The Idaho Republican., 1914-02-06
Sterling Town
site Cladens
Stockholders

Stockholders of the Sterling Town
site company received checks last
week from Secretary A. Y. Satterfield
for ten per cent of their investment
in the capital stock of the company
which laid out the townsite. The
business has been managed by local
people who are on the ground and
know conditions and have shown
their faith in it by putting up their
own money along with many others
The townsite was laid out in 1910
and the opening sale of lots was on
the 10th day of September. A spe-
cial train was operated from Black
foot to carry people to the end of the
line at Springfield, and local people
furnished vehicles for the other four
miles, and rendered a barbecue at
the noon hour.
The number of lots sold was 418
at an average price of about SAT.
For the early part of the sale the
lots were snapped up chiefly by peo-
pie living at the larger towns in the
valley, and local people who had
doubted the theory that lots would
sell well. looked on in surprise. They
wanted lots but were waiting until
they could get them at their own
price. Towards night they began to
realize that the particular lots they
had selected were rapidly passing to
others, and they began to get into
the game. Bidding was brisk until
the sun was low and people had to
hurry away to catch the waiting
train. II the sun could have been
turned back an hour or so the town
site would have been about cleaned
up. There are at present 213 lots
unsold and only little delinquency
on those already purchased. Pres
ent indications are that people will
double their money invested in stock
and those owning lots will do far bet
ter than that, within the ten-year
period that they all considered neces-
sary to make town at the time Of
the opening. Lots are still on sale
almost at the price of acreage, for
they are big lots and those who know
the country and have watched its
steady development know that he
who loads up with lots at present
prices is going to wake up some day
with basket full of easy money, just
as some people are reaping small fort
unes in Blackfoot from business lots
they took in self defense few years
ago.
Sterling is rapidly developing into
a shipping point on account of the
vast area of agricultural land stretch
ing in all directions. It's value and
stability are further assured by the
fact that this land is of every kind
from natural meadow and irrigated
to the famous dry farm and whea,
belts. The railroad company have
given evidence of their faith in the
Sterling country by building a long
siding and a spur bi-secting the town
to accommodate the warehouse dis
trict. A large and commodious de-
pot was added and competent man
is in charge of their business.
In the spring Of 1911 the town was
set to trees the streets we're graded
and large park not far from the CEN
ter of town is being developed into a
grove. Grounds for schools and a
church we're set aside at the start, and
everything that has been done is of
the broad guage pattern. Big store,
big hall, big lumber yard, potato eel
lar holding train load and it's full
"a big elevator is due to come soon,
a big Touring mill can't stay away
long, and all these things coming to
fill a demand, mean that there is go
ing to be busy town.