The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-11-18
PLUCK and INDUSTRY
WON FOR A. SHAW
Story of Former Emmett Mans
Success on an Idaho
Farm

The following story IF the success
of Aaron Shaw, a former Emmett
rancher, is told by Senator E. w.
Bowman in the Statesman, and de-
monstrates what pluck and industry
may accomplish on Idaho sci:
1t can 5e done. Nerve and indus
try applied to Idaho soil will win
if the fuxing influence of stick-to-it-
iveness is part of the composite
operation.
To illustrate:
Six years ago Aaron Shaw and wife
with their babies filed on forty acres
of Carey act land under the Idaho Ir-
rigation company project three and a
half miles south of Gooding.
Mr.. Shaw came on a certain Thurs
day. Drove through from Emmett,
Idaho, where they had been living.
Brought his live stock-a team, one
COW and a spraddle legged calf. He
filed on the land, went in debt for
lumber and built small house.
The following Friday, week, Mrs.
Shaw arrived with the children. An
inventory at that time showed a cash
balance of Sis.
Fifteen dollars is small capital
with which to begin to develop
ranch.
But these two had more-not money
not cattle or stock or bonds CONVEX
tible into cash.
The thing they had was faith
faith in themselves, faith in the coun-
try, faith in their ability to almost
bare handed tackle the earth and win.
They also had health, which is a Won
derful asset even though it involves
extraordinary development of natu-
rally robust appetites.
Both were strong and both worked.
Neither was inclined to wait for op-
portunity to slip up behind them and
swat a large, persistent club over
their heads and so notify them that
it was there. With grubbing hoes
they started prospecting, started to
digging the sagebrush out of the soil
they believed in.
The first year they got half of the
forty in crop. Borrowed seed by going
in debt for it.
The next year the whole place was
in cultivation.
But what's the use? Why string a
story out for five years?
l was out there Monday. Out to
their place three and a half miles
south of Gooding.
Mr.. Shaw was blowing, so Mrs.
Shaw told me about it.
"Yes, we only had fifteen dollars
when we started here.
''No, we didn't have any cattle, only
that one COW and calf"
"Yes, we've got fourteen head now.
Most of them are milk stock. Well,
we've about 40 head of hogs just at
present of course we sold quite a
bunch little while ago"
"The alfalfa was good this year,
we got about a hundred tons. Well,
something like twenty acres"
eyes, the grain was fair-beat fifty
bushels to the acre"
"No, we haven't had any trouble
keeping up our water payments.
Never have missed any. Well, of
course, we both worked"
"The potatoes were pretty good
Two hundred sacks to the acre this
season."
eyes, we've got some money on de-
posit. Well, in both banks. Oh,
quite little!"
"We might, but l don't hardly
think so-you see we're pretty well
satisfied"
'Well satisfied"
"Well, we might for two hundred an
acre. but l don't know it suits US
pretty we'll"
Six years of work, grit, and attend
o-businessiveness.
Fifteen dollars, team, one COW and
a wobbly calf to start with.
Now: A home worth eight thou
sand dollars. Money, stocks, crops,
ETC., enough to balance the sheet at
ten thousand dollars. Best of all con-
tentment and the peace that comes
with the joy of victory.
Yes, it can be done. Aaron Shaw
and his wife prove that this is so, that
nerve and faith and industry applied
to Idaho soil will do it.