The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1912-07-26
CITY LADY WRITES OF IDAHO.

Mrs. C. d. Billingslea who passe,
through Blackfoot few weeks ag
on her way from Colorado to tn
mines at Patterson Creek, Pahsemar
Valley, has responded to our invita-
ton to write some of her impression
Of Idaho for publication, and we pub
lish herewith her first letter, hoping
there will be others as rich in
"Whisperings of Nature"
| I often wonder If there ever exis
ted, Man, Women or Child, of oul
urban population, who as the colo
blasts of winter, give place to the
balmy breezes of spring when nature
working overtime to rejuvenate and
make glad the vegetation, so long
held dormant by the icy hand Of
winter that does not long to break
away from, the smoky and the stuffy
rooms of the tenement houses, or the
crowded flats, out into the open.
Where everything is taking on new
life, where every breath would ex-
pand the lungs, and cause the blood
to 60 racing through the veins, re-
pairing the waste brought in by lack
of pure air, over work and often
times, want of actual necessities.
Would that each and every one Of
them, could. have such a vacation as
I am now enjoying.
My heart goes out to them, and
more especially, to the little child
rem of the poor, the little innocent
dwarfed, and oft times crippled in
mind and body by the want of one
of Gods greatest gifts pure air.
My outing this year is in the great
and fertile valley of the Pahsimori,
and the now famous mining camp of
Patterson Canyon, but of that mine
more amen, l must tell you of our
fishing excursion. There were eight
of us in the party, and we journeyed
to that famous fishing stream known
the country around as big Creek,
a creek noted for its RED Sides"
and Bull Trout" four of us really
fished, the other four, as near as we
could find out, occupied their time
in tramping down brush, and making
a noise thinking possibly the fish
would come out on the bank to find
out. what all the racket was all about
but fish not having the curiosity at
tributed to the daughters of Eve,
failed to respond, so the fishing prop
'er was really confined to four of us,
and what sport we had! Our catch
was 1872 principally "Red Sides"
weighing from one half pound to
pound and a half, and what a fish
they are! Cooked as only mount
ain women can cook, they were indeed
a banquet fit to lay before the Gods.
Cold in the water from whence they
came and it follows, their flesh was
hard and firm, when served they al
most seemed to melt in ones mouth,
leaving flavor known only to those
who have tried them and excelled by
none of the finny tribe. We return
ed tired out, happy, and ready for
another jaunt at any time.
Few indeed of the people of Ida
no or the outside world know OF
the extent or fertility of this great
valley of the Pahsimori over forty
miles in length and at places eight
miles wide. it is only waiting for
the magic touch of that life giving
water, to Blossom as the
Rose" and the water is here, enough
to supply in abundance, the whole
valley, if properly conserved, a sys-
tenn of reservoirs could be construct
ed to hold back, and preserve the
water flowing down from its mount
ain sides in the spring, when the
scnow is melting to irrigate it from
one end to the other, there indeed
would it come to its own, and be one
Of the largest producing valleys in
the states.
And this will eventually be done
by either large corporation, the state
Or the United States. But this val
ley is not the only asset of this part
Of the Lemhi county, Patterson Can
yon now known the world over, for
Its minerals is with giant strides
coming to the front, here is to be
'ound in quantities the precious met
lls,gOld, silver, copper, but of the rar-
sr metals tungsten now coming into
general use and much sought for is
lere in quantities. There is here not
he largest at least as large body
II Tungsten az can be found in the