The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-09-03


Snake river valley, with it's greatest
dimension of about rs miles extend
ing east and west, and 81 miles
north and south at the greatest
width.
Blackfoot, the county seat, is near
the center. The largest town in the
northern part of the county is Shell
ley with a population of about $500
and Aberdeen in the southwest with
a population of about $50.
Other villages in the northern part
of the county are Basalt, Firth,
Goshen, Woodville and Taber. In
the southern part are Sterling, More
land, Rockford, Pingree, Springfield
and Ft. Hall.
The whole county is agricultural
and grazing, the best farming sec
tion being the 10 to 15-mile irrigat-
ed belt adjacent to Snake river. The
dry farm regions are the fiat lands
lying westward from the irrigated
belt, and the highlands in the noun
tains to the eastward from Snake
river. The chief grazing belts are
the dry farm regions for fall and
spring grazing and the highlands for
summer. Dry farming is still in the
experimental stages in both regions,
and while enough has been done to
demonstrate it's feasibility, large
percentage of the settlers have not
made much advancement and must
improve upon their methods or ul-
timately fail. The irrigated belt is
growing rich and prosperous and it's
industries furnish much employment
for the dry farm settlers wanting
employment during individual re-
verses and in what they consider
dull periods in their operations.
The grazing industry and agricul-
ture are growing more and more de-
pendent upon each other, and the
herds and fiocks descend from the
mountains to the valleys for the
winter to feed and fatten upon the
products of the farms and by-prod-
ucts of the sugar factories and fields.
The principal valley, that of Snake
river, with it's tributaries, is about
60 miles wide, this including the
Lost river plain which blends with
the Snake river plain.
Some of the principal products
are potatoes, sugar beets from which
granulated white sugar is made,
livestock, wool, hay and grain, al
falfa seed. clover seed, seed peas,
and all the hardy fruits and veget-
ables.
Nearly all the irrigation systems
belong to the farmers and are oper-
ated by them on cooperative plans.
The water is not bought and sold,
but is merely drawn by the various
owners, and the cost of maintenance
is the only rental or assessment
levied. The water is drawn from
Snake river and the Blackfoot river
chiefly. An artificial lake called the
Blackfoot reservoir, situated near the
southeast corner of the county,
stores water for use on what is
known as the government irrigation
system that waters farms on the
great plain of the Indian reservation
between Blackfoot and Pocatello.
The lands have been allotted in sew
crafty to the Indians who are farm
ing them or leasing them to white
men, and large areas are being put
under cultivation each year. The
government leases the lands for the
Indians on terms that enable the
tenants to make great deal OF
money.
Telephone service is good thruout
the county so far as the density of
population will justify the construc-
tion of lines, and electric lights and
power are in use in the larger places
and are being extended to the more
thickly settled rural districts. The
current is generated at American
Falls, on Snake river, for the mid
die and southern parts of the county,
and at another power site near Shell
ley for the upper or northern end OF
the county.
Public schools receive considerable
attention, and because of the country
being new, and all school buildings
comparatively new, they are built
and operated on modern lines. In
all towns, villages and larger settle
ments, the graded school or CONSOLE
dated school is the rule, with school
wagons operated at public expense
to transport the pupils morning and
evening. Scientific lighting, sanitary
drinking fountains, modern heating
plants, athletics, fire drills, and
classes in cooking, sewing and car
pentry are some of the features OF
the schools. The school census of
1916 shows 5,941 children of school
age in the county.
The population of the county is
not definitely known as division has
been made since the 1910 census. The
county seat is Blackfoot, accredited
by the same census 2,202, and num-
boring 3,5OS in May, 1916. The
population of Shelley in 1910 was
given at SGT, and by count Of
homes in 1917, it showed an esti-
mated population Of 1900.
The assessed valuation of the
county for the year 1915 was $12,-I
281,611, the rate Of levy was $.O18
for state purposes. $.13 for county
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