a
series of Investigations he decided
to build very light draft boat for
freight and passenger service be-
tween American Falls and Black
foot
On Saturday, the 18th of June,
such a boat was launched at Amer
lean Falls and is now being fitted
with specially constructed machin-
cry giving her great power and
light draught The boat is rs feet
long over all. rests in the water for
length of 65 feet, is IA feet wide
and draws 5 IA inches of water or
l 4 inches when loaded Its speed
will be Ia miles an hour in still
water and is estimated to be about
ten miles in this river. 1t will pass
under the wagon bridges, is pro-
PEELED by gasoline power applied to
stern wheel and will be handled
/ by three men.
Three barges will be built for
handling freight, it being the plan
to anchor them where freight is re-
received, and when loaded to tow
them to the destination of the cargo
/ Freight that is to be shipped by
rail from American Falls or Black
loot will be loaded on the cars with
out extra expense. Mi !, butter.rGss
vegetables, fruits, et' can be en-
Igsted to tie CcmpanJ to sell and
1 the money returned or purchases
made as The patrons desire This
will be a special feature of the com
pany and will be one of great CON
venience to the farmers along the
river who have long distances to
travel to make small purchases when
they find themselves short on house
/ hold necessities.
A large amount of lumber, cement
and other heavy building material is
being used at Aberdeen and it is ex-
peeted that this will be taken by
water at much less expense than it
can be hauled by wagon, especially
IN view Of the sandy places in the
road that reduce the amount that
a team can handle. Great quantities
OF lumber, wire and other materi-
ais needed on the new farms down
the river can be shipped from Black
loot at small expense compared
with team freight. The steamer will
do shopping for the settlers along
the way, and by placing signals on
the shore at convenient landing MIA
ces' orders can be taken and goods
ueIlVered the same as the rural mail
carriers do on land When ANYBODY
wants to come to town it will NOT
De necessary to take the team out
OF the field but they can hail the
boat have a pleasure trip by steam
er and return at a small eynense
Arrangements will be made for
smal dock near Snake river bridge
'nd trans fer men will respond with
team at the dock when the incom-
ing steamer gives the signal. Fish
Ing and hunting parties desiring TO
go TO the resorts likely to be es-
taDilshed in the neigh hborhood of
Springfield and Otis can go by
steamer, and it will be an easy mat
ter for a Blackfoot pastor and his
flock to go out and hold an ann
service in July at the old site of
Fort Hall where Jason Lee preached
the first sermon west of the Rock
les. for that place is near the river
oank near the steamer line. Vast
quantities of hay going to waste un-
der present conditions on the bot
tom lands can be baled and loaded
on barges and drawn to market nm
or down the river.
Mr.. Young told of some very in
teresting conditions he had seen in
connection with water transporta-
ton in Oregon, showing that steam
er traffic on river bordered BY
Farms adds greatly to the value of
the lands. He ventured the assertion
that If the land owners along Snake
river realized the money values it
would add to their lands to have a
boat or line of boats operating on
this river they would be the most