The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-07-11
landslide at Shoshone Falls.

Wednesday afternoon there occur
red at the great Shoshone Falls a
great landslide. Tons of dirt, bould-
ers. and trees swept 400 feet down
the side of the cliff at the falls. We
get the following account of the land
Slide from the Shoshone Journal:
The noise of the landslide was
heard in the power plant above the
rumble of the machinery and the
thunder of the falls, the men in the
plant rushed out to ascertain the
cause, thinking that an explosion had
occurred lat the hotel acroes the
river.
1t is thought that the slide was
caused by waste water from irriga-
ton bitches above the canyon which
seeped through the rocks and under
mined the soil covering the side of
the cliff. The slide started some feet
above the stairway, near little
spring and swept down with terrific
force.
The slide occurred just at the time
of day when tourists usually descend
the steps, and had the weather been
more favorable and the usual number
of tourists been out there, undoubt-
eddy many lives would have been lost.
As it is, it is not believed that any
lives were lost. There is no way of
reaching the great heaps of debris,
unless some venturesome person
should attempt to slide down 800
foot rope over the brink of the cliff.
The rustic stairway was one of the
unique features of the famous resort
at the falls. Tourists invariably con-
slider their trip to the falls to be far
from complete unless they descend
the steps. Many people of national
reputation have wendell their way
down and up the stairs.
Potato Blight at Idaho Falls
The farmers of the Idaho Falls
potato belt are greatly alarmed over
potato blight which has been in
troduced through some means or
other From all the information OBJ
tainable the disease is the Rhizocto-
MIA, or stem dry rot, which is caused
b yplanting diseased, foul and af-
fected seed. Ground once affected
with the disease is not fit for potato
culture for period of from five to
seven years, and the present crop
is an entire loss. At first it was
thought that the disease was that
known as Fusarium wilt or leaf roll,
the potato trouble that put the enire
Greeley, Colorado, potato district
out of business, and when it once Sc
cures a hold in a potato district spells
ruin for the industry for seasons at
time. 1t can be overcome by vigor-
cultivation, aud 81
The people OF Idaho Falls have taken
the matter up with the state and fed
eral experts. In commenting on
potato diseases and the. local situa-
ton the Idaho Falls Register says
editorially:
Potato blight has become so severe
that international recognition has
been taken of the condition and the
four governments of England, Ger
many, France and the United States
have joined issues and have secured
the services of the worlds greatest
scientists to make study of the sit
uation in order to try and solve the
problem. According to the best re-
ports the potato as product almost
II not quite faces extinction.
The experts plan a transcontinental
trip of the United States, and Idaho
Falls as the center of the potato
growing industry of the west, is to be
visited. The experts and men of
science will be welcomed and it is
earnestly to be hope that some prop
er remedy can be suggested
The present situation is what must
be taken care of at the present time.
That there is some trouble there is no
denying. By those most familiar with
the potato locally it is pronounced to
be fursarium wilt, and which If per-
united to continue will spoil the land
Tor the potato crops for years. 1t is
10 be hoped that the disease 10
,ally is not so bad as reported but
n any event if there is single hill
affected, the condition must be gone
INTO, thorough investigation made,
md If possible a cure effected"